July 13
This day began with some new Peru trip
traditions:
Watching Miraculous Ladybug,
And changing all of our plans around.
Instead of travelling anywhere fancy,
we planned on a Tottus and Tallarín day.
Abuelita came with us for a restocking
trip to Anabelle’s new favorite department store/ supermarket: Tottus.
On the walk over were several
noteworthy differences between there and back here in the U.S. of A.
The free range urban dogs had reached
a level of comfort in their environment that they would cross the streets
following the signals at the cross walks.
In this sense, they were more law abiding than the people around them
Every bus station kiosk had an ad for
mayonnaise on it. They featured well-lit and photographed images of mayonnaise
spread on various items that very few folks in the northern hemisphere would
consider putting mayo on.
Every section of relatively new
sidewalk had impressions of footprints all over it, making Anabelle feel much
less worse about the wet cement she trod in on the way to La Punta the other
day.
Peruvian manikins are way bustier than
American ones.
We reached Tottus and began filling
the cart with varieties of the awesome bread that’s down there, along with some
soda and paper products. While I was gathering karamandukas, and the rest of
our family group was elsewhere, a woman got confused and tried to walk away with
our cart.
Using only Spanish (and the occasional
gesture) I explained the issue and got our cart back.
Yet Anabelle still said, “I have
water, please.”
Our attempt to pay and leave was
thwarted by the check-out woman who had never seen a credit card with only the
writing on the back before. She flat out
refused to except it was a Visa, contrary to the explanations Rosa and Abuelita
were providing.
Abuelita suggesting she “Go back to
Chile,” employing that casual prejudice that only the elderly can pull off
probably didn't help matters.
Eventually a supervisor let us pay,
and we walked home.
Anabelle and I played a couple rounds
of the Anabelle matching game, before some mutual stomping on each other in
Doctor Whuno. There’s something about
having Up the Lake blood that almost requires playing card games on summer
vacations.
During this trip, Anabelle also became
a tea fiend. An often healthy and
soothing choice back home, the lack of caffeine free varieties down there would
lead to some interesting adventures later on.
The end of Karate Kid 3 was on in Spanish…it didn't help. Like pretty much everything else, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire sounded
much more macho in Spanish.
Anabelle and I played a bit more Uno
and some Inka Market while Rosa took Abuelita to the doctor. We also looked
over more Disney pictures, because all vacations should have Disney magic in
them.
Anabelle then had some Mami and me
time at the market while I stayed behind.
Abuelita went to nap while I blogged and emailed. I also talked to Carmen a bit, who spoke no
English.
Yeah, that worked.
Far from a repeat of my success in
Tottus, it was complete “Yo tengo agua, por favor,” time.
Anabelle came back with some rings for
her collection and more fake money for playing and souvenirs.
Rosa had a long, and much more
coherent, talk with Carmen. I helped
Anabelle find pictures of Gaiman’s Endless for her upcoming dinner party.
See, there are other languages I am
fluent at…such as comic book geek.
Knowing Rosa was staying behind when
we went home, there was time for some mope filled packing. We all played some more Uno and a bit of
Mystery Old Maid after that.
Then the two of them, much better and
more tolerant of haggling than I ever will be, played Inca Market and taxi.
Rosa went to bed early and we revisited
old trips by looking at Disney, Peru and Atlantic City pictures, and reading
old blog posts.
Again, apologies to the casual
readers, but these vacation stories were never for you.
Anabelle read some more Sabrina the
Teenaged Witch while I wrote a bit, before we both turned in.
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