St. Patrick's Day

My last post was on the crazy that Carnivales is, but, I guess American's have a pretty crazy tradition as well.  Funny thing is, it's an Irish thing!!!  

ST PATRICK'S DAY! 

We had some friends over last night for a St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Kerry made some great corned beef, we had some Jameson's Irish Whisky, Bailey's Irish Creme, plenty of Irish music, lots of green, and a ton of fun! 

A tree hugger 

Unlike the singing that we do in Kerry's families party, while in Peru, we do as the Peruvians and DANCE! Well I didn't dance, someone had to take care of the bar and Irish music while I did that....

 The greatest thing about this is that we get to share cultures, stories and friendship...  It doesn't matter the country, celebrations like this are the same wherever you are!!!  

Kerry led the way with teaching our Peruvian friends how to dance River Dance....  That was too hard for the peruvians because there is not enough hip shaking in Irish dancing and they soon moved to some salsa and line dancing!!!!! 

Great fun was had by all!!!

Mi Amigo

My walk to work almost always provides something amusing for me to either see or think about.  Here is my latest walk to work video.  First the story....  Well no, first another story....

Today is Unsha!!!  It is, I think the last party of Carnivales 2014...  Last night, Kerry and I were in the house and we heard a truck go by which isn´t unusual but this was a fire engine which is why I think we noticed it.  What was unusual about this fire engine is that it was pulling behind it a giant tree, maybe 20 feet tall.  These trees are erected in the middle of the streets basically dug into the concrete or somehow erected like a christmas tree.  On the tree is placed presents, again, like the ornaments of a Christmas tree.  The tradition is to drink beer, dance around the tree, sing traditional songs and take turns chopping the tree down.  Who ever knocks it over wins the opportunity to host the Unsha the following year.

I understand from Kerry who went out last night to look, that we have at least two of these trees on the streets around our house.  What made me think of it right now was, that I think another tree is about to be erected, because, as I was getting ready to write the other post, I saw a tree slide by my window being pulled by a truck.  Here's the picture I was able to snap.  It's not a great picture but you will get the idea.

They are dragging the tree behind a truck it set up in the road for Unsha!!

Davy has it's own Unsha. Kerry and I are going to walk there for the exercise and and I am sure I will have a bunch of pictures of this later.  Because this is our first Unsha, we get the luxury of being baptized.  I understand it has something to do with food and our heads.... More to come.  

Back to the walk to work.  I walk about 4 miles to work.  About a half mile into my walk I had a little dog start following me...  He was really cute and made me want to take him home.  He followed me all four miles to work.  When I arrived the guards shooed him away and I felt really bad for my little friend.  Here's the video.....  

This place is full of emotions!!

Carnival..... A verb?

Kerry and I returned to beautiful Cajamarca last week Sunday.  We arrived to the house about 12:00.  I went to work on Monday and fought through the altitude sickness and the jet lag.  We had a week of in services and preparing for the kids who will start on Tuesday.

Kerry has been walking and had a strange thing happen to her one day.  She was walking and this big truck went by and some guys in the back threw a bucket of water at her.  Luckily, it mostly missed her. A day or so later, the same thing happened.  Since we have been here, we have never had any negative things happen to us, no hostile behavior, mostly only curiosity. This was strange to have this happen and we wondered what was going on.

I went to work and started to inquire.  It didn't take long to find out that Kerry had been "Carnivaled".  After the Cajamarca Anniversary on January 3rd, the locals begin the carnival tradition of throwing water at people; and Carnival is a verb.  I was told that people like to "carnival" between the anniversary and the actual Carnival which is March 1-3rd.  Yes, two months of people throwing water at other people out of their trucks, house windows or whatever.

This will be our first Carnival season in Cajamarca which has the best Carnival in all of Perú.  I have been trying to find out what the traditions are and what to expect of the actual Carnival days of March 1st through the 3rd which is a Saturday through Monday;  Monday is a national holiday.  So here is what I have found out so far.

Saturday is in Banos, where we live.  The locals party in the main square, there is music and dancing all day.  I guess it's pretty calm, water balloons and buckets of water, not too bad.   In the evening, more dancing and drinking and I guess some ladies will wipe some plastery powder on your face it's a gentle thing and done with affection...  : )

Sunday is the dirtiest day to go out and about.  In the afternoon there is a parade of people through town, individuals, no floats.  While this is happening people throw balloons and buckets full of water, paint and oil at people.  There is also some kind of plaster powder that they throw at you as well that makes it a bit more messy; as if the water, oil and paint wasn't enough.  The evening is more partying and dancing but it changes to only the throwing of water, no more oil and paint.

Monday is the main parade with people and floats and it sounds really cool.  I think they are still throwing water but it is more about the parade.  I am not sure about the evening but I would bet there is more dancing and partying.

I was invited to one of my teacher's houses and I guess she has a balcony which is a perfect perch for throwing water balloons at people.  I can't wait!

Today we walked to the mall and are relaxing the rest of the day until a band starts sometime around 7:00 on our street..All part of carnivalling in Cajamarca!!!