I’ve written before about how being a foreigner can make you feel like a celebrity. The Facebook-effect has added new evidence to that phenomenon – children insisting on taking pictures with you whenever possible. It’s weirdly flattering initially but that all wears off rather quickly. I’d estimate in a single 2 hour trek, our group of 6 gringos took a minimum of 100 pictures each with kids wandering around the national park. Older Peruvians aren't exempt from wanting photos, I took about a dozen pictures with smiling old women, all of whom owned digital cameras. They were all very sweet and polite but the constant interruptions became undeniably annoying. I didn't Sean-Penn-freak-out on anyone, but I now have a better understanding of how that happens.
