I have been in Peru now for one week. It has been definite change from home. For one, Spanish is the language spoken and my Spanish is a bit rusty(Dusty, remember my grandpa used to call you Rusty, sorry random thought) and secondly the population of Lima is around 8 million people. It makes Webb City look like a small hamlet and Kansas City look like Webb City. It has been a little shock. My Spanish is beginning to improve and I am beginning to enjoy pulsating groves of people who move about this giant city.
Yesterday, my friends Leo and Alonso took me to Centre de Lima. We visited an old Spanish Cathedral, Convento de San Francisco. It was a stunning example of the colonial architecture. Luckily, there was an option of a English speaking tour guide inside. The tour was quite impressive. There was a library inside which ,I am told, holds the oldest books in South America. Lima was the capital of the Spanish empire in South America so this is understandable. My favorite part of the tour however, was the catacombs. This was very cool. The guide led us into passageways underneath the cathedral where some approximately 25,000 people where laid to rest. Very cool. The guide told us that the only preparation of the bodies was to put lime and salt on them to help with the smell of the decomposing flesh. Wow. I can not imagine sitting in that church some 400 years ago with rotting bodies just a few feet underneath me. I ask the guide about this and he responded that this was a part of suffering. To suffer as Jesus did was a form of worship. I would have wanted to sit as close to a window as possible. Overall, the tour of this magnificent piece of architecture was a great experience. Afterwards, we walked to a boardwalk where street vendors sell food. We ate some Anticuchos. Below I have attached the Wikipedia definition of Anticuchos. Our Anticuchos were made of beef and cow stomach. It was my first time eating the stomach of a cow. It wasn´t bad, I will have to say I would like to try it again. Which brings me to my next topic.
The food.
The food in Peru is wonderful. Leo´s grandmother and mother cook a delicious meal everyday. The big meal in Peru is eaten around lunch time, followed always, by a nap. I have adapted to this custom quite well. The dishes have quite a variety but almost always contain white rice. The food is fresh and prepared daily by loving hands. I will miss this cooking terribly when I move next week to my own place.
On Tuesday of next week, I will be moving into a small shared apartment. http://limarentals.blogspot.com/ If you clink on this link you can view pictures of the place in which I will be staying for the following months. It is a great place, in a great neighborhood close to the sea. I am excited about moving into a place I can call my own. The hospitality of Leo´s family is unmatched but I am beginning to feel that I need to move on, as not to over stay my welcome. Although, I am sure I would be welcome here the entire time I am in Peru.
Well it has been one week. I have seen a lot and I am ready to see much more. Sunday Leo´s father is taking us to his hometown of Chincha, a small town south of Lima. One year ago this month a terrible earthquake almost destroyed this town. From what I hear the government has done little to help restore it. I am sure that is will be experience of both enjoyment and reflection. For one thing I have learned here is how much the wealth is unequally distributed throughout this world. Poverty is everywhere. Do not however, confuse poverty with sadness. The people who I have met and seen are some of the happiest people, they do not yearn for a new Mercedes just fellowship with their friends and family. This is something we should all think about. I hope all is well back home and this election is not weighing to heavily on any of you. I love you all and hope to talk to you soon.
Paz,
Grant
PS- I want a President that will impose a mandatory conversion to the Metric system of measurement. How stupid is it that we are the only country in the world who use the English system of measurement? The English even gave it up. .......Feet......give me a break.....
Anticuchos (singular anticucho, Quechua for Cut Stew Meat) are popular, inexpensive dishes in Andean states consisting of small pieces of grilled skewered meat. Anticuchos can be readily found on streetcarts and street food stalls (anticucherias). The meat may be marinated in vinegar and spices (such as cumin, aji pepper and garlic), and while anticuchos can be made of any type of meat, the most popular are made of beef heart (anticuchos de corazon). Anticuchos often come with a boiled potato on the end of the skewer.Anticuchos can be traced as far back as the 16th century, when they were first encountered by the Spanish conquistadors. It was at this time that European ingredients such as garlic were added. It was a popular dish among the inhabitants of the Inca Empire, and it is currently popular throughout most South American countries. Its greatest popularity, however, remains in Peru.[citation needed]Americanized versions of anticuchos are sometimes made of non-organ meats.
-- R. Grant McDonald
-- R. Grant McDonald
