#Cafe-peru

[anthonybalois]

Extraño mi otro cel, pero al menos está decente. O eso creo. 🥴🫤

[coquillan]

Domingo de noche, café...

Domingo de noche con un café en algún lugar que no es mi casa. Sacando cuentas de cómo aprovechar al máximo las ofertas, descuentos y reembolsos de mis tarjetas de crédito y wallets.

"Tacaño de mierda" dije alguna vez, describiéndome para alguna flaca que estallaba de risa cuando lo dije, botándome en la cara toda la comida que tenía masticando. Pero la verdad es que soy muy generoso sin embargo debo tener una especie de toc respecto a la optimización de mi dinero... Uhmmm creo que en algunos diccionarios esa es la definición exacta de un tacaño de mierda"... Pero no lo soy... Lo juro...

Domingo en la noche, ya cumplí mi cuota de lectura... Un libro cerrado y pienso que el costo de oportunidad del tiempo que pierdo calculando cuánto ahorraré con las promociones de las tarjetas, seguramente es más valioso que el ahorro en sí...

Ya se acabó mi café... A encender la moto...

[titiconsulting]

💥LOGOTIPO TERMINADO⚡ #logo #logotipo #diseño #grafico #diseñografico #ecuador #quito #marketingonline #marketingdigital #photoshop #illustrator #arte #cafe #cafeteria #mexico #colombia #peru #españa https://www.instagram.com/p/CopYjRyu_xb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[khwxbeeda]

Date Ideas: Desi Edition

I'm in my TS Lover Era and I need some Pune date ideas so uh.. enjoy my thinking process ig

A proper date: dinner and drinks. Proper manners and polite conversation over good food and good beverages/drinks. You and your date pretend to be very serious adults with very serious jobs, and when you walk out of the restaurant you share a secret laugh as if you've pulled the greatest prank ever.

Chaha date. Standing on the side of a road under the insufficient cover of the chai stall with your fingers gripping the edge of plastic cups or mud tumblers, taking a deep sniff and closing your eyes at the smell of veldoda that wafts up. Looking up and catching their gaze already fixed on you, and looking back down, feeling the heat spread over your cheeks. You attribute it to the chaha's steam, but you know that's a lie. When you look back up, they're wating for you. They wink, and you nearly drop your cup, making them stifle a giggle.

Kulfi date. It's a crowded lane and you cram into the little hole in the wall kulfi parlour that's been there since your parents were children, excited smiles on both your faces. You order laal peru and request them to sprinkle chilli powder on top. Your partner gives you a dramatic scandalized look that has you cracking up and orders a sitafal kulfi without the chilli, please and thank you. With a lot of whining and teasing and mischievous smiles, you finally get them to taste your kulfi, and it ends with them ordering it for themself. You lean back in your chair and grin smugly even as they roll their eyes.

Book thrifting. Hands held, you walk into your usual book shop, a smile lighting up your face at the familiar smell of mogra and yellowing pages that hangs in the little room. It's a tiny shop in the basement of a shady old plaza, but it always has the best second hand books. The idea is to buy a book you think the other will enjoy, and then discuss them when you are done reading them. You pick up Ruined by Paula Morris, because you remember the three M's that your date swears by: Magic, Murder and Mystery. This is a perfect blend of all three, and you rather think they'll enjoy it. When you meet them at the counter, they have Nashtaneer by Rabindranath Thakur in their hands. You both grin at each other.

Juna Bazaar is as crowded as always. You giggle as they grip your wrist and drag you from shop to shop, rambling about their lecture in college. The sonchafa that you had tucked behind their ear is still there, and it makes something warm settle in your heart. You keep your mind on the mission though: buy three of the most interesting things you see, and then explain why you think it is interesting. They gasp and snap up a beautiful crystal vial like a magpie. It turns out to be kajal, made the traditional way. "You have to!" they insist, "it'll look so good with your pretty eyes!" You turn red and accept the little wand, dragging it between your eyelids. When you're done, your partner stares at you with their lips parted. Just as you're about to wave in front of their eyes and ask if they're okay, they lean forward and steal a lightning-fast kiss. "Too darn pretty for your own good, you are."

Camp area date! You two take a whole day to just stroll through Camp, pulling each other into random shops and cafés, looking at everything and eating from restaurants and roadside stalls alike. Your partner drags you deep into a sketchy looking plaza, and you find a clothing shop that sells the most random fashion items. You go to an ittr and perfume store. You visit Pasteur Ice Cream, Cafe Peter, the chaat stalls near Clover Centre and the barbeque corn stalls a little ways from Kumar Plaza. At the end of the day, you go home and show each other all your purchases; they bought you a bejewelled purse that goes with that one pair of your heels and you squeal over it, you bought them a chandan attar because you remember them mentioning it being their favourite smell and they immediately rub it over their wrists with a bright smile.

The two of you are tucked into a little corner of the garden. Sitting on an old bedsheet with several lunchboxes filled with bhel, samosa, kaju katli, shrikhand, slices of mango and watermelon and a bunch of green grapes. Your phone plays a familiar tune— Ishq Wala Love, and you're mouthing the lyrics in the most dramatic style that you can, revelling in the laughter of your partner. There is a mogra cha gajra braided into your hair and three roses tucked behind their ear; your little gifts to each other. Their eyes gleam bright with mirth, lips curved upward into a wide grin, and you can't help but lean forward and press a soft kiss to their lips. This picnic date is the best idea you've had in a while, you think, and the late spring flowers in bloom are the perfect addition.

.

Tag list: @mad-who-ra @yehsahihai @natures-marvel @musaafir-hun-yaaron @hum-suffer @h0bg0blin-meat @orgasming-caterpillar @wyvrens @kanha-sakhi

[jimin-updates]

As reported by K-Media earlier today, Jimin’s fans have stepped up in a huge way to promote MUSE - all around the world!

Here are just some of the wonderful projects fans have created 😍

Billboards in Brazil:

Digital banners:

Instagram reels:

Cafe events:

Fan-printed posters going up in Peru:

And around the world:

Digital billboards:

Train station ads:

And tuktuks!

TikTok too:

Plus so many more billboards, bus stops, banners, digital street ads, and cafe events!

Instead of being defeated by a lack of proper promotion and preorder links, Jimin fans followed Jimin’s lead and made their own way. 💪🏻

Thank you, thank you, thank you to every person who made these wonderful promotions possible. 🩵💛💚

[manessha545]

Ollentaytambo, Perú's Sacred Valley, Peru: Ollantaytambo is the last stop on the Perú Rail line before the Machu Picchu station in Aguascalientes. It’s also a popular stopover for the many backpackers who pick up a connection to the last leg of the  Inca Trail just a few miles down the track. Those hikers not staying in any of the town’s hostels or lodges cluster around the wi-fi cafes, lounging on their packs and checking email on their iPhones.

[chicgeekgirl89]

Thanks to @strandnreyes and @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad for the tags!

From something new that I'm working on:

Carlos walks over and pats the side of T.K.’s thigh. “Move please,” he says mildly, waiting until T.K. shifts over enough that he can get into the drawer that’s hidden behind his legs.  He extracts the spoon he needs and then taps the space again indicating that T.K. can move back, which he does, still talking. “We had a pet frog in my class when I was in third grade. His name was Sir Henry. He died on the hundredth day of school.” At this T.K. looks a little glum. Then he perks up. “But my teacher got a hamster after that and we got to vote on a name. We picked Pikachu.” “Sounds fun.” “I wonder if hamsters have a symbiotic relationship with another animal,” T.K. says, picking his phone back up again. “Hm. Nope,” he says after a minute. “But, hamsters will eat their babies if you don’t separate them. Oh! Did you know that it’s illegal to own just one guinea pig in Switzerland? You have to have two because they’re social animals and they’ll get lonely. But then in Peru people eat them for special occasions. Isn’t that crazy how different those two countries are?” “Almost as crazy as spiders keeping frogs as pets.” “I wish I had a pet frog,” T.K. says. “Do you think Buttercup would eat it?” “I’ve seen Buttercup eat his own poop. Yes. I think he would eat a frog if he could catch it."

If you have no idea what's happening here, you and Carlos are in the same boat lol.

Tagging @lemonlyman-dotcom, @bonheur-cafe, @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut, @carlos-in-glasses, @carlos-tk, @ladytessa74, @liminalmemories21 and anyone else who would like to share!

[mscutino]

╰─ ✧*̥ 𝐌𝐂 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 爱

═════════════════════

╰─ ✧*̥ CH. 2 • Peru | Leon S. Kennedy

═════════════════════

CONDOR ONE

October 20, 2011

Berlin, Germany

══════════════

"Can't catch a break," Leon whispered to himself. He stared down at the message from Jill, letting him know she was in town and needed to talk. "Never can catch a break."

Leon pulled himself off the adorned street lamp, casting a long shadow across the brick ground. The plaza was empty. The lights were the only sign that people were once there. It felt warm, like a dream. His flight out would be in a few hours - early morning - but he had to come here at least once. Just to bathe in the normalcy a city plaza gave.

The restaurants and cafes had closed hours ago, but Leon walked slowly past them. His eyes filtering through the dark windows. His phone lightly buzzed, but he ignored it. Jill wouldn't be in town if it didn't mean a new assignment. An assignment the BSAA didn't want to deal with. Home was just a flight away, but he knew turning down a mission wasn't an option.

Leon plucked his phone back out of his pocket, swiping to see what else Jill had sent.

"I'll tell you the details tomorrow morning. Sorry, Leon. See you then."

══════════════

The sun was up in just a few hours, much to Leon's dismay. Moving swiftly through the thin crowd of people, he was back at the plaza, where Jill said she'd be.

"You're early," a voice cut through, accompanied by a hand on his shoulder. Leon didn't have to turn to recognize Jill's voice. "Come with me."

Leon was led to a pavement cafe, where chairs and tables were laid out across the plaza's center. The early morning sun beat down on them both.

"Here," Jill spoke first, placing a small folder in front of Leon labeled with the BSAA logo.

Leon huffed, "Good morning to you too. What's this?"

"Chris has been on my ass about this case. He wants me to hand this mission over to someone else. The BSAA is stretched thin, and they think we can't spare the resources for Chavez. Doesn't want to bother with it. Bigger fish to fry, I guess."

Bigger fish to fry?

Rolling his eyes, Leon fidgeted with the folder, opening it only slightly to see the contents inside.

"It's a case on Emilio Chavez, that one guy they keep complaining about on the news."

"Yeah," Leon sighed, "I'm familiar."

The D.S.O. has been trying to get rid of this guy for years at this point. Chavez was a corrupt politician and previous Umbrella patron. Nowadays, there's talk he funds bioweapon research for his own personal use.

"I thought we dealt with this guy years ago?"

"We never properly dealt with him; we just buried the problem under bigger ones." Jill squinted, shielding her face from the sun.

"And what do you want me to do about it?" Leon asked, frustration clear on his face and laced in his words.

"Assassinate him. Then you can go home."

Leon paused just to look pointedly back up at Jill. He dropped the file back on the table, "I'm not a hitman."

"I know," Jill grimaced at Leon's tone. She knew Leon well enough to know he would never agree to a flat out assassination. She waved towards the folder, "You'll find the information on your partner in there."

Looking back into the folder, Leon pulled out a paper plastered with your name and face. Everything he'd need to know, and only that.

"Not much on here. You sure this is even a real person?"

"Give me some credit; it was hard enough just to track her name down," Jill jokingly pleaded. "I've only talked to her once or twice. She's a catch."

"Sounds like you're setting me up on a date," Leon joked absentmindedly, scanning your file.

Jill ignored his statement, continuing, "She'll be doing the dirty work for you. She's the D.S.O.'s best sniper."

This fact piqued Leon's interest. No wonder he hadn't heard of you. You seemed to have a knack for going under the radar. A fact that rubbed Leon the wrong way.

He continued to skim through the short paragraphs, only stopping when he read the name of your F.O.S. agent.

"Hunnigan?" Leon sounded surprised. He hadn't talked to Hunnigan in months, and if he was being honest, his new partner wasn't half the agent that Hunnigan was. He missed the thoroughness only Hunnigan was capable of. "Small world."

"Y/N is already in Lima. You'll meet her there. I'm sure your F.O.S. agent will let you know."

Leon scoffed at her statement, leaning back in his chair. "I'll be surprised if she even knows how to turn her computer on."

"Then do yourself the favor and look through those files beforehand." Jill glanced sparingly at her watch before standing up from her seat.

Just before leaving Jill tapped the table, briefly catching Leon's attention one last time. "You should get some sleep. You look like you need it."

══════════════

Leon didn't get any sleep. He had been awake for over 24 hours by the time he arrived in Lima. The weather was warmer, and Leon welcomed it with open arms. It was comfortable enough to lull him to sleep.

He found himself in the middle of the town square, much like you just a few moments ago, staring up into the lights that adorned the city streets. They really could replace the stars.

"Condor One. She's arrived," spoke his F.O.S. agent, Harper. "Wouldn't want to give the wrong impression being late."

Leon sped up his pace without a word, opting to ignore whatever Harper was trying to relay to him. She really was just a half-ass excuse of an F.O.S. agent. She was a plethora of things, but 'good at her job' wasn't one of them. They'd only been paired up for a few months, yet she's managed to almost get him killed more times than Leon cared to count. Anything she could be saying now just fell on deaf ears.

He rounded a corner before being met with the cozy environment that was Cafe Central. Leon peered through the window briefly before landing on you. At least, who he hoped was you.

"She's here already, you said?" Leon asked his earpiece. Harper confirmed his question, yet it didn't ease his suspicions.

Your gaze was hardened and sharp. You seemed to be mumbling a few words under your breath. Maybe talking to Hunnigan, or maybe talking to yourself. Compared to the picture Jill provided, Leon, you were older. Your hair was longer. Your features were sharper. Your eyes were trained. A perfectly tailored product of war.

"Close enough," Leon sighed before walking through the doors of the cafe.

[valpoupdates]

AUGUST CALENDAR POSTING...

So much to see, so much to do, so little time ! Lucky for you, here in the Valparaíso Region, we keep track of it just for you ! Unless stated otherwise, these activities are optional. Residents do not have to take part in these if they don't wish to ! These can be used for threads throughout the month but new threads can't be started for these activities once the month is up. Please track the valpocalendar tag to stay updated month to month ( ©️ )

BUT FIRST ! A word from VALPOFM... Transmitting...

"Gotta be real, guys: being stuck in a tent at a snowstorm at El Carnaval De Invierno was not on my bingo card for July, and judging from the stats I'm looking at, I don't think very many of our listeners had a great month either. While we were all pleased to hear the newest tracks from both my sister Luna Dominguez-Herrera and great friend and ValpoFM co-host Tobias North, produced by the brilliantly talented Spencer Westin, some of you chose instead to listen to… a Nancy Drew audiobook ? Mountain lion growling noises ? Oi guëy, whatever. I'm Sebastián Herrera and this is the ValpoFM July 2024 playlist, made by residents- but listen: if you like real music, stay tuned later this month for a special session hosted by Salem West, because her new album drops soon. "

Casablanca Activities

August 1-30 : It’s not agosto, it’s aGATO!  This month, El Café de los Gatos is hosting a special adoptions in August event.  Every weekend, the cafe will be featuring different cats for adoption: staff will have poster boards made for each cat; they’lll be featured on staff’s social media; and the adoption fees will be discounted for those specific cats for the weekend.  Even if you don’t adopt, come spend an afternoon with some baked goods, sweet coffee, and feline friends.  We promise it’ll be a purrfect time!

August 3 : Inesperado celebrates International Blues Music Day with a live performance and a special dinner menu inspired by cuisine from the southern USA ( with a Chilean twist ! ). The special dinner and live performance will be from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM.  Tickets will cover the seat and the 13-course meal—and they’re going fast, so reserve your table now!

August 6 : Chile and Peru will be coming together for this year’s Global Grape Convention held at Isidora’s!  Major retailers and prominent organizations will be hosting conferences and open dialogue to discuss critical industry issues, provide the latest market information, and offer innovative solutions and strategic insights for sector opportunities.  The convention takes place from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, with an after-ceremony cocktail event from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM held at Agustín’s Jazz Lounge, and food catered by guest chef and famed Argentinian chef, Julieta Sáenz.

August 20 : Buen día, ¡Valparaíso!  Tune in at 9:00 AM today for a very special interview that you won’t wanna miss.  ValpoFM has quite a guest for you!  She’s beauty; she’s grace; she’s a star finding her place!  She’s Valpo’s very own Salem West ( @cybermuses ) and she’s here to talk to the ValpoFM AM hosts about her upcoming album, Moment! Pitchfork describes it as “a rare species of pop-soul that evokes a real sense of spiritual uplift.”  This album tells us we’re meant for more: we’re not just succeeding, we’re made for better things—and we’re excited to ask Salem what better things she has in mind.

August 31 : For Every Season sends their warmest regards and most sincere apologies to all those caught in the sudden and freak snowstorm back in July.  As the winter season comes to an end, the amusement park would like to extend a special invite to those trapped during that time ( and a discounted rate to the rest of the public ) for the last winter day of the season.  For Every Season welcomes you back with open arms; come back and make some snow angels!  Come back and make better memories!

Quilpué Activities

August 1 : It’s International Mahjong Day, and the Plaza de Sol invites all mahjong players, beginners and veterans alike, to their food court turned mahjong court!  From 11 AM - 5 PM, if you think you’ve got what it takes, come grab a seat and test your luck and skills!  If you’ve always wanted to play, now’s the time to learn, as there are several beginner tables with a knowledgeable player, ready to teach you the ropes.  If you’re just feeling peckish and wanting brunch and a show, come do a little bit of shopping, grab a meal from the 40+ food court vendors, and watch mahjong players do what they do best. Peace, love, and good luck to all!

August 15 : Los Fantasmas has scary stories, drinks, and ( potential ) ghosts—but you know what else they have?  A roller derby champion!  Los Fantasmas’ very own Poet Hawley ( @wishingbcnes ) leads the Los Fantasmas team in their very first roller derby competition!  The competition will take place from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM.  Tickets to compete and watch will go towards a charity of the winner’s choosing; winners also will receive free drinks at the most haunted bar in Valpo ( it is not transferable to other people; staff members retain the right to cut off drinks per their discretion ).  Do you think you have what it takes to win?  Are you going to be the jammer, or are you going to get jammed?  

August 19 : Cosmic Connections wants you to know that not only is this moon a full moon, but it’s a supermoon!  This is the ideal cosmic time to practice manifestation and invite positive change.  Intentions, goals, prayers, and wishes are more likely heard and supported by unforeseen forces during this time.  If you were ever to wish upon a star, you should make it during a supermoon—even better, make it with the professional, spiritual, and expert guidance of those at Cosmic Connections!

August 27 : You’ve heard of Taco Tuesday, but what about Tobacco Tuesday?  If you haven’t, swing through to Puro Chile and they can tell you all about it!  While you’re there, why don’t you take advantage of their Tobacco Tuesday sale?  Special discounted rates on stock as they’re trying to clear out for the season, a nice little BOGO, and some special strains you can’t find anywhere else except in the Jewel of the Pacific.

Valparaíso Activities

August 17 : Pequeños Eruditos will be celebrating Black Cat Appreciation Day by decking out the entire place with cat-themed decor and paraphernalia.  The children will learn all about cats ( from big ones to small ones! ), and there will be a fun photoshoot at the end of the day where kids can wear different colored cat ears.  Gift bags containing photos from the photoshoot, a cat plushie, building blocks, and a kids’ book ( La suerte de ser un gato negro ) will be given to each child. 

August 18-24 : Calling all ( amateur & local ) photographers!  Casaplan is hosting a photography competition, specifically for the beginner, the amateur, and the lover of photography.  The title and theme of the competition is A Mis Ojos: Paraíso.  For the entire week, submissions will be open to all Valpo Region photographers.  All entries will be judged and selected by a panel of expert photographers, and all selected photographs will be featured in next month’s public exhibit.  Send up to three ( 3 ) photographs to casaplan.submissions@gmail.cl.  ¡Buena suerte!

August 29-30 : Valpo Universidad presents TED Talk x Valpo, a yearly conference where students from all over Chile ( and some neighboring countries ) as well as a variety of organizations come together to exchange ideas on education, technology, business, and creativity.  This year’s speakers and topics range from quantum computers to the musicality in sign language to folklore—as Valpo's very own Luna Dominguez-Herrera ( @divinctions ) will be presenting their research and thesis: “The Earth’s Unseen Powers: Seasonal Pagan Ritual Magic in Popular and Unpopular Culture.”  From 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, come support your colleagues; come watch the next generation of academics, scientists, and creatives; come and learn about the world around you and the people most excited to teach you about it!  ( Snacks, appetizers, and beverages will be provided by the culinary department. )

August 31 : Ilustraverde is working with the Writer’s Org to make sure your manuscript is in tip-top shape.  From 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, several Ilustraverde Editors will be there to give a presentation on manuscript, writing, and submission tips; there will also be time carved out for a workshop with your fellow writers and with the editors; and lastly, there will be time to network while eating lunch provided by the culinary students of Valpo Universidad. 

Viña del Mar Activities

August 6 : Nido de Nomadas invites its hostel guests to a special community cookout!  From 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM, the hostel staff will be cooking caldillo de congrio, a delicious seafood concoction served in a bowl, and baking bread from scratch ( fun fact : caldillo de congrio was a Pablo Neruda favorite ! ).  Hostel staff encourage participation from their guests, but if cooking or baking isn’t your thing, you can still spend time with your fellow wanderers as board games will be provided— and, if you’re not a hostel guest, have no fear!  This event is open to the public, as tours of the facility will also be offered to prospective guests ( or to hostel guests and their friends ) all day.

August 23 : If you’ve got nowhere to be at 8:00 PM, come on down to 12 Pulgadas as Un Breve Concierto is being live-streamed!  You can’t make it in, but you can peek inside from the windows—and who’s the talent?  Why, none other than Valpo’s very own Salem West ( @cybermuses ), whose new album Moment is set to hit the shelves, digitally and physically.  Critics are already raving about her musical genius, writing that she “excels at striking a tone that’s classic, sexy, and understated . . . under a veneer of fantasy and metaphor, like how it still counts . . . as a dress even if it’s mesh.”  You heard it here first, folks, so cancel those 8:00 PM plans and come watch un breve concierto!

August 25 : Just because it’s winter time doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the local park!  Jardín Botánico invites you to spend a Sunday exploring the 370 acre national botanical garden with 2 clubs of your choice: The Bird Watching Club ( at 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM ) and The Foodies ( at 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM ).  There are a variety of birds that thrive in the Chilean winter, and the Bird Watching Club has put together a little bingo card to help you out.  Whoever gets a BINGO will receive 4 tickets to go to the Quilpué Zoo.  The Foodies will be working with a famous forager ( known for their informative and fun foraging TikToks ) to show members how to identify edible and poisonous plants, how to sustainably gather local plants, and how to prepare them.  The Foodies will be grilling for lunch, and all foraged foods will be part of the meal.  If neither of those clubs interesting you, maybe you’ll be excited to know that the Combi Coffee Stand is debuting two new drinks: La Avalancha, a sweet caffeinated concoction that’ll warm you right up, and The Snowman, a hot chocolate drink that mixes 3 high quality chocolates.

[lantur]

updates from day two of Kyoto,

Waking up super early in the morning (~5:50 AM) came in clutch. Kyoto in the early morning with rain and very few people around is very atmospheric. I explored Kiyomizu-dera temple and the historic streets of Ninnenzaka and Sannenzaka before 8 AM, and had breakfast at a cute little cafe. It was comforting to be somewhere bright and warm after a dark, grey early morning exploration.

I normally don't eat breakfast at home. I wake up, have tea, and rush right off to the gym before work starts. It's been really nice to treat myself to breakfasts on several of these vacation days.

I spent most of yesterday exploring Arashiyama, a region in western Kyoto. Something that took me by surprise was how much the landscape resembled Washington state. It was mountainous, forested, and mossy. The resemblance stood out even more in the rain.

Good things:

Intense green moss at Gio-ji temple, and having the small temple completely to myself.

Birds singing and calling to each other everywhere in the forest, and the sound of rain pattering on my umbrella and flowing down spouts and dripping off statues and leaves. I never realized how few birds I hear in my everyday life until I traveled to Peru and here.

The eeriness and fascination of the Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple, with its 1200 stone Buddhas peering at me as rain dripped off them.

The completely empty walk in the rain through a side street to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji temple, the rain soaking the 8,000 statues there dedicated to deceased souls.

Another empty bamboo forest at Daikaku-ji temple, and seeing the grove of cherry blossoms there just starting to bloom. It was so beautiful and special to be there alone.

I loved that so much of Arashiyama felt intensely isolated. There were hours where I felt like the only person wandering around the area. It was only in the late afternoon that I started to see other tourists again.

Challenges:

Walking around in the rain for ~seven hours was uncomfortable, because I got cold and wet even with my umbrella and was walking around in wet socks and shoes for almost the entire time :(( which was a very gross sensation. The silver lining was that the rainy vibes were impeccable.

Successes:

I went to a public bathhouse yesterday evening! It was delightful to be able to warm up in the hot baths and the sauna after being out in the cold. I'm also very proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new. Past me would never have been able to do this. I think all the swimming I've done over the past couple years and changing in and out of my swimsuit in the locker room with other people around has helped a lot. :) Dinner out after the bathhouse was giant grilled shrimp and scallops, and it was so good.

[realbeeing]

some reflections from a time past

for several months during the pandemic i was literally doing nothing. like no career, hardly seeing other people, just straight up flaneur type idleness. i was living in Peru for most of 2020 (and years prior as well). we were stranded there because they shut down all the airports. before the news broke we had already wanted to leave, but now we were stuck there. there was nothing to do. i had some freelance writing work i would do online, but i had no job in Peru except occasional volunteering to teach kids art, but of course that had to be halted. i also gradually stopped responding to writing assignments for some reason. i was listless. and now we couldn't move freely around, we couldn't get a mototaxi into town, we couldn't go to a cafe and meet up with the few friends we had. we lived several miles from the main town, and probably 1 or 2 miles from a tiny village with like 2 stores that sold only laundry detergent and chips and fruit. we lived up on a mountain. every day i would check facebook groups to see if maybe the borders would reopen. i was trying to scheme all sorts of ways to get out and back to NY, maybe rent a car and drive all the way back. problem is there is no way of passing between South and Central America by road. then i fantasized about taking a random bus to some other Peruvian city. just to get out of this valley, i literally felt like i was caged by mountains. maybe the jungle could be nice, maybe down south in the plains. but in reality i was already in one of the more touristy centers of Peru, why would i go somewhere even more remote and lacking in Western comforts. which we had very little of already. not comforts like sushi restaurants and nail salons, more like good drinking water and health clinics. i did crave real cheese and trader joes chocolate peanut butter cups, but that was obviously out of the question.

the Peruvian government allowed one day for shopping a week and for some reason men had to be separated from women. so i had to walk all the way into town (a few miles each way) by myself. it was something to do at least. when you reached the market, a security guard made you spin around as they sprayed you with something, maybe bleach? a mode of disinfecting i suppose. they had a list of all the foreigners' names and kept track of when we would leave and go into town. i had to load up my bags with as much stuff as i could carry back, resting many times along the way. it was so eerily quiet everywhere.

anyway i had an idea i would write a book. so every day after breakfast i would climb up the steep mountainside behind our house, which had corn fields that belonged to someone who never seemed to come around. i'd just hunker down there with a huge bag of coca leaves which i was addicted to at this point, but didnt realize it. i actually didnt know for a time that coca was the basis for cocaine. i just thought they were nice leaves. i would chew coca with llipta and write manically in my notebook. eventually it did get typed up into a word doc but when i read it back i'm not sure it makes much sense. it was a strange time. i was in between worlds. i had already left the peruvian ayahuasca cult i'd been in for 2 years, and now lived on my own with my partner. but i had no idea what was next. i was so resistant to go back to the "real world" which i saw as oppressive and fake. i didnt know what i wanted to do or who i wanted to be. besides the fact that i wanted to be a rebel or free spirit. but i didn't feel that free, i had no money and no future vision and was scraping by on a flimsy ideal. rent was only like $400 which was great. we had spent months getting legal residence and were now able to live in the country, potentially forever if we wanted to. but i didn't want to anymore, even after all that effort, and i felt despondent. my digestive system had never fully adjusted to a third world country. my lungs struggled with the altitude. my partner and i were sick a lot. we still lived down the road from the cult. it had been a baby step in the right direction to get our own place but i needed a drastic change. i needed to escape out of this country, but couldn't. and even if i could, i had no idea what to do.

so instead i would wander through the mountains for hours, the winding dirt roads which seemed to keep going up and up into the beautiful clouds, passing the Mamitas who were carrying their verduras in a blanket on their backs or kids playing in the dusty chacras. our two dogs, who we had found on these same roads, would always follow along and sometimes other neighborhood dogs would join us, sometimes i was strolling with 8 dogs by my side. and when i was done and tired, i would just lay in any grassy patch i could find in the dry terrain and pull tarot cards over and over and write down the messages and smoke this potent Bolivian tobacco mix with calendula in it and scribble about art and philosophy until my hand went numb, with thick wads of leaves in my cheek. i never had a cavity before living in Peru and after i think i had to get like 6 filled.

when they opened up the airports again we immediately booked whatever ticket we could, which was to Panama, and then got a connecting flight there. we had to stay in Lima our last few days and i chewed my last few leaves in the hotel but i was already sick of it. i happily threw the rest to the wind, on a foggy rocky beach. with time to kill in Lima we got to see some old pyramids and i learned that it almost never rains there. the restaurants in Lima were the first ones where i saw QR codes on menus. that was so weird to me. we had arranged a convoluted travel itinerary for our dogs. i gained like 10 pounds immediately after getting back to America, it was like making up for lost time through ravioli. eventually i did figure out what to do, well that's kind of a lie, but thank God i don't feel listless like that anymore, trapped between worlds, i mostly feel in the flow of my commitments, with not enough time to get too existential about any of it

[krowspiracyanon]

I’ve picked on Krow enough, someone else gets a turn now. So for Halloween you get a short story with two villains. You get a taste of Horror Krow. You also get little sneak peeks at one of my OC Doves prior to a future reveal. (I joke about ‘Dumbve' but there are actual sympathetic reasons for their naivety.)

Basically this is exploring an old ‘what if’ scenario, some cool headcanons I have about Krow’s house (without being too spoilery) and figuring out how hard I can play a bunch of people with existing tensions off each other with one inciting incident.

Please excuse this being a bit rough as I really rushed to finish before October 31st.

My OC is written into the role of Dove. But the nickname/concept of a 'Dove', Gabby, Eliyah, Krow, Naila and LT all belong to @thekrows-nest/@winndycakes.

Content warnings: Stalking, kidnapping, mild gaslighting, implied murder/potential character death, possibly implied serial killing, creepiness, yandere behaviour played for horror, workplace and mild sexual harassment, one brief racial microaggression, physical intimidation, violence, head injuries.

Brief descriptions of injury, someone being in strong pain, implied PTSD flashbacks or panic attacks, implied coma, implied organ harvesting, unhinged behaviour. Also slight misgendering. (Despite the button Eliyah and Gabby may not be aware Krow is NB.)

This was specifically written to contain nothing graphic. There is no sexual assault, no threatened sexual assault, no drugging, no animal death or cruelty, and no gore.

"Double Shot"

The late October sun slants through the windows of the small independent cafe, golden like the patchwork leaves outside. Dove and Gabby are working the same shift as usual.

Eliyah is also hovering. As usual. He's waiting on a pourover coffee, leaning on the end of the counter and talking to Gabby’s back while she ignores him and lines up other orders. 

The five minutes for the hot water to drip through the fine grind is achingly slow and the background noise is insufferable.

‘This is the smoothest way to have it you know, other than drip coffee. I was first introduced to it while photographing in Peru.” He humblebrags. "This way it’s strong and full bodied.” An unwise idea seems to dimly strike his brain. “And time brings out a hint of sweetness under the bitterness….” 

To this Gabby remains stubbornly silent with her entire back.

Eliyah is emboldened and his eyes slide over the side of her face. "The only thing missing is the crema. That’s got a fantastic mouthfeel to it and… uh... it’s a creamy tan."

Gabbys face and shoulders grow rigid when he alludes to her skin tone. “Shut up asshole.” She grits. "I don’t want to hear it."

“I was just talking about coffee dear!” He whines, wounded. "I still don’t understand why you just don’t like me. I thought you’d let go of our little spat. It was years ago."

Gabby knows the line for what she can get away with and keep her job but after an earlier incident she’s on a shorter leash this week. Plus both she and Dove need the tips. 

She wishes that that interminable damned coffee could be served more quickly while it was still scalding. It was going to be handed to him so abruptly it slopped onto his shitty cashmere turtleneck or his punchable face.

---

Krow is outside peering surreptitiously at Eliyah’s van, casually giving the windows a polish when a few people pass by. They then confidently enter and make a beeline for Dove. 

Eliyah is immediately on edge. “Hey! Don’t touch what isn’t yours!” Adding sullenly ’That van’s just been washed.’

‘A b-bird pooped on it, which can smear the windscreen or eat at the paint. G-genius. But then you don’t know that. You’ve never had to worry about your own cleaning.'

“And if you keep your grubby hands to yourself I won’t have to."

Gabby smirks sidelong as she preps the drinks, enjoying their agitation in spite of herself. God, the only consolation for having both of these shitbirds here at the same time was watching them fight. 

She catches Eliyah watching her smile and coldly turns away.

Krow suppresses the enraged rush of blood to their head in an effort to stay smooth. However they soon relax a bit and glow while ordering their favourite from gentle Dove. 

“I-it's glorious outside. H-how has today been Dove?” Krow stays casual, sticking to small talk and detailing their plans for the lovely day. Debating internally whether it’s still too early to ask if Dove has any of their own plans for after the shift...

Unfortunately Gabby was good. Much faster than chatty Dove who was new and more suited to front of house. 

Gabby had begun grinding and tamping as soon as she felt Krow darken the door, got to pulling the shots and steaming the milk as soon as he started to make small talk after ordering, and a few practiced flicks of her good wrist made short work of the syrups. 

Her flat loud voice cuts across their conversation in no time. "Regular and white mocha blend?”

Krow hides their chagrin. This was their expensive weekly treat that was painstakingly budgeted for and their precious day off… they had hoped for just a little more time to bask in Dove’s friendliness. There still was hanging around to sketch while savouring their mocha but they wouldn’t be able to chat at the counter again for a few more days without looking pushy. Gabby’s perceptive foxlike face is smug.

No matter. A certain someone had been smiling, was always looking coyly down while Krow bantered, and sometimes winkingly gave them an extra pump of syrup or free shot ‘for making it so slow'. Krow still felt the tingle where their hands had brushed in passing the drink over. 

Even better the cute barista been chuckling and expressing envy when Krow talked about birdwatching and sketching in the sunny park later! Maybe after a few more chats they could suggest coming along... Things were looking up for the lucky artist. They could be patient for a little bit.

Krow's mouth and chest are warm, filled with sweetness.

Then their expression flattens and Gabby’s smug smile drops too. Both of them watch in horror as Dove hands Eliyah his damned pourover and they hear him shoot his shot. 

Krow stops tasting their drink and their chest turns hollow. Gabby’s stomach drops and she tastes bile.

Dove chews at their lip, muddling on it. "I don’t know… I don’t date customers.” They are looking at their feet, not seeing Gabby’s appalled ‘cut’ gesture and Krow shaking his head.

“It’s just to get to know each other a little and enjoy the scenery. Think of the experience! You could try out some of my equipment for a portfolio! It’s so hard to get started in bigger cities like Columbidae."

“I… I guess?” Dove thought hopefully of the opportunities. 

They hadn’t been able to bring themselves to tell Gabby about their living situation much less ask to couch surf. Shrewd Gabby would never have found herself in such a precarious situation. And they didn’t yet have any friends beside her in the city.

“It’s not a big deal. It’s in the afternoon. And how can you have an opinion until you’ve even spoken to me? Just get to know me dear.” 

They really needed the money any side hustle could bring... this guy with his soft hands and bland expensive clothes seemed nonthreatening. He seemed like a nice guy that was trying to help a new arrival out? It was in public. And it wasn’t like it was a date...

The date is set.

A sickly green glow beams out unnoticed as everyone absorbs what just happened.

---

Eliyah and Dove take his work van to a remote park with ‘unspoiled beauty'. Eliyah is buoyant and a little too chatty, full of facts that nobody asked for.

Dove laughs along nervously and looks out of the window. Unease fills their stomach at just how far the drive is but they let it pass as the van pulls up to the park. It’s a fairly large park with a concrete path, benches, and open grass areas ringed by trees and shrubs. The changing leaves are variegated fire.

Eliyah opens the van door and begins rummaging through his equipment, explaining a special lense.

Then after shooting for a while. “Your friend doesn’t like me much, does she?”

“Oh. Gabby’s just like that.”

Gabby in fact seems to dislike Eliyah more actively than she usually dislikes others. Even Krow, which is surprising. She hates him. But Dove hasn’t pressed her about it. They don’t understand Eliyah’s constant references to the past because they can’t imagine the two ever having been friends.

“Has she ever said anything to you?” Bringing the camera over, his eyes probe for Dove’s own although they keep sliding away. He’s standing a bit close. Dove shrugs uneasily, going nonverbal.

He steps closer and persists. “Really I’d rather let bygones be bygones. I just don’t understand why she won’t give me another chance. You two are thick as thieves, perhaps you can tell me why. You could put in a good word for me right? Dove! Just answer me! I deserve another chance don’t I?"

Eliyah is getting angry now, leaning towards Dove to force them to look at him, and there’s a sharp edge on his breath. Dove doesn’t like strong eye contact. Dove doesn’t like people being so close to their face. Their heart is fluttering like a frightened bird and their breath is short. They step back. And back. And fall.

---

A “birdwatching" Krow suddenly drops his binoculars and pounds through the grass to his scooter, cursing the discreet distance.

---

Gabby is much closer. She erupts immediately from the treeline making it to Dove in seconds.

Eliyah shows nothing but startled glee. “Gabby… you came looking for me! You care!”

“Fuck off you prick! What did you do to Dove?!”

"You have forgiven me. You just saw me chatting to your friend and were too prideful to admit you were jealous.”

“What - ?”

“It was a misunderstanding. This is just the push you needed."

“Shut up shut SHUTUP - ” Gabby is alternating between yelling hoarsely at Eliyah and frantically pushing him off Dove while he tries to get them up. It’s chaos.

The scooter roars into the middle of them deafening them both. It skids sideways sending Gabby sprawling back as Krow jumps free and flails heavy sickening thumps onto Eliyah’s head and chest. Krow flicks out a gleaming knife in rage but stops at the suddenly registered sounds.

Dove is in a bad way. Their skin is damp with a grey undertone. they are retching and incoherently moaning as their body is jerked by Gabby’s lifting.

Gabby tries harder to pull her friend into the van but her bad hand keeps releasing its sweaty grip, her ankle twisted when she tripped over Dove and she is losing precious time in haste. 

Too slow. There’s no time now to haul ass into the van and floor it. Dove is dead weight. Now Gabby can’t and won’t run. 

Krow is sprinting over to to scoop Dove up. Gabby panics and starts lashing out with her cat ear keychain to defend her friend. Krow restrains her before she can reach her mace and he’s a lot stronger than he looks. The inexorable grip on her wrists hurts but is anchoring.

Krow speaks firmly. “G-gabrielle. Stop. STOP. Just let me help Dove, w-we need to get them out of here. N-now."

Gabby would rather be anywhere else in the world right now. She’d rather trust a snake. This always indefinably creepy guy has gone fully nuts with freaky glowing eyes like a cat - he even smells inhuman up close, generically clean like disinfectant in a hospital. A hospital! 

But her bike won’t carry them both… not with Dove’s injuries and Gabby’s ankle. Not over that distance. And not if this crazy asshole flips out and won’t let them leave. He’s gotta be taking them to a hospital though. Short Fry obviously cares about Dove’s state and they need to be seen.

There’s a shrieking and stuttering argument about who drives but Krow is persuasive and time is racing. Gabby doesn’t want to leave Dove alone with the creepy shitbirds in the back so she finally gives up and steps in. 

Krow gets both the baristas settled, Gabby supporting Dove. The limp Eliyah is then dumped facedown on the floor, Krow flinging the photographer's own heavy camera contemptuously after him onto the back of his head. Their own scooter and Gabby’s now bent bike are strapped on the roof. Childlock is immediately deployed and the van is efficiently pulling away.

---

Gabby rests. The afternoon light is almost gone and begins to cool into evening quickly. The adrenaline is wearing off into grey exhaustion and everything hurts.

The window tint is dark. Darker than should be legal. And there are curtains. Why is it taking so long to get to the hospital? Gabby suddenly freezes.

She scrambles to see with her sputtering lighter, spilling a folder of photos featuring nude tan women with long dark hair. Short ass son-of-a-bitch. Has he used the child lock? What is with this van? She leans sideways trying to twitch a curtain to gauge direction or see landmarks. A muscle is cramping in her side and a bead of sweat is sliding down from her underarm despite the chill. The inner latch isn’t where it’s supposed to be. The handle… WHERE IS THE HANDLE? 

The enclosed darkness is all too familiar. Gabby can’t move. She’s being touched, and there’s the weight of someone elses body on her. There’s no way out. The ride to Krow’s home is eternity. Dove is heavy and weakly moaning on her lap. Eliyah is silent on the floor. Gabby is pinned and hyperventilating, lost in her own scalding churning memories.

---

Eliyah is dimly aware of a garage or warehouse door locking audibly behind them. He is semi conscious and re-experiences a childhood memory of being carried half asleep from the car. 

But he must still be dreaming. He is being dragged though a surreal space, part abandoned ruin and part paradise. 

Colourful birds flit through wooden beams, forests and nymphs swirl kaleidoscopically past incongruent ’trees’ of exposed timber posts. It’s all unnaturally bright and blurry too. Dazzling to his delirious blown eyes. Overwhelmed, Eliyah lapses fully into unconsciousness. It’s the last thing he sees.

---

Krow walks back past the lovingly painted murals that cover the rough extensively repaired walls with beauty and distract from the renovations in progress. They are still elated from carrying a pale insensible Dove bridal style into their home.

Black market medical attention has already been called for and Dove is going to be just fine. They are going to be so cared for when they wake up. Giddy at the thought of nursing them back to health, Krow fidgets. Please Dove. Just open your eyes!

They practically float past one of their favourite scenes. Maybe with the money Krow and songbird will take a beautiful trip to their ancestral India. Visiting those carefully sketched temple interiors for real, seeing the flashy peafowl, and intimately sharing the juices from those vibrant painted mangoes. They salivate.

Sigh. Back to reality for the moment. 

On opening the bolted door Gabby scrambles like a cornered animal in a sudden rattle of shackles. 

After the initial recklessness for Dove’s sake, the penny had dropped quickly for the smart woman. She had needed to be wrangled into this second location and even with plenty of time to tire herself out or calm down her distress and hatred was immeasurable. She just wouldn’t stop fighting. Screaming for help. Refusing to eat anything not sealed. Shutting down in terror.

Dove could use a friend to watch over them for now while Krow worked... but Gabby was devilishly clever in escape attempts and they hoped she would quickly become unnecessary. 

They relock the door and leave her alone. Soon it would just be the lucky two alone together. The couple. 

Now to check on the other distraction. 

Striding on to a different area, Krow doesn’t even glance at 'The Black Paintings' in the corner. They don’t want to dwell on that phase of their life. That’s all over with now.

Then they float past a rendition of the Trevi fountain, fondly imagining a holiday in Rome with Dove. Their perfect smooth hands holding Krow tightly from behind on a Vespa. Licking gelato. Together at the fountain, sitting so close. 

Finally there it is, that clever mural that camouflages an imperceptible join in the painted wallpaper. The elaborate swirls of the leafy ferns, round bird nests and curved sweeping wings boggle the eye, visually breaking up any clean straight lines underneath and giving the illusion that the papered wall underneath is solid. 

The eyestrain of extra ultraviolet style colours and patterns (as they would look to birds) also ensures that nobody could look that closely for too long.

Krow runs the back of their pocket knife along to find the join and awkwardly wrests open the heavy door.

Their low warm voice is still humming ‘Il Dolce Suono’ on descending the stairs into the secret room. The air is icy and reeks of bleach. 

A humming generator is hooked up to a fridge-freezer and the sturdy work boots clomp over the damp concrete floor - Krow even stumbles slightly as they accidentally kick a portable cooler but Eliyah still doesn’t stir. His slumped form is tied to a chair on an iv and the windowless room obscures most of his lower body in shadows.

Krow clicks a mini torch into Eliyah’s eyes. He is breathing but the pupils remain fixed at 4mm and there is no reaction to the light. There’s no hurry. There is a little time to call around for the right price.

Satisfied, Krow does call off work planning to sweep the disturbance at the park and retrieve their binoculars.

They exit and slide the concealed soundproof door firmly shut.

Krow makes their way over to the most special place now and admires the very specific single themed mural covering the entire room. 

Painted from ceiling to floor is an exact replica of the cafe where Dove worked. Where they first met.

Everything has happened unexpectedly quickly, but they can take a little more time to finish painting and setting up for their sleeping songbird. They want to make some changes to commemorate a very special day.

Soft hazy eyes glowing green, a flustered giggling Krow adds radiant sunbeams with the slanting warmth recalling the russet leaves they remarked on.  Perfectly preserving the memory of that late October.

Once it’s finished and Dove is safely in their cage Krow will get to relive their early courtship every single day, forever! And once they wake up... so can Dove.

.…

Optional ending:

LT wakes from this nightmare. Between experiences Gabby has shared, his own intuition and what he’s fought in his life Gabby’s paranoia and nightmares are rubbing off on him. He's also been having such vivid dreams since meeting Naila.

He goes over the dream, trying to slow his heartbeat as he sips at a glass of water. 

How could it be he wasn’t there for Gabby? Why would such a careful person have charged alone into danger? There are answers. (Her intense loyalty, her fear that her own experiences would happen to Dove, possibly a feeling that - as a man or because many people have not believed Gabby - LT might think she was overreacting.) 

Back in bed they cuddle and talk. He believes her about the intense weird energy of the short artist, the way the slimy photographer just won’t back off from her workplace. 

They talk about safety as a team.

[peru-perusals]

Day 19 - Miami Layover

Photo by Holly

We landed in Miami at an ungodly hour of the morning but by the time we made it out of the airport, it was a much more reasonable time!

Photo by Holly

We took bus down to the Playa cafe, across the street from the Eggstaurant we had been to on our first Miami layover.

Photo by Holly

I got an excellent Cuban sandwich and pondered @b1g-cheese's post about Karen Gillan filming a movie at George Fox.

Photo by Holly

Bernadette wanted to go to mass and more people kept tagging along until all of the students went to mass at St. Patrick's and Holly went out to the beach.

Photo by Alyssa

The mass was incredible, they had a full orchestra and choir in the loft, which just rung through the entire church. I was glad to have sung Mozart's Mass in C in choir this past semester so I knew what they were singing about in Latin. When mass got out, we had a half hour before we had planned to meet up with Holly so we sat in the shade beneath this lighthouse sculpture.

Photo by Haley

We went from there to a crab place renounced for their key lime pie. They gave us a full can of whipped cream that we used excessively.

Photo by Alyssa

We headed out to the beach and headed into the waves! We played a thrilling game of wavelength while we bobbed about. I was remarkably bad at that game, guessing 8 when the actual number was 5.

Photo by Holly

Photo by Alyssa

This is where the story gets much less fun. If you want to skip that, please pretend that we picked up lunch from Trader Joe's and spent the rest of our time in Miami at the botanical garden, before taking the bus back to the airport as planned and boarding our flight back to Portland and all living happily ever after. Thanks for reading my blog and following along as I perused Peru!

But here's what actually happened. We got out of the water and set off towards the botanical garden. As we walked through the park, I rapidly grew weak and collapsed to the ground in a relatively controlled manner. The group had continued walking, so I texted them and tried a group call. I was hyperventilating and losing fine motor control, so I used Siri to call a number of members of the group individually, but nobody picked up. I was entirely paralyzed by this point and I dropped my phone into the grass. I thought I saw a dinosaur over me, but it turned out to be an iguana hanging out in the tree. Apparently they had stopped at the bathroom nearby to change out of their swimsuits. My memory is a little hazy, but someone noticed me and they started attending to me. Claire, who is studying to do sports medicine, raised my feet and started walking me through exercises of trying to close my fist and lift my limbs. I wasn't able to do either of those things at first. Bernadette filled my water bottle repeatedly. Someone put cool towels on my chest. Holly called 911 and shortly thereafter paramedics arrived to check my vitals, which were all good. An ambulance arrived too, but they called it off. They said this was pretty normal for the weather, especially since we weren't used to it. I was their fifth call like this of the day. One of the tests they ran hurt a lot; they connected me to what looked like a boombox and it felt like all of my muscles were being activated at the same time. Remind me not to get electrocuted. While I lay on the ground, Holly went to the store to get ice packs and popsicles. By the time she returned, I had regained much muscle function and we walked to the bus station. On the bus, I noticed that the weather had a excessive heat warning for 106-110 in Miami Beach. Missed that. We rode back to the bus station, which had a place for dolphins to park. How accommodating!

I changed out of my swimsuit and we took the tram back to the airport. I was getting weaker as we waited in line for TSA for a few hours, so I sat down and scooted myself along the ground until we got to the front, where I did my best to act like a fully functioning human being as I went through security. They fell for my ruse, but I fell to the ground shortly after we got through. I had cold feverish chills emanating from my spine and rippling through my body, which was fairly concerning to Holly, who called 911 for the second time. Paramedics arrived and ran a series of tests, but luckily not the excruciatingly painful one. Once again my vitals were fine, and encouraged me to get food and liquids in my system. I lay on the ground while Holly tried to hail one of the accessibility golf carts to take me to our gate, halfway across the airport. A while later, she succeeded. Unfortunately, I lost my key lime pie on the way over. I cleaned up and we rode the rest of the way. We arrived at the gate and reconvened with the rest of the group but our fight had moved to another gate. I thought I was feeling strong enough to walk there, but after a few hundred feet, I needed to sit down again and we hailed a cart to take us to the new gate.

We sat and waited for the flight but I wasn't feeling well enough to board. The rest of the group boarded but Holly stayed behind with me. I fell asleep on the floor at the gate while Holly stood in the line for hours to rebook us for a flight the following day. When I woke up, I hailed another accessibility cart to take me as far as the airport hotel where Holly had booked us a room. The line snaked around the room, so I parked myself on the floor, slowly scooting me and my luggage forward as we moved. Holly arrived about midnight, just as I got to the front of the line. She had booked through some sort of 3rd party and they only sent over one confirmation code which the hotel computers read as there being one room. She had to call the 3rd party but the hotel's phone lines were down so they couldn't receive confirmation by phone. While she got this sorted out, I fell asleep, slumped over my backpack on the floor of the hotel lobby. Holly eventually woke me up and I moved to a couch while she continued to sort things out with the hotel. I fell asleep there as well. At 1:30am, the hotel gave us our keys and we took the elevator up to our rooms and I collapsed into my bed, which was much more comfortable than all of the various places in the airport where I had slept on the floor.

[mariacallous]

Bringing new life to hamantaschen was a challenge. People are dead set on their favorite flavors, like classic poppy seed and apricot. Of course, newer directions such as Nutella and rainbow funfetti are a big hit with the kids, but reinventing the grown-up hamantaschen into a decadent cookie you actually crave was very important to me. Then it hit me: alfajores!

Alfajores are an incredibly decadent sandwich cookie filled with dulce de leche, a caramel-like spread made from condensed milk. 

The cookies have a complex history. Most people associate alfajores with Argentina, Uruguay and Peru, but they were brought to the New World by the Spanish in the 16th century. Before that, it’s said that the cookies were actually an Arab import when Spain was largely under Arab control in the 14th and 15th centuries. 

I was first introduced to the famous South American cookie at the well-known Israeli cafe chain Aroma in New York City. Alfajores are actually extremely popular in Israel today, much more so than in the States. It was love at first bite. Cornstarch and extra egg yolks give the cookies a very light, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth. Then, slowly cooked dulce de leche is sandwiched in between. The cookies are usually rolled in lightly toasted coconut and sprinkled with powdered sugar. 

Translating all of these elements into our beloved traditional hamantaschen was a no brainer, and made for the most popular hamantaschen in my house to date! Making your own dulce de leche filling is actually incredibly easy, but if you can find it at your grocery store, feel free to use it here. 

Note: This hamantaschen recipe calls for unsweetened large flaked coconut, which is preferable to the heavily sweetened macaroon coconut.

[tinytourist]

Joining the Tribe

Earlier this year, I interviewed for and joined a group called Wifi Tribe which is a collective of travel-loving remote workers. The tribe offers month-long trips all over the world and provides a shared living/working space for members to be productive, build relationships, and adventure from.

I signed up for my first trip in Cusco, Peru, which is from September 8th to October 6th and is comprised of 15 people. After close to 24 hours of travel, I arrived at the house in Cusco on Friday afternoon which is located in a great part of town just a 5 minute walk from the Plaza de Armas, or main square. A few of us grabbed lunch at Parada Vegana which is a peruvian vegan restaurant that offers a "Menu Del Dia" or Menu of the Day which comes with a soup, drink, and main course, all for the low cost of S/.12 or < $3! This was just the start of a wonderful culinary journey.

People trickled in throughout the day and then we went to the cafe across the street for dinner and some live Argentinian music. On Saturday morning I went to a cafe to read my book and get familiar with my new neighborhood. There are so many cafes and restaurants nearby to try!

Once the majority of the group arrived, we met up for a walking tour where we learned about the architecture and its mysterious origins, heard some traditional music, and got familiarized with the city. The tour ended at a restaurant with a beautiful view of Cusco.

After the tour we had a lovely group dinner at a Peruvian restaurant, Yaku, where I had trout that was served to me on a shingle!

Bess, Vale, Mike, and I decided to check out the nightlife after dinner and found that the after-hours place to be is in the alleyways surrounding the Plaza de Armas. There, are many speakeasy-style clubs filled with young Peruvians. We tried to get cocktails but the only options were to buy entire bottles of liquor with a warm bottle of coke, or beer. Beer it was. We danced and observed before we attempted to leave, but were told to wait. We don't plan to go back there but it was quite an experience.

On Sunday morning, we cooked up a huge brunch and planned out some of our weekend trips. A few of us went to a local bar afterwards to watch the US Open Men's Final. To end the night, Vale, Mike, Garrett, and I went to a small climbing gym. The routes were pretty hard but we still had a good time pushing ourselves.

[firethatgrewsolow]

Dusty bookshops were my kryptonite, with their towers of tomes begging to tell me stories. Throw in some well worn Persian rugs, and I was about as close to heaven as I could get. This side of the ozone, anyway. I imagined traipsing down the aisles, running the tip of my finger along the endless spines, each one promising a heart-wrenching tale, breathtaking adventure, or deep dive into the finest patisseries in Paris. The backbone of society I'd determined, every vertebrae a newfound treasure. And I was held captive by the deliberation of which morsel I'd devour next. As it happened, said morsel devoured me, an unexpected, most delightful surprise. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, introductions.

I'm nobody of note. In fact, if you saw me out at a cafe, and you just might have, your gaze would wash over me, maybe stopping for a beat, maybe not. Beauty evades me, but I’m not homely, either. Middle of the road, I'd say. I do the best with what I've got. Well, most of the time. I work at a flower shop in the mornings and a record shop in the evenings. I make enough to pay the bills but Iikely won't get rich, which is fine. I quite enjoy my life in its simplicity. I have a small apartment on a street that used to be fashionable and a cat named Peru. Not that I've been to Peru. It's just the first thing I thought of when I was bequeathed the beast by my ex as he was walking out the door. A parting gift, he'd said. The bastard. Truth be told, Peru wasn't actually the first thing I'd thought of, but those particular words would have been far from appropriate to name a cat. To be fair, she's not really a beast - she's very lovely, and I've even managed to quash most of the details of her origin. After all, it's not her fault. She was suckered just like me. But I digress. Back to the bookshop.

Arabella's Athenaeum. I never tired of chiding my friend for the lofty name. Doubly so because her name was actually Gwen. She was a dreamy type, always ensconced in flowing gauzy dresses, her long tousled waves falling across her shoulders and back with the perfect blend of Vogue and devil may care. I called it Harper's Blase. I'd say I was jealous (which I was), but her innate kindness and gracious nature seemed to remediate any bitterness one could have for someone so ... perfect. But nobody's really perfect, are they?

I tapped my pen on the little wooden desk beneath me. I’d been doodling designs for Gwen’s new letterhead in between grilling her about various things, including the name of the shop. I hadn’t noticed the damn thing was leaking all over my hand. Shit.

"I only named it that because it has a nice ring to it."

I smirked as she straightened the already tidy papers on the counter. Which was spotless, as always. I quelled the urge to drum my ink-stained fingers on it. "So you've said. But you've never told me who, exactly, Arabella is."

"Some mysteries are better left just that," Gwen replied with a wink.

I snickered. "It's bullshit. You made it up."

"I did not. It means something." She pursed her lips. "I just haven't quite figured it out yet."

"Right. An enigma, then." I rolled my eyes, fishing a tissue from my pocket. "Very mystical. Perhaps you'll reveal it on the third solstice before the second equinox after the-"

"Equinox."

The word rang out like a bullet, and I glanced at my friend, perplexed. She was as still as a statue, her brow creased. Christ, she could even make befuddlement look appealing. I began another ribbing but stopped short. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Gwen blinked, clasping the pendant around her neck. "No, it's just that someone mentioned that today. Equinox."

I shrugged. "Well, I'm not really well versed in planetary or seasonal ... whatever."

She shook her head, twirling the amethyst between her fingers. "No, no, no, it's a bookshop. They were talking about a bookshop that's opening down the way." She cleared her throat, her gossamer gaze sharpening. "Apparently it's all very hush hush. Quite secretive."

Now I was intrigued. "What's the story? Who's opening it? Are you worried about the competition?" I scolded myself for the question. Gwen never worried about anything. Still, she did seem a bit ... distracted.

Before she could answer, a trio of tinkles filled the air, usually the harbinger of customers and kindred spirits. Or the more than occasional admirer, of which Gwen had a boundless supply. But not today. Today what stood before us was nothing of the sort. A cool gust shimmied across my ankles as the door swung shut behind him, silencing the silvery bells.

"Good evening."

The words were gentle and reedy, somewhat at odds with the halo of blue black that shrouded his face. I nearly didn’t hear them. Had he said anything at all? My gaze swept to Gwen, who was mute and motionless, save for the repetitive ministrations on the amethyst around her throat. The spell was broken as he quietly crept closer.

“May I speak to the proprietor?”