Lima Life (Lima, Peru)

It has been a week now since I arrived the gigantic capital city of Peru. I´m staying in the ritzy area of Miraflores, reminiscent of a modern North American city such as San Francisco. Or, as I´d like to compare it to, for those that know the Philippines, it´s like the Makati area of Manila.  The first few days here were spent with Leticia and Julia, hanging out at posh cafes and drinking frappuccinos and lattes while people watching and catching up on all of our gossip since we last saw each other 10-12 days prior. It is always such a treat to come to place and have friends waiting for you. You sleep on a bus in one city and wake up in another, but yet you don´t feel like a complete stranger because there´s a familiar face there to greet you.

So since then, Leticia and Julia have gone their seperate ways, but I will most likely be traveling with Leticia, yet once again, in a couple of weeks. Leticia and I just can`t let go I suppose, which is fine by me. She is currently travelling around with her boyfriend that came to visit her, it was great to meet him and also a little nerve racking for me! It was kind of a Will & Grace moment.  Before she left, Leticia and I bonded by doing something... something I am not ready to reveal yet. Um... it´s not what you`re thinking, if that´s what you`re thinking. Haha.

I have decided to hang out in Lima for a few weeks and get to know the place and hopefully find some spanish tutoring to keep me busy. I just had a first lesson today, but the man reminded me too much of my father and I don´t think he was a professional teacher, in face he tried to entice me into a business negotiation between Peru and Calgary. Um, no thanks.

As with all places, lately, I have been trying to connect with some local folks. I`ve had the pleasure of meeting up with some friends that I had made back in Mancora, that actually reside here in Lima.  So they have taken me out a few times, for lunch, for city tours, to the discotechs, etc.  Its always so nice to get the insider`s point of view. I sometimes feel like a snob though at my hostel because I don`t socialize with anyone. There`s one guy that has been sleeping in the bed next to me for like 5 days and all we have said to each other is Hola a few times. Oh well.  We all have our own lives.

Last night, my new buddy that works at the hostel, Jair, took me to his own personal barber in his neighborhood. Prior to that he took me to his humble home while he spent an hour with his math tutor. I had the pleasure of chatting it up with his grandmother. She asked me a tonne of questions about my travels and my life, we shared a few jokes, and she told me about her life. I didn´t understand everything one hundred percent, but I caught the gist of it all. She has even invited me back one day for lunch or coffee. Ahhh... Peruvian hospitality.  So afterwards, at 10pm, Jair and I went down the street and knocked on Cesar´s door who then opened the door to his barber shop right beside his house. I got my own personal hair cut at 10pm, too bad Cesar had just woken up from his dazed state and rushed through the process. Nonetheless, my hair looks how it normally does!

So now... I am back on the hunt for a different spanish tutor, back on the hunt to live a somewhat normal life here in Lima.  I can only surf the net, hang out with folks, and drink frappuccinos so much until I get bored...