Fun Fact No. 37: Fake money abounds! Strange but true: Peru has a huge HUGE problem with counterfeit money. It's so real looking, with holograms and everything, that people get screwed regularly. The government tries to make the money more complicated and more difficult to copy, but it happens anyway. Thankfully I have yet to be screwed in this respect (knock on wood!).
Well, Lord love a corrupt government. On Saturday, a bunch of us decided to go to Quisto Cocha (surprise surprise!) and so Milton, Mario Negrito, and I hopped on my motorcycle and cruised on up. Quisto is at kilometer 16 or so of the highway and it's a good 30 minute drive. Bebopping along, we see cops. They pull us over. Great. It's illegal to have more than two people on a motorcycle (even though it happens ALL the time) and I had nothing with me: driver's license, official papers of the motorcycle, insurance. How screwed should that make me? Luckily I've talked my way out of tickets in the states plenty, and believe you me, this gringa can put on a show. The cop told me that between having three on a moto, no papers, and an illegal driver (Mario has no license), the ticket is 380 soles (about $120). Between explaining what a law-abiding citizen I am and how I have no money after spending it all on a crappy piece of junk (which the cop conceded was true and laughingly asked how much I spent on my little piece of poop), he started to cave. He said a S/. 10 bribe should cover it (about $3), and we may continue on our way providing that we drive safely, don't drink, and don't let it happen again. I happily nodded and shook his hand with a S/. 10 bill in mine and the transfer was complete. I've never bribed an official before, and I must say that it was rather exciting. The boys said I should get an Oscar for my performance. Here's hoping!
My brother, Tim, and his girfriend Erika are here! They got here on Sunday night (2 hours later than expected) and it was SO good to see them. We're having a wonderful time, and they are going to be here for an entire month! Erika is going to sing in my choir, and Tim spun fire in the main plaza on Sunday night. They're fitting in quite nicely.
And back to the motorcycle situation. Erika and I ran over to my friend Milton's grandma's house to pick up my USB last night. Seems easy, right? Yeah, fine and dandy until your carborator (sp?) needle falls out somewhere and your motorcycle leaks gas. And then it starts to pour rain. And then they can't fix it. Serious lemon. Seriously. Sore subject right now. Aaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh.
Speaking of my brother and Erika, last night we went to grab beers with Monica, Cesar, Graciela, Cesar's new wife, Mario Luis, and some other friends. We played "Never Have I Ever" (you put five fingers on the table and someone says something they've NEVER done and if you've done it, you have to retract a finger. The first person to have all five fingers retracted loses) and in lieu of having to drink if you lose, you have to do something silly. Like howl at the moon. Or offer a stranger on the street your beer. Or dance like a crazy person with your shirt over your head. It was LOTS of laughs and it works in both languages. We had a ball! And man, Mario Luis was HILARIOUS. (Yup, I'm talking to you, Sugar!)
We now have a pet duck. His name is Pepin and I thought he was for dinner. Turns out he's a new member of the family and this morning when I went to the bathroom to pee, Pepin was bebopping along in the tub. I sat on the john next to a happy duck. I felt like I was in the movies.
Pictures: I've been paling around with these guys a bunch lately. Far left is Veronica's boyfriend, Jean, and then there's Angel and then Jean's older brother Milton. Jean & Milton's family is pretty amazing and they've been really wonderful to me. Then there's Ever, my favorite of the boys who work at the house. This picture turned out really well. Then there's MEAT, from Al Carbon, a great grilled meat restaurant here. Chorizo, anticucho (grilled heart), grilled chicken, browned potatoes, and pork chops. Whoa.
1 comment:
When in Rome, my dear, when in Rome! I was recently in China (yes, I bought you a present - it should arrive in Peru soon) and had occasion to bribe an official. I didn't exactly want to, but I sort of had to to stop myself getting attacked by a feral taxi driver. Long story... I'll tell you about it next time we catch each other on Skype!
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