A Jew in Peru

Editors Note: From November 1st to Novermber 9th, my good friend from high school, Brian, visited us in Peru.  We invited him to be a guest blogger. This is an account of the week in his words.  I have added pictures and captions to them.

-DA

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After quitting my job in an impulsive rage, I decided that the next best thing to do was impulsively travel somewhere without any planning. Lucky for me Dave and Lauren are on their 2009 World Tour and I got to meet up with them in Peru.  I had two simple goals on the trip: (1) to not lose my passport and (2) to meet the Peruvian girl of my dreams (and somehow smuggle her back to the U.S.).   After getting ripped off per usual by the local taxi driver, I finally arrived at Dave and Lauren’s Hotel in Lima, Peru.

I got to their room around 6am, Dave and I murmured something to each other and then I fell asleep on a chair in the corner of their room for 3 hours. Lauren was busy…sleeping. Around 9am, Dave and I went downstairs to check out the breakfast options. This is when Dave made his most profound statement of the trip to me: “Look Brian, don’t be surprised if I have become a really cheap bastard.” We ate breakfast at the hotel after Dave stared at the menu for about 2 hours and then we set off to what became our most often visited and thus favorite destination of the entire trip – the bus terminal.

David illustrating our route down southern Peru

As the trip went on, I would learn that the bus was a place where a person could self-reflect, get violently ill, sleep, read, listen to music, freak out, and even cry a little while Dave and Lauren were not looking. Day 1 was not complex. I sat on the bus while Dave and Lauren argued over whether they should get rid of a free bucket they took from a party they went to in Colombia. Seriously, it was a silver bucket that you would put beers on the beach in. I think Dave thought it might have some scrap metal value. They tried to convince me to smuggle the bucket back into the country, but after I passed, they finally ditched it.

So our first stop from Lima was Ica, Peru. We did a nice little day tour. This is how the day tours worked throughout the trip – Dave speaks fluent Spanish with the driver the entire time and Lauren and I kind of just nod. Once in awhile I threw in a “soy abogado” just to show them that I keep it real and Lauren would throw in a little spanglish such as “estoy tired”.

In Huacachina, a small town next to Ica, we went sand dune surfing. First the sand dune buggies take you on a ride up and down the dessert and it is like a freestyle roller coaster ride and that was fun.

The three of us strapped into the dune buggy

Awesome view from the dunes

Lauren’s scream can reach certain octaves that I did not know were possible. We also took boards and could board down the desert hills. Everyone went on their stomach for a fun ride except of course Dave had to try to do it standing up which lead to something straight out of a Chevy Chase movie (Dave have you ever broken a bone?) and Lauren…well Lauren thought she was in the X games apparently and tried to one-up her husband by doing a 780 degree spin move. She almost pulled it off…if almost pulled it off means that she flew into the air and we had to end the entire sand boarding portion of the excursion to rescue (a) Lauren and (b) her sunglasses.

Prepping for the ride down the dune

Cruising down the dune!

Lauren heading down before she flips

Completely covered in sand

Wiping sand off Lauren's face after she tumbled down the dune

Quick….back onto the bus for another 12 hours. Next, we went to Arequipa, Peru which is a great little city. Dave really backed up all his talk by taking us to 12 different tour companies, then putting together a Excel analysis of which company had the best quality for the best price to go see the Andean Condors two days later in Colca Canyon which is like a canyon with condors. One of the saleswomen really freaked me out. She kept telling us how much we would “appreciate” everything on the tour (imagine it with like a Transylvanian accent). I noticed her staring at me more than the others when she said “you will appreciate the llamas.” We finally chose a tour and set that all up.

We spent the next two nights in Arequipa. On the second night, Dave and Lauren figured out that a friend of theirs, Gergana, who they met in Indonesia (yeah they were also in Indonesia – it’s a hard knock life) was in Arequipa. So we met up with her for dinner and drinks and to watch the friggin yankees win the world series…again. Gergana was a very interesting character. She has been travelling for like 2 years and lives on a dollar a day. She is Dave’s hero. She (and Dave) almost had nervous breakdowns when I put my foot down and left a 2 dollar tip at dinner that night. I think I was trying to impress Gergana with my big spending capabilities. She told us all about her travels and how she “couch surfs” at random guys places for “free.” She had some very interesting stories and well…ummm…no daugther of mine is “couch surfing” anywhere. Did I love Gergana – probably – but we just didn’t have enough time together.

Lauren and Gergana

It is rumored that I was tipsy that night and I said goodnight to Lauren and Dave and then put my arms around an invisible girl and started talking to her as we went down the hall to my room. You have to get creative when travelling solo.

Lauren in the main square in Arequipa

Fortunately, we got to wake up at 5am the next morning to go to the canyons for an overnight trip to see the Andean Condors. Picture a tour bus of perky tourists and the three of us not doing so well from the night before. On the way there we saw Pequnas (which are like llamas but a little hipper), Alpacas and Llamas. Also Dave and I decided it was best to have severe stomach issues from that point of the trip onward. What we did not get to see was the slowly disappearing levels of oxygen in the air – that whole altitude thing is no joke. We learned about the famous coca leaf and all the legal reasons people use it in Peru. It is famous for apparently helping people deal with altitude sickness and gives you energy (well we knew that…i mean like you know, from books). We finally arrived at our hotel where our guide decided it is a good time to tell us that it is not high season because the condors are protecting their eggs. At that point I discretely told Dave that if we do not see condors I am dressing the guide up as a condor and throwing him off the cliff. Dave’s silence was acceptance in my view. Lucky for us we saw two young condors gliding around.

Hanging out, waiting for the condors

The funniest part was that while everyone was staring at the condors, a group of 500 Peruvian girls (for the second time on the trip I might add) were taking photos of Lauren’s hair. So we thankfully saw the condors and from there we took off to Puno/Lake Titicaca (yes i know i laugh too when i say it).

These condors can grow to have a 3 meter wingspan

To play it safe we took another 14 hour bus ride (note that at this point in the trip Dave was totally non-functional due to his stomach. He was able to go to the bathroom, murmur a bit and negotiate prices down. But only those things.) Lake Titicaca was quite serene. We went to two islands: (1) the Uros islands which are handmade islands that have become a bit of a tourism spectacle but still incredible to see hand made little islands that these people live on and (2) Taquile where I learned that no matter what culture every single ceremonial dance is the same as the hora. Just to prove it Dave forced me to dance with the locals. It reminded me of my Bar Mitzvah (Brian’s Baseball Bash) but with random Peruvians in the place of random partners from my mom’s law firm.

The Uros Islands

Brian's new family

Brian dancing the Peruvian "Hora"

We had a good time albeit a bit rushed due to me being there for a limited time. After Lake Titicaca Dave and Lauren made their way to Bolivia and I backtracked to see Machu Piccu which I am glad I did despite the rough travelling. I played it safe in the end by missing my flight and spending 18 hours in the Lima airport. I was so tired that I tied one bag to my leg and one to my arm and just fell asleep on the airport floor. That part was not so much fun. But otherwise I had a great time. Dave and Lauren are easy to travel with and I thank them for letting me join in their journey which we have to presume will end at some point in 2013.

Colombia: The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay

Throughout our travels in Panama, when we’d be lucky enough to have cable television in our hotel room, the commercials on CNN International would constantly repeat this annoying advertisement for tourism in Colombia. The ad says something like this: “There are risks to coming to Colombia. The risk of falling in love, the risk of being carried away by festive spirits”, etc.  The ad ends by saying, “Colombia, the only risk is wanting to stay.” Pretty cheesy, right? The ad attempts to change your preconceived notions about Colombia, which may be that of a dangerous, drug ridden country, where kidnappings and bombings are an almost daily occurrence.  To be sure, in the late 80s and early 90s, Colombia lived up to this reputation.  But with the assassination of Pablo Escobar (the cocaine king of Colombia), and tougher measures against the cartels and guerillas, many urban areas in Colombia are now very safe for tourists.  When we spoke to some Colombians that were living in Panama, they felt that these advertisements were awful, as they reminded the viewers of Colombia’s sordid past.  Whatever we felt about the country based on its promotional advertisement, our flight was booked to Cartagena, so we were just looking forward the next 16 days that we would spend in the country.

The walled old city in Cartagena is really one of the most beautiful cities that Lauren and I have been to.  Cartagena’s old city is a mix of colonial style buildings, colorfully painted houses, lively music, world class bars and restaurants, that retains its local grit that gives this city an extremely genuine feel.

The most entertaining activity in the city is just getting lost while walking the streets.  The streets are lined with shops, restaurants, and hotels, and you could spend at least a couple of days cruising around.  When you get to the edges of the city, you’ll find the city walls that stand several meters high.  You can actually walk along these walls, and almost circle the city doing so.  From this vantage point, you can look out onto the Caribbean Sea, scope out the church towers, or have a drink at one of the few bars that actually are located on the walls.

Walking along the walls of the Old City

At night, you’ll hear salsa music blaring out of one of the many clubs, and see the streets filled with guys dressed in their white linen pants and white Guayaveras, and ladies in white dresses.  There are several plazas in the old city, each with tables and chairs spilling out of the restaurants that line them, with the soft lights bringing out the vibrant colors of the city.

Having a beer in the Old City of Cartagena

The enjoyment of our  first couple of days in Cartagena was stymied by a serious reaction Lauren had to certain insect bites she received in Panama.  One morning her eye was almost swollen shut, and her wrists, hands, and ankles had blown up.  After foolishly listening to the pharmacists, who essentially have a license to dispense any treatment their limited knowledge deems appropriate, we thought we’d visit a doctor.  The easiest way to see a doctor was to pop into the Navy hospital a mile outside of the old city.  I acted as a translator between Lauren and the doctor, as he spoke no English.  After a few hours, a couple of shots, and three prescriptions, we were off.  The treatment worked over the next few days, and we were able to more fully enjoy the rest of our time in Colombia.

At the fortress of San Felipe

After a few days in Cartagena, we took a four hour bus ride to Santa Marta, which we would use as a base for trekking into Parque Tayrona, a very unique national park right on the Caribbean coast.  Tayrona is an awesome experience, because it combines trekking through the forest and jungles, with chilling on secluded beaches.  Upon arrival to the park, we hiked for one hour through the forest until we reached a beach called Arrecifes.

Our hike through the forest ends at the beach in Arrecifes

Although we could have spent the night here, we decided to press on after having a couple of freshly made fruit smoothies.   The next hour was spent hiking on both the beach, as well as trails through the forest, until we finally reached Cabo San Juan del Guia, a more secluded beach area where backpackers come to spend a few nights.

On route to Cabo San Juan de Guia

Our accomodation options were limited to tents or hammocks.  We decided to sleep in hammocks that night, in an open air cabana situated high up on a rock that jutted out into the ocean.  We chose this location, rather than the tents or hammocks near the dining area and bathrooms, because it’s high location near the ocean received consistent ocean breezes which essentially got rid of mosquitos.  We were particularly sensitive to this especially given Lauren’s recent battle with bites.  About 20 hammocks were tied to a central poll, and also tied to the outer ring of the cabana.  This meant that we were sleeping right next to 18 other backpackers, on hammocks that had a distinct smell of sweat from the numerous backpackers that had come before us.

Our accomodations for the night

Enjoying the view

That night, a very severe lightning storm came our way, and as there were no lights in the vicinity, the bolts of lightning could be easily viewed from our hammocks over the ocean.  The rain was crashing against our cabanas, as the thunder roared and the wind gusts kept us cool.  It was actually a really neat experience when we finally fell asleep, as the storm engulfed our little wooden home.

The next morning, we hit the beaches, first chilling on the beach right next to our accomodations.  Later, we trekked a bit further through the woods until we came to a more secluded beach.  Many of the others who made it there felt that clothing wasn’t necessary, and were letting it all hang out.  Lauren and I kept covered, and enjoyed the view.

Thank God there aren't enough pixels to see the whole package.

We returned to Santa Marta that evening, and the next day, we took a small local bus (called a collectivo) to the small fishing village of Taganga.  This town has been on the backpacker trail for some time, as many people use it as a base for both trips to Tayrona and for cheap scuba diving lessons.  Lauren and I came here with the intention to go fishing.  We hired a small motor boat with a captain, brought rods (and a harpoon) along, and fished both on the surface and the bottom of the ocean.  After 3 hours, we caught eight fish, including tuna, sea bass, and a poisonous snake, which our captain had to whack with a knife until it came loose off of the lure.

Gone Fishin'

Catching the poisonous snake

We took our fish to a restaurant on the beach of Playa Grande, and had a fried fish feast.  It was super fresh and tasty.  YUM!

Waiting for our fresh exotic fruit juices at a stand in Santa Marta

The next morning we headed back to Cartagena, and after a couple more days of sightseeing and walking around, we caught a flight to Bogota, where our friends Julio and Nathalie were eagerly awaiting our arrival.  You might remember Julio and Nathalie from our time in Bangkok, or from our trip to Israel.  Now, after having hung out with them in the US, Asia, and the Middle East, we were about to see them again in a fourth region of the world.

Julio and Nathalie, both originally from Caracas, were living in New York, where Lauren had met them while Julio and Lauren were at Columbia Business School.  They have just moved to Bogota a few weeks ago, and they welcomed us into their new apartment, where we would spend the next week.  Once we arrived, we dropped our stuff, and immediately took off with our hosts, as they had a plan for a cool spot to take us for lunch.  We drove into the mountains that line Bogota’s eastern side, and once we had come to the other side, we entered the small town of La Calera, where you can see pastures and farms for miles.  Along one of the main roads, up on a hill, were a series of restaurants serving traditional parillas (grilled meats).

My stomach, which had been rather ill the last few days, started to squirm as the grilled pork, blood sausage, beef, and chicken arrived at our table.  I popped another Cipro pill (which I had self prescribed), and went to town on our meat basket.  MMM…

In the countryside

That evening we visited the ArtBo exhibit, which displays pieces of artwork from local artists.

Which one is the work of art?

Later that night we went to a house party of a friend of Julio’s, and sang and danced the night away.

Heeeeeeyyy! It's Julio and Dave.

Catching up

Good times

The next day, as Julio was leaving for Lima on a consulting assignment, Lauren and I decided to take a trip to a town called Villa de Leyva, a few hours away from Bogota.  This old colonial town, with one of the largest plazas in South America and with cobblestoned streets, had a very quaint feeling to it, which differed greatly from the bustling Colombian cities of Bogota, Cartagena, and Santa Marta.

We rented bikes that day, and rode out to these blue lakes, then to an Ostrich farm, then a winery, and back to town.  The wine we tasted at the winery named Marques de Villa de Leyva, was very impressive.  We’ve never heard of Colombian wines being any good, and I don’t believe they are.  But this one producer seems to be the diamond in the rough.

At the winery

Riding our bikes to the Blue Lakes

At the Ostrich Farm

Back in the vast Plaza de Armas in Villa de Leyva

Riding back to town half buzzed and with a bruised butt from the hard bike seats, we found ourselves unable to ride up some of the steeper streets, so we walked for a while, and finally made our way back into town.  We came back to Bogota the next day, and cooked a fondu feast with Nathalie in the apartment.

The next few days, our lives in Bogota were centered around big meals and postres, with only a little sightseeing in between.  We had lunch in Zona T on Nathalie’s birthday, and desserts in Rosales at a well known pastry restaurant.  After visiting the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) and the Botero Museum (very cool!), we met up with one of Lauren’s friend’s cousins (Alex and Edy) near the Candelaria district.  A great tapas lunch at Donastia lasted three hours and included three bottles of wine.  That evening, in another part of town, we had dinner with another contact in Bogota, with his wife and another couple.  We visited the different areas of Bogota, on a strictly meal by meal basis.

On Friday, with Julio’s return from his Lima consulting gig, we were mentally preparing for our last night in Bogota, which was to be one of the most fun nights of our entire trip.  It was October 30th, and Andres Carne de Res, the famous Colombian restaurant/nightclub was having a crazy Halloween bash.  Our costumes were lame, but we were psyched to eat and party at the place that so many people had told us was the most awesome place in all of Colombia.

We arrived to a line down the street with people sporting very impressive costumes.  Acrobats hanging from trapezes above us on line, and fireworks in the background certainly tipped us off that this was not going to be an ordinary night.

Waiting on line to get into this wacky place

Once we arrived inside Andres, all of the little “chachkes” that made Andres famous were in full view.  The hundreds or thousands of stange pieces of art, sculptures, and generally wacky items on display made this place look like an experiential pop-art museum.

One piece of "art"

We found our table, and immediately decided to join the revelry by ordering a couple of bottles of booze.  Aguardiente, the Colombia aniseed drink of choice, was flowing, as lots of delicious meat was brought to our table.

Love that Aguardiente!

The meat is apparently prepared in a very unique way.  A great cut of beef is wrapped up in a towel, and that towel is thrown into a fire.  The result is a perfectly cooked steak that retains its juiciness.

Cooking up the steaks in the kitchen

Once we finished eating and the two bottles of booze had somehow been consumed, we ordered two more, and then hit the dance floor.  The fantastic DJ, hysterical skits put on by staff and totally wacky costumes of the guests, made for an amazing party… one of the best we’ve ever been to.

Party Girls

Dude with a freak costume on the roof

Twins!

Dancefloor madness

A crazy party

The party continues!

Team meeting -- bring it in, bring it in!

What a night!

After we’d had enough, we stumbled across the street to where the parking lot was located, had some soup and burgers at the Andres outpost across the street, and then hired an “Angel” to drive Julio and Nathalie’s car back to their apartment.

Andres Carne de Res (the location in Chia) is a must visit to anyone visiting Bogota.  What a great cap to our two week visit to Colombia.