I found this rather cool video that was taken by Thermikfresser of his paragliding flight over Miraflores.  This video gives a great impression of what its like to fly over Lima's coast and might be enough to encourage those who have been reluctant to give it a try.


Paragliding in Miraflores, Lima, Peru from Thermikfresser on Vimeo.

Here is a small compilation of photos that were taken a few weekends ago.  Zdenka and I got up about 7:30 on a Sunday to head on down to the beach right in front of Miraflores Tennis Club.  The weather was overcast and a bit chilly but that didn't seem to keep several Limeñans from donning their wetsuits and diving in the ocean.  The waves weren't very big but everyone seemed to be having a great time.

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!

Thanks to the internet and other sites like Peru21, I managed to come across a video posted by a fellow Peruvian citizen that shows serenazgos from Miraflores (municipal police = not real police) with buckets, throwing dirt and rocks onto the ground in the park at LarcoMar, located in Miraflores.

This is obviously an attempt by the municipalidad of Miraflores to rid what they have deemed a problem, skaters.  While the park is open for the general public this doesn't surprise me the least bit, since in the US many private businesses and cities have put up efforts to block skaters from skating in certain areas.  This is usually done since they believe that skaters cause damage to property so they put up signs that ban skating from a particular area/zone or install these metal brackets on any type of ledge that they now will be used by skaters.

While the mayor of Miraflores has stated that he is not against skaters and does not have an agenda towards their extradition from areas in the district like LarcoMar.  This however was discredited when a video was posted on YouTube depicting the cities security throwing dirt and rocks onto the walkways of the park at LarcoMar in a blatent effort to prevent skating in the area.  When confronted by the group filming they responded that they were only following orders.

As many have already commented, the throwing of rocks and dirt along the paths and walkways in the park not only impedes skaters but also those who ride bikes, those with wheel chairs, pedestrians, and baby carriages.  With such an unintelligent act of retaliation being committed it's hard to find humor in such childish and immature behavior when one takes into consideration the dangers and risks that could befall not just citizens of the district but also tourists from other countries as well.  I mean common ON!.......It's only common sense that throwing rocks and dirt in a highly trafficked area poses a fairly high risk for injury to those who use the park, and while the mayor might think he is eliminating what he most likely considers an inconvenience in his district, what he is really doing is creating a window of opportunity for a civil lawsuit.  With the video provided below there might just be more than enough material evidence for one, that is if the mayor hasn't already been informed of the stupidity and reckless endangerment of his own citizens. 

If the mayor HONESTLY (notice the bold face CAP LOCKS emphasis on honestly) wishes to remove skaters from the park that he should find a more logical and safer alternative that is representative of an individual in an elected position of authority.

Below is the video that was posted on YouTube:

Decide for yourself!

After what was a long week here in Lima, a few friends of mine and I decided to get together for drinks last Saturday.  Zdenka and I arrived at Albazo's around 9:30PM, where I had told everyone earlier to meetup. 

Albazo's is this small little bar on Av. Berlin, located just around the corner from the Calle de Los Pizzas in Miraflores.  The thing I enjoy most about this bar is that it's usually never croweded which, makes it a great spot for gatherings with friends.  The place serves a wide array of alcoholic beverages at reasonable prices for being located in Miraflores.  I usually prefer to order my 1 liter bottle of Pilsen and at S/.11 it's a great deal.  The music at Albazo's pretty much says alot about the people who frequent their, nothing but good 90's and 80's music, for me this is a nice change in pace from all the latin music that I hear regularly (not that I don't like it either). 

for those of you who are interested here is the address: calle berlin 172, Miraflores

Sitting there waiting for my friends to show up we decided to have a few drinks and enjoy the loud drunken shouting of a group of guys who were rocking out to Los Heroes del Silencio.   Unfortunately for us the DJ (or who ever the hell was in charge of the music) decided to humor the group by playing a marathon of "Heroes", which only meant a continuous, almost never ending roar of off key singing.  I should also probably mention that Zdenka had been and continued to suffer from a tremendous migrane of epic proportions that not even 4 excedrins, 2 cups of mate de coca, and an almost empty bottle of beer could cure.  It would be an understatement to say she was in pain, yet being the trooper and awesome girlfriend she decided to stay inspite of my attempts to call it an early night.  When the music had finally switched gears and all the shouting had come to a lull, my friends came waltzing in one by one through the door.  Orgasms, Vodka/Tonics, Pilsen, and a side of french fries were ordered as we put our still sober heads together to come up with a game plan for the night. 



A decision was made and dancing was elected as the designated activity for the night.  Walking down the crowded Calle de Los Pizzas we found a club that was decent enough without being ridiculously packed.  The music was varied but wasn't any different from you hear at just about every other club (with the exception of electronica and techo...That GOD).  More beer was consumed as is custom as well as law in such places.  I did my fair share of dancing, though in all honesty I could have danced more.  Everyone appeared to be having a good time and the night was starting to wind down.  It was roughly around 2AM when Zdenka looked over at me and visually threw in the towel.  I said OK and we said our goodbyes to everyone and were quickly on our way home.  Thankfully I was sedated enough to not really care about sleeping on the couch but in all honesty I can sleep on just about any surface if the situation calls for it.

That's right folks, tomorrow is Halloween and for most of us this means an annual party where we all get to dress up in ridiculous costumes and get really drunk.  For the ladies this is an opportunity for them to dress sluttier than they would normally dress and there are no concerns on their part since no male is really going to object.  For us guys it's just another opportunity to get drunk with the added bonus of getting to see women in slutty outfits. 

If I were in Portland right now I would be definately be helping my sister and her husband Tyler to get the house ready for my annual Halloween Kegger.  A popular event that was started in my first year of college and was gradually adopted by my brother and sister.  According to my sister this year's party plans to be much larger than last year with three times more alcohol.  If you currently reside in Portland, Oregon and are looking for a good Halloween party with beer kegs then you should definately go and check it out. 

Starts at 10pm
Bring money for the keg and other alcoholic beverages!!!!
Address: 3312 SE 23rd
Located on 23rd and Powell Blvd.

The party is well known among PSU students and should be a blast.  It's too bad I am in Peru, oh well.  Fortunately I have plans of my own for Halloween.  A bunch of my friends and I are going to be going to the Cameo Bar in Miraflores on Saturday because they have this awesome special, but it requires that you reserve for a group of 10 people minimum to really take advantage of the offer.

Here are some more details regarding the clubs Halloween special:

*Entrance Cost is S/250.00 (soles) for up to 10 people.
*Entrance includes: Exclusive Zone (some kind of VIP), 2 bottles of Johnny Walker Whiskey Red Label, and Soda/Cola (however you called it).

The Cameo Bar is Located at : Calle Bellavista 247 – Miraflores

I have no idea what kind of music will be offered there but from the looks of some online flyers that I came across it looks like (UNFORTUNATELY) electronica/techno :(


I really don't care for this kind of music so I am really hoping that it won't be electronica or techno, otherwise two bottles of JW just won't be enough.  I have decided to nix the costume this year since I believe Halloween to be an American holiday (if it isn't please let me know) and to celebrate it in Peru just feels so out of place.  Personally I would rather go to a Peña but I have been told that most are already sold out, so I guess I am S.O.L.

I will keep you guys posted on how my evening goes with tons of raw footage of the druken dubachery that is sure to ensue.  

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.

Last Saturday I was hanging out with my girlfriend Zdenka at my place watching movies when we decided to go out and have some fun. We usually discuss what we want to do and plan out our night a little but not this time. I believe we spent roughly 30 minutes asking each other what each other wanted to do (you know the stupid back and forth that happens when two people have no idea what to do). Finally I said F-it (that's right I just censored myself, I Know I'm shocked too) and we decided to wing it, college-style.



I had the cab driver drop us off at Larco Mar in Miraflores. Once there we happened to walk by the Marriott Hotel's Majestic casino, surprisingly I was intrigued. Know the last time I can remember gambling was back in college when I was a student at the University of Portland, but that was just your average dorm room poker. In all honesty up until that night I had never actually played in a casino.

Seeing all those bright colorful lights drew me through the front doors (and past the hired muscle), like a fly to bright light. All the different sounds, lights, smells, and embellished carpeting seemed to heighten my senses. I was excited and nervous, I had been a long time since I had gambled and the fear of performance anxiety made my palms sweat. My fears are subsided as Zdenka takes my hand along with my S/.10 in coins, she's not afraid, she's been here before. She guides me too a slot machine and I ease into the drivers seat. I am instantly confused by all the buttons and on screen commands. The slot machine has an Asian theme with several recognizable (A.K.A. stereotypical) images. Zdenka explains how the game works and I do my best to pretend like I understand what she says. The first coin deposit is always the hardest but I reminded myself that I was here to have fun not invest in my future children's college fund (yeah right, like that's going to happen. That's what scholarships and student loans are for).

Anyways long story short, I started winning money (it's a good thing) and managed to walk away with a reasonable chunk of change (S/.90 to be exact, and that's from my initial S/.10). Knowing when to quit while I'm ahead (thanks Kenny Rogers) I decided to cash out. Feeling good about my win I asked myself: "self what does a person who has just won S/.90 do with that money?", the answer was simple "blow it on booze and food, duh".

So off walked Zdenka and I up Av. Larco where we passed a sports bar called "The Corner", and it was even on a corner too. I instantly like the idea of it being a sports bar and Zdenka was down for pretty much anything (A woman who will watch sports, drink beer all while in a rowdy bar full of drunk and obnoxiously loud males is a keeper in my book).

The Corner at first glance is a small sized bar with a warm interior full of sports paraphanilia and tons of flat screen tv's. The place a big bar and all the tables were high with comfortable stools. I found The Corner to be fairly comfortable with a fun atmosphere that made me reminisce about my college years and my Phi Delt brothers.




So we sit down in this packed bar full of mostly late 20's to late 30 year old's and I spot what looks like a hugh tube sitting at the table across from me. One of the guys moved his head and I realized that the tube was full of beer and it reminded my of a beer bong (aw..college what didn't you teach me). I was interested and I had to order it. On The Corner's menu I saw that it was called The Tower and it is basically a tall bong full of 3 Lt. of beer that is accompanied by an order of Taqueños w/guacamole. At S/.57 I was sold, so I ponied out some of my winnings and basked at the task ahead. I looked over at Zdenka who was at awe at the prospect that lied ahead and told her that the night was just beginning (it was 11pm).

While waiting on the Goliath of a beer I noticed that my sports viewing options were fairly narrow which disappointed me a little. The choices that night were a boxing match between some dude from Mexico V. some dude from the US (the guy from the US won, take that MeJico!), a soccer match, and ESPN highlights covering the weeks College Football Games. I chose to watch the ESPN highlights figuring I could catch up on all the football I was missing (Great to see UofOregon doing good but even better to see that the Washington Husky's beat the crap out of USC, their overrated even if they have talent).






Finally the Tower was brought to our table and the drinking was commenced. The taqueños were awesome by the way, a perfect snack to accompany a nice cold beer. Zdenka and I then dedicated the next 2 hours to chugging down an unidentified beer in the comfort of what eventually became an empty bar. The first 2 Lt were solid for the both of us both, as we both felt fine, except we weren't (as a veteran party animal and alcohol hobbyist, I should have seen the signs of my impending intoxication). The last remaining liter of beer proved to be the final nail in the coffin and before I new it I was frenching the Tower and milking it of it's sweet malty nectar. 30 minutes later our task was accomplished and in our inebriated state we said our goodbye's to our new friend The Corner, knowing that one day we would return.



The rest of the night turned out great and I wish I could comment on it because the details are still kind of fuzzy (all I can say is that the night continued to get better. I'll let you make your own conclusions). What I can say is that The Corner while not cheap is great place to hangout, drink, watch sports, and make an ass out of yourself. I will definately be going back there again.

NOTE: also they have a great food menu.

Here is another great review of The Corner by Ben JonJak

The Corner Sports Bar and Grill
Av. Larco 1207, Miraflores.
444-0220.

So I was talking with my cousin (Vladimir) about a month ago about bars in Lima when he told me about this really chill bar in Miraflores thats not croweded with people (not many bars like that in Lima). 

The place is called the SkyBar (some of you living in Lima might actually know this place) and it is located on the 21st floor of the Thunderbird Hotel on Benavides Av. and Av. Larco.  There is also a sports bar called Salsas Bar & Grill, which claims to have the largest flat screen tv in all of Lima (if they broadcast American Football on that thing you can guarentee that I'll be there).  Here is some of their info:


Address: Ave. Benavides 415, Miraflores. Lima, Peru
Telephone number: (511) 617-9300
Fax number: (511) 617-9222
Reservations: (511) 616-3141


View Larger Map

So last week I went with Zdenka to the SkyBar to check it out.  Once the elevator doors open you are greeted to this amazing view of Miraflores (its almost a 360 degree view, almost).  The interior is warm and cozy and is very inviting. There is a dining area along with a moderate size bar.  I found the seating in the bar to be quite nice what with large plush leather seatings just begging to be sat on.  There was light instrumental music playing in the background to add to the class value. 

Overall the place is great for a romantic date since it really isn't that crowded at all, hell you can even have a conversation without having to yell to your person your with (a big plus).  The scene at the SkyBar is calm so I wouldn't recommend it for your casual friday night "lets get drunk, and have regrets the next day" spot.  The people there were mostly tourists in general which is alright I guess.  

I would have to say that the only negative point about the place is that their mixed drinks like the famous Long Island Iced Tea (which was prepared with way too much Coca Cola and had no sour mix at all), aren't worth the money.  Your best bet is to stick to wine, beer, or hard alcohol (solo).  With a gorgous view of the city (an Zdenka, of course), nice quite atmosphere, alcohol, minus tons of people, equals a great alternative to the weekly routine. 

It has been a long week here in Lima and while I had a great time with all of my days off, the vacation has really messed with my week. Let me just start off by saying that the 28th was really laid back and chill for me. I did not go to any social gatherings nor did I attend any of the many festivities that were going on in and around Lima, all I did was visit my grandmother, eat some great chicken tamales, and slept.

I did go out with Zdenka and her female friends to supposedly party, however all we ended up doing was riding in taxi after taxi since they could not decide on a place. We eventually ended up in Miraflores in a bar near the Calle de Pizzas (very anti-climatic). I don't remember the name of the bar but it plays 80's music and has a very relaxed atmosphere. Anyways after having spent 3 hours traversing several of Limas most popular districts all I wanted was to have a damn beer and call it a night. I gave the waitress a $20 bill only to have her come back and tell me that it was fake so obviously they would not accept it. I knew this was a lie since I had just gotten that bill from an ATM machine. These guys thought that they could get away with swapping my 20 for one of their fake ones and pull a fast one over gringo, NO DICE! THAT WAS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG! I went to the bartender who was this ugly short asian dude who in response to my claims took me to what was their state-of-the-art money fraud detector (a UV lamp). With what I assume was my original $20 he should me the differences between an authentic bill and the fake they tried to pass off as mine. Apparently the only difference were a few worn spots on the supposedly fake bill. I argued and insulted his intelligence for the next 10 minutes until I boldly accused him of trying to steal from me. He did not like that and suggested that if I did not like being stolen from that I was more than welcome to drink in another bar, what a jerk!

Realizing that I wasn't going to get anywhere without any hard evidence I dropped the argument and retreated back to our table where I drank my beers in resentment. In a show of good faith or just plain guilty conscience the bartender (shorty) only charged me for one of the two beers.

How exactly does one end such a night? By sleeping on his girlfriends coach only to wake 2 hours later to stumble home through the rain at 7 am on a Wednesday!

The photo above was taken in Callao near the military academy Leoncio Prado (a place where parents send their children who are uncontrollable/undisciplined punks), where my brother Dumenico attended against his will for 3 years. NOTE: After his initial institutionalization (similar to what happens to prisoners) Dumenico did not want to leave and discovered that the school that had placed restrictions on his freedom had become a new home and family to him.


This above picture is of a famous Peruvian treat: the Doña Pepa. It is a heavily embellished nuget like desert that is in my opinion to sweet for my taste buds to handle. I will post some other pictures of it later.

And finally the photo below is a picture that was taken in response to my father. He would always joke about how the word "slot" when pronounced by a spanish speaking person sounded like "slut". When I saw this I knew I had to take a picture of it. Please note that i did doctor or "photoshop" the photo.

Some of you will obviously fail to find the humor if any at all in this photo, in anticipation to this there isn't really much that can be said nor will I try to justify/defend my actions. You had to be there.

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.