We had a very full day. I wanted to run into town to the feria to look for a gift for Dane. We had decided long ago we wanted to get him a poncho, but they aren’t usually sold in Izcuchaca. We haven’t been able to get to Cusco, but there was a chance we could find one today at the big market in Izcuchaca, which was open again.
Also, I needed to pay the electric. That was over half an hour of standing in line before I could get in. The security guard sprayed my hands with alcohol and had me walk through a narrow pan with alcohol in it. The workers were all behind plexiglass partitions. No germs allowed.
Bill paid, I went looking for a poncho. I almost gave up hope, but I finally found one lady selling some Dane’s size. There was some back and forth, but I wasn’t sure of the style, so I sent Steph a picture.
Then I walked a little up the street to Rafael’s store to chat. He knew I’d been looking for a poncho, so he’d already gone out that morning and found the very one I’d been looking at. The lady had told him she’d charge S/28; she’d told me S/35.
He wanted to walk down to look at it together. We first walked across the street and asked another vendor who was selling adult-sized ponchos if she had any for children. She didn’t, but her husband said they did–just wait. He walked a few vendors down and got the one I’d been looking at from the other vendor. He would sell it to me for S/55.
I told him no. Rafael was disgusted by how it went down and grumbled a long while about how people are always trying to deceive me and to take advantage. The less upset I get, the more upset he gets, it seems. I waited awhile, then went down to the original lady. She had the poncho back again.
She wanted to sell it to me for S/35. Rafael had run down the street after me and took over the buying. He wouldn’t let me pay more than S/28, so that’s what she said she’d take. He said I should never shop without him. He makes me laugh.
Back home after picking up a few groceries–which I bought on my own and maybe paid too much for–I helped Steph by directing the children through a thorough house-cleaning. She wasn’t feeling super well today.
Fernando’s and Rafael’s came for supper and the evening. Fernando himself was a couple hours late, finally showing up with his son Fernando, junior. This was the first we’d met this son. They had been out collecting and unloading a load of corn stalks and such for cow feed. Time had gotten away from them.
We had a lovely evening, and Dane was very pleased with his poncho. Rafael’s gave him a beanie hat and a scarf, and Fernando’s gave him a pj shirt. He should be warm.
It’s been a busy few days, but we are feeling blessed with friends and activity again. The lockdown measures have been loosened some again since July 1. Peru is in what they are calling Phase 4 of economic reopening. I don’t know how many more phases there will be yet.
Juan David 