Good Eats!

Can I just move to Peru?

Please?

Because sometimes, a girl's just got to eat.

And Peru--well, Peru knows how to eat!

I've been so well fed these past few days, you can't imagine (so I'll help you with pictures). A huge part of that has been thanks to my lovely host family, Laura and Enrique. Here's a picture of our celebration/thank-you-for-hosting-me dinner! Laura (left) is Belgian, and teaches English here in Peru, and her husband Enrique (center) is Afro-Peruvian--he's lived here all his life. 

Our long talks over Nescafe, orange bread, and boiled-water lemonade helped me see a side of Peru I just couldn't have know without them--things about the state of politics in the country, or the relationship between the indigenous population and the environment. We talked about education, we talked about women. I knew that joining Servas would allow me to meet some fantastic people, but there's no way I could have estimated how rewarding relationships with people you met two days ago can grow to be, or how much you can learn about kindness (and a country!) in such a short amount of time. 

Also cooking.

One of my favorites? Papas de Huancaina (or as k-dawg puts it, papayas in a hurricane). It actually has nothing to do with papayas or tropical rainstorms--but now that we're on the subject, the weather has been a bit chilly. Thank goddess for American Apparel tights! But no, no. The dish actually includes peeled, boiled potatoes and a... chili pepper cheese sauce? It's deliciously difficult to explain--you'll just have to take my word for it that it tastes wonderful. I've also learned how to prepare Lomo Saltado (literally "jumping beef"), a Peruvian dish with some serious Chinese influence (which isn't surprising once you realize that there's a huge population of Chinese here). You throw (or jump) some meat around in a pan with soy sauce, onions, and tomatoes, and serve it along with fried potatoes. Delicious. Think I'm ready for my honorary Iron Chef Peru hat? I do.

I think one of the reasons things taste so delicious here are because you can find some really great ingredients at the local outdoor markets hidden all around the city--I say hidden because they don't pop up in the touristy areas, and I would have had no clue about them without Laura and Enrique. In reality, they're not hidden at all. These markets are local hubs for people who want to buy lunch, dinner ingredients, AND get their shoes repaired--all in the same place! I haven't seen any markets in my new area, but my eyes are peeled. I'm on the lookout! 

Speaking of new areas--here's a picture of my hostel. I'm staying in Barranco, a district in Lima that my host family recommended. It's quasi-bohemian and filled with local music, art, and crafts. Its also less touristy than typical Miraflores, which is nice. Once again, I'm pretty pleased with my housing set up! 

Bohemia Exhibit A: this small coffee shop is just a few blocks from my hostel. fresh flowers on the table, and french jazz in the background--I could actually spend all day here. In fact, that's a very real possibility for tomorrow. Also, I should note that I know this person--I'm not entirely creepy.This is Alex from my hostel.  He and Camille have spent a bit of time in Lima already, and took me to this gem for fresh strawberry juice, pastries  and coffee. It's a great place to read and write. Time to get my creative writing on!

Bohemia Exhibit B: The Brazilian film festival is in town! And by "in town," I mean that Alex and I walked...approximately 3 hours to get there? But we finally made it, and the film was totally worth it. So was the walk. Here's a picture of Larcomar, the huge shopping center that's built into the mountainside and overlooks the coast. Also, don't worry--we took a bus home to avoid the 3 hour trek back (on second thought, if you know anything about the traffic in Peru, the fact that we took a bus home is exponentially more terrifying). 1.20 sol, baby! (roughly 70 cents?)

Even with the bus ride back, I'm feeling pretty sleepy. Post-presidential debate crash? Who knows. If you're desperate for caffeine though, I recommend Inca Kola. It smells like bubble gum and tastes like apples coated in sugar melted in honey. 

Gotta try it all once! 

I'll pass on the Kola this time. This kid is ready for some sleep.

My bed is seriously so comfortable, I think I'm gonna die-- but the promise of a delicious lunch will probably keep me hanging in there :) I hope you're all  doing well. Eat/drink some pumpkin flavored things for me! I can't believe we're half way through Octubre! Ahh!

Goodnight, sweet ladies <3 I am missing you. 

ak