My New Year postcard

May 2010 be better than this year and I wish your that your unfulfilled projects and desires can crystallize over the next year. I am very grateful for this whole year full of learning but I am also grateful to be alive and be able to achieve another year.

The year of the Ox is leaving us and the year of the Tiger is coming soon. That is the reason of my suit, like La Tigresa del Oriente (The Eastern Tigresse).

Happy New Year to everyone!

My Christmas postcard

December/nights/Lima. The city is brighter than usual due to Christmas season.

I took this picture near my home sweet home and I decided to make a greeting card in many languages in order to celebrate this holidays. 

Few hours left to Christmas' Eve and I am so excited. I wish you a Merry Christmas and may 2010 be a better year full of happiness, love and success!

Limean traffic: smart businesses

In order to drive in Lima, it is necessary to have an incredible skills. As I heard from a foreigner here: "driving in Lima is like playing a videogame and you just jump among obstacles". For this reason, a Peruvian company did not think it twice and they created the Peruvian version of Crazy Taxi called Crazy Combi.

Face to taxi drivers who raise their tariffs due to the annoying traffic, the police that cannot fight properly with the traffic but they make it worse or streets closed due to inexplicable works whose inaugurations continue being delayed. Simply, this is the current scene of Lima, nor during rush hour but all day long. Well, Lima does not count with a proper public transportation as major cities have.

Beyond these problems and the positive about this, if you are a car driver you can find great offer deals in some major streets in Lima, from puzzles and coloring books to your children, cell chargers and cell cases, and just entertainment if you are searching for fun during waiting times. I am bringing some pics about my journey:

Lima is safe thanks to this guy

If you could not read the news at home, 

this guys has the lastest ones

Circus is near than you think

Summer is really near, so this guy sells refreshing jellies

Dear readers, we cannot deal against the traffic as Mahomet must go to the mountain, but if you buy something, you might contribute to Peru's GDP.

Buying flowers

Far away Lima, I enjoyed the great sun that came out and I felt lucky to had the experience to watch these colors despite the dismal place where I have been.

Well, I leave you with the shoots I took:

I get atractted by that colors

To bee or not to bee

Are they pretty?

The central light is awsome

Outside

Lima is not ugly as Salazar Bondy says...

A good tour guide book

"The guides that show you what others only tell you", after read this it is impossible not to buy DK Eyewitness Travel Peru.

Last week I went to Miraflores and passing by a bookstore I found this marvelous guide. In the past time, by a recommendation of a friend - who travels a lot - I bought my first DK Eyewitness Travel guide in Japan and this guide always helped me to find the places I wanted to go (showing the pics only) when my linguistic repertoire finished and I did not know what to say nor had no idea how to get the final destination.

It is a colorful guide that not only contains information about tourist places that would be due to visit, also contains information about Peru's history, a full chapter to Peru's capital city: Lima, another one approaches destinies by regions, another chapter dedicated to the travelers' needs (where to eat, where to stay, where to hang-out among others) and the last but not less important, the survival guide about practical and travel information.

For example, this gorgeus shoot belongs to the part dedicated to Lake Titicaca:

From my personal experience, no other guides explain the history of a place in words and pictures, like this one which explore Nasca Lines:

Also it has a chapter dedicated to the travelers' need: where to eat, where to stay, where and what to buy, outdoors activities and national holidays as well. As you may appreciate, this is a very complete guide about my country and why not, it is also an excellent memento. In my case, I highlight the destinies I visited, then I have a good memory about the trips. It could be an excellent gift to one who likes and/or want to travel.

You can find more information here.

Peruvian Chifa is very different from Chinese food

This year, Peru celebrates the 160° Anniversary of Chinese Immigration. It would be an insult if I do not write how much influence had this culture in our country. In statistical terms, it is believed so far that the number of their descendants is estimated in 200,000 and it may have even more. It also should be noticed that Chinese Immigration continues until these days. In terms of importance, we can be proud to have the largest overseas Chinese population in Latin America, a figure only surpassed by San Francisco in the United States.

Well, the first Chinese immigrants, who mostly came from the province of Guangdong, were admitted to Peru to work as slaves into the constructions of railways, the extraction of "guano" (excrement of birds used as fertilizer) and for domestic works. In this activity, Chinese became well known cookers and since then, Peruvian know the history.

Chifa Menu: everything with wonton soup or fried wonton

"Chifa" is the name under Peruvians call either Chinese restaurant or Chinese food. "Let's go to chifa" means "let's go to eat Chinese food". In advance, the word comes from the Chinese words "吃饭" (chi1 fan4) wich means litteraly "eat food".

According to Lima Chamber of Commerce, 8,000 chifas per year would open nationwide. Only in Lima, it must to concentrate approximately 3,000. Areas where you can find a lot of these places are: Canada Avenue, Urbanizacion Pro at Los Olivos where one of three business is a chifa. Without going so far, at the renewed Trujillo Street (El Rimac), along two blocks I have counted at least 6 of these establishments.

What is it the ingredients of this succes? Personally, I believe (besides roast chicken which I will write soon a post too) that chifa is a sign of democracy: it is available to all budgets and it is available to all kind of tastes. It is not need to spend a huge amount of money to enjoy chifa in Peru.

The Peruvian offer is beyond different from other Chinese food can be tasted in somewhere else. Its encounter with Peruvian traditions gives you that little touch of magic.

It also seems that the succes of Chinese restaurants in Peru lies into the ritual/preparation of the meals. It is very fast (one portion of chifa is stronger compares to one portion of "fast food" product and you must not forget that Peruvians love to eat well) and clients wants to watch how they cook their meals in front of them.

Personally, I cannot imagine my life without chifa. But it must be a Peruvian one because the others are bland and have a lack of taste. 

I am closing this post with the most representative dish of Peruvian-Chinese Gastronomy called "airport". Dear reader, you can see why it is called airport, the fried wonton appears like an airplane:

Bon appétit.

The business of faith

After a fastest take a look at Tacna Avenue I notice this shop along the street. The owner sales saint figurines, candles, among other spiritual objects. But at the front of the place you can see other different stuff placed in tables, cabinets or chairs that must convinced people it is also a grocery store.

With their products, they do not only contribute to Heaven's matters, they also satisfy earthly subjets like hungry and thirsty as well.

So this is one of most reasons I love my city and you never get tired of it.

A cold remedy that made me feel better

During winter season, the lowest Limean temperature can reach 55°F (13°C). It is not so cold compares to other cities such as Vermont or Vancouver. But our major problem is not the coldness itself, it is the humidity that can reach 99%.

Well, the other day I was talking with some friends about cold remedies and I was explaining my experience with pills and cough syrup in order to feel better. The results were extremely bad and I was not getting better. At this point, my friend M brought to me this "cold remedy", well known in the city of Tarapoto but unknown in Lima:

 Antigripal in Spanish means cold remedy

After that, I tried a little bit and I felt much better.

Dear reader, if you have cold, ask your doctor for advice but if you really like naturistic remedies, try it!.

Inca Kola, Japanese and war times

Inca Kola, you love it or you hate it. It has been written about it and you may know a lot or less about it too. Why cannot say that Inca Kola is not just a trademark, it is a lovemark. Along with the Irn Bru from Scotland, they are the only two beverages that have beaten Coke in their own countries. But, what I am going to write next, most of Peruvian may do not know about our national soft drink during the World War Second and Japanese Peruvian interment in concentration camps into USA.

I remember, when I was a little girl, I only found Inca Kola at the "Japanese" club. But I always loved Coke so there was a problem because It was not possible to get into the place a bottle of Coke unless I drink it outside before. Well, this measure finished in 1999 when Coke bought Inca Kola. Since then I can find both Coke and Inca Kola.

Go back to our subject, once I asked my father "Why can we only drink Inca Kola inside the club?" and then he answered: "Mr. Lindley (the founder of the company) was one of many people who helped the Japanese during the war so this is our gratefulness to him". If my memory serves me right, after the attack on Pearl Harbor and Japan's entrance into the World War Second, many Japanese and Peruvian-born Japanese were deported and sent to concentration camps in U.S. because Peruvian President Prado was expected to side firmly with President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066.The people who stayed in Peru suffered the consequences of war, xenophobia and plunders. Other people did not want to help for fear of being accomplice of spying.

At this point, you might think what is the relationship between Inca Kola and the War?. Well, according to my family and my parent's friends (there is nothing written), the "Japanese" who had business went to the Coca-Cola Company (an American-based company) and shut down the doors to them. So at that time a brand-new company as Mr. Lindley's had to do something and helped "Japanese" with credit facilities. 

There might be hidden economic interests but I really appreciate this story because an immigrant from Britain and came to Peru helped another immigrants during war times and built a national empire, a lovemark. It is a relly succes.

Pavement Art

The other day, I went out for a walk and someone took my attention: it was a guy using only chalks to draw the famous Vermeer's painting: The Girl With the Pearl Earring.

Well, this guy uses the paviment as a canvas and as well as many Peruvians, he found a creative way to earn some money.

Earning oneself a place in heaven

As a Peruvian or just a foreigner who wants to visit Peru, we might need a visa. National security and human migration seems to be God's major concern. Is it an utopia free transit of people, even towards heaven?

Building of Embassy of Heaven in Lima

For many years, I have passed by this building on Javier Prado Avenue and leaving aside the joke this place is actually a Christian based organization.

P.S. Thanks to my friend B to keep me company.

The bear who left Peru

Last weekend, a shop window caught my attention because I saw Paddington Bears on the way to a friend’s wedding celebration:

The next day, watching a TV program, I just knew that the famous “British” bear actually came from “Darkest Peru”.

The story tells us that Paddington was orphaned as soon as an earthquake knocked down Lima. So, her aunt Lucy took charge of him. As she went to live in the Home of Retired Bears in Lima, she made all the arrangements to send him to England. Since 1958 Paddington Bear has become an English children’s literature icon thanks to its creator Michael Bond who never met Peru.

At least in England, if somebody asks to a Peruvian “where do you from?” and if they get a simply “Peru”, they will not know what to say, but if you relate the answer with Paddington Bear, another one will be the reaction you will get.

This poor man did not know about Peru, he was not English either and he had to suffer for one million dollars.

For more information of Paddington Bear, click here.

Safety Lima

I just look at Wanderlust web page, a British specialized magazine about travel, and I was surprised that Peru is the third top searched country on that page. Earlier this year, Peru appeared twice in Wanderlust Travel Awards 2009: sixth place for Top Country and eigth place for Top City (Cusco). In this sense, there is a major interest in our country and obviously, Lima is a must for every tourist passing by Peru and for him/her there is always a concern, before and during the trip: security.

During eighties and nineties, mostly in Lima, it reigned curfews, car bombs and blackouts. All over Peru suffered terrorism. Nowadays, we have forgotten all of them and Lima relatively became a modern and a quiet city. Personally, I feel more unsafe in New York than Lima, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".

As any (cosmopolitan) city that you visit, always be careful. In order to enjoy your journey you must to keep a low profile. I other words, carry only what you need the most: leave the expensive watch, leave the laptop and have exact money. Either way, do not dress up like "typical tourist": beige short/beige cargo trousers, shirt, hat and a camera dangling from your neck. That's no a good idea because people can take advantage of you. I mean it. It happened to me, even in my own country people think I am foreigner. I spend such a bad time when it is a matter of money: I have to bargain more than a regular Peruvian and I cannot leave my identity card at home.

So, come to Lima, come to Peru and enjoy your trip. These people were warned to look out for thieves in Lima:

Cat Woman, Spiderman and the Magical Guinea Pig being on guard

Send your wish to Saint Rose by e-mail

Every year, on August 30th to be precise, people from all over Peru goes to the Sanctuary of Saint Rose, located in Tacna Avenue to pray and to wish for health, money among other issues.

This year and without precedents, the Archbishop of Lima decided to open a virtual mail box on Internet where messages from all over the world will get there and soon after those messages will be deposited into the real Well of Desires.

If you cannot personally go to the sanctuary and make your wish, you can send an e-mail to: grupo_santarosa@hotmail.com, and your wish will be deposited into the well.

A purple passion and how Limeans are 'mazamorra' lovers

 

The first time I made mazamorra morada and arroz con leche in 2008.

Mazamorra morada is a well-known dessert in Peruvian gastronomy. I think personally, when a Peruvian lives abroad, he/her misses a lot its flavor for two reasons: i) There is no natural substitute for purple corn or ii) Chicha morada sachets, mazamorra sachets or vacuum packed purple corn might be expensive.

Following The Royal Spanish Academy - the institution responsible for regulating Spanish language - mazamorra is a very soft liquid mass done with maize and prepared according to the style of many countries from Latin Amercia. So, there is a wide range of mazamorras but in Lima, mazamorra morada is the most well-known and one of the most eaten desserts. 

Limeño/a mazamorrero/a is a colloquialism used since 19th century  which refers the love of Limeans (as myself) to eat a certain dessert. Which dessert would be it?. Dear reader, I let you think a moment...

Ricardo Palma, Peruvian author and librarian whose master piece is Tradiciones Peruanas, refers to this colloquialism in the short story El Rey del Monte (The King of the Hill). Another Peruvian author, Manuel Atanasio Fuentes, writes about the celebrity of mazamorra personified by Ña Aguedita:

The history of Lima will long preserve the memory of Ña Aguedita, whose cooling compounds and mazamorras gave her greater celebrity in Lima than the inventor of the electric telegraph enjoyed. Ña Aguedita sold refreshing beverages in the morning, and in the evening, she also offered her costumers mazamorra morada and champuz de agrio y leche (curds and milk acidulated with lemon)(...) 

Even, during Spanish Inquisition in Peru, mazamorra had such popularity that  was supossedly used for witchcraft acts, as Palma says in his book Anales de la Inquisición de Lima (Annals of the Inquisition in Lima).

Nowadays, everybody knows that there is no witchcraft in order to enchant. Purple corn, the main ingredient of this Limean dessert (as well as chicha morada, the refreshing beverage not the alcoholic one), has antioxidant strenghts, anti-inflammatory capabilities, targets cancer and also has anti-obesity potential.

As a good limeña mazamorrera, I will eat mazamorra.

Excuse me...

Peruvian creativity

Despite the global economic crisis, the construction industry in Peru maintains its growth rate and dynamisn into the market. Sadly, many others cannot enjoy the dream of own house.

The sign next to the dummy says "Sell" 


One day, walking around home I found this building. At first sight, it is not about a desperate person who is trying to sell that apartment. Some real estate agents use this creative campaign to obtain clients.


I was drawn to that dummy because it was the first time I saw it without trousers and it gave me the impression of being a woman.


In Lima, for the record, dummies are not clothing-related exclusive feature.

Sakura in winter

Sakura is the Japanese name for the flower of the cherry tree known in Western countries as cherry blossom.

In many districts of Lima where Japanese descendants live, cherry blossom can be found in the streets. Last time I was in the district of Jesus Maria and I notice its presence.

In Japan, Sakura blooms in April when spring is coming and last - at the most - for two weeks. In Lima, due to its template climate it is possible to see cherry blossom even during winter season (in August for us).

Lima, the entrance door to Peru

Riva Agüero Old House, Historical Center of Lima

January 15th, 1535 the city of Lima was the fourth city founded by the Spaniards in Peru during the conquest and it was baptized as “The City of the Kings”. During the 20th Century Lima was well-known as “The Garden City” due to the amount of great gardens that it had.

Four hundred years later, with more than eight million inhabitants, many of those gardens were lost due to the constant boiling of a emergent city. The cultural legacy is concentrated at its Historical Center (World Heritage Site by UNESCO), but Lima is also a modern and cosmopolitan city.

Larcomar, district of Miraflores

Although Lima was based on the Rimac Valley and being a coastal city its climate is relatively tempered without precipitations even during winter season. Humidity rates near a constant 80 to 100 percent along the year.

You should not leave Lima without an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

Come to visit us...