her name was Julia and we met at a small dinner party
my expatriate friend was having
in celebration of my arrival to Peru
with caramel colored skin, large brown eyes
wavy black hair past her shoulders
she was somewhat quiet but had a pleasant manner
easy smile and gentle laugh
she was easy to talk to and seemed genuinely interested
in my poetry and I read her some
she worked in a bodega not far from where I was staying
the conversation turned to seeing the Andean condors
which required a bus trip to Arequipa from Lima
I mentioned I would like to go sometime
she surprised me by asking if I would like to go with her
she was leaving in a couple of days and planned
to go with a friend who backed out and really didn’t want to travel alone
I was free of any obligations so I said yes
Julia spoke passable english
as opposed to my unpassable spanish so we were all set
three days later, I got up annoyingly early and met her
at this hotel where the bus would pick us up
I was surprised that it was a comfortable modern bus
not like the decrepit 1950’s era train I had taken to Macchu Picchu last year
(side note: I traveled with three native peruvians who cautioned me
about altitude sickness, and we munched on coca leaves which is supposed to help. I was the only one of the group not to get sick from the higher altitude.)
when we arrived in Arequipa there was some kind of festival going on
there was a parade in the middle of town
dancers wore peruvian costumes and danced to traditional music
in the square and there was some high school choir singers
we were hungry so we ate some ceviche and churros at this literally
hole in the wall restaurant/cantina/craft store
where I bought this multi-brown pancho and felt like clint eastwood
walking around with it and my black cowboy hat on
we hung around the town sipping hot cocoa and just milling about
eating a late dinner of poyo and papas at one restaurant
where the street dogs would slip in with the customers
and go table to table for dinner donations
until the owner would shoosh them outside
a few minutes later, another dog or two would get inside
it was cold and time to go back to the hotel and she had only
booked one room, but it had two beds so all was cool
it was freezing in the room and there was a space heater
but it was practically worthless, so we bundled up
there were two thick, usually very warm peruvian blankets on the beds
I laid there about 30 minutes or so still hyped up about the day
I like a cold bed anyway so I was comfortable
then I felt the bed jostle and Julia was laying next to me
“I’m cold!” she said with a shivering smile so we snuggled up against each other
just about falling asleep until midnight when the town had a fireworks display
to cap off the day’s festivities
bombs were bursting in midair close to our room for the next twenty minutes
we looked at each other riendo histéricamente
the next day we were up early again (this has got to stop)
for cafe and pan (bread) in the hotel restaurant
there were a few people there with us no doubt going with us
I stashed a couple of pieces of bread in my jacket pocket
when we finished and walked into the colder than cold morning
I gave the bread to a couple of street dogs roaming around
I don’t know how they survive out there
I guess they know of a warm spot to sleep
we boarded the bus and headed up higher in the mountains
I’m told these condors only show themselves for like an hour
and then disappear the rest of the day
sometimes they don’t make an appearance at all
so it seems they got a pretty good contract
my friend went last year and after all the fuss saw one ONE, 1, uno condor
today though they were out in force sailing and swooping
darting and diving and soaring through the valley
after about an hour as if on queue
they made themselves scarce
we hopped back on the bus after pictures and a lot of video
stopping in a dirt road village for lunch
she had some kind of fish and I got fried rice (it came with hot dogs for meat)
there was a band playing inside some local peruvian sounding music
but Julia said some of the music was from all over south america
not that I could tell the difference, I did know el condor pasa though
we got back to town and took a long siesta
then out for dinner and visiting the craft shacks and then some frozen sleep
next morning (early again dammit) on the bus back to Lima
