Episode 1 – Houston to Lima

Well how crazy is this? Al Peru con Joven Guillermo? How the heck did this happen?Best I recall, here’s how, seems it was shortly before Thanksgiving, one afternoon ahead of the arrival of the other children from big D, when William innocently queried me, “Dad when are we going on vacation“ to which I said “eh I don’t know, we can talk about it when your sisters and Devin get here” to which he said “no Dad, I mean when are you and me going on vacation, just the two of us, on an adventure, our own adventure . . . like the adventure you had with Emily when you took her to Israel and Jordan and toured Petra or like the adventure you had with Hannah when you took her to the Camino in Spain . . . when are you and me going to have our own adventure?“

Initially my response was that Emily and Hannah were both out of college when I took them on their “adventure.” William paused briefly and then with no malice intended, I presume, said, “yeah really Dad? You want to wait until I’m out of college to take me on my adventure?” And then carefully measuring his words, he continued, “you’re not getting any younger, you know” which actually isn’t true.

I’m certainly younger today than I was when I was younger. Actually in many ways I’m a lot younger today than I was when I was younger and taller too. And, I totally get the ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ thing but I also think I’m more handsome. Any way, I could see no profit in debating the age question with him, so I played along, “fine Will, l get your point, so I’m in my twilight years and we only have a short time window for us to have ‘our adventure,’ where would you want to go?”

He said “I’d like to go to Peru, Dad, I’d like to take you to Pisac to show you the town where I lived when I was studying this summer, I’d like to introduce you to the family I lived with for a month, they own a restaurant where they make the best empanadas and I’d like to show you around. I think you’ll be really surprised at how well I know the place and all the things that I learned.”

“And besides,” he continued, “you’ve always wanted to go to Machu Pichu so let’s go, just you and me, this spring break while you still only have one foot in the grave.” (He didn’t actually say the part about the foot in the grave.)

Anyway, I guess if you only live once then you might as well try to live at least once so at this time tomorrow Joven Guillermo and me (I know it’s supposed to be I) will be in Cuzco, Peru, followed by a night in Pisac where Joven Guillermo (Memo) will be our guide, then the Sacred Valley and lastly Machu Pichu.

I’m looking forward to learning about the Incas and Peru, the history, the culture, the flora, the fauna, meeting the people, trying those empanadas in Pisac, seeing the ruins, Machu Pichu, having Will show me around and hearing his Spanish.

I think I’m gonna learn a thing or two about William and his generation. I think it behooves all of us adults to pay attention to the thinking, concerns, beliefs and priorities of Will’s generation. The one commonality of every single member of his generation, rich or poor, city or country, of every belief and ethnic background, each and every one grew up with practice and actual lockdowns at their schools, in fear of mass shootings, traumatized by gun violence. Politicians particularly should pay attention since they will be voting in the next presidential election. I think I’ll likely also learn a thing or two about myself.

I’m gonna take some pictures of the things we see, places we go, food we eat and people we meet and share any interesting thoughts, lessons or anecdotes. Well like duh, of course, it’s a travel blog.

Joven Guillermo seems to be as excited as I am so I guess my boyhood enthusiasm must be contagious or maybe it’s the other way around. Ah well, so this is it, Al Peru con Joven Guillermo, Blog Post 1. All things going as planned, Blog Post 2, dateline mañana, Cusco, Peru.

Hasta entonces, váyanse con Dios