I just wanted to post a note about smoking in Peru.  As non smokers we very much felt like a minority in Europe last year.  Some countries still allow smoking indoors.  We had no idea what to expect here in Peru.  What we have found is that smoking is not a habit that many Peruvians have.  I can count one one hand how many times that I have seen what I consider to be a Peruvian smoking.  It is quite refreshing.  You can sit on a park bench in any Plaza de Aramas and not worry that someone will sit down beside you and light up.   Unless of course that person is a tourist.  😉  Any time we have been bothered by smoking it has been another tourist.  It has been a nice surprise!!

Greg and Leslie have some preparation to do before they begin the Inca Trail tomorrow.  They are off arranging things and we head down to Plaza de Armas to sit and do some people watching.  We see the Ross’s headed our way, but they don’t notice us.  Stu tries to sell them a City Tour 😉

They stop and we are chatting when 3 school girls approach  us (other groups are working the Plaza). They are practicing their English and have some questions for us.  All about what Holy Week means to us.  Gulp,  Turkey Dinner ???   We all muddle through and at the end they wanted a selfie, so that was agreed if they would reciprocate.

 

We met again a bit later for lunch.  A cute little sandwich place with a mezzanine upstairs.  Greg had to watch his head if he stood up and we all had to duck under a beam.  We had very good sandwiches, turned away warm beer and ordered a Chichi Morada, which is a drink made from purple corn.  It has some cloves and other spices added.  We all had a taste and greed that it was pretty good.

 

 

 

Down in the Plaza, Stu captures this woman doing some reading under the crucifix.

 

 

 

 

We picked out a spot for dinner this afternoon and head just down the street from our hotel.  They promised they had cold beer!  Stu and I ordered red wine, they brought us Rose, we said no and ordered bottled water, yes, it was warm.  Our hopes for a good dinner seemed to be waning.  We were very pleasantly surprised when the food arrived and we were all happy with what was placed before us.

An early night for all as the Ross’s are being picked up very very early.   We said our good byes for a few days.  Wished them well, wished we were with them.  But it is what it is.  🙁