My 12-hour Fiesta!

I woke up at 7:00am, ready to visit Lima. The continental breakfast that my hoatel advertized was really just bread and coffee, with your choice of butter or jam. But, hey, it was free! I stepped out and walked around the corner at a Metro (their biggest supermarket chain) to go buy a local SIM card. There are three main companies in Peru: Movistar, Claro, and Nextel. I already knew I wanted the Movistar because it was the only one that offered free international incoming calls (by the way, my number is: 511-99-892-8528). I know what else was included in my prepaid card. So start by saying: "Perdon, lo siento por mi espanol muy malo pero tengo algo preguntas"

The clerk at the kiosk laughs and says ok. Without my Engligh-Spanish dictionary, I manage to get accross what I want to say (I keep on impressing myself everytime). She was very patient with me. Suddenly, I get caught on a phrase (I wanted to make sure that my incoming call were really free and no other fee incurred). She did not understand me and I was not able to find the appropriate words. The clerk then tries to seek the help from the other clerks around representing the two other phone companies. All of a sudden, I have three women trying to understand what I wanted to say, each smiling at each other either because they were laughing at my broken Spanish of thought I was incredibly cute (I think it is the latter...). We finally end up understanding each other and I leave with more Spanigh words in my vocabulary.

I was planning on visiting Larcomar and Parque Kenedy today. I was also meeting Mirella, but only at 4pm. I ask the girl at the reception of my hostel how to get there (her name was Lizette, more about her later...) She tells me that I can walk there if I want. It was only a 30 minute walk. I decide to do that since in doing so, I could walk along the beach and enjoy the wonderful views. After getting asking at least 20 people how to get ther, I finally arrive. Larcomar is a very touristic area where there are numerous restaurants and clubs (Aura and Gotica) along the beach. It was nice, but I did not come for flashy touristic attractions, I wanted to learn from the country. I then proceed to visit Parque Kenedy a 20 minute walk away. Parque Kenedy is a beautiful park in the center of Miraflores where restaurants and little shops surround it. Among those restaurants is la calle de la pizzas (the street of restaurants). I felt stupid when I found out that la calle de la pizzas was not one restaurant but a stretch of restaurants through a beautiful alley.

I decide to eat something (since Leslie (Eric´s girlfriend) so kindly suggested that I go there). As soon as I walk along the alley, swarms of waiters surround me trying to get me to enter their restaurant. It was like a bunch of wolves on a piece of meat! "Incluye una cerveza gratis" one of them tells me. "Restaurante que no es bueno, el mío es mejor", another one tells me. I am overwhelmed, but finally decide to go into one. I receive my free beer and decide to order the fish. When I get my plate, I could barely finish it. I was sooo salty. Imagine if you poured a whole salt shaker on a fish. That is how my fish tasted like!

After walking around some more, 4pm approaches. I wait at our meeting place (in front of la calle de la pizzas). "Nicolas?", I hear in the background. I turn around, and there she is, very beautiful might I add. We end up siting down in Parque Kenedy to talk and get to know each other. I had warned her that my Spanish was not that good, and she said the same thing about her English. This was going to be an interesting ride! We were able to communicate effectively with my dictionary in hand. She was very soft spoken. I could not realize how cute she was...She then asks we if I would like to go meet her friends at some place (I forgot the name). Originally I thought it was a restaurant, because by that time I was starting to get hungry. As soon as we get there, I realized that this was a club/bar at 5pm!!!!

We get in and meet her friends. When meeting them, I have to tell the girls that I kiss on both cheeks because in Peru, they only kiss on one. I am firstly introduced to Elizabeth, her best friend...that speaks English! Few! I have my personal translator now...Then I meet three other guys (forgot their names) and Geraldine (another one that speaks English). All of them were so nice with me getting me to dance and drink. One of the guys we were with was an excellent Salsa dancer and kept on offering me more beer. He also taught me how to dance the traditional Peruvian dance. After trying the dance, all of them told me that I was very good, however, I don´t know if they were just being polite. While scanning the room, I noticed that in Peru, the women dominate in the relationship. It was noticeable through the way the girls led the guys by the hand across the room (In Canada, the guys lead the way). We danced and drank until 9pm and then Mirella asks me if I am ready to go to a club now with her sister and friends. I could not believe it, bit obviously I agreed, I am on vacation!

We were going to Gotica (one of the biggest and best clubs in Lima). There, I met Mirella´s sister, Vanity (Eric please correct me on this name), and her two friends Jacky (it was her birthday), and Raul. Vanity was able to get us in for free (otherwise it costs 60 soles!). At that time I was a bit tired from all the dancing at the other place, but I still tried to find some energy. At this time I was becomming increasingly attracted to Mirella. She is a very sweet girl with a head on her shoulders. We would sometimes catch eachother looking at each other, but I knew that she was not that kind of "girl". Whenever we would dance, she would back away at times when she though we were dancing too close for a long time. It was weird because when we would talk at the bar, she would be heavily flirtatious, but I guess that taking the heavy flirtation as a normal behaviour will be something I would have to get used to with latin girls...

After buying two bottles of Vodka (140 Soles each!!!), we ended the night at 5am. Suddenly, I realized, we had partied and danced for 12 hours!!! What a way to start my journey! I guess I needed to prepare myself because I knew that Cusco was going to be crazier! Mirella and I take a taxi to my hostel. She invites me to her parents house tomorrow. I thank her for a wonderful night, and tell her I will see her tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow, I also plan on visiting the Inglesia de San Fransico...