Mientras en Perú...: Miraflores y un Tono

On my first day in Perú, Susy and her mother took me to a delicious Peruvian, Chinese influenced seafood restaurant. Fue muy delicioso! They served us plantain chips for an appetizer, and they also gave me "chicha morada" to drink. "Chicha" is a Peruvian drink made from purple corn. It's very sweet, and reminded my a bit of Fanta without the carbonation. For my entree, I ordered "arroces tradicionales de mariscos," which is essentially yellow rice with a Chinese twist mixed with assorted shellfishes (oysters, squid, shrimp, etc.). I am not a huge fish eater, and I did not know what to expect, but it was so good! It was like Chinese shrimp fried rice, except richer, tastier, and with fish other than shrimp. Later on, Susy's abuela made us a Peruvian dessert, "mazamorra," which is a pudding-type desert also made from purple corn. It also is mixed in with different types of fruit and topped with cinnamon. So far, I'm a fan of Peruvian food.

After lunch, Susy and I walked around the district of Miraflores. Full of flowers, bushes, and trees, it was very beautiful. The district was very crowded today with everyone enjoying a nice, cool Saturday afternoon. A section Miraflores is also known for its incredible amount of cats. And there were a lot cats.

There are many parks in the Miraflores district, which makes it a great hang out place for children. There is also a large amount of shopping. The biggest shopping center we went to was right on the edge of the coast. The beach was just down the mountain, but in Lima, nobody goes to the beach because the skies are constantly overcast. However, there are surfers from time to time. It was my first time seeing the Pacific Ocean!

There are two parks that run along the coast beside the shopping center. One is called "El Parque del Amor" because there is a large statue of a man and woman kissing in the middle. The statue is surrounded by a large collection of mosaics, which show various designs, names of people, and different quotes (in Español, of course). Right next to "el Parque del Amor" is another park, which Susy calls "El Parque de los niños" because it is always filled with children. There are many playgrounds, skateboarders, and also slack lining for everyone to enjoy. A few backpackers were also enjoying the ocean view. There is also a place to parasail along the coast.

That night, we met a few other AIESECers and trainees for dinner at a chicken restaurant. The food was delicious and was quite similar to my father's favorite restaurant, El Pollo Rico. It was all roasted chicken, french fries, and salad. They also serve another Peruvian specialty: the heart of a cow roasted on a stick.

After dinner, we went to a party with a lot of other AIESECers. They called it "un tono," which is Peruvian slang for party. There was a lot of dancing, a lot of food, and a lot of alcohol. And of course, it was very fun! I tried to learn how to dance, but I don't think I was very successful. In America, no one can really dance, but I wish that everyone knew how! They surprised Julio, the guy who hosted the party, with a cake for his birthday. And later in the night, the last trainee, LeMuel, arrived! Now, our team is complete. Since us trainees are not used to Peruvian parties, we got some "get-to-know-each-other" time while taking a breath of fresh air between dances. At about 3am, Susy and I went home and went to bed. It was quite an eventful day, and it's crazy how much I had done within a short 24 hour period of arriving.

I am not the greatest photographer in the world as I did not start taking pictures until the end of this journey...oops. I will try to get better.