Right now, at 10 PM on March 12th, we are learning from Mr. Jeremy Daggett about Peru. He lives in Arequipa, Peru. We learned that there are more than 4,000 different types of potatoes there, and there is even a National Peru Potato industry! His favorite is the small red Indian potato. A classic breakfast at his home is sourdough bread with avocado on top, fresh mango juice on the side, and other foods like spinach and strawberries. We also learned that Chinese laborers brought over many Chinese roots and cultures to Peru, such as rice and other cultural things.
The origin story of the Inca people says that the Sun God and the God of the lake gave birth to the first humans. They gave them knowledge on how to irrigate and do many other things, passing it down to newer generations and forming the way they live. The Inca had a popular, big empire that lasted 100 years before the Spanish colonized it and the Incas died from diseases and wars. Today, one of their historic landmarks is Machu Picchu, an old set of ruins from the Inca Empire that became one of the 7 New Wonders of the World after being found 500 years later. Peru also has lots of cathedrals and places built with white volcanic stone, like the "Petra of Peru."
Llamas and alpacas have been here since the Incas. They are amazing climbers and can climb over hills and mountains. The difference between them is that if it's cute, it's an alpaca, and if they are taller and less cute, they’re a llama. Alpacas are cuter and fluffier than llamas! There are lots of other crazy animals, too. If you put your fingers in the water, you might find piranhas; you use steak or beef as bait to catch them. There are red howler monkeys (the male version has a crazy loud scream), squirrel monkeys, and giant hummingbirds that are 6 inches tall. There are also caimans, which are largeeee crocodiles that can be 15 feet long! Leafcutter ants are VERY SMALL, but they can carry leaves four times larger than themselves to make houses. When the leaves decompose, the ants use it as a food source. There are even bats that camouflage in the day to look like leaves swinging in the wind, and a prehistoric-looking fish called a paiche that is the size of a human child.
The largest and most important export from Peru is copper. It is really, really valuable. Different mines extract it from caves and export it to other countries as a major resource, making a strong economy for Peru. Lots of other things, such as avocados and rice, come from Peru to the US in the winter. For living situations, many houses are small and close together, not allowing people to have a front yard or backyard to themselves. There are also floating islands along the coast and in large lakes. They are made out of totora reeds, and many families and cultures live there.
The most popular sport to watch and play is soccer (fútbol). It's mostly men and boys that play. Women mainly play volleyball (ayyyy!). Gymnastics and other sports are played too, but volleyball and soccer are the main ones. For music, the trendiest songs are from artists from the US like Bad Bunny, but a young Peruvian rapper named Renata Flores is also very popular.
No comments:
Post a Comment