We Survived and are in Peru!

The red-eye flights went off without a hitch, and I ran into Beth and Talia in San Salvador at 8:30AM local time (6:30AM LA time). We had seats one row apart and the flight wasn't very full, so we could stretch out a bit.

Once we cleared customs (neither Talia nor I got searched, but when Beth pushed the big customs button of chance - no really, we pushed a button and if it was green we could go through and if it was red we were searched - she came up red), there was a nice driver with a sign with my name on it and we were ushered into a car and taken directly to the hotel by Eduardo, and nice man who, in response to us telling we only spoke "poquito" Espanol, told us he only spoke "poquito" Ingles. Then we didn't talk to Eduardo too much for the rest of the drive, but he drove us to our hotel.

We are in the Hostel El Patio and it's almost too cute for words - gated entrance, flowers everywhere, little patios and sitting areas all over the place. Our room is small but there are three beds crammed into it and we are all currently making good use of them - it's nap time around here! Here are a couple of photos of the courtyard:









































The first thing we did was walk around our neighborhood - we are in Miraflores, a touristy but nice area with pretty little plazas and food stands and shops and restaurants everywhere. Of course we had some appetizers and beer at a local place that was in a row of all Italian restaurants - it was weird! They had food pimps - people standing outside offering you free stuff to come inside. The free pitcher of beer won us over.

Again, now we're napping. Then it's on to our 9PM reservation at Astrid y Gaston - a restaurant whose chef was reviewed in Food and Wine magazine and who is opening other resaurants around the world. I'm very excited.


Tomorrow our cab drive Eduardo is picking us up (seguro, seguro - as he kept repeating) at 8:30 so we can take the short flight to Arequipa, where we can relax a bit and explore. Arequipa is canyon country, so I'm sure there will be excursions to view the scenery.

No souveniers yet, but we're already impressed with the jewelry and might have to buy a small duffel to bring things back as we are all packed to the gills.

Okay, nap time!