But I must tell you that our ignorance worked in our favor, as everything we saw and did was new and exciting and totally unexpected. That always makes for fun travel!

I know you have been looking forward to my usual introduction to a new place.. so here is the flag of Peru and be sure to click it to hear what has to be the longest national anthem in the world.... it just never ends! See, you are suprised, too!

All went smoothly. Very smoothly. Until we got to Boston. We checked-in with very little problem.. but then we went to get in line for the security check. The line went the full length of the terminal, then out the door, and up the street! And there in line we stood for two solid hours, till we got to the check-point.

Cuz slid through security easy as pie. I had heard the the security in Boston was bad... and there was the proof. However, Gypsy had a rivet on the pocket of her pants... and that worried the security staff greatly. Since my pockets were empty.. it must be the money belt that I was foolishly wearing! So I had to show it, and the security woman opened it all up and examined my killer money! No kidding... after she looked at the money... she bent it all up to be sure it contained no terrorist tools!

After this secure entry into the gate area.. we had a bit of sitting around to do as the flight was delayed a half hour or so. We were provided with entertainment, though. Across the field comes a fire truck, with light flashing.. and the firemen alight and come in through the boarding ramp... they wander around through all the waiting passengers...dragging their hoses, and carrying their fire axes, looking for something to extinguish. Finally, they all congregate at a small trash recepticle. They stand around it in a circle for a while.. all gazing lovingly at it; perhaps they were praying for fire. I guess they decided it didn't need to be extinguished, so they parade out the way they came in. I can't explain it.

Fianlly the uneventful flight to Miami. You would think that we had been proven to be harmless passengers already.. but in Miami.. we had to go through more security to get to from one gate to the next!

This time the agents were ready for Cuz. No more scampering through... Her carry-on luggage was opened and spread around on the counter. Cuz got her inhaler all taken apart and squirted... the same for her Flonase thingy. Well.. if she had been transporting deadly inhalation anthrax in these containers... the security guard surely would have killed herself and us all by squirting them all around the airport! Finally she decided that Cuz was a harmless huffer... and eased her own personal disappointment by confiscating Cuz's plastic hair pick. What a power trip.

Gypsy, meanwhile, is at the neighboring check-point with her own problems. In addition to her riveted terrorist pants, she is wearing her killer hiking boots! Bad move, Gypsy! The guard ignores the "beeping when scanned" rivet and zeros in on the boots! So I was ordered to remove both my shoes... which were then sent through the X-ray machine.. while I was instructed to hold my feet up so that the agent could scan the bottoms of my socks. But know this... Gypsy got through all this with her deadly hairpick! So at least we won't have to go through Peru with hat-hair!

At the gate we wait and wait as it seems that not all the flight crew wanted to come to work this evening. It appeared that frantic telephones calls were being made.. to flight schools perhaps.. then at long last... another crew member arrives so we can take off.

We arrive in Lima about midnight, and were whisked away to our hotel in the Miraflores area... a very lovely and upscale area of Lima, we are given to understand. Indeed the hotel is a lovely place... starting out as a mansion and expanding into a hotel. It retained all it's charm and we were thoroughly delighted with our new home.

The next morning we awaken to a gray, dull day. We have some fabulous coffee.. wow... they bring it in a tiny little pot and you pour a bit in your cup... then add lots of hot water and some hot milk! This is really fine coffee! Gypsy always has a love affair with her morning coffee anyway, but Cuz isn't impressed.

We start out to see Lima with a local city guide. Now that it is daylight.. we can see what a dreary place Lima is.. and how shabby. Yes, even our beautiful Miraflores is a sorry, sorry sight. The crime rate here must be great as everything is barred and gated and fenced. We even have to be buzzed into the gate to our hotel when we return. I guess crime is a way of life here. We learned that the official unemployment rate is around 30%, however.. unofficially it is closer to 50%. At a large shopping center, we see people lined up by the thousands.. really... to apply for store clerk jobs.

On our city tour we saw the Amano Institute which is a private collection of Pre-Columbian art and fabric. The art.. especially the pottery... was fantastic and there were lots of woven things and much lace.. imagine that. Who would think of these ancient peoples wearing lace? The pottery was mostly offering vessles and were of endless variety. Much of it was very whimsical and you had to stand and smile at it. The potters must have had a sense of humor as well as great skill.

Follow the llama.. he will lead you through the Andes...