update from Arequipa

Wednesday we got the family moved into their new home. It is a lovely home with plenty of space for their family and having people over. The girls are thrilled with their room as it has a big round bed and a platform area for lots of opportunity for theatrical events.

El Misti

Patti and I are staying in a room on the roof. We like it to call it the empanada (which is sandwich in Spanish) but it is really a room for the empliata (sp? – which is helper or maid). It is the sweetest place on the third floor. There are actually two rooms, one bath and a laundry room. These will serve as guest rooms.  You can see El Misti, Pichu Pichu and ChaCh…. Mountains. El Misti is an active volcano and the other two have already blown. The view of El Mist from our location has a huge cell tower in front of it. You just have to laugh when you see it. If I wake up early enough in the morning I will snap a picture of it glowing in front of this sleeping giant.

Most of Wednesday and Thursday was waiting to move, going out to the mall for dinner and a bit of shopping (pillows where the priority), then Thursday morning was sorting and putting stuff away, then Patti and I took off for some dinner/shopping/touring therapy. We were quit proud of ourselves, using the taxi, currency, our horrible Spanish and our quick and not so quick wits. We found our way, enjoyed ourselves and got back safely. Rachael, for a change, was the mother hen, anxiously waiting for us to arrive home. Eric was out on a ‘men date’ with Jonathan and Shane, so Rachael spent a quiet evening at home with kids.

Patti and I found our way to Le Crepesmio and had ourselves an alpaca crepe (yes you read that right!) and a spinach and mushroom crepe with a wonderful frozen limenade with mint drink. We then wandered around to the shops. I may go back for my gift for Mike (shhh) today. I was haggling with Nueva Sol’s, the currency and got a bit overwhelmed. The great thing though is that I have a currency app that really helps. There was some usually touristy places and then we found some nicer gift shops. I have told myself that I won’t bring back anything that I won’t truly use or love, but you know what happens then? The price of what you want goes wayyyyy up! J (Be afraid Mikee)

After shopping and a Starbucks stop for Patti we went to the Monestario Santa Catalina for a night time, candle lit tour that Jonathan recommended. Alas, very beautiful and still. It was so still because we found out after we were in that there was no English tour guide that night. Sooooo with the help of a little map and our flashlight on our phone we found our way around. I actually really loved to be poking around and clicking away with my camera without having to keep up with a guide. Yes, for the history buffs, I am blissfully ignorant. Patti had been on the tour so was helpful to fill me in on some of the history. Quite barbarack stuff. 12 year old girls would be shipped here from Spain, put in a year of solitary confinement, then start the road to becoming a nun. This was and expected thing to do for one daughter of each very wealthy family.

After our tour we returned to our Crepe place and had our dessert. Yum.

We don't have email right now, so we are sitting at a Starbucks for a few minutes, then off for a country side tour. Should be fun!