Day 10, Saturday 12/12

I arrived in Ariquepa at 9:00 a.m. and Dan and Jen came to pick me up.  They are two awesome friends of Reada and Dave's that used to work with them in Lima.  They're currently teaching for a private mining company in Ariquepa and have a sweet living situation and a private driver.

We stopped at an outdoor market/sale for textiles where I stocked up on some gifts for people at home, then we  headed back to the house.  Dan is half Korean and he was making mondu (kind of a dumpling) so I learned how to do stuff and seal  those.  After a while I showered and we went to lunch in town at Cresperia, a crepe place.  Jen stayed to study while I went off to the monestary for a tour.

At St. Catarina I declined a guide and wandered around taking photos and playing with my camera.  The energy at this monestary is amazing, it was tranquil and peaceful, yet vibrant and colorful with the red walls, blue courtyards and potted flowers evverywhere.  After two hours I met back up with Jen and we came back to the house.

After a quick nap for me, we headed to Zig Zag for dinner.  There was a festival for La Virgin de Guadalupe, complete with mariachis and fireworks, which is interesting since I thought that the Virgin de Guadalupe was a Mexican thing, but I guess not.  Jen and I stepped outside for some of the festivities, then we headed into the restaurant for our meal.  Dinner was a trio of meats: beef, alpaca and ostrich, all served tableside on a heated lava rock.  After Jen and I finished a bottle of wine, the three of us headed home for the night.