Magical fountains

Lulu at the Indian market

unusual plants encountered on my neighborhood walk

Ocean near the hotel

sign we misunderstood

fountain we walked through

Saturday, November 15, 2008 Annie
Magical Fountains
On my first day off I got up about 7 a.m. but didn’t get out bed for another hour. After a shower, I checked email and went to breakfast to get a cup of tea and read. By and by Laura came in for breakfast. We talked and agreed to eat at the hotel and go to the fountain show tonight, then go to a museum tomorrow.
I went back to my room and finished yesterday’s blog and organized my pictures. I walked down to Vivanda, a supermarket, to get some chocolate, potato chips, and batteries for my camera. I took some pictures of unusual plants I saw in landscaping on my way. It’s a warm day, 73 degrees and sunny. Just delightful.
Lulu and I went to the Indian Market. We bought gifts and a few things for ourselves. We were hungry and went to lunch at a Swiss restaurant with delicious food. I had parmesan scallops that were baked in their shells. We went back to the Indian Market for a few more things before coming home. I negotiated for the taxis and all went well.
I walked around the block from my hotel and found the ocean! I sat on a bench in the park above it and people watched, contemplated, and read.
Our team leader, Edith, is off for the weekend. We have coupons to eat at the hotel. The team met for dinner (asparagus soup and mozzarella bread for me.) We took a taxi downtown to Circuito Magico del Agua, a park in which there are thirteen fountains in different shapes and sizes. It’s only been open for a year. We saw only one tour group. The rest of the throngs were Peruvians enjoying the park and the mild weather. One of the fountains made a pyramid of water, one had a slide show of Peru projected on the water, one was coordinated with music, and one was “traditional” with Incan faces spewing water. People were darting in and out of one of the fountains where the water would go off so you could run to the middle, then start again. A few people managed to stay dry, but most got caught by a sudden spurt. The team walked through the “tunnel fountain” as if it were a test of endurance while it actually filled me with wonderment. The underground tunnel that connected the two parks had a display of public works of the past few years. The transformation of some of the streets and parks was amazing.
On the ride back the cab driver got a bit confused, but it worked to our advantage as he took a detour to the upscale mall and Weston got out there to commune with some people closer to his age. The driver finally found our hotel.