Word of the Day (Lima, Perú)

I love learning new words in Spanish. I often remember the ones that were taught me in daily life, incidentally. Back in Mancora, for example, there's a lighthouse that someone had pointed out to me while speaking spanish and I was like "huh?". Faro... faro, he said. Well since then I've heard the word faro (lighthouse) like at least 8 more times! It's not a common word I'd use in Canada but then again I don't live on the coast. So today... In the capital city, I'm meeting up with someone by the... (what's the word of the day?)... faro on the "malecon".

Malecon... That'll be tomorrow's word of the day... Which sounds very similar to "maricon"... Haha funny story!

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...

Al Fin (Trujillo, Perú)

After spending a few days in the beach town of Huanchaco, I am now back in Trujillo and will be taking a night bus to Lima at 10pm.

In the end, I had a great time here in Huanchaco and Trujillo. The city is small enough to allow me to get to know it well. I've met some local friends and had some cool times, chilling at the bars by the beach with live music, sitting in my friend's Eduardo's and Katty's apartment shooting the shit and playing cards, and last night I ended up going to two house parties and a discoteca! I never would've thought that being in a place for ten days would've given me so many local peeps to hang out with! I love it when I've got multiple plans, being pulled in different directions. Well, that's kinda like my old life in Calgary... so I guess to a certain extent I love it!

Now... Reluctantly I head off to Lima to meet up with Leticia for our very final last days together. Although we've said this before. I've also discovered our gal Julia is arriving from Mancora tomorrow as well! It'll be a Loki reunion!!

Spree of Boredom (Trujillo, Perú)

Well, in my big spree of boredom here in Trujillo, I've come to realize that blogging offers some worthy distraction of my time.

Here's some random highlights to my day:

- bought a nice juicy mango last night at the market, when I was about to take it out of the clear plastic bag this morning for breakfast, I saw about 5 maggots squirming around all covered in fresh mango juice
- walked around and took some photos in the city today
- sat in the central plaza, where a middle class man was napping in the grass. We all got kicked off the grass by the police and the man woke up with a white flower petal mistakenly yet perfectly placed behind his ear, like a Hawaiin princess
- trimmed my nose hairs
- skyped and chatted with a handful of folks back in Canada. Holla!!
- had a bit of a boredom insanity breakdown while messaging Leticia without her even being on the other end
- tried out my new styling hair putty, only to end in disappointment
- spoke to my new Italian dorm mate, tried to see if he'd wanna eat dinner with me, but got rejected cause he has no Peruvian cash. I gave him 4 crackers as my good deed for today :-)
- had a hairless dog stare at me in my dorm for about 3 minutes in silence
- finally decided to go to the pharmacy to buy some pills for my swollen throat

Tomorrow... to the beach I go! (I hope).

Hmmm... now what shall I do?

Recant (Trujillo, Perú)

Ok fine, it wasn't my pillow that stunk last night. It's this peace bracelet I've been wearing for a few months now that I shower, swim, eat and sleep with. I guess the fabric is getting a little moldy smelling. And I normally sleep with my one hand by my face, hence the awful smell. So sad, I love that bracelet. I bought it in New Orleans in Dec. 2010. :-(

As a side note, recently I've gotten a "trenza" put into my hair. It's essentially a hair braid extension. It's all the here with women and men! Well, I think so at least. Now I'm scared it's gonna start to have mildew as well! Plus those two anklets I've been wearing. One ever since Panama. Ugh.

Smelly and Bored (Trujillo, Perú)

I'm feeling much better than last night, fever is gone. (Thanks for your concern Mom)! Now I'm just resting up in my hostel, I'm a little weak and have a sore throat.

I'm in a dorm room with 10 beds, but I'm the only one here! It's attached to another dorm room with another 10 beds, but alas, I'm still the only one here! As of yesterday there was about 8 other people in the dorms. Maybe I scared them all away with my snoring and my germs. To be honest, I was being anti social anyway. To the point where I've used my sarong as a curtain to hide myself within my bottom bunk, my little sanctuary of solitude. Sometimes I get really bored talking to other backpackers, especially after leaving good friends behind. I'd rather connect with local people anyway, when possible. I watched a movie earlier by myself, which I have no qualms about whatsoever, and on the walk home I told myself I will make an effort to be sociable tonight so I'm not so bored. Lo and behold, there's no one here.

As a side note, it's interesting, if you read my blog from the start of my trip I was so excited to be surrounded by backpackers and with travel talk. Don't get me wrong, I am sometimes, just when it's on a deeper level. Furthermore, I haven't done a travel documentary video in a while.

I remember close to the end of my 17 month trip back in 2005, my friend Bubba wrote on my blog "you must be jaded Dean" and it was a real eye opening moment for me. He described my feelings so well with that one word. Well, that is not how I feel now! I'm just in search of other things these days to keep me interested in traveling I suppose. Hence the longer stays in places and longer, deeper relationships.

So anyway, my blankets and my pillow case kinda stink. I think it's from all that feverish sweating I've been doing the last two nights. Great. If you look at the picture and think I've got dirty underwear beside my pillow, they're clean!

I could be an ass and trade my pillow with one of the other 19 vacant beds. Hmmmmm... It's not THAT mean right?? Screw it, no witnesses... here goes...

Freezing Hot (Trujillo, Perú)

I can't sleep, it's nearly 3am. Well, in the last 29 hours though Ive slept about 24 of the hours. I'm sick. :-(

I've had a fever ever since last night and I can't decide if I'm hot or cold or both. The thing is, it's boiling here to begin with which doesn't help things. One minute I'm sweating the next I'm shivering. Ugh. Being sick sucks when traveling solo.