Andean Parade

May 27, 2012

Last day in Peru!

My roomies (cabbies—short for cabinmates) and I woke up early-ish, but still not early enough for breakfast. So we headed into Lima for food—despite the massive amounts of homework and reading we had (for me two papers, three chapters, and an article to read. Seriously, why assign it during port? Especially when I never have anything to do on ship…does she think we’ll be bored in Peru??? There’s a rumor about one girl who had so much homework that she didn’t even leave the ship once. Silly…). We spent more time in La Plaza de las Armas (this time with Corrina) wandering around trying to find internet and food. It was Sunday, which was apparently a weekly Catholic holiday. There was a parade going around the Plaza with people dressed in traditional Inca clothing and masks. We took pictures, of course, and we were laughing and watching, when music started up. Before we knew it, we were pulled into the center of the crowd and we were dancing in an Andean parade!!!

Very cool.

We actually didn’t know what the parade was for until later. At first, we thought it was a funeral, which scared us for a bit (a social faux pas or totally okay?) but it turns out we were fine.

  

When we were done with the parade, we finally wandered off for breakfast—though at that point it was lunchtime. We found a restaurant near Tanta where I tried plugging in a surge protector and blew out the breaker. Oops.

I had pancakes and coca tea for breakfast. Coca is the leaf that the Incas used to chew on to energize themselves and avoid altitude sickness. It is also misused as one of the ingredients of cocaine. The leaf itself is not cocaine though, and coca tea is just a tea made with it. It was pretty yummy!

After brunch, we wandered Lima and shopped. I really wanted something with a llama on it—I was in Peru, I needed a llama!

I also bought a world map as a kind of SAS “yearbook”. So many students are from places all over the map. I thought it would be cool to have the people I meet sign my map before I leave.

That evening, we pulled the gangway and left port. Adios Callao! I found the front of the ship and waited there while they released us from the dock. The executive dean (Luke) and his family (Melanie and three kids—Abby, Lilly, and baby Miles in his sleep sack) were up there and I talked to them for a while…Luke actually got all of his degrees from WSU! Go cougs! And their kids are absolutely adorable.

I really want an adult version of Miles’s sleep sack. It’s like a sleeping bag meets snuggie. Apparently that’s something Melanie and I have in common!