I sadly don't have any pictures of how I started the day, which is a damn shame because it was awesome. Noah and I woke up, watched Battlestar Galactica and made pancakes. Will went to the store to acquire some breakfast supplies and came back explaining that our neighbor (and store proprietor) Aristo was already a bit fired up and had told Will portentiously, "Entre nosotros...hay una cerveza." Translated: "Between us...there is a beer." So Will went back after breakfast to collect on the offer. Two minutes later he returned home and explained he had let it slip that it was my birthday and Aristo was now demanding that I come over and drink beer as well. What could we do?
We went over and Aristo excitedly showed us what he was cooking for lunch, the second floor of their home which they are slowly finishing and the rooftop where he wants to put a little covered drinking patio. We shared many horrible beers mixed with Coca Cola, the kids Chaska and Hassan put confetti in my hair and Chaska in particular decided she was no longer scared of me. I danced with Aristo for two different Huayno songs. Finally Vasilia, aka Mom, came home and we all knew immediately that Aristo was in trouble for having a party in the kitchen so early in the day. Anyway, she softened up when she found out it was my birthday but kindly asked us to leave, saying she would come visit later to make up for kicking us out. We all appreciated the excuse to stop drinking the horrible beer and went home to get our act together for the rest of the day. The next order of business was getting ourselves to Yanahuara (20 minutes away in car) to meet all the volunteers who we had invited out to drink delicious chicha.
Can you see him hiding in the next shot?
After whiling away a very pleasant afternoon at the Descanso, we headed home to very quickly throw together a classy dinner party. The menu was planned and Jess had kindly picked up some key ingredients in Cusco, namely sausages and cheese. I made the world's fastest apple pie, quick cole slaw and Jess made the amazing macaroni and cheese. Emma brought rainbow salad with beets and Annie contributed the perfect fruit salad. Noah and I broke out a bottle of pisco macerado we made a few months ago. This batch was pisco infused with cardamon, honey and Andean elderberry. Alex and the Sacred Valley Dormers brought champagne and a box of beer. Also, someone brought more confetti and streamers to put on my head which is the 100% best part of Peruvian birthdays.
I have been wanting to throw a lovely candlelit dinner outside on our rooftop patio pretty much since we moved in and I'm so glad I made it happen for my cumpleaños, with everyone's help. We hauled up the dining room table and chairs which was surprisingly simple to accomplish and everyone commented we should do it more often. The night was starry and not too breezy so all the candles I put around the walls and table stayed miraculously lit and it was mild enough that no one was in a rush to go back inside. Perfect!
I have been wanting to throw a lovely candlelit dinner outside on our rooftop patio pretty much since we moved in and I'm so glad I made it happen for my cumpleaños, with everyone's help. We hauled up the dining room table and chairs which was surprisingly simple to accomplish and everyone commented we should do it more often. The night was starry and not too breezy so all the candles I put around the walls and table stayed miraculously lit and it was mild enough that no one was in a rush to go back inside. Perfect!
It's also a celebration for the finishing of rooftop! I am so envious of your candlelit dinner. I suddenly missed my girlfriend. I used to prepare our table on the rooftop for dinners like that. Anyway, is your rooftop finished now?
ReplyDeleteKermit Lukacs