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The forecast was wrong. It has been a beautiful day with blue skies, a slight breeze and a perfect temperature of around 24c. Ideal for getting my bearings here. Where I am staying (Palermo) is considered to be one of the most chic and trendy parts of Buenos Aires – not especially known for it’s architectural heritage but full of boutique shops, countless bars and restaurants plus, at weekends, open air markets

the stalls mainly selling craft ware

 with the occasional oddball thrown in.

Whereas in Panama it was metal number plates, here it’s metal signs mostly  featuring Parillas, the Argentinian style of BBQ cooking.

Surrounding this market there are numerous cafes and restaurants where locals were enjoying their weekend break in the sun. All very continental European!

As for the actual shops, there is a variety to suit all tastes some doing their best to entice customers through the door.

Perhaps some of the trendier outlets in UK should offer Bucks Fizz on a Saturday afternoon.

My first, brief impression when I arrived yesterday evening was of a plethora of tree lined boulevards and I wasn’t wrong.

Everywhere you turn there are trees in full leaf interspersed  with the occasional Jacaranda in full bloom.

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that my Argentinian/German flying companion of yesterday told me that Argentinians like to kiss a lot. At the time I thought little of it as what I have seen so far throughout my travels suggests that both central and south Americans are a touchy feely lot. Here, however age doesn’t seem to be a barrier to showing affection in public.

Having said that, life in Buenos Aires can’t all be so luvvy dovey as this sign indicates

which, translated, means ‘Speak out against violence against women’.

Something else quirky struck me as I wandered the streets of this oh so ‘European’ city. A railway line cutting right through the middle.

Can you imagine having a level crossing in, say, Park Lane?

In common with Lima, I have spotted a number of craft beer outlets, one of which is close to where I’m staying.

So I’m off to check it out.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend y’all.

Phileas

 

Lima was lovely

but I just wish I’d had the time to go to Cusco which everyone (including my daughter) says is even better.

But it’s always better to leave something for next time.

Although departing late by almost an hour, the flight to Buenos Aires was uneventful. I was kept entertained, though, by a splendid old gentleman (89) who, although Argentinian by birth, told me that his father was a German (or, rather, Prussian as he proudly put it) who had fought in World War I as a 16 year old! He also revealed that he had relations who were on the German Battleship, Graf Spee, which was engaged by the British in the famous battle of the River Plate (the first naval battle in WWII)  which is, of course, very close to here. At this point I decided to follow John Cleese’s advice to “don’t mention the war”! All this time, sitting behind me was a young English lad who either was Harry Styles or his double.

On the few occasions I had a chance to look out of the window I was intrigued that the landscape was so brown, dusty and dry until we crossed the Andes into Argentina. As soon as we did that, the terrain was replaced by what seemed like very lush, green countryside.

For some reason, I always thought that Buenos Aires would be quite hilly. Not so, it’s flat. Maybe I have been confusing it with Rio. Anyway, on the (long) journey from the airport to where I’m staying, I was struck by how European everything looked after Lima and Guayaquil which are so obviously South American. Lots of wide, tree lined streets (all fully leaved as it’s early summer here). The smell of freshly cut grass on the verges as we approached the city and even speed reducing chevrons on the motorway. What confused me even more was that the receptionist at my hotel is French. So, another big, international city.

And talking of confusion, I have now no idea what time it is here. I know that, as I write, it’s coming up to  10.30pm in UK. According to my iPhone (which is supposed to be radio controlled), it’s almost 5.30 pm which I thought was a bit odd as that’s the same time as Lima which is much further west. So I checked Dr Google who told me that it’s about 7.30pm here. So I have no idea! Either way, I have spent most of the day travelling so no chance to take any pictures of my surroundings other then the back garden of this bijou little residence

and 3 rather nasty looking high rise blocks I can see from my bedroom window.

Although it has been a beautiful day today, the forecast for tomorrow is (sods law) pants. We shall just have to see and plan accordingly.

Your flexible friend,

Phileas

After doing the sightseeing bit in Barranca, I popped into the Wicks Brewpub, an expat hangout where I had been told I could get a decent pint of real ale and some good fish and chips (the local food in Peru is great but it doesn’t go down as well with a couple of pints of real ale as fish and chips do!). I wasn’t disappointed.

The beer, brewed in the back of the pub (next to the toilets!) using ingredients imported from the UK, was such a great change from the pleasant enough fizzy pop I have been drinking up to now. So, of course I drank too much. Anyway, from what I can remember (!), I met an American traveller who was escaping the post Trump election victory fall out and a Canadian who just happened to live very close to Salmon Arm in British Columbia where I visited my cousin recently. I also fell to chatting to an Englishman who apparently is the ‘best cricket umpire in Peru’. Maybe he’s the only one! Anyway, before long we had established we had at least 4 or 5 friends/acquaintances in common. A small, small, world indeed.

Putting aside fish and chips, the food in Peru is said to be the best in South America. Not surprisingly, being on the coast, seafood is a speciality  in Lima and ceviche a symbol of Peru’s culinary expertise.

Simply put, this is a dish of raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice impregnated with a few spices. It may not sound all that tempting but is absolutely drop dead fantastic. Amongst the non seafood specialities is, I’m sorry to say, guinea pig!!  As for the drinks, Peru is home to cocktails made with Pisco (a brandy like liquor) which I have sampled and could easily get used to!

 

Close by my hotel there are dozens of handicraft shops all seemingly either selling craft type products, clothing

or silverware.

And not a customer in sight so I have no idea how these people make any money.

So, there was just time for a final wander around soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the sights

before preparing to head off  to my next destination early tomorrow.  However,  once the packing was done, I had one more sight to see before leaving . And what a sight it was! A water/laser/light show in the  Parque de la Reserva. For less than £1 you can wander around this beautiful park where there are a dozen or more fountains/water displays.

It was absolutely enchanting and great family entertainment. Lots of happy children trying to avoid getting wet

but knowing they would!

A still camera really can’t do justice to this place. Water, lights, lasers, music, all merging together in an extraordinary audio visual display.

What a fantastic way to end my stay in Lima. Can Buenos Aires do better? We shall see.

Phileas

 

Peruvians are crazy about football. Unlike in the UK though they seem more passionate about the national game than the league, especially when the opposition are the world champions, Brazil. So last night it seemed that the whole of Lima was out in party mood. Entire families, young boys and girls, twenty and thirty somethings and a fair number of oldies (like me?). All having a great time on the streets, in the bars and restaurants, singing, chanting and blaring car horns (of course). OK, so Peru lost 2-0 but this didn’t seem to stop the locals having a great time.

I saw no loutish behaviour, no outlandish drunkenness, no tattooed macho men stripped to the waist. It was just a great fun night and a late one as the kick off was not until 9.15pm.

It was, predictably, a very slow start this morning! After the revelries of yesterday evening, I thought a sobering cultural experience might be in order so I headed to the San Francisco Monastery

where 2 – 300 hundred monks used to live way back in the 17th century and where a few still live here today in splendidly tranquil surroundings.

Underground, though, it’s a totally different story where it is claimed that at least 25,000 people are buried in the Catacombs which, for a small fee, you can visit if you like that sort of thing. Well, nothing ventured etc so down I went taking care not to bump my head (the Peruvians are, generally, quite small). It was a sobering experience.

I know that this looks like some Hollywood make believe scene out of Tomb Raider or an Indiana Jones movie but I was assured that these were the genuine remains of citizens who were buried here between the 17th and 19th centuries although I wasn’t clear why or when these were arranged so symmetrically!

Back in the open air again, I was greeted by another political rally held, somewhat strangely, in the courtyard of the monastery. This time, as far as I could tell, the demonstration was on behalf of civil servants working for the navy! Like the football last night it was all very well behaved.

In the afternoon, I headed to Barranco , the Soho of Lima. It’s a  bohemian, colourful, cosmopolitan, arty, alternative oasis in the middle of this busy and bustling city .

 but like so many other places I’ve been to here, so many steps!

This fascinating gem of a place is full of little restaurants and bars

whilst at the same time maintaining an almost European small town style

complete with Lima’s own Puente de los Suspires (aka Bridge of Sighs)

although I can’t quite see the connection between this and the original.

All in all, a fascinating little gem in this large metropolis. A place to relax and be at peace.

Tomorrow is my last day here. What fun it’s been so far.

Phileas..

The population of Peru is about 30 million made up mainly of Amerindians (app 45%) plus of course, descendants of the Spanish colonialists (15%). The rest consists of an eclectic mix of immigrants from countries as diverse as Japan, Italy, China, Croatia and Ireland. many of whom arrived after World War II. The capital, Lima, is a big city – about the size of London. But, as there are few high rise blocks, it is spread over a greater area. Inevitably the ‘sights’ are not bunched up all in one place so I had to fight my way through the horrendous traffic for close to an hour to get to the centre of old Lima. But it was worth it.

One of the newer ‘treasures’ is San Martin Square named after Jose San Martin, the liberator of Peru from the Spaniards.

He’s the guy on the horse. Although this square looks a bit olde  worlde colonial it was, in fact, built less then 100 years ago to celebrate the centenary of Peru’s independence from Spain.

Incidentally, the sign means ‘don’t walk on the grass’ and not what you might think!

A pedestrian walkway full of designer shops and some interesting buildings

leads you to Lima’s most important and well known square, Plaza de Armas. Spain may not have been the most benevolent colonial power but their architectural legacy is stunning

the more so when you consider that this square has origins back to the very early part of the 16th century.

At the north end is Peru’s equivalent of Buckingham Palace

where I arrived just in time to watch the changing of the guard, performed with considerably more pomp and ceremony than I recall ever happening on a daily basis outside Buck House.

For obvious reasons

I couldn’t get too close to the action but what I did see made me chuckle. The guards marched to the accompanying sound of some stirring oompah, oompah music

all doing  an impression of John Cleese and his silly walk.

At this point, I started to giggle so had to walk away as I was getting funny looks from the assembled crowd! So I headed towards another musical sound (more like horns blaring) which turned out to be a union demonstration.

It seems the health service in Peru has as many problems as the NHS! It was all very well behaved and although there was a high police presence, it was pretty laid back.

as were the local souvenir sellers.

Tonight, Peru play Brazil in a World Cup qualifying match. The 70,000 capacity stadium is not far from here and most of the bars and restaurants will be showing the match. As sounding car horns seems to be a national obsession, I suspect that, if underdogs Peru beat Brazil, I won’t get much sleep tonight!

Phileas

It wasn’t a bad prawn or too much of the local ale last night but when I woke up this morning I felt distinctly off colour. Maybe the fact that I started my day by watching BBC News at One on Dodgyvision had something to do with it. Politicians spouting off about how much they think Donald Trump is a good guy after all.  Yuk! Perhaps I should go looking for toads today instead of Paddington.

I found a fine bar last night and fell to talking to a charming American – an ex Marine and big with it as well. He blamed the Brits and the Brexit vote for getting Trump elected and seemed to blame us for all sorts of other current ills in the States. I didn’t follow most of his arguments but as he bought me a drink, I smiled indulgently. On the way to this hostelry, I passed the amphitheatre again and, blow me, the oldies were still at it 3.5hrs after they had started!

And neither food nor alcohol in sight.

Although Lima is on the sea, I wouldn’t say it’s a beach resort largely because a) the beach is stony

and b) because there are a helluva lot of steps to walk down to get there.

310 to be precise. I counted!

Surfing, though, is clearly the thing here and there are lots of opportunities to do so

although, when there are few big waves as today, there’s a lot of hanging around and waiting. At least one guy though was  doing something positive –

mending beach umbrellas!

I’m not sure that the Peruvian newspaper industry is doing well as most of the newsstands put copies of the more popular papers out for anyone to read, free of charge.

Imagine if popular medical rags headlining prostate and impotence problems were plastered over the windows of WH Smith!

Book publishers here must be clairvoyants on the side as some manuals are published even before the events in them have happened.

The focal point in the Miraflores district is the park, part of which is being rebuilt behind screens. It’s good to know that the workers behind this structure are safe.

 Being on the outside, should I be worried?

Close by, finishing touches are being added to the garden by an army of workers.Maybe we should hire these guys to do the annual village clean up.

Lima, or certainly the part I have seen so far, is obviously more 21st century than Guayaquil and more affluent. I am staying in the city’s equivalent to Hatton Garden

where there are also a number of casinos

although some are obviously doing better than others.

And whilst we are on the subject of money, exchanging it is easy. There are official money changers on the streets all carrying great wads of cash!

Anyway, enough of all this commercialism. Tomorrow I’m taking a look at the more cultural side of this huge city.

Philes

 

 

 

I think it’s fair to say that, for me, Guayaquil was more interesting than irresistible; more educational than exciting. Maybe it was because the language barrier (my Spanish is improving but it’s not that good) didn’t allow me to have the sort of conversations with local people where you find out what makes a place tick. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time there but was ready to move on to meet Paddington Bear!

It’s a flight of less than 2 hours from Guayaquil to Lima and what gorgeous scenery to look at on the way. Spectacular landscape including craggy snow capped mountains in the distance.

The journey from the airport to my accommodation was not so gorgeous, however, passing through seemingly endless and fairly run down industrial estates. But then again, the outskirts of many cities are less than attractive. Where I am staying though is in the Miraflores district which is, apparently, one of the more upmarket areas of this city whilst at the same time catering for an endless stream of itinerant backpackers staying in perhaps less than salubrious abodes!

At ground level, though, this place is full of shops and restaurants

of every size

and style.

And as it’s such a nice day, if you don’t want to eat or go shopping, you can just hang around doing very little.

This rather grandly named Central Park is actually quite small. But, as with other central parks around the world, there’s a lot going on – especially on a Sunday. It was not surprising, therefore, to find pictures for sale,

some of which were rather splendid, brightly coloured creations.

I then came across something I had never seen before –

a group of middle aged to elderly people sitting expectantly around a sort of Roman style amphitheatre. Clearly they weren’t waiting for some bear bating or gladiator fighting so I thought it  was probably some open air church service as it was, after all, Sunday. So I waited and waited and suddenly the music started (Salsa or Samba, of course)

 and loads of people got up and danced. It was amazing. They were having so much fun.

On the way back to my humble abode (certainly the humblest I’ve had so far but it will do), joy of joys, I found a book shop that sold English books.

So now I’m a happy bunny. I think I’m going to like this place.

I shall start my search for Paddington in earnest tomorrow.

Phileas

It’s hot today (not surprising as Guayaquil is almost directly on the equator) so it was rather bizarre to be serenaded at breakfast with the theme song from Frozen!

I’ve finally finished 496 pages of total drivel entitled Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell. It’s pretentious, turgid, slow moving and dull. I’m just pleased I only bought it second hand in Havana so I’m hoping I can, perhaps, find some more entertaining tomes either at the airport or in Lima. I did look in  Panama airport but the only book I could find in  English was Fifty Shades of Grey! I do have iBooks on my Apple computer/iPad/iPhone etc but it’s not quite the same as a proper book or a Kindle if, of course, I had one.

I haven’t been able to find the Bacchanalian side of Guayaquil. I have seen few people drinking anything other than modest amounts of alcohol and yet something must have been happening last night. A function of sorts, maybe? Either way I was kept awake until 2.30am by a constant stream of giggling and loud people passing my door and then at around 6.00am it started again. Maybe it was a different lot of people at this time but, nevertheless, I had a very disturbed night. Incidentally, here and in Panama, Honduras and Cuba, if you are into wine drinking then the tipple of choice is red wine with ice! A barman in Panama I talked to said he kept bottles of red wine both in the ambient temperature and in the fridge so he could satisfy all customers. Each one to their own, I suppose.

If the national animal of Ecuador is the iguana

then the national colour is certainly yellow . It’s everywhere. It’s the colour of the licensed taxis

it’s on the police uniforms,

it’s the colour of the lottery slot machines,

it’s the colour of everyday clothes

and on market stalls.

This market is much more local and interesting  than the more touristy handicraft mercado I saw the other day.but, as with so many others around the globe, is dominated by phone accessory shops.

There are some higher end fashion stores in Guayaquil

but also others offering products that might not be quite to western tastes.

And there’s always food close by, either in a small restaurant

where you can buy a beefsteak for $3.25 including a juice drink or chuzos (meat on a stick, a bit like satay) for a mere $1.00! But if that doesn’t appeal you could always have an egg off the street seller.

It’s Saturday, so lots of folk out and about in the beautiful weather, doing what people do at the weekend

in what, to me, feels like high summer. It’s hard to believe it’s getting close to Christmas

but there’s still time to put the tops on the Christmas trees!

And time for me to move on.

Phileas

 

 

As some of you may know, Guayaquil is one of the two main jumping off points to the Galapagos islands (Quito is the other, I am told). I was tempted to take a side trip there but I estimate it would cost me an extra $300 + to do this. In the grand scheme of things, not horrendous but the post Brexit exchange rate has certainly made everything more expensive than I had anticipated (e.g. in Panama I got charged £16 for a few chicken wings and a bottle of water!).  The other thing I have been caught by is the internet booking sites (e.g. Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia etc). The headline price they show often doesn’t include other charges (e.g. tax and service), which is easily missed in the small print. Well, you learn. Anyway, the bottom line is I’m not visiting the Galapagos and, if the truth be known, I probably enjoy human animal watching more than looking at any other kind of wildlife!

Having said that, as the Parque Historico is Trip Advisor’s No 1 on the list of things to do in Guayaquil, I felt I should venture to the outskirts of the city to take a look. I guess you would call it a theme park. It’s set in about 20 acres and built by the government in 1992 to showcase the history and culture of Ecuador. Although I’m not sure this place warrants the No 1 attraction badge, nevertheless it was a pleasant and calming experience to have a wander round

and I was impressed by the numerous explanatory boards dotted around the place both in Spanish and English. For example, I learnt a bit about Drizzle Forests,

 the curious mating habits of tortoises

interspersed with the occasional flash of colour.

I just wish, though, that some of the animals had been given a bit more space. The pens were OK but too small.

Another area was given over to the architectural heritage of Ecuador and one or two houses had literally been dismantled brick by brick (or, more accurately, plank by plank!) renovated and relocated here from the original location in downtown Guayaquil.The origins of this bank and private house are early 19th century

and I just loved the high ceilings and airy feel of the inside.

Right next door there is a garden dedicated to growing herbs and plants, much of which is used to feed the animals.

And even an area explaining how cocoa beans are transformed into chocolate

and I thought you just bought it in a shop!

All in all an educational, quiet and reflective place with few visitors. Clearly, education rather than commercial gain is the main driver here. It would  be very different if, say, Disney or Universal Studios were involved although it would have been nice  to have been able to buy some chocolate!

Feeling a little peckish at the thought, I had to settle for some coconut on my way back to base

 

whilst at the same time hopefully satisfying the requests of some of my male friends!

Last day here tomorrow.

Phileas

 

Is it a coincidence that, the day after the American election, the first email in my inbox this morning was headed ‘Pre-Paid Funeral’?

Guayaquil is certainly the most ‘foreign’ place I’ve visited so far. Putting aside British Columbia for obvious reasons, with all the old colonial buildings plus a fair quantity of European tourists, Cuba didn’t feel alien nor did Honduras, largely because of the British colonial heritage, I suspect. Panama is clearly international and cosmopolitan but Ecuador is very Spanish/South American – not in a bad way; just different.

My project today was to explore Las Penas, the so called artists’ quarter that I mentioned yesterday. The start of my walk up one of only two hills in this part of Ecuador began gently enough

although I was glad I wasn’t wearing my high heels on these cobbled streets. Then the walk became a little steeper

and steeper.

The contractors who built the steps kindly reminded me of exactly how many I had climbed

and I wasn’t even at the top yet. I was hot. I was thirsty and so, before the final push, I bought some cold water at a vastly inflated price, of course. The young lass who sold it had no change so had to go home to get some.

I eventually made it and have to say that the view was spectacular.

On the way down, I stopped off to learn a little about the military history of this part of Ecuador.

and, in particular, the canyons!!And not forgetting the the pillbox gangplank!

On the way back to base I stopped off at the handicraft market as it’s on Trip Advisor’s ‘Top 10 Attractions in Guayaquil’.

Lots of knick knacks and stuff  and fine if you want a hat

but not really for me. And, as for the Artists’ quarter? Well I think I saw one shop selling paintings!

Hasta manana

Phileas.