We learn so much about life after the fact. Why do we learn the most important facts after the experience? Those oh-so important, salient facts in life that would have been so helpful had we known them beforehand.
Pisco. The national alcohol of Peru - distilled from grapes and named after the birds of the Inca Valley where it originated . So national that you are not allowed to take it out of the country and there is some dispute over whether or not the same alcohol from other regions can be called Pisco at all (much like Champagne). Pisco is a white brandy-type liqour and has some rather potent qualities. It is served as a "pisco sour" and is very refreshing on a hot day. It was a very hot day. :)
After the fact, we learned that you should never drink more than one at a time. After the fact, we learned that never, ever should you drink more than 2. I had 3. Donna had 4.
After the fact, I know why those recommendations are in place. After the fact.
Donna. She's from Australia. Melbourne, in fact. She's traveling on a Gap tour, alone like I am, albeit on a different tour than I. We're both in Peru, escaping the reality of life for awhile. We hit it off and have been tourist buddies here in Lima ever since ... and pisco buddies! Donna works at SAP and is another hard core work-aholic like me. I've decided that SAP stands for "Some Additional Pisco", please. :)
Rolando. Our taxi driver from heaven. Rolando took us to Lima to see the old city and to steer us little lambs from harms' way in to the safer parts of Lima. He took us in to the city and then returned 5 hrs later to claim us. Rolando told us about Pisco. After the fact!
He was rather impressed to learn we had consumed as much as we did and were raring to go this morning. Not so much at 3am when my room was spinning ...
Donna and I were able to see the Cathedral de Lima, the changing of the guard at the Palacio de Gobierno and lo and behold ... Lori found a wine & tapas bar!! I had a Pisco sour. Damn! they are addictive!
(these guys definitely need a new choreographer!! ) In the cathedral we bumped into Bruce and Judy from BC again and Bruce confessed to me that he had "lens envy". I guess size DOES matter!
We strolled the old city and denied ourselves the impulse to shop (mostly because anything we purchased now has to be hauled with us to Machu Picchu and the jungle). A gaggle of gorgeous Pervian school girls in full school uniform begged for me to take their photo and we all exchanged email addresses to stay in contact. We traveled on down Jiron de la Union to the Bolivia hotel where our angel taxi driver Rolando was waiting for us.
I'm sitting here now, on the top of a cliff, in Miraflores, reflecting on a great day.
Sipping a Pisco sour. #2. I am such a brave soul.
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