I decided to go back to Parque Kennedy the other day (again) to get some cheap supplies and walk around the cat park. The weather is getting nicer as the sun appears for more and more time each day and gently toasts my easily-burned skin. I treated myself to a lovely dinner at Cafe de la Paz, a quaint cafe with outdoor seating that looks directly on to a grassy field with colorful flower patches, cemented paths leading to street carts with tasty treats varying from sweets to sandwiches to popcorn and a central market containing 20 tables overflowing with ethnic handicrafts. My dinner consisted of my waiters personal favorite menu item; the juiciest, most tender steak I have every had in my life, sitting on a bed of tasty sauces and potatoes au gratin accompanying my first piece of red protein in a very long time. While I ate, I sipped on a refreshing mango daiquiri! After my slow and relaxing meal I browsed the crafty tables and bought a multi-colored beaded bracelet- a style popular in Lima so of course I had to have one now that I live here. It cost me 3 Soles- just over 1 American dollar! I made my way over the the more commercial handicraft building to say hello to my new friend Sara who smiled from ear to ear when I walked into her corner of chachkees. We chatted for a bit and she asked where I was headed so I told her I wanted to treat myself to a traditional Peruvian street cart dessert. She walked over to her neighbor store, asked the young woman to watch her things, and we walked out into the busy streets of Parque Kennedy in search of a tasty snack! We casually engaged in light conversation and browsed around for about 30 minutes. Sara and I eventually stopped at a cart amongst a busy crowd and bought something so interesting that I don't know if I can effectively explain what it was. I held in my hand an enormous circular crispy dessert, much thinner and lighter than a cookie that was drizzled in a sweet, orange glaze that stuck to my lips with every bite. Sara and I walked and talked and ate. It was precious. I escorted my adorable friend back to her corner store and said farewell, promising her that I would return within a few days.
Yesterday (Saturday) I went to Parque Kennedy (by now I could be a tour guide of this area that I will probably get sick of within a few weeks) with my South African/English friend, Tasch (short for Natascha) who is so pleasant to spend time with. We went to a cafe directly next to Cafe de la Paz across from where I went for dinner a few days before, in search of some delicious cebiche. Success!! Between the 2 of us we ordered cebiche mixto, causa de pollo, and quinoa rissotto with alpaca- yes, I ate alpaca! Cebiche mixto is traditional Peruvian cebiche with many different kinds of seafood which is marinated in lime juice, cilantro, and chiles until the fish is no longer transparent. It's technically raw seafood- but a similar concept to lox (for my Jewish peeps reading this) in that it's not completely raw but not cooked either. I am not super keen on the texture of all the different kinds of seafood that I didn't grow up eating- but I am trying everything once. Causa is a cold dish of yellow mashed potato patties layered with various fillings. Our dish was filled with tender shredded chicken, mayonnaise, and avocado. It was delicious, stuck to our ribs, and was decorated beautifully with green peas and topped with a hardboiled egg drizzled with a yellow sauce- YUM. Now on to the alpaca which I know you're dying to read about. Let's just say that I am glad I tried it but don't think i'll be ordering it anytime soon. The quinoa risotto was so light, creamy, and tasty. Alpaca is lean and tender and tastes exactly like a farm. Tasch and I spent 2 hours exchanging life stories and people watching on the patio with the sun beating on our arms and walked around Parque Kennedy as Tasch had never been to markets on the weekend when they're filled with tons of people selling wonderful goodies. I also made sure to stop by and see Sara who was (of course) thrilled to see me! Sara has a much larger store in Pueblo Libre, where I stayed with Hugo y Luz when I first arrived in Lima so I will be sure to go meet her son who runs her other store.
Last night the hostel threw a party that was Hawaiian themed so my bar manager and I bought a plethora of lais - the flower necklaces commonly put around people's neck in asking if they want to get 'laid' hahaha! We also bought 2 large pineapples for $3 from a street cart and soaked them in rum to serve to the backpackers choosing to party with us on a Saturday night. The bar was crowded with friendly people looking for a good time with great people. By 1am, Edwin (the same man who comes Tuesday through Saturday to fetch everyone to go to the club) took all the drunkards to Toro Bar for some dancing and I stayed behind with my fellow bar staff and 1 chef and played 6 games of pool until the sun came up. Sundays are usually a lot more laid back as people are recovering from the weekend and getting ready for the week-day adventures exploring what Lima has to offer. I work from 8:30pm-1am tonight and will then go to see Hugo y Luz tomorrow because Astrid is in town with her mom! Astrid and her family set me up with Hugo y Luz who are their family members. I will spend time in Pueblo Libre during my much-deserved day off.
