At the end of our journey though I felt something sort of odd.. I really felt displaced. We were going 'home', but you see for me Buenos Aires is so not home yet. I mean I have become comfortable here (as much as I can) and the kids were excited to be going home, but for me.. well I just felt so 'homesick'. It does not help that really legally I have no 'home'... not a resident of the US anymore and my paperwork for residency here is STILL not finished.. just sad and frustrating..
I know that this is a wonderful adventure and I am so privileged to be able to experience living here. I don't take that for granted (even though there are days I grip about things on Facebook) It is just so different.. some days I can take missing everything I considered my normal, but there are days I just can't.. I mean nothing, nothing is the same as my life in Texas was.. nothing.. everything I knew how to do, is different; food.. different; relationships.. different; driving.. way different; shopping.. a complete and utter challenge!! not to forget that my Spanish is still really horrible.. so the language barrier.. a total challenge.. which on certain days just gets a lot of deal with.. (my issue.. no one elses.. I should know more!!)
So while of course I am glad to be back 'home'.. I am just homesick.... such an odd feeling to encounter and completely unexpected..
On that note our trip to Peru was incredible. To hear the kids tell grandparents and friends about random parts of the trip has been a lot of fun. Hearing what made an impression to them is very interesting.
Nola was most struck by our first full day in Peru when we went to visit a local Peruvian tribe of Quechua women who live in the mountains and are part of a weaving co-op there. She has told a few people about her experience and at the time I wondered if she was getting anything out of it.. she was. Nola was also the most adventurous eater of us all.. she tried Alpaca, Guinea Pig, Parana and Duck.. all which got pretty good reviews...
Cora wass really focused more on the weather!! the storms were particularly strong for a few nights.. of course those were the nights when one hotel had only curtains for walls and the other was when the hotel only had screens for walls.. she's also into telling about the time I ate that hot chilly pepper and almost died!! (she neglects to tell about the orange, star fruit, lemon, sugar cane, cocoa bean and other yummy stuff we all ate)
here are some random pics from our trip.. :)
Dunkin Donuts in the Lima airport... a small slice of heaven from New Jersey!!
I was amazed at how I looked at this kid all this trip and realized she is grown up somehow.. so beautiful and sweet.. sassy and a bit hard headed..
The weaving co-op.. the woman told us it would take her roughly a week to complete this whole project. Amazing!! the ladies there learn to weave from the age of 6. They shear the animals, spin the yarn, dye the yarn and weave with it.. The also cooked us a traditional meal in a stone oven in the ground. It was fabulous
There is not one picture that does Machu Picchu justice.. it is simply amazing.. to think that it was built by hand so many hundreds of years ago with no machines makes you just stand in awe!
this is just a random stall in a market with a lovely lady selling peppers.. the open air fruit/veggie markets were so lively and happening.. I was able to purchase my new favorite tea flavor (anise) there.. I was happy
a Peruvian treat. choclo con queso.. corn with kernals as big as grapes with cheese. Very yummy!!!
the selfie stick proved a great Christmas gift even if most of our selfies look like we are working a bit too hard at the selfie!!
The peru rail train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu proved a wonderful way to not only rest up a big (there are about 1000000 stairs at Machu Picchu) but it was a wonderful way to see the Peruvian landscape.
it was either walk the 1/2 mile on the dirt path to the hotel.. or take a 'tuk tuk'.. basically a scooter with a seat.. LOL.. it was the highlight for the girls. I am super thankful that my husband picks out the most remote of hotels (can you hear the sarcasm.. LOL)..
Inca the wolf from Spain was an instant source of delight for the girls.
The market in Pisac was just full of lovely treasures!!
sometimes you just walk to the hotel with the locals.. :)
In the amazon we did a canopy walk.. about 100 ft off the ground.. I think during this I was threatening death and divorce.. something like that.. you know while the rest of my family just giggled.
it rained in Machu Picchu the first visit.. which was where I realized the 'rain coat' I purchased was really not water proof.. It proved a fun topic of conversation later on and did not hamper the fun!!
amazon parana fishing.. Cora caught 8 (and one sardine).. Scott caught 2, I caught 2 and while Nola was sad to only catch 2.. she did catch the biggest one of the day!!
You eat the parana.. bones and all.. whole.. this photo really makes me wonder where my baby has gone...
The wild life in the amazon was awesome.. we saw 4 different species of monkeys, 2 sloths, a caymen, several birds (even a tucan!!).. in this picture is a squirrel monkey.. yeah.. I can't find it either.. but I know I saw it.. LOL
