PERU

[Ken2]

Im thinking of a quick juant down to Lima.  Know a few gals from Amigos.com, but I have always wanted to see the city. From Denver its only like $350 r/t.  Any suggestions on hotels. I'll pick up a guide book from Barnes & Nobles for sights.  Still have a visa in progress for my Cartagena lady, but seems seems to be getting a little distant.  So, not a bad idea to have a back-up plan.  Anyway...How are the ladies attitudes, philosophies, culture different from those of Colombia?

thanks,

ken

[Hamlet]

... in response to PERU, posted by Ken2 on Nov 25, 2003

Edge, Nico and I are all from Denver, even though I am in Nicaragua right now.

We get together often. You should join us.

Hamlet

[Ken2]

... in response to Re: PERU, posted by Hamlet on Nov 26, 2003

Sure,  

drop me a line when you get back in town.

ken

[denvermike]

... in response to PERU, posted by Ken2 on Nov 25, 2003

Hi Ken,

Well it would be an interesing trip no doubt.  I go to Lima two or three times per year on business, and I can´t say it is one of my favorite places to go.  The weather always seems to be kind of grey and grime when I am there.  There are lots of casinos and chicken places. It is a very big place with terrible traffic.

I usually stay in places my company lines up in Miraflores or San Isidro (sp). I would call a travel agent to line up a hotel and taxi to and from.

My advice would be to get on another flight (Lan Peru) and head to Arequipa.  It is Peru´s second largest city. The climate is like Tucson, it is a pretty place, the food is good, and you will likely meet someone.  I am sure there are lots of Arequipa ladies on Amigos too.  

Peru has changed its laws on bringing in electronics, nothing to really worry about now. One time I had a hell of a hard time over a laptop computer, but not anymore.

In my opinion you might not be too thrilled with Lima, but Arequipa is one of my favorite places.  It depends on what you are looking for. One thing the women in Lima are probably going to be more light skinned and less native looking.  Once again, it depends on your taste. I personally find the women in Arequipa very attractive and also very friendly and nice.

Lima is not a place you just go for a stroll around town.  There are tons of tourists in Arequipa. If interested, I can recommend some hotels in Arequipa. There are bunches of good restaurtants there also.

mike

[bigbdm4]

... in response to PERU, posted by Ken2 on Nov 25, 2003

I would never have thought of travel from Denver to Lima as a quick jaunt, so more power to you.  As I said before, Lima is the worst place in all of Peru.  I was there about ten years ago.  The first thing they did when I got off the airplane is rummage through all my stuff and make me pay a tax on a video camera.  I hope things are better now.  From the airport to the center of town is a long drive, be sure you negotiate the price before you get into the taxi.  The reason I say that Lima stinks is because it stinks, I mean it smells like the toilets are broken, and I got cholera when I was there.  So be sure that you wash your hands with hot water and soap before you eat, and don't eat anything that has not been cooked.  The cerviche is wonderful, but dangerous.  By the way, when I left, they didn't care whether I had the video camera or not, the inflation was so great that just holding my money for the time I was there was enough to make it worth their while.  Getting my money back was a big hassle, I almost missed my flight.  

What I do is ask my fellow travelers for a good hotel.  On the airplane, ask around for a good hotel.  There are many nice hotels in the Plaza of Arms, and Miraflores is the cough Beverly Hills of Lima.  To me that is an impossible image.  But that's me.  And if nobody on the airplane can refer you to a nice hotel, ask the taxi driver you end up engaging.  The hotels are desperate for you business, so you can negotiate with them about cost, up to a point, if you pay with greenbacks. If you are too cheap or too rude then you become the object of their scorn, and Hell has no fury if they choose to distain you.  If you pay with a credit card, buyer beware, the price automatically triples for gringos.  And the inflation is so big, that by the time you get home and the credit card bill comes due, the price for the hotel has tripled again.  If you don't like one hotel, it's easy to find another.

I know some good people in Lima.  Send me a private e-mail off this list if you are interested.  Juan runs Peru Connections, a matching agency in Miraflores.  We have known him for many years.  We recommend him because he is responsible and honest.

Peru is an amazing place.  We recommend that you get out of Lima as quick as possible and see the rest of the country.  Take the train up to the ancient capitol in the mountains, it's a once in a life time adventure.

Good luck!

Big B  

[DavidMN]

... in response to Re: PERU, posted by bigbdm4 on Nov 25, 2003

The advice about bargaining in cash could very well be valid but don't worry about currency surprises should you choose to pay with a credit card. The Peruvian sol has been remarkably stable for the last two years at around 3.48 to the dollar. And according to the official stats, inflation was pretty much non-existent in 2002 (the same for 2003?).

DenverMike might be able to provide more details but I remember him saying once that he worked in Chile's minerals industry. If that's the case he's probably getting filthy, stinking rich and doesn't need to worry about prices. ;-) (that's a reference to the Peruvian and Chilean gold and copper companies that have seen their share prices soar recently)

-David

[Georgina]

... in response to Re: PERU, posted by bigbdm4 on Nov 25, 2003

Lima is soooo big. There are some parts of Lima that I wouldn't go myself just like any other country has its bad parts.

Miraflores being the cough Beverly Hills of Lima? Being from Lima that's news for me. If you want to make a comparison, I would say La Planicie will be the place.

Miraflores is a commercial district. However, there are other nice places to go. La Punta, San Isidro, San Borja, La Molina, Barranco, Monterrico, etc.

There are other places to go close to Lima, just a few hours away. You don't need to get in a plane to get to them: Chancay, Chincha, Ica, Huaral, Tarma, etc

[Bueller]

... in response to Re: PERU, posted by bigbdm4 on Nov 25, 2003

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  If you go to Lima and cant do any better than to see filth, then my question is why bother leaving town?  If every person you encounter is trying to scam you then I think you are better off staying home.  Under the bed, hiding from all those boogie men.
 
 Maybe it was a bad habit you got into in Brazil.  The doctor showed the patient a square and asked what he thought.  The patient said it was a motel room window, and what kind of terrible things were happening in that room.  Next the doctor showed the patient a rectangle, and asked.  The patient said it was a penthouse window, and all the awful stuff happening inside of there.  Next the doctor showed the patient a circle, and asked.
The patient said it was a yacht porthole, and all the debauchery was happening there.  The doctor said that the patient obviously had someserious problems.  The patient replied, me??  You are the one with all the dirty pictures.

[Red Clay]

... in response to Re: PERU, posted by bigbdm4 on Nov 25, 2003


"wash your hands with hot water and soap before you eat..."

...brilliant advice from one who contracted cholera. Ever think the water might have something to do with that?

Your problems there could have easily been avoided with just a little research/reading before your trip.

[Pete E]

... in response to PERU, posted by Ken2 on Nov 25, 2003

$350 round trip from Denver?Wow,thats a deal.Alot of guys ought to be going down to check it out.
I have had the impression that the girls from Peru might be a better bet for honesty and sincerity.And one of the web sites someone mentioned recently had alot of nice looking girls.

Pete

[mudd]

... in response to PERU, posted by Ken2 on Nov 25, 2003

depends on what city in colombia your trying to compare them too. i myself put them between bogota and cali. i think their was a report on this a while back, look through the archives and search peru. Maria Angola is a nice hotel and close to matchingsys.com, if you want to drop by and look at some of their women.