Mistura 2015

Last Wednesday I went with my friend Anna to Mistura. This is the largest international food fair in Latin America. It is a great cultural festival, where Peruvians celebrate their rich culinary tradition and amazing biodiversity. It was held from September 4-13 in Lima: Ten days of flavour and colour from all the regions of Peru.

We went on Wednesday after school to avoid the big crowds in the weekends. We were lucky because there were almost no lines. In the Gran Mercado they sold specialty products from all the regions of Peru. There were potatoes, camu camu, fruits, stevia, cheeses, hams, quinoa, chia, different peppers, chocolate etc.  There were 12 other “gastronomic worlds” such as fish, local beers, BBQ and sweets &chocolate.

It was so big that we didn’t know where to start but we were both extremely hungry! Eventually we decided to eat Pachamanca. It has a traditional way of cooking that dates back to the Inca Empire. Pachamanca is the combination of two words in the Quechua language: pacha, for earth and manka for pot. To make one, “you basically make a pot in the earth”.  We were able to see how they made big hole dugs in the ground in which they cooked up entire meals. We ate alpaca and chancho.

After we finished it was time for some Sweet stuff! We tried Quinua ice which was delicious, strawberries with pure chocolate and quinoapops, a big cookie with lucuma and honey. I couldn’t resist buying a coconut and drunk the delicious coconut water while Anna preferred a moustache cocktail. We danced and sang during the performance of a band. Watched how some guys were dancing salsa and we couldn’t stop looking. It was so amazing and we both agreed that guys in our countries definetly miss that great rhythm.

After the concert we stand in line for 25 minutes to try the famous Chancho Al Palo.  It was definetly worth it. It was DE-LI-CI-OUS!!!!  We ended the day with ice cream and Arroz con leche.  We gained 6 kilo’s, we were happy, satisfied and we had an amazing day

The Bucket List

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. – Steve Jobs”

I liked the above quote but no matter how prepared you think you are for the death of a loved one, it still comes as a shock, it still hurts very deeply and that feeling comes to you, no matter how old you are.

As I am writing this I am multitasking. Writing my blogpost, thinking about life and death and watching one of my favourite movies; The Bucket List. Both Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson performed an excellent job. This movie always makes me think… Life goes by pretty fast, like smoke through a keyhole. Since the first time I saw this film I kept wondering what I want to do before I kick the bucket. Therefore, I created a few years ago my bucket list.

Things on my list vary from witnessing the Northern light, learning new languages, backpacking on every continent, getting a tattoo together with my mom and so on. Every year new things get on it while others get crossed off. I hope to cross off many this year.

For my study I have to go on exchange for six months, something I have been looking forward too for a quite some time now. I remembered the great moments I had in Spain, five months of pure joy. However, I had a bigger wish; going to Peru and spending time with my family. Finally this might come true this year and it will be crossed off my bucket list! For my exchange I had to rank and needed to make a top five of partner institutes and as you might have guessed by now, Peru is on number one!

It was not an easy decision for my boyfriend and me. Considering the situation with his mom and that we would be apart from each other for quite some time. We talked, talked and talked all over again for weeks. Again with a lot of ‘What if – questions’… but my love supported me and told me to follow my dreams. As he supported me to chase my dreams, I supported him by choosing all other universities in Europe.

My top 5:
1. Lima, Peru
2. Brighton, UK
3. Edinburgh, UK
4. Vienna, Austria
5. Berlin, Germany

I am already highlighting in my Lonely Planet book from Peru. Though, I am not sure yet, if I get it. I will receive the answer somewhere next week. I am so excited but wherever I may go it will be a new adventure.
Crossing wishes off my bucket list brings me joy in life. It reminds me of wonderful things I have done or achieved. It fulfils me and makes me less afraid of death.

“People fear death even more than pain. It’s strange that they fear death. Life hurts a lot more than death. At the point of death, the pain is over. Yeah, I guess it is a friend. – Jim Morrison”