Saturday, September 21st, 2013

Today is Dia del Amor (Day of Love), their equivalent of Valentine’s Day.

Last night, I took my medicine as soon as I got back to my apartment.  I realized I was suffering from sugar overload so I found a package of saltine crackers and felt immediately better after eating them. 

I went to bed at 11pm, got up twice during the night and then had difficulty getting back to sleep.  I finally woke/got up at 8am.

I obviously lost power overnight as the clock on my microwave read 00:00 when I got up this morning.  I think this is about the 3^rd time this has happened.

Breakfast was at the Golden Palermo Hotel.  I stopped at the pet store on my way back and talked briefly with Wilson.  I told him the star of Shawshank Redemption was Tim Robbins not Tim Burton that I had told him yesterday but I still couldn’t remember the name of the author who originally wrote it as a short story.  I remembered he authors horror stories including Cujo.  I had my iPad with me and tried to connect to the store’s Wi-Fi but Wilson couldn’t remember the password.  Later I looked it up – it’s Stephen King.

In the lower level of Viva Mall they have the 5D Simulator I previously saw at Monterrey C.C. and another location I don’t recall.

In Exito I bought Dux crackers 1,990, toothpicks 1,330, plastic wrap 3,390, Fab detergent 5,930, and a box of assorted Lindt chocolates for Beatriz for 21,950.

I bought a couple packages of cookies from the lady on the bridge.

I posted the Spanish vowels as a separate entry in my blog.

I got an email from Beatriz via my Facebook account (that I never use).  She’s going to meet me at my apartment today at 3pm. 

I also got an email from LatinAmericanCupid.com that I had signed up for months ago.  They send me the same 3 ladies every week.  One of them I had indicated an interest in but never heard anything back.  This time there is a new lady – Rosy.  She’s 53 years old, 5’3”, 121#, looks cute, has a Master’s degree and speaks English.  But she’s looking for a man 49-55 from Belgium, no less.  I clicked on “Interest Sent” so we’ll see what happens next.

Lunch was a 6” turkey breast sandwich and small Coke at Subway for 9,900.

On the way back to the apartment there was a man on my street selling flowers so I bought 10 beauties for 6mil.

Beatriz also asked me to recharge her cell phone but I forgot when I was out for lunch.

I see in my USAA account that the $31.03 for the return of Chess Strategy for the Tournament Player (3^rd Revised Edition) has been credited to my debit card.  I’ll order it again when I’m more confident I will actually be able to receive it.

Beatriz came over about 3pm and I gave her the box of candy and the flowers.  Needless to say she was very happy.

We walked over to her house to drop off the flowers and candy.  She had some guests and she shared the candy with them.  There was at least one piece for everyone.  There were several comments about how delicious the chocolate was.

We walked over to Exito where she picked out a strawberry cheesecake for 35,000 and a mini cake for 4,400.  We dropped off the mini cake for her daughter Maria and she called for a taxi so all we had to do was walk out the door.  Her aunt and cousin live near Belen but higher up in the hills – about a 7mil taxi ride away.

They live in a gated community in a high rise building with their 2 dogs.  They made a nice dinner for us of ensalada de piño repollo (like a coleslaw with pineapple (and coconut?)) and patacon con carne desmechada (similar to a pizza) but the crust is fried with shredded beef and tomatoes on top.  I watched the A/N futbol game against Tolima (A/N won 2-0) while Beatriz gave her aunt a manicure and pedicure.  It was nice that the aunt and cousin both spoke a little English.