OK, my vacation from the blog is over! Some updates:
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| Empanadas! Each shape represented a different filling. The half moon ones had meat and the weird spiky ones had chicken. I think... |
Buenos Aires – Last month, I spent a week in Buenos Aires visiting a friend. It was absolutely incredible!!! Buenos Aires is known for its bookstores, and its cuisine, which includes yummy empanadas (with every possible filling – we had one with corn and cheese! Que rico…), meat, and pasta.
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| El Ateneo, one of the top 5 most beautiful bookstores in the world! Seriously, I was in heaven. |
One of my work related jobs in Buenos Aires was to obtain an official visa from Peru to be in Cusco. I had to wait at the Peruvian embassy for this visa. It was an interesting experience to see the blatant discrimination against Peruvians (and Bolivians) firsthand. If there was a nicely dressed person, he/she would be given instant priority over everyone else. And if there was a foreigner…you can imagine how much faster it was for me (3 hours as opposed to 6!). Given my conversation with the people waiting there, there is the Argentinian Dream; you can make it big in Argentina. Hence, the move from smaller Peruvian towns to the big Argentinian city.
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| Campaign posters! |
I was also there during the Argentinian presidential elections! Cristina Fernandez, the candidate who won, used many references to Evita in her campaign posters. It was fascinating to see how relevant she is to Argentinian pride and view of themselves.
Shrine Project – we have identified over 80 shrines so far, and have not stopped yet! Here are pictures of one of the more “Indiana Jones-esque” ones.
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| A fountain that was once an Inca shrine. Probably one of the most beautiful spots I have seen in Cusco. |
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| Yes, this is an Inca wall hidden by moss. |
Kusikancha – the resident alpaca and vicuñas now have official Instituto Nacional de Cultura nametags. Seriously, if the INC need suggestions of what to do with their $$, I have a couple of suggestions. Also, naming an aggressive alpaca “Kusi” (or happy in Quechua) has got to be a joke.
More news and photos coming soon!
I saw those empanadas and thought that they were Korean dumplings (mandoo) at first! I guess every culture as their "dough filled with something yummy" dish. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're having a blast! By the way, I hope I can still see you sometime in January, in spite of the Regionals date change! <3
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