Hello, lovelies!
I don't know about you guys, but for me goodbyes are always bittersweet. You want to come off as sweet so peoples' memories of you aren't bitter. No. But, really. Honestly, saying goodbye to people and places is always hard. I guess the truth is that I'm never quite sure of what to say. I cry when other people leave. I cry when I return home or am united with those that matter most, but when it comes down to me leaving, I can never quite get emotional.
Now, before we get into any sort of overall look back, I want to let you know that I went zip lining this week and it might actually be up there with my absolute favorite things I did in Peru. Nothing compares to flying through the air while feeling completely safe and yet free, the wind rushing against your face. The views were incredible, my helmet was snug, the guides kind, the wires taut, and while I did not fly upside down or Superman style, I did make an Aussie friend.

And now, for the jaunt down memory lane. As I walked down the streets to get back to my Peruvian apartment, I got to experience one of my favorite facets of the country one last time. I love the mixture of old and new, and that is what I saw today. The market sprawls off the sidewalks and partway into the street, and women walk around in more traditional indigenous clothing styles, and no one looks twice at them other than to shout "manzana manzana manzana!"
I have learned so much, and looking back at things like my visits to Machu Picchu and my trip to Taquile reinforce how lucky I truly am. How many people can say that they went to a chocolate museum in Peru and got to make chocolate? Well, I can (and so can my parents)! Also, since y'all know how I like to roll, my favorite food in Peru is probably fried trout, or trucha frita, and so I guess I'll miss that too.
This is what I will say over all about Cuzco. My disclaimer is that this is meant to be at least vaguely humorous. Being in Cuzco is like being on an in- flight airplane. The temperatures make no sense and always surprise you, the altitude, strange food with no sauce that no one is sure the ingredients to, and things happen at odd times.
Now, this time I will not be flying off into the unknown, unlike my travels into and through Asia. I will be met by family, and almost nothing compares to that, that feeling of safety. I'm an unusual girl, and even though I feel like some of my magic got misplaced along the way, I cannot wait to see what the next chapter will bring for me and mine.

Hello you beautiful beings!
First of all, I just want to let all of you guys know that I will be leaving Cuzco this upcoming Friday and going to the Dominican Republic for some TLC. Now, on to the interesting stuff!

I finally got to experience some of Cuzco's nightlife. On Thursday and Friday nights of the last week, a group of friends and I went out to a club called Mythology. Mythology's main selling point is that it offers free Salsa and Bachata dance classes every night from 9- 11. This means that we all had a lot of fun, even though the hard core party- goers were adamant that it was not a "real club". The point is, I actually went out at night and had a great time! Yaaay me! I also made some new friends and danced with some random men-- which is not as creepy as it seems, I promise. In this particular club, sometimes the teachers (or just good male dancers) scope out the girls who are dancing in order to help them get better. I can honestly say that even though I was pretty bad, everything was really, really fun, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to expereince a different facet of Peruvian culture before leaving the country.

The other interesting thing that happened was today. We went off on a long excursion to Rainbow Mountain. *cue Charlie the unicorn annoyingness* The point is, I just finished one of the most strenuous and exhausting things of my entire life. The trek is up there with my two black belt testings and 42nd Street. I mean, dang! The walk was so long, I thought it was over ten times before it was. Not to mention the fact that my legs were jelly by the time I finally reached the top (about a half- hour after the rest of my group). However, all the hard work aside, the view was worth it. I mean the climb was all the battle, and seeing the amazing colors spread out on the mountains around us, complimented nicely by snow was totally worth it. Miley Cyrus, eat your heart out! I can honestly say that i never need to do that again, but having the experience means that I can truly appreciate a struggle leading up to something of great beauty. (I'm not sure why, but now I'm thinking of birth. Just me? Kay, moving on.)

Every experience I have had on my travels has inspired me in some way or made me think differently from the norm, which is what this is all about, right?
Love you all,
Elena Giselle