Life in Peru

10 Things I love about Peru.

Reading my previous post could be misleading: I love Peru!!! So in the spirit of fairness, here is a list of 10 things to like about Peru (in no particular order):

10) Scenery. The landscape is breathtaking and the ancient Inca sites are stunning. When Matt Lauer, the NBC host who has traveled most of the world, says Machu Picchu is one of his favorite places, I can totally concur.
9) Food. I love the fresh foods we get at the market here. Peruvian food is a fusion of many influences. Seafood in Lima, spicier foods in the South and all sorts of unique dishes here in the Andes mountains and further East in the Jungle. My personal favorite right now is Chicharon from a little place in Saylla.
8) Stray dogs. I wish they weren’t stray here in the city, but they’re such good dogs. Ruff!
7) Friendly people. Peruvian people are fun, friendly and exceedingly open towards visitors and foreign residents.
6) Radio stations. Unlike in the US, playlists actually have more than 100 songs.
5) Bread. Come to Peru and you will never eat the industrial variety from a US grocery-store again.
4) Natural medicine. I’m really interested in opening a health spa in the Sacred Valley of the Inca, which is about 30 minutes away from Cusco. Just one of my many ideas I lack time, money and expertise for
3) Pisco Sour, Anis & Cerveza Cusqueña. Just as good as real Dutch gin or Belgian beer!
2) Adventure. Make new friends, try new foods, visit great places. You can do it all here in Peru.
1) My sweet lovely wife Patricia!!!!!

Qoricancha, the ruins of the Inca Temple of the Sun, one of the holiest sites in Cusco, Peru

August 17, 2008 Posted by wwelvaert | Life in Peru | Cusco, Life in Peru, Peru | 5 Comments

10 Things I don’t like about Peru.

Since I’m going to ICPNA at 7:00 in the morning I typically see a few homeless people in the Plaza Tupac Amaru. Being that top 10 lists are all the rage, my daily walk to ICPNA inspired me to make my very own list of 10 things I don’t like about Peru (in no particular order):

10) Homeless people. Poverty in Cusco is not bad by Latin American standards, but we could still do better. I teach kids who have nicer cellphones, MP3 players and clothes than I have, so perhaps it’s a problem of priorities, not resources.
9) Papel hygenico. That is, toilet paper. Try finding it in Peruvian restrooms…
8) Stray dogs. I love dogs but hate to see so many of them run loose in the city.
7) Garbage. This is where the stray dogs and I disagree. The typical garbage pickup routine in Peru consists of throwing the garbage on the side of the street and then having a small army of city workers clean up 3 times per week. Please somebody start using garbage cans.
6) Bureacracy.

Update on Peruvian bureaucracy: it took nearly 6 months after moving to Peru to get legally married and over a year to get my Carne de extranjeria.

5) Old fashioned corporate culture. Big titles, dress codes and all sorts of junk even IBM and GE did away with in the 1980s are still all the rage here in Peru.
4) Education. People study all kinds of things, but are not always encouraged to apply their knowledge. My best friend used to say “It’s not how smart you are, it’s what you do with it.” It took me years to realize just how true this is.
3) Italian food, or lack thereof.
2) Pizza. Can someone from New York please move down to Cusco???
1) Public transportation. Try fitting in a “combi” with 21 other people when you’re 6’2″!

Typical Andean food.

August 17, 2008 Posted by wwelvaert | Life in Peru | Cusco, Life in Peru, Peru | 1 Comment