I was without a ride today. In the morning, when I started from home, it was raining – so taking the motorbike to work like I normally do was out of the question. Sharmila had dropped me. But in the evening, I was stuck since Sharmila and Nikita had to go somewhere.

The solution was simple – I went downstairs from where I work and went to the Mexican restaurant and got myself a glass of wine. They have a few tables and chairs outside in a covered area. I was thoroughly enjoying the evening sitting out with some wine and watching the rain fall with a fair bit of fury.

Subsequently, made friends with the couple sitting at another table. They had caught my attention by how friendly they were. First they gifted some kind of vegetable plant in a pot to the gentleman who runs the place. Then they talked to the very young daughter of one of the workers there for some time. I had figured out by then that they had to be regulars there.

I had a fascinating time getting to know Steve and Bonnie. They live not too far away on a 4 acre property in the house that Bonnie’s grandmom built back in the 1920s! They apparently grow a lot of vegetables and love eating vegetables. We started talking about spicy food (given my Indian background). I learnt from Bonnie about Scoville scale of measuring heat (pungency – like heat in peppers or chillis) and how it is measured!

Steve and Bonnie has traveled extensively in Peru. We were there back in 2009. Exchanged notes on Mira Flores and that incredible restaurant in the middle of the ocean – La Rosa Nautica!

That was a great evening! Hope to meet them more often!