Bambamarca's Fiesta!

I haven't had time to write an entry yet about my town's fiesta (not that you have time to read it with everything else I've written lately), but I wanted to put up some pictures so you can get an idea of what it was like. I wasn't really looking forward to it, but it ended up being one of my most fun weeks in Peru! I LOVED it. Stay tuned for more details...

Emily blowing me a kiss at the parade to kick off the Fiesta de Virgen del Carmen!

The Virgen del Carmen - our patron saint who all of the festivites are for!

A castillo (firework tower) built by Rita's family.

A castillo going off up the street.

Watching Rita's castillo from inside her living room.

Another view of the castillo! Isn't it cool?

After a while this is all I could see off the balcony!

A picture of the Virgen passing by the castillo.

Emily and my host cousin Carol at the carnival!

The circus that we went too - pretty good, but a little ghetto (cement floors with no safety nets)!

Carol and Martin enjoying their s'mores!

No campfire so we had to improvise with the stove....

Martin playing with his marshmellow.

Grinding corn to make tamales.

Learning how to make tamales.

All of our ingredients and some tamales ready to be cooked - yum!

A fried cuy (guinea pig) ready to be served up at the fair (and you wonder why I don't like it - it's head is STARING at you while you eat)!

Me with Luz (part of the family who I stayed with during my site visit) showing off some of their huge tomatoes at the agricultural fair.

Some of the marinera dancers at a competition we went to. I LOVED it and want to learn!

A view of the crowd watching the dance competition at the high school (it started raining so we all ran under the overhangs).

Visiting a cuy farm with Rita's family.

We thought someone tried to rob the internet so someone had to sleep in there to be on guard. This is Karina and Johnny waking up my host brother around 1:30 am after we had been out!

Hahaha - he doesn't remember any of it.

Entering my first bull fight with Galvez, Emily, and Rosa!

Bull on the loose!

Killing the bull - AHHHH - luckily I stayed pretty calm since I knew it was going to happen.

A view of the bull ring - check out the setting! Not too shabby.

This guy was our favorite - he did the whole bull fight from the horse - including killing the bull!

The other horse he used during the fight.

Emily and my host dad enjoying the bull fight!

The guy in the red and black is from Bambamarca and is a famous matador (or helper)!

Karina and I at my first quinciñera.

Me with my friend (and dancing partner) Juan Pablo.

Karina and me at the last bull fight.

A KID bull fighter! He's only 9 years old (from Lima) and this was the first bull he killed!

This little boy was so brave - a definite FAVORITE of all 3 days of bull fights.

Getting ready to kill the bull. He received "dos orejas" (two ears) for the fight - a great honor!

Pictures from Del Rio

This is the moment I arrived. Look how happy Giff is to see me!

So happy to see each other after six months!

Don't I look like a natural?

Wearing Giff's face mask - haha!

A ceremony honoring the graduates.

A fly over of the training planes.

Giff receiving his wings (with the KC-135 behind him - the plane he's going to fly).

John helping Giff put his wings on.

Giff and Kevin on the wing of the T-6.

The whole family!

This would have been a nice picture if Giff didn't open his eyes like a big dork!

Giff and his siblings.

Giff and his mom.

Giff and his proud parents.

Giff with a bunch of his friends!

Giff and me with our new best friends Audrey and Erik (they're moving to Japan with us)!

Giff and his DORKY Air Force-issued glasses.

All of the graduates at the banquet.

Carol was really excited to take this picture because they're all from Philadelphia!

Awwww look how happy we are!

Giff with Kevin and John.

Giff and me at a Mexican restaurant!

Our last night together at dinner.

Elizabeth and me hanging out at Giff's apartment.

Don't send me back to Peru....I want to stay!