June 19,

We both awoke after having a great nights’ sleep! Yippee- skipee!! We readied and had our Javas and a light breakfast – splitting an apple with PB and some yogurt. The reasoning for light breakfast was because we have lunch plans. Around 1030, the Canadian that is staying here in the AirBNB, knocked on our door. This was our lunch plan to eat with him. Today is his last day in this place, but he isn’t leaving Arequipa. He is going to another AirBNB. (We don’t know why, and did not ask.) Anyway, we decided on a place to eat and met up at noon.

At noon we met and walked to the restaurant. It is very close – maybe 100 feet from our doorway. The place, ‘La Palomino, Picanteria Tradicional,’ boasted that it has been around for more than 100 yrs! Anyway, we all three ordered the set menu for Friday. Which was Chuno molido (which translates as a potato flour/starch) and Estofado de Res (beef stew). The soup was a thickened broth with a big hunk of beef, like a roast piece, and a whole potato. The flavor was very lovely. The meat was so big and semi-tough, making it hard to cut in the bowl. So I took it out and cut it up on the plate the soup was served on. After I did this, a man eating the same meal with his wife, told us to eat the soup – skimming the side as the soup will become watery. He was right the soup did become watery. Interesting. I noticed the couple ate all their liquid then cut up the meat in the bowl once it was empty. HUH? I guess this is how they have adapted. Anyway, then our mains came and the stew was more like a puree or creamed potatoes with another piece of beef and a big helping of rice. I don’t think any of us finished our main. It tasted alright but it was very filling and not really stew. We were also given a pitcher of Chicha Morada (the purple corn non alcoholic drink) that we shared. We talked throughout the meal. When our newest acquaintance leaves Arequipa, he will be going back to Taiwan. He has spent time there before and really likes it there. Anyway, we finished and Jeff took the bill, paying for all three meals. It was 60 PEN, but Jeff gave the customary tip, so paid 66 PEN, which is $19.51 total. This means each set menu was only 20 PEN, or $5.91!!! It was a bunch of food for six bucks!

We left, parting with him, and wishing him well. We went up to our place; picked up our shopping list; and went out. We went to an Asian dollar store then to the mall. We walked the mall to get some steps then went to the grocery store. Finding what we needed, we left and went back to the Asian store to buy a little stool. Then we walked back to our place. I blogged and Jeff read as afternoon turned to evening. For supper we converted our ceviche into a type of soup and had it with bread & butter. We also had Pisco Sours and pretzels.

     June 20,

We were up and about by 0800 and readied. We had our Javas and breakfast of French toast. But nagging me were my waking thoughts on my new Passport book, that I still have not received. I need this to leave Peru. Also another disheartening fact. There’s something we have been trying to book and haven’t heard back about. Frustrating! Unfortunately, this set my mindset for the day, which doubly became Jeff’s aggravation as well. He spent much of the morning looking at possibilities of flight changes. The silver lining in this, I guess, he has not been able to book much due to other issues.

Anyway, morning turned to lunch time. We put two potatoes in our oven and then walked to the grocery store. We opted for the store near the dentist office where Jeff had gone. The place was busy…it’s Saturday. There were some people giving out various samples. We were after wine and they were offering some of those as well. What fun! When we tried one and bought that bottle they wanted a picture of the bottle in our basket. OKAY?! That was weird. Questions! We even were shown Creamed Pisco. Well, we had to buy one of those. We acquired our stuff and exited. We walked back to our place and had our potatoes with butter, blue cheese and black olives, and a bottle of wine. Then we had a siesta as we were still bummed. We will have to do some calling on Monday. I did some sewing and Jeff took a nap. The sunset was not much to see. We had leftover stir-fry for supper with a bit of the Cream Pisco – that was one good thing today held. It was a confounding day!