Moderate Success.... Week one finished!!

Overall I would say I completed week one with moderate success... I only had one very slight emotional outburst on thursday and have somewhat been able to navigate and communicate on my own....

Wednesday I would like to be one of my most successful and fullfilling days down here.... Pricing pillows and finding a bed set out here kinda went out the door when I discovered that down here what I could find near by was going to run us $300.... New bedding is kinda pricey but it doesn't need to be that pricey... It was still nice to discover I can buy clinique and Clarins for makeup down here if I really want :)

Onto the Inka Market.... It's rather large and somewhat interesting to wander around... I will have to go back and wander and maybe do a little shopping for me... I was on a bday gift mission so I stayed focused on that (and since I had a limited allowance which only allowed for bday gifts).... I think Scott needs to come wander with me so we can pick out some lovely peruvian art to hang above the couch....

After bringing that stuff home I decided I needed to focus on what to make for dinner... Tuesday having been the first time I've cooked for Scott in say about a year......... I know, I know.... I'm a horrible girlfriend... To step up my cooking game and lack there of... I made chicken flautas from scratch!!!!! This was either going to be epic fail and we would have to go out to dinner or it was going to be a success and added to the list of must cook more often meals.... Great news people!!! It turned out totally awesome and delicious!

Thursday was a fairly nice day overall... I decided I should check out the beach.... I'm quite surprised I didn't abandon ship when I saw how many stairs I was going to have to go down and then back up.... Once I got down there I'm going to have to say I was rather underwhelmed by it... It smelled funny, it's rocky, and the water was looking a little sketchy that day.... So my plans for trying out surfing are out the door... I guess beaches to the south of Lima are nicer so maybe I'll still give it a whirl.... I snapped enough photos of the beach and decided to embark on "the death hike" back up.... I did have to sit my out of shape ass on a bench for a mintue when I finally made it to the top....

I continued this walking adventure to the Parque del Amore... It is rather nice to have so many parks right by the apartment... Some people seem to take the literal of Parque del Amore.... I have yet to see anyone doing it on a bench at night but it seems like a strong possibility.... Since I found the park and the weather to be rather enjoyable I just kept on walking until I got the lovely lighthouse down the way :)

Today was leftover day since we were going out friday and saturday.... After dinner I may or may not have had a slight emotional break down because I felt a smidge homesick... I guess this would be a normal feeling since I would normally be on a plane and back home by then... And seeing all the puppies happy in the park and napping in the shade of the lighthouse made me miss my puppy... I guess once I squeezed out some tears I felt a lot better.....

Friday!!!! Party time!!!!!!! We went to that St. Patrick's Day party at the Marine's House... Good times and nice to meet some people finally! Nicole is only down here until end of May or June I think... Chief was an interesting and fun guy to meet... plus he is a good dancer :) Scott did enjoy himself some Guinness... I had one as well... We left a lot later than we planned on but it was all in good fun... Not to rub it into my fellow WA friends but I totally downed some TGIF's potato skins on the Three-For-All platter.... We popped in there for a snack and drink before heading home and crashing out....

Saturday!!! Time to celebrate my birthday one day early :) We knocked out a few errands before going to lunch and then relaxing... Once we got around to getting ready I would say we turned out to be a rather snazzy good looking couple :) I mean we already are but we just looked extra good :) At dinner I was surprised with some papers that as I started to unfold contained the word "Spa".... My love decided since he couldn't be here on my birthday that I deserved a manicure and pedicure at the Zest Spa on the 11th floor of the Park Hotel.... This would be a very fancy hotel that Beyonce stayed at when she came to Lima... Dinner was absolutely delicious... We both got 2 different kinds of steak and I think I had the better set up with mine but the steak itself was in my opinion some of the best steak I've ever had... We followed up dinner with an after dinner drink at the bar upstairs since he still had dessert at home to make me....

I was good and I sttayed out of the kitchen while he was making this dessert... I started growing concerened when I heard cursing and he said he had to redo it... I still resisted temptation to find out what the hell he was doing in there... Now when one starts shouting my name and comes walking out of a kitchen with a pan of fire, I definitly get concerened.... Concern quickly turned to joy when I realized he had just made me my all time favorite dessert... Bananas Foster!!!!!! Not the best I've ever had but it was still super sweet that he made it for me :) While having some drinks out on the balcony shortly after midnight, fireworks started going off! Totally random and unplanned but totally awesome.... I would have to say this was one of the best birthdays I've had :)

Yesterday being my actual birthday was kinda lame... Scott had to leave around 9:15am :( So I opened my cards from my family before he left... I kinda just hung out till I had to walk up to my mani/pedi appt.... That was nice and relaxing... Now the goal is to not trash it before Scott gets back :) I skyped with my parents for an hour or so when I got back and then I attempted to try and call Nicole back... We were supposed to have dinner together for my birthday so I wouldn't be totally alone... I seriously tried what seems like every different way and option of calling her back using the Peruvian housephone... I seriously need lessons... I was trying the Peru code.. the area code... everything... I didn't think it would be so hard to call a mobile phone from that phone.... I would get all this random spanish that I don't understand and no ringing... I finally gave up and went to dinner alone... I did get rather bummed at dinner cause I was alone but it was a decent meal :) I came home and skyped with my lovely boyfriend for awhile before he had to go to bed since he is an hour ahead of me right now... I almost fell asleep watching tv on the couch before I finally climbed into bed and crashed out....

Now here we are day 2 alone in a foreign country.... It really sounds worse than it probably is... I'm probably going to go up to Vivanda and get some dishwashing/cleaning gloves so I can clean and not trash this manicure :) Kinda strange that Scott and I have switched rolls.... He's alone in the US in small hotel room and I'm here in Peru in an overly large apartment... Before it was him in this apartment and I was alone for awhile in my small studio apt :) Only 2 more nights alone and then he's back :)

Here's to week 2!!!!!!!