While still waiting for the bus to go to Tumbes and still feeling a little bravo I met a very interesting man, or rather a man interested in me. He had a guitar which is not that common to see, so I asked him if he played. I conversation started and he asked where I was from and what I was doing here, I mentioned among other things that I was here doing a voluntary work teaching others about the bible. He told me that in his small village they do not know much about the bible. What was very unusual and quite astounding was his questions. I would mention one thing and he would ask a pertinent question I would briefly explain and then he would ask another pertinent question and so on. His questions were so well phrased to the point and of the questions that are truly important I thought he was a brother and maybe teasing me, but not so. It was a little frustrating as I could only give him brief explanations which for him only wetted his appetite and we only had about 7 minutes to talk. I gave him a handful of tracts to read and we parted. He was a very humble and hungry man.
When I arrived at Tumbes I met a motorbike taxi driver asking me where I wanted to go. I responded the cheapest hotel there was he told of a cheap hotel and though I didn't believe it was the cheapest it was cheap enough and he took me there. Upon arriving I find that he is friends with the guy there and no doubt he had taken me here because of that. There are many such business links like this in South America.
My room wasn't very nice, can you imagine that there was even blood smeared on the walls. It did have cable T.V and was close to a nice plaza, the Plaza de Armas which was a bonus.
Plazza da Armas
A very neat mosaic work of art upon the stage facing the Plazza de Armas
That evening I went to find someplace to eat around the plaza. I found a place called Si Senor which had pizza on the menu, I asked how much than ordered Pizza and beer. The beer came and was much enjoyed, after a long wait and I got the waitress and asked her about my pizza. A little while later they bring out another beer, after much waiting I go and ask about my Pizza in earnest and they tell me they don't have pizza! SO I left happy but hungry. In one of the pedestrian streets I found a shop that sells huge pieces of cake for very cheap and then a stand selling slices of Pizza! Hurray. As I was walking back to the Plaza I came across another little stand selling small hard boiled quail eggs which are delicious so I bought some.
As it so happened at this moment there was a young man buying some also and we got to talking, we walked to the plaza and were talking about all sorts of things eventually after sometime I came out that I am a Jehovah's Witness. He was amazed and couldn't believe it, he told me his mum is a Witness. He thought Jehovah was trying to tell him something as when he was in Canada he was approached on the street by a witness preaching informally, and that one day at his work he decided to walk up the stairs instead of the elevator for some reason and found a copy of the Awake journal and now here he is talking to another witness. He told me he wasn't a witness and that there were things he didn't think were right. We had a great discussion and arranged to meet up for lunch the next day with his mum, when I got home I was nearly 1130 we had been talking for quite some time.
The next day I met him in the park at 1130 and we went first of all to a place where they sell Civiche which is like raw fish, delicious. Then we went to his home nearby, It was a very lovely time meeting his family and enjoying a wonderful feast north Peruvian food incuding Shrimp Omelettes and Patacones around the table with much lively and enjoyable chatter. It is amazing to arrive at a town where you know absolutely know one and the next day enjoying a meal around a table with friends.
The next day I left my room in the morning to head back to Ecuador. As my trike arrived outside the bus station there was in fact a bus pulling out heading across the border perfect timing. We arrive at the Peruvian immigration office which is a room in a building near the border town and I march there directly as I knew exactly where to go having been there before and walk straight to the counter as there was no waiting line and get my passport stamped. I was on the bus again within two minutes which must be some kind of record and as there were only about two others onboard we were off again.
The moment of truth had arrived, I was at the Ecuador immigration office about to get my passport stamped to receive a visa again for 90 days. I has wondered whether it would present any difficulties as I had just left Ecuador 2 days prior having been there three months (90 days). There was none. My passport was stamped without any questions and without handing over any money. All was well and they only thing before me now was the longs bus ride home.
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