Halloween Free Photo Treat

Free Halloween Photos

Every year, as a treat to our community kids, I open the studio for professional studio quality photos of kids in costume. I do this at no charge. Free. Gratis.
It is the same this year, except I am going to ask that you consider making a small donation so I can buy books in Spanish for "my" kids at Shadow of His Wings Orphanage in Guatemala. I love to treat your kids every year with professional photos at Halloween, please help me treat "mine" with the gift of reading. Reading is knowledge. Knowledge is the most powerful tool for changing lives.
See you Friday night from 4-7 at the studio. Can't wait to see all the kids in their costumes!!!

Peru 2014 - Part 13 Last day

Thursday August 28

Last night was our last night in Peru with our friends, so we went to dinner at a chain restaurant called Norkys. We chose a meal for 5 people that had all kinds of meat - roasted chicken, steak, pork, sausage, anticuchos, and I think, chicken gizzards. Plus salad and fries. It was enough to feed ten people. I had read about anticuchos before, and had made up my mind that I was not going to try them. It is grilled beef heart. I assumed it would taste like liver or tongue, but I was wrong! I did try it and liked it very much. I did skip the gizzards, Giancarlo could best describe them as the stomach of a chicken, and that was more than I could try on a full day of raw fish and a mountain of meat. We said our good byes to The Espinozas with big hugs and kisses with promises to meet again one day. Giancarlo insisted on seeing us to the airport this morning. The most crime against tourists happens in illegal taxis to and from the airport, so I think he was afraid we would get a bad taxi. Also he works close to the airport, so he could just go to work from there. My reservations said our plane left at 6:00, so we got to the airport at 3:30 because we had no traffic. Turns out, the flight was changed to 9:00, so we visited with G until it was time for him to go to work.
At Miami, the "race" part of our trip began. The plane arrived late, we had to go here and there to get through the maze of customs, and the luggage took forever to come out. We have to claim you luggage when you re enter the US. We were cutting it close to catch our flight to Chicago. Mark was in panic mode. We finally got it and quickly got it checked back in, and arrived at our gate minutes before they started boarding. Then off the plane in Chicago to several gates away to catch the next plane. We had 45 minutes and I was starving. I convinced Mark that we could get something at the little Chile's Too across from our gate. He was skeptical, but sat where we could keep a constant eye on the gate. Turns out... The flight was delayed two hours. We finally got to Little Rock at 12:30. We were the last plane in, the only people at the airport. After a stop for coffee to go, we talked about our Amazing Adventure all the way home, where we had two very happy dogs waiting to jump in bed with us.

- The End....until next time

Peru 2014 - Part 12 Lima

Tuesday August 26

 We decided to go back to the Primavera Mall today, so we grabbed a taxi with a good conversationalist driver. We went through several back streets and past a  nice  black car in a neighborhood close to here. The driver informed us that the president of Peru lived at that humble house, when  he was not at the Presidential Palace.
We got to the Primavera Mall about 10:00 am, wanting Dunkin Donuts, but alas, doughnuts are just another sweet greasy American snack, not a breakfast food, so they didn't open till later. Fine with me, instead I got the best Starbucks Carmel marciotto ever. We walked around for a while, then bought some books and stuff. We had lunch at the food court where I could try more Peruvian food and Mark could eat Pizza Hut. I had tallarin pollo - very good. Giancarlo texted me and we made plans to meet at 3 to hang out. It was good to just sit and talk a while. Then we went to another Peruvian restaurant that had food from the jungle. I ate meat from a tapir!

It was good, and tasted like ham. It was a long day, with another several mile walk with the yorkies.

Wednesday August 27


We will be headed to the airport at 3:00 am tomorrow, and won't be in Arkansas until 10:00. We are ready to come home. Ready to see the pups, and get hugs from family.

Last day in Peru! We were up late when Rafeal called to ask if we wanted to go out to some ruins here in Lima. Before I had a chance for coffee, Rafeal arrived ....on time! Not Peruvian time, but really on time 9:30 on the dot. Rafeal is such a sweet young guy. Very careful driver, very polite, always called me "Señora Rebecca". We went up to a place called Pachacámac, where they are still excavating a huge find of ruins dating back to 100 A.D.  They have found lots of pottery and tools. The found an accounting system - really old school calculator - using a system of a stick with threads tied in knots. The Incas took over in about 1400 and constructed a Sun Temple  where you can look out over the ocean. It was cool, and we got some steps in. Rafeal dropped us off at our hotel with a hug and kiss. People greet and say goodbye with each other with hugs and kisses on the cheeks if it is a woman. Mark has been kissed by more women in this trip! Even when you are just introduced to someone you greet with a slight kiss on the cheek. It is sweet.

We met up with Giancarlo at 1:00 to go eat ceviche along the ocean in Chorillos. The cevicheria was a little dive next to the beach. Ceviche is the iconic food of Lima. It is raw seafood cooked only by the acid of little limes, like Key limes. I could not come to Lima without trying it. It was good, fresh from the ocean. I have always avoided sushi, but now I might have the courage to try it. After that we walked to the next neighborhood of Barranco, up a lot of stone stairs, and into the old artsy town part. We needed to grab a taxi and go back and rest.

Peru 2014 - Part 11 Downtown Lima - Meeting Friends

Monday August 25

Today was really nice. After a 2 mile walk for another McDonalds muffin and coffee, we grabbed a taxi to downtown Lima, and realized that we have really been in the burbs. We had made arrangements to meet my sweet young friend Flavio.

Becky & Flavio

Parque Amor

We arrived way too early, because the taxi driver jumped on the interstate and we got there faster than anywhere else we have gone. We were in front of the house of Congress of Peru. Since we had time, we went walking the block and ended up in a China Town.

Market in China Town

It was pretty cool, but the sea of people was making Mark feel like I do when I go to Wal Mart, he had to get out of there. So we waited at the Museum of the Spanish Inquisition for Flavio. We did the quick free tour of the museum, looking at all the torture devices they used to convert people to Christianity.  Then we were off to the Plaza de Armas of Lima. There is a grand Cathedral, and the Presidential Palace. Such old buildings with intricate details for blocks and blocks, peppered with KFC, Starbucks, and Subway signs. Then we went to Miraflores to have dinner by the sea. It was beautiful to see the same area during daylight. We watched surfers riding the waves. We passed Parque Amor. If you only went there on a visit to Peru, you would have a very skewed view of Peru. I think it would like be thinking all of the USA is like the beaches of San Diego. We took Flavio to TGI Fridays. He ordered Peruvian food, and I ordered American food so we could share the flavors - the Peruvian food was delicious. The other tasted like home. His English is really good, so Mark had someone to talk to again. He was precious, and walked with us for a while until it got dark, then told our taxi driver where to drop us off. He is the same age as Natalia so I got to play mama for a few hours.
When we got back, I sat in the lobby using the internet, and struck up a conversation with the lady that works here. It was very nice. My Southern charm is getting more people into conversations.


Becky & Rafael

We decided to call it a day and got ready for bed about 9:00 when I got a call from Rafael, another friend here in Lima. He had just gotten out of English Class at the University Britannica close to our hotel, so we changed out of jammies and hopped in his car to go to for coffee and ice cream.  He too, is precious and shy. We had a good visit in both English and Spanish. Two hours later, we called it night with plans to meet again Wednesday morning.

Peru 2014 - Part 10 The Mall and the earthquake

 Sunday August 24

 Up early for this area. Sunday mornings are always a good time to check out a new city, and really, this city is amazing. We are feeling much more comfortable now. This is a good part of town. We have been studying the busses and the street names they have painted on them. We are going to try it on our own one day. For two country bumpkins that have never ridden a city bus in our lives, we are doing ok. The people last night were quite surprised we even went on the bus yesterday. Doing the small towns around Cuzco the first week was a perfect way to learn the basics of getting around. Now we have graduated to "Getting Around Peru 202".

But for the short 2 mile walk to McDonalds is where we started today. The McCafé is separate and I got a Coca Café and an apple muffin with layers of real apples that was amazing. All with real dishes. You know all the beautiful food photography you see in the advertisements? Well, that is what it actually looked like. Then over to Wongs (=Walmart Supercenter - clothing), to buy books in Spanish for our girls in a Guatemala. It is much cheaper here to buy them. I have also noticed the huge lack of Latino authors available, even here. On the way back we passed a church and the were singing "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord" in Spanish. Mark was not up to spending a hour in a Spanish speaking service. There was also zumba going on in the park, but we didn't do that either

 We met up with Giancarlo, Yova, and Valerina for a nice family photo session in the park and a photography lesson for Vale.  She wants to be a photographer some day. I also took some pictures of their little Yorkies , and the 11 month old Leandro, the nephew.

We went to the mall and I ordered Mark food from Burger King, and I got pollo saltado from a Peruvian food place. It was delicious. The Primavera Mall was huge and very modern. I got to go to the book store, Crisol, but they were waiting on me. I think Mark and I will go back there another day on the train. We came back survived a tiny earthquake and watched a Mexican movie with English subtitles - Instructions Not Included - great movie. Mark was tapping his leg so I thought it was him moving the couch ever so slightly, but then the whole household started saying "temblor" and going downstairs. It lasted maybe 3 seconds, but they go to a safe place for about 10 minutes in case the first one is a warning for another.  Lima has lots of earthquakes, but the buildings are designed to withstand them. In every building there are "zonas  segura en caso de sismas". I look at it as our tornado fraidy holes.
Oh, and while we were walking today, we saw a real Peruvian Orchid - a breed of hairless dogs.

Peru 2014 - Part 9 Zoo and Party

National Bird of Peru - Cock of the Rock

Saturday August 23
 Giancarlo came at 9:00 to get us to go to the zoo-
Parque de Las Leyendas. We were going to take the Metro train for a while, then a colectivo. The train was so packed, literally like sardines, that after waiting on three of them we decided to just take a  colectivo from the train station to Javier Prado street, then another to the zoo area. Two hours later we arrived - probably less than 20 miles away. Traffic is crazy here! We finally saw a llama -at the zoo. It was a huge zoo, with mostly Peruvian animals from the mountains and jungle. They did have an opossum, fox, grizzly bear and black bear from North America, and 4 animals from Africa. Zoos are always bittersweet for me. It was cool to see some of the animals, but they have a long way to go in habitat development. It was nice to have a chance to talk with G for a while. He speaks slow and clear for me. We compared a of what is in Peru with what is and is not in Arkansas. On the walk back to the bus stop, we passed a girl working in a booth that was identical to Jazmín. We also bought "causa" from a street vender. This the mashed potato dish we had the first day here. It is really good, I'll make some at home. On the ride home, there was a 5 yr old little girl that was fascinated by us and chatted with us the whole time she was on. She kept asking for Mark to say something. His earrings are the oddity here, so she asked if he also had fingernail polish like hers.  People don't really interact much on the street or transportation here, so it was nice.
When we finally arrived back at our hotel, we went to pick up the laundry at the scheduled time 4:00. I was ready to get out of my "what not to wear - Lima" outfit of shorts and into jeans ( EVERYONE here wears jeans) but alas, 4:00 in Peru really means 5:30. Oh well, that allowed time for dinner. We had awesome braised chicken and fries for dinner, then got our laundry.
There was a birthday party at G' s house for a friend of theirs - Myra, and was supposed to start at 10:00 at night, but we are starting to learn that really means later....  The party was really nice. One girl, Alejandra, was from Florida, and another guy, Cristian,  spoke English very well, so Mark had someone to talk to. I understood about a third of the conversations - but enough to get the gist of most things. We stayed till 2 in the morning drinking Pisco Sours, eating papas rellenos and other good treats. G let everyone try the Rock Town Apple Pie Moonshine we brought from Arkansas. We were the first to leave,  so there is no telling how late the party went.