Week 2: Basically Native

Monday

I wasn't deceiving y'all. I really already have less material to write about. Aside from classes on Monday, I ran to the Claro store to buy some more minutes for my phone. While hovering outside and debating whether I really needed to purchase any more minutes, I had the pleasure of listening to Kiss' "I Was Made for Loving' You." Cusco is a weird mix of traditional music, pop, and US hits.

As it turned out, there was no need to buy minutes, so I headed to lunch on La Avenida de la Cultura. More blasts from the past, including "Love is like Oxygen." Somehow I feel like this song would be unacceptable in any other circumstance.

From there, I embarked on a mission to find a nice Flamenco style guitar. My boss at Berry, Dr. Cipollini, gave me instructions and the means to purchase a local guitar. So a fellow student and I rode the bus nearly to the San Pedro Market (I heard mercado and prematurely disembarked). It was quite an adventure to ask locals where exactly Calle Concebidayoc was. Gestures just don't go as far as one wishes.

At one point I found myself walking along the perimeter of Quriconcha. How fortunate am I to have gotten lost?

Never Gets Old

My appreciation for this historic locality has only increased as I've learned more about it. This "Temple of the Sun" was the destination of an immense pilgrimage during the Incan reign. People from all walks of life from all of Tawantinsuyo would journey here by foot for religious reasons.  Cusco was literally the capital of the Incan empire, and here I am wandering about and having difficulties walking across the street.

Finally I arrived at the destination that my host father suggested. After comparing guitars and prices in three stores, I went with a Flamenco style cutaway that was constructed in Cajamarca, Perú.

Photo por Papa Jesús

Lifers? Nassah.

Tuesday

Tuesday can't be gone early enough. It's a headache of a day. Soo many classes.

After lunch at the house, I had to make my way back to ISA. As I exited the patio, I had to double take while looking down the street. The damn city crew had come by and pollarded all of the Ashes that made up the riparian zone. So much for eaves dropping on Sparkling Violetears while waiting for the bus. And goodbye shade. Here's an idea: Limpieza should be more concerned with cleaning trash out of the river than cutting down it's cooling mechanism.

One silver lining to today was having the privilege of looking after Anthony and Gabriela's precious puppy, Vella.

Selfie with Vella

Bobbi: A member of La Familia Presa-Pompilla

Of course 9/11 was on the mind of us translocated Americans. It never seems to be easier to understand. Peruvians also remember the tragedy and their whereabouts the moment it happened.

My first looks at the moon this week were otherworldly. The orientation of the moon on this side of the Equator is quite different. Instead of waxing and waning in classic vertical style, Peruvian half-moons are more like full smiles.

Nary a lifer.

Wednesday

The inspiration for this week's title can be traced to Wednesday's sentiments. I felt a change come over me. I felt more capable, more autonomous. 

Most of this newfound confidence is the result of being shown around by Señor Jesús. My understanding of my immediate surroundings had been at 50% until he and I went on a short walk around the neighborhood. Now I knew where to walk to the store, where to hail a cab, and where to take an alternate bus route.

During some free time on Wednesday, I walked over to the local grocery store by means of my newfound passages. The first thing that hit me while leaving the house was an undeniable sense of fall weather (which is ironic because it's the onset of Spring here). Dry, cool breezes carried scents of street food. I felt as light as the clear sky above. A pair of Blue-and-Yellow Tanagers kept the peace from a prominent perch in the neighborhood.

Man, I'm really starting to get oriented. ISA warnings about petting dogs come to mind like Santa's advice to Buddy in Elf. I do heed these words though.

An odd thing about Cusco is it's lack of House Sparrows. One of the most successful and cosmopolitan species of birds, House Sparrows usually occupy any urban area. It's odd to admit, but I feel like a piece of me is missing alongside their absence. And the resident Rock Pigeons by no means fill this void. I'm much more partial to the native Spot-winged Pigeons. Wild Pigeon species are just the coolest.

A successful trip carried out with what now feels like soothing awareness of self and place.

Evening brought a trip to ISA and salsa lessons. I'm not gonna lie; it was fun as hell. We danced the night away.

Afterwards, I ate a taco with a few ISA students and a few Cusco students. 

Still no lifers this week...

Thursday

Lots of classes. Evening at Avenida de la Cultura was hectic. It's election season here, and it's madness. Parades, drums, floats, flags, banners, everything. Seeing jerry-rigged speakers on the roofs of sedans never gets old. The flag of Cusco is a prominent image at the moment. I'll let you decide what it is reminiscent of...

El Arcoiris Original

After class, I accompanied a Cusco student to "check out her artwork." As it turned out, her art was locked in a room, and the evening ended up being more of a pseudo-date. Lots of walking and talking.

Finally I broke off and returned home for the night.

Where tha birds at??

Friday

Damn this week has flown by. 

I spoke too soon about Limpieza... They at least made a semi-decent effort at coming back and cleaning up the river. I bet they broke records for every US state that participates in Rivers Alive cleanups. This seems like the kind of job that I would have if I were a Cusqueño. 

Friday: Una Locura, but a good one at that. After my classes, I hitched a ride to the mall with Anthony and his cousin. From there, I taxied to La Plaza de Armas for a rendezvous with the ISA crowd.

We were to be treated to a nice buffet dinner. I ate a good amount, but unfortunately missed out on my chance to eat Cui (Guinea Pig) due to my lack of skills at visually identifying cooked meats. There were no labels at the table. A slew of traditional dances transpired on the stage. It was time to go find the night.

So we all migrated to a Irish-Peruvian bar called Norton's. Needless to say it was more accommodating that our last bar spot; it could actually house us comfortably. Drinking, darts, talking.  Earth, Wind, and Fire pushed us onward. In the bathroom, I was cordially offered weed and cocaine.

They Won't Ever Soar like a Vincent '52

Next? A club. As someone who has never been to a club, I was definitely apprehensive. But it was all in good fun. It was an innocent space where we could just dance and enjoy the moves that we were being taught. The setup was like a real-life Dance-Dance Revolution. I mean Boogie Nights kinda stuff. 

Eventually they started dropping like flies. But I stayed out a bit to keep some ISA girls company. It's very uncharacteristic of me to be the last one standing: a novel feeling.

Finally the club was no longer worth it to us, so we headed to the Plaza to "drink like Cusqueños." Basically you buy a bottle of liquor and drink it in the street. I'm still convinced that it was Sprite.

Enough. Time to head homeward.

No birds to report.

Saturday

I woke up earlier than I wanted to, but I should be thankful to have been cooked a meal. My host parents were gone for most of the weekend, so Anthony was around. As we ate breakfast, we fell into a multi-hour long exploration of music and movies. As we found out, our tastes are interwoven, so we had much to present to each other. Many trailers, many music videos...

I found out that Anthony has a surprising past. Check out his previous band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVp1dwvNBAA

Anthony is the one on guitar. His solo at the 4-minute mark is not to be missed. And yes, his parents are proud.

Intermittent rain showers tried their best to persuade me to stay in and work on a presentation for class, but I didn't come to Perú to sit at a desk.

At 1 I met four other ISA students (Spencer, Annelise, Meg, and Laurel) to ride down to La Plaza. I made one of the best decisions of my life shortly thereafter. I snatched up an orange Gatorade that sustained me through the bus ride to la Plaza. Without it, I have no doubt that my body would have sublimated on that bus.

Market

Pretty Plaza

Arrival at la Plaza. This place never stops. Spencer and I are dying for some sustenance, so we bolt for Papacho's (a name that I doubt that I'll ever forget: you'll soon find out why). One of our guides highly recommended this stop for its renowned Alpaca burgers (Peruvians eat Alpaca, NOT Llama). Cool, I can dig that.

Papacho's was really sweet. The walls were decked out in vintage albums and quality music (varied and well cued) played from what felt like it must have been an amplified record player. Our waiter donned glasses whose frame was only 50% intact. While waiting for our meals, Spencer entertained us with a damn fun game. Here's how it goes:

To be played at restaurants or bars with paper tablecloths and available writing utensils. Players take turns tossing a coin onto the surface. They then draw a circle and write a dare (of sorts) in the circle. As the game goes on, the chance of landing in a circle increases, and once this occurs, the player must do as that circle says. Of course I landed on the circle that said "Say Papacho's 50 times." I just couldn't hold it together. It took me ages to finish.

Other notable dares included:

"Sneeze obnoxiously."

"Make eye-contact with a stranger in the room and wink."

"Ask the waiter where Perú is."

"Put crayons in your nose."  

etc., etc.

And of course the tasks can be positive. For instance, one can write "compliment someone." It's a fun game, and it took my mind off of my empty stomach and mediocre physical condition.

Finally the food arrived. We watched as fresh guacamole was made with a mortar and pestle at our table. I chowed down on my Alpaca burger. In all honesty, it wasn't all that flavorful. Perhaps I'm more accustomed to the discernible taste of beef.

Now to the main event of the day: a walk to San Cristóbal church. Situated on a hill overlooking el Centro Histórico, this church is a sight to take in. From what I understand, the foundations of the church are stones that were removed from a nearby Incan site of great importance: Saqsaywaman. A stoic Kestrel posed nearby, playing the part of el dueño de Cusco. 

As we posed for photos, a man began casually chatting with us. Man, how refreshing it is to just have a nice conversation with a stranger (refer to end-of-week reflections). Nope, he just wanted to sell us on a horseback tour of Saqsaywaman.

Cusco from San Cristóbol

Crew

We then ducked in to the chapel and bought a pass to 6 local historical churches. How bizarre San Cristóbal was. Very strong images of the crucifixion filled every glance. Highly detailed figures and mosaics would have made any proponent of Rococo proud. Golden surfaces and mirrors provided an air of exuberance. It was really a lot to take in. Without any guide, our imaginations ran wild.

Por Laurel

From here, we scaled the belltower. We passed the time peering through the arches to get more views of the city and posing for scenic photos. In the patio space below, House Wrens, Rufous-collared Sparrows, and Chiguanco Thrushes went about their business. I cued in on a Band-tailed Seedeater; my first lifer of the week.

Back down to Cusco. We were intercepted and brought into a chocolate wonderland on the hillside. None of us could resist walking out of the store without rich dark chocolate accented by chili peppers, pink salt, or gooseberry.

Roof Plants

With our newfound freedom in the form of a church pass, we sauntered back to the Plaza to check out La Catedral, an formidable giant of a church. Upon entry, we were again casually approached in conversation. After the dude realized we weren't interested in his guide services, he left mid-sentence to scope out some more promising clientele.

I can't even begin to hold a candle to what can be seen in La Catedral; so many painstaking hours of work in so many different types of mediums cannot be summarized by my words. 

It was now getting towards evening, so we hailed a taxi and headed to our respective homes. 

With a long day on the horizon, I headed for bed early.

Dozing off for what can be considered a power nap of a sleep. Cusco continues to run through my mind. Marcavalle Marcavalle ¿Nadie? Nadie Sube Sube Sube Baja Baja Baja. Woodblock rhythms for the neighbors linger in order to fill the late night silent void. tac-a-tac tac-a-tac tac-a-tac Perfect in tempo as the sound of hoofbeats on a cobble road.

Lifers: uno

Sunday

Surrealism incarnate. 2:30 am: Never Going Back Again breaks into my unmolested rest. But I know that it will be worth it. So I pull myself together, get my gear ready, and head out to the roadside. Papa Jesús had organized my pickup with a "taxi seguro." As I wait, packs of dogs roam the streets, emitting an eerie cacophony. Laughter, voices, and distorted music reply from the opposite side.

It's nearing 3. A car approaches. I assume it's my man; although, I don't know his name. "I Was Made for Lovin' You" is trust enough. We set off for my meeting point as Kiss fades to "Johnny Be Good."

I'm the first to arrive at the bus stop at 3:15. But by 3:30, most others have arrived. I am part of a group of 9 students headed on a guided trip to Laguna Humantay, a glacial lake in the vicinity of Salcantay, a 20,000 ft mountain. 

We finally get picked up and zip around Cusco, collecting other members of the outing. Our last pickup is in the vicinity of la Plaza, where I again find evidence that Cusco doesn't sleep. Among the relative chaos of the early morning activity are two backpackers. Decked out and in close contact, this couple radiated solidarity. I can understand where David Bowie got his inspiration for "Heroes."

I wake up in Mollepata, a town tucked in a verdant valley. Apart from the noisy flocks of Mitred Parakeets that never seemed content in one tree or another, the place had a Himalayan feel.

Breakfast in Mollepata

After a very light breakfast, we packed back into the van to begin an arduous and tense climb. As we wound about the tight mountainous road, I picked up a few lifers, including Black-throated Flowerpiercer and Golden-billed Saltator. The windy dirt road proved too much for one participant, and we had to pull over en route. Fortunately my lip was packed with Coca leaves, and caffeine kept me afloat. The landscape transitioned from small-scale hillside farms to steep, forested slopes. Grazing was apparent; cows were in the road, and vegetation on the slopes was only spared at the canopy level. We had climbed a good bit; snowcapped mountains filled the view ahead.

The Long and Winding Road

Approach

Approach with Horses

By 8 am we arrived to the point where cars were prohibited. From here, we go on foot. After a brief introduction (our guide went by Freddie Kruger/Mercury), we began the trek. Our group was pretty well represented geographically. Most US states were in attendance, as were Brazilians, Australians, a Costa Rican, and a Dutch dude. 

At valley level we passed a few Andean Lapwings. Cinclodes foraged in the pastures as noisy Mountain Caracaras flew overhead. The climb intensified rapidly. It felt as if we were walking in slow motion, like we were under the influence of another type of gravity. Deep breaths of air were totally lacking in moisture content.

Andean Lapwing

Cream-winged Cinclodes

Mountain Caracara: A Badass

And So it Begins

What a Country

Three Points of Contact

But for all of the hardship, the scenery was immaculate. We passed through zones of bird activity, where Tyrants, Sierra Finches, and a Tufted Tit-Tyrant encouraged us onward. Overhead several Andean Condors dominated the sky. They stood out impressively against the giant rugged mountains. Distance merely provided a different perspective; it did nothing to lessen the sheer magnitude of their size. I mean it's the largest flying bird in the world.

Onwards. We can see a respite in the incline. Surely a hidden oasis lies ahead. We pass over one last rise, and sure enough, Laguna Humantay lay waiting. Although it wasn't the crystalline blue that I had imagined (in fact, a fair amount of algae lined the gravelly bottom), the scene was definitely an impressive sight. Salcantay rose formidably behind the lake. Clouds veiled the peak, providing an illusion of infiniteness. Pure swaths of ice transitioned to a small glacier that fed the lake.

Photo-Bomb

Take 2

Some photo ops and a short lesson from Freddie. Hordes of people began to arrive. Brown-bellied Swallows wished us bon voyage as the hail began to fall. We took an alternate route down, affording views of a nice wash with clear flowing water. Avifauna reflected the slight differences in habitat, as I witnessed gems like Stripe-headed Antpitta and Blue-mantled Thornbill. Our return to the bottom brought some rest and a Cusqueño beer...improvised Dramamine.

Wash

Blue-mantled Thornbill

Tyrian Metaltail: Aren't Hummingbird names the coolest?

Stripe-headed Antpitta: My First Ever Antpitta!

At about 1 pm we departed, making our way back to the breakfast spot. A parade in Mollepata seemed to herald our arrival. After a fulfilling lunch of pastas and such, we initiated the long drive back to Cusco. About 2.5 hours of sleep and we were back.

Desfile

Back in town, my best views at a Peruvian Sierra-Finch signaled the end of a good week.

Nice Peruvian Sierra-Finch

Lifers today? 16

And so went Week 2... A fast one.

Some End of Week Reflections:

-People here often cite climate as a factor in behavior. I've heard it in conversation, in school, etc. Although it makes pretty good sense, it's a topic that I had never heard discussed in the US. Do people act differently due to a combination of factors: temperature, altitude, sunlight...?

-I am starting to miss a few things. Putting my wallet in my back pocket, for instance.

Also, I miss genuinely nice people. Like random folks who have nothing to gain from you. I'm a bit sick of people wanting something from me. With the tourist fishers in mind, I recall a incident from last January. My buddy Sam Murray and I were birding in south Georgia. As evening fell, we trampled about a fallow field chasing Lark Sparrows. Making our way back to the road, we were approached by a van. Sure enough, it was the landowners. Instead of reprimanding us for trespassing, they expressed genuine interest in our find. AND they extended an open invitation to watch the sunset from their back porch whenever we were around. After all, it was the best spot in the county to view it.

-I do miss the South. For some reason, majestic visions of Ichauway and blackwater creeks come to mind.

-The American Dream is alive and well here. Lots of Peruvians wish to at least visit, but I get the gist that traveling to the US from Perú ain't easy.

End of Week Lifer Tally: 

17! I achieved my 600th global species: Andean Condor. What a 600!

Week 1: Initiation/ Acclimation

A little background: I like birds, and I'm keen on improving my Spanish. When talking with Berry grads, I often hear that their one regret is having missed the opportunity to study abroad. Well, why not kill three birds with one stone?

So away I go to Perú!

In the summer of 2015, my family and I visited Costa Rica. A good introduction to Latin America, it only fueled my desire to explore more of the wonders of Central and South America. I mean South America is freaking huge! Best to start early.

My last day in the states was August 31st. I'm not sure if having a pipe burst and flood the kitchen was the best travel omen, but oh well.

Pre-Peruvian Exposure with Nash (Photo by Traci Moss)

Reference Shot-I don't intend to cut my hair on this three-month trip (Photo by Traci Moss)

So Dad shuttled me to the the immense Atlanta Airport to arrive for my afternoon flight. I left for Fort Lauderdale and then connected to my flight to Lima. I would like to declare that this was an uneventful, pleasant commute, but sometimes I don't travel well. My main mistake was to watch the 140 minute (they have to choose long movies) onslaught of pop culture and visual trickery called Ready Player One (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiK2fhOY0nE). After this, I dozed off for a while.

Then I woke up feeling pretty hot and nauseous. -sofocado- I quickly skirted past the man in the aisle seat and headed for the bathroom. My intention was to splash some cold water on my face, but this luxury is not available on commercial flights. It was either scalding hot water or nothing. As my vision began to fail me, I exited the bathroom and informed the attendant that I wasn't feeling well.

Then I hit the deck. I wasn't really unconscious, as I could hear the flight attendant exclaiming NO NO NO! But they fixed me up good with some juice and an ice pack, and I made it to Lima in one piece.

Baptism by Fuego

On to Lima. The best way that I can explain Lima is by forwarding you to this Spongebob episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0769428/

The Atlanta airport may be busy, but at least it is adequately sized. The Lima airport, on the other hand, is like entering an undersized popcorn machine. It's now 10 o'clock. I pick up my bag, exchange USD to Soles, and re-check my bag. I've got 7 hours to kill. I'm pretty hungry, so I make my way to the food court and peruse my options. Yeah, there's a McDonalds, a KFC, and a Pizza Hut, but my thinking is that I should eat like a Peruano since I've made it to Perú. I go with "La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla." I mention that I've never tried Peruvian cuisine and am instructed to go with the Chicharrón. It wasn't a plate of pork rinds; it was a sandwich with meat, cheese, and onions. I enjoyed it, but was later informed by my host family that it was a risk to jump right in.

La Comida Peruana (del Aeropuerto)

With that sorted, I hurried up and found somewhere to sit. Several airport workers told me that I could not go through security until at most 2 hours before my flight. Although that seemed odd, I later found out why. So I had 5 hours to sleep. I followed suit and staked out a place on the floor next to a wall (there were no chairs). Lots of people were doing the same, some more prepared than others. Finally 3 am came, and I passed through security to the gates. Although there were chairs here, the room was definitely at capacity (that's why they try to keep you out as long as possible!). In the meantime, I entered a dreamlike trance: one of those where your head rises and falls on its own accord, and you're slightly aware of what's going on.

Finally, I hopped on the short flight and spent my time sleeping. When I awoke, we were descending, and it was daytime again. I looked out over the valley and took it all in. The hillsides were adorned with beautiful adobe homes that complemented the exposed hillsides. Gardens were clustered in neat squares. Man, it was a beautiful sight. I hadn't experienced anything quite like it, but Arizona is kinda similar.

Upon landing, I collected my luggage and headed outside. (If you want to know more about my airport experiences (I can't imagine why), check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LGe265pwvU).

Cusco: First Looks on the Ground

Outside I met an International Studies Abroad rep and rode with two other students as we were dropped off at our homestays. Once I arrived, I was greeted by la familia Presa-Pompilla. We had corresponded over email, and they are such great people. They've hosted many students over the past 10 years, even up to 6 at a time. The father, Jesús, is very animated. He's a pastor and he can shred on the acoustic guitar as well as the charango, a traditional Andean instrument with 10 strings (it looks like a more involved mandolin). He is constantly whistling. I must mention that the Spanish world for whistle is very pretty: silbar. Whistle is a cool word too, of course. The mother, Empe, is a Spanish teacher (thank the Lord), and she is very personable. Their youngest daughter, Ammi, also lives in the house. It's nice to be able to converse with someone close to my age as well as my host parents. All are great conversationalists, and man do they know how to bless a meal. They immediately offered me "un mate de coca," which is a tea made from the leaves of the coca plant. From there, they knew exactly how to instruct me on my first day.

Their instructions, which I followed with great care, were to rest. As a result, Saturday was a blur. As I mentioned before, I am intent on finding birds. I did see one new one (lifer) before descending into a cavernous deep sleep.

Mi bolsa nueva: A rare selfie

Sunday

Sunday was okay. Orientation day. A necessary evil. I woke up and rode one of the many bus lines with Ammi to the ISA office. More on buses later: it doesn't come easy. She dropped me off at the office where all of the students were oriented until lunchtime. After lunch, we reunited for a tour of the city. It was a nice introduction to El Centro Histórico de Cusco. This is the most historically rich part of the city. It was founded by the Inca, who laid the city out in the shape of a Puma.

We commuted in two small tour buses. Ours was fully equipped with a mic and sound system-the perfect karaoke setup. Our tour guide, Valentín, was extremely charismatic and passionate. As he gave us a brief Quechua lesson, we introduced ourselves. Before I could say my name he realized that I was in fact Luka Modric, a Croatian soccer player (modric croatia). Peruvians are very aware of celebrities, especially athletes. Well, Modric stuck. I think it's the hair and the squirrelliness. 

Our first stop was a temple named Qorikancha. Many Peruvians speak Quechua in addition to Spanish. It is an indigenous language that is quite distinct from Spanish, and the name of this temple bears testament to its essence. The interesting thing about Qorikancha is it's rich archaeological heritage. This temple contains pre-Incan, Incan, colonial, and modern forms of construction (though none compares to the exactness and foresight of the Inca). Valentín brought along a tape measure to demonstrate the precision of Incan construction.

Plaza en Qorikancha: The Dome was built when the temple was converted into a church

I enjoyed looking at the structure and the colonial artwork, but as soon as I ventured out to the garden, I was captivated. Cusco is so dry, and here is this oasis! What a contrast.

El jardín

Jardín: Otra Vista

From Qorikancha we scaled the mountains in the bus to get a better view of the historic district (probably should not have sat in the back). We arrived at Saqsaywaman as evening descended. I've never seen so many kites in my life. Every Cusqueño y Cusqueña was spending the afternoon on this windy prominence. I have no idea why I did not take a photo of the kites, but it was like nothing I've ever seen. Un cielo lleno de cometas. We posed for a few group photos near el Cristo Blanco- a Rioesque statue of Jesus overlooking Cusco. 

La Vista en Saqsaywaman

We needed to make one more stop before the light failed us, so we descended the mountain, crossing the Inca Trail. At dusk, we arrived at La Plaza de Armas. Two sentinel cathedrals contributed to the colonial atmosphere. Interestingly, KFC and McDonalds also graced the scene, but they weren't overly garish. 

La Plaza de Armas

Incan Warrior

Here I was fortunate to receive free hugs (abrazos gratis) on two occasions. As taps sounded at the day's end, soldiers took down the nation's colors. Twilight in La Plaza de Armas is pretty special. We departed as the evening chorus of Rufous-collared Sparrows began to fade.

El fin del día

Three lifers today.

Monday

Talk about hitting the ground running. Well, kinda. Monday wasn't too hard. I slept in for a while and headed to a class at midday. My energy seemed to be returning on Monday; I felt more capable. Upon returning from ISA, I was finally able to look for some birds around the neighborhood. A river (albeit small and full of trash) runs close to the house, and birds are concentrated in the little riparian strip. I was out for 45 minutes. Overhead, a Mountain Caracara graced the sky with its presence. Along the river, flashy Blue-and-yellow Tanagers moved from tree to tree. Unfortunately I couldn't take any photos, though many opportunities presented themselves. My lens is hard to miss, and it wouldn't be the best idea to flaunt it. I'll have opportunities to take some shots in more natural settings.

From walk near airport

Now for some observations from the perspective of a foreigner. 

1. While we are accustomed to cold drinks, tea included, it is customary for Peruvians to drink warm or hot drinks with their meals, especially teas. I explained sweet tea to my host family, and they were surprised by the fact that I drink tea with ice.

2. It's a good thing that the drinks are warm because it's pretty cold here. The air is thin, and if the sun isn't shining on you, it's chilly! The homes here (and the school) do not have heat or A/C, so it's pretty cold inside. I dress like I'm facing the winter, even inside. This idea appeals to me. Even though I don't like the cold, why fight nature? Hay que adaptar. This trend of environmental tolerance extends to travel in cars and buses. These vehicles are equipped, but Peruvians do not seem to use these functions around town.

3. Peruvians have a good handle on pop culture of the US. On Sunday evening, Anthony (one son of my host parents) and his wife Gabriella, came over to visit. Man they showed me up. I did not know several of their contemporary references.

4. D O G S. There are a s*&@ton of feral dogs here. It's amazing how variable they are! They don't look like feral dogs in the US (pit bulls come to mind). These dogs are fluffy and kind of cute. But they're not your friend. We saw an intense showdown in La Plaza de Armas. Some of them wear jackets that some good samaritan had the courage to bestow them with.

5. Children here are very independent. The best image that I can summon is the days of Huck Finn. They ride the bus, walk around, and just generally go about their business.

6. This is a good segway for bus discussion. I had no idea that public transit would be such a learning curve. Not only is there a suite of vocabulary for this part of life in Perú, one has to be both aware and assertive. For my first couple of rides, Ammi accompanied me and showed me the ropes. The local bus is called el Zorro, or the fox, but there are many companies. Buses are fast, and the attendants, or cobradores, are constantly calling out, hanging off of the bus, and trying to manage the flow of people in and out of the vehicle. I like to think of them as auctioneers. And summoning a bus is different from hailing a cab. I can't decide if you making a pointing motion and shake your hand or you do more of a limp Jim Morrison pose. Or maybe it's more like doing the worm with your hand. You pay upon exit, which can be pretty hectic when the bus is already trying to depart.

Key words include baja, sube, paradero, cobrador, and atrás. And of course you have to learn place names. In most cases, you are responsible for calling out your stop when you get near.

Have mercy, been waiting on the bus all day: Notice the cobradora hanging out of the door

4 lifers today.

Tuesday

I really don't have much to say about Tuesday. It's my longest day in terms of classes, so I couldn't do much else. It was however, my first attempt at riding the bus alone. Practice makes perfect. Everything seemed so straightforward when I rode with Ammi. The bus wasn't crowded, there was no need to yell, etc. Well, I wasn't the only person heading to Avenida de la Cultura at 7am. Standing room only. While seated, it's easy to orient yourself. I wasn't seated. Although I knew we had reached Avenida de la Cultura, I wasn't sure exactly where we were. But then we starting making some turns, and I knew that I had blown it. So I asked one of the kids going to school if we had passed Manuel Prado, and she said oh yeah; it's way back there. I got off ASAP and started running towards ISA. It was 7:28. I was winded and had to switch between walking and running (my first attempt at running here). Fortunately I was only 5 minutes late, and the class had yet to start. 

Later on I went to the mall to buy a cheap phone. That way I don't have to worry about losing track of my iPhone. The store, Claro, made a visit Verizon look like an arduous SAT course. I had a prepaid phone within 15 minutes.

My New Burner: Untraceable (except I had to present my passport for purchase)

0 life birds....School.....

Wednesday

Like Monday, Wednesday is an easy day. While waiting for the bus, I watched in awe as a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle soared overhead.

One interesting thing that happened today was getting pulled over my a motorcycle cop in el Zorro. It sounded like he was complaining about the door being open while in transit. The stop only lasted for 3 minutes.

Later I had class.

In the evening, we had an ISA activity. Another one of those icebreaker type things. Some students from universities in Cusco came to converse, and we played games.

Afterwards, my host family picked me up from the school, and we headed to Jesus Sr.'s (the oldest son of my host parents) birthday party. As we walked up to the door, I could hear Peruvian pop blasting. Walking in, I was surprised to see so many people in attendance. All were intently watching and encouraging two dancing children.

It was a night of dancing, singing, eating, playing games, eating, and celebrating. There's no doubt that it took a lot of planning and preparation to make this party a success. Activities did not cease. The first game that we played was pretty funny. One person picks a word, and two teams have to compete to see who knows more songs with that word. And of course you have to sing them. Needless to say I wasn't much help to my team (we ended up losing anyway).

After dinner, three different derivations of happy birthday were sung with the accompaniment of live music from the patriarchs of the families.

Both Jesus Sr.'s family (who I am staying with) and Jesus' wife's (Amauta) family were in attendance.  I've never experienced a family gathering quite like this, not even for a milestone birthday. And this wasn't a milestone birthday, but it was occasion to unite as a family. This closeness of family is something that I had hoped to experience in Perú. It was really special to be a part of this gathering of family, where kinship and good clean fun were all that anyone was looking for.

Finally people started to head out. By midnight the party had reached its conclusion.

Por Empe: "En el cumpleaños de Jesús hijo. John bienvenido a nuestra familia, Dios te bendiga grandemente."

One new bird today.

Thursday

Thursday I felt like a hundred dollars. My morning commute did bring mediocre looks at a preening Spot-winged Pigeon.

Other than classes, not much went on. One anecdote from today's class involves Peruvian energy. I was surprised and impressed to learn that Perú's energy is almost 100% sustainable. A striking 60% of their energy comes from hydroelectric power. And I'm not talking the abominable, monstrous dams that tame the majestic rivers of the American west. Apparently Peruvian rivers are so fast-flowing and energy-packed that only a small portion of a river's flow is diverted to turn a turbine.

The remaining 40% comes from solar and wind power. Can you imagine!? Hardly any combustion-driven power production. As far as I know, coal plants are mostly reserved for emergency supply.

I went to bed real early Thursday. Things seem to have caught up with me.

Solo un lifer.

Friday

I had a few classes Friday, and later tried my luck at Plaza de Armas. I went out last night...

But first, another interesting anecdote from class today. In Anthropology, we learned about the Incan method of recording information, the Khipu. Incans did not have a written language, so they went with another means of keeping a record and disseminating information. They adopted and popularized the Khipu, which is a collection of strings sometimes numbering in the hundreds or thousands. Worn like necklaces, Khipus were highly complex and required years of training to master. The length, position, color, types of knots, and placement of knots translated to numbers, censuses, narratives, records, etc. A tremendous amount of data was stored in these unusual textile productions.

Now back to the 21st century: I joined a few ISA students for a nice dinner where I tried my first Pisco Sour. As we ate, we were captivated by a three-person live band (guitar, drums, and flute). The group performed traditional Andean music as well as some Peruvian adaptations to songs like Imagine by John Lennon.

Later, dancers came in and impressed us all. Some of us were even called upon for a brief moment in the spotlight. I was compelled to buy a cd to remember my time in Cusco.

To be used during Alpaca rides or journeys of self-exploration

From here, we met up with pretty much every other ISA student and headed to a bar. Our large group conspicuously monopolized 46.47% of the entire bar. I had a pretty good time here drinking and chatting. After a while, I split off with a smaller group of students to satisfy our primal need to consume Waffle House. Well, I certainly haven't seen any Waffle House signs. So we settled for a classier Peruvian version of Waffle House: a nice pizzeria. 

After we dined, the night seemed to be drawing to a conclusion, so I hailed a taxi and made my way home. I was asleep just after midnight.

Not a lifer...

Saturday

Another day of ISA events. Today, we were to be educated on the use of public transportation. So we crammed into several random buses and made our way to the San Pedro Market, a formidable collection of vendors of food, clothes, knick-knacks, fireworks, and everything else under the sun.

Mercado de átras

Todo el queso

¡Frutas!

We sampled bread and chocolate as we got an insider's tour of the place. From here, we walked on down to Plaza San Fransisco, to enjoy some rolled ice cream as a group. An important part of today's activity was to become oriented. The historic district is full of beautiful Plazas, shops, and cathedrals, but navigating between them requires some practice. So we walked on down to our old stomping grounds, the Plaza de Armas. Here, we received some more advice and historical jewels. We were advised not to go down a specific alleyway. Interestingly enough, we had trampled up and down that alleyway just the night before.

We were then given the choice to stay or ride the bus back. I stayed with a group and enjoyed lunch overlooking a pretty plaza whose name is unknown to me.

From there, I headed home. On the bus ride, two musicians serenaded the patrons with captivating original tunes. What a cool form of entertainment: live music during public transit.

People frequently hop on buses to pitch products, ask for money, etc. Many are Venezuelans who left their country behind in hopes of a better life.

I can't recall what the afternoon brought; it must not have been very eventful.

Ningunos lifers.

Sunday 

Sunday was pretty jam packed; pretty eventful.

It started with a visit to church with my host family. I experienced a morning of worship characterized by live music. Drums, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, and keyboards laid down the rhythms for some modern worship.

My host father, Jesús, delivered a rousing sermon calling members of the congregation to action.

The congregation was very welcoming. As it turns out, many of them were family members that I had met at Jesús Sr.'s birthday on Wednesday night. Actually, I had met every member of the band.

Sunday was a day of family. We crammed into Jesús' SUV and headed back home. There was an hour to kill before heading to lunch, and my host family encouraged me to walk around and look for birds.

So I did just that. Heading east down the river, I got looks at some familiar species. Foraging in the Willows were some striking male Hooded Siskins. A little ways down, I finally nailed down the Ground-Doves that I had been seeing in passing. Bare-faced Ground-Dove: a striking small dove with colorful plumage that an Incan would approve of. As I headed towards the airport, I passed some kids playing soccer in the street. In the States, Sunday is one of my least favorite days. In Perú, it may be my favorite.

It felt nice to get outside and get some sun on my skin. Lately, I've felt increasingly trapped inside.

My watch has been acting up lately. It can't seem to decide on what day of the week it is. For a while, I was intent on correcting it, but I finally realized that it was in vain. Not just because it's clearly broken, but because time ain't the same here anyway. The American rush and obsession of promptness cannot be found in Cusco. In fact, this region is known for "La Hora Peruana." Although someone may agree to an event at a specified time, there is plenty of cushion.

Despite my musing on the relaxed attitudes towards time here, I made it back to the house in time to head to lunch with the family. As we headed to their favored chicken spot, a White-collared Swift blazed across the Sierra sky.

Lunchtime. Chicken, french fries, and lemonade. Everyone cheered on the Peruvian soccer team as they faced Germany. Unfortunately, the Germans had their way.

After returning home, some of us headed to the zoo. Had I realized we were going so far out in the country, I would have brought my bins! Finally, the Perú that I have been yearning to be a part of. El Campo. Mountains rose on either size of the highway in a manner that challenged the grandeur of West Texas.

Whoa

This was no concrete enclosure for the gawking of city folks. This zoo was uniquely situated on a hillside, with scenic panoramic views. A sensational mix of fierce wind and intermittent rain made the experience all the more surreal. We perused the collection of captive Peruvian natives as we scaled the colina. As evening matured, animals became impressively active and accommodating. A Variable Hawk circled in the infinite sky above. Meanwhile, a passing Falcon spooked a group of Passerines from the Alpaca enclosure.

From the hillside

Por Empe: "Felices con el tucán al lado." 

Por Empe: "Disfrutando un día bonito con John, Jesús, Joshua, Amautita, y Empe en el zoológico de Tipón en Cusco."

Por Empe: "Intentando mirar a los pumas."

Andean Goose: a bird I hope to see soon in the wild

Mono tontoso

Tigerillo

Dusk to twilight. A striking spectrum of earth tones was adorned on the opposite hillside. Sparsely vegetated hills, verdant drainages, geometric garden plots, and warm adobe houses comprised the perfect live mural.

Me queda sin palabras

We were then corralled into a small building where we were afforded photo ops with a cooperative Hedgehog. Next, we were treated to ice-cream sandwiches and a lesson on carnivorous plants.

Por Empe: "Papá Jesús parece un niño con un helado en su mano."

Por Empe: "Con el erizo africano."

Por Empe: "Feliz como un niño con su mascota."

Time to go. A quick stop to purchase some local bread and then back west.

Flocks of unidentified Ibis flew to unknown roosts as we parted ways with the countryside.

My first exposure to the wildness of the Peruvian Sierra. I'll be back...

Back home. Sunday night brings more family collectiveness. We enjoyed the exhaustive efforts of Pixar productions as we sipped our hot chocolate and dipped our bread.

A tranquil Sunday and a hint of what is to come in the not-too-distant future.

Tres lifers today!

I'm sure my future posts will be much shorter. There's just so much to write about because everything is new!

Lifer Total, Week 1: 13

Some Parting Reflections from Week 1:

Cusco may be considered a small city on a spatial scale, but it is jam-packed with people. Although the urban life is fascinating and energizing, I am looking forward to escaping from the labyrinthine locus of Cusco.

Food, goods, services are cheap here. And everything is for sale. Walking in El Centro Histórico can be overwhelming: stores are packed with items, and street vendors cruise nearby. I've yet to summon the gaul to do some legitimate shopping.

Andean Spanish is smooth and sweet. People here do not speak very rapidly, and the only slang that I have heard is the word "cheverre," which means cool. Cusco is an ideal location to be immersed.

I'm not gonna lie: week one had its ups and downs. It was a tough week. But it's almost impossible to face such stark changes without feeling any kick-back.

Sorry for the tardiness of this post... I had the account just how I wanted it until I closed the tab and found that only Saturday to Wednesday was saved. So I had to reconstruct as best as I could, but the content is mostly unchanged.