People don’t go overboard with holiday decorating in our part of Peru. There are stalls in the market selling artificial trees, garlands and ornaments, but there’s not a lot to see along the streets. Since Christmas falls at the beginning of the summer, there’s an emphasis on having get-togethers, going to the beach, and celebratingContinue reading “An Omicron Christmas”
Category Archives: South America
Song of the Garbage Truck
In Barranca, Peru, trash is collected seven days a week. We often say that the collectors should be among the highest paid employees in Peru. They make the rounds every day and are often faced with conditions that would make the rest of us run for cover. As you read the rest of this post,Continue reading “Song of the Garbage Truck”
Ruraq Maki, and other pleasures
Twice a year is an event we look forward to, Ruraq Maki: Hecho a Mano, one of the only juried craft shows in all of Peru. One edition appears during Fiestas Patrias, the celebration around July 28, Peru’s national holiday. The other edition comes up this month in the lead up to Christmas. At thisContinue reading “Ruraq Maki, and other pleasures”
Incertidumbre means Uncertainty
I began hearing the word “incertidumbre” when we arrived in Peru, and have seen it in the newspaper repeatedly. Politics, the economy, and now the Corona virus Omicron variant, are all conspiring to make the circumstances around the world uncertain. How is a traveler to plan? Peru’s national elections were held in July 2021 andContinue reading “Incertidumbre means Uncertainty”
Return to Barranca, Peru
We landed at 1:45 am, got to the gate by 2 am, were waved into the priority line (white hair?) and through immigration by 2:15 am. Our luggage showed up at 3 am. Fortunately, we’d decided to stay overnight in the Lima airport hotel, and we were in bed by 3:30 am. A long dayContinue reading “Return to Barranca, Peru”
On the way to Peru
Today was a landmark day, finding us back on an international flight to Peru. It’s been 20 months since we were last in Peru, and when we left, we planned to return in early November, 2020, just over a year ago. Since then, we’ve lived in different levels of quarantine for the pandemic, gotten vaccinated,Continue reading “On the way to Peru”
Travel Planning, the Schengen area, and Coronavirus
We begin planning our travels for the coming year just after we land in the US at the end of September. By the time we’ve hashed out where exactly we’d like to spend the following April-September, it’s some time in October and Jonathan begins scouring the Airbnb listings. This year we ran into a problemContinue reading “Travel Planning, the Schengen area, and Coronavirus”
Climate Change in my Neighborhood
One of the reasons people have had trouble believing in man-made climate change has been the lack of symptoms. Things have changed, or we’ve passed a tipping point, because now everyone sees climate change around them. Summer in Europe turns Florence into an oven, while winter in some parts of the US doesn’t bring enoughContinue reading “Climate Change in my Neighborhood”
Fiesta Weekend, Feb. 7-12, 2020
This was the weekend of the annual fiesta in our neighborhood. The Virgin of Lourdes is the patroness of our area. A tiny chapel sits up on the hillside, and the larger chapel is at the end of our block. Every year a local resident sponsors the festival and organizes a weekend of activities. ThisContinue reading “Fiesta Weekend, Feb. 7-12, 2020”
Enjoying the Slow Lane
We walk to the opposite end of the beach and back almost every day. We walk down on the sidewalk by the seawall, and back on the beach. You’d think we’d get tired of the up and down, but we always find new things to look at. By taking the same route every day, weContinue reading “Enjoying the Slow Lane”
Llywindatravels 2025 