For the past
twenty years, I have been dreaming about visiting my home country, Peru, and it
finally happened. Three weeks ago on Tuesday, my mother, brother, and I were boarding
a plane, feeling anxious and nervous for several reasons. It was my brother’s
first time on a plane, and this would be my mother’s and my first time back
since we left in 1992. Side note: for anyone who is planning a trip to South
America, I highly recommend LAN Airlines. They provide excellent customer
service and the 10 hour flight felt like 5 hours, so coming from a very antsy
woman…THANK YOU.
Costa Verde. My
Uncle lives minutes away from the beautiful coast.
The very first treat we bought while still in the car and on our way to my Uncle's place.
My mom said that she used to buy these treats all the time as a little girl.
My brother and I stayed a day in Lima and then we were off to a separate adventure and boarded a plane to spend a couple of days in
Cusco. With the help of my uncle, we were able to get connected with a travel
agent and she made sure our stay in Cusco was nothing but the best. Thank you
so much Kathya. You will be seeing more of me in the future :) Cusco was
beautiful and our three days there were jam packed with things to do and places
to visit. The first place we toured was the city of Cusco and Coricancha, the
Incas' temple of the sun. Before the Spanish conquistadors came, this was a
place where the Incans' worshiped their sun god, Inti. With the arrival of
Pizarro, they destroyed their temple and built a Spanish cathedral above their
grounds. I found the history of this temple and now cathedral devastating, but
I was intrigued to hear about my history while standing on the actual grounds
of where it all happened.
Our next stop was the city of Saqsaywaman where we made friends with a llama! On the next day, we visited several little places such as Tambomachay, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero. All of these destinations were incredible and full of culture. The ladies were wearing their traditional wool top and skirt walking alongside them was a llama, also decked out in their own hand-made scarf made out of their own hair. We just had to take a picture with them.
While we stayed in Cusco, our relatives who happen to live in San Jose happened to be in Cusco as well. What are the chances!? Naturally, we met up and they invited us to a really nice restaurant for some delicious dinner. Unfortunately, my little brother wasn't feeling too good. The altitude can get a lot of tourists sick. I'm surprised I was well during our entire stay, the Incan blood in me must be stronger (or so my Dad says). Thank you to my family, the Fisher family, for the delicious dinner. We sure made some great memories that night, huh Eduardo Jr? Notice the alcoholic beverage in his hand? Yea, it is legal to drink in Peru once you hit the age of 18.Let's just say, he was having a GREAT night ;)
Last, but
certainly not least we visited Machu Picchu and remember when I said earlier
that I felt a spiritual connection? This is the place where I felt it the most.
Stunning. I can't justify it with words on just how incredible it was. My
brother and I were left speechless and in awe. I wanted to sit on a rock and
just stare at it for hours at a time, but we needed to catch our train and my
brother and I were starting to get hungry (you can't eat inside the grounds of
Machu Picchu and there aren't any public restrooms, so you suck tiny bladder of
mine). I feel so blessed to have been able to experience and finally visit one
of the seven wonders of our world with my little bro. I hope I can experience
it with my husband next, God willing in the next five years or so. Thank you
Machu Picchu, stay magical :)
It was such a
beautiful and HOT day in Machu Picchu.
I should have worn shorts, I missed a perfect
opportunity for a nice leg tan.
My brother and I
climbed to La Puerta del Sol or The Door of the Sun. The hike
there was rough and it took us longer than a typical, healthy hiker, but it
was damn well worth it. The view from the top...breathtaking.
These are our
friends we met on our journey. They were visiting from London. We miss you Zainab and
Miklos! P.S. Don't ask anyone who lives in London about the Royal family. Apparently, they aren't their biggest fans.
No words.
I'll be back, I promise.
Once we
returned to Lima, our days felt like they were slipping from our fingers. We
spent the rest of the week visiting family and going to a couple of places in
Peru while experiencing some adrenaline filled adventures. We were also
fortunate enough to celebrate my Aunt Ana's birthday, my cousin Rodrigo's 22nd
birthday, and celebrate Father's Day with my Uncle Mario. It was a week full of
celebrations. First, we started our return from Cusco with a night full of
dancing and laughter. I was able to experience my first peña in Peru. What's a
peña, you ask? It is an event full of music, food, drinks, and all the while, popular folklore such as dancing and singing are performing right in
front of you! We were table USA and of course, they asked me and my brother to
dance in front of everyone! So much fun!
Again, totally legal to drink in Peru at the age of 18.
That being said, this is the "before" picture of the cousins.
The "during" picture.
The "after" picture.
The one person I was most excited to see was this dude right here. When we were younger, we were inseparable. He was my dancing partner at every party and I was his shadow. My mom and my aunt Gloria took a lot of pictures of us when we were little. It never looked as if I annoyed him, he was always happy to be with me and so was I. Reuniting with him was one the best parts of this whole trip. Te quiero, Sebastian. It won't be another 23 years until we see each other again.
Maca, Sebastian's wife and Katia, my other cousin, Rodrigo's girlfriend. Fantastic women.
I am so happy that my cousins found their other half.
Love you, Maca!
One place we visited was the Plaza de Armas which is located in Central Lima. We had pizza for lunch and it was the best I have ever had in my life. Later that evening, we went to visit family while we watched the Copa America game where Peru was playing against Brazil. Another side note: watching a soccer game in a South American country is whole other experience, much more intense, especially in a house full of Peruvians. We lost the game and we were pissed.
My cousin Gaby and I decided to take the same picture we took 23 years ago. We didn't change a bit. Love you, Prima!
All the cousins in one picture.
With my great aunt Norma.
Family Picture.
One day we packed our bags and took a mini road trip to spend a couple of days in Ica at the Laguna de Huacachina and Paracas where unfortunately I got super sea sick on the boat we took to visit the islands there. In Ica, my mom, uncle, cousin, brother, and I experienced our very first adventure of dune buggying. I am still in shock that my mom decided to do it, she is not a fan of adrenaline. Needless to say, she was shouting "Get me off, aahahhhhhahah, you're going too fast" the whole time we were on the buggy. My brother and I were laughing the entire time. I don't even want to talk about Paracas. The place was beautiful, I just wish I hadn't gotten sea sick so I could have enjoyed it more. Darn you, motion sickness!
The after picture and thanking God for having my feet on the ground. I was feeling so sick :(
Our last weekend in Peru, we visited el Parque de Aguas (The Park of Water), it was a beautiful park full of gorgeous water fountains, we celebrated my cousin's Rodrigo's birthday, spent an afternoon where my Aunt Ana is from, called La Punta, and we ate a plate full of fried fish, called Jalea and of course, Ceviche (again, the best I have ever had). Another favorite location was visiting where my parent's got married at the Parroquia de Santa Maria de Magdalena, it was a gorgeous church. Afterwards, we visited an outdoor mall called Larcomar and a El Parque del Amor (The Park of Love), this is where I missed Kevin the most, there were couples everywhere. On our last day, we decided to stay at my Uncle's place and spend Father's Day indoors with family :)
What's new. My little brother always irritating our mother.
With the birthday boy.
La Punta
Best Ceviche Ever.
Peru, you treated us so well and our stay there went by too quickly. I am so happy I got to see family that I haven't seen in such a long time and I got to visit places that I only dreamed about for decades. I want to thank my family, especially my Uncle Mario and Tia Ana for letting us stay in their home, this trip wouldn't have been possible without you. I left a piece of my heart in Peru. It won't be long until we see each other again.
With love,
Alessandra
Costa Verde. My
Uncle lives minutes away from the beautiful coast.
The very first treat we bought while still in the car and on our way to my Uncle's place.
My mom said that she used to buy these treats all the time as a little girl.
My brother and I stayed a day in Lima and then we were off to a separate adventure and boarded a plane to spend a couple of days in
Cusco. With the help of my uncle, we were able to get connected with a travel
agent and she made sure our stay in Cusco was nothing but the best. Thank you
so much Kathya. You will be seeing more of me in the future :) Cusco was
beautiful and our three days there were jam packed with things to do and places
to visit. The first place we toured was the city of Cusco and Coricancha, the
Incas' temple of the sun. Before the Spanish conquistadors came, this was a
place where the Incans' worshiped their sun god, Inti. With the arrival of
Pizarro, they destroyed their temple and built a Spanish cathedral above their
grounds. I found the history of this temple and now cathedral devastating, but
I was intrigued to hear about my history while standing on the actual grounds
of where it all happened.
Our next stop was the city of Saqsaywaman where we made friends with a llama! On the next day, we visited several little places such as Tambomachay, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero. All of these destinations were incredible and full of culture. The ladies were wearing their traditional wool top and skirt walking alongside them was a llama, also decked out in their own hand-made scarf made out of their own hair. We just had to take a picture with them.
While we stayed in Cusco, our relatives who happen to live in San Jose happened to be in Cusco as well. What are the chances!? Naturally, we met up and they invited us to a really nice restaurant for some delicious dinner. Unfortunately, my little brother wasn't feeling too good. The altitude can get a lot of tourists sick. I'm surprised I was well during our entire stay, the Incan blood in me must be stronger (or so my Dad says). Thank you to my family, the Fisher family, for the delicious dinner. We sure made some great memories that night, huh Eduardo Jr? Notice the alcoholic beverage in his hand? Yea, it is legal to drink in Peru once you hit the age of 18.Let's just say, he was having a GREAT night ;)
Last, but
certainly not least we visited Machu Picchu and remember when I said earlier
that I felt a spiritual connection? This is the place where I felt it the most.
Stunning. I can't justify it with words on just how incredible it was. My
brother and I were left speechless and in awe. I wanted to sit on a rock and
just stare at it for hours at a time, but we needed to catch our train and my
brother and I were starting to get hungry (you can't eat inside the grounds of
Machu Picchu and there aren't any public restrooms, so you suck tiny bladder of
mine). I feel so blessed to have been able to experience and finally visit one
of the seven wonders of our world with my little bro. I hope I can experience
it with my husband next, God willing in the next five years or so. Thank you
Machu Picchu, stay magical :)
It was such a
beautiful and HOT day in Machu Picchu.
I should have worn shorts, I missed a perfect
opportunity for a nice leg tan.
My brother and I
climbed to La Puerta del Sol or The Door of the Sun. The hike
there was rough and it took us longer than a typical, healthy hiker, but it
was damn well worth it. The view from the top...breathtaking.
These are our
friends we met on our journey. They were visiting from London. We miss you Zainab and
Miklos! P.S. Don't ask anyone who lives in London about the Royal family. Apparently, they aren't their biggest fans.
No words.
I'll be back, I promise.
Once we
returned to Lima, our days felt like they were slipping from our fingers. We
spent the rest of the week visiting family and going to a couple of places in
Peru while experiencing some adrenaline filled adventures. We were also
fortunate enough to celebrate my Aunt Ana's birthday, my cousin Rodrigo's 22nd
birthday, and celebrate Father's Day with my Uncle Mario. It was a week full of
celebrations. First, we started our return from Cusco with a night full of
dancing and laughter. I was able to experience my first peña in Peru. What's a
peña, you ask? It is an event full of music, food, drinks, and all the while, popular folklore such as dancing and singing are performing right in
front of you! We were table USA and of course, they asked me and my brother to
dance in front of everyone! So much fun!
Again, totally legal to drink in Peru at the age of 18.
That being said, this is the "before" picture of the cousins.
The "during" picture.
The "after" picture.
The one person I was most excited to see was this dude right here. When we were younger, we were inseparable. He was my dancing partner at every party and I was his shadow. My mom and my aunt Gloria took a lot of pictures of us when we were little. It never looked as if I annoyed him, he was always happy to be with me and so was I. Reuniting with him was one the best parts of this whole trip. Te quiero, Sebastian. It won't be another 23 years until we see each other again.
Maca, Sebastian's wife and Katia, my other cousin, Rodrigo's girlfriend. Fantastic women.
I am so happy that my cousins found their other half.
Love you, Maca!
One place we visited was the Plaza de Armas which is located in Central Lima. We had pizza for lunch and it was the best I have ever had in my life. Later that evening, we went to visit family while we watched the Copa America game where Peru was playing against Brazil. Another side note: watching a soccer game in a South American country is whole other experience, much more intense, especially in a house full of Peruvians. We lost the game and we were pissed.
My cousin Gaby and I decided to take the same picture we took 23 years ago. We didn't change a bit. Love you, Prima!
All the cousins in one picture.
With my great aunt Norma.
Family Picture.
One day we packed our bags and took a mini road trip to spend a couple of days in Ica at the Laguna de Huacachina and Paracas where unfortunately I got super sea sick on the boat we took to visit the islands there. In Ica, my mom, uncle, cousin, brother, and I experienced our very first adventure of dune buggying. I am still in shock that my mom decided to do it, she is not a fan of adrenaline. Needless to say, she was shouting "Get me off, aahahhhhhahah, you're going too fast" the whole time we were on the buggy. My brother and I were laughing the entire time. I don't even want to talk about Paracas. The place was beautiful, I just wish I hadn't gotten sea sick so I could have enjoyed it more. Darn you, motion sickness!
The after picture and thanking God for having my feet on the ground. I was feeling so sick :(
Our last weekend in Peru, we visited el Parque de Aguas (The Park of Water), it was a beautiful park full of gorgeous water fountains, we celebrated my cousin's Rodrigo's birthday, spent an afternoon where my Aunt Ana is from, called La Punta, and we ate a plate full of fried fish, called Jalea and of course, Ceviche (again, the best I have ever had). Another favorite location was visiting where my parent's got married at the Parroquia de Santa Maria de Magdalena, it was a gorgeous church. Afterwards, we visited an outdoor mall called Larcomar and a El Parque del Amor (The Park of Love), this is where I missed Kevin the most, there were couples everywhere. On our last day, we decided to stay at my Uncle's place and spend Father's Day indoors with family :)
What's new. My little brother always irritating our mother.
With the birthday boy.
La Punta
Best Ceviche Ever.
Peru, you treated us so well and our stay there went by too quickly. I am so happy I got to see family that I haven't seen in such a long time and I got to visit places that I only dreamed about for decades. I want to thank my family, especially my Uncle Mario and Tia Ana for letting us stay in their home, this trip wouldn't have been possible without you. I left a piece of my heart in Peru. It won't be long until we see each other again.
With love,
Alessandra
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