Checkin' out Lima

Last night, I found a NYC-style pizza joint and nestled in at the bar. My favorite. The pizza was fair for New York standards, but awesome for South America. The bartender & I became friends. She's only 17, shh, don't tell! You have to be at least 18 here. And the bar in a restaurant doesn't get many patrons like in the States.

After dinner, I cruised through the park back to the hostel. The bar has a balcony with a few chairs. I gazed at the stairs and watched people. A family of 4 picked through the garbage. A mom & her 3 sons, they were alternating gathering recyclables and begging for spare change from passers-by. The middle son the most successful, his older brother demanded a share. The middle one refused and whined to the mom, who made him a share. The smallest one, not old enough to talk, waddled up to people in a nearby cafe and ran as they came close to him. I think he wanted to play more than work.

Today I visited the main post office in Lima. There was a huge celebration and parade through the center of the city. A celebration of all of Peru, every province and most towns seemed to be represented. There were groups in leaves and skins, intricate weavings of dresses and elaborate hats. It was almost like Carnaval, only more police and no sprays. I had to cut through the parade to get to the post office. The main post office is more of an open air market with internet cafes, restaurants and vendors. You can buy stamps and mail stuff, sure, but you can also have lunch, get an ice cream, check email. After the post office, I walked south to the Museo de Arte. There is also is a tremendous park including an Ampitheatre, the Botanical Gardens and several striking buildings.