Blogs from Barranco, Lima, Lima, Peru, South America

Flights were fine (if long)... Both managed to leave something in the car beforehand though Grr. Stuart was over the moon ´cos he got to see The Beaver!...and Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and X-Men 1st Class. To pass the time Charlene beat Stuart at Poohead and Rummy. Got to Lima, Passport control was easy but got to the baggage carousel and a suitcase was wedged at the end so all the others were piling up behind and falling off. Stuart, being civic minded, decided to unwedge the case. A German guy tried to help but only suceeded in managing to knock Stu over and piling loads of cases on top of him. Eventually an airport worker stopped the carousel and Stuart got jip off some guy!....Peru is not ready for the Big Society yet. Charlene ... read more

We arrived in Lima after dark. It is a large city, holding one third of Peru’s population. Thankfully we had a taxi waiting for us upon our arrival as I was feeling terrible - my flu had really taken hold. It was a long drive to the hotel, much of it followed the coast along a highway with high sandy cliffs on one side and a wide deserted seashore promenade on the other. We had booked a hotel in the beachside suburb of Barranco, an arty bohemian area of the city. The hotel was lovely (3B Barranco), a 1970’s house, renovated beautifully with modern Ikea design, managed by the daughter of the owner who was a well known artist. The walls were hung with his colourful paintings. It made a pleasant change after all the colonial ... read more

Lunch had never been so decadent. Mid-day meals have always been sort of a drag for me. Usually I would choke down a Powerbar or do my best to jazz up a turkey sandwich by applying some sort of condiment like spicy mustard. In Lima, I was driven through streets of graffiti covered buildings dodging stray (but curiously clean) dogs, out to the popular local spot La Doceava, a cevicheria located on the outskirts of Miraflores. Interrupting thoughts of a "bad part of town" before I could suggest we turn back, blue umbrellas bloomed over white clothed tables on a cobblestone patio morphing the dusty wrong-turn into a swanky outdoor lunch area. Visited by construction workers and movie stars a like, this little gem was a local hotspot all of my guidebooks failed to mention because ... read more

Foreign tourists safely roam in the midst of the bright lights of Miraflores. They’re in a comfort zone. The posh coastal district of Lima calls them to what is achingly familiar. Need a pair of shoes? There is Payless. Don’t like the powdery dust that passes for instant coffee at your guesthouse? Then pick up a double mocha flat cinnamon decaffeinated latte with an imported caramel twist at Starbuck’s. Hungry? Kentucky Fried Chicken is right around the corner. Miraflores glistens with casinos, high rise apartments, and terribly beautiful women. It is where most non-Peruvian tourists come to enjoy the nightlife in Peru without having to plan for anything, including their safety. Circling the tastefully manicured centerpiece of the floral trimmed Parque Kennedy once, even I have let my guard down for the first time in Lima. ... read more

“Wh-What are those?” Rosalinda’s tone was one of shock and extreme disapproval. She pointed at the region around my thighs. I bent over to look for a creepy crawly or perhaps an embarrassing stain left over from lunch. Nothing. I bent around and took a gander down my backside. The coast was clear. I was relieved. It couldn’t be anything too humiliating.. “What are you talking about, Rosalinda?” “Those!!!” “My pants?” Even louder, “Your”, it was the pause that got to me, “jeans!” “What’s wrong with them? They look fine to me.” The fact is they weren’t fine, especially not for a Peruvian woman. “They’re all wrinkled and saggy. They don’t fit you.” Rosalinda, much to my amusement, was becoming visibly upset over the cultural perception on how jeans are to be worn in public. “No, ... read more

From the beginning I have received the same type of advice. Don’t do this. Don’t go there. Don’t walk at night. I feel imprisoned by factors beyond my control: my attire, skin complexion, and passport. There is a small part of me that wants to get mugged just to get it over with so I can get on with this trip. “So, Ricardo, where do you want to go today, my love?” Marisa is the owner of the bed & breakfast that she insists I call my home while in Lima. If she were any more pleasant, I might have to smack her. In her early fifties with short, wavy salt and pepper hair, she has started this little operation from the ground up. It is uncommon enough to come across a woman as a small ... read more

So as the title suggests, the first few days here have been accompanied by much dog-spotting, especially shouts of "Look Jon, there´s a Baxter!" We´ve done a fair amount of just wandering about along the coast and into town, exploring and getting used to being here, but nothing really of note as yet. To be honest Lima doesn´t feel like the most exciting city - it´s different enough from what we´re used to to feel distinctly unfamiliar, without being properly crazy/exciting/out-there in the manner that a city on a foreign continent perhaps ´should´. We´ve been warned several times by fellow travellers to be wary of the locals trying to take us for a ride, and while it does seem like everyone´s got some sort of hustle, it´s not too difficult to get on with what you´re ... read more