Sunday, September 1, 2013

Fiesta!


This is me dancin' around with some stranger guy. In Puyllucana, where I live, they have this parade for their patron saint. We were trying to find the parade, just to take a picture, and they pulled us in to dance! The man I'm dancing with has maraca shells on his ankle cuffs, and the men also have these whip-like things with sticks at the end made with rope, and, well, sticks. They make music like maracas, but the whip things don't make sounds. One of their instruments is like a drum, in fact it is a drum that they beat with their hands. To hold the drum, they do have a string around their necks, but they also have a flute/recorder without any holes, because they're beating the drums with their hands. So, they wouldn't be able to play the flute. They play the flute thing just by blowing. They also have these trumpets that are approximately 6 feet long. They have this horn on the end, like a normal trumpet. They play it sideways, like a flute. It's also like a bugle, because it doesn't have any valves. But they can make more notes than a bugle. If you look closely at the pictures, you might be able to see the instruments. They make a lot of noise.




And then after the day and all the fun we've had, at midnight, spooky spooky midnight...

BOOM! Oh, pretty. They use these towers for fireworks. Peruvian fireworks are much cooler than American fireworks. They set them off at midnight, so I didn't see them. But my mom, dad, and brother saw them, and my brother made a video with his ipad mini. You might want to see it.  They say there a lot of towers like this around our little plaza and it went on for more than an hour.

24 comments:

  1. Sierra,

    What a cool festival/fiesta. Going to a festival/fiesta has always been on my "bucket list" as they show so much of what a culture has to offer. It looks like you got to put some of your dance moves in action. I love too how you described the instruments. It sounds so different than many of the ones we have here in the states! I am so glad you are enjoying every second of this incredible adventure that you are on.

    Today in class, we finished up learning how to blog. I wanted to teach this early on so that I can get the students blogging with you as well. I think linking your blog to my blog is a GREAT idea and I will do it today! I think you can absolutely link our class blog to yours as well, it will help us all to stay connected while you are away. Thanks for letting me know when you update your blog as well so I can try and be more on top of your posts.

    I am so excited to meet you when you get back to the states, but I want to make sure you are soaking up every minute of your trip to Peru. All of my friends who have traveled there can't stop talking about how wonderful it is.

    Keep the posts coming, I am already impressed by the amazing writing skills you are showing off!

    Sincerely,

    Miss Wyman

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  2. Thank you for sharing. Loved seeing the dancing and the interesting instruments. Love the firework towers. What a wonderful experience your family is having. Love Aunt Carole

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    1. We're having more great experiences than I can post, so take a trip to my brother's blog!
      Sierra

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  3. These are really great pictures and stories! Thank you so much for sharing them Sierra!!
    ~Cathy (a friend of your moms since we were young girls!)

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  4. Sierra, You probably don't remember me, but I am friends with your parents and we go WAAAAY back. So far back ask your mother about when she was a Sunbeam and see who was her teacher. Greg and I have slept in your basement a couple of years ago. Anyway, I really enjoy your blog and learning about your experiences there in Peru. My daughter, Sheridan, served her mission in Peru and came home about six months ago. Our whole family went there to pick her up from Peru and so it is fun to see some of the customs you experience that we didn't while we were there. I hope your family is doing well and tell your mother she will have to post more pictures and your stories often so we can keep track of you all. Great job!!

    Lori Merkley

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    1. I don't think I remember me, but there are more awesome things than you think! Come again!
      Sierra

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  5. I think it is so cool that you have a blog! It's like your own Adventure Book (if you've ever seen Up)that you share with us. I like to hear what you are doing and learning about the culture there. When you get back, maybe you can convince my parents to take me to Peru for a semester! Or maybe not. Either way, I'm happy for you! I know you'll lots of great adventures!
    -Kathryn C. :-)

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    1. I'll try to convince them! Really, my blog isn't that good.
      Sierra

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  6. Hey Sierra! What a great blog! It is fun to see pictures of you and to hear about your adventures. Those fireworks seem pretty awesome, and I'm glad Kai took a video of them so we could all see them. What is one of the best things you've discovered about living in Peru so far and what is one of the most unexpected? Anything totally weird? Can't wait to hear more!

    Aunt Cheri

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    1. Hi! It's hard to keep up with what's happening, but I'm posting! At least we were here for the fireworks! Lily thinks it's awesome that she saw "BELL IN A PINK DRESS!" on a shirt. I got bit by a dog. Kai did too. But we were fine. There are dogs just out here. The scariest dogs are these ones: one has yellow eyebrows that look like it's eyes from far away. Another group is black and gray, the group that bit me. Another dog we saw while we were going on a walk, and it had red eyes, it was laying in the middle of the path, and it was twitching. It was sick. Dogs can be more scary than you think!
      Sierra

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    2. And, I forgot, there are the most yummy things in the world! Chocolate covered things with airy marshmallow inside. Come and try it! Don't be scared because of the dogs. Just stay away from them.
      I probably shouldn't have told you about them.
      Sierra

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  7. Sierra,
    Thank you for keeping us up to date on your experiences in Peru! We miss you at Activity Days! Tonight we are learning about prayer and Pretzels! About 610 AD a monk decided to make use of the pieces of dough left over from baking bread and formed them into thin strips folded into a looped twist to represent the folded arms of the children in prayer. We like the pretzels are made from the best ingredients, by the best hands available, our Heavenly Father's hands. We, like a pretzel, can lose our shape or become broken if we don't pray always to keep our spirituality intact. Even when we go through big trials, like Job, remember to call on the Lord. The shape of the pretzel, arms folded in prayer, reminds us to pray each day!

    Love, Sister Anderson

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    1. I miss you too! Keep commenting the lessons, and I'll learn almost as much as I do when I'm with you.
      Sierra

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  8. I love reading your blog and you are doing such a great job of documenting these amazing experiences that you are your family are haivng. keep it up! it's fun for me to see how all of you are doing!

    Love--
    Sis. McKinnon

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    1. Awesome! Keep commenting, i love comments! I try to post every Saturday, I at least post every week. Glad you'r keeping up with me!
      Sierra

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  9. Sierra,

    What a fun blog you started here! It looks like you and your family are having such a great experience in Peru. I look forward to hearing more about your adventures.

    Annie Finlay

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    1. Thanks! I update it every week. Comments are a way to communicate. How did you hear about my blog? We are having so much fun and we are so busy that I don't post as much as I'd like!

      Piano is going well. I'm like the primary pianist for the whole ward. It isn't too harsh though, because Spanish songbooks are easier than English songbooks. Our church has pianos, 2, so I practice there.

      I'm having so much fun! You should come!
      Sierra

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  10. The fiesta sounded like so much fun! Seeing all these amazing things like the 6 foot long horn, the flute/recorder thing and the drum that they play. It is really funny how you just wanted to take pictures and they pulled you into dance! The ankle cuffs looked really cool in the image. I could not quite see the maraca shells, but they sounded like something I would love to see. “They have this horn on the end, like a normal trumpet. They play it sideways, like a flute. It's also like a bugle, because it doesn't have any valves. But they can make more notes than a bugle.” I loved how you described the trumpet/bugle thing. I got the image in my right away with that much discription. “ Peruvian fireworks are much cooler than American fireworks.” I wish I could have seen those fireworks! You probably don’t know me, but I am one of your classmates this year. We have not been in the same class yet, but I am excited that you are in my class this year! :)

    From, Jen

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    1. I think I know you, Jen! You should see them. Did you look at the movie?
      Sierra

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  11. Hi Sierra,
    It looks like you had lots of fun dancing with the natives! You will have to show us some Peruvian dancing when you get home.

    I love the fireworks display. We have the kind of fireworks that go round in circles in England too, they are called "Catherine Wheels". Very fun!!

    The snow here came down quite heavy for a while, but only stuck to the grass, the roads were clear. It wasn't fun driving in it though, it was that hypnotic kind of snow that comes right at the windshield.

    Hope you are having some unbelievable experiences that you can share with us when you get back in January.
    Love
    Sister Anderson
    x

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    1. Interesting...Cathrerine Wheels. Interesting name. Was it like the one in the movie? I hate that kind of snow, but I miss snow a lot. I'd do with it.
      xxoo
      Sierra

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    2. The people that we danced with were drunk. I did not like it. I don't like formal dances at all. They didn't teach me, since they were drunk. It's american. But, look up a movie on the Flamenco from Spain. I learned about it in my spanish class.

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  12. Happy Birthday to Sierra, Happy Birthday to Sierra, Happy Birthday to Sierra, Happy Birthday to you!!!!!! Love and Miss you, Sister Anderson <3

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