Back from Huaraz

Huaraz is only about eight hours by bus from Lima, but it is breathtakingly beautiful. I am not in the mood right now to explain everything that I did, but all in all this was my favorite trip. The bus ride was less than desireable, but everything else was way better than other trips (food, living arrangments, etc...).

I only have four more days of classes! That is crazy that this whole study abroad journey is ending so soon. I have finals for the week following next week and then i have a week off and then I am off to Santiago for two weeks and then Buenos Aires for another two weeks, then back to Lima for a day. I will be back in Houston August 1, and i will be there for a week and then go back to Tucson for a week and then back to Rice to start O-week! I am pretty pumped about the rest of my summer.

Here are the photos:

Postcards

I just got back from the post office where i spent about forty dollars sending out 23 postcards! Yikes, I didn't realize it would cost nearly two dollars to send out each one! Hopefully they will get to all of you that i sent them too and I hope you enjoy them (because you aren't going to be getting a souvenir now that it cost so much to send those :) )

I am leaving tonight to go to Huaraz. Here is a link to a wiki article about the place so you can know what I am talking about. Huaraz is the city and Huascarán is the highest mountain in Peru that is located close to the city. I will be back on Monday morning so I might have photos up by early next week.

Have a great weekend.

Update

I have been really bored lately so I figured that I would at least update my blog. I have been sitting in my room all day because the other people in my group are busy studying or doing projects for their classes. I fixed some of my drawings for my Anatomical Art class, because I am pretty sure I failed the assignment last week because I cared very little about the quality of my drawings. Then I watched the rest of the Fast Food Nation DVD I bought here. The movie was really crappy. I thought that it was a documentary like Super Size Me, but it is an actual feature film with really crappy acting (any movie with Avril Lavigne- no matter how small of a part she plays, is doomed to be a failure). I noticed that the same boy and the dad from Little Miss Sunshine were in this movie too. I wonder if that is how they got put in Little Miss Sunshine together too. The last couple days have kinda been filled with crappy movies. A couple of days ago I watched a movie called the Peaceful Warrior. I had seen the movie poster in a magazine a while ago and I thought it was about some Native American themed movie but when I looked at the back cover as I bought it I saw that it was actually about gymnastics. That should have been my first clue that it was not going to be a good movie but the front cover was really good and my motto is "Always judge a book, movie, or cd by its cover." The movie turned started out pretty boring, then got a little better, then kinda stupid, and then the main character got in a motorcycle accident and broke his leg (remember he is a gymnast), then it was inspiring, and then it dragged on. So basically it was just an alright movie. It said that it was based on a true story but when I went to the wikipedia page about the person the movie was based on, their stories didn't seem to match up very much- the only thing that seemed link was that they were gymnasts (but even their schools were different and the real person was a coach, not an athlete when they went to the national championships that year). Anyway, I need to stop buying movies just because they are independently made.

Nothing else has happened lately, I am going to Huaraz next Thursday. It is a glacier close to Lima. I am pretty excited about that.

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What I've learned, so far

Things that I have learned from the empleada (the woman who cooks and cleans):
1. That she doesn't know how to cook
2. She doesn't understand the concept of celsius and fahrenheit.
3. This kinda goes with the number two, cooking something at 200 degrees hotter than you are supposed to (our oven is in celsius and all the recipes call for 350 degrees fahrenheit, but the highest number our oven goes to is 290 degrees- 550 fahrenheit) doesn't actually burn or alter your food as much as you think it would.
4. That no matter how many times you ask her not to fry your fish, she always will.
5. That most people eat dinner really late here, like 8, but she insists on you eating at 4:45 in the afternoon despite having served you lunch at 1:30 or so.
6. She will always go out of her way to close your window shades
7. Mormons are vegetarians (which is completely untrue, but something she believes)

Things that I have learned from being in Peru, and studying abroad:
1. Not being able to speak intelligently (i.e. have actual discussions about things like religions, spirituality, relationships, movies, literature, etc...) is so incredibly frustrating that it makes me care very little about meeting people and trying to make Peruvian friends and almost makes me completely okay with only speaking one language well enough to discuss such subjects with friends.
2. I never want to drive in Peru.
3. Pirated movies play just as well as the real deal and is a great way to build your movie collection.
4. Classes start at least ten to fifteen minutes late and students still show up, thirty minutes, forty five minutes, an hour, an hour and a half late to class.
5. A grade of a 10 (out of 20) is failing, but an 11 (out of 20) is a C- which means I am passing all my classes (and my actual grades won't affect my GPA).
6. I never want a Labrador.
7. I am shocked that so many babies ride around in cars without car seats (it is ubiquitous even among the upper class as well).
8. The food really sucks if you are a vegetarian, but I am very grateful to my family for always trying.

Things I will miss:
1. How much cheaper things are here.
2. All the gelatto!
3. The climate.
4. The proximity of amazing sites.

I know that May is nearly over but I finally finished this month's mix- and I like it. Here is the track list:

Name Artist

On The Radio Regina Spektor
The Guitar Man Cake
Tim McGraw(name of the song) Taylor Swift
You're My Best Friend Queen
These Days Nico
Wonderwall Ryan Adams (Oasis cover)
Jolene Dolly Parton
Don't Forget To Remember Me Carrie Underwood
Amber 311 (eww 311?)
Major Tom (Coming Home) Peter Schilling
Mad World Gary Jules
Tu Amor Por Siempre Axel Fernando
Samson Regina Spektor
I'm Gonna Find Another You John Mayer
Hurt Johnny Cash

Yes, my mix includes Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift. All excellent country singers.

Lunahuana

Hey sorry it has taken me so long to write up an update. I went rafting on Saturday and I had to write up a summary for my tutor. So I wrote it up in Spanish and I thought it would be funny to translate it back from English using an online translator.

Here is the original:
Lunahuana
Me encontré con todo el grupo en la Pacífico a las ocho de la mañana para irnos a Lunahuana. El viaje a Lunahuana nos tomó más de dos horas pero el se pasó volando porque las vistas de la costa y los pueblitos eran hermosas y estuve con compañía agradable.
Primero, fuimos al Refugio de Santiago para tomar un tour del huerto y beber jugos. Cuando llegamos, no sabíamos que necesitábamos nuestro repelente y antes de que pudiéramos recogerlo, los bichos nos picaron. Me bañé con el repelente y los bichos me dejaron. Antes de comenzar el tour, bebimos jugo de tuna que era delicioso.
El huerto no era grande pero consistía de varios árboles y plantas interesantes. Después del tour, bebimos más jugo y nos relajamos por poco tiempo mientras estábamos esperando a otros grupos que iban a hacer canotaje.
El refugio no era tan lejos del sitio donde comenzamos a hacer el canotaje. Había una familia de europeos que olían horrible. Por supuesto, Kristina y yo nos dimos cuenta inmediatamente y nos alejamos de ellos. Después de vestirnos con los chalecos y cogimos los remos el guía nos explicó los mandatos y como sentarnos en la lancha. El paseo comenzó con la familia europea en frente de nosotros y yo hubiera jurado que podía olerla. Afortunadamente, la pasamos rápidamente. El paseo fue muy divertido y al acabar estábamos calados hasta los huesos.
Regresamos pronto al refugio para almorzar. El almuerzo fue interesante. No era malo y agradecía que hubiéramos eligido comida con pescado sin carne, aunque sí como pescado no quiero comerlo necesariamente en cada plato. Por ejemplo, el plato de fetuccini hubiera sido mejor sin los langostinos porque ¡los hemos comido en cinco platos! Después del almuerzo, comimos helado de la fruta del refugio. Algunos sabores no eran tan ricos como otros, pero todos los jugos eran bastante ricos.
Salimos el refugio y decidimos que no era necesario parar en las ruinas (¡gracias a Dios!). Empezamos la vuelta a las cuatro y media. Estábamos cansado y algunos de nosotros dormimos un poco durante el viaje. Cuando estuvimos cerca de Lima, el sol tenía un color rojo fuerte mientras estaba bajando. En sí, el viaje fue el escape perfecto de Lima. Espero que el proximo viaje sea tan relajado come este.

Lunahuana
I was the group in the Pacific to eight yet in the morning to go to us to Lunahuana. The trip to Lunahuana took us more than two hours but it went flying because the views of the coast and the pueblitos were beautiful and I was with pleasant company.
First, we went to the Refuge of Santiago to take tour from the orchard and to drink juice. When we arrived, we did not know that we needed our repulsive one and before we could gather it, the tiny beasts itched to us. I bathed with the repulsive one and the tiny beasts left me. Before beginning tour, we drank bigeye tuna juice that was delicious.
The orchard was not great but it consisted of several trees and interesting plants. After tour, we drank more juice and we relaxed nearly time while we were waiting for other groups that were going to make boating.
The refuge was not so far from the site where we began to make the boating. There was a family of European that smelled horrible. By all means, Kristina and I realized immediately and we moved away of them. After dressing in the vests and we took to the oars the guide to us explained mandates to us and like seating us in the boat. The stroll began with the European family in front of us and I would have sworn who could smell it. Luckyly we passed, it quickly. The stroll was very funny and when the finishing we were pierced until the bones.
We return soon to the refuge to have lunch. The lunch was interesting. He was not bad and it was thankful that we had eligido eaten with fish without meat, although yes as fished I do not want to eat it in each plate necessarily. For example, the plate of fetuccini would have been better without the prawns because we have eaten them in five plates! After the lunch, we ate ice cream of the fruit of the refuge. Some flavors were not as rich as others, but all the juice was quite rich.
We leave the refuge and we decided that it was not necessary to stop in the ruins (thanks to God). We begin the four return to and average. We were tired and some of us we slept a little during the trip. When we were near Lima, the sun had a red color hard while it was lowering. In himself, the trip was the perfect escape of Lima. I hope that the next trip is so relaxed eats this.

Haha the translation is so horrible. I also didn't take any photos. Sorry!

Airport Photos

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE FULL IMAGE. I am not sure if the blog shows a cropped photo on everyone's computer or just mine, but my images aren't all off center like how the blog makes them appear.

Here are the photos from my night in the airport:

It looks like you won this round, stewardess

(You have to read the story I posted a couple of days ago to get the reference).

Still standing tall after my earlier victory over the wicked Peruvian stewardess, I trekked on to Arequipa for the final two days of my trip. I found my hostal without a problem and went to bed hoping to wake up late in the morning fully rested. Instead, I woke up at six because the people next door were talking too loudly, but I felt pretty well rested and I really needed a bath after going to the islands so I got up and got ready. The hostal included a pretty decent breakfast with its 5 dollar boarding fee and I went out on foot to explore the city. I didn't know what there was there so I just walked around with my little tourist map. It turns out that basically all there is in Arequipa are a bunch of churches- all of them Catholic. I am not sure how big the city is, but there had to have been a pretty small ratio of churches to people. So I got bored really quickly and I won't try to give any details on what I saw. Let me just cut to the chase. I logged on to the LAN airlines sight to do my online check in. I looked at my itinerary to get my booking code when I noticed that instead of leaving the next day, Monday the 30th of April, I had a return flight Monday the 28th of May. So I start to freak out and try to call the airlines to get it changed but none of the phones would call the number (weird 800 number system here) so I get all my stuff together and just head off to the airport. It was about ten o'clock and I assumed there would be flights at that relatively normal hour. I was wrong. The airport was completely closed. I didn't even know that airports close, but I guess if there aren't any flight coming in or going out, then there is no reason to stay open. So I ask if I could just stay the night there and wait until the morning to change my ticket. They say that is fine so I go into the dark airport with my bags and I sit down in the lobby, which is nearly completely dark. There are a couple of security guards there and some other people that I didn't realize were there until they left the airport for the day. Around 11 more of the lights go out and I am left with only one security guy. He is friendly- and not in a dangerous way. Me, being the nerd that I am, is more worried about losing all the studying time I scheduled in for the night for my History of Art Midterm on Wednesday. So I am sitting in the very dark lobby, cutting out little copies of artwork and taping them to my notes. That took about an hour and a half and I couldn't even see the words well enough to read them, so I decide to try to sleep instead of study. So I lay down and fall asleep pretty easily. I wake up around 2:30 am and at that point I am nervous about getting a flight, so I am unable to go back to bed. I also notice how cold the room is so I put on some gloves and the wool hat I bought and layer on another shirt and pair of socks. Then I buy some hot chocolate out of this wonderful little automated coffee dispenser. The hot chocolate as so good. I think it was the best I ever had. So I was bored and I as still waiting for the LAN workers to come in around 3:30. I pull out my camera and start taking a bunch of photos (probably the hihlight of my entire trip! I liked the islands but this was a lot of fun too!). The workers come around eventually and I am able to get on a flight that leaves at 5:50 that first goes to Cusco and then to Lima. That sounded fine to me. The cashier lady told me it would cost thirty dollars to change my flight. So the trip that was turning out to be pretty cheap altogether, ended up just costing me the normal amount. I bet that stewardess put some hex on me as I got off the plane to mess with my flight.

Lake Titicaca

I plan on backtracking on the past posts to add photos, so you will have to check them out later.

Yesterday morning I went to the port to find a boat that was going to one of the islands. The people at the hotel kept pestering me to go with an agency because it would be cheaper and I would have a guide, but I really did not want to go on a boat full of tourists and I hate listening to tour guides. So, I found a boat full of Peruvians and asked the captain where he was headed. He told me he was going to Amentani so I jumped right on board. The ride lasted a little over three hours and was pretty uneventful. I sat on the top deck that was exposed to the outside and froze for nearly two and a half hours. Well not the entire two and a half hours because it was hot whenever the sun was out but once the sun went behind the clouds the temperature dropped about twenty degrees and it seemed to get windier. Maybe an explanation of what I was wearing will help you all understand how cold I was. Torso: undershirt, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt, pull over, and a wind breaker. Bottom half: underwear, shorts, jeans, socks and shoes. Finally after two and a half hours, I realized that it was probably much warmer on the bottom deck so I went down there and spent the remainder of the trip breathing in engine fumes.

I didn´t realize that I wouldn´t be able to find a ride back to Puno the same day and the captain of the ship offered me his hospedaje for the night. So lacking any other options I accepted. Let me explain how the islands work. Normally, one buys a package through an agency that covers two days of travel. The first day the boat takes you to Los Uros, which are islands that are man made from reeds, then it takes you to Amanteni or Taquile. The agency sets up a living arrangement with some of the families there and the next day you continue on to Amanteni or Taquile and then return to Puno by mid-day. I, on the other hand, didn´t want to stay the night on the island so I didn´t bring any toiletries or change of clothes. I made the conscious decision not to bring those things after reading a section in my guide book over the islands. I think it said something like, "You will not be able to fully appreciate the islands in one day. Many of the locals (something about opening their homes)." I thought to myself, "Self, you know what this author is actually trying to say. You love your hot showers, toilets that flush, toilet paper, internet, cell phone reception. Why would you give those up?" That and I got really bad sleep the night before. The altitude really gets to me. I had a monster headache all night and could hardly sleep so I couldn´t imagine that the sleeping arrangements would be better on the island.

I got to Amanteni around one o´clock. The wife of the captain was waiting and the captain handed her a bunch of eggs. We started walking up hill and we kept walking. I asked if I could carry the eggs so we continued with me carrying the eggs. I had no idea eggs could weigh so much. There was about 15 to 20 pounds of eggs and we walked about ten blocks uphill to get to the house. I ate around two. Right after that I went out hiking on the mountain. The paved paths are really convenient and make it easy to navigate through the island. The place was gorgeous and the people were so gentle. It is really spectacular to see the local people sitting in the grass on the top of the mountain weaving their textiles in complete serenity. I decided that when the world starts blowing itself up with nuclear weapons, I will escape to live on the mountains. Hmm... maybe not... there wasn´t electricity there. I hiked around the mountain until about 4:45. I started heading back when it began to rain- hard. It was actually hail and that is why it hurt me when it hit. I had my rain coatish windbreaker on and it has a hood, so it wasn´t too bad. I got back to where I split paths with the house I was staying at and the little boy (who looks ten but is actually 14) was waiting for me. We got back to the house at about 5:20 and I went to my room and laid down for a little bit. The boy came back with dinner around six thirty. The room was dark because there wasn´t any electricity, but there was a candle. I ate dinner and sat in the room awake for an hour or two just by the candle light- it was still raining. The boy said goodnight and that we will see each other tomorrow. I realized that that meant I was going to be in that dark room for at least the next twelve hours. I sat there and thought for awhile. Prayed a little bit. Looked at some photos. I turned out the candle out of fear that I would burn down the house if I were to fall asleep with it on. I couldn´t fall asleep right away so I just sat there in the dark. I eventually dosed off and woke up a few hours later- it was only ten thirty. I fell back asleep and woke up- 1:00. Fell asleep, woke up- 5:40. By that time I think I gave up on sleeping. It was beginning to get light outside. I had to use the toilet so I went outside and found the out house with the squat toilet and accompanying newspaper to use as toilet paper. The captain/ owner of the house came in to my room and explained to me that there are two boats that leave in the morning. One goes straight to Puno and the other goes to Taquile and then to Puno. Not wanting to short myself on the Titicacan island experience, I chose to go to Taquile and then Puno. I found myself on a boat with some other tourists. Three of the tourists were from Spain, one from Holland, and two from Canada. The Europeans were in their mid thirties and the canadians were 27 and 23.
We got to Taquile at 9:30 and started going up a steep paved path uphill. None of us knew where we were going so we just kept walking. We found ourselves in the center of the village. The locals said there were a bunch of restaurants, which there were, but they didn´t have food. I ended up eating fries with one of the Spaniards. We then walked back around the island in the opposite direction to find the ruins. We continued along the path until it looped around to the trail to the port. When all of us were there, we set off to Puno (the main port city of Peru). The ride back took about three hours. I slept most of the time. Back at Puno, we all went our separate ways. I went back to the hotel to get my belongings, change, and brush my teeth and then I went to eat before going to the bus station. I ate this really cheap pizza with garlic bread (think really crunchy Iron Kids with butter- I am not even sure there was garlic on it). It wasn´t that great, but it was really cheap so I was happy. Around 4:45 I got a mototaxi to take me to the bus station. I was hoping there would be a bus that would leave around 5:30 or 6:00, but the best I could find was one that left at seven. I also recently realized that the smell of feces isn´t the city, rather it is me. Well, my shoes actually.

I actually really enjoyed the trip to the islands, despite how it may have came across above. The land is so beautiful and the people are so gentle. I have heard good things about Arequipa, so I am looking forward to my day tomorrow. Hopefully, I will be able to get a late start and I think the city is at a much lower altitude so I shouldn´t have any headaches.

Photos:


The van ride from the airport


Puno in the background

Puno

Interesting turn of events for a trip that was planned a little over 24 hours ago.

My trip started out so perfect so I knew that something was going to happen later. I left my house at 8:30 am to catch a bus to the airport and I found the right one pretty easily and it only costs 1.20 soles (less than fifty cents, which is about 9.50 cheaper than takindg a taxi). My host mom said that it would take about an hour to get to the airport, but it only took half an hour, which is about how long it takes to get to the airport via taxi)! I get to the airport and I had my boarding pass already because I did the check in the day before, so all I had to do was walk through security into the terminal. That is when everything changed. My orginal flight that was set for 10:30 was cancelled. They told everyone to go to a different gate to get their next boarding passes so there was a mad rush in a small terminal to get to that gate. I was pretty far back in line, but luckily the boarding passes were passed out by order of check in. So I got on the earliest flight at 1:00 pm. I didn´t realize that the flight wasn´t a direct flight to Arequipa like my original flight so I asked the woman at the gate. She told me that it first goes to Cusco, then Juliaca, and then Arequipa (A three and a half hour flight compared to an hour and twenty minutes directly). Ignorantly, I told her that I was planning on taking a bus from Arequipa to Puno (which is where Lake Titicaca is), but I knew that Juliaca was way closer to Puno. If I were to go to Arequipa and take a bus it would take six hours, but if I take a bus from Juliaca (I might have that name wrong) it would only take an hour or so and it would be significantly cheaper. The woman said that I couln´t get off the plane at Juliaca because I paid for the ticket to Arequipa. She proceeded to get my seat number and then went into the plane and told the stewardess that I was going to try to get off at Juliaca. Oh I forgot to mention that I was put in the first class rows, which only means more leg room when you are traveling a short distance nationally. So I board the plane with every intention that I am getting off at Juliaca. So we first go to Cusco (an hour long flight) then we get to Juliaca (30 minute flight). The stewardess sees me getting ready to leave and she starts adamently telling me no that I can´t get off the plane and that she was warned about me. So that is when I shoot out the story that I had been preparing. I told her how I felt sick and I don´t want to continue flying, that I need to go to a clinic, etc... She wasn´t buying it. She said that the person from the cash register is coming on board and that she would explain to him that I was trying to get off early and how I was lying about feeling sick. So I stuck to my story. I bet the guy didn´t buy it but he was nicer. He asked if I had all my luggage, which I did (funny how things just fell in place earlier in the day so I didn´t have to check any bags)and asked for my boarding pass and told the stewardess that it was fine for me to get off. So I quickly left the plane. The guy said that I wouldn´t have to pay anything extra either. I go through a small airport and find this van that I just read about in my travel guide book that offers cheap trips to Puno. So I jump onboard for only ten soles (three dollars) and the van takes me right to my hotel. Well, not exactly my hotel, he stopped outside of one and yelled to a woman standing outside how much a room costs and she said "Cheap" then he told her that I found a hotel for 40 soles (13 dollars) and she said the room will cost 35 soles. So I checked out the room and then check out my original hotel and the other hotel wouldn´t lower its price so I went with the other one. So here I am right by Lake Titicaca. I am going to go to the various islands tomorrow and probably spend the night on one too. Then I think I am going to Bolivia because it is only three hours away and hopefully I can renew my tourist visa for another 90 days. I need to get back to Arequipa to catch my flight on Monday morning. I haven´t decided if I am going to take a bus Saturday or Sunday. I feel like I should spend some time in Arequipa because that was my original trip, but now I am not sure that it is worth just spending a day there. Maybe I can come back later.


You can dispense the bacon directly into your hands or into your face.

Rant

For a country full of people who seem so completely unconcerned with getting anywhere on time, they do seem to be in quite a hurry. Does honking your horn really help people twelve cars ahead of you realize that the light turned green only half a second ago? I really don't think so. And I really don't think you need to constantly beep your horn at every single car that is waiting to make a left turn- they can see you coming and there isn't anything obstructing their view so why do you honk; especially when you are going to slow down anyway? Or people for that matter, I can see you. You are about twenty times my size. Stop slowing down- I don't need a taxi. If I needed a taxi I would have waved you down, and I am not standing on this street corner passing up ten taxis that came by right before you just so that you could catch a ride from you and you smelly, beaten up thirty year old Escort.

I don't recall ever actually being taught how to walk correctly on the sidewalk or in crowds but that is one skill that is completely lacking here. You must have seen me walking. I stick out like a sore thumb! My skin is white and I am about a head taller than you! You probably noticed that I was walking quickly too, that is because I have to be somewhere. Yet you turn right in front of me and walk incredibly slow and right in the middle of the sidewalk so passing you means hopping off the side walk and doing a little three or four step jog just to pass you.

Are you testing your car alarm, or did you honestly forget that you have one? Do you know how it works? Obviously not because they are constantly going off. They don't just go off for ten seconds (the time it should take for you to disarm it) but at least 30 seconds to a minute. You have made it obvious that you are an idiot, and if it takes you that long to turn off your car alarm then you probably deserve to lose your car.

Empanadas

I made Chilean empanadas all on my own yesterday and they came out decently well! I couldn't find Muenster Cheese, so I used some other type, which wasn't nearly as good, but it worked out alright. My host family seemed to like them too.Mom, you gotta tell Mita about this and show her the photo.

Iquitos

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. This past weekend we went to Iquitos and the Amazon River. It was my birthday, but not a very good birthday. I thought having my birthday in the Amazon would be so cool, but once the trip started, I realized that I really would rather spend my birthday with my closest friends and my family. So I was a little sad. This post is going to have a bunch of photos, so it might take forever to load. I am thinking of redoing my blog to make it more navigable.
Here are some details of the trip.
I went to bed at one thirty on thursday morning because I had volleyball practice until late that night and I had to pack and shower so I only got two hours of sleep before I had to wake up to go to the airport. I asked the taxi driver to come at 3:45, but they always show up ten minutes early. Peruvians are late to everything! I don't understand why every time I specify a time they show up early. I would be fine if they didn't mind just waiting out there and ringing the door bell at 3:45, but they don't wait. They ring the door bell when they show up. So he shows up at exactly the time my alarm went off and I thought that he will just wait, but he kept persisting. So I rushed out of my room and forgot some things that I wanted to take- like my book. My host sister came to get me to tell me the taxi was waiting and she mentioned something about my birthday and chocolate cake, but I was too tired to care about what she was talking about. We walk down stairs to the dining room and kitchen and I see my host sister and the Mexican exchange student in the kitchen eating the cake they bought for me for my birthday! I was so pissed. Who does that? Stupid drunk inconsiderate people that's who! I heard them from my room making way too much noise downstairs when everyone else is trying to sleep, but I wouldn't think they would be that inconsiderate. I was really pissed. The sister, Gaby, said that they were eating it because it wasn't going to last until Sunday- which is true- but why wouldn't they just either hide it from my when I came downstairs so I wouldn't see them eating it, or just wait an hour longer until I left? It wasn't like they had a little slice either, they ate half of it by the time I saw it! Then they offer me a really small slice like that would make up for it. I was so pissed, but I couldn't even think in Spanish at that time in the morning so I just grabbed my centimeter thick three inch slice and left to get in the taxi. For all they knew I didn't even know about the cake's existence (which I did actually know about because I looked in the fridge for my dinner a couple hours prior and saw a big cake box- but they didn't know that I knew). Stupid fatties. I got them back a little, though. On the way to the airport I couldn't find my watch and I thought that I dropped it on the front porch or on the street getting in the taxi so I called the house and asked the mexican exchange student to look for it for me. I found my watch soon after, but I was still pissed and I hope that Gaby and the other student spent awhile outside in the dark looking for it- though they probably didn't, because they also seem lazy.

Well on to the actual trip. We flew to Iquitos, got on our cruise boat and started a two day trip on the Amazon river. The amazon was really beautiful and all the natives were interesting. I am kinda tired of writing so I am not going to give details. We went to this monkey conservation, did a couple little side trips into the actual forest, fished for pirahna, went swimming in the river, and saw native dance shows. Saturday was my birthday and we got off the boat in the morning and were back in Iquitos. Our extremely annoying tour guide, who I am convinced is just full of crap and not actually that knowledgable, decided to take us to a fresh market where we saw some of the most disgusting sights of our lives. I won't post the two pictures I took there, but I have a photo of large tortoises chopped in thirds- and still very fresh. There were way too many people and it was so hot. Needless to say- it being a Saturday- I got sick and skipped lunch to go sleep in the hotel where I found the most uncomfortable, rock-hard bed I have ever slept on. Though I guess it was a good thing that I only got a little bit sick and didn't stick around for lunch, because like eight or nine of the people in our group spent the entire night vomitting. I did miss out on this cool animal reserve that they went to though, but I felt better than most on Sunday morning. Sunday morning we went to a zoo accompanied by the tour guide who is an expert at stating out the obvious. "Yes, I do realize that is a monkey. Yes, and that is a turtle as well. Really? A dolphin? They are difficult to identify, thank you."

I got back to Lima on Sunday and no there wasn't a replacement cake, but they did buy me a t-shirt. So that was nice, but I can't eat a t-shirt. Well, I could, but it wouldn't taste like a chocolate cake.

Photos:

Our Cruise Liner


It's like water world


With Ikea




Monkey Island


Lily pods (look I am like the guide)

Sloth in the tree in the the last third of the photo






Aww the Baby Capybara