Dad's Visit Part II

This past weekend was Dad's final weekend in Peru -- although, as he says, it's only until next time.

We did a lot of the usual touristy things...shopping, visiting a museum, eating out, walking around, etc. All the things I haven't had time for yet in Lima. Needless to say, I had a great time!

Highlights include:

* Visiting Larcomar. This is essentially a huge shopping mall built into the side of the cliff, facing the ocean (the "mar"). There are excellent restaurants, tons of shops, a bowling alley, movie theater, arcades and more. Dad seemed to be especially taken with one of the arcades called "Coney Park." The best part? It's about five blocks from my apartment! (Did you notice the ocean behind us?)

* Sunday Lunch. We had a lovely, relaxing lunch at Punto Azul, a local lunch-only restaurant that I hadn't been to yet. Dad got some fried shrimp, and Arturo and I shared a fish dish and, of course, ceviche. The sun was shining and for the first time since I arrived here, I was actually wearing a t-shirt! This bustling place was filled with Peruvians craving seafood. Here in Lima, they generally only eat seafood during the day. It's considered 'old' and 'not fresh' if it's eaten at night. This, of course, makes it frustrating for people who work and don't get to go out for lunch. So, we have to head out on the weekends to enjoy our fresh fish!

* El Museo Pedro de Osma. This museum is in Barranco, one of the oldest and best-preserved parts of Lima. Just being able to enter one of those huge, old colonial mansions was enough, but we also got to enjoy the current Baroque exhibit in addition to making Dad and Arturo stand in cheesy poses. The art, silver, gold and other pieces on display were fascinating, as well walking around the beautiful grounds.

Happy Thanksgiving

Last week I got an email from someone saying "Have a good holiday" and it took me a few minutes to realize that Thanksgiving was coming up. Of course, there is no Thanksgiving celebration here, but I did go to a celebration: Vicky's baby shower. Vicky is the woman who has worked for Arturo since he started the hostel three years ago. This was her last week as she is having a baby in three weeks. It was sort of a bittersweet good-bye...although we know we'll see her and the baby soon for a visit.

However, this was not the only 'celebration' going on this week. While Dad was in Puno/Lake Titicaca on the actual Thanksgiving day, he came back to Lima last night and we had a Thanksgiving meal together (or, rather, a version of a meal). At Dad's request, I made stuffing, as well as mashed potatoes and toasted chestnuts. As I had to work all day, there was no time to cook a turkey so we just had roasted chicken. Joining us was Elizabeth, an American woman from Maine who is here studying Spanish (she's been living at the hostel for the past two months). She brought delicious wine and dessert which helped make the meal that much better. And thanks to Dad, we had Thanksgiving plates and napkins.

Another cause for celebration is the fact that I now have a Peruvian bank account. My school contacted the bank they use and I was able to get a local account. Now, I don't have to pay 3% extra every time I withdraw money. Yeah! Also, school has come through on health insurance. As of December I will have health insurance. Although there is national health coverage - so if there was an emergency, I would be fully covered - the private clinics, for which you need private insurance, are better.

Well, now we're off to finish shopping for Dad - and if the weather is right (meaning it's windy), we might go paragliding!

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving. It really is one of my favorite holidays...I think because it's the least commercial...and it was sad to miss it.

Dad's Visit Part I

* 12:45 a.m. Alarm went off
* 1:00 a.m. Arturo left for the airport

* 2:00 a.m. Dad arrived in Lima

* 3:00 a.m. Dad and Arturo arrived at our apartment (I woke up)

* 4:00 a.m. Back to sleep

* 6:15 a.m. Alarm went off, got up and went to work

Despite such a crazy beginning, having Dad here has been fun. Busy and tiring, but very entertaining. We went out to fancy dinners (thank you, dad!) and saw some sights in Lima (the center of Lima with beautiful colonial architecture, the ocean walk in Miraflores near my place, etc.). At Dad's request, we also stopped into one of the numerous casinos, my first and probably last time, as well as a Nissan dealership to get some foreign brochures to give to his local Nissan dealership. He also came to my school and went to Arturo's hostel, and even joined us on a jaunt to one of my favorite stores, Ripley, where we bought a washing machine (yeah!!)...and got himself a sim card and now has a working cell phone.

Early this morning, he left for Cusco to begin his travels to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Despite some affects from the medicine to prevent altitude sickness (the pills to prevent feeling sick from altitude comes with side affects...which makes me question why one needs to take them...).

He arrives back to Lima on Friday afternoon to spend the rest of the weekend with us before heading back home.

Now, I get to unpack all of the wonderful goodies that Dad brought for me. Thank you Grandma, Mom and Cathy!! And a huge THANK YOU to my sister who searched my boxes in storage and completed my shopping list (sleeping with my down comforter last night was so cozy).

My first guest

Dad arrives tonight. I still can't believe it. It's been two months, but it feels like no time at all.

I'm really excited, but I was thinking about where we should go and realized that I don't know my 'new' city very well. I don't have a favorite restaurant in Lima to take him to. I don't have my favorite cafe. I just don't have my usual 'tourist route' of places to go with visitors (in fact, I've barely explored the city myself).

So, I've decided to accept that I won't be as good of a tour guide as I usually am, but that I should relax and enjoy my Lima with my dad (and pass the torch to Arturo).

Here's a photo of our last visit together in September.

Procrastination

My goal for this weekend was to stay in and finish all the Fodor's work. I have done a tremendous amount of work, but some procrastinating has, of course, happened. I made some phone calls to friends I haven't spoken to in a while. I watched a movie (while typing, but you know how that goes). I also looked at some old photos and thought about how fast time is moving. It seems like just last year that my nephew was born. Now, his younger sister - who turned two in September - recently told me "I love you, Aunt Avi" on the phone.

(OK, enough procrastinating...back to work...)

Good worries

Much of this week has been spent shopping online and talking to my sister on the phone. Why? Because Dad comes next week -- and with him, two bags of stuff for me! Yeah!!

I also watched one of the South American Rugby Championship games this week. The championship is taking place at my school so it was pretty easy to get to. There's even a women's rugby team (remember, I used to play for a bit in college), but I'm not sure I want to attend practices from 8-10 p.m. twice a week in a place that's 30 minutes away from where I live. On the other hand, it would be a fun way to meet people. We'll see.

Another 'good stress' worry is about our...well, for lack of a better word...maid. I know that it's part of society here and that I've given someone a job who didn't have one. I also know that starting to cook dinner at 9:00 at night when I want to be in bed by 10:30 puts a stress on our relationship (and my stomach). However, it still feels awkward. One of the most awkward parts is that I haven't met her yet...and at the same time, I'm incredibly nervous for our first meeting tomorrow. Although I am sure, as one colleague at school put it: You'll get used to it in no time. Who wouldn't?

At last -- tofu!

Slowly, routines are being established...and it feels really nice. I have a regular taxista (taxi driver) taking me to school in the mornings. I take Spanish lessons on Mondays and Tuesdays. We joined the the gym and started going this past week. We've been cooking at home (I finally found tofu!) and sit down together each night for dinner. It's been busy, but relaxing at the same time.

This week was especially fun, though. November 1st, All Saints' Day, was a holiday so we forged new friendships and went out the night before, on Halloween. Instead of dressing up and gorging on candy, we shared several bottles of wine with my new friend Kim, an American, and her husband Hugo, a Peruvian. I was connected to Kim through a friend in NY and she has been a tremendous help. It is through Kim that I found out about the job at Newton and she patiently answered numerous questions before and after I arrived in Peru. However, due to schedules, this was the first time we were all able to get together. It was so much fun that it will definitely not be the last. In fact, we already got together this morning to go walking together...

Note on Halloween: here it's a mix of the commercial Halloween, criolla traditions and a religious holiday. The younger kids do the 'usual' custom we are used to in the U.S. of dressing up in costumes and going around trick or treating. While many stores have Halloween sections, but it's refreshingly less commercial than I am used to. The only thing I missed was candy corn - I couldn't find it anywhere!

However, despite a lovely week, reality has hit home: I have a lot of work to do. My Fodor's work is not finished. There are still two places to visit and all of the updating to type into a very specific Word document, filled with codes and queries. After five hours of work, I have only finished one page. Like we keep saying to each other, this has been a great experience, but I don't think I'd repeat it. The oh-so-romantic-sounding travel writer idea? Checked off my to do list.

p.s. Despite the odd-looking picture my rice, tofu and vegetable dish makes, it was a thrill to eat the combination once again. For some reason, this culture which eats tons of beans, has not embraced (or, it seems, know about) tofu. Luckily, I found it in a nearby grocery store. Mmm...mmm...good!