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Feliz Cumpleaños: The Legend of Peru

It’s my second birthday in Peru. Getting sick after? I must be getting old.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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The grim colonial beauty that is Arequipa

A city in a city. Walking through here a few hours gave me many mixed feelings. The collection of wealth and withdrawal from the world, the glossing over of silver mine slavery to make exhorbitant things, while there was an obvious exaggeration of the things certain people can do. Some people were recognised throughout the 400 years, but not all, and it made me wonder if only the worthy were recognised, or only the self-important. What about the forgotten? Who did we forget? The tragedy is I do not know. That's not to say faith isn't real, and I witnessed people praying at altars in the rooms of nuns. But out of all the objects through history, the jewelry and relics and paintinngs, it was a contemporary piece of translated paper that spoke to me, written by the #dominicansisters at #monasteriodsantacatalina. "After more than 400 years the presence is still here, because what originates our presence is the love. That is the secret to be happy here. To be in love, not with an ideal or a project but with Jesus." I guess paintings and music reach out to some, while words connect to me.

What would your #confession be? @ the #monasteriodsantacatalina . I could confess to vague things, like anger, and selfishness, but to specific actions of shame requires a courage.

First appearances are everything

The #virgendelacandelaria. I have never seen a spectacle like I did in #Puno. Fireworks, dancing, music, all among the colonial streets. And this is just the warm-up.

A poncho, a pan flute, converse shoes, and #virgendelacandelaria .

No. This isn't Narnia. It is more magical than that. This is the island of Amantani, on Lake #Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. I am standing at about 4100 metres.

Probably high on altitude tablets and panadol. Oh. And high on life at 3800 metres a.s. Taking a bus with the locals. Only 2 soles for the hour bus ride. There are so many colourful characters sitting around me, and so many bizarre hats. They are my novelty. Yet to them, the oddity on the bus is me.

The 20th century wasn't a particularly kind one for Peru. Political leadership began with a small group of rich men connected to each other, but then they turned on each other long enough for an Independent to become president. He didn't last long before the rich men and the military deposed him. Then there were the dictators, and the long term political feuds, and the few democratically elected presidents, but most of those ones were removed by the military. And then there was the dirty civil war and the hyperinflation...and then Fujimori. The 20th Century political party I respect the most is Accion Popular. One president stood in short term to confront the fallout after Fujimori escaped to Japan. The other was Belaunde Terry, who founded this party and was president twice. He founded the party on solid Christian values and his party often reflected that. But there was a discrepancy in his dealings with an American petroleum company, and was removed from power by a militant leader , Velasco, in the 60s, who ended up, surprisingly, becoming extremely socialist. When the country was financially ruined the military returned power to the people, and Belaunde returned as president in 1980. But it wasn't long before the rise of communist rebels, ripping up the country.

Look up to heaven in the chapel...Leguia sure knew about elegance.

Ever heard of #alexanderthegreat ? Or #napoleonbonaparte ? Or #juliuscaesar ? How about this person, #pachacutec ? Honestly, if we weren't so Euro-centric about our history then maybe we would recognise the ruler as one of our greats. By many accounts he was the one who turned the existing #Incanempire into a powerhouse, which wasn't just a mere tribe. It is generally believed he also built #machupicchu. And his father shares the name of a God. I was excited when visiting the art museum in the #Lima Cathedral. There is an artwork which has the faces of the lineage of Incas, given way to the Spanish kings. It was painted in 1752 so likely isn't entirely accurate in its portraits, but to see faces of the Inca Kings... But sadly, while the later Incas are detailed, Pachacutec is the first to be blurred. Who was this man?

"I'm a #piranha, from the #Amazon."

Spotted. A keen #reader at #starbucks, @bedandbook . Is that a #nickhornby I can see?

Watching the #marinera grand final on #tvperu. Dreaming of being the first Australian to train up for years in a studio and learn how to wave a hankerchief. Anyway, this is another photo I took yesterday of the parade going through Av. Larco. You can even see where I used to work behind the float. #Peruvians really really know how to make respectable parades. They are so competitive 😅

Thanks guys for looking at my camera! Cannot be easy waiting in a parade on such a hot day in #Trujillo. Loving the celebration of your culture in #Peru.

The #culture of #trujillo! Enjoying a parade while walking in #Peru. The best things happen in the #north, anywhere

That's what I love about #Peruvians. Their competitiveness when they put on a parade.

My #peruvian #goddaughter is soon going to get a very special #Aussie story for her birthday :)

"And when you're high you never ever want to come down. So down, so down, so down yeah. You know where you are? You're down in the #jungle baby! But I'm gonna live!"

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