Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Yesterday I had a slight worry attack. What if I can’t find a way to bring in some money? What if I can’t go see the sights I want to see? What if I’ve told everyone I’m going to lead adventure trips and then I don’t? Will that invalidate my whole existence? What if I lose another dog? What if the sun never comes out again and this winter never ends? What if…  

Some days are just like that.

I’d gone to sleep too late the night before. When I woke up I wasn’t in the mood to do anything productive but had this nagging voice in my head saying that I should be doing something. It was a clash of the mind. Perhaps I’m really Gemini with two parts that sometimes war. Now there are two ways to fix that type of mental war. Number 1: Do something productive. Number 2: Tell yourself it’s okay to not do anything and rest easy.

I didn’t do either. So I spent the day in neither a productive nor a restful manner.

In reality I’d done several things. I’d researched some travel blog sites and signed up for them. I’d found out that Vagobond http://www.vagobond.com/ is going to publish on July 11^th an article I submitted. I’d read up on some writers groups in Peru to see about maybe trying to organize a writers retreat at Casa Del Gringo. I’d even taken some time to catch up on some fun things via the internet.  

I know myself. I know those days that seem depressed are really just cloudy mind days. They pass by. I simply have to ride them out. I’m trying not to get into too many cheesy analogies, the point is not all days feel perfect. And that’s okay.

Today on the other foot, I let myself be. I did some yoga. The sun came out, literally, and I spent most of the day reading and enjoying the warmth.

I sit near the pool
In the sun
Music plays in the background
Rhythmic songs in Spanish
I listen to the melodic tune of the voices of the people near me
Enjoying the warmth
Then, Somewhere Over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World starts up
The one sung by that Hawaiian guy
Skies of blue…
And I think to MYSELF
I am over the rainbow
And yeah,
What a wonderful world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWeL181JFIk&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=AVGxdCwVVULXcFovjGdk27z8bN0bK_mQ-I

Later on, Mary, Walter and I went up the hill to the market. Sunday is a busy day in Cieneguilla and it was fun to be in the middle of the busyness.  

Mary had to go to Piura (a town about 16 hours away by bus) to take care of some business so I tagged along on the trip to take her to the bus station in Lima. The original plan was to go to the oldest hotel in Lima before taking Mary to the station and get a Pisco Sour (Peru’s special drink), but plans change. This is Peru. This is okay.

After we dropped Mary off, Walter drove me through downtown Lima where I saw some of the old government buildings, the oldest cathedral in Lima (in Peru?), and the President’s Palace. The architecture is amazing. These buildings are simply huge. I’ll go again one day when there’s daylight to take some better pictures.

When we’re driving through the streets of Lima, Walter asks me, “Does this look like the United States?” as if he thinks it does.

“No, not really at all,” I reply.