Before I leave Peru for the first time, let's take a look at some local things that have not been mentioned before:
- Otherwise culinary not a high-end country, the Peruvians have developed a sense of sweetness. In a country where the cheapest bar of chocolate in the supermarket costs 2.70 euros (see photo below), one likes to deviate from sweet particles: fruit plaice, Choco Cheese Cakes or Trufa (quasi chocolate, only with optimized fat content). Delicious.
- Of course I've tried the local national drink or the national cocktail, Pisco Sour, several times already. It's worth it! Not cute and refreshing scary!
- Especially local buses could tell stories that go back several generations. Impressive, how the parts still hold together and move from the spot!
- Obviously, there is a legal driving requirement here, but everything is interpreted very pragmatically here. Dangers become where space is. There is definitely a gap somewhere.
- Abbreviations are actually meant to abbreviate terms. In Spanish, however, one likes to "double" in an almost wasteful way. Abbreviations: "Servicios higienicos" are SS.HH. and the United States, the "Estados Unidos", are EE.UU. This can initially confuse you if you seriously try to understand the meaning of the abbreviations! And even the tenth native can not say why that is. (The actual reason for this is boring, by the way: the duplication clarifies the plural!) Similar to eg in English "page" with p. And "pages" with pp. Abbreviated.)
- Parking is also called "Playa" (ie beach) and also in this case, so far no Peruvian I have asked why.
And what else happened?
After the sad farewell of Marieke in Lima (which meanwhile we have practice in it), I have now spent five days in Arequipa because
1. It's on its way to Bolivia (unfortunately the bus ride from Lima took 23 instead of the usual 15-16 hours);
2. there simply the best climate is, sun full;
3. I wanted to do something for my pear again and equip myself with a slightly better Spanish for the coming weeks!
I have a week of private Spanish lessons (this is really cheap). Full four hours a day, during and after which one's head explodes ... With my teacher Miguel I pulled the big ticket and already on the second day we sang together "Entre dos tierras" and knew about our (non-) relationship life ! I can recommend the school wholeheartedly.
My spanish skills have easily tripled ... So, if fluency is 100%, I'm loose from 3 (which I had spent two months duolingo and a month traveling here) to 10% high ? Seriously: that will really help!
On the last day of class, Miguel and I are still at the Chicha Festival, where a Chicha (the other national drink) is served for free from handy (...) pots. Of it, and of the charming Arequipa, a few arbitrary photos, so that the entry is not completely without pictures ...
