Señora Rosa's Birthday

Walking into Señora Rosa's house, I could smell the familiar scent and homey feeling that I get from my own grandmother's house. Since we arrived we were greeted with hugs and kisses and been spoiled with her Peruvian and Chinese cuisine every breakfast and dinner. Like our own mom she makes sure we never leave without our cooled water bottle, fruit of the day, and "chompa" for the cool afternoon.  If anyone doubted her generosity by one bit, she definitely went above and beyond on Saturday.
This past Saturday we were fortunate enough to spend Señora Rosa's birthday in Chinatown.  Señora Rosá is from Chinese descent, and while we know she can toss up her own chicken fried rice, she gave us the opportunity to eat Chinese breakfast at her favorite restaurant. Most of us were very familiar with our version of Chinese food, but we had never experinced actual Chinese food.  For a few of us it was a rather interesting experience but nevertheless a delicious one.

Afterwards, we toured the area and got to see the Saint Francis Monastery also known as the Cathedral of Catacumbs. We learned about the colonial times and the cementary, held underneath the Cathedral.  We were able to sneak in a few pictures which showed how the bones of the Peruvian encestors were clearly arranged and organized a specific way to honor tradition and perseverance of their belief.  In addition, the Cathedral held several works of art, such as the "Last Supper" by Diego de la Puente inspired by Peruvian traditions.

We also got the chance to visit different artisan shops where we got to buy souveniers such as shoes and purses and even enjoy a sugar coated, fried delicacy with custard inside. Finally, we knew we couldn't leave without a visit to the local salon. Tensaye and I paid them a visit and did our hair and nails, while Señora Rosa gambled in the local casino.