Realization

Sitting here in the office on a Saturday night. I have plans to meet two people, at 9, and at 10. Magaly wants to go dancing at 9 and I agreed to meet Paty at 10. Looks like its going to be a long night at the discotecas.

I've been very surprised recently at the local attitude towards the down season. While in July, Procuradores flows with tourists, now in October until March, it runs dry like the Colorado. Everyone is in a sour mood. The haggling gets harder and of course, I am totally mobbed by kids handing out free drink coupons to the bars here. I can't seem to understand that...I pass through town every day - surely they recognize my gray hat by now? Or maybe I look just like every other gringo tourist that they see...pretty interesting.

The clubs are crazy. The Mama's are very annoying, filled with stupid americans who think they are different because they travel to South America. It is blatantly obvious just how afraid our entire culture is of publicly dancing. I've never seen so many awkward faces in my life than last weekend at the clubs. White people just can't dance...I am not white though, I am Hungarian.

The best clubs have very very few tourists but are still in the main part of town. There are a couple really good ones, the best one I've seen I can't remember the name, but was packed yesterday. I couldn't even find a place to dance with Maritza and Marie Elena. The music is a mix of reggae (everyone here loves Marley), merengue, salsa, electronica, and disco... Needless to say its a dancer's heaven.

Along the lines of who dances and who doesn't, I've been asking around. Dancing is something that everyone I've met here loves, kind of like soccer. There are no video games here, no movie complexes, no NBA games, the only thing there is to do, is dance. As a result, people here are passionate and fantastic dancers. If dancing comes from the soul, then people in Cusco are the most spiritual people I've met. Perhaps its a sign of our culture that we are too scared to dance...Whatever the cause, when I am back in the US, I sure will miss the attitude at the clubs here - to celebrate and enjoy life.

The club called "Las vegas" is the most dangerous in town. I went a few weeks ago. Apparently it is so dangerous that even other Peruvians won't go. I kind of stumbled into the place and as I walked in, the entire room's eyes followed me to the bar. I felt like I was in a movie and the music screeched to a halt. Nothing happened, but I left at 2AM, which is really early, because I was feeling bad vibes from the drunks hanging in the corner.

I wonder what life is like back in the US. It has been about three months since I left. I imagine that the election fury is rolling, and Americans are worrying about what's on Oprah and the presidential candidates' lies of the moment. For sure though, nobody is thinking about Peru, or the people living in poverty here. For sure no government programs are helping little kids here. For sure Peru is not even a subject of conversation in the debates. I am not sure how I am going to handle the relative affluence in the US, even mine. My jeep, my computer. I just am not sure what will happen when I see all that I have. What I do know is, that I've started learning more about what is important in this life.

more later...