With my boredom levels at a peak and my need to escape the shackles of my computer chair, I headed out on a photographic expedition through the city of Lima.  While walking aimlessly through the main different districts that make up this wonderful cosmopolitan city, I found myself wandering the old rustic and bohemian streets of Barranco.

As the sun slowly set over the Pacific thus bringing an end to my rather uneventful weekend the cries of an unfed and unappreciated stomach yearned for nourishment.  Rising to the call of duty I packed up the Nikon and headed out in search of something new and unique to satisfy the monster within.  Along my walk near the famous Puente de Suspiros I came across a common street vendor who was hard at work cooking up his next batch of sweet caramelized popcorn.  I figured a little snack on my quest for sustenance wouldn't hurt so I ponied up S/. 1.00 for the delicious bag of golden goodness.  Snack in hand I continued towards my goal where I finally reached the municipal square (plaza) located in the most popular and bohemian area of Barranco.  There in the plaza was Barranco's all to popular street fair, where several cooks sell some the countries most prized and recognized dishes to hungry tourists and Peruvians alike.  Seeing this I was tempted to settle in with the crowd but having already eaten here before I continued forward until I came across this quaint little bar with walls stocked full of various liquors, wines, and beers....pure aesthetic heaven....(tear).




Walking in I knew I had reached my destination.  The bar called La Bodega - Bar de Don Juanito, I learned is a famous bar in Lima and for several years has been the melting pot and local watering hole of both Limeños and Barranquinos.


Upon entering the rustic bar I am warmly greeted by Don Cesar, one of the sons of Don Juanito who instantly read my mind when he caught me eyeballing the bountiful display of meat and cheese.  Right away I asked about the two giant legs of pork that glistened in their glowing glass display.  Don Cesar quickly sliced a piece of the infamous Jamón de País (country ham) and handed it to me where I was introduced to its wonderful, light and salty taste which instantly brought back memories of Christmas honey ham.  The next was a smoked pork called Jamón del Norte (northern ham), this meat I was told has been Don Juanito's secret recipe for years.  The smoked flavor of the pork with its strong and robust scent was truly delightful and a real treat for any avid carnivore aficionado.  Unable to decide I ordered two sandwiches or Sánguches of both, each was served on warm french bread rolls (pan frances), with Andean Cheese (extra), and salsa criolla (red onion, rocotó, cilantro, and lime juice).  To accompany my monstrous sánguches I ordered a small ice cold Coca Cola served in its vintage glass bottle, which is something that is difficult to find back in the States.  Together they made the perfect combination!

As I sat there and indulged my inner cravings I watched the people pass through the old plaza of Barranco as the remaining golden rays of sunshine painted the sky of orange, pink, purple, and dark blue, all accompanied by a gentle afternoon breeze.  I was experiencing a tranquility seldom achieved in today's busy world, a true moment of relaxation had been bestowed upon me and for the first time in many weeks all my worries put aside and I was able to enjoy one of life's amazing little moments.  Getting back the bar, while sitting at a wooden table I was surrounded by large wall mounted shelves stocked to their fullest with the finest in adult beverages.  The decor of an aging and preserved historical establishment that has survived the test of time and continues to defy modern progression as it carries out it's tradition.  The bodega (shop) and bar which was established in 1937, started off as a common hardware store which was originally owned and operated by an Italian immigrant was later converted into a bodega and then acquired by Don Juanito (who originally worked there as a waiter) for the price of only S/. 9,000, which in today's market converts to roughly $3,000, give or take.  This historic establishment grew in popularity as it soon became the place for many famous and notable celebrities like La Chabuca Grande, Oscar de Leon, President Alan Garcia, Joaquín Sabina, and many more.  Today it continues to be a popular spot for gathering by Limeños.

What has always seperated Don Juanito from other bars in the city was it's friendly atmosphere.  The bar has long established itself as a place for friends to gather and enjoy a light meal or a round of drinks.  Here any newcomer can feel welcome as they enter the bar and is part of why so many have flocked from all over the city.  Don Juanito is not like other bars in Barranco where people go to get wasted on alcohol, instead it is sought after for it's friendly conversational environment (think what Starbucks has always tried to advertise themselves as).  It's also viewed as a great place to meet a diverse background of locales from all over the city as well as foreigners from all around the world.  During the day the establishment has a calm atmosphere, while at night Don Juanito can be found packed with hungry and thirsty patrons all crammed within the little bars walls.  It's a place where lively conversations and laughter are always available and waiting for those who choose to enter within.


As I bring this article to a close I just want to say that the short time I spent there, along side the wonderful and delicious food was more than enough to make me want to return to relive that initial memory.  I highly recommend La Bodega - Bar de Don Juanito.  The price is highly affordable in comparison with to it's neighboring counterparts, and the service is top notch, with a smile!  That is why I give it a posthumous 5 out of 5!

** Sadly, on January 1st of this year, just 35 minutes after midnight, Don Juanito (97) passed away when he suffered from cardiac arrest.  He is remembered by his sons, who currently run La Bodega - Bar.  

For those interested here is the directions:
Avenida Grau 274, Barranco
Located across from the Plaza de Barranco or Parque Central de Barranco

Anyways, I came across this video which was put together by TV Peru which is a national (government) television channel in Peru.  The video that I managed to discover was one that delved into the world of Lima's nightlife and introduced some of Lima's more famous and historical bars.  I would love to talk more about the video but I think you should just watch it instead.  Again, unfortunately it's in Spanish but I still recommend watching it.

As I promised I have put together a few more photos from this last weekend, when I was traveling all over the city of Lima like a tourist taking photos of the strangest things.  Most of these photos were taken in Miraflores, San Isidro, and Barranco.  I was too lazy to travel to any of the other districts.

Please let me know what you think!

Today's review is of Las Terrazas Grill located in the heart of Barranco.  With Peruvian food always in demand among locals and tourists an establishment like Terrazas has the appeal and presence to draw just about anyone through their intricate and lavish doors.  Located across from the parque municipal "plaza de armas" (municipal park)  Las Terrazas (the terraces) has a structual design that is very unique and stands out among its surrounding environment.  The terraces of the building are beautifully designed, and like the buildings exterior, the interior of building is just as wonderfully decorated with large oil paintings on the walls and the bar made of an indistiguishable carved wood makes you feel like you have gone back in time.  However upon further inspection it becomes evident that Las Terrazas is more about its nightlife that its restaurant is a secondary attraction.   Las Terrazas has four floors with each one hosting its own dedicated dance floor and music, but lets face it in these economic times a nightclub is much more profitable than a restaurant any day, and if your located in an area that has several competing nightclubs that cater to a large number of locals and tourists then why the HELL wouldn't you want to jump on the band wagon.

The food at Las Terrazas is primarily seafood with dishes like ceviche being a flagship of the menu.  If your not into seafood or have just had more seafood than you care to eat, Las Terrazas also offers meat and pasta options like their beef medallions in mushroom sauce served with white rice and french fries or beef raviolis en their own special Terrazas meat sauce.  I had the opportunity to try both but was a little disappointed in the quality of the food.  First off I chose to visit the restaurant on a Sunday around 3pm in the afternoon with my girlfriend when the restaurant was rather deserted.  We took a few minutes to look over the rather large menu that specialized in almost everything (I'm not a big fan of restaurants that serve a broad range of food, it's usually an indication that food quality is going to be poor or mediocre).  Once we ordered we waited about a good 20 to 30 minutes to recieve our meals which given the fact that we were the only ones there was also disappointing.  To top it off our meals didn't even come out at the same time, there was roughly a 5 minute wait for my girlfriends dish to come out of the kitchen.  This makes me wonder about the restaurants service capabilities and quality on a BUSY day.

The food was ok but not much better than that.  What was consistent was the amount of salt the chef or cook (I am assuming the latter) decided to use in both dishes which was more than enough to make the meal unenjoyable, I believe a beverage became requisite in order to finish the meal.  The price was adequate for a restaurant located in a tourist hotspot.  Personally I don't see myself eating there again anytime soon, however this does not mean that I am writing off the restaurant completely since I haven't tried their seafood which as I mentioned earlier is their "bread and butter" so I might just have to go back and give them another try.  I would also like to check out their dance floors.

I give the restaurant 2 stars out of 5, a fairly low rating but given the experience I believe it to be fair.

Well everyone I have finally written my 100th article/blogpost, I haven't written this much since college.  What makes this day even better is the fact that for the past few days the temperture has risen and the clouds been pushed back by the sun's beautiful UV'tastic rays, all of which are signals that my year long bout with S.A.D. has finally come to an end and that summer is finally upon us. 


Hallelujah!

I have even started to sport my very fashionably short shorts, because nothing says it's summer like the bare white hairy thighs.  The above photo was taken a few weeks ago at a bar in Pueblo Libre.  The two drinks in my hand are AMF's under a different name (which I can't remember) and were deliciously intoxicating. 


Hope everyone had a fun Halloween.  For Zdenka and myself the night started off rough since most of our friends bailed on us at the last minute.  Witnessing our plans for the evening unravel in front of us we decided to try and re-cooperate the night by going to our local bar in Miraflores where we knocked back a few.  The night progressed as we made our way to Barranco where unsurprisingly all the bars were full and the entrance covers were expensive.  Determined to make the best of a compromised night we found Wahio's bar in Barranco empty and decided to spend the remainder of the night there.  All in all fairly decent, but by no means a wild and crazy as other parties I have heard about lately.  

 

While searching the internet for information and photos on the old Tranvia train system I came across a website called SkyscrapperCity.com

This website has a forum that is dedicated to Lima where the users post old photos of the city. It's a great place to see the what the City of Kings used to look like before it became an over-populated megalopolis.

I have posted a few of my favorite photos from the forum so you can get an idea of what the people are posting there.

Here are some more photos
































all photos were taken from the SkyscrapperCity.com's website and I have no clue who the original photographer's are but I take no credit for the above work.

Barranco, one of three heroic cities/districts to Lima that to this day is as popular as it was centuries ago. The district of Barranco once known as San Jose de Surco has origins that date back to the Spanish colonial era. It is one of Lima's oldest districts with many of it's age old structures and sites still intact and well preserved.



I have always found comfort in walking through the streets of Barranco, there is this sense of tranquility that exists that I can't really explain (it's like going to the park on a nice summer day). The warm and vibrant colored buildings (the kind of striking primary colors that are almost taboo in the US) that bring the district to life and allows it to stand out from the common faded color scheme that plagues most of Lima. It is the perfect weekend escape that doesn't require you to risk your neck riding on an inter-provincial bus. The various architectural styles, the plentiful vegetation (trees!!!), the beautiful coast, and the overall atmosphere of a city that has been captured in time.

Here are some pictures from one of my trips to give you a better idea of what I am talking about.

Last weekend I had the fortune to have a surprise (well kind of...) birthday party thrown in my honor.  Normally in the past I have celebrated my B-day with family, which would consist of us going out to dinner followed by me going to a bar with a few friends where my night would usually end (fairly boring I KNOW).  Who would be so bold to break me from my mundane tradition?  The culprit was none other than my girlfriend Zdenka, she single-handedly orchestrated the festivity (with support from other friends).

Since my birthday (August 31 for those who didn't know) fell this year on a Monday, Zdenka decided that it would only be appropriate to plan the party for Saturday night (to better accomodate the inevitable next day hangover). 

So Saturday arrived and I had made plans with Zdenka to go dancing with our friends Evelyn and Lorenzo in Barranco at Rustica (a rather decent place with a fairly large dance floor).  I arrived at Zdenka's house at around 8pm and ended up waiting nearly two hours for Zdenka to get ready (she was stalling).  On our way to Barranco, Zdenka was constantly texting and talking on her phone to people who she assured me had to do with work (she was talking to the invites).  When we got to Rustica Evelyn and Lorenzo were already inside and had snagged a table, which seated 10 or more (I found that rather odd at the time).  We order a few 1 liter size beers that come in these huge mugs, at which point I started to suspect that something was up.  Then Zdenka's phone rang and before I knew it she was gone, a few minutes later she returned followed by a horde of my friends and family (at this point it all finally came together). 

With the surprise out in the open the party began to take off.  The music was great, the beers plentiful, and the feeling that someone (who went through all the trouble of putting together a surprise party) truely loves you made the night wonderful and more than I could have asked for.  But wait it doesn't end there, oh no there is more to this than I have discussed yet. 

My favorite cake torta helada (cold cake) a cake covered in jello, was brought out by the work staff at Rustica and the entire bar began to sing happy birthday in tremendous unison. 



So there I was enjoying my party without a single problem and then the DJ comes on the speaker to announce that he "needs three brave men to come up on the bar and compete to see who has the best dance moves".  This is roughly when I noticed that I was being dragged across the dancefloor and to my horror towards the bar.  Before I could even argue or run away I found myself standing atop a bar with two other dudes facing a full bar of people (this is the kind of situation that most of us fear).  Out of the speakers can the bump and roar of (one of thousands of roughly identical) reggaeton songs.  Realizing that I had a pair and slightly buzzed on watered down beer I began to do what came natural to me and shaked my thang (and quite well if I might be sold bold). 



When the music came to a halt the DJ called out to the crowd for a judgement in an American Idol (God I know I just referenced that show) kind of way.  Now I am not pulling your chain nor am I painting this story in my favor but I was sure as hell shocked to find out that I had beaten my two other opponents (one of which I had suspected was gay for his persistent attempts at trying to grind up on me).  And just when you would think the public humilation would be brought to a halt, the DJ called out to any guy who thought he could out dance the Champ.  Out of the corner of the bar appeared this muscle head who hopped onto the bench (good God WHY!).  The music was turned on again and I was therefore subject to kicking ass with my awesome dance skills.  The verdict was then asked of the public who unanimously voted in my favor (SE QUEDA!), while the other dude was sent home (SE VA!). 



For having been such a good sport and being subject to such embarrasment I was reward with a free 1 liter beer (aw...the taste of victory...slightly watered down). 



The rest of the night was spent consuming medicore but still efficient libations and dancing to my favorite songs with an over inflated ego (long live the king!).  The rest of the details are kind of fuzzy but I am sure that I didn't do anything to idiotic (this time).

If you can recall about a week ago I wrote an article about a Peña (a club that hosts folkloric music shows) in Barranco that I visited well I recently came across some more information on several other Peñas located in the city of Lima. Here is a list with their addresses:

Asociación Cultural Brisas del Titicaca
Walkuski 168, Lima Cercado.
Tel.: (511) 332-1901.

De Rompe y Raja
Manuel Segura 127, Barranco.
Tel.: (511) 247-3271.

Del Carajo
Catalino Mirando 158, Barranco
Tel.: (511) 241-8904

Don Jijuna
Plaza Butters 291, Barranco.
Tel.: (511) 247-2242.

Don Porfirio
Manuel Segura 115, Barranco.
Tel.: (511) 477-3119.

El Caballero de Fina Estampa
Av. Del Ejército 800, Santa Cruz, Miraflores.
Tel.: (511) 441-0552.

El Eslabón
Av. Aviación 3390, San Borja.
Tel.: (511) 476-2419.

El Plebeyo
Jr. Succha 247, Breña.
Tel.: (511) 330-9235.

El Rastro Canto Bar
Berlín 536, Miraflores.
Tel.: (511) 242-1022.

La Candelaria
Av. Bolognesi 292, Barranco.
Tel.: (511) 247-2941.

Las Guitarras
Jr. Manuel Segura 295, Barranco.
Tel.: (511) 247-3924.

Perico's
Pedro De Osma, cuadra 1, esquina con Castilla, Barranco.
Tel.: (511) 477-1311

Sachún
Av. del Ejército 657, Miraflores.
Tel.: (511) 441-4465.

Tradiciones Peruanas
Av. José de la Torre Ugarte s/n. (Boulevard del Retablo), Comas. Tel.: (511) 536-6072.

Now I haven't been to many of these Peñas but I have certainly read and heard good things about many of them. The Peru Guide has some descriptions and more detailed info about some of the Peñas.

So last Saturday I had the house to my self, what with my father in Chicago for the International Plastics Convention. Everything was going great, I was just relaxing in the living room when I get a call from my girlfriend to go to a friend's (Carlos) birthday party. Since nothing else was going on I decided to get off my lazy @$$ and go enjoy the evening.

The birthday bash was planned to take place in a Peña (Peña, a grass-roots community meeting place where popular folklore - usually Nueva Cancion - and other artistic expressions accompanied by food and drink are showcased) called Del Carajo! in Barranco, near Chorrillos where I live. Having never been to a peña before I was quite excited, I had heard and seen so much about them and was really looking forward to it.

After getting lost driving through side streets and dark alleyways that could make the hairs on the back of anyone's neck stand up, I arrive at the peña. It was located in a very narrow and poorly lit street. The sidewalk was full of people from all walks of life and social classes waiting in a large line. Since no one that I knew had arrived yet I was forced to wait in line. Finally my girlfriend (Zdenka) arrives just as the line begins to move. The fee for entrance is S./20 (soles) per person before 11pm and S./3o after. As we approach entrance we are greeted by two huge bamboo doors that open to revel a large tropical interior filled with rows of tables, two seperate bars, a fairly moderate (at first sight) dance floor, and a large stage. We are seated at our reserved table and soon after the birthday boy and all his friends arrive. Beers are purchased and then consumed as the band sets up the sound equipment. 30 minutes later (Midnight) the house is packed with no empty table in sight, then our attention is commanded by the sounds of Criollo music.

The host, an older woman welcomes the patrons and introduces the band and establishment. Then we are treated to a presentation of the Afro-Peruvian dance, after all that's what a peña is all about. It is truly amazing to watch them dance and move their bodies in ways that most people wish that alcohol could do for them. After the performance we were encouraged to get out on the dance floor as the band played a medley of latin, cumbia, salsa, and criollo music. I can't begin to tell you how great it is to dance to your favorite songs with that live band sound. The only real downside was the dance floor, it got so packed that at times you were stepping on toes and heals left and right, back and forth.