Fairytale Cusco to Saqsaywaman. Oh Yeah!

Thursday, with barely a notice of Valentine's Day in Lima, Frieda booked an appointment for me to see the magic doctor to help ease the pain in my shoulders. What a treat that was; with the help of some electrical vibration, the good doctor worked on my physical pain and delighted me with his worldly, spiritual views. I came out of the room, lifted from pain and high in spirit, to find Frieda sweetly napping on the massage chair without it being on! How adorable.
We all get entangled in our daily lives without having time to spend on our loved ones. This was true friendship.

Friday the fifteenth was another wake-up call at 6:00am to fly to Cusco. On the plane, as we arrived at our destination, I looked down from my window seat to check out from above, the town set amongst a green valley at an altitude of 3,400 metres above sea level. Hala watched in disbelief at how the tiny village she had visited 25 years ago had not turned into a town. Guess that's what time does!
Once we landed on a separate plane to Frieda, the aviation companies differed in price for tourists from those set for the locals. The shopper in me immediately purchased an oxygen mask. Then we got a taxi to Cusco's main Plaza Armas and drove around a few hotels, such as Ramada, before we settled into our room at El Virrey, set bang in the centre of the square, opposite the Cathedral. The rain sometimes poured in buckets, and then the sun shone in its full glory on this city, which was blessed with magic. A rainbow appeared, brightening a childish smile of joy on our faces. Carmen's husband had already advised us to begin taking baby aspirin once a day before our flight. The heart palpitation we experienced, for which we bought further pills at the chemist there, was not only due to the high altitude but also the energy surrounding us. Drinking hot coca tea made of coca leaves and water was essential to help ease a certain feeling of sickness.

February being a low season for visitors, we were still recommended to book our trip to Machu Picchu as soon as we reached Coscu, and so, after a satisfyingly nourishing quinoa soup late lunch, Hala and I did just that at $250 each, including one night's stay at Aguas Calientes. We then found a market of alpaca wool opposite the agents and a hat purchased in one stall, a scarf in another and a pullover to keep us warm, not to forget the alpaca socks; it all became a necessity as the cold air of the night fell upon us. A golden light covered the square, a breathtaking sight; even the cobbled stone road shone with what looked like a layer of gold dust. Did we girls tire on our first day in Cusco at a high altitude? Tire? Que? We went from bar hopping, beginning at the Irish bar to club hopping all around the square, till we finally boogieing at the Mushroom Club to some great house music played by local DJs, which was surprisingly excellent.  

Cusco by Night - The Golden City

I recall when we first entered the Mushroom Club and climbed the long flight of one floor, reaching the top, I looked at the bouncer and jokingly asked:
"Es Machu Picchu aqui?  It must be. Hooray, we've landed!"  
We danced our feet off until the DJ stopped playing and then headed back to our hotel—at the same time as tourists who had left half asleep to visit Machu Picchu!

We decided to take it easy on Saturday, especially since we had been woken up at 8:00am for breakfast. Ouch! Walked around the picturesque town aimlessly, a spot for lunch and at 3:30pm hop, we caught the Tranvia de Cusco to tour around. I learned... Cusco was built in the shape of a puma and was the capital of the Inkas. Hiram Bingham, an American historian looking for archaeological evidence, discovered Machu Picchu under a sea of jungle vines and trees, broadcasting its existence to the world only one hundred years ago. They now call a railway in his name. The bus/tram first stopped for a photo opportunity at the statue of Jesus, similar to the Corcovado in Rio, only a much smaller version of it and drove us through the city's sites.

Back at the hotel, after a short nap, we shamelessly taxied our way to the Hotel Monasteria, which happened to be embarrassingly close to the main square, Plaza de Armas. Oh my goodness, dimly lit, the grandeur of this elegantly renovated monastery surrounded the immense courtyard with a giant tree blooming in the centre of this immaculate space. A gentle sound of monks singing arose from afar, and as we got closer, a prima donna let loose of her vocal chord, and the air was filled with the sound of an angel. Demasiado! Too much to bear! 
We also paid a visit to the outrageously decorated Fallen Angel boutique hotel (eccentric would be an understatement to this place), so we opted for an alternative choice of walking down the alleyway for an oven-baked, thin pizza and the freshest-tasting salad at La Bodega's trendy ambience. 

Hotel Monasteria Cusco

Reception of Monateria

The ceiling of Fallen Angel Boutique Hotel

Then came Sunday ...  Boy, if only there was the slightest inclination as to how our day would unravel miraculously! The three Conchita that we have headed to the main square again, outside our hotel doorstep, to face a colourful stage, set for the ...  Carnival! Wow. After going through her Lonely Planet of Peru, Hala mentioned these festivities in February, but by asking around, we had assumed they were over already. Nope, it was happening in full force as the clouds almost vanished, and the sun shone brightly over the vibrant colours of the local costumes of the dancers. Oh, what a paparazzi moment awaited yours indeed! Standing on the first row, watching the parade at its best, followed by a foam party by the younger generation of the crowd in the square, we headed straight back to our place de résidence.

Loved the costume!

At the end of the carnival, it was time for Frieda to bid us farewell and head to the Sacred Valley to meet up with her friend Rosie, whom she raved about her spiritual being and living an organic life. While Hala and I hailed a taxi for a two-hour private tour to Q'enqo.
This was an ensemble of well-carved rocks, assembled without cement, surviving through all this time. Such architectural magnificence could not possibly have been created by man alone! Or could it?

Q'enqo

Carnival spirit all around

The Colourful Llama Ladies

Next came the ruins of Saqsaywaman, or Sexy Woman, as Hala put it, which was a true example of Inca military architecture, consisting of 300 metres of three zig-zagging terraces flanked by massive stone walls. How could this be possible? Those coca leaves must do wonders!  

Saqsaywaman

The llamas

The cab driver waited patiently while we walked around Saqsaywaman and then drove us back to the hotel. It was about time to try another one of Lonely Planet's recommendations for their top-rated restaurant, Cicciolina. The absolute gastronomic dinner of the most succulently tender chicken liver paté on a bed of arugula and a divine sauce, followed by a beetroot ravioli with mushrooms, washed down by a glass of an exceptional Argentinian Malbec, was a memory in the palette, never to be forgotten.  
As soon as we got back to the hotel, Hala passed out on me, so I forcefully rested to be ready to visit the Wonders of Machu Picchu the following day. What a dream!

Back in London, now... Spring has started (minus the weather), and it is the Persian New Year, which begins on the first day of Aries. It is a shame the freezing winter has returned, but nevertheless, we don't allow petty thoughts of such to dampen our mood for celebrations. Do we now?
My brother Soltan arrived with the spring and the lovely Tuba, which has warmed me up inside, even if the weather hasn't been on the outside. A special succulent lunch at Kateh with Kim and Charlotte, accompanied by her son, and another lavish lunch gathering at Ari's penthouse apartment with stunning views over the river Thames made up for the lack of heat in outside temperatures.
Last Saturday was a meeting of the minds, beginning with the adorable Leo, whose magical hands extended to discovering a delightful spiritual being in him. Now now... Leo masterly styled my hair, which led me to drive to Camden for an enchanting early evening session of hearing young, expressive men and women pour their talent out in poetry and song at the CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) charity event at the Roundhouse, for which I am grateful to Jill for the invite. Hearing these gifted artists' minds speak from their souls for such a worthy cause was most inspiring. After the performance, I drove back home to pick up Soltan and Tuba for a drive to Pedro's birthday, where our hostess Aisha had organised a fantastic party, DJs from Berlin to entertain her guests with the best of House music. But those leopard Jimmy Choo ankle boots pained my feet beyond belief, and we left early at 1:30am.

Sunday was another dinner party at Sophie's, where my brother and Tuba were accompanied. It was a delightful experience to connect with friends of my mum and my ex-mum-in-law. God bless her soul. Hearing other people's memories of a dear one brings them back to life. It is already Tuesday night or the early hours of Wednesday morning. After lunch with a writer of satire whose work I had enjoyed reading for many years, the night was spent dancing again at the Project Club till 3:30am, and here I am writing at almost 5:00am!  

I would like to leave you with one thought in mind... An observation I discussed with Soltan earlier: 'You know, brother, I don't judge people and making friends is the biggest joy God has granted me.'
Go out, smile and make friends. Life isn't worth any judgement.
Oh! I have been waiting to write my next blog post about my spiritual growth at Machu Picchu. Tune in for the next episode. Na night, my friends. 

The Birds of Paracas... Peru

This morning, I was driving around my neighbourhood when someone unjustly pulled in front of me; without a thought, I shouted out the best word I had learned in Spanish:
"Huevón!"
For those of you who speak the language... Unspeakable! Frankly, I didn't know exactly what the word meant. But it sure let out a fit of anger which makes me smile when I think of the times I used to shout it at drivers who pissed us off and our roars of laughter as I said it! 

Reminiscing further on our journey...
Lima's nightlife was alive as Carmen joined Frieda, Hala and me on a Saturday evening for a girls' night out. We made Rendez-vous at the fancy bar of Huaringas in the chic Miraflores area, which is laid over the dining floors and the bar on the top floors. We sat in a dim setting and chatted with views over the square through an open window behind us and the night breeze gently caressing our skin. In one glass, my discovery of the Peruvian cocktail Pisco Sour hit more chords in my being than any other cocktail had reached before! As the beer ad clearly puts it. In an even jollier mood, we left this bar to continue on to another, called Ayahuasca. While sipping on another one of those deliciously creamy, citrus Pisco sours, I noticed two... I'd rate them as pretty hot guys standing next to us at the bar, and while their minds seemed to be cleared away from where we were standing, I engaged in the conversation!
After an introduction of names and countries, the Spaniard and the Venezuelan who worked and lived in Lima expressed their liking of the place, and my last question to them was:
"Can you recommend a good club with house music for us to go dancing?"
And so we took their advice, bid them farewell, left to dance the night away at the fantastic Bizarro club, and headed out at 4:30am. The streets were still jammed with people, and Carmen approached a policeman and asked if he and his two other colleagues would escort us to our cars as a measure of extra safety. There was not a moment during our trip in Peru where we felt any threat. We went to beaches where no one was in sight and to mountains and islands. It felt as though they were a nation that most understood the true art of living through simplicity and being kind to one another. A smile sure went a loooooong way there. So the police did just that; they accompanied us to our cars while we all chatted. 

Huaringas Bar - Miraflores

The ceiling of one room in Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca Bar

Another room in the bar

An Enlightened World, on the one hand... 
WI FI, on the other

After another lazy breakfast in the garden on Sunday, we headed to Playa Los Pulpos, chez Evita and Esteban for their warm hospitality. They had friends gather in their beach villa, designed by the lady of the house who happened to be a photographer, and her work hanging on walls certainly added flavour to their elegantly designed, homely atmosphere, where we were served deliciously prepared home-cooking. As we sat high on a sizeable balcony-type space with a pool, the beach-goers enjoyed a typical day all along the bay under colourful umbrellas.

Beach at Pulpos

Then came Monday, 11 February, Frieda was at her wheels again, taking us to Paracas, where we arrived after a four-and-a-half-hour journey searching for a hotel for our two nights there. We first walked around the Chichi Hotel Libertador Paracas and then went on to a few B&Bs, which we walked out of but managed to find a room at a perfectly adequate and clean three-star hotel. I decided there and then that a satisfying holiday does not run by the stars of the hotel but by the stars that shine in our hearts being there. The night had fallen, and we found the cutest and only bar/pizzeria in town, called Minsky's, to grab a bite. Another pisco sour? Why the hell not! The Indian wooden statue on the bar took my attention, and when I realised it was loose on top, I picked it up as the red Indian was lifted off its feet; a prominent figure of a penus arose from underneath its skirt, with our shocked faces, a roar of laughter was again called for. The bartender then introduced us to... Pedro is the name of the statue. I told him perhaps the long-haired Indian looked more like a Paulina until the skirt was lifted and Pedro appeared! 
Sis wondered how I came up with that name so fast... I answered: "Sis, that's my pastime job, searching for names! I write a blog, after all."

We woke up early the following day of the 12th to ride on a boat for two hours, taking us to Islas Tres Marias and Islas Ballestas; first to see El Candelabro (the Candelabra), which some believe might have been used to contact extraterrestrials, while others credit the pirates for the structure. We then watched the sea lions and birds in multitudes occupying the islands around. The sight was like none I had ever experienced, as the sea lions lay in heaps on the stoney beaches.

El Candelabro

Sea lions by the sea, Birds on the rock

'I need to catch that bird!' Thought the male sea lion

Oh! Pi-Pick up a Penguin

I could go on posting tons more photos...
After a two-hour spectacle of nature, far more exciting than seeing them on TV, apart from one tiny withdrawal, the smell! All those hundreds, thousands of sea lions and birds depositing their waste in those islands sure stunk. However, it was absolutely well worth it. I am super fussy with smells, but seeing these creatures as never before made it a worthwhile sniff! 

We grabbed our towels at our hotel, and Frieda drove us to the rest of the Natural Reserve, a desert land next to the Pacific Ocean. Miles of a deserted road set amid sand dunes and the Pacific Ocean's deepest blue waters. Mágico! Magique! 

The National Reserve - Paracas

Nature is selfishly stunning.

The Pelican and The Keeper

One of the holiday villas on the Beach - Paracas

By the way, proof of the existence of extraterrestrials is believed and spotted on many occasions around Peru by so many we talked to. They have come to understand that UFOs are hiding in the ocean, and at several sightings, seaweed was attached to the bottom of their spaceship. I did not question UFOs' existence, but I was happy to take my friends' words; there was no need for proof. Now, why governments work so hard to hide the fact of their presence is beyond me.  

The Pisco Factory

On Wednesday, after breakfast, we visited a Bodega in Chincha, where pisco was being made in the cleanest factory I ever imagined possible. The workers in white smiled at the invasion of sound as our inquisitive minds verbally posed the questions, and my camera clicked time after time—I believe it was automatic! 






We then drove again for miles to reach a private beach belonging to residents of another exclusive beach resort, with the most modern, tasteful white homes built around green paths.  

Dissolving in the scenery of the birds and the ocean

Private Villas by the Ocean

Can you spot the yellow ice cream cart?

As we were quenching with thirst and needing a sugar fix simultaneously, guess what? I lifted my head from the beach towel, lying on the sand, and the vision of an ice cream man in yellow hit my blurred sight. OMG, it was true. Was it a bird? Was it a UFO? Naaah. It was the ice cream man. An angel in yellow with a van of chilled sweeties! Another miracle of God's mysterious ways. Oh, how I love you, Lordi.  





Even the lifeguard and almost the only other person in sight approached us and insisted on helping me through the waves as he held my wrist. Listen, our expression reads: 'a broken, torn loafer is a blessing in the midst of a desert. Who was I to argue with the fit guard who had the kindest smiles and got me over the fear of those wild currents. We left there before sunset and went home to crash out with another beautiful memory of our beloved Peru.

Back in the Blighty... Hala left back home, and my life in London continued as a new leaf had now been turned, and a new chapter of life began. I decided to open up a Facebook page for my blog! 
Saturday lunch was at E&O with Kristel at 5:00pm, which lasted for three hours before I headed out to meet up with Christofer, letting out fumes of passion before coming home to change and escape once again to attend an impressive house party with Gina. As I exited the car, music blasted out of the house's windows, and the doorman was expecting me. Chatting to Lorenzo about Peru was delightful; dancing to the DJ's tunes, plus laughing at the remarks Gina made generally, got me in the mood for more good times and so... As Gina left to go home at 4:00am, yours indeed drove to Fabric! Again, at my second home, I got to meet the lovely folks from Norway who joined me on the dance floor and before I knew it, it was closing time after a few chats with Judes and Ramon, who introduced me to his adorable girlfriend, I finally made way to my apartment for some well-deserved sleep.

I can't miss mentioning Monday evening's delightful session at the College of Psychic Studies, where I was a guinea pig for the practice of those searching for their psychic powers. The messages I was given by various people were relevant and meaningful; for those sceptical about these messages, let me enlighten you somewhat. As human beings, we question life, which is natural, but before telescopes were discovered, viruses were around, but no one could see them, and hence, no one believed they existed. So, what we do not see does not necessarily mean it does not exist. I am grateful that my father came to me on the night, and tonight, I heard of the passing away of my Ex-mother-in-law. I would like to pay respect to her kind soul and mention how dear she was to me and will always be in my heart. She so truly understood and encouraged me, whichever path I chose. My heart bleeds for my Ex for losing a loving mother and my kids, their loving grandma. 
May all our mothers be with us, in person or in spirit.

Goodness, so much told on Peru... So much more to follow... 

Lima, Llama, Love

Osho, who happens to be one of my idols, quotes:
'A woman is to be loved, not understood'.
How can anyone understand me when I constantly surprise myself with my words and actions?
Such wisdom, Osho!

The week passed has been clearing out the clutter of about twenty albums of photos downsized to only three. The many hours Hala and I spent throwing away heaps of photography from all around the world and all those bills accumulated in files of paperwork to chuck out, never mind the CDs, ended up in us dumping tons of recycling paper into the bin. I am feeling lighter already! In fact, when Sis commented on the weight I have lost recently (somehow), I told her:
"You know, all this weight worry of a lifetime and I realised how irrelevant it is to me. Who gives a fuck anyway, as long as you're happy." 
And we laughed in agreement.

Now, embrace yourself for a few long blogs on Peru...
Our three-week journey, beginning in Lima, started with the deliciously lemony and tender raw fish lunch, which they call ceviche, the Peruvian kind of sushi. This was followed by a drive to the El Silencio beach on the capital's outskirts. Rows of colourful umbrellas lined the beach, each shade indicating the local restaurants they occupied. The vendors appeared one by one and, in a polite, non-harassing manner, approached only at the buyer's interest, so I returned that afternoon with four earrings and a pareo. 

Yummy Ceviche

El Silencio Beach

Vendor on El Silencio

Our mornings at Frieda's began with a wholesome breakfast of juices made from local fruit, bread freshly purchased from the baker's, organic honey, and cheese, not to forget that Peruvian coffee at its best, which our hostess with the mostest fed us before heading out. Apparently, even Colombians buy Peruvian coffee beans, which are processed in their country and bottled as Colombian coffee! We headed to the Artisan's Market for some of their world-famous alpaca wool made into every garment to clothe you. As much as I was anxious to get my first sight of a llama in Lima, there was no sign of them in the capital. Lunch on the second day was at the traditional St Antonio restaurant for a skewer of cow's heart. Frieda drove us all around her city, and we were stunned by the rows of modern buildings in the most straightforward yet stylish designs. It was not a sign of OTT (over the top) or vulgarity but pure elegance. Truly impressive. Dinner that Friday evening was an invite by Carmen (who had met Hala at Frieda's on her last visit to Lima), firstly at her marital home for a drink, followed by a lavish dinner at The Country Club Lima Hotel, accompanied by her husband. At Carmen's, she introduced us to their son and their talkative parrot, who imitated my laughter just as I did it, which became quite confusing as to who was laughing anyway? 

The Country Club Lima Hotel

The following day, Carmen invited us to the private beach club in St Antonio, again about half an hour's drive outside the capital. I loved the large-sized billboard adverts as we left the centre (I will post my favourite here). What the hell? I have taken 3,270 pictures while in Peru, and I have already deleted 1,000 of them. Total excess! So, let me share my memories in words and pictures. 
The first ad below is self-explanatory; the second reads: 'Sometimes, your (male) friend could be more dangerous than the sun.'

Followed by this. 

First came this ad

St Antonio Beach Private Club 

The weather was mainly overcast, and we arrived knowing it was the rainy season in February, but it was about 27/28 degrees, and we were happy to be on a beach, in great company. We had a slight ER session when a football pitch of doctors and nurses rushed upon us from every corner! But thankfully, we ended up in roars of laughter, followed by an ice cream before heading back home. On the way to St Antonio, in Frieda's jeep, the police stopped us after paying the toll for not having the car lights on in the daytime! Apparently, it was a law in Peru, a rule I had not heard anywhere else. So, as the young policeman started to write the fine, my Spanish blossomed, and I told him in the most girlish voice possible:
"Por favour senor.  Son tourista de Iran, muy lejos y es mi hermanas cumpleanos," (my version of 'please sir, we're tourists from Iran, veeeeery far and it's my sister's birthday) and as though that wasn't enough, I added... "E los policias en Peru son muy guapo! Y que guapo son." As I emphasised on the guapo bit (translates into: 'And the police in Peru are soooo good looking! And how). At this stage, the girls all started to plea to the officer in question, blushing at our side as the expression on his face softened somewhat, and he let us go without a fine. Our roar of laughter when we left must have filled the massive sand dune-like mountains, accompanied by the loud house music playing in the car.  

Saturday was the day to visit the Gold Museum, Museos Oro del Perú.  Armas del Mundo.
Inside, room after room was occupied by armour, swords and especially, the stylish and somewhat Bohemian, super-sized earrings in the gold section were fascinating. Thank goodness there was no photography allowed! There were two supposedly life-sized male Inka statues, in different costumes, standing tall, which certainly got my attention diverted. But it was such a disappointment when our guide in Machu Picchu took his hand to his neck to point out their actual size, and he was far from tall. Oh well, there goes that fantasy! Haha.

Now, about Peru...
Lima has a population of about 8 million. The country went through a long period of terrorism when a communist, very manipulative movement started in the Highlands. Bombs were exploding, as in power plants, electricity would go, and generators became necessary. A curfew was imposed, and no one would leave their home unless it was essential; everything became paralysed. Hala had visited Peru twenty-five years ago in the late eighties; the country had just begun to come out of tough times into the beginning of a mining boom; they had discovered natural gas and gold mines, and free trade was favoured, so the country's mood began to change. Finally, there was hope as the gastronomy of Peruvian cuisine became favoured in other continents, and food fairs began, not only with top chefs but giving food vendors in the street a chance to be discovered.  
What amazed me throughout the country was how efficiently and organically they use their precious land everywhere, from orchards to vineyards, all kinds of fruit and vegetation, fields after fields of cotton and maise, and even plantations well-cultivated in the desert dunes. If only more nations in the world were run by caring leaders, consider our children's future.

On a jollier note, back to today... I woke up this Monday morning, opening my bedroom curtains onto blistering wind-gushing snowflakes all over the front gardens! Que passa?! It's March, for goodness sake. But then, life is excellent; I again bowed to my Lord with that cheeky smile and thanked him for... Absolutely everything and I went out to meet the Ex for a coffee at 10.15am. I was only ten minutes late; pretty good effort on my part for that morning! I wore the new alpaca flat cap with a Grace Jones, come Katharine Hepburn black shawl, loosely covering the back of the headgear, top to toe in the black widow look and entered Carluccio's for our meeting. Seeing him was perfect; no one changes that much, and it was a matter of accepting the person we each are concerning our choices. None of us 'belong' to each other; it depends on how much we tolerate one another. Any kind of relationship needs compromise and understanding.
As to the ghastly weather, I read on a friend's FB wall:
'Snow in the street, sun in my head'.
'That's the spirit, Stef, bravo!' I thought.


Other happenings... After a busy week of clearing out my flat till 2am most nights, Friday was a great concert at the Royal Festival Hall. I heard Angelique Kidjo's velvet voice and watched her dynamic energy bounce around the stage with promising words of wisdom through life. Also met the charmer Quincy, whose question somewhat baffled me. He asked:
"Do you take your stylist with you when you travel?"
It must have been the Gothic look of the black dress/coat with leather and a large collar open to show a healthy cleavage, covered in the waist by a leather corset belt I was wearing to a concert, that made him ask that. Either way, the man knew how to sweet talk, which is always a winner with me and draws my attention.
After the show, we stayed behind to say hello to Angélique and left shortly after midnight with Hala to get to Aisha's fabulous dinner party—Cinderella time!
Saturday was another fantastic night in Fabric with Hala, accompanied by Shane and his friend Aiden, who were coming out of a relationship and needed to shed their past and move on. In fact, the remedy of coming to Fabric with us (the Criminal Sisters) was probably the best cure for change.  
Hala and I managed to get to bed at 7:00am on Sunday, which was good going as we were invited to Lady Diba's for a dinner party in the evening. Guaranteed fun with her wonderful friends from the US and Germany to help celebrate her birthday.
 
Tonight, the temperature is dropping to -2 degrees in London, and guess who's going to warm me up on this freezing night? Mmm... No matter what the weather is outside, put your troubles away and keep warm in your heart.
Have to get ready now.
More about our Peru adventures to continue...

Peru... An Enlightening Spiritual Journey

The true magic of life, indeed, is when you read messages of hope in a positive nature, and they make total sense! What caught my eyes today on the Power of Positivity page by Zig Ziglar was:
'Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your Altitude.'

In the high mountains of Machu Picchu, I felt this level of being one with nature. 
I have just returned from Fabric, and it's after-party, just before midday on Sunday. Hala (sis) looked at me on her way to hit her pillow and said:
"Really, Sis, you're mad!"
And we both laughed. But I am in the mood to write now.  
This will be my blog on a high note regarding my feelings now and the feelings I had throughout Hala and my visit to the marvellous country of Peru. Our three-week journey, however excited it had got me since the day I imagined being on those ruins of the Inkas in Machu Picchu quite some years ago, there was no clue as to what would be the outcome of such a far journey. If there is everything great about a country and its people, then Peru is undoubtedly number one out of all the countries visited in the past. Those numerous times I have been asked where my favourite country is, it never made sense because every place has its own special magic, but Peru is a mutual preference for both Hala and me.

The Wonders of Machu Picchu

Rainbows kept appearing everywhere.

And the beauty of the Llama

For me, it all began a few years ago in St Thomas when Hala had asked her friend Frieda to join us at Elliot's for ten days. Hala only told her friend she would have to share a room with 'her sister', me. As Hala had suspected, Frieda and I bonded like melted cheese (not sure one can say that! Oh well, I just did); we just laughed the whole time spent together. Her free spirit and the times she went on the beach looking for heart-shaped stones made me realise she was at peace with herself.   Now, here she had invited Hala and me to stay at her home in Lima, where she lives with her beautiful daughter, about to get married to an equally wonderful being soon, her live-in help and excellent cook Betty, and not to forget her Great Dane called Kenya! Now, me and a 'big' dog in the same house? Who would have thought? The warmth of her home, filled with her energy, the garden where we played hours with her stones, collected from all around her country, all those heart-shaped gems which had come along her way and now helped create this garden of Eden. Oh! and the waterfall added to the serenity of the whole place.

From the moment we arrived in Lima, after a stop in Madrid, with the heat in the air and Frieda's warm hug awaiting us with that smile that makes the cloudiest of skies look deep blue, she welcomed us to her city. Not to forget, a joint rolled and ready for our first break of appreciating the beauty her town carried. I wrote to her upon return home that if any of us represented our countries like she does Peru, how wonderful a place the world would be. It proved in total clarity how having a good ruler, a caring man/woman in the power of a country, how wonderfully efficient a system can work, with people happy and satisfied without much greed involved. The number of times Hala and I were asked in Spanish where we come from and would be gratefully thanked for coming so long to visit them in Peru was countless. True magic, and we did not even try that liana called ayahuasca, of which a big hype was created, in taking some drink and throwing up to reach a certain level of being. Or something like that. That, we did not try.  
The blogs to follow will be from the notes I took while going from Lima, the capital, to the beaches in Paracas, surrounded by birds and sea lions, the sand dunes, and the green mountains which so majestically surround the ruins of Machu Picchu and then came Lake Titicaca from Puno side, on the floating island made of straw; Uros and the sudden outbreak of carnivals in Cusco as well as Puno along our way. Was our energies that brought such magic to blossom every time we turned heads?  

Here we were, three liberated women (that's us, did not mean the ladies in the photo above) who totally understood one another and had similarities beyond belief. Frieda, a little light-headed, was so similar to me and kept losing and finding ...  Well, everything. Just like me. Chemistry does not necessarily have to be sexual; it can be the high level of understanding kind of chemistry which bonds us together. Hala and Frieda had met some twenty-eight years ago in London through a mutual friend who had told them separately they must meet as they resembled one another in more ways than one. After their wonderful friendship began those years ago, Hala went to Peru to visit Frieda three years later, where she explained how none of what she experienced now barely existed in any form on her last visit while Peru was recovering from acts of terrorism all around her previous visit. She always spoke emotionally of her trip to Peru; this time round, it was the most enlightening voyage of bonding on confirmation that wisdom and goodness in heart are indeed what the world needs...  
'LOVE is the only answer'.
This is NO cliché; it's the truth.

This is how I feel about Peru. Loved Up!

On our last day in Lima, I sat in Frieda's garden, so alive from every spot one's eyes gazed upon and cried deeply while meditating under the semi-shadowed large leaves of a tree. I wept because blessings were all around me, and my feelings of gratitude were like the writing on a wall, apparent in the smile on my face. I was missing Peru and Frieda's warmth and wisdom already. How wonderful it is to actually look around; all you want to see is the beauty of life in every way.    
Don't sit and waste time watching too much TV. I haven't watched it in so long that even its noise in the background bothers me now. Go out and make your own TV, your personal reality TV show. 

Now back, one night with Hala, we decided to go through the photos taken in Peru. My heart almost stopped when the Apple laptop counted the new files as 4,277 pictures! Sis kept smiling, with her eyes rolled up in the air and reminded me again:
"Sis, you really have no concept of anything below maximum?"
She knows me too well. I don't bother to think tiny. If you want to dream, make it big, for goodness sake. But then again, that is different from everyone's way. So, Hala and I sat awake until 3 am one evening, deleting 1,000 pictures taken from a bus, on a train, or in a taxi. It was a challenge alone to choose the pictures for the blogs to follow. 

Something or someone, please take my fingers off this computer and direct me to bed... Please!
Everyone is asleep, and it is now 5:00 pm, and I still haven't slept. Madness, woman.

We went from Lima at sea level, up to 4,000 metres above, high up in the mountains, on Lake Titicaca, which is considered the highest lake in the world, where the fluffy clouds seemed hovering above our head and that if we jumped, perhaps it could be caught in our hands. The number of rainbows between the heavy downpours followed by deep blue skies and the sun with its rayons of gold touching every cell in our bodies. The ladies walking around in their traditional costumes of big, long skirts with knitted cardigans and how they wore those bowler types of hats on their heads without a pin attached resulted in the many pictures I could not resist taking. Those llamas were so mystical in the beauty they carried; their eyes looked as though they were made up with eyeliner and mascara while they gracefully chewed on the lawn. And... And those ruins made by the Incas were part of my learning of the spiritual world of wisdom through love and understanding. Our spiritual paths differ, and our wisdom lies in different areas.  

Happy children playing on the beach with a foam cracked into 3 parts

Did I mention the funny, amusing, charming people we met along our journey? The most amazing woman and teacher I have ever come across who is somewhat older than me and managed to impress me with her high energy and spiritual being is being free and fearless, allowing whatever the future has to unfold to do so at the right time. No expectations but hope. All we can do is try and do our best.  

I should get some sleep. These were a few photos to begin with.
Love and Laughter to You. 

Haldita