Thursday, December 15, 2022

Last night I went to bed at 9:30, got up twice during the night, waking/getting up at 6:45.

Ten days until Christmas. You’d better order my presents now! 😊

Teresa talked to Esmeralda and we’re going to meet for pizza Sunday night. Also, I had promised Teresa a nice (aka expensive) pair of earrings for Christmas. Esmeralda recommended a specific place in El Hueco, Medellin, that would be much less expensive than El Tesoro. Only problem is I have to pay in cash and we’re going into an area known for thieves and pickpockets. We’re going later this morning to check it out.

We were to meet Esmeralda at San Antonio station at 10:30. I put 2 million pesos in a zippered pocket in front of my pants. We left the apt at 10 and walked 2 blocks to where I usually catch a metro bus. We only waited a minute or two before deciding to walk the remaining 6 blocks to Ayurá metro station. The metro was crowded, standing room only, but at least not cattle car full. When we got off the metro Esmeralda was sitting there waiting for us. We took an escalator down to the west side and across the street and us up two flights of stairs of an old mall.

They looked at earrings and necklaces at a number of jewelry stores

Teresa finally chose an emerald cross with gold chain (1,090,000 pesos) and diamond and emerald earrings (344mil).

Esmeralda led us out and up two flights of another mall which turned out to have a food court. They got food at La Cocina de Palaccina and I got mine at Dragon Chino for 15mil. I ordered sweet and sour pork, vegetables and noodles, and a drink for 15mil. The waitress spoke English which helped a little with the order.

Esmeralda led us back to the metro station and we said goodbye. This metro car was even busier than before but Teresa managed to get a seat. At Ayurá station I was tired of standing and walking and didn’t want to wait in a stuffy bus so we took a taxi back to the apt.

I finished The Looming Tower.

I left the apt at 2pm and had a latte in Los Porteños but I didn’t hang around long because I forgot to bring a pencil with me for studying my tactics. Back at the apt it took 45 minutes to finish the easy section. Compared to the last time I took the test in March this time I was a little faster but with a few more errors.

I watched the newest version of All Quiet on the Western Front.

Soon after I finished a mug of coffee with a Biscotti Teresa decided she wanted to go for pizza. In the Didi I could see on the driver’s Waze that Ave Poblado was down to one lane southbound which explained the bumper-to-bumper traffic in the neighborhood. I asked the driver when the next world cup game is and he said Saturday at 10am. I thought it was sometime on Sunday.

As usual we had our pizza and bought pastries for the porteros before returning to the apt by taxi.

Today I got in 5,000 steps.

 

Fun pix