After two weeks of a lot of work, Brian Tibbs decided to give the Extreme Staff a Extreme Vacation. It was meant for rest and relaxation, and for me I was able to do some self-exploration. The photo above is the Castle de Forga in Mollendo. I don't really know anything special about it except the mayor of Mollendo, Jose Miguel Forga, built it in 1908.
Beth and I climbed up to the house and went inside. This was a spectacular sight to see. I didn't take these pictures, but I found this online and it's actually I bit more beautiful that what I saw. If I had seen this...
The weather wasn't the best that anyone could have asked for. All this past week the Peruvians were telling us that it was going to be freezing in Mollendo, that it always is this time of year. It actually started to make me mad after a while. Who tells someone when they're going on vacation that where they're going will be horrible?
From the moment that we drove into the coast I could tell we were not going to have much sun and there would be little of tomaring of sol (sunbathing). I've not been to the ocean very many times in the States to make an accurate comparison, but the fog made me think of what I thought Maine would look like. It was so pretty. The air was brisk and heavy with moisture, a welcome change from the arid climate of Arequipa. My lips finally got a break from kissing the Carmex tube every ten minutes.
As for the self-exploration I've realized that I've begun to loose a bit of my own self, in that I'm fading from my own individuality. I've been putting so much of my energy in building relationships with others that I've even been neglecting my relationship with God. And I'm right where I began maybe three months ago. Can I tell you how frustrating that is? Leaving my best friend at home was a wound that I started to patched with a new friendship.
I took this weekend to force myself away from some people and learn what it is to be me again and to do what I want to do instead of always following people around. Along with wanting to be myself again has come some instances of anger... I'm still figuring that one out.
On the 4th we had a bonfire to celebrate our Independence Day of the US! I, however, was bothered and decided to lay down on the beach away from everyone else. I prayed a lot about what I have been doing to myself, putting priorities on the wrong things and why I was getting so angry about stupid things... and it came back to me again. It is out of my control. So frustrating that I have to repeat this lesson. Overall, I think it was a great weekend and I've had a good time redirecting my heart.
Finally, the second best part of Mollendo was our S./20 (20 soles... it's money) allowance that Brian gave us... mine was spent on ICE CREAM! The restaurant next to our hotel had a freezer filled with ice cream wonders. I ate in total six ice cream cones, and five ice cream bars... and two small tubs of ice cream too. The lady in the shop was amazed at my gorging abilities and my apparent stamina to the chill of Mollendo enough to eat tons of ice cream and not be affected.
I guess this ranks with the second best part of the trip, but I had the most amazing steak I think I'll ever have in Peru.
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