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.