Our New Life

Finally, our holiday was over, our guests left, and it was back to reality.

Although, to be honest, our reality just isn't that bad.

We cooked at home, relaxed and watched some movies.

And then...

...after nearly 3 months of waiting for the owner to be ready to sell...

...we bought a car!!

Yeah!!

We bought a 2002 Suzuki Baleno Station Wagon. I've never seen the car before Peru, but I am now in love with it. It gives us a whole new way to enjoy life. In fact, I keep joking about our "New Life." Those of you who know me well, I am sure, can hear me saying: "I r e a l l y love it!"

Why was the owner finally ready to sell? Was it because his wife's new car was finally ready and he needed the money? Yes. But was it also because he dented the side and realized that he should sell it before something happens? Oh, yes! A week before we bought the car, the side was very slightly dented. The owner acknowledged this and assured us he would pay for it to be fixed. Since it was more cosmetic than anything else, we were fine with it. Then, on the drive to the notary to sign the final papers, guess what else happened...the owner backed into a pole and dented the bumper! Ah, life's little ironies. After waiting three months to sell the car, the week before and the day of the sale, he dented the car. Serves him right for making us wait so long!

Arturo picked up the car on Friday and then on Saturday we went to my friend Maria's beach house (and technically my boss, since she is the Head of the English Department). We went with Anna and Rick, the couple I trekked with during my May vacation.

Much like all beach houses near Lima, it's part of a "club," meaning it's in a gated community on the beach. However, unlike most, it's relaxed and a bit more outdoorsy than just beachy and I can understand why Maria and her husband bought a house in this unique location.

There are beautiful and varied rock formations, plus small caves you can explore - which we, of course, did.

In fact, Arturo and Rick tried to do a bit of bouldering, but the rocks were too wet and brittle do really do much.

On Sunday, the sun was brightly shining and we walked for a couple of hours along the beach. Since we didn't expect to walk that long, no one thought of sunblock...and we were all sunburned (except Arturo, of course, who was tan).

Then, we had a delicious barbecue. Although it wasn't his house or his barbecue, Arturo cooked (we brought all of the meat with us) and the rest of us just sat around in the glorious sun and drank wine.

Although, I must mention, it was surprising that we didn't drink Pisco all weekend. Freddy, Maria's husband (who is Peruvian), is part of a Pisco Sour Club. They meet for one hour each Saturday and have produced their own Pisco labels GPS (Grupo de Pisco Sour). When they find an especially good Pisco, they buy it whole-sale, produced with their labels.