PERU DAY ELEVEN

We wake up at eight, lay around etc until ten. I love vacation.

Try as we might to get banana pancakes for breakfast--according to the Bible, they are "the thing" here-- we failed miserably. The Bistro/Crepeteria we spotted yesterday was closed, bakeries were closed, and all other cafes were closed. It IS Sunday-- is everyone at church??

NO! They are in a PARADE!!!

Around and around the plaza march children and teenagers. They wear uniforms suggesting boy scouts or prep school. They march in straight lines, arms swinging, and legs kicked out to the beat of the marching band stationed before the cathedral. There are scores and scores of kids. The whole town has come out to watch the parade! The police presence is incredible. Every uniform has a large gun. I spot a soldier/policeman whose gun is equipped with a bayonet. !What?!

We gather that the parade is in honor of some academic anniversary. Groups of kids march and march and more kids continue to come around the corner. They seem to be divided by gender and age. After thirty minutes, we tear our eyes away in search of food.

We find the Cultural Center, a cute place just off the plaza. Off the plaza just enough that we can still hear the band as it plays for CLOSE TO AN HOUR MORE. While eating, we peruse picture books about Peru´s flora, fauna, and animals. I read up on Paracas National Park, since we didn´t see any animals there. (Even though we DID go there, we did!) Then we play checkers. I win.

It starts to rain. We move inside. Rain turns to pouring buckets. And then-- it hails! Tiny pieces of ice, falling from the sky. We could hear them tapping on the roof. But when I stood in the doorway looking out, you see, looking out into the patio and the orange building in from of me, from what I could see, the sky was blue!! Hail from nowhere.