Pam and I started our Tuesday with a visit to Audrey. I love this woman. I blogged about her earlier. I met her originally at one of the Newcomers' dinners. I sat next to her. My favorite line from her was "I get lots of ideas and try them out, and if they don't work, I just say 'fuck it' and move on." Now that's a philosophy I can live by. Audrey is so happy and full of life. She is one of those light magnets that I just love to be around. She has a lovely apartment above Banco General. I loved it the second I walked in. It's very spacious and sunny - two bedrooms, two baths, and she only has to pay $500 a month. She gets a break for being elderly and for signing a year lease. We spent an hour or so chatting with Audrey. She had just baked cupcakes, so shared them with us and gave us a sampling of her bitter-orange marmalade. We've invited Audrey to join us for dinner Saturday night. Hope she can make it.
This is called tomate de arbol (tree tomato) or tamarillo. It's called that because the insides resemble a tomato, and the flesh is also very similar. The taste is also a little bit like a tomato but more bitter. I was hoping that they would taste as good as they look - they don't. With a little sugar sprinkled on top they are - okay, but I wouldn't buy them again. They are used a lot in juice, which is how I first experienced them in Ecuador.
Last night Ted, Pam and I met Dan and Pia at Il Pianista at the end of their hike. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed, so we ended up going to Machu Pichu back in town. The soup was great - a cilantro seafood stew. My entree, however, resembled something that Don used to get at the nursing home. It sounded good on the menu - Aji de Gallina. But on the plate it looked like pool of potato with pool of something yellow with one black olive, one slice of hard-boiled egg and a square of white cheese floating in the center. For some reason the word "pablum" comes to mind.
Pam and I did attend the Blue Sky group on Tuesday, and weren't we all surprised to see Lorna arrive. :) She did a workshop on communication (of all things). She did a great job. I was happy to see her back. Lorna sent me an email earlier with these photos which were taken at Casa de Montana.