Leaving Lima...

After a nonexistant 400 wakeup call, and a prompt 430 pickup we headed for Lima airport this morning. The streets were dark, and the only cars were taxis, but they were out in force to take scores of young Limeanos home after a very late Saturday night.

To say there are 2 Limas is an understatement. There are several very posh districts, namely Mira Flores and San Isidro, with palatial villas, fancy high rises, expensive restaurants, lovely parks, and high class shopping malls. This is where rich Peruvians and expats live, and I imagine the life is similar to that of expats everywhere. High walls, barred windows, elaborate courtyards, private schools, tennis clubs, and housestaff.

You cross a large avenue and it all changes. Buildings date from the 1920s-1970s, there are blackmarkets and ¨robbers¨ abound. The buildings and the living situations resemble those of every other poor area of every other developing country. There are more similarities between the poor areas of Quito, Lima, Tijuana, Nouakchott, Dakar, and Abu Dhabi than one can fathom.

Lima also has an abundance of casinos, and it´s a little disconcerting to see a decrepit building next to the flashing neon of ¨Atlantic City¨.

I know there is probably much more to see, but I don´t really feel compelled to return to Lima anytime soon. The spectre of danger is either greater, or more apparent, than in other cities I´ve visited. Over spring break we went to soccer games in Buenos Aires and in Rio de Janeiro, and they were phenomenal experiences. We attempted to buy tickets to an afternoon game in Lima yesterday and were told by numerous people that it was too dangerous, and that people will surreptitiously stick you with hypodermic needles. Um.... I think I´ll pass.

Of course, the fact that I speak a total of 5 words of Spanish doesn´t help much. I am infinitely more comfortable when I can least pretend to fumble my way through communicating. The good news is that I think of most things that I want to say in French, so hopefully this bodes well for Southeast Asia...