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.
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Huaringas Bar - Miraflores
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| The ceiling of one room in Ayahuasca |
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| Ayahuasca Bar |
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| Another room in the bar |
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An Enlightened World, on the one hand...
WI FI, on the other
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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.
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| 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.
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El Candelabro
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| Sea lions by the sea, Birds on the rock |
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| 'I need to catch that bird!' Thought the male sea lion |
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| 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!
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The National Reserve - Paracas
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| Nature is selfishly stunning. |
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The Pelican and The Keeper
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| 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.
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| 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.
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Dissolving in the scenery of the birds and the ocean
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Private Villas by the Ocean
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| 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...
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