Did you say chicken?
Who doesn’t love chicken?

Did you say chicken?
Who doesn’t love chicken?
So…we watched a fantastic production of “Project Inspire” a few days before Yom Kippur, called “Wiping a tear”.
You can watch it here:
http://www.kiruv.com/toolsForSharing/projectInspire/Wiping_A_Tear_-_Low_res.asp
After watching this we decided to bake a dozen of honey cakes and distribute them to the many local Israeli tourists, with an invitation to break the fast together.
So here we were, me, my DD13 and DH and me, downtown, carrying a box of cakes and going through the local hostels and asking all Israelis where are they after the fast. Seing my demeanor, they all replies, although with some noted hesitation:”In Bet Chabad?!” so I reached out and invited them.
It was funny to see many other tourists eyeing my cakes, hoping it was for sale!
After the fast, which went well, besides DD13 fainting in end of Neila, we went home and hoped for someone to show up. I have to admit I was on the pessimistic side, thinking that not too many will show up if any. By measure of precaution, though, I had arranged for Leonor to come to work from 6:30 to 9:30 to help me in the kitchen (The fast finished here at 6:15). My husband and a few kids were even waiting outside just in case someone needs help fining our house. I sent my other worker, Ingrid, with a few ivitations left, to hand out by the Isralis stepping out off the shul. Surprise-surprise, she came back with a LOAD of people!!! I actually couldn’t close the door of the house as more and more people were showing up!!!
My son who was outside, later described it looked like a bus load of people (even if though they were walking).
We got real buzy in the kitchen batches of pizza in and out the oven, making spaghetti, warming up soup…And then when I thought everything was under control, another group of people whowed up!! All together was about 60! Such nice sweet people, they were thanking us the whole time, one even offered payment (no way!).
Iwas very happy, specially having made everyhing in advance (pizza dough, homemade cheese and sauce etc..).
What a nice feeling…
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That’s how my 6 yo son, Benjy, asked Ingrid, our helper, if he was going outside!
The younger kids are starting to speak a bit of Spanish, as I heard my 4 year old yesterday telling Ingrid:”Agua! Agua! I want Agua!”.
So, I decided to teach them some basic vocabulary and we are putting this on the list with other homeschool topics.
The language is definitely a change, just as much as the mentality, of course.
Last Sunday we all went to a Dog Show. Yes, you read right! Me go to dog show! (I don’t even like dogs, besides Bentley, of course, even though I probably could tell the truth here, as I highly doubt that Bentley follows my blog, right?).
So, what do people in Peru do at a Dog Shows? Well, they watch chiwawas and other types of dogs running around in circles. Nothing more than that..I admit being disappointed as a previous spoiled resident of the USA, I was expecting watching dogs dancing, walking on two feet,maybe even talking in Spanish, unfortunately, nothing as such:(
At least our kids enjoyed it, as well as the Luna park on the premises, with a HUGE slide.
For the kids to slide down, they had to first climb up about 50 feet and then slide down. While our kids were quickly into it, and immediately gasped the concept, there was a little 3 year old Peruvian boy who seemed afraid to climb up. His dad, who paid a whole 35cents was, well, kind of frustrated and kept yelling towards his son:”Sube, Lorenzo, Sube!!!” (“Go up, Lorenzo, go up!”) I tried to ask our kids to give Lorenzo a gentle push, nothing did it.
Lorenzo’s dad, after 10 minutes of pointless coaching finally pleaded to the lady who sold him to ticket to, por favor, intervene.
She dropped everything (even her shoes) and went up, firmly holding Lorenzo’s hand and giving him no other choice.
Whaooo!!! Wasn’t Lorenzo in for a surprise as he sled down! I thought he was going to have a cardiac arrest! Poor dude!
On another topic, Rosh Hashana went really well, thank God!
I realized just the day before that we were going to cook all the meals at home.
I was kind of relying on buying he food from Bet Chabad, but last minute we decided we would have cheaper and better doing it ourselves. That also allowed us the luxury of rotating Milchig and Fleishig, so…
I made our own mozzarella cheese, grape juice, cakes and pies.
Dear hubby made his own cream cheese and lox. Yes, we’re a match! How did I learn to make cheese? By watching this youtube:
(I am not a fan of his haircut but I like his cheese. In MY house, in HIS I would be too nervous of find some of his hair in my pizza).
Anyway, we are getting accustomed to our new life and I even opened my factory last week and after spending a week of hiring and firing, I now have a fantasic team. Nice ladies and all.
However, I would pefer to bypass the “hello -kiss kiss-business”, it is not exactly to my liking to kiss ladies 16 times a day, not even speaking of the germs…(It wouldnt bother me if it was guys, as long as they look good, that is). Soooo, I have finally found a “trick” : I make sure to keep myself very BZ and very far from the door when they walk in and I am “Patur” from the kiss. When they leave, I do the same but sometimes it doesn’t work as they walk towards me and of course I get the hint – I don’t want to hurt their feelings. I guess after spending a whole day with me they are determined to force a kiss of freedom.
The kitchen helpers (Leonor in the mornings and Ingrid in the afternoons) are also getting accustomed to us. It took me a great deal of patience to teach them all about not mixing the Milchig and Fleishig. I finally told them that for me it’s like loosing $5,000 and now they finally got it!
I am now baking small honey cakes to distribute to Israeli tourists together with an invitation to break the fast with us.
We will see how many show up. (Hopefully not sixty).
Well, that’s it for now.
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TTYL
Known as the “Square of the warrior” in the Inca era, this plaza has been the scene of several important events in the history of this city, such as the proclamation by Francisco Pizarro in the conquest of Cuzco.
Similarly, the Plaza de Armas was the scene of the death of Túpac Amaru II, considered the indigenous leader of the resistance.
The Spanish built stone arcades around the plaza which endure to this day. The main cathedral and the Church of La Compañía both open directly onto the plaza.
Plaza de Armas reflects the full magic of beautiful Cusco!
While in daytime, this beautiful Square is the favorite place for many locals to seat on benches and relax in the harmonious scenery, as soon as the day fades away, the night envelops the horizons and within minutes all is turned to magic!
Plaza de Armas is by far one of the most romantic and pleasant place to go for a night walk or go for a cup of coffee or tea in the numerous terraces surprisingly perched on top of the architecture.
Check this youtube I found of Plaza de Armas at night, unfortunately it doesn’t really do justice bu stll give you a glimpse : http://youtu.be/9qvFrnpi50w
Enjoy!
Another Shabbat came and went and I didn’t have to cook!!
I have to admit it: I spent all Friday in bed (with my computer, that is) just to experience the newly found relaxation!
When Leonor (my helper) came to tell me that the upstairs neighbors have a chest of drawers to loan us, I told her that it will have to wait for another day, I am too tired.
While I was in bed, she made empanadas and a sweet potatoe pie – both delicious.
We still don’t have a fridg’ as the lady interested in selling us one for $80 is always BZ.
Friday afternoon, we went to Bet Chabad for prayers and meal. While DH walked with 2 DD, I took a cab with the 2 little boys, DS4 and DS6, as well as Ingrid, our afternoon helper.
Well, the group that walked had already arrived by the time we got there! AND, the Bet Chabad will be moving to their new location before Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year), and the walking time will be reduced from 15 minutes t o barely 10. This is good news.
Although it was a bit hard to sit on a plastic stool during the 2 hour meal…I hope that by next week we will be eating Friday night meals at home!
Shabbat morning, the walk to Bet Chabad was uneventful.. We passed throu a tiny tiny restaurant, featuring a hand-made sign: Hoy Sopa. (soup today). I was thinking that a world where the highlight of the day is having fresh soup made, is a world I want to belong to.
AMIGA, HOY – SOPA!!!
Peru….
Country of the Incas!
Macchu Pichu is one of the highest touristic site, due to the fact that the integrity of the place has been preserved since the 15th century in such an amazing way…
Everything is preceeded with the same adjective:INKA.
The coke is Inka cola, the restaurant is Inka grill, bank is Inca cash, etc..etc..
And in the middle of all this patriotism, some Peruvians give Israeli names to their kids, such as Shany, Shiran, and even Itzchak Rabin (both as a first name -in case you are wondering).
The neighbor of the Chabad Shluchim is a little 8 year old boy with payos!! He thinks it is a nice hair style. His brother answers to the name of Akiva!
The young couple in charge of the hostel we stayed at speaks fluent Hebrew and greeted us every morning with a warm: Boker Tov!
I checked the local classified today and someone is selling a “Shawarma Maquina” and the laundry place proudly displays in Hebrew letters: “Hamachbessa Haachi Achi” (the best laundry place, brother).
Of course all this gives us a comfortable feeling.
As of the family, we are going to send our two youngest to school tomorrow, from 8:30 to 1pm. The director of the kindergarten around the corner from our house taught in the Lima´s Jewish School for two years. She speaks English and has invited me Friday morning to teach the local children about Shabbat.
The cost: $50 per month, each. (I used to pay $400 in the US.)
We are looking forward for these two to socialize and start speaking Spanish within a few weeks.
We now have officially started homeschooling the children and enjoy full time housekeeping help, courtesy of Leonore from 8-1 and Ingrid from 2 to 9pm. By the way, I taught her today how to make a Bechamel and she scrubbed the oven very clean – we will Kosher it tomorrow.
Me and the girls went to get our eyebrows done for a dollar a piece and we went shopping for vegetables this morning in the open market.
The view from our bedroom is breathtaking and the only thing I now miss is Internet services -we will be connected in a few days.
Besides all that…Hasta Manana!!
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So, we rented for one year a cute three bedroom apartment, for $286 per month. As opposed to the first landlord, Sonya, who showed me her apartment a second time and claimed $500 was only for the upstairs, these new landlords seem really honest. They pointed to us the downs too. For example, the shower does not have hot water after 9PM. (But this is actually for the whole town due to the water pressure – we are very high in the mountains). They also sold us a stove and explained to us that the only problem they had with it is that the flames are not too high. It surely doesn´t bother me at all, if anything it might discourage me from frying foods.
(I won´t be the one to cook anyways since I have help around the clock.
Leonore in the morning and her daughter Julia in the afternoons. More about that later).
So, back to the house.
I really liked the fact that two of the three bedrooms have big windows facing a park and an outdoor sports field with little children playing. The walls are painted bright yellow and it´s just so lovely. The only time I had a better ¨window setting¨was in Israel when we lived closed to a Talmud Torah and could hear the little boys praying in the morning…
My new landlord took me all the way upstairs of this 3 family- house (she is my upstairs neighbor) to show me the “laundry spot”… And here I discovered the most amazing, beautiful, breathtaking vue of the beautiful mountains and peaceful scenery. With the famous writing on the mountain¨Viva El Peru¨!!
This, my laundry spot???? I don´t think so! But I surely can imagine sitting there meditating, reading or just reconnecting with the world.
So now that we have the house we need…furniture!!
We went to an open market which opens on Sundays, called Wanchaq. Artisans from all around campos (villages) bring their work of art. Beds, bookcases, tables etc..All is wood work. Some finished and colored wood, some just plain wood.
We took a cab from the hostal we are staying at and accompanied by 3 of our children and our dear helper Leonor (for bargaining purposes), we got to this market.
Here is what we bought:
5 wooden bed frames 350 soles : $128 (yes, for all five!!) Leonore managed to bring the price 100 soles down!
1 large dining room table and six chairs 210 soles: $77
2 bookcases sturdy wood 120 soles: $44
4 small multi-purpose cabinets (for clothes) 40 soles: $14
2 small wooden kids chairs: 10 soles each: $3.5
And all these are hand made, by local carpenters!
Now, how did we bring all these to our new house? Leonore just asked the person who sold the bed frames if they could help with transportation. It got quickly arranged by a small truck fro the price of $14!!! (It is about half an hour ride). While I took a cab and went back to the hostel with the kids.
Our only regret: we didn’t get to buy vegetables and fruits in this awesome market!!
By the way, Leonore told me that Sonya has an attractive offer for me: rent me her upstairs and downstairs for $2,000 for three months.
Now, the furniture are all in the new house. What is missing? Mattresses and a bunk bed. (This is the reason why I only got 5 bed frames instead of seven).
Back in the hostel, I ask Clever (the 25 years old hostel proprietor -more about him later) about the rumor I heard that he has mattresses for sale. Yes! He does! and what else does he have to sell? A bunk bed!!!
He is selling all these goodies for $320, AND, he will bring them in the morning directly to our apartment.
Now, let me ask you: Does is ever get better than that??
Such a small world! Right here in Peru, within 150 people, I met a person who grew up in the same house we lived in Israel for three years!! They were the previous tenants…such a small small world!!!
The Shabbat table was about 150 Israelis, some dressed formal, some less, all sharing zmirot and songs. All looked very happy and very hungry. It felt like we were all united to spend this Shabbat together.
We spoke with some and they were quiet puzzled by us being there, specifically when we explained that we are here to live!
The Rav made some announcements which included warnings for the various sport activities this place is so popular for. He then went table to table to greet all guests and when he came to us, I told him that he really scared me with the warnings.. He asked jokingly if I was planning in taking parts in some of these activities and I said : No, but now I really have to pray hard for the welfare of all!!
When the meal finished we walked back a short 5 minutes to our hostel, where we are sharing 5 beds between the 7 of us. It was my turn to sleep with DS4 who claimed that he couldn´t see me as we snuggled in bed together. I replied:”You can´t see me but you know that I´m here. It is the same with Hashem (God).” At 7 am he woke up and excitedly told his brother;” I had a dream that God came down and I could see him!!”
We went back to Bet Chabad for breakfast (Jachnun) at 9:30, followed by Tefilah (prayers) from 10 to 12 and then lunch with about 90 people, another tefilah and went home. Julia, our babysitter came at 3pm.
At 5pm, we went to a Shiur of Kabbalah, that was full of insights. It was the purpose of men in the world and how we are God´s partners in making the world a godly place.
The rest of the day was uneventful.
It has been a truly delightful and restful Shabbat.