Hot Springs

Today we went to thermal hot springs a little over an hour away from Sacsamarca. The water was warm and so relaxing. We took the black mud from the bottom and gave ourselves mud masks. We drank Cusqueña beer and then had lunch of llama, choclo, and potatoes. Needless to say I didn't eat the llama. None of the foreigners liked it, so it's safe to assume I wasn't missing out. Plus the decor of his still bloody drying skin and fur really didn't add to the ambiance.

We climbed to the top of the old volcano that sat next to the springs. On the bus ride back we snuggled with the baby lamb that accompanied us on the trip, since it's mother had died and needed to stay with his owner who had come along with us. 

Our skin is dry and covered in dust and dirt.

We're headed to play soccer in 30 minutes.

I'm tired, but so happy.

We found a way to connect the bus drivers Bluetooth to my phone and listened to music on the bus which reminded me of home. 

I'm learning a little more Quechua everyday. 

Granadilla, I think is how you spell the fruit here that I really like. That's just Spanish though I believe.

I can't believe it's already our last night in Sacsamarca. I'm going to miss this group for sure. It has been fun to be surrounded with so many like minded people and learning and struggling the Peruvian struggle alongside them. I hope I'm happy this time next week and not struggling to get through. I hope I'm happy with my decision just as I am now. 

Back to wifi tomorrow and I can't even begin to touch on what this journey without connection to the outside world has meant. A full eleven days... I'll have to write a full post about the ups and downs with my journey of no connection. 

...

We went outside to play soccer, and well I'm not very good at soccer, the flying hard ball kinda freaks me out. One gym class smash in the face and I've been done. A local kid came over and wanted to play so I gladly let him be goalie on my behalf. The game ended quickly when everyone was beyond out of breath due to the altitude, and we made our way over to the basketball court, a few people wanted to head back to the hotel for water or to shower, so we had to think of a new game and one simple enough we could explain in Spanish. We settled on Horse, but changed the name to Pollo for ease of our Peruvian participants. While the game was in process, just before shooting I did mention that as short as my family may be my dad did in fact play college basketball on a scholarship. I must have tried to embody the perfect roll of the wrist and stretch of the elbow I've seen him do so many times over the years because I would just like to announce I'm the proud winner of Pollo. I beat four people out in Sacsamarca, Peru tonight, just to make you proud Dad, even with my meager height and skill.

Funny how home always stays with you in your heart. Funny how those silly, casual games of pig and horse in the dead end at home could be so relevant to even my crazy 23-year-old international life. 

One final dinner here and I can't say I'm upset. I have a hateful relationship with food. Counting down the days until I can cook for myself again, and hopefully make tasty and protein rich vegetarian meals. None of which will include plain white rice. For the life of me I will never understand people's ability, cross cultures might I add, to consume plain white rice. Dry, no flavor, bland, chewy, dry, starchy, did I mention NO flavor? Gross. I'm so sick of carbs. 

Bread, and corn (very starchy large Peruvian corn called choclo), and potatoes is all I've consumed for the last two weeks. Add in a few eggs for breakfast which have single handedly carried me through life, along with the assistance of the occasional Cliff Bar. Seriously shout out to that company for keeping me alive, and meat free, while abroad for four years now. 

Start your prayers for this next month I've got coming in Ollantaytambo still without the ability to prepare my own meals. 

... dinner was chicken soup. I ate a bread roll. With some blackberry jam. For the zillionth time in the last two weeks. Gag me. 

Packing up my clothes as tightly as possibly to shove and re shove into my trekking backpack is getting really old. I'm so excited to stay in one place, and also to have my suitcases. I can only hope that I have space to spread out a bit for the month of July. 

Tomorrow onward to Huamanga (Ayacucho) and I am so excited for a warm shower, slightly better food, and wifi!!!

5 hour bus ride starts at 6:20 am! Buenas noches. 

30/06/17