We left Bangor, ME, on February 4 and returned on February 15. Our trip was fairly uneventful, but the few things serve as lessons learned for the next time we travel there.
1. If the forecast calls for a lot of rain, do not plan to wash your clothes. It rained every day that we were there. Without dryers, clothes just do not dry. Fortunately, we had taken enough that it was not a problem.
2. Their summer is their rainy season. While the 60 degree weather was a break from our severe winter cold, the weather would have been more pleasant at another time. On the morning of this photo, the clearest morning we had, the clouds moved in shortly after lunch. By afternoon, it was raining. In the distance, you can see the snow-capped volcano, Chachani.
3. Peruvian Spanish is easy for a foreigner to understand. I have been in countries where they slur their words together. In others, they speak very rapidly. In still others, they have so much slang that it is hard to follow. But Peruvian Spanish is clear and relatively free of slang. While they speak rapidly to each other, when they turn to speak to a foreigner, they usually slow down and speak more precisely.
4. Not all rumbling sounds are earthquakes. I awoke with a start on Friday night as a flash of light and low crackle reverberated through the room. In an instant, I was out of bed and halfway to the door, thinking that an earthquake was happening. As I ran across the room, I realized the house was not shaking, so I stopped. A few minutes later, the same sound happened, only this time we did not see the flash of light. This one seemed to awaken the rest of the household. In the morning we asked our hosts what it was. Firecrackers. If people see bands of wandering kids at night who appear to be up to no good, they light off firecrackers as a way of letting them know they have been spotted. That also awakens the neighbors and they can check as well.
5. Arequipa has some of the cleanest restrooms in the world. Having travelled the world, this came as a surprise to us. Both Charlie and I expected less than clean restrooms. Yet every restroom was clean. Some gleamed with recent polishing. Take your own toilet paper, though. That is seldom available.
6. Peru has wonderful cuisine. We enjoyed such things as Potato Cakes, Stuffed Peppers, Roasted Pork, Rotisserie Chicken, and other wonderful dishes while we were there. Every dinner had potatoes, and sometimes there was rice as well.
7. Lima’s airport is one of the best for a the middle-of-the-night layover. When I saw our schedule included an eight-hour layover in Lima in the middle of the night, I was dreading it. We arrived a little after midnight and went to see if we could check our bags, but the American Airlines desk did not open until 5:00 a.m. We wandered, and found a Starbucks open. After purchasing two mochas, the barista gave us the password to the internet. For the next two hours, we toured the internet. Then we browsed in the stores, all of which were open. When the AA desk opened, we checked our luggage, passed through security, and then enjoyed the international wing until the time of our departure, including catching about an hour of sleep on the chairs there.
If I were a simple tourist, I would certainly want to visit Peru again. It was a delightful experience for us in that way. But as itinerant teachers, we want to visit again because the people of Peru are gracious, loving, and wonderful.
1. If the forecast calls for a lot of rain, do not plan to wash your clothes. It rained every day that we were there. Without dryers, clothes just do not dry. Fortunately, we had taken enough that it was not a problem.
2. Their summer is their rainy season. While the 60 degree weather was a break from our severe winter cold, the weather would have been more pleasant at another time. On the morning of this photo, the clearest morning we had, the clouds moved in shortly after lunch. By afternoon, it was raining. In the distance, you can see the snow-capped volcano, Chachani.
3. Peruvian Spanish is easy for a foreigner to understand. I have been in countries where they slur their words together. In others, they speak very rapidly. In still others, they have so much slang that it is hard to follow. But Peruvian Spanish is clear and relatively free of slang. While they speak rapidly to each other, when they turn to speak to a foreigner, they usually slow down and speak more precisely.
4. Not all rumbling sounds are earthquakes. I awoke with a start on Friday night as a flash of light and low crackle reverberated through the room. In an instant, I was out of bed and halfway to the door, thinking that an earthquake was happening. As I ran across the room, I realized the house was not shaking, so I stopped. A few minutes later, the same sound happened, only this time we did not see the flash of light. This one seemed to awaken the rest of the household. In the morning we asked our hosts what it was. Firecrackers. If people see bands of wandering kids at night who appear to be up to no good, they light off firecrackers as a way of letting them know they have been spotted. That also awakens the neighbors and they can check as well.
5. Arequipa has some of the cleanest restrooms in the world. Having travelled the world, this came as a surprise to us. Both Charlie and I expected less than clean restrooms. Yet every restroom was clean. Some gleamed with recent polishing. Take your own toilet paper, though. That is seldom available.
6. Peru has wonderful cuisine. We enjoyed such things as Potato Cakes, Stuffed Peppers, Roasted Pork, Rotisserie Chicken, and other wonderful dishes while we were there. Every dinner had potatoes, and sometimes there was rice as well.
7. Lima’s airport is one of the best for a the middle-of-the-night layover. When I saw our schedule included an eight-hour layover in Lima in the middle of the night, I was dreading it. We arrived a little after midnight and went to see if we could check our bags, but the American Airlines desk did not open until 5:00 a.m. We wandered, and found a Starbucks open. After purchasing two mochas, the barista gave us the password to the internet. For the next two hours, we toured the internet. Then we browsed in the stores, all of which were open. When the AA desk opened, we checked our luggage, passed through security, and then enjoyed the international wing until the time of our departure, including catching about an hour of sleep on the chairs there.
If I were a simple tourist, I would certainly want to visit Peru again. It was a delightful experience for us in that way. But as itinerant teachers, we want to visit again because the people of Peru are gracious, loving, and wonderful.
