ANOTHER Fantastic Day!

(Saturday, February 11)

Wow, the days seem to be getting better and better as time goes on.  I knew this would happen eventually, but it’s hard to imagine it in the beginning.  Everything was so new and everything we did scared me.  Every new place we went was nervewracking and I didn’t want to go back.  Honestly, I haven’t really enjoyed any place the first time we visited.  It takes time!  Today, I felt like we owned Peru.  I know we shouldn’t ever feel too comfortable because we always need to be careful and very aware of our surroundings, but it feels good to feel like this is our new home and we “belong” here.

Okay, back to our amazing day…. We woke up around 7:30 and lounged around the house, in our beds, for about an hour.  When we finally got up the motivation to get out of bed we went for another lovely run.  We bused into Banos and then ran our new favorite trail into Cajamarca.  Today we saw a sign that said its 5 kilometers but I need to verify that.  We did the run in about 20 minutes and stopped in Cajamarca at a little pastry shop.  On Thursday, when we went there, we got some delicious chicken empanadas.  We decided to try something new so we got a “mixed” one…turns out to be bologna-like meat in the middle.  Definitely not something I’ll eat again.  Then, instead of heading straight to the grocery store as we had planned, we did a little wandering.  We were still hungry so we decided to stop at each pastry shop we passed and try something new at each one.  What a great idea!!  I wish I’d had my camera with me so I could document the food but, alas, I did not bring it on the run haha  We decided we recreate it again sometime and take pictures.

We also stopped at a few movie places to see what was available.  I ended up buying Harry Potter 7 Parts 1 and 2 for about $1.50 total.  Beat that, America.  The first one looks pretty legit but the second looks like it was filmed in the theater.  Oh well, that will not deter me from buying more movies!  Noelle got Gnomeo and Juliet, The Help, Never Say Never (Justin Beiber) and Sydney White for about $3.00 total.  We discovered Sydney White was only in Spanish but the others all look good.

After buying some movies we headed up a street we knew had quite a bit of tourist shops with purses, belts, headbands and stuff we want to buy before leaving.  I want to buy EVERYTHING.  I’m allowing myself to purchase no more than three purses….unless I find one that so amazing I can’t live without it :)  I didn’t buy any today but I did buy a headband that I’m loving.

By now it’s about 11:30 and we need to head to the Metro (The Super Walmart of Cajamarca that’s 1/8 the size and not nearly as cheap) to buy groceries.  We walk out of the little shop we’re in and BAM! There’s Robert, one of our new friends!  What are the chances?!?!  He was doing some filming for a church video that’s being put together for the YSA activity coming up.  He invited us to go to dinner with him and George that night.  They had been telling us about this place they really liked when we were with them on Wednesday so that’s where they wanted to take us.  Well we were not about to turn down new friends!  So we agreed to meet them back at the Plaza de Armas at five.  

We literally ran (okay…jogged, it’s a busy city) to the Metro about 20 minutes away because we were supposed to be back in Banos at 1:30 for lunch with Liz and Miguel.  We found almost everything we needed and then speedily walked back across town to our bus stop.  I swear, none of our errands are ever close to each other and the bus stop isn’t near anything.  Once we were home, Brit jumped in the shower and Noelle and I got things together to take a hot shower in Banos (Brit is a champ and doesn’t mind cold showers).

We were running late to get to Liz and Miguel’s and for some reason there was a big gap in buses to our town.  That’s okay though because while we were waiting a white guy comes riding by on a bike, looks at us and says “you guys look lost.”  Hahaha  Sheesh, even the white guy thinks we look lost.  Turns out, he’s lived in Banos for two years and works for the mine here.  He was super nice and said his wife might be interested in coming and helping out at the center sometimes.

On with the story, we got down to Liz and Miguel’s and a few minutes later Brit arrived.  We had one of the best meals we’ve had so far in Peru!  Liz is learning how to cook like a real Peruvian and so her next door neighbor helped out.  It was called lomo saltado and was like a stir-fry with meat, onions and tomatoes and then you mix in French fries and serve it over rice.  Oh my goodness.  It didn’t have any strange ingredients so I’m definitely learning how to make it and then making it in the states.

After lunch, Liz started helping us plan our next adventure….touring!  More details to come on that.  So far we know we’re going to go tour the jungle (HOPEFULLY we get to take a ride down the Amazon) and Cuzco/ Machu Picchu.  We just don’t know the exact days/ lengths/ flights/ buses etc yet.  Oh, I’m so excited just thinking about it!

We had to leave their house around 3:30 because we still had errands to do before meeting the boys at 5:00.  Noelle and I went to the hot springs to get our hot shower for 2 soles a piece and Brit went to the store to buy us some water since we were fresh out.  We decided to meet at the church at 4:30 which would give us both about 30 minutes.  Oh, and I forgot to mention that it’s now raining and none of us had really good rain gear with us.  You’d think after living here a month we’d know that it rains every afternoon around the same time and should just always have our rain gear with us.  I guess we just keep hoping it’ll change haha

The shower felt great (albeit a little rushed) and we headed to the church, getting drenched along the way.  Why the church?  Well there was another great activity with Picarones (what those donut things were called from the earlier post) and we wanted some!  Noelle and I got there and walked around the building.  Nothing.  Not a person in sight.  Actually, the construction workers were there, but no one from the ward and no sign of frying picarones.  Sad day!  Brit hadn’t arrived so we started walking back towards the bus stop hoping to catch her along the way (since we were running late to get to Cajamarca).  We caught her running towards us (again, remember it’s raining…now practically pouring).  What a champ.

We jumped on a bus and headed to the Plaza de Armas.  Luckily we arrived there right at 5:00.  Not so luckily, we hadn’t picked an exact spot to meet them and it’s still pouring and we don’t have rain gear (besides 2 umbrellas) so we weren’t anxious to just go walking around looking for them.  Luckily, they spotted our umbrellas :)  The five of us jumped in a taxi (Brit laying across Noelle, George and I…I don’t know how the tallest one always ends up sitting on top) and headed to the restaurant.  

Dinner was super fun!  We all got a rotisserie chicken and French fries.  It wasn’t anything super special but it was certainly delicious.  Noelle kept pretty good conversation the whole time.  They said that Noelle and Brit smile a lot but I don’t.  I wasn’t sure if I should be insulted by that!  But then they just said I seemed more serious and I can live with that.  I told them I enjoy listening, and it’s true.  There are times when I love to talk and laugh and have fun, but then there are times when I really don’t mind sitting in silence and listening.  I’m also keenly aware that when I just sit I have a slight scowl.  It’s not on purpose, it’s just how my face is!   

We taught them some English and they taught us some Spanish.  We talked about the upcoming JOS (YSA) activities and what we like to do.  We found out they are both converts of just a few years although both have served missions.  One of their family’s joined the church while they were on their mission.  How cool?!  It’s so great to have Peruvian friends to talk to!  We’re making more and more and I love it!

After dinner they rode home with us in a combi.  We caught one of the last buses back to Puylucana and then we were all talking outside our door when they left Puylucana so I’m not exactly sure how they got home haha  But they’re tough and it wasn’t even 8:00 so I wasn’t too worried.

Back at home we cooked up our chicken and made some chicken broth for soup tomorrow.  We also did more research on travel plans for April as far as prices and days go for flights and guided tours.  We’ve decided to do guided tours of both places so we can just relax and not have to worry about as much.

Okay, I can breathe now.  Wasn’t that an amazing day?!?!  It was the perfect way to kick off our second month here in Peru.  We ate ONLY Peruvian food today too!  It’s like we’re almost natives, or something.  If only we could look a little less conspicuous we would be set.