sobota 28. listopadu 2009

Lima - a surprise!

So, at the moment I write from my hostel in Miraflores, Lima.

(I kind of follow footsteps of heroes of the book La ciudad y los perros (http://www.hacer.org/pdf/Vargasllosa04.pdf) and "the poet" was from Miraflores... its a good neighbourhood, so thats where I am. However, the hostel is only 5 USD / night, and they'd even let you sleep on a mtrace on the floor or on a couch for less (casa del mochillero, miraflores, viz. Lonely Planet).

Once again I was lucky. My transport from Tumbes wasn't what it seemed at the first sight. Marcopolo bus looked pretty from outside but was quite worn inside. No AC, windows hardly possible to open, seats dirty etc. Then, we left the terminal with like 5 ppl on board, only to take much more for a cheaper price down the road, which is kind of upsetting, too. At the beginning I thought I'd have to check my stuff all the time and not sleep, then we took a highschool trip on board, by which the number of trustworthy people quadrupled. So I calmed down and submerged into thinking and reading.

(however two of these kids really had their camera and money stolen)

Travelling really is like a pilgrimage or some kind of religious experience for me, having everything in one small backpack really does not give you much to worry about. Bus rides just force you to think - there's not much to do, and the changing landscape helps... in the end its like tourism on foot in that respect. And packing light and good is just another ritual that makes me feel happy and secure.

The ride was only made more exciting by some Peruvian comedy show on TV (lots of jokes about violence and homosexuality, curiously) and stops at transit bus terminals. On the stops traditionally people crowd in and offer everything from pillows to food... actually quite convenient to get a soda and a sandwich.

The route was through the seashore desert... it looks much like Mexican desert from movies.. like the one where Sarah Connor found refuge in Terminator II. Or maybe "No Country for Old Men". Very poor houses with flat roots. Some public spaces. Election campaign ads painted on houses. Keiko Fujimori - daughter of the former president - runs for the office... her nema everywhere makes you feel like in japanese comix.

Also another thing to confess is that being amongst people with so strong Indian traits made me feel quite uncomfortable at first. (so thats where xenofoby comes from)... gradually I got used to it and also in LIma the mix gets better :)

Before Lima also Ive been lucky again, my neighbor, a little uptight businessman, took charge of my wellbeing in Lima, that is, told me to get of at the outer terminal which is more secure than the central one and then sat me on a bus to Miraflores, where I luckily arrived.

After some snack in the luxurious shopping center I called and visited the hostel. And after that even went downtown. But Ill write about that later. So much for today.

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