Author Archives: winifredcreamer

A strong El Nino was predicted for December 2015 through April 2016 in Peru, and the government made funds available for disaster prevention. The season passed with barely a rain shower and the ocean only warmed slightly. Disaster averted. This year, no El Nino was forecast when the rains began. Up and down the coastContinue reading “Rain–El Niño–Disaster”

When we came to Peru in 1999, people showed us the tiny splash marks of raindrops in the desert and said they were from the last rainfall, in 1964. That may have been hyperbole, because there is thick sea mist, but last night, it really rained, for the first time since we put the newContinue reading “Rain!”

Walking along the beach one afternoon, I stopped at one of the places people sell things to look at a mirror. It was the perfect color for our guest room, so after visiting it a couple of times, we bought it. I realized that I could make one of these myself, and since the guyContinue reading “A new project: Mirror Frame”

Despite this past week being the start of the school year, it wasn’t too quiet on the beach. On Tuesday the Argentine backpackers left on their way north. They have been camping across from our house on the beach for about a week, and we let them use the shade of our front porch duringContinue reading “Just when you think nothing is going on…”

One of the big advantages of living in Peru is the low cost of labor. That means that we have a caretaker who lives on the property. He keeps up the house and the garden even when we are not here. Compare that to the US, where we would leave in the summer to comeContinue reading “Expatriate Life: Labor is inexpensive. That doesn’t fix everything.”

We skipped our plan to see the opera at the movies in Lima and stayed at the beach to enjoy the end of summer. There was a body board tournament–we watched for a few minutes. We enjoyed chatting with the various backpacking young people from Argentina that seem to be moving through like migrating birdsContinue reading “Last weekend of Summer”

It was a big weekend on the beach because it’s almost the start of the school year and families want to get to the beach while they can. We won’t mind the decrease in crowds on the weekend, but we will miss our neighbors who have less time to spend once their children are backContinue reading “Second to last weekend before School starts”

Friends, I am trying something new today, writing the blog in both Spanish and English. Please skip to the language of your choice. I may try blocks of each language or first one the the other. Bear with me. Amigos, Hoy impieza algo nuevo, voy a escribir el blog en Castellano y Ingles. Por favor,Continue reading “Fiesta Virgen de Lourdes 2017”

Twice a week around 9 am, we go to the local market complete with hanging raw meat, squelching liquid underfoot in the aisle of fish, and the scent of recently killed chickens. That may be the cost of fresh food, and it doesn’t bother me too much. When we buy fish, Jonathan lifts the gillsContinue reading “Expat Life: Food is great but you’re on your own for local entertainment”

What is it like? Expat Life in Peru? First I didn’t want to use the word expat, but I do spend four or five months a year in Peru and most of the rest of the time traveling. My situation may be a bit different than others because I am more mobile than fixed, butContinue reading “A Semi-Expat?”