Still More From Lima

This is Archie.

We went down the street to the Starbucks the other day. Except for the Spanish, it was just like a Starbucks in the USA. I like Starbucks but I have decided I don't like going to one here. There are other american restaurants here like McDonalds and Chilis and even Kentucky Fried Chicken. But why come all the way to Lima, Peru and go to places like that? I would much rather stop at places that serve Peruvian cuisine and learn something about the culture. That is what I plan to do from now on.

I did settle on a language school since I last wrote, and started taking classes last week. I will post a photo when I have one to post. My class was very intense the first week. Since I was the only student, and since I was a beginner, I got all the attention from my instructor during the entire four hour class each day. I learned a lot of the basics but it was a tough week.

I started the week taking the taxi from in front of our house to the front of the language school. It cost me 10 soles each way—about $4. By the end of the week I was walking down to a major intersection and taking a taxi to the closest major intersection to my destination and paying only 5 or 6 soles each way. I was pretty pleased with the improvement. And the bonus is that I got some pretty good exercise along the way. And, of course, I don't need to worry about getting rained on because it never rains here!

I am giving taxi drivers some comic relief since I am continuing to confuse my numbers between Spanish, French and English. One guy got disgusted and drove off without even trying to negotiate with me. Another one made me an offer in Spanish, I countered in French and he laughed at me and then countered my counter in English. I am glad to be able to lighten their day!

Sunday, David and Diana took us and another couple on a tour of the city. What a large city this is! We went down to the beaches on the Pacific ocean and looked back on it from there. Here is a photo.

This only shows a part of the city. The sky is always this gray and overcast so most of the city doesn't even show up in a photo. Here is photo of Kristine and I with another section of the city in the background.

And here is a photo of Kristine with some others who are teaching at CLITA.

More About Life in Lima

Lima, at least this part of it, reminds me of Switzerland in the winter. It is cold and misty--never rainy--and the skies are gray all the time. We have not yet seen the sun since we arrived. But the people are friendly and the neighborhood is somewhat upscale and certainly better then I experienced in Africa. There are no potholes in the streets, not even the back streets. And all the buildings are painted, some of them even freshly painted in attractive colors.

What is different is that there is walls around the property with spikes on the top and iron bars around the driveways, those that don't have high walls around them. I am told, though, that as long as one is cautious the neighborhood is perfectly safe. I have gotten out and walked most every morning and have found that to be true.

A thing that I like is that I don't have to drive here. Taxis are plentiful and relatively cheap. I can go to the grocery store for about a dollar and a half and across town to my language school for about $2.50. And you don't have to share a taxi with four or five other people. You have it all to yourself. The buses are an even cheaper way to get around. But I haven't tried them yet. Who needs a car! (By the way, there is a Starbucks only a brisk twenty minute walk away.)

We traveled across to Miraflores (we live in Surco) on Tuesday to visit some language schools. One is large, expensive and probably very good. The other is small, cheaper and maybe not so good. I have to decide which one to start at. It reminds me of my experience 10 years ago when I went to Switzerland to learn French. That was hard. Hopefully, this will be easier since I already know French (sort of) and it is similar. And I also have Kristine to practice on and to explain things to me when I get lost.

More later.

Lima, Peru

We arrived in Lima on Friday night. It was a surprise to us that we actually made it past Atlanta. We started out with a 50 minute layover in Atlanta when we got the tickets but found when we got to the airport that new flight schedules made it more like 35 minutes. Then there was a mechanical problem that delayed our takeoff from Dallas. We arrived in Atlanta with 15 minutes to get us (and our bags!) to the next gate. While we waited to get off the plane I looked out the window and saw a fellow holding a piece of paper and pulling our bags off the plane. Then, when we got into the terminal we found we were in the middle of terminal B and the next flight was at a gate at the far end of terminal E, the last one in the airport. We figured there was no hope so we didn't run but we sure hurried and arrived at the gate 5 minutes late, only to find that they had held up the plane for us! We arrived in Lima--along with all our bags--only a few minutes after the scheduled time. Thanks, Delta!

We got to the CILTA house where we are staying sometime after 1 AM and hauled our bags up to the 3rd floor. Kristine tried to help but a 50 pound bag was a bit much for her so I took over at the first landing.

Our apartment is great. Pictures follow.

We both have our own desk in the living room.

We have a roomy kitchen.

And we already have pictures of some of our favorite people on the fridge!

There is an interesting view of the apartments across the street.

And of the street outside our front window.