Life in Peru » New Year

Where will you be in 2020?

wwelvaert — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:46:47 +0000

Instead of doing some silly year-in-review post, the coming of the new decade has me pondering on how unpredictable the past 10 years have been for me, and wondering what the next 10 years have in store for us, God willing.

In the year 2000 I wasn’t thinking much about the future in 10 years, I was more preoccupied with the future 1 month at a time, but if you had told me in 2000 that by 2010 I would be:

Married to a beautiful Peruvian girl
Trying madly to keep up with a 18 month old baby
Living in Cusco, and,
Blogging about life in Peru

I would have probably replied something like:

Huh?
What??
Where is Cusco?
What’s a blog???

In hindsight there’s no doubt I could have done many things better, but at the same time I don’t have any regrets. I lived, loved and did the best I could at the time.

Happy New Year to all!!! If you’re ready to celebrate in the Peruvian tradition, put your yellow (good luck) or red (love) underwear on, eat 12 grapes at midnight and get out the fireworks and champagne.

Happy New Year!

Watch this space for 2011 pictures coming up soon!

I believe in the future…

wwelvaert — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:19:36 +0000

we shall suffer no more
maybe not in my lifetime,
but in yours I feel sure

Great words from Paul Simon. New decade, new baby, I suppose it’s the only way I could feel…

HAPPY 2010. While Peruvians are still busy buying their yellow underwear, here in Belgium we just rang in 2010.

Gotta get me another drink of Pisco…. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

New Year’s resolutions

wwelvaert — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:50:13 +0000

First New Year’s Eve with baby… needless to say we’re at home laying low. Perfect time to jot down some New Year’s resolutions. Keep in mind I’ve been sipping hot cocoa with Pisco…

Think less and do more.
Drink more and worry less – it’s good for my health
Speaking of health, join the gym.
Visit Arequipa, Moquegua, the selva or Amazon jungle of Peru, and Piura.
Be a better teacher, if I teach again.
Get a real job… or at least think about it, since I got a “wawa” now.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST… be a good dad!!!!

HAPPY 2010 TO ALL!!!

Happy 2009!!! New Year’s Eve in Cusco, Peru

wwelvaert — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:27:07 +0000

Feliz Año Neuvo! Last night we celebrated the New Year at the Plaza de Armas and a pub called Norton Rat’s here in Cusco. Old married folks like us don’t celebrate too hard, but we had a fun time anyway

Here in Cusco thousands of people gather at the Plaza de Armas on New Year’s Eve. Exactly at midnight the famous Maria Angola bell on the Cusco Cathedral rings in the New Year, and the crowd circles the Plaza de Armas, which is supposed to bring good travels for the next year.

The famous Maria Angola bell on the Cusco Cathedral rings in the New Year

New Year’s in Peru is all about YELLOW. Yellow hats, yellow leis and most of all… yellow underwear! That’s right, one of the traditional beliefs in Peru is that wearing yellow on New Year’s Eve brings good luck for the New Year.

Some of the Peruvian New Year’s traditions I’ve seen so far are:

Eating 12 grapes at midnight for good luck.
Putting some coins in the corners of the house for good fortune.
Wearing yellow underwear!

Fireworks are sold legally all over the city, so New Year’s Eve in Cusco is not for the faint of heart. Since we are now well into rain season, it was also raining all night, which didn’t really spoil the fun.

New Years Eve at the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru

Inside Norton Rats on New Years Eve

Manchita decided to drink her 12 grapes at midnight - JUST KIDDING!!!

Despite the rain we had lots of fun.

Happy 2009 to all!!!
Feliz Año Neuvo!!!
Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!!!