Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc

[Onephd]

(Long Post)

OK, I have been monitoring the board the past weeks. I have been busy moving to a new state and have not posted much. I'm also cutting back on posting as too much of stuff lately has caused too many negative comments and feedback.

Fist for those that did not see my trip report about Lima Peru on other boards, I'll give you the headlines and high points. Let me say thanks to ChrisF who gave me much needed info before, during and after my trip to Puru. The board needs more people like him that are simply trying to help out the next guy.  So Thanks ChrisF again.  I went to Peru and had a blast. I met a very very nice lady in her 30's and while things started off slow, things ended up great.  I'll be back in Lima in less than a month.  

I don't think it’s really productive to try and compare Colombia and Peru as they are very different. But some things I noticed were:

In short, Peruvian women are more conservative and move a little slower than those in Colombia and Brazil from what I can tell based on my limited experience (1 trip to Brazil and about 8 or 9 to Colombia).  Lima was easier on the eye than Bogotá, Cartagena and Baranquilla in my opinion. That is the city itself was prettier and not as congested looking as Bogotá.  Things are a little pricier however but still better than here in terms of going to a very nice restaurant.  There is also more to do in Lima and Peru in general in terms of tourist stuff.  That helps make your time easier and more fun. You can really go and make it a wife hunting/vacation thing if you want to. There are plenty of neat things to do and it’s really cool when you find a nice lady to show you the sites.  That’s not to say that I think Peru is better than Colombia or anything like that. I still like Colombia and the people the women. I'm just offering my opinion since it might be interesting as there are not many people here that have visited several different countries

Generally speaking, the women are not as beautiful as those in Colombia (again Generally speaking) but that’s partially because the population is more diversified from what I saw. Not everyone looks like alike as you might imagine or at least how I imagined. There does exist that strong Inca or Indian look in a lot of Peruvians but not all.  I saw some that had more European features, African features and many of Asian decent as well. (That’s not to say that I think all Colombian or Brazilian people look alike).  

HOWEVER, there are many, many, pretty women there (slightly taller than those in Colombia for all you tall guys, ha ha ha).  Don't let anyone tell you Peru doesn't have beautiful women because they have PLENTY.  Everyone knows that Colombia and just has Wayyyy more than an average number of beautiful women. But remember that’s only part of the equation.
 
Peruvians from Lima are generally well educated just as those in Bogotá.  The worst thing for me about Peru was using a taxi. In Lima you have to negotiate the price before you leave.  I once forgot to do this and paid the price so to speak.  Also I discovered that not every taxi cab went everywhere in Lima.  So if you are headed far out in the burbs, you have sometimes ask one or two taxis before you find one that will take you to your destination.

I found the families of the women to be just as nice as those in Colombia. They were generous, kind and nurturing.  

I found the women of Peru to be very very sweet, loving and genuine (just as much if not more as their Colombian counterparts).  They are very affectionate, ladylike and very very sweet. Again, however, they are not quick on the draw.  You have to put in your time and effort much more than in Colombia in my opinion.  If you are looking for instant gratification, then Peru is not the place for you. ha ha ha. So all in all, in terms of the women, I think Peru is probably the best kept secret on the board.  If a man is serious about finding a sweet, educated, beautiful wife, then Peru might be the place for you to look. To be honest I had early success with letter correspondence in Peru but never went there until recently.  I don't regret going to Colombia and Brazil first because I had some good relationships and experiences there, but I do wish I had gone to Peru sooner.

The Lima airport is nice and getting through customs was no problem and FAST.  American Airlines has a red eye flight that arrives at about 4:30 in the morning and Delta has a flight that arrives about 10:30 pm. I'm sure there are others but that’s major flights that appeal to me and my location.

As for safety, I didn't have any problems and I walked around alone sometimes.  You probably do want to be careful in Central Lima. By that I mean just don't go with flashy watches rings etc.  I didn't think it looked dangerous but my lady made me remove my stuff as to prevent anything from happening.  I think that because there are so many tourists in Lima that you do have to take a few normal precautions there that. But nothing to worry yourself about. Normal precautions for big city travel. You don't need secret money belts etc.  Just move you wallet to your front pocket and or carry your cash in your front pocket.  In fact I didn't even move my wallet.  

As for as how I met the lady I am with and how we met.  That brings to the other part of my post.  Much has been said about TLC and how it’s not a good deal not a good agency etc.  I think it all depends on the person involved.  For example.  I prefer to do a little letter correspondence before going to a place to meet a lady.  For me this works.  For others it doesn't.  Well I tried a very well known agency that many other men have had good luck with (Matchingsys.com).  Well my response rate was terrible with them.  I also tried the TLC catalog and had about an 80-90% response rate.  So it all depends on the luck of the draw so to speak.  I can't explain why hardly anyone from Matchingsys.com corresponded back and so many ladies corresponded back from the TLC magazine. I do know that many men that use letter correspondence like and value TLC as it always has fresh new ladies and you really can’t beat the price. It always gives you the important info you need about a lady (age, children, location, and occupation).  

I can’t speak about the tours of TLC as that’s not my thing.  I do know that TLC is not all bad as it has been portrayed lately. I'm not a shill or a plug for TLC.  I just know what I have experienced and I also know of other men that enjoy and value the TLC Magazine.

I want to speak about race for a minute for those men of Color on the board (like myself).  I would not let anyone tell you that Peru is not good for Black men or anything like that. Now granted no one has said this on this board about Peru, but I want to go on the record for those lurkers and those that might use the archives to find out about such matters.  This is not an attempt to start a race issue so please don't anyone get offended.

I did not feel any racism although I know it exists as the family of my lady told me it does. It’s just like anyplace else on earth. But you have to remember that the racism they speak of is usually intracultural not necessarily simply black vs. white as we know it.  For example, it could those that have strong Indian features vs. those that have more Spanish features or Asian features etc.  Also you have to remember that Peru got rid of Spanish rulers quickly and it is not as influenced or impressed by Spain as other SA countries. Its not as caught up in the white skin is better mentality because there are still many, many people there with indigenous features (which among other things includes darker skin). Also as I stated earlier, there are many different races in Peru so if anything, its probably more accepting than other races.  That said, I would highly recommend Peru for finding a girlfriend or wife to anyone regardless of race color or creed.

My philosophy about race is that I so into trying to find my true love that I don't have time to worry about racism or who is looking at me funny etc.  All I care about is if I'm getting along with the woman and if she is into me.  There will always be those that don't like you for whatever reason.  There will also always those in life, on this board and other boards that try to make it seem like you won't have success in Peru, Colombia, etc if you are black... Simply put it is not true!!  I heard the same BS when I joined this board about Colombia (Bogotá in particular) and Russia when I was doing that thing.  In both cases I found that I had an ample supply of women to choose from and that wanted to meet me.  I was lucky as I met some cool guys both black and white from this board that told me the truth about this process.  If you are a gentleman, patient, know yourself and what you are looking for, make efforts to learn Spanish, be sensible in your choices, you will have many choices and find your better half.  I have to say that I not had a shortage of good women to choose from whether it was Bogotá, or Lima or Russia. So that said, Get on the plane.   Enough said on the race issue.  I'm not trying to start anything so please don't take it that way.  

anyway, gotta run.  

[Chris F]

... in response to Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Onephd on Jun 25, 2005

Hello my friend!!

Thanks for the kind words!! Glad to hear things are working out for you. I just post about this trip..see above...

Keep in touch!!!

TE AMO PERU!!!

[caslug]

... in response to Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Onephd on Jun 25, 2005

I agreed about Peru.  I've been to Peru & COL and found things like you said.  My opinion ONLY,

The good

Peru chicas are EVEN MORE sweeter BUT not as good looking(on average), but harder to get into bed.  I love the city, reminds my of San Diego, CA where i grew up.  Larcormar is just like La Jolla.  More tourist stuff to do than Bogota.  I suspect because Peru was the INCA capital(machu pichu) so it had more history than COL.  The food is WAY more diverse than COL.  and better.  Safety situation was better, Miraflores, San Isidro and even Barranco were very safe at night.  Unlike Bogota or Cali where i always felt a little "on edge" when walking alone at night.  PLUS you can take bus ANYWHERE in PERU and ONLY fear is NOT banditos or FARC, but bad bus and drivers.  They have lots of bus accidents, bus falling down a cliff!  

I thought prices in Lima(outside of miraflores) was cheaper than Bogota. Especially hotel.  I've stay an apartment hotel in Miraflores(across the street from parque Kenenedy) for 50 sols, stand queen bed room.  or Jacuzzi room for $90 soles.  Food was cheaper unless you go to upscale places.  Casino was more expensive.  ALso, LESS red tape, you can rent and get phone/cable service VERY easily.  I was told all i need was my passport to get phone hookup.  

The bad,

ON AVERAGE the chica in Peru are not as good looking.  Average chica in COL in Cali or BOG walking around the street is 6-7 while in peru they were 5.5/6.  I thought peruvian chicas tend to be slightly chunkier(saw more slightly overweight YOUNG chicas in Lima than Cali), in the clubs the chicks where ON AVERAGE 6/7 some 8.  while in COL you saw lots of 7 and more 8.  THAT NOT to say there's not 9 or 10, top 10% of any country is fine!  it's just COL has more 7 and 8's.  

Taxi sucks!  I've talk with lots of amigas, and they tell me that taking taxi alone for a single women in consider dangerous.  They don't have one or two taxi companies per city like they do in COL.  Everyone can drive a taxi. AND for some reason, telephone calls were MORE expensive than COL and the states!  

I would rather live an expat life in Lima than BOG(same size city).

[Onephd]

... in response to Re: Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by caslug on Jun 25, 2005

Regarding the hotels, I stayed at the Holiday Inn in MIraflores.  Its was a nice hotel, and lots of tourisim which made it ideal for me.  I never worry about hotel theft when I'm at big name hotel or one where they rely on lots of tourist traffic. Eventually I may move to a smaller and cheaper hotel and save some bucks.  The Holiday Inn runs about $60-65 a night if you prebook and prepay 2 weeks in advance.  Thats not bad when you consider the rooms are enormous (800 sq. feet +) and it has a business center, nice bar, pool and fitness center and nice restaruant to grab the free breakfast at.  Lots of English speaking staff there too.

Yeah the food was great. Lets not forget the Pisco Sour. ha ha.  My ladys mother gave me a bottle as a parting gift and man I killed that bottle when I got home. ha ha ha.

I tend to go restaruants that are slightly above average in price I think. I prefer to take adavantage of the power of the dollar and eat rather nicely rather than to go the super cheap route.  I think on average, my meals for two with, appetizers, wine and coffee etc ran about $40-50 for two.  I know to some that is rather expensive for SA, but that same meal in the US would have been about $100-150.  One really nice place like is Isla Rosario (I think thats the name of it).  It is located on the Beach and the restaruant sits about 100 meters out in the ocean at the end of a long pier.

You know I have been to Cartagena, Baranquilla, Bogota and Sao Paulo and now Lima.  The only place that did not have overweight women was Bogota. I think the thin air helps keep everyone slim and trim. ha ah ha.   I know I always loss five to ten pounds everytime I was in Bogota.  

The other places seem to have a slightly normal population of small,  medium, and slightly overweight people.  

Anyway, I'm looking forward to my next trip Lima and eventually I want to do the Matchu Pitchu thing.  

Lima needs one more agency maybe two and it would be a dream.  There is so much to do there culturally that it would be the ideal place to do the tourist thing and meet nice women.  I do think that Peruvian women would be resistent to the idea. They tend to be more conservative. I also saw that many people were protesting the building of a Hooters Restarurant. The word is that many think it would become a den of prostitution.  I do think an upscale agency could be done, but I wouldn't do it.  TLC gets a lot of women at their party there so who knows.  I'm sure Matchingsys.com does well with its correspondence service and agency but I still wonder why my response rate was so low with their ladies and why it was so high with TLC ladies.  I know its not due to a difference in class, education, looks or anything like that. I only know that the perceptions are very different between the two groups.  I'll take the TLC photo magazine over Matchingsys.com for meeting women in Peru.  I know others have had sucess at Matchingsys.com so I can only recommend that each man try both and go with the one that he likes the best and has the best luck with.

[Kiltboy1]

... in response to Re: Re: Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Onephd on Jun 26, 2005

Not sure which Bogota you saw, but i saw a lot of overweight women there and the most SMOKERS of any city i had been to in Colombia. Maybe they were transplants from other parts because the true Bogotanas are kind of short and very thin

[Onephd]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race ..., posted by Kiltboy1 on Jun 26, 2005

I have to admit that I while I have been to Bogota many times, my exposure to all of the different areas is limited.  Also it depends on the definition of thin.  I know usually I differ from what others think is fat. Some people see fat and I see a thick woman.  

Anyway, I see that you are from NC.  I'm now in SC.  How does your wife like the area and how is she adjusting to the culture of NC.

[Kiltboy1]

... in response to Re: Re: Re: Re: Loose ends, Peru, TLC, R..., posted by Onephd on Jun 26, 2005

Email me and i will tell you how it has been.

I travel SC a lot with my job, maybe we will catch a beer sometime

KB

[latinadreaming]

... in response to Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Onephd on Jun 25, 2005

Great informative post.  I have a friend in Los Angeles that is married to a lady from Peru.  They met in Lima at the company where he was working and they start dating and then they got married.  In the beginning, for whatever reason, he was not happy.  I would talk to him about it and then I would talk to her.  After talking to her, I realized how much she loved him and just wanted a happy home and husband.  This girl, nor her family is poor so living in the US is not an issue.  If they got divorced she was going back to Peru.  

After talking to my friend, I realized the issue was with him.  He did not want to be married, so he rebelled against her.  She put up with it, because she loved him so much. They had a baby and for some reason that changed my friend.

He started to change the way he was treating her and he apoligized for actions and asked her to forgive him.  She did and now you should see them. They have the greatest relationship you ever want to see.  He realizes the great woman he has and they have a relationship that few married people have.  They have been together 8 years and they act like newlyweds!!

[Seeker]

... in response to Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Onephd on Jun 25, 2005

Great post Onephd! This forum has an increasing number of members who find their true love in Peru. Hopefully, your success will inspire and motivate others to consider Peru as a fine alternative to Colombia or Brazil. I got the sense that as you were writing your report you were walking on verbal egg shells as to not offend anyone on this forum. I believe the recent flame wars inhibit great informational posts on this forum, which is a real shame.  

Thank you for your willingness to discuss race and its ramifications in searching for a wife in SA. During my trips to Colombia, I became good friends with many African-American guys from Atlanta, Chicago, etc. All these guys were very successful with women of all races. I recall race was an issue with a few women, but they were easily eliminated through the first phone contact or e-mail, so as to not waste a gentleman's time and effort.

I remember that one of my initial concerns in searching for a wife in Colomiba was that Colombianas wouldn't be interested in a Spanish-speaking Latino (not exotic enough). I'm sure that some Latinas have a preference for an American with blue eyes, 6' tall, etc. However, I have always found plenty of wonderful women in Colombia interested in someone with my background. Therefore, if you're Latino and believe your ethnicity will be a handicap, for example, in Colombia, I completely disagree. I've seen men with Asian, Latino and Black ethnicities be very successful in Colombia.  

DISCLAIMER: The above observations are based on personal opinions and only reflect my reality.

[latinadreaming]

... in response to Re: Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Seeker on Jun 25, 2005

To anyone of any race reading this.  Go for it!!  They are millions of women over there that don't care if you are a frog.  As long as your breathing.  You will find some that have preferences, but so what.  Quickly move on.  There is another million that don't!!!!  Get over there!!

[papi]

... in response to Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by Onephd on Jun 25, 2005

this is the kind of reporting we need. anybody know how many guys go on the TLC tour to Peru?

[TLC Bruce]

... in response to Re: Loose ends, Peru, TLC, Race etc, posted by papi on Jun 25, 2005

Steve,
   I copied this from my website. Enjoy.

   TLC visited Lima Peru (March 10-15, 2005) with about 30 guys. Over 300 Latin ladies arrived Friday night to meet them. Nearly 500 different women attended our Saturday night event. Those 30 guys where happy, happy campers ; not one complaint. How could they with 800 Latin women wanting to meet them ? Three rival singles organizations planned their ‘Micro Singles Vacation’ at the same time as us, hoping it might hurt TLC’s attendance numbers. Between these 3 groups and their combined 30+ websites, they only had 2 men and 10 women attend their ‘Fiesta Tour’ (a.k.a 'Pinto Tours') for $599.00 each. These 2 guys could not have been happy with this negative experience.These companies have the audacity to claim to be the World’s Largest and Most Successful Introductory Agency. This fraud is intentionally done to the consumer.

   These American services are middlemen who send clients down to a local Peruvian Agency for a 50% commision. They do not conduct any aspect of the tour. They will tell you that their events are better than TLC's. With TLC's large number of lady participants you can become overwhelmed, and possibly faint. With only a few unattractive women attending their events, the selection process will be limited, less complicated and easy.  I guess that's O.K. if you want an ugly, uncompatible wife. Since they can't duplicate TLC's success, their philosophy is that more women to select from is bad. With them, "Less is more." Go figure.

    I'll be posting information regarding my Barranquiila and Cali tours soon. In the meantime, feel free to visit the online TLC Singles Vactions video. Because the video is approximately 80 minutes, I recommend selecting specific chapters:

http://www.weddingdvd.com/streamingdvd.htm?6312691346

Don’t forget call me today to order our Free DVD and informational packet. Visit our website.

Hasta La Vista,

Bruce White, President TLC Worldwide Inc.
www.tlcworldwide.com
(713) 896-9993

[papi]

... in response to I Know.............www.tlcworldwide.com, posted by TLC Bruce on Jun 25, 2005

Bruce, I got to hand it to you. You got into this biz at the right time and appear to still be doing well. As a former customer, the price/value was highly questionable to me but you offer a needed service and despite the recent negative posts I for one feel you run an honest operation. I have met some real scumbags in this biz and feel you fall into the good guy category. I wish you continued success - I only wish I knew what direction to take next as it was my goal to recruit better looking women at valued pricing which I accomplished. I just cant figure out the demand side of the equation.  good luck!

[TLC Bruce]

... in response to Re: I Know.............www.tlcworldwide...., posted by papi on Jun 25, 2005

Steve,
    Call me tomorrow and I'll tell you (the truth) about what you can expect in this industry. Most of it is demonstrated on this forum daily.
    Patrick's previous post was right on the money. I'm not trying to rain on your parade. Just thought I could offer 13 years worth of insight since you asked.

Bruce White, President TLC Worldwide Inc.
www.tlcworldwide.com
(713) 896-9993

[papi]

... in response to Call me tomorrow @   (713) 896 - 9993, posted by TLC Bruce on Jun 27, 2005

Bruce, I think I got the picture but will give you a call. You aren't raining on my parade - i get it ($15-20K too late)