Settling in to a Routine

One and all,

Not a great deal to report today. The problem with settling in is that you develop a routine. The problem with a routine, is there is a certain amount of repetition and, thus, a certail level of teh mundane. Here it is!

Of course, the other side of that is the comfort of routine, the feeling that you are settled in, that you are home. That is sort of where we are today. Happened rather quickly. That comes, I am sure, of 7 years of practicing.

We continue to try and rise a bit earlier each morning. I know you may find it hard to believe, but once I return from my walk and a visit to the grocery store, a seeming everyday occurance, we seem to be rushed to get out into the town. We have a route that we try to make and to do it in such a way as to not cut into our siesta! We can't have that.

As the travel days are still plaguing us, it was nearly 7:30 before we got up. Two cups of coffee and various necessary morning rituals and I head out for a morning walk. It is about 1/4 mile down Calle Guerrero to the Malécon, that is the wonderful paved stretch of promenade that runs for more than a mile along the ocean side. I head south on the Malécon, up and over the bridge crossing the mighty Rio Cuale (not really very mighty, but at this time of the year it is running quite high and swiftly). I travel once around the main square, trying my best to avoid the Zumba Class! I continue down into Old Town until I come to the end of the paved and planked walk way (before it becomes only sand). Then it is up the hill and I turn back north and repeat the southern portion before heading to virgin territory (meaning that which I have not traveled previously!). That section extends for more than a mile and fronts an extensive restaurant district. There is a nice little point at the end of the Malécon and then you are forced to walk for about 3 blocks along a main thoroughfare, arriving about 3 miles into the walk at Lays, the local grocery store.

Lays is always an adventure. As I get more confident with my Spanish (quite limited, but also quite functional, I have more fun in the store. I interact with some of the women in the Deli department, ask questions in the produce section and tease the little girls who bag your groceries (you must tip them for their assistance). The walk back is a bit more direct. I have discovered that as I get older, I am tending to "front-load" the walk, so I can take the long, slow climb to our place at a bit more liesurely pace. It pains me to give in to this fact, but as Polley says, "You want to make exercising pleasureable enough that you keep coming back." Ah, to have someone older and wiser so close by!

Once I return, it is a scramble to shower and get ready for daily rounds. Yesterday we made a concerted effort to include all three food groups. So, it was off to Langosta Loca to see Arturo and Ricardo and to have a beer. After a nice hour with them, it was on to La Fuente for margaritas! We also felt so badly for how little business they have been having, that we had lunch there as well. I have mentioned previously that this touristy looking Mexican restaurant surprises all with its excellent kitchen. We enjoyed the calamari and fully intend to work our way through the menu over the next few weeks. Then it was time for the assault of Mt. Elizabeth Taylor (I think Richard Burton said the same thing!) and siesta.

Our "routine" is that we usually have one meal in each day and one out. So, it was dinner in. However, having done beer, and tequila, we had neglected our wine ration for the day. So, Polley and I ambled down to our favorite restaurant, Vitea (where we have a standing reservation for every Sunday evening) so just a glass of wine. Usually, we don't just drink wine there, because the all tables are normally taken up by those having full meals. Things are so slow now, that they were thrilled for us to visit, even for two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. Very nice people who have always treated us as kings, even with a pauper's budget.

We watched the sun go down and lingered a bit longer. We love to watch people stroll along the Malécon, but things are still slow. They tell us that in another two weeks, things will pick up. Most of our favorite places are looking to open between the 11th and 15th of the month. The humidity is still quite punishing. Thank God we spent a couple of summers in Wisconsin and 5 in Georgia. Little did we know we were in training for early October in PV! More of the same tomorrow.

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