The area in which we live is called Los Olivos (Olive Trees).  It's a nice area for middle class and lower middle class Peruvians.  The municipality has different events and activities for its residents about once a month.  This month they sponsored a Gastronomy and Dance Festival.  They prepared typical, authentic Peruvian foods and had different groups come in to showcase the many varieties of indigenous dances in Peru.  It was fun to see how the food is prepared and to enjoy the dances.

The past month or so everything in Peru has been about "Soccer" or "Fútbol", as they call it here.  Everyone has been eating, drinking and breathing soccer.  Peru's national soccer team has been trying to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and it has been a nail-biting experience for every man, woman and child.  The team had to win their last game against New Zeland in order to qualify for the World Cup and they won 2-0.  Peru qualifies after waiting for more than 30 years!  Arriba Perú!!
All of the following pictures were taken the day before the final game was played.  Ruth and I are rabid fans.

All the action was happening in the streets.  Everyone was selling shirts, headbands, horns, hats, masks, face stickers and anything else they could sell.  Lots of businesses decorated their places with red and white balloons which are the national colors of the team.  It was so fun seeing all of this happening.

When Ruth got home from her mission over 50 years ago, there was a light, green Volkswagon parked in her driveway.  That was our first car when we got married and we drove it, drove it and drove it.  When we thought it was on it's last leg, someone bought it from us and drove it for several more years.  Much to our surprise, the Volkswagon can be seen all over Lima.  Here are some pictures Ruth took on our way to the Mission Offices.