Point for Peru: Empanadas

As if Peruvian food weren't already good enough. Then take said Peruvian food and wrap it in delicious dough. Add a side of lime for some zing and this girl is in culinary heaven. I'm noticing that more and more of my favorite things about Peru are related to food. No shame here, there's a reason why Lima has been named one of the Three Food Cities to Watch, everything is so so good.

We recently discovered an empanada restaurant that makes gourmet empanadas filled with typical Peruvian dishes. They feature my favorites, lomo saltado and ají de pollo, as well as empanadas filled with turkey, steak and even Chinese food.

Besides this recent find, one of my favorite bakeries sells their empanadas in regular size and mini, who doesn't love a mini empanada? It's the perfect quick bite, it's small, fantastic and travels well. Thank goodness spring is just around the corner, I have to walk off these empanada pounds.

Culture Confusion: Chilled Drinks in Winter

There are a few things about Peru that I am afraid I will never understand. Try as I might, I just get can´t there. Peruvians views on chilled drinks are one of them.

At the start of winter, I noticed that every waiter asked if I wanted my drink "cold" or "not cold". Of course, I said cold every time. I´m not about to drink room temperature Inka Kola or chica morada. I wondered, why are they asking me? Have they asked me the whole time but I didn´t understand until now? Then I discovered teh truth: Most Peruvians beileve drinking chilled drinks in winter will bring on a cold. Now that´s a new one...

 I stayed strong, drinking my chilled drinks and even one time drinking ice water at Alvaro´s house. As soon as his aunts heard the ice maker they rushed over warning me of my imminent cold. I walked twenty feet into the next room and his grandfather also warned me of my sickly fate. When I was still teaching at the language school, one night I brought in chilled water after a break. The students were overly worried and suggested that I change for tea instead.

For the whole of winter, I have stayed true to my preference and indulged in an array of cold drinks. I´m proud to say, to this day I have been cold free.

What unusual or foriegn beliefs have you encoutered while traveling?

Hello, sunshine!

Something magical happens when the sun starts shining in Lima. Most winter days are plagued by this dreary fog that covers the city. Though the temperature usually stays in the mid-60s, the mix of fog and humidity makes for a chilly day. Add in the absence of sun and the days are downright depressing.

It's been months since I have seen the sunshine on a regular basis. A few weeks ago, Lima experienced a small tremor. Alvaro swears that when there is an earthquake, the sun comes out. For as long as he has been telling me this, I have been calling him crazy. Well, don't know you know, we had a tremor and then the sun came out. He calls it science. I say it's a fluke.

For the past ten days or so, we've been having pretty consistent sunshine and I noticed something, the sun completely changes my attitude towards Peru. In the morning fog, I might complain about my expat life and dream about how easy it would be to go home to the States. But when the sun comes out around noon, and I am drinking a cold Inka-Kola, I think, "There's no better place than where I am right now." I marvel at the dirt covered mountains and notice palm trees I had long ignored. I am intrigued, not frustrated by Spanish and find my school children endearing, even in their lunacy.

It's astounding what a good dose of Vitamin D can do for the soul. Thanks, Mr. Sun!