Cold Spaghetti

Paul, still suffering from his tummy ailment (although reporting improvement) braved the outdoors twice today with Will and I. This morning, we walked up to Parque Kennedy (named after the US President who once gave a speech there) so I could show Paul the kid’s playground and the general fun things around the parque. From there, we took a cab to the Supermercado Wong in Ovalo Gutiérrez, between the swanky neighborhoods of San Isidro and Miraflores (where we live.) Wong was sort of like a WalMart with a little bit of everything. In my opinion, El Metro was much more fun, but Wong has clean bathrooms — a major detail for a pregnant woman.

In Wong, we managed to get most of what we needed (despite forgetting the list, again) including a cell phone! Now we can actually make local calls. It is a prepaid phone — basically, I bought the phone for about $40 (139 soles). It comes with a few minutes and after that, I buy cards that are inserted in the phone that give me credit. The calls I make are charged according to number (like subscribers cheapest, international calls highest) and I fill the phone as necessary with new cards. I managed to charge it and the friendly sales clerk provided the basic set up, but I anticipate the possibility of adventure in actually using it regularly.

The Ovalo presented us with the first assault of U.S. branding: McDonald’s and Chili’s. The first of both we’ve seen thus far. (Maybe that’s not quite true. There is a BK and Pizza Hut in Larcomar food court, but they are surrounded by local chains so maybe it doesn’t seem quite so striking.) It was interesting that a McDonald’s was on the Ovalo, considering there was also a McD’s inside Wong only a few steps away. Just like being in the U.S.!

The morning errands wore Will out. Little man was a puddle in my arms for the taxi ride back to the house. After nap time and lunch, we ventured out to Larcomar. It was too beautiful a day to not enjoy the ocean air. I fear that all our photographs will be of Larcomar; it is about the only sensible place to whip out a camera since many others (non-gringos included) are also snapping away.

Beautiful afternoon in Larcomar, an upscale shopping/dining/place to be seen. Will played in the playground, we walked around, got ice cream (2 soles — about 60 cents — each!), let Will play on the ‘Coney Kids’ games, and just hung out.

Will plays with some of the kids at the park (they gave him kisses before he left.) Another precious moment: when a smaller girl cried because her older sister wouldn’t give up the swing, Will went over and gave her a hug to make her feel better. (I started out as parent-running-after-him-on-the-hot-sand, but Will insisted on Paul… thankfully! I got to stand in the shade with other mothers who all were so interested in Will. He drew a crowd on several occassions.)  

Paragliders among us. 

Will waves to me from the elephant ride. 

Larcomar and the view 

Me, la embarazada gordita, with Will — delante de la casa hermosa.

Pablo y Willito, relajando antes de ir a dormir.

Paul’s stomache ailment has not improved and had shades of being worse today. While Paul rested, I took Will up to another recommended grocery store, El Metro, one I’d heard about from Limeños. It was great — good prices, full of locals, and fun! There was a pharmacy inside where I spoke to the clerk about Paul’s ailments: she gave me some pills to bind him up a bit (generic Immodium) but unfortunately, they had nothing for the man’s piles. I’m hoping he’ll be better tomorrow!

After the pharmacy, Will and I ventured into la tienda proper. With no exaggeration, I can honestly say that at least a dozen people stopped to coo over Will. A clown performed a trick for him and offered to blow up a balloon for him. Will did not react well to him; I think he was a little tired and freaked out so I lied and said that a balloon had recently exploded in his face and had scared him and that we should pass on the kind balloon offer. More surprising to me, several ladies stopped to offer him candy. This happened *three* times in the checkout line alone from both store clerks and customers. (I politely declined, as he was drinking a bottle of sweetened juice punch and explained that it would be too much sugar for him.) We were the only gringos there (a plus, in my book) and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The rest of the day, we busted tail cleaning and straightening up. Before coming to Lima, the folks who lived here were in Jakarta, and have incredibly beautiful furniture and other carved pieces from Indonesia all over the house. Will is naturally drawn to them. To both prevent disaster and make cleaning easier for us, I packed away some things in drawers. Then we turned our attention to the kitchen, where we’ve seen way too many sugar ants. Washed everything, reorganized and cleaned out the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and more. We’re very happy with how everything worked out and the house is just beautiful.

B’s world-travelling Bunny. The travel bug we brought to Lima, on our rooftop.