M&M: Utah Delegation to Peru

8/19-20/2013

Lima Peru – Utah Delegation to Peru

I was invited to join a delegation from Utah to visit with government and business leaders in Peru. I woke up Sunday at 5:45 AM in the Timber Moose cabin in the mountains east of Heber City where we had spent the weekend with Jill’s family (the annual Johnson family retreat), and drove to the airport to catch a plane to Peru by way of Atlanta. After a long day of travel with a group of about 50 other members of the delegation, we finally landed, made it through customs, onto a bus, and then checked into our 5-star hotel. I get to bed a little after 2AM. My alarm went off just under 5 hours later and I was off to a full day of meetings.

We are staying at the Delfines Hotel - a really nice 5 star hotel less than a mile from Mira Flores and the beach. I can already tell that this trip to Peru is going to be very different than my trip to Chiclayo earlier this summer.

Monday was great. We started at 8AM and didn't get back to the hotel until after 10 PM

Government and business leaders exchanging gifts

The food - one of my favorite things about Peru!

Ministry of Education

Education leaders from Peru and Utah

Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations

Dinner next to a pyramid - Outstanding food!

Dinner with Charlie Nutt (KSU), Mac McKee (USU), Alberto Puertas (BYU / Liahona Foundation), Brad Walker (Liahona Foundation), Jeff Maughan (BYU Plant and Wildlife Sci), Ben Crookston (BYU Health Sci), Rick Jellen (BYU Plant and Wildlife), Josh West (BYU Health), Cougar Hall (BYU Health)

Dessert!

Went for a run Tuesday morning. Police were out in full force on all of the streets around our hotel. I'm not sure if that is common, or if someone important was staying in the area.

Delfines Hotel

Running toward the beach. I'm glad I brought my camera.

Many people were gathered, watching a police boat drive back and forth along the shore. All of the surfers were gathered on the beach and no one was in the water. A police officer standing next to me explained that someone had drowned (at least that is what it sounded like he was saying in Spanish).

Looking south toward Mira Flores

Looking North Toward Down Town Lima

Mira Flores

a group of guys just finished playing a soccer game on this great field surrounded by a track. This is at a gym right on the beach.

a team practicing on the practice field next to the Mira Flores stadium - ocean in the background

Mira Flores soccer stadium

Spectacular views, even on an overcast, muggy day like this.

I think they like soccer here.

OK, this one is for the 15 year old girl next door who traveled to LA just to see One Direction. I guess they are good if they're coming to Peru.

Murals on the walls outside the soccer stadium

Great place for a morning run!

I think this is an embassy

Saw some really nice homes

Country Club across the street from the golf course. I'm not sure, but I think this may be Peru's only golf course.

More police

nursing my injured calf in the hot tub after a nice but slow run

lunch - Beef Heart. It was quite good, just like everything I have ever tasted in Peru.

While walking back to the Hotel from the PWC building where we had a meeting with Peru's higher education leaders I came across this pyramid / archeological site in the middle of the city