The Sardine Parade

I think I might be in Love with Trujillo and Huanchaco. It is definitely more of my kind of city. Trujillo has the real grocery store, which is definitely equivalent to our walmart. I never knew how much walmart or something like it was such blessing for people that are in a different counrty where they don't speak much of that language. You just line up and bam you have food. No haggling, no having to ask how much things are, no guessing what things are. Definitely the easy way out. My goal is still being able to go down to the market and buy everything I want or need without any problems or a translator. We went down to Trujillo for more than just a walmart run, the Festival Internacional de la Primavera. The International Spring Festival, which is put on by the Peruvian lions clubs. Four hours of Indian tribal/ jungle dancers, Marching bands, American battion twirlers, and a few dozen beauty queens from all over.. Two girls from the Estados Unidos (United States) even made it into the parade. We all kind of agreed that our representation was a bit embarrassing. Cowgirls?? Really??

About a half an hour into the parade we were starting to get squished into our spots that we had firmly planted ourselves in. We were like a bunch of sardines being squished into a can the about three times smaller than what it should have been. Little kids kept squishing between us making their way up front, and moms were standing basically on top of us pushing their kids through to the chair section of the audience. You could pay a couple soles in order to sit in the three rows of chairs they had lined up on the side walk. I now understand why you pay the 3 soles for a chair. If you don't you are squished up next to about 7 strangers all trying to see around you, which was a little nerve-wracking for me because I actually brought out the big camera this time. Parades= amazing pictures. There is just so much life and vibrant colors that it is pretty hard to leave without some decent pictures.

Speaking of amazing sights, the sunset in Huarnchaco took my breath away. Huarnchaco is the little beach town just near Trujillo. Lots of tourists, surfers, and gorgeous views in Huarnchaco. I even bought my first souvenir from Peru. My very own hammock. Hopefully, I will be getting this set up in my apartment so that I can try sleeping on it instead of my so called bed. I think Peruvian beds were just not made for us large American people.

I could definitely see myself living in this surfing village that was a 5-10 minute ride to the big city. I even made some friends while I was down there. Dan a photographer from Canada that was on a 2 month vacation with his girlfriend. He complimented me on my lens and even gave me some pointers. :-) Right after Dan ventured off to meet his girlfriend I was approached my two girls from Trujillo asking if they could see the pictures that I was taking. After lots of oos and ahhs they explained that they were in school studying English and had come to Huarnchaco to meet and talk with tourists. Best way to learn a foreign language is actually speaking with native speakers. I love their enthusiasm for learning. Breaking through their insecurities and talking with complete strangers. :-) Janette, 29 was very good at English, almost understanding everything I was saying to her, but needed to improve her confidence. Stephanie, 20 was her moral support, being the one to actually approached me. Janette was learning English to hopefully work with international businesses. She was so precious, not just because she is Peruvian and therefore cute and petite, but because she was still really shy around men. She said she was too shy to go up to the men that looked like they might speak English so I was the first person they had talked to.

I definitely Love Huarnchaco and plan on going back soon. Did I mention that dinner was fabulous? It was the first time I have had fish down here. I really need to get myself to the market and get some of this fish, being that I live on the coast. Oo I'm also kind of enamored with plantain chips. They like dried banana chips but are salty and delicious. :-)