- I [Heart]
- Even after 6 months, I still LOVE my kids
- A week of travel (
- Thank you and Goodbye...
Ok...so considering I have ANOTHER 14 hour bus ride in about 2 hours from now, let’s get down to business...
I left
If you remember, within 2 days of arriving here, I wrote a blog entry titled “Obsessed” and the feelings have only gotten stronger over the last 6 weeks.
I can hardly even begin to tell all of the tiny things that make this city so wonderful but I honestly think that if more people visited here, there would be more I {heart}
So let’s just start with the physical surroundings. First of all, I have now spent a total of 45 days in 
Add to that, the city is watched over my 3 distinct mountain ranges. Some snow capped, others just perfect in their symmetry. Unbelievable...
The sights don’t disappoint either. Whether it’s wondering the borderline creepy hallways of Monastery Santa Catalina or roaming through the unparalleled Plaza de Armas by day or by night, the city is just unlike any other I have ever been in (have I said that already??)
And of course there are plenty of opportunities to come close to killing yourself too. Our method of choice? White water rafting...
Now this didn’t even touch the danger levels of the white water tubing from 
Ok...so we’ve talked about the history and the mountain ranges and natural beauty but let’s get down the business...these people can EAT! And they know how to do it in style too...
We may have the Minnesota State Fair but they have a festival that is actually called the “Gluttony Festival.” My first choice was this delicious looking meat on a grill. I ate it and it really was amazing. It wasn’t until afterwards that I found out I had just eaten a cow’s heart. Yum. (next year, cow heart on a stick??)
They also had in
And of course, how better to reward yourself after a day of teaching than with freshly fried street churros??
Another Arequipenan special and my personal favorite: Rocotto Relleno. Meat, cheese, raisins, nuts, all chopped up and stuffed into a HOT chili pepper and served alongside a delicious potato thingy...ugh. I’m drooling. Literally drooling right now.
And when not having fun rafting, touring, eating or sipping mochas, there was plenty of time to grab a Arequipeña (the local brew) or a Pisco Sour (the local cocktail) and have fun. And my favorite kind of fun? Karaoke! Yep....I am in two different outfits. There was more than one karaoke outing...
And this blog would no tbe complete without me mentioning the fact that I actually had a "neighborhood alpaca" named Leo that greeted me every time I came into the neighborhood.
And lastly, and absolutely most importantly, the people. I have never in my life met a more warm, inviting and just fun-loving city. And first in that line? My host family.
Giovanna, Jaime and Daniella. These three truly made me feel like I had a real Arequipeñan family. Whether we were having a fabulous ladies night out on the town or I was teaching them to grill smores over their stove, I have never laughed so much in my life.
After just a short weekend trip, I was always welcomed “home” to hugs and kisses. (ok mom, I hope you are getting your “But I raised you for 27 years!” comment ready!) But honestly...Giovanna, Jaime and Danielle...if you are reading this, thank you for absolutely everything.
I just could never have asked for a more wonderful family, more mouth watering food, more thrilling adventures, more beautiful sights or just a more incredible city to call home for the last 45 days. And I just can’t wait for the day I get to come back to visit and do it all again.
xoxo,
Debra
3 comments:
Wow, that sounds AWESOME! Please include me in the plans for going back and visiting...I absolutely want to go there and see where you spent such a wonderful time.
I am thinking I may come live in teh midwest (probably Baraboo) for a couple months before I leave in July so save some weekends for me!
Can we start our own "I {heart} Arequipa" tshirt trend? I have complete confidence in its marketability. Reading your entry makes me miss it all even more than I already was (and it makes me miss you a whole lot too!!) :(. I emailed a few friends back home the week I left and said I was homesick for Arequipa, and they said that was stupid, and that you can't feel homesick for a foreign city...but you absolutely, definitely can, particularly when you make it your home for 2 months - and when it's as great a city as Arequipa you've got no hope! It really is a special place, isn't it? The people are so warm (though I'd say that's true for all of Peru).
Hope you are having a wonderful time!! If you are at all susceptible to motion sickness, do not eat before the Nazca flight(!!) (I did and was fine, but am generally good with that kind of thing..and of the 6 people on my flight 2 were ill the entire way through; they may as well have not bothered!)
Sounds amazing! I want to go! I can't wait to hear all about it and everything else when you get back...um...tomorrow! I know you will be super busy seeing everyone, but fit me in for a phone call cuz I can't wait to talk to you!
Love,
Julie
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