Arequipa Conquered

Last Saturday was a Federal Holiday, which means Richard didn´t have to work his usual half day. He asked for Mon and Tues for medical leave and he got it. So we had 4 days in Arequipa to do a mountain of activities. Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru and it´s about 4 hours away. So we took a very early bus and started our long list of tasks.

The first couple of days we did price comparison shopping for various items from a bedroom set and sofa to shoes and towels. There are many things not available in our little town of Ilo, so we took advantage of the opportunity to shop here. The cost of living may be way less and food and lodging cheap compared to US standards but these items, if you want decent quality are much than you would pay in the USA. Lima has everything more or less, but that is way too far away. So, what you do is buy things here and then pay $35 dollars or so to have them shipped to Ilo. Not a bad deal. So we spent Saturday and Sunday as a mini vacation and went to 2 movies at the cinema, which we also do not have. We saw journey to the Center of the Earth, which was awful of course and we saw the Mummy which was less awful, both in Spanish, but good practice for me. We were exhausted at the end of each day, but it was fun. We are both price comparison shoppers which is good and bad.

Anyway, Monday was the medical day, which was really the reason we came. Richard needed new glasses and to check his prescription which was 3 years old. I learned a lot about the medical system here, at least with the insurance he has, but surprisingly without advance appointments we really didn´t have to wait long and got everything done. He got blood work done for cholesterol etc. chest xray for what I don´t know and everything seems good. All that was Monday. Then we also got his Peruvian Passport. They can get it for you within 24 hours and it costs $12.....umhumm. So sometimes the USA doesn´t have it all worked out.

So we had a great time. It was really wonderful to get away even though there was a lot we had to get done. We more or less got it all accomplished and even did some preliminary wedding shopping for invitations etc. WACKY!! Yes. He is really great. I am blessed. He is fully open to helping with wedding plans and doesn´t complain about being involved or anything. He doesn´t know anything at all about weddings, but he´s open to learning. So that makes it more fun. Bit by bit. We shall see, but first we have to confirm the date. I´ll work on that next week. He hasn´t told his family yet. He wants to wait until his parents return from Lima and have a birthday party for his mom at our house and announce it then. So there you go. I´m just along for the ride. It´s fun to get to plan a party and for once in my life it is for me and not some church event or something else. So, it is fun for the most part. I just wish that I had my mom and friends to do it with, but I´m coping.

Chao!