Yes am about to have a 15yrs old daughter. And I always tell her the past 15yrs has been an amazing experience for me being her mother. She has her teenager moments but she is really a great kid. 

Now Destiny loves to cook just like me…so I decided with her birthday coming up soon why not do a Peruvian cooking class with her…so we did…and will start with our pictures so you can see…

We got picked up my our famous chef in Peru..off we go to explore the Peruvian cooking 

Then my favorite part begins ….I am an addicted grocery shopper…lol!!!

We got to make new LLF’S while at the cooking class…such amazing couple from New Orleans. Will probably meet them when we do our usa tour…

Look at that priceless smiles…

I love this setup….

Yeap she is holding a sea urchins and it’s her first time…

We are ready to learn….

That’s our chef in the black apron…he is a famous Peruvian chef…

And she is helping out…team work..

What we cooked…it’s a potato cake..with shrimps mix in the middle..tasty but a little heavy to eat the whole cake…

That’s Destiny’s creation..

Our second dish….because peru has about 20,000 different potatoes they pretty much use it in any dish they can create…I would too if I had that many options…that’s sweet potatoes with some tasty sauce…

Ok so this one is called Cebientchi  (probably got the name spelt wrong) but it’s their national dish….now I was not crazy about it and I think is just in the mind that the fish is not cooked with heat…but the sauce around it was delicious and that sweet potatoes was dipped in this tasty sugar, orange juice and spices sauce and it was the bomb….yummy..

She is ready to taste her hard work…

All the 3 dishes we made …all Peruvian dishes..

Family that cooks together get to sit at the table and eat it all up together…

Our twork drinks we made…the one of the right is the traditional pisco sour and the one on the left is a passion fruit pisco…pisco is the traditional Peruvian drink with alcohol. It was tasty but with my little tolerance of alcohol I did not finish it but now i can say I have had pisco.

Peruviancooking class wit my daughter was definitely memorable and priceless to have this experience with her. I love you Destiny Alberta Adjoa Manns…

And thank you to our chef Hector for helping us create this moment of mother and daughter memorable experience. 
Peruvian Exploration Continues. ….

It’s always great having sleep overs…when kids from both families get to spend quality time together. 

Am just amazed by how kids can meet kids they have never met before in their existence and a few hours later they begging both parents if they could have sleep overs. Kids are truly the pure love expression of our creator. With all the work that they bring along they truly create the deep experience of pure love. And am always gratful that theit parents will entrust their lovely ones into my care and I don’t take it likely at all. So thank you parents of kids who have had sleep over in my house.  

So our kids arrived in Lima peru on wednesday and on Thursday we met up with some friends and on friday the kids have made new LLF’S  (Life Long Friends ) and it’s time for sleepovers. I have not had sleep overs with 3 boys who have so much energy. It has always been girls. So this time I got to have 3 boys and all of them have so much energy. They made me relize boys are definitely different than girls in every way. …Girls start to slow down by 7pm and boys start to slow down when they shut down….lol!!! And my boy mj was so excited to have some boys that he can play with and show off his boyish skills. It was so cute and funny watching them talk and play. 

Over all it was a great sleep over night. 

Here are just a glimpse of our evening 

Time to grab dinner near our apartment…

A little funny face keeps them busy 

After dinner a little sweet ice cream will make for a memorable sleep over 

You know it was a great night when you see them in the morning with all smiles…

Great evening and morning 

Peruvian Exploration Continues. …

So with all the countries they have free walking tour which basically a tour of some of the historical place in the central location of any country. 

The tour is free and you have the option of donating some money after the 3 hour tour. 

So today kids and I did our 3 hour tour of Lima. This city has a lot to share and their free tour is a little differnt to the rest of the countries we did it at. 

With this tour you get to taste one of the 20,000 differnt potatoes this country has…and you also get to watch a bartender make one of their national drink.

So here are few pictures of our tour today..

The square in Lima …

That’s the governors palace…this is where the President was suppose to stay but he does not stay here but his office is here so he comes to work there… thats why the place is swamped with security 

A better view of the governors palace

Got a picture with the governors guard…

The buildings around the governors palace is really magestic 

The first train station…now not in use anymore

Tasting one of the 20,000 different types of potatoes in peru…

Our tour guide making pisco sour the national drink in peru…made with egg white and pisco alcohol, lemon and sugar syrup. 

My first pisco sour drink. …very tasty but it can sneak up on you and you might not remember anything….

We also got to try the Peruvian Version of churrios….freshly made…yummy

Overall all out free walking tour was really awesome and truly grateful for the team that decides to do this tour every single day. 

Peruvian Exploration Continues. ..

So when we first arrived at the aireport…we said it’s kind of chilly out here…then we met the people who helped us with our luggage and of course I said not it’s ok…since I did not have any cash on me to pay them. Then they said”no it’s ok this is our service” so I did not pay anything and they helped me with all my luggage. 

Then we drove out of the aireport…and we all looked at each other and said this reminds us of circle area in Ghana…a little bit on the rough side…with so much traffic and the walls need a tin of paint..

Then we drove into Miraflores and the beauty of Lima peru started to show up…it was absolutely breat taking..its so beautiful. With the ocean and mountains all in one eye sight. 

Then we arrived in our apartment and the helping hands was endless. The welcome and smiles from the security people at the apartment even with the language issues. 

Then that day we walked out to find a phone company…and from the time we walked in they help we get was really lovely. 

I think Peruvian are just one nice and friendly people who are willing to help. 

We then walked to the boardwalk and it’s so beautiful. 

Still a little chilly but really a beautiful city with beautiful people make an amazing experience. Here a few shots…

The kids love this place 

Hello Lima …I think am in love with you

The mall under the city and next to the water 

My kisses are endless and priceless wit my pre teens…

My little global soul 

I am still wrapping my head around this light on the waters…so magnificent 

Lovely place to walk around…

Met our beautiful friends…

Mj and his new buddies…

My new LLF  (Life Long Friend )…
Really enjoyed the first 24hours in peru…

Peruvian Exploration Begins

We are on the move again and this time to the beautiful city of Lima Peru. Super excited to be arriving in a new country…new foods and new cultures to learn, and new LLF’s to make.

Today we packed our bags and set off to our new home for the next 2 months…Miraflores in Lima Peru…also happens to have one of the  seven wonders of the world.

Rio was really amazing and we have made LLF’s that will always be in our hearts. From our super awesome host who did not hesitate and allowed us share her small and cute apartment with her and to our magnificent Dentist who picked us up from the airport and allowed us store our luggage in her home and also teaching our kids dental hygiene…and to our Salvador LLF’s who received us with warmth and love. We will surly miss you all so much.  With our unpredictable travels I have no doubt that we will meet again soon. You made our stay more memorable and you helped our family create memories that will last a life time. That alone is priceless and that is what makes any country we go to a country worth returning too.

Now time for our new country Peru…I hope the Peruvians are ready for the Manns clan…we are surly ready to make more LLF’s to add to  our LLF’s diary.

Also I will be introducing the ” LLF’s Guest Blog ” so that our LLF’s can share their experiences with the Manns clan…looking forward to sharing that with our readers.

 

 thats us today in Leblon waiting at our friends apartment with our luggage..our Van was on the way to get us to the airport and we say goodbye to Rio de Janiero Brazil.

If you saw our start of the year trip you will see we had 12 large suitcases and 6 carry on’s…now we are down to 7 large suitcases and 4 carry on’s…way to go…Well because we homeschool with all this travels so carrying books for 4 homeschoolers can rack up the luggage system….We hope after all this travels we will learn some basic travel tips…take only what you really need…

 

Brazil Explorations Ends today….

So this blog is long over due. And I am going to basically create a picture of what I meant when I put that header for my blog.

Imagine a mother with her 4 minor kids in a foreign country, and they have a confirmed flight from one country to another. and their flight is due in 9 hours…… ok now that I have created that image in your mind let me get to the main issue. I have a Ghana passport meaning I am probably screened more than other people from other country. I have a confirmed flight for me and my 4 minor kids and with my Ghana passport I don’t have a visa….yeap thats right, I don’t have a visa for me to travel with my kids to Peru ( but my kids are american citizens with american passport so they are ready to fly)…am sure you are saying thats an irresponsible act on my part to not have a visa 9 hours before my international flight with my kids from Brazil to Peru… well don’t judge me yet until I finish this blog.

So on February 5th 2016, my family and I arrived in Brazil to start our 2016 south america tour..as a responsible law abiding citizen doing my best to respect the law….with my passport expiring on August 23 2016 ( meaning I have 6 months before my passport will expire).

So I did what I needed to do, apply for a passport renewal in the country which I am in that has my country’s embassy. which in this case is the Ghana embassy in Brasilia which is the only Ghana Embassy in all of south america. so as you can tell I had no other embassy to apply this renewal at.

So I contacted the embassy and I was given the consulate in charge of the passport processing contact. I did everything that was required. I filled out the forms and I paid the money through the postal services in Rio de Jenairo which was my location at that moment. I got an email back from my embassy saying that my passport will take about 1 to 3 months. I was ok with that since I knew that I had 6 months ahead of me.

so on February 23rd I sent my application and made my payment and all was set. I was in touch with the one in charge constantly on whatsapp…so you can tell I was on top of my game.

After 2 months… no passport and the whatsapp message is…its in process… ok I got time 4 months before my passport will expire…

After 3 months…no passport and another whatsapp message is ….its in process… ok I got time 3 months before I will really need my passport…

At this point I have to travel from Brazil to Argentina and as the embassy of Argentina grants my visa with the hopes that I will receive my new passport before my old one expires while in Argentina…

After 5 months…no passport… and another whatsapp message saying…its in process you will get it before your old one expires….

Around July 10th, I got a whatsapp message from the Ghana embassy saying that my passport is ready in Ghana and it is ready for the diplomatic dispatch ( Bullshit) …I was excited but still shocked that it has taken this long…

Wednesday August 10th I had arrived in Salvador from Argentina. at this point I have 2 weeks before my passport will expire and the same day I have a confirmed flight from Brazil to Peru with my 4 young kids…. so you can tell the worry at this point.

so I decided to call my friend in UK who knew someone in Ghana passport office to just check and see if there is any chance that i have a new passport in the system….

Here is where the shocking news hit me…the guy at the passport office said its still my old passport in the system and that if there was any passport process done it will definitely be in the system.

I remember that night as I was sitting in my living room in Salvador with only 14 days to travel and no passport and no visa……

I immediately called the consulate in charge…and I broke the news to him…Mr. Ebo..I have confirmed that there is no new passport for me in the system in Ghana passport office…..with a pause in his voice…he said “mmmmhhhh I don’t even know what happened to your Passport” ….as this point am sure you could feel my heart beat and my blood boiling and me trying to hold on to the little respect I have left for the man I have never met….I could not even say anything…my words just got stuck in me….he told me at this point if I know anyone in Ghana who can get the  new passport done for me I should please contact the person…”oh my God is this guy freakin  kidding me…the rubbish and the audacity of him to even suggest this to me…I asked him what is the use of an embassy if you cannot help the people from that country… it is my taxes that are used to pay you to sit here and make decision based on ignorance… I mean this people have no idea what it takes to run an embassy to help its people and protect us in this foreign land.. men I was fumed up…needless to say I ended the call with the little respect I have left for them all.

So I did his job for him…I called more friends and with their help I got my passport to be processed for real this time around…so I only have 14 days…

On August 17th I decided time is not on my side…with our non refundable and not changeable 5 international flight tickets…I have to do something…So I went to the Peru Embassy and I explained my situation to them. And they advice that the only way I can get that visa is to have that new passport. and they said they can start the visa process if I can get a copy of my new passport to them while i wait on it to be mailed from Ghana since the visa cannot be processed with my old passport since it expires the day that I depart to Peru. Which is totally understandable. And they are more competent to me as a foreigner going into their country than my own people. ( Gosh I just feel like using not so pleasant words to describe those people at the Ghana embassy in Brazil )…. Well so I got the copy for my new passport through whatsapp that day. And the next day my passport was sent through FedEx international from Ghana to Brazil. with only 5 days left before my travel… and in Rio that Thursday  and Monday was a holiday meaning the Peruvian embassy is closed and so is FedEx office. so my only chance of receiving that passport will be Tuesday August 23rd The day my old passport is officially expired and the day my flight depart to Peru….Now you get my point how my blog started…

So Tuesday Morning I made a phone call to FedEx and request that my passport be delivered first thing…but to my surprise they start their delivery from 1 pm and the Peruvian Embassy closes at 3 pm and my flight leaves at 9 pm and with traffic I have to leave for the airport at 5 pm…..

So I did what I felt was a smart move..I took an uber to the FedEx office where my passport is which is about 1 hour away from my apartment. I arrived there at 9:50 am. But they don’t open till 10 am….so I was their first customer. Well they released my passport no issues. another 1 hour drive back into town and to the Peruvian embassy.

I arrived and the Lady with super amazing and welcoming smiles says you are really a lucky lady. she said ” your visa has been approved” and she took my passport and prepared to put my Peruvian visa inside. Yeap in 20 min she has finished putting my visa inside my new Ghana passport… and in 6 months my incompetent Ghana embassy team could not even get me a passport renewal….

ohhh… and this could be funny…I called the consulate office ( the Ghana embassy) and asked that my $288 be refunded back to me since they did not renew my passport, here at the words from the consulate in charge ” well this can be a problem since you applied in February and the embassy accounts have been balanced it will be difficult to refund you your money, but all the same send an email to the embassy and I will take it to the consulate and see if there is something that can be done”…I am really patient,…because at this point I am just laughing with disgust that he can even say some stupid words like that to me….seriously….

If nothing is done with this Ghana Embassy that is representing us in all of south America… then sorry to say but we are lost as foreigners in any South American country…and am told from friends this is not the first time and am probably the 1000’s of victims who have has such experiences. It really a sad situation and really sad to even be associated with such incompetent team representing my Country Ghana.

well I made it that day to Peru and as I blog I am actually sitting at the airport waiting on my Peru flight…and with a smile on my face saying…” there is HOPE…but definitely not from the Ghana embassy citizen session  in Brasilia…

 

well its 1am so I guess time to shut down my computer…

 

A very special note to all those who helped me in getting my passport done in time and going through all the trouble to assist me. Am truly grateful and will always be grateful for your love and support. Thank you so much.

 

 

Some pictures of our day in copacabana during rio Olympics 2016 in brazil…

Shirt less boy

Memorable moments

Our amazing LLF picked us up from the airport…so gratful for LLF’S 

Brazil round 2…

With our LLF’S 

Rio 2016 Brazil Exploration Continues