Introducing Peru

I’ve got to get better at updating this again…

But I do kind of have an excuse for part of the delay this time – I was out of town for one of the weeks. And the reason was a good one: my mom and dad came to visit! The interns had a week off from SALI, so my parents took advantage of the break and came to visit Peru. We had a fantastic time. I went to Lima to pick them up, and we spent about a week traveling in Southern Peru, going to Cusco, stopping through towns and Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley (Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chincero), visiting Machu Picchu. I had the opportunity to see it several months ago when Haley and Katelyn visited, but it was just as magnificent again. I decided I’d be okay visiting this one of the new 7 Wonders of the World every 6 months or so… J

Looking over Cusco

Near the ruins at Pisac

Postcard picture at Macchu Pichu

Overlooking Ollantaytambo

Part of the fun, too, was taking public transportation, meeting lots of really nice people along the way, eating good Peruvian food, and just seeing them get to know Peru a little big (at least, as much as possible in the most touristy area of the country). After four days in Cusco and the Valley, we took a night bus to Arequipa and spent a couple of days there. The environment was a little more professional and “real life,” and our pace was a little more relaxed in this colonial, “white” city in southern Peru (called thus because of the ubiquitous use of white “sillar” volcanic stone). Some beautiful, 20,000-ft peaks (Misti and Chachani) hover above it, and we toured the city and some surrounding towns, enjoyed a couple of cool museums (including one where they have an Incan mummy they found frozen and excellently preserved on top of Misti), and watched the sun set at the beautiful Santa Catalina convent.

Early morning view of Chachani from Arequipa plaza

View toward the mountains

Santa Catalina convent

But I really loved getting back to Trujillo and introducing Mom and Dad to my place and my people. I showed them the Plaza de Armas, took them to SUSA Friday night, gave them a tour of the market and some of the vendor areas, and watched the sunset at the beach and at ceviche at Huanchacho. They also got to come to church, Sunday missionary lunch, and then the clinic on Monday. José, a friend/former student/baker we ran into Friday came over and made empanadas for several of us Saturday, and Karina and Flor hung out and conversed in Spanglish for awhile on Sunday evening. And of course they got to know the interns – especially Heidi, Linda, and Rachel. Overall, I was really just thankful that they got to meet so many people that are important to me and get a great taste of my life here and why I love it. It was wonderful and humbling to see how welcoming people were to them.

Sorry – I didn’t get any pictures of their time in Trujillo, but if I get any I’ll put a couple up. Back to normal and trying (with varying degrees of success) to catch up this week. It’s been good though. Hope yours has been great, too…