I've lived in two countries, The United States and Tonga. After those two, the country where I have spent the most time is Peru. I've had so many wonderful experiences in Peru it was very difficult to pick just one photo from all of the hundreds I've taken there.
I've been in Peru during the rainy winter and the sunny summer. And I've traveled from the sea to 16,000 feet in the Andes Mountains. I've cruised the Amazon River and hiked Machu Picchu. I've spent three birthdays in Peru including one during a black-out. (See video linked below)
But the common denominator in my trips has always been Rosa Pazos and her large family. She and her family have always treated me with incredible kindness and they welcome me each time like a member of the family.
Steve Hunsicker in Playa Arica, Peru with members of the Pazos family. (Rosa is wearing sunglasses.)
My Spanish is not great. I understand it much better than I can speak it. And sometimes when I try to speak, something unexpected comes out.
On one of my trips, I was visiting with Rosa. It was near dinner time and I wanted to know if she was hungry. So, I asked
"¿Tu hombre? "
She gave me a puzzled look before saying an emphatic
"No!"
Her son Roberto started laughing and said
"Why did you just ask my mother if she is a man?"
Embarrassed, I apologized. I told Roberto I wanted to know if she was hungry. He gave me the correct phrase of
"¿Tienes hambre?"
So I tried again and this time she understood. She then started laughing at my mistake.
Rosa loves to laugh and to dance. If we are out somewhere with music she'll say
"Bailemos Esteban"(Let's Dance Steve) and take me out to the dance floor.
Rosa's house is a lively place filled with her children and grandchildren. She's done many things in her life, but she is most proud of raising seven children. She always names them in order of birth: Rosie, Martin, Guillermo, Pancho, Antonio, Roberto and Evelyn.
Peru is an amazing place, but when I think of my favorite times, it almost always involves the time I've spent with Rosa and her amazing family, all of whom I'm honored to consider my friends.
Notes
I've linked below a short :30 second video of my birthdays in Peru. Also is a link to a video from my first trip to Peru (and Chile) in 2014. I've also included a video from our trip to the Amazon.
Dates of Travel
- April, 2014
- July, 2016
- December 2017-January 2018
- December 2018-January 2019
- June, 2019
- July, 2019
- December 2019-January, 2020
- December 2021-January 2022
- March 2022-April 2022
- December 2022 - January 2023
- May 2023 - June 2023
- June 2023
- December 2023
Places Visited
- Lima
- Macchu Pichu
- Ollantaytambo
- Cusco
- Paracas
- Pisco
- Lurin
- Arequipa
- Haucho
- Tarapoto
- Iquitos
- Tumbes
- Mancora
- Chiclayo
- Aguas Verdes
- Puno
- Amantani
- Nazca
- Ica
- Yurimaguas
- Chazuta
- Pachacamac
- Moquegua
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