Lima en 1927

This is a promotional film from General Motors, but check it out. You see a good mountain road, better than those I have been on recently. You discover that Lima has the oldest traffic laws in the world – ironic now that traffic is so savage, laws are not obeyed, and the discussion of the … More Lima en 1927

Lima 1944

When this film was made, Lima was “a charming and comfortable place.” Part I is set in winter (it rarely gets above 70F, and there is a heavy fog every day). Lima is 4,000 miles due south of Baltimore: Part II: Part III: Axé.

Complete Boycott of Starbuck’s and the Catholic Church

I saw in Sunday’s La República that the Archbishop of Cuzco is canceling the lease the traditional and beautiful Café Allyu, on the Plaza de Armas, has held for decades, so as to lease the space to Starbuck’s. This will of course hurt a high quality Peruvian small business in favor of a mediocre transnational … More Complete Boycott of Starbuck’s and the Catholic Church

Mayo

I Today´s poem, from Los heraldos negros, is a very good description of the Santiago de Chuco area. It is especially interesting now that we know May is the best time to be there – just after the rains end, when everything is in flower. If you do not read Spanish, skip to the next … More Mayo

Ciliado arrecife

Is there really something sinister about Santiago de Chuco, or am I merely too bourgeois to easily handle so many close encounters with the fourth world as I have been having lately? I could write a long narration about this expedition. Details would include: * riding slowly through Quiruvilca, where Vallejo worked for a while … More Ciliado arrecife