Peru...

Things I learned:

Small Peruvian children’s eyes pop out when given an ink pen instead of a coin.

A repressive tyrannical religion with past inquisition type tendencies including torture and dismemberment can meld with a pagan religion and almost everyone is okay with that.

Extended families out in the boonies don’t need much materialism to function.

Poverty is for the most part relevant and contextual with respect to culture.

Native peoples are passionate about their heritage and not everyone wants to go to the US if money is hypothetically not an issue.

Raw white fish pickled in limejuice with onions and hot chilies is to die for.

Corn brew minus the experience of finding where it’s sold is a big yuk.

A 10-string guitar does not a 12-sting make.


Things I confirmed:

Economic globalization and the WTO are really bad. Walk the real streets of other countries (malls and tourist traps excluded) and see for yourself.

The sun at 15,000ft is a mudda-phucker and 30-weight sunscreen doesn’t cut it.

Airlines continue to practice height discrimination.

A terrible head cold is even more terrible when bouncing between sea level and 30,000ft for 27 hours.

We as a culture are not as healthy as we think we are.


Things that changed me:

Machupicchu… I still can’t find the words to describe what I saw.

The man when refusing a tip for directing us to a hidden market saying, “No neccessario amigo, just pray for our babies, por favor."