Asch kalt - Nico and Alejandro do Lake Titicaca

Though its main draw (for many) remains its difficult-to-believe name, Lake Titicaca is also famous for its high elevation and array of islands (floating and other) filled with remnants of Incan and pre-Incan cultures.  Taking a tour of some of these islands, we were hosted for a night by a native family along with fellow travelers Matthias and Diana from Germany/Poland. 

After climbing an island hilltop to watch the sun set, we ate dinner and prepared for the coming fiesta in the suddenly freezing night. Matthias pulled out a flask he had been carrying with Polish schnaaps straight from the motherland.

As Matthias was explaining that the schnaaps would warm us up from the bitter cold, Alé hoisted the flask. Wanting to toast in the language of our comrades, I asked, "How do you say it in German?" "Asch kalt." So Alé and I shouted "Asch kalt" and took sips.

Matthias and Diana started rolling on the floor laughing. "What did we do wrong?" "Asch kalt isn't what you say when you toast; we thought you were asking how to say 'Really cold' (literally: Ass-cold)."

Still, it made a good toast and we've been saluting "Asch kalt" ever since due to the frigid temperatures of high elevation Peruvian winter nights. Also, Polish schnaaps is great.

Dancing at the fiesta turned out to be the Peruvian version of a hora. As I was laughing about this the next day with a Jewish girl I'd just met, three other Jews overheard and concurred. Turned into a little Jew party on Taquile island (to the confusion of Lindsay, a nice Christian girl from Michigan who was also standing with us). Never know when the opportunity for Jewish geography will strike.

Soon we were back in Arequipa where we attempted to barbecue a guinea pig on the roof of our hostel. Then it was off to Lima with Michael for Shabbat. Check back soon for Downward dog in the desert - Nico, Alejandro, and Michael do Huacachina.