Afternoon Cafe at the Mall

Oh, my God! The desserts in Peru are amazing!

Neighborhood Lunch Spot

Sidewalk cafe. Ceviche first then Frijoles con Seco for me and pescado for Gene. Includes a glass of fresh fruit juice - all for S./7.50 each (under $3 US)

The Holidays

I was thinking about this date Nov. 30th as sort of a fork in the road. One way points to Christmas and all that, that entails both secular and religious. The buying of gifts, sending cards, parties, the Christmas tree and all the trimmings, Advent, Christmas Eve services, Christmas day! wide eyed kids looking at all those packages under the tree, most for them. And more...

The other road points to a more laid back time of the year. Being an observer rather then a participant of Christmas. The older we get the more this path seems easier. Why bother with all that rushing around, buying gifts, putting up decorations, Christmas Eve service,  sure we will go to an open house or two. Wish everyone a merry Christmas, eat too much, drink too much. But all that other stuff- nah.

Which way to go? Or as someone wrote "Take a path less traveled" and that may make all the difference in the world. Do what gives us the most pleasure, the most satisfaction, the most happiness. Let you heart guide you during this special time of the year. Enjoy!!

So now it's rotating to the Other Eye

Good Morning

The Kats of Kennedy Park

Kitty Kats for Sister Sue again. 

Hard to resist these guys who live in Parque Kennedy.

Great Salads at Cafe Cafe by Parque Kennedy

Day 4 !

Did you notice yesterday that the bruise has dropped from the huge egg toward the top of his head down to his eye! Today it's even more so - it just keeps moving down and over!

How Peru Became the World's Counterfeit Capital

President Garcia says Peruvians sad by nature

This just in from the Washington Post:
LIMA, Peru -- Peruvians are a mopey lot. So says their president, Alan Garcia.

Sunday Afternoon-Progressive Pig Out!

Our friends Isabel & Ernesto joined us for a lovely Sunday food fest. Our first guests in our new home, they arrived with a bottle of sweet Peruvian wine to sip while taking the grand tour of the house and studio before lunch. We then proceded in their car to La Tabla for fruit drinks and an appetizer plate on the lovely terrace. Isabel took one look at the menu prices and decided they would introduce us to one of their favorite Italian restaurants in San Isidro.

So we continued on to the best restaurant find that we've had yet. Il Buon Mangiare is tucked away on the second floor of a nondescript building at the top of a set of narrow stairs. It is crowded with people who know good pasta at great prices when they see them. There is a waiting line at the top of the stairs to get in. It is worth it. Starting at 9 soles (a bit over $3 US) and topping out at twice that amount, the huge amounts of pasta are as good as they look. The personal sized pizzas run from 8 to 12 soles. We were surprised to discover that Il Buon Mangiare is a chain, with several restaurants spread around the area. We will return - and soon.

After stuffing ourselves with pasta, everyone agreed that there was still room in he "second stomach" so off we went to 4D for ice cream! This was followed by a stop at Isabel and Ernesto's lovely B&B to see the recent redecorating they have done and to have coffees! It was a full day and we had a great time visiting with our friends. We hope to be seeing more of them as time goes on.

Woman Falls into Manhole in Costa Rica

I always worried about this when we lived in Costa Rica!

Alive and well...

One of the most interesting Thanksgivings! I'm thankful that I didn't have a concussion or skull fracture nor any broken things in my knee, or right shoulder. Thankful for the good Samaritan George, who stopped to give aid, for my wife who worried over me, and the good doctors that looked after my injuries. I'm also thankful that 4d was still open after we left the hospital.

It's now Friday and I am alive and well (almost), resting, icing, and reading all about my fall yesterday and meeting George. It all seems dream-like now, but fate has a strange way of bringing people and events together. Hey George, thanks for all your aid and your Spanish. If I wasn't so happy be retired i would seek your aid in getting a job. :-) Hope I get to see more of George and also his wife and family. Got to finish this post now and do an icing again.

The Kindness of Strangers

How often in this busy city of 10 million or so people are you likely to see someone stop their car in the street and rush to the rescue of a total stranger who has just fallen on the sidewalk? Even better, in that city of millions of people with different backgrounds, cultures and languages, how likely that the “rescuer” will look at the wife of the fallen one and say in surprise “I know you!”

To be perfectly fair,

Hanging Art & Being Thankful

It was a nice day. We had been enjoying hanging more of Gene's art and decided to go for something to eat and then all hell broke loose. [See post about the rest of the day in next post above]

Beginning My Day

After being served coffee in bed (Nice!) I go for a walk to pick up the laundry I forgot to get last night. It's a block and a half away and here is what I see along the way.

As long as I'm out, might as well buy some empanadas.

Nice walk home back the other way.

Peruvian empanadas - Yum! Best served with lime - and with friends of course. I bought some extras in case you drop by.

View through my Kitchen Window

Sunday was a Fun Day

We met friends Marilyn and Mike at one of the malls, had munchies there at Cafe Cafe, then went to a nearby market and wandered around for a while, buying asparagus, potatoes, carrots and limes. Then went to see M & M's new apartment near the ocean in Chorrillos. They actually can see and hear the ocean - and have a huge rooftop terrace! We also got to meet Ruby, Mike's greyhound who recently arrived from Florida and apparently traveled well. We love the Metropolitano cross-town bus and now that we've tried it out, I suspect that we'll be using it often. S/.1.50 (about 50 cents US) for a new modern comfortable (if you can get a seat!) "high speed" bus across town. Stopped on the way home at Cuatro D, our favorite ice cream shop, where we had pasta instead of ice cream and it was great! Speaking of ice cream, I think I've finally adjusted to the fact that here, ice is helado instead of hielo. That said, now that I think about it, I'm not sure what they call ice cream. I think it is also helado; got to pay more attention to that one.

 I'm pretty sure that The Tall Guy will have some stuff to add about our day, too. Maybe he will tell you about his new toy. (Hint: I'm going to use it to create a work of art)
CORRECTION on the helado thing:  A friend explained to me that they are not using "helado" as a noun, as in "do you want ice?" but rather as an adjective, as in "do you want it iced?" which seems to make more sense. I love it when people take the time to correct me and explain things to me.

More Market Pictures

Metropolitano

A new place with new friends

Going to ride the new Metropolitano bus system today to meet with Mike and Marylin. The Metropolitano is an express bus that is like a metro but not under ground. It's about time we learned how to use this system. The price to ride is very cheap.
We will get to see one of the big malls in Lima when we meet at Cafe/Cafe. Not sure where we will go from there. Mike and Marylin live in the area so will let them lead the way. (to be continued) http://www.plazalimasur.com/frm_PlazaLimaSur.aspx (the mall)

ThanksGiving

Tonight we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Dinner a few days early. The org. ACAP is having the dinner for all us expats that are feeling home sick for Turkey and Pumpkin Pie. We hope to meet some more people and maybe see some that we already know. Laurie will take more food pictures, as well people pictures and some of the restaurant. to be continued...

A New Approach to Traffic Fatalities

Seems that those naughty pedestrians have been getting themselves killed left and right. Time to crack down on walkers who get in the way of those racing, whirling vehicles that speed around the corners aiming for them.

Getting more stuff...

Thought I better write something before the week gets away. We bought two book cases last Saturday. They will be delivered this Friday. We bought two narrow bookcases because it will be easier getting them into the house. Since then we've been mostly in throwing empty boxes away, finding a home for the stuff we brought here. I been trying to figure out how to get our wireless system to have a great range. This is an old house with thick walls and the signal does not go far enough unless it's a line of sight. I'll write more once I know what I'm doing with our wireless system

Sunday in the Park

So about 3 in the afternoon we realized we'd been working at organizing the house ever since we woke up! Time to go for a walk...

Musicians in the Park

Getting things organized...

I finished putting up shelves that Laurie wanted in our pantry/storage room. If you lined up all the shelves end to end, it would be a 30 foot  shelf.
They will be a good help in getting things organized. My  basement studio is starting to look like a studio, with paintings lining the walls.
Even the master bedroom is looking like a master bedroom. We just have to get some window coverings for privacy. I will be putting up a reed window blind tomorrow in the library, off of the the master BR. This has really been a "Honey-do" week, but I enjoy doing these kinds of things.
I have discovered that some of the voltage reducers I bought in the states are not working out putting enough voltage to operate hand drills, and other electric tools I have. Rats! Good old "made in China". Out of 4 voltage converters only the oldest one is working.

Love These Windows

OK so it's my bathroom window

 - it's still beautiful, isn't it?

I think we're gonna make it...

And in the Midst of All This ...

Flowers from our moving company!

Guess What I Found This Morning on the way to Drop off the Laundry...

Another New Park!
Only 2 Blocks from our House!

Running Everywhere

We couldn't make it to New York to watch Mark run in the marathon yesterday, but we got to this one Saturday night - the big Lima 10K race - right here in Miraflores. The finish line was just 12 blocks from our house. Then yesterday we monitored Mark's progress in NY online. I am so impressed by my son!