Book shopping

Yesterday, since Liz had left for the US and I suddenly found myself without anything in particular to do, I decided to do some book shopping.

My first appointed task was to walk to the offices of the Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team (EPAF) to buy a book of theirs on damage left on skeletal remains as a result of human rights violations.   I walked a number of blocks, made a wrong turn and found I was going the long way around -adding three more blocks to my walk- only to not be able to find the place.  I walked back home and found  that, whereas Google Maps had sent me to the tenth block of the street, the place I was looking for was on the third block!

After lunch, I caught a cab to downtown, and went looking for a political bookstore I had heard mentioned online.  I did find the place, but no one there knew of the bookstore.  I knew I was in the right place because it was an old building that housed the offices of one of Peru's Communist Parties, Patria Roja, and of the movement that arose from the recent anti-mining struggles in Cajamarca, the Movimiento de Afirmacion Social, led by Gregorio Santos.  The shop must've closed last year at some point, is my guess.

So, frustrated for the second time, I walked from Avenida Abancay to Plaza San Martin, to visit one of my favorite used book shops in Lima, the Libreria Georges Politzer, on Jiron Quilca.

There, I did manage to pick up an interesting set of bulletins published by the Chinese Embassy in 1974-1976 containing news summaries from the Xinghua News Agency.  I did not know that they put out such things, so I was rather pleased to find them -and to get the stack for just under 4 bucks!

Lunch at Caplina

On Friday we went for a family lunch at Caplina restaurant in Miraflores, near the border with San Isidro district.  Liz had been curious about Caplina ever since Nico went back to the US last year raving about the great meal he had there, so we went back this time (I'd been there last year) so Liz could give it a try for herself.

Even though it's been on the cold side here, we sat outside, on the covered patio, although Liz did sit under the heater and Katy bundled up against the cold.  With Mito's coat and a knit hat on, we teased her that she was dressed like Mama Pali!

Lunch at Astrid y Gaston

 Liz and I had lunch today at Astrid y Gaston, one of Peru's top restaurants and the heart of chef Gaston Acurio's restaurant enterprises, which includes La Mar Cebicheria, Panchita, and others.

Astrid y Gaston, which Acurio started with his wife, Astrid Gutche, is rated number 14 on the prestigious San Pellegrino List of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.  Based on the stupendous 3.5 hour, 18-course tasting menu, with wine pairing, that we enjoyed today, the restaurant has surely earned that spot.

The meal was presented in eighteen courses set over five stages.  The meal started out with "Nature", represented with a collection of "leaves" and "sticks" in a basket resembling a bird's nest, with "eggs" consisting of a glucose shell, with whites made of granadilla and yolks of passion fruit.  It proceeded through "Man" with the appearance in the menu of cultivated crops such as potatoes and corn, and on to "The Encounter" which focused on seafood courses; then "Haven", and which the contributions of various immigrants were added - Japanese dashi stock, Peking duck-style guinea pig in a chicha morada wrap, and the Afro-Peruvian flavours of carapulca and chupe- and finishing with "Today", marked by the dessert courses, including a camu camu-flavored beso de moza and a lucuma ice cream popsicle brough tableside in an ice box like the vendors carry on the beaches here.

As the meal progressed through each stage, the material of the plating grew more complex and modern: starting with the bird's nest, proceeding through stone, carved stone, ceramic, paper, and metal. There were many techniques of "molecular cuisine" present, including a two little balls of gelled broad bean, frozen cebiche, etc.

To say that it was an amazing meal, simply sells the experience short.

Talk at the Alianza Francesa

I got to attend a very interesting lecture set on the fate of the Inca noble linneages since the Conquest, presented at the auditoriom of the Alianza Francesa and the Instituto Frances de Estudios Andinos (IFEA), last night.

The presenters were very interesting and had a great deal of information and thorough knowledge of their subject.  They were also amazingly tight in their presentations, finishing in exactly their allotted amount of time.

Peruvians, on the other hand, seem unable to simply pose a question, they have to thank and congratulate the speakers, and drone on with discursive statements for several minutes before they finally arrive at their question.  And even then, they don't want to give up the mic!

Mancora

On  our second day in Piura we took a mototaxi ride  into Mancora.

Mancora is a fishing village that has turned into a tourist destination thanks to the nearby beaches and surfing spots.   Consequently, Mancora has turned into a bit of a tourist trap, with the main drag, along the Panamerican Highway, and the beachfront being lined with stalls hawking souvenirs and cheap bathing suits, and restaurants/drinking joints of dubious quality and salubriousness.

The community, nonetheless, has managed to keep hold of its fishing roots, and on the weekend we were in the area it was celebrating the Feast of Saint Peter, patron of fisherfolk.

As we strolled the beachfront looking for a place to eat -we were seeking some seco de chabelo, a regional dish- the townsfolk were holding a children's egg-in-the-spoon race on the beach while a small band belted out tunes.

The beachfront gazebo was crumbling, having clearly been undermined by waves at some not too distant past.  There was a sign warning people that it was not a suitable place for entertainment as it was too dangerous.  Of course that did not stop the band and emcee from setting up shop there, nor anyone else for that matter.

Eventually we ended our search for seco de chabelo at La Sirena de Juanchi, a restaurant on the main street, with  really ecclectic and fun decor, run by a lady from Lima who came to Mancora for a one-month stay nine years ago.

They did not serve seco de chabelo, but we did have some other really good food, including a tuna tiradito with balsamic vinegar.

Vichayito / Los Organos

Early Saturday morning, Liz and I flew north to Piura to spend a few days on one of the north coast's famed beaches.  We stayed at a resort that had been recommended by my cousin, the Vichayito Bungalows y Carpas, at Vichayito beach in the Piura district of Los Organos.

Los Organos is a two and a half hour drive from the Piura airport, something that wasn't made clear on the resort's website, nor was it made clear that their "airport pick-up service" is not complimentary, but must be paid for by the guest.   The going rate of 250 soles for the ride, which must be paid to the driver in cash, can leave one with nasty sticker shock surprise --in our case, the transportation from and to the Piura airport cost as much as our accommodations!- which is not at all a great way to start off one's vacation.

In any case, we determined to shake off the unpleasantness and enjoy ourselves, even though it was ten in the morning and we could not get into our room until three that afternoon (even though the literature in the room itself said that check-in was at 1 pm), so walked down the steps and onto the beach, where we spent some nice moments observing the waves, and watching boobies and frigate birds soar overhead, and whales spout and dive offshore, before heading up for lunch.

Last year, we were told, there were only ten days on which the sun did not shine.  We happened to arrive on one such day for this year.   Not only was Saturday overcast, it was quite windy - making it kind of rough on the few souls who gamely did their best to enjoy the beach they had come all this way to be at (we fared a bit better, since we were still fully clothed).

Sunday, despite an illusory promise early on, clouded right up by breakfast and, although not as windy, proved much the same.  There is a local folk belief that when the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, which land close together, are celebrated, it either clouds up or rains.  As it happened, Saturday was the Feast of Saint Peter (Day of the Fisherman).

On Monday, however -our last day- we arose to patches of blue in the sky, which cleared up a brilliant, sunny day by the end of breakfast.  We were thus finally able to break out our bathing suits and play in the surf,   Liz took the opportunity to go out on a sea kayak, during which trip she got to observe sea birds and a flying fish.  And, of course, we did what one expects to do at a beach resort: lounge in the sun, drinking pina coladas on the sands.  (In fact we got so sunburnt in our three hours on the beach on Monday, that we were kind of relieved that we didn't have three full days of such sun!)

All in all, it was three days well-spent in utter relaxation in a beautiful locale.