Yes, I'll Have Some 'I Can't Believe It's Not Butter' on My Street Corn

I have mentioned this before, and by no means do I believe it to be a unique phenomenon, but Lima is truly a city of contrasts. We could debate the underlying causes for these contrasts (the biggest probably being rapid economic development), but I would rather just present some of my findings and let you be the judge.

The most striking contrast is the mix of new and old in the city. However, I think it's important to note that this melting pot does not resemble certain cities which also display a mingling of the modern and the antique (Boston and Rome both come to mind). In Lima, you will see gleaming art galleries, boutique clothes stores, and sleek restaurants nestled between centuries old mansions, shack-like storefronts, and abandoned buildings. My first impression was that the city was falling into disrepair, but as I spend more time here I enjoy finding the hidden gems. You also see shiny Porsche's parked next to 70's mototaxis (a mototaxi is a charming little creation, composed of a motorcycle which has a cab built around it and two wheels added in the back. So your driver will be riding a motorcycle up front while you bask in the comfort (I should note that these are regarded as the most uncomfortable and dangerous, albeit cheapest, transportation option in Lima) of the cab in back. I consider it the Liman transportation mullet. And of course, you see everyone, young and old, with cellphones.

In just over two weeks I have met some of the warmest and most ingratiating people. I'm just the gringo coming in with grand delusions of saving Peru, yet they greeted me happily, brought me into their homes, showed genuine interest in me, helped me nail down the locations of the prime wig shops, and really made me feel welcome. I can't say enough about how impressed I have been with the kindness of Peruvians (based on the Lima subset). Of course there will always be bad seeds, but overall they are a great bunch. The situation becomes decidedly different once you hit the streets. As drivers, Limans are rude, inconsiderate, risky, harassing, selfish, and arguably insane. Merging into a lane requires you to direct your car into another car and just hope it moves out of the way. There is no courtesy. Is that an ambulance I see behind me? I imagine that it is on its way to attend to some health emergency. I should probably stay right where I am so that I don't lose my prime spot. Better yet, I could initiate a slow merge into the lane to which the ambulance is also merging. I see that the ambulance driver noticed the other lane is moving faster, but I'm not so dense to miss that opportunity. I'm going first! Out of my way! I'm a motorist! As a pedestrian you are never given the right of way. Crossing the street amounts to a game of chicken with the bus/micro/combi/taxi/microtaxi/bicycle/scooter/motorcycle/hovercar/Tie Fighter that wants to get somewhere. It's really amazing how getting behind the wheel transforms these great people into complete jerks. Again, there are good seeds, but while driving around Lima it sure seems like they are few and far between.

How can avocados be so cheap and peanut butter be so expensive?! How can corn kernels be so big and door openings be so small?! How can there be so much coffee cultivation yet so little actual ground coffee (instant is the default)?! Am I the only one who finds this all nuts?!

Though it is a big city, Lima is surrounded by natural beauty. Their are beautiful views of the ocean from the sea cliffs on which the Miraflores, San Isidro, and Barranco districts are perched. The topography of rolling hills and the ever-present fog reminds me of San Francisco. Only a few hours away are towering snow capped mountains. However, the city is also plagued by the natural consequences of development. The smog is terrible, and I felt like I wasn't able to breathe the first time I rode in a taxi. There is not a problem with trash littering the streets, but there is a widespread problem of canine refuse littering the streets. I know some people say New York is dirty, but they really have their dog poop act together. After the great food and interesting neighborhoods, that is probably the aspect of New York I value the most. But hold on there, Andrew, you're digressing. The other dirty element of Lima is the dirt. When it rains in the US, the streets become wet. When it rains here, the streets become muddy even though they are made of asphalt. I don't know where the dirt comes from, and frankly I don't want to know, but it's here, it's clear, and it doesn't want any clean streets.

I want to keep going, but the DJ over at 88.3 FM just dropped "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago. You might be asking "How could we end it all this way?" but I'm afraid that's it for me today.