2/27 Lima, The Battle Of The Kettle

Okay, I am being, like, way overly dramatic with that title.  It would be more accurate, but much less gripping, to call this the comedy routine of the kettle.

I believe, but am not motivated to verify, I closed the last stirring installment with news the hotel room kettle would not activate and I was - tragically - facing a morning without coffee!   ( Sorry if that cliffhanger added stress to your already fraught day.)

The hotel restaurant was glad to handle the immediate emergency: caffeine and sustenance, so my survival was assured.......at 3.25 Sol to $1, at a very modest price.

The outgoing, night shift front desk apparently failed to communicate the seriousness (or existence) of our crisis to the day shift.  This was easily corrected and about lunch time two young men, one housekeeping and one engineer, appeared at our door.  Between them they had slightly less English than I have Spanish.  But we were all game to solve the problem.

They plugged the kettle in, flipped the switch, and, after serious observation, we all agreed it didn't turn on.  They then stared at the outlet.  I grabbed a charger and proved the outlet had power.  The housekeeper acknowledged this was now too technical for him and retreated to clean the bathroom.

The engineer poured out the existing water and tried a smaller amount (in my morning enthusiasm, I had slightly overfilled it).

No joy.

Now for the hard part.  He explained in great verbal detail what he was going to do next.  We shared a jolly chuckle over my expression of extreme non-comprehension.  He then pointed at the kettle, pointed at his two eyes, lifted the kettle, clutched it tightly to his chest.....twinkled his eyes at me and exited as I waved bye-bye to the kettle.

A short time later he returned with a kettle.  Ceremoniously he filled it.  The housekeeper joined us as the engineer plugged, switched, and - to everyone's great delight - the kettle worked!

Modestly, the engineer accepted my thanks, the housekeeper glowed with happiness, and I enjoyed my post-lunch coffee.  I call that a reasonable approximation of 'happily ever after'.

I really like all of the people I met in Lima, district Santiago de Surco.  The energy here is strong, open and very positive.