Park Life & Papa John`s Silliness

My last full day in Lima I received a text from my coworker telling me there may be issues getting my visa for Bolivia. Just before I left, Bolivia announced plans to require all U.S. citizens to have a visa for entering the country. This was reciprocal for the U.S.`s requirement of Bolivians entering the U.S. I ranted about this in one of my first posts. When in the States, I was told I could just get it at the border; they didn`t have the paper work for it at the embassy yet.

Now I was being told I should get it before I got to the border. So the mission of the day: find the Bolivian embassy in Lima and get my visa. It was 12:30. We hopped in a taxi. We asked if he knew how to get there. He said yes. He didn`t.

Our driver stopped no fewer than five times to ask directions to the embassy. It was after 1pm when a traffic cop finally gave us directions to a building that should have taken fewer than 10 mins to get to. When we arrived it was 1:15. The embassy was closed. The man behind the dark window by the gate was slightly sympathetic to my cause and suggested I try obtaining a visa in Puno. Since it was my last day in Lima, there was no way I could get it now. I thanked him, decided there was nothing more I could do, and suggested we go see more ruins. My travel buddy, who was staying another day, was going to try and return the next day to get hers.

And off to the ruins we went. This time to Huaca Pucallana. These were within walking distance of our hostal. Very similar to the first, they were built about 100 years prior by a people who worshipped the sea. They built their pyramids high enough to view it. Why not just closer, not sure. They sacrificed women. They had advanced pottery. They were also long forgotten when the current city of Lima was built. For years kids played soccer on top of the mountain of dirt seemingly rising out of nothing in the middle of their city. People thought nothing of this mountain of dirt for years. And then archelogists decided to question why this huge mound of dirt was there. Lo and behold, there was a pyramid there! And excavation & reconstruction began. To hold our attention, they had guinea pigs, rabbits, and alapaca on site in cages (to show what the people ate back in the day). This got our group snap happy. Ancient adobe bricks piled 8 stories high? Eh. Rodents in a cage squeeling? Grab the camera! There was a restaurant on site for the wealthy to view the ruins while they ate. We decided a trip to the market would make better use of our money.

After stocking up on cheeses, breads, and fruits, we hit the main park. People lined the benches and strolled the walkways. But no one sat in the grass. It was up to us to set a trend. We plopped down in the grass and immediately startled several homeless cats hanging out in the flowers beside us. Then we checked for cat poo around us. What we didn`t see couldn`t hurt us. The afternoon was spent chowing down on our goods and people watching. And enjoying the city. It was decided Lima was very livable. Maybe in the future significant others would be asked to relocate.

When the food ran out, we walked. There was a large book fair in the park, and we partook. The park was rather lively for a Wednesday afternoon and the bookfair was full. Regina looked for books to read. I flipped thru books on design. I need pictures. Then it was on to the small crafts market set up in the park. Interesting items, but better kept on the tables.

A chill had began to fill the air, and my bladder had been full for some time, so it was time to seek refuge. Coffee? Great idea. Where? Um, I see a Starbucks. Anything else? Okay, just this once. And for just one quick coffee. 2.5 hours, 2 drinks, 3 chapters, and 6 card games later, our short trip to Starbucks was complete. Feeling utterly ashamed, we decided to hide in a cyber cafe and pretend Starbucks never happened. Nothing like emailing the folks back home to make you forget you were just at a U.S. chain.

When we got back to the hostal at 10:30 we realized we were hungry again. Thirty minutes passed with us going back and forth over where we could eat this late. Finally we just decided to go out and look for beers and snacks and chill at the hostal. But on the way out, the hostal clerk told us nothing would be open. BS. We knew something had to be open. Nothing was. Every direction we walked had closed shop after closed shop. The hunger began to make us goofy. Jokes were told and were laughed at, despite not being funny. We continued to wander. We continued to become goofier. And then, at 11:50pm, we saw the bright green and red glow of a Papa Johns pizza place up ahead on the corner. It was open!! We bounced in. Could we still order? Yes, but only for take out. I think we scared the patrons. We ordered a large with two sprites and waited. More jokes were told: "A side fish of ham", "ding, fries are done", "stupid is as stupid...uh, could, uh...". I have never seen pizza cooks work so quickly to get a pizza done. Just ten minutes later we were hurried out of Papa Johns and off we strolled back to the hostal.

The silliness wore off. We were fed and tired. And I still had to pack for my flight to Cusco in the morning. I set my alarm to go off in six short hours and passed out.