Wednesday – 8/26

Our last day in Peru – sigh. We really had the day to ourselves until our 5pm airport pickup. We had to check out of the hotel by 9:30 so we planned breakfast and our final packing accordingly. Then we were looking for a spot to have devotions and Sandy found this slightly hidden stairway that led up onto the roof! There were some tables and chairs there so had had our spot- overlooking the square and the cathedrals and the shops!!! Amazing! Worship was particularly sweet.
The hotel has been lovely about storing our stuff so we left our bags and headed out for our day on the town. We first walked through the square and as we were passing the fountain and statue of Tupac a big gust of wind came up and blew water all over us! We ran to escape the spray but still got damp! Tupac’s revenge on the white people!
Our first stop was an historical museum, covering the ancient roots of this land up until colonial times. There were the usual pot shards and arrow heads but also the history, which was very interesting. A couple of videos showcased two of the local heroes – Tupac, the last Incan king, and another man who was half Indian and half Spanish who wrote important histories particularly about the Incas. Both were good but one got so grim I left. People didn’t just shoot each other back then – they definitely chose the awful and dramatic.
The museum was housed in a two story building around a central courtyard. After the museum,not was coffee time. We found a second floor cafe overlooking the square and of course there was a table right by an open window. More delight.
Most of our time was spent enjoying the little shops. Alice made the day of one shopkeeper as she returned to the stall three times. Other little purchases were made. A favorite place was a shop that displayed replicas of pre-Columbian art. Mainly small pieces and a bit graphic. The women and men were clearly delineated. Sandy was looking for one figure that had a cheerful face. I spotted one but on closer examination is was a bit too obvious why he was happy! Pass on that one!
We returned to last night’s restaurant for a late lunch – great again – and then back to the hotel to pack up our purchases and meet Vivian, our guide, and Max, our driver. They, and now we, have the loading down to a science! The van is called. We wait by the curb for just seconds. He arrives, quickly pulls over, bags are grabbed and loaded and we jump on. Then off we go!
It was only a short ride to the airport, which is really right in the city. Goodbye to everyone and get checked in. There we were told our bags couldn’t be checked through – sigh – so we collected them in Lima and Dallas/Ft Worth. But they all arrived and got to the right place. However, in Lima it was a little confusing. As the bags finished coming through, Sandy and I were each missing one. So the attendant got the description, stood at the flap door and yelled through. Then, magically, our bags appeared, one at a time! Fast order luggage!
Well – the trip is really done. I’ll write more from home as I want to still write about pieces I couldn’t fit in before – like indigenous people.
Thank you for traveling with me. God has truly blessed and again, I am different from who I was 2 weeks ago. I think if I could go back a decade or so, I probably wouldn’t recognize myself. I almost hope so as I want to bear the marks of each trip, each person, each place.
God is working to do and to will his good pleasure. Amen.