Ingenuity

 One of the things I love most about Peru is people's ingenuity. Every other house (well I may be exaggerating) sells homemade popsicles in the summer. Someone may buy it? Ok then I will sell it! Some of them crack me up every time. Here is a list of some of the things I have seen.

-More "normal" here but still different than where I grew up: people in three wheeled bicycles or motorcycles that have like a truck bed on them pass by selling lots of different products, right to your home. You can buy bread, fruit, vegetables, eggs, fish, chicken, herbs, and more! They all pass by announcing their products. Makes for noisy days!

-When the banks opened back up, there were long lines (and still are!) People started bringing stools to rent so people can pay to sit in line for hours. I guess they have always done this outside of stadiums and other places where they know people will wait in line. Not much of a start-up cost and a way to make money!

-Speaking of waiting in line, there are people who will get up super early to wait in line and then have someone pay them when they are close to the front for that spot in line. I think if I were the person behind them, I would be mad! 

-As soon as people starting needing to wear masks, a bunch of vendors appeared in the streets selling masks and little bottles to put alcohol in. Here they use rubbing alcohol to sanitize everything. The sellers who used to sell car chargers or candy now have masks and bottles!

-The government decided on Sunday that everyone needed to wear the plastic protectors as well as masks starting this past Monday if you go into a market or store or pharmacy or anything like that. I needed to go to the market on Monday, and outside the gate there were literally 6 people selling facial protectors! They are outside every store now. I also heard one walking down the street selling them the other day!

-Carnival ride by night, watermelon vendor by day! There is a colorful old truck that pulls "train" cars around the park here. During the day, the same old truck sells watermelons or pineapple out the back! Why just do one thing when you can profit from two? 

I am sure I am forgetting quite a few, but those are the first ones that come to mind. Maybe I will put another post with more when I think of them! I want to write these things down so I can look back on them later. And maybe they will bring a smile to your face too!