Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with peru

Help us party down on New Years Eve, Lima style.

letahl — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:10:20 -0800

Seeking Peru-philes to make some recommendations as to what to do on New Years Eve in Lima or surrounds. Mr. Tahl and I will be rolling into Lima at 6 in the morning on New Years Eve day (December 30th). Usually when I fly into a new country, I like to take the first bus out of town and wing it in terms of destination and accommodations.

Since this will be New Years, though, I was wondering if anyone who is familiar with Lima and surrounds can tell me the following --

1) If we're into having a nice meal, maybe something exotic, and then chilling on a hotel or hostel rooftop to while away New Years Eve, is there somewhere in Lima you'd recommend? Either a specific place, or a neighborhood. We'd also enjoy some bar time after dinner, but would like to keep it close to wherever we're staying.

2) If we want to head south or east a couple hours by bus upon arrival, is there a town that you'd recommend the same for? Do you think buses will be moving and not full on December 30 in the morning?

3) What about the frequency and business of the buses on New Years Day -- will we be essentially stranded wherever we spend New Years Eve?

Basically we're into enjoying ourselves, but I'm not going to wander around an unfamiliar capital city in the middle of the night on New Years, just like I wouldn't in L.A. or Minneapolis. So I'm hoping for a little guidance or suggestion on how we might make the most of New Years Eve, either in Lima or within a bus ride south or west, while staying safe and local to our accommodations. We're planning on commencing the Gringo trail thereafter.

Thanks, MeFites~

What printed this Certification?

Faint of Butt — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:50:52 -0800

What sort of machine printed this Certification of Birth Abroad? The letters are broken up and stencil-ish, but it's no ordinary dot-matrix printer. I have here a Certification of Birth Abroad of a US citizen, printed at the US embassy in Lima, Peru, in 1978, and it's blowing my mind because I've never seen printing like this before and I don't know what kind of machine produced it. The form itself is pre-printed, but the personal information filling in the blanks is the weird stuff.

The font is all caps, and the characters are broken up into individual lines and shapes. The letter H looks something like this:

| | - | |

and a Y looks something like this:

\ / |

Other letters and numbers contain curved lines, and an O is sort of like this:

n ( ) u

only not nearly as disjointed.

Identifont is no help. Do you have any ideas? I'll be happy to answer any other questions about the type.

Ultimate trip to Peru

deeman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:55:53 -0800

Help me plan the ultimate trip to Peru!!!!!!!! Ok here is the deal: a buddy of mine is Peruvian and we're looking into going to Peru beginning of June next year. Just me and two of my friends. The closest I've been is parts of Mexico for spring break but I want something more substantial for a trip and want to journey through south america. Three things that have always drawn me to Peru:

1) Machu Picchu - it's just so mysterious and ancient. kind of feel like I lived there in a past life and want to go home
2) Nazca Lines - mysterious and beautiful. taking a plane ride over the Nazca desert would be absolutely amazing
3) Ayahuasca - I work in a cubicle where my soul is slowly dying. I would love to take some Ayahuasca tea with a Shaman and take a spiritual journey

I'm 6'2" and your typical white guy from Boston. I would be so out of my element it's not even funny. Help me plan the ultimate trip:

1) what should I watch out for/avoid? I want this to be a safe trip as in coming home alive with all of my organs intact
2) what should I absolutely see/do before I come back home.
3) how should i prepare?
4) what should i not bring home with me (other than illegal drugs)?

Any tips/tricks/advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!

Give me your best Peru recommendations, please

booknerd — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:10:38 -0800

Best gear to buy for the Inca Trail? Specifically trying to figure out which water pump (if any?) and looking for a lightweight, portable tripod for my camera, but all recommendations are helpful! (Also, general Inca Trail/Cusco/Manu recommendations, please) We're going to Peru! I've looked at previous threads about the Inca Trail, including someone's very helpful blog. We're spending 2.5 weeks in November, flying into Lima for a night, then going to Cusco. We booked an 8-day tour to Manu, then have 4-5 days of downtime/altitude acclimation in Cusco, then we're doing the 4-day Inca Trail and heading back home the day or so after we get back from that.

I have a dSLR and hefty zoom lens, and plan to take a lot of photos. I think a lightweight, portable tripod is in order to get some great Machu Picchu shots, but I don't want to spend a ton of money. Can anyone recommend something that might fit the bill?

I'm also worried about drinking water. I know most people go with iodine tablets, but I'm afraid I'd really dislike the taste of it and find it hard to get down, even with the other tablets that mask the taste. A friend suggested we get a little backpacking water purifying pump, and it's not a bad idea. I just don't have a clue which one is good and what to look for! We'll both be using Camelback bladders, so something that could just pump directly into that would be good (rather than carrying an additional bottle).

Other recommendations that would be neat: vegetarian dining, things to do in/around Cusco, where to celebrate my 25th birthday in Cusco-area, your Inca Trail/Cusco/Manu experiences, etc. Thanks!

(Other gear I'm already planning to bring: waterproof trail running shoes, daypack, bigger backpack, waterproof pants and jacket in case of rain, long underwear, warm fleece jacket, hiking socks, trekking poles, a waterproof camera case for my smaller camera, a warm sleeping bag [and yes, planning to hire a porter because I'm small and weak], etc.)

Peruvian tourist visa

mateuslee — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:55:00 -0800

I forgot to get a tourist visa before applying for my 4 month visit to Peru and the airline made me buy a return ticket which falls within those 90 days of the visa-less visit. If I leave the country and return, can I still use my original return ticket? (better to read the extended explanation) So, I stupidly arrived at the airport with my return ticket to Peru -- 4 months there, all things told. However, it turns out that for stays of over 3 months, a visa is necessary. "No problem", I told the check-in clerk, I was planning on entering Chile anyway. She said that since she cannot prove my intent to enter those countries, I must buy another ticket to the US for a period within those initial 90 days. To make a long story short, she sold me a ticket I don't want from Lima to Boston. Well, at least I don't risk deportation.

My question: Is it ok if I forget about that new ticket I had to buy, use the original one (i.e. stay 4 months), but leave and re-enter Peru in those initial three months? As far as I understand it, that would be fine because I wouldn't have broken any laws regarding the need for a visa (not having stayed three consecutive months).

Or should I just play it safe and waste a few days in Lima and apply for a 4 months visa?

FWIW I also have German citizenship and could get my German passport FEDEX'd here, but I don't think that matters...

Sure would appreciate your thoughts on this!
Thanks--

Jhony be good?

otio — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:59:40 -0800

A question for all the Peruvian Mefites out there: Is Jhon a fairly common first name in Peru? If so, is it a 'misspelling' of the English name John or does it have some other origin? Bonus points if you can guide me to a written source (English or Spanish) that mentions this. Many thanks!

Books about Peru & Bolivia?

UbuRoivas — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:15:37 -0800

Books about Peru & Bolivia? Looking for recommendations for books (fiction or non-fiction) to read as background info for an upcoming trip to Peru & Bolivia.

Film in Lima

ashaw — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:39:02 -0800

Where can I pick up Black and White film in Lima, Peru? There´s an abundance of photo processing shops with colour film but can´t find anywhere which sells black and white film (Fuji Neopan, Ilford etc) or more specialised slide film. Also whilst we´re on the subject, where in Lima can i pick up cheap second hand cameras? I´m thinking of markets etc.

Lima

ashaw — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:50:03 -0800

I'm in Lima, Peru for three whole weeks. Where do you suggest are the best places to go in the day and night for young (under 30) travellers and sightseers? I've looked in a few travel guides, and done the mandatory research online (yes, here too) but don't want to miss out on any local secrets whilst in Lima. I'm looking for things to do in the following:
Sight seeing attractions
Museums/Historical Interest
Cheap good restaurants and markets
Good places to relax, stroll, explore
Places to go at night
ETC!

I'm currently staying in Barrancos which seems very far from the centre, should I move to a more central hostel? And what are the easiest routes of travel to get outside of Lima (which i've been often told to do) to places like Arequipa, Paracas, Nazca, (add some more here) etc?

Many Thanks!

What's the best way to cook beef heart?

jason's_planet — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:34:23 -0800

What's the best way to cook beef heart? I just bought a pound's worth of beef heart, in three slices, about a half inch thick. In the past, I've cooked beef heart in the pressure cooker but the result was always chewy and not terribly appetizing.

So what's the best way to prepare beef heart? Is it the traditional Peruvian style? Are anticuchos the way to go? Can I use the pressure cooker without turning the meat into grey rubber?

How would you prepare a half pound of sliced beef heart? What's your recipe? Fancy and complicated recipes are OK (for later), but the simpler, the better. This is meant to be an unemployed bachelor's lunch.

Many thanks in advance!

Al sur.

donpedro — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:57:21 -0800

Requesting travel, transport and itinerary suggestions for southern and western South America. I have a guide book for the continent and ideas about where I want to go, but the distances seem vast and I'm having trouble envisioning how to string together several destinations in multiple countries without spending a fortune. Difficult to tell where overland travel is or is not feasible.

* Time frame: 18 days, including travel down and back from North America. I live near a major international airport that has direct flights to many South American cities.
* Time of year: March (i.e. Southern Hemisphere late summer, early fall).
* Budget: TBD, though certainly not unlimited. I imagine airfare will be the single greatest expense.

Things I'm interested in seeing:
* Usuhaia, Argentina, and nearby parks. Tierra del Fuego.
* Glaciares National Park, Argentina. Specifically, a hike around Cerro Torre. -Or- Torres del Paine in Chile.
* Santiago, Chile.
* Atacama Desert.
* Lake Titicaca and/or La Paz, Bolivia.
* Cuzco/Machu Picchu.

I seriously doubt I could see all that in the given period of time. Does anybody with experience traveling in the region have any good suggestions for how to do as much as possible, without being a total road warrior? Any particularly obvious links between places, such as good short reliable ground transport between Cuzco and Bolivia? Are flights between Santiago and Argentine Patagonia/Usuhaia reasonable? Etc. This is a rather expansive question, I realize, and am very appreciative of any advice you're willing to offer.

About me:
* U.S. citizen.
* Fairly travel-savvy and mobile, does not require luxurious accomodations.
* Fluent in Spanish.
* Has been in South America previously (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay).

Americas Bank

mcarthey — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:14:22 -0800

I'm looking for a recommendation on a bank that I could access from both South and North America. I'll be travelling to Peru in a few days and would like to open a bank account that I can access from both my home in North America and my family's home in South America. I don't necessarily need to have a branch location in N.A. but I need to have the ability to make deposits. It would be helpful to have a branch in S.A., though.
The home in S.A. is near Chile at the southern end of Peru, if it helps.
I looked into CitiBank, but they only list a few branches in Lima.
Thanks for any suggestions!

Guide me around Peru

faunafrailty — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:12:14 -0800

I need recommendations for a Peruvian tour company. I want to do a 7-10 day tour in Peru, visiting Machu Picchu, traditional markets, and as many other cultural landmarks as I can. I would like to keep hiking to a moderate minimum. I don't want to do the entire Inca Trail, but would do some hikes if it means seeing something awesome at the end. I REALLY want to visit many markets with traditional handicrafts. I love museums. I want to see lots of ruins. I think it'd be cool to see Lake Titicaca.

I want a trustworthy tour group that'd be a appropriate for a 30-something female on her own. I'm not opposed to sharing a room with a fellow tourist, and I don't need fancy digs. Machu Picchu and handicraft markets are my highest priorities.

Any recommendations on tour companies and/or things to see, especially good markets?

(P.S. I have read and favorited some other similar questions, but wanted advice on the markets and more recent advice on travel companies. Thanks!!)

Help me find a volunteer project in South America

postergeist — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:14:27 -0800

Help me find a volunteer project in Bolivia, Peru or Ecuador. I am travelling all over south america for a year and am extremely interested in joining a volunteer project for a period of at least a month somewhere in one of the above countries. I do however have some specific desires; 1. Not interested in teaching English (dime a dozen for projects)
2. I love using my hands and building things (and am good at it) and want to find a project where I get to construct something, structures of any kind. A school, a fence.. whatever. Sort of like habitat for humanity (habitat itself is too large scale and expensive)
3. Not in a city. want countryside, the more remote the better
4. Smaller scale, more grass roots level
5. One where I dont have to shell over $2000+ just for the privilege of volunteering my services.

So far all of the more interesting projects i have found require a very large contribution. I guess I can understand that the money is how they fund the project but I was always of the opinion that the volunteers themselves should not have to be the ones who pay the very large sums and that the organizations should solicit the funding through philanthropic measures.

If anyone has any experiences, suggestions or knows anyone you can network me with I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks in advance

What did you think of your 2-day Inca Trail trek?

kmtiszen — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:04:19 -0800

Short on time in Peru - is the two day inca Trail trek worth it? Any alternatives? Hi all,

Planning a trip to Peru and I really want to experience at least part of the Inca Trail. Don't know if I'll have time to take the traditional four day trek, but I could definitely spare the time for the two day hike. Has anyone here done this? Are there any cool alternatives? Any tour provider recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

Good destination in Peru for non-Spanish speaker

mateuslee — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:24:59 -0800

PERU: Puno vs. Cuzco: Which is a safer destination for a 27 year-old SWF (American)with very limited Spanish ability and very little money? Or somewhere else in Peru, maybe? A friend of mine is considering going to Cuzco or Puno, but she has no money and hardly speaks Spanish. If she has to choose between one of the two places, which is best? Or maybe somewhere else... Suggesions appreciated!

Spread the word.

mateuslee — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:20:08 -0800

Where can I download health-related educational materials to distribute in rural Peru? Does anyone know a resource for educational materials suitable for semiliterate and illiterate people (i.e. with lots of easily-understood graphics). living in the third world

I'm guessing there must be a multilingual database somewhere (the UN?) from which I can download fliers relating to topics like good personal hygiene, eating properly, proper condom usage, childbirth techniques (in case they missed the latter), infant care, clean water, etc.

I’m traveling to some remote South American villages in a few weeks and I’d like to do my best to dispel some common myths or misunderstandings about a lot of these topics. From what I see, a good amount of the sickness in these places would be preventable with nutrition and attention to basic cleanliness/sanitation. I’d like to have some material handy for distribution so will bring along some print-outs.

Any idea of good resources?

Spanish-language materials are ideal.

presents? presents?

genmonster — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 13:43:41 -0800

Gifts to bring when volunteering in South America? So there are acutally 2 gifting situations:
1. I'm heading to Peru in a week or so, staying with a host family through an NGO. Even though I'll be paying them for room and board, should I bring a gift for them? And what should it be? I know nothing about them. I've tried to do this when staying abroad before (I brought my host mom a tablecloth and a book of photos of my home state) but it didn't go over really well.

2.Some things I've read about Peru mentioned bringing stuff like candy and pens/pencils to give out to kids on the street. Is this actually something people do? If I was panhandling on the street and got candy or pens instead of money I wouldn't be very happy, but if this is normal I'd consider doing it, especially because sometimes I feel like a jerk for not giving out money to kids on the street when I travel.

Should I go to Lima Peru?

dobbs — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:22:56 -0800

Should I go to Barranco, Lima, Peru? If so, what should I do there at the end of April? Skip to the mean if you don't want all my gibberish ramblings.

I need a vacation. In my previous AskMe post, I asked for suggestions for warm and hot places to go. The majority suggested Vegas and Cuba. Vegas doesn't appeal and Cuba seems to really only be cheap if you're traveling in pairs. When I try to fly for one, the single supplement adds 50% to the cost.

So, I did a search for a few vacation rental places and found this place in Barranco, Lima, Peru, which I can rent for a whole week for $300 to $400.

But I know jackshit about Peru (or Cuba, for that matter, though I've obviously seen it in a gazillion movies).

The woman who owns the properties in Peru actually called me on her dime to talk about the place, but she's obviously biased. It did sound very nice and up my alley. She did mention that it's very busy around there right now and that that's not the norm. She said this was because of Apec, though that apparently doesn't happen till November so I'm a little baffled.

MEAT

I mainly want to get away from the distractions of Toronto (as well as the weather). I need some peace and quiet (though not constant) to finish a personal project by May 1.

Though the above is my main reason for going, I of course would like to do some fun things while on vacation. What would you suggest for that specific area and timeframe?

Some things that may affect your answer: I'm vegetarian. I don't drive.

Trekking in Peru or Tibet?

Mr. Ugh — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:25:20 -0800

[Trekking Filter] So we're planning our Summer trip and we have to decide between two treks: Trekking to Lhamo Lhatso (Visionary Lake) in Tibet or Trekking in Peru (classic Machu Picchu, lodge to lodge.) Any advice on which to chose?

Bowlers in Bolivia and Peru

tellurian — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:30:01 -0800

There are two different stories about how bowler hats came to Bolivia and Peru. I'm looking for some original sources for the stories that bowler hats are "worn by Quechua and Aymara women in Peru and Bolivia since the 1920's when supposedly a shipment of bowler hats was sent from Europe to Bolivia via Peru for use by Europeans who were working on the construction of the railroad. The hats were found to be too small and were distributed to locals." -OR- It is a result of an over-order and an enterprising salesman who supposedly convinced them that the wearing of the hats would increase their fertility.

peru???

genmonster — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:02:28 -0800

what should i know about a peruvian ngo before i volunteer for them for a summer? i'm a first year medical student looking to spend my last summer of freedom in the andes. i found a small, local ngo that looks interesting to me, and they're very enthusiastic to have me come. so far they're given me a general description of where i'll be working and staying, and i've checked out most of what's been written about them online. what should i be sure to find out from them before i actually commit and buy the plane tickets??

Tacna, Peru!

mateuslee — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:49:20 -0800

Things to do and places to stay in Tacna, Peru? On my way to Tacna, Peru tomorrow. Wonder if any of you have any suggestions of places to stay and things to do while I´m there for a couple days.

Is it very difficult to take a vacation somewhere where you don't speak the language (specifically Peru)?

bingwah — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:03:21 -0800

Is it very difficult to take a vacation somewhere where you don't speak the language (specifically Peru)? My wife and I are considering taking a week long vacation in Peru in April. I don't have it all planned out yet but we'd most likely see Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines and stay in Cuzco.

Neither one of us speaks spanish and we don't have much time to learn it.

Will it be really difficult to get around without knowing the language? I would think some English is spoken around touristy areas.

Why blue and yellow?

sweetkid — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:56:04 -0800

Is there some significance to the colors blue and yellow in Peru? On a recent trip to Peru, I noticed the color combination blue and yellow everywhere--PeruRail trains, construction signs in Lima, the National Stadium, Inca Cola bottles, etc. I asked some locals but they claimed it was nothing or they weren't sure. There must be something to it, though? The flag colors are red and white so that can't be it. Googling didn't help, so I thought perhaps the Hive would know.