On Saturday I went to The Palace to await the arrival of Pimpernel's Swiss friend, Patrick, who was arriving from Lima, Peru after a five month trek through South America. Although I had never seen a photo of him, the sight of a tall, strapping, blond boy with a backpack the size of a refrigerator was enough for me to go up to him and introduce myself. "You must be Patrick", I said, finally able to use the famous line from Auntie Mame. I told him to let me help him get off the refrigerator and it nearly went--with me--through the floor. I brought him to Pimpernel's artful apartment and told him to rest; after five months he had picked up a stomach bug on the last day in Peru.
I went to meet up with Patrick last night and had a surprise visit from Chicago by Dr. Will, original Seventh member. For a moment it felt like the good old days, though Jeremy isn't here.
Last night we met up again after a short visit in the afternoon and Patrick showed me a small bit of his collection of photos: beaches in Uruguay, sunsets in Chile, and a fascinating one of him holding up the rainbow flag at the foot of Machu Picchu. The town of Cuzco at the foot of those mountains has as it's official flag the symbol of the famous Coricancha Temple in Cuzco honoring the god of the rainbows.
The rainbow is a common image in Incan folklore and can be seen in the dress of the native population. But recent association with the very similar, gay rainbow flag has cause concern about whether a new adaptation of the colors should be designed. Patrick said most tour guides go out of their way to explain that Cuzco is not a gay town, while some businesses actively promote it for the gay tourists. (That's funny to me; Boris told me of plans some time ago about moving to that city with his Peruvian wife and setting up a gay bed and breakfast there.) It's all good. Even if they do change the formation of the flag, a rainbow is a rainbow and history and legend of an old culture will never change. It looks like a fun place and supposedly has a vibrant night life that goes on from dusk to dawn. Hmmmm.
posted by Alexis du Bois @ 7:11 AM
5 Comments:
I was there several years back. I can attest, there is a vibrant nightlife, and it IS dusk till dawn, and for very little money anything is possible in Cuzco. At the base of Macchu Piccu is a tiny town called Aguascalientes. 2 US Dollars will finish one off here, and there are a splendid array of orchids and a wild butterfly sanctuary here too, and nothing but the sound of the rushing Urabamba river. Peru is the most magical, calm, and serene place I've ever visited. I recommend to anyone to see the beauty of Peru and it's indigenous peoples, (and there are two Orient Express Hotels in the area, both with a great selection of Pisco and of Mate de Coca - Coca tea).
Jake
Waves to Dr. Will. I wish I was there to visit with him. He is one of my favorites!!
What does Patrick think of SoBe?
Oh no, look out! She's quoting "Mame" again!! :-)
Do you know how Ian is doing?
That headdress in that pic is absolutely STUNNING:)
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