We were on our way back from the futbol game (see previous post) around 7:30 and were standing on a street corner waiting for a bus to come by. Buses to Puylucana stop around then so there weren't many left and I was just hoping we hadn't missed the last one. All of a sudden, we heard what sounded like a marching band. It's dark outside and there's going to be a marching band?! We were a little confused but kind of excited that something was going on. Just then, Liz beckoned us away from the corner and told us to move back down the street a little. We didn't know what was happening but did so anyways. Right as the front of the "band" was getting to us, a combi (small bus) pulled up that would take us back to our house. We jumped in but the band got there just then so we had to wait for them to go by.
Turns out the "band" was a large group of people protesting the local mines. They started with a band but there were hundreds of people marching behind them with signs and banners. In the combi, Liz informed us that there are a lot of white people that work in the mines so us being on the corner wouldn't have been a good idea (why she told us to get back). It was kind of a miracle that the exact bus we needed pulled up at that exact moment. It's highly unlikely anything would have happened but I'm glad things happened the way they did.
We didn't get any pictures of the protesters but Noelle took a movie in the combi. The whole time I was wondering what the other Peruvians in our van thought of us. We jam-packed in that bus to get home. There were over 20 people in it at one time (and I'm sure at some point I'll be in one holding more). Here's what one looks like although the ones here are not quite as nice looking...
Fun fact: I wasn't aware of the correct spelling for "protesters" so I looked it up and you can spell it as I have OR p-r-o-t-e-s-t-O-r-s. Who knew??
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