Tuesday, January 8th was all about discovering good places to eat. Eric and Greg’s friends, Pat and George, from Salem, drove us to a condominium complex just south of town, called Lindo Mar for breakfast. While the building looks like so many of the other high-rise condos along the highway, once you took the elevator to the basement, or as I did, go down about 7 flights of stairs, you come to their dining room which looks straight out to the sea. It was fabulous. Breakfasts were amazingly reasonable (4.50-5.00) and, of course, the company was grand. Truly enjoy Pat and George and hope to see more them while we are here.

Following breakfast, Eric, Preston and Polley and I went down the Blue Chairs. Pat soon joined us and we lounged in the sun and drank a couple of delicious Margaritas. Polley and I retired about 1:30 or 2 as neither of us had remembered to bring a hat and the sun was very warm. Also the scene was in a nasty mood and the waves were even a little too large for me! Several slam-dunks into the sand, convinced me that nature had the upper hand.

That evening we went to the little tapas bar, Esquina de los Caprichos (it means the capricious little corner!) that I had discovered while walking. It only seats about 20 and the service is very slow. We got there early and sat inside, but two American couples next to us were so loud that we soon moved to the only little table outside and sat and drank sangria while we waited for the food. The place continued to fill up. It is way up out of town (like our apartment) and people take cabs up there only to find the place full. But, of course, you are so isolated you just wait. There was a family of about 10 that arrived and sat on the curb for nearly an hour before they could squeeze in. It must have taken us an hour to get dinner (requiring another half liter of Sangria), but the food, by and large, was great. Of course, as you first do at most tapas bars, you order too much. We had some wonderfully seasoned olives, bread accompanied by a delicious aioli butter, a blue cheese tomato salad that was not very special, friend calamari (like most every other order of fried calamari you have ever had), an empanada filled with refried beans and then some fabulous potatoes with aioli and parsely. Those were heaven! We might return just for the potatoes. Excellent find and so close. Following dinner it was just a quick stroll home.

The following morning I was on my usual walk. I have set up a good 4.5 mile walk that I vary minimally, but do enjoy. Met George on the Malecon, taking is poodle, Misty for a walk. I then went on back home so Polley and I could ready for our second journey to Wal-Mart! Actually, I think we just enjoy the stimulating ride on one of the city busses. Following that excitement, we stop at a very cheap little café at the head of the Malecon for a beer and then home for lunch. Around 7 p.m. that evening we participated in the ArtWalk. 15 galleries stay open late every Wednesday evening. We took in about 6 or 7 of them, saving the others for another night. Like any of these visits, there was some very good work and others that did little nothing for us. They serve you little cups of straight tequila and you wander about. The galleries are spread all over the old part of town, so we did ones that were close by and will do the same in another part of town next week. The weather had cooled off a bit and looks as if it will be even cooler in the days to come. More later.