Peruvian moments

In honour of my friend Jen Quinlan in Zambia, here is a list (incomplete) of some Peruvian/Huancainan idiosyncracies:

Mini pop bottles are perfect for small, developing hands

1.The preferred street meat comes in the form of "anticuchos" - cow hearts chopped up, skewered and roasted on every other corner
2. When I am being served in a restaurant/store/on a bus, I am called "mamita" - no matter who is serving me
3. Beside most anticucho stands there is a newspaper kiosk, where people will accumulate to read the headlines of the various local and national papers - without ever buying one
4. In the hillsides around Huancayo, various groups (e.g. the military, numerous governmental ministries and schools) have made their mark by carving their insignia/logo in enormous letters that can be seen by a passing plane.
5. Putting a roof on a building here is a big deal. So big in fact, that it is accompanied by musical groups, drink and food and a general party to celebrate the accomplishment
6. Although Huancayo has no shortage of traffic lights, cars, taxis, and buses honk at every intersection they are passing through, at any pedestrian who is a potential passenger, and in general when the mood strikes
7. For the day of Santiago (the patron saint of farm animals, apparently), cows, donkeys, llamas, etc. are "dressed up". This involves their owner piercing their ears multiple times (approximately 5 times per ear) and decorating the piercings with colourful thread. This thread stays on until it falls off, making the animals look quite nice!
8. What has struck me the most (besides the smell of searing hearts) is how people don't seem to dress for the ever-changing weather. In general people wear a lot of layers, which serve the triple function of protection from sun, cold, and rain. My raincoat has gotten a lot of comments from people who don't own such a thing, can't believe that it is waterproof, and who keep checking to see if it has leaked yet. This is in an area where it rains every day from January to April - and the storms are fierce!