Sand dollars and shells from Navarre Beach, Florida. Rocks from Macu Picchu, Peru. Fossilized sharks teeth from Calvert County, Maryland. We found some good things this summer. What about you? What got stuck in your pockets, buckets, or in the back seat of your car?
I love the bits and pieces that find their way home with us. I just wish I was better about labeling/organizing/keeping them. I have a friend who puts little discoveries from their trips into shadow boxes. They have a wall of boxes filled with rocks, shells, feathers, and coins from all over the world. It's wonderful and I envy it. We, on the other hand, have plates, jars, ziplocks bags, and camera cards filled with finds but never put into any permanent state of display. One day, maybe one day, I will eventually do something big and fabulous with it all, but for now I am happy to have a white platter filled with summer souvenirs on a table by our front door.
We had so much fun traveling with Pocket Pacy in Pisa and Barcelona, that we decided to take her with us to Peru!
Pocket Pacy was a gift from Grace Lin as part of her book party for her Dumpling Days book. Her newest book, Ling and Ting Share a Birthday is about to be released and she will be celebrating with another special book party at White Square Books. Wish we could attend in person, but here in DC, we are especially excited about Grace's upcoming appearance at the National Book Festival. I think Pocket Pacy (and a few others in our house) will enjoying getting to hear Grace read at the Festival.
Tonight marks the official end of summer for us. Tomorrow the kids start back to school and for the first time in ten years I am officially returning to work. I still have so much to post about Peru and other summer highlights, but for now here is a taste of one of our all-time favorite summer experiences: Babe's Sno Cones in St. Martinville, Louisiana. It's a long time summer tradition...one that my mom and her eight siblings took part in every summer, one that sweetened my childhood summers, and one that my own kids now crave on super hot days.
During our trip to Louisiana this summer, we had snow cones just about every afternoon. And Babe's really are the best. Established in 1949 and still going strong! Head down Main Street, look for the little turquoise building, the long line of eager customers, the friendly staff, and pick out your favorite flavor (mine is nectar, but almond and peach are pretty good, too!). We are sad to say good-bye to summer, but there are lots of new adventures waiting for us and we know that Babe's will be a part of many more summers to come.
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| Market Day in Pisac |
One of the most unexpected moments in Peru came when we were a part of a flash mob dance in Cusco. We happened to have lunch next to a friendly guy who revealed that he was directing a flash mob on the main square as part of a national ad campaign. And sure enough at 2pm, things starting happening on the square. It was a ton of fun and one of those things I have always wanted to experience. Just never thought it would happen in Peru!
In addition to loving the blue doors we found on a little, dusty street in Urubamba, we also enjoyed: lunch at Kaia, dinner and art/crafts at Paca Paca, and staying with Liz at Lizzy Wasi
A land of bright colors, high mountains, hard working people, strange animals, amazing fruit, dusty streets, intense hospitality, awe-inspiring ruins, bulls on rooftops, and glorious ceviche.
Camille was a serious little trooper and ended climbing more ruins than we ever thought possible! We enjoyed the time with just the three of us, but we also kept commenting on how much Noah would have enjoyed Peru, so we are already dreaming of a return trip. Actually, it's a place that deserves several return trips. Not only is there so much to still see and sample, there is also a great need and that touched all of us in striking ways. Similar to our time in Thailand, the beautiful bits are tightly woven in with the sad bits.
