One of the most distinctive sights in Lima are its ageing 50s and 60s era buildings. The majority of these in districts such as Jesús María have long since been converted into multi-family residences, while others were built specifically for this purpose.
Category: "News"
Female Traffic cops rule the streets of Lima
Peru’s transit police aren’t famous for their honesty or work ethic. Anything but. In line with all Government employees, they are so underpaid that they see corruption as the only way to make a decent living. For transit police, this usually involves pulling over those drivers who violate traffic laws and writing up a ticket… a ticket that can be ripped up on the spot though, should you be kind enough to collaborate with a little lunch money, beer money, a holiday bonus if it is nearing Christmas, or even money for gasoline.
Bon Appétit declares Lima “The Next Great Food City”
It had already been declared the gastronomic capital of the Americas and the home of one of the world’s twelve great cuisines. Now the city of Lima continues is rapid climb to the top of food-lover’s travel itineraries after gastronomy magazine Bon Appétit declared it their Destination of the Year 2009.
Could the streets of Lima be on the verge of changing forever?
The year is 2010. It’s, let’s say, December, and the start of summer in the southern hemisphere and in the city of Lima.
Stepping out into the street, a family decides they will walk the 20 minutes to the Costa Verde, taking time to enjoy the city’s clean fresh air. Others live further away of course, so the streets are as full of traffic, including buses and taxis, as always. But apart from the gentle hum of the motors – many of which belong to hybrid cars – the streets are quiet. The combis weave in and out of the hybrids, in a rush to reach the next authorised bus stop to pick up and drop off passengers.
For the first time, such a future in Lima is entirely plausible.
Plastic banned at Machu Picchu
Anyone with any sense hates plastic bottles – the non-biodegradable waste they cause and the blighting of the landscape when people carelessly throw them away. And you would think people visiting world famous and historic sites such as Machu Picchu would have more respect – but no, one of the first things I noticed when I visited were dozens of plastic bottles on the way up, and yet more scattered around the ruins.
Criminals traffic historic books
Months ago, a collector received a visit from an antique trader. “What I saw was something I would have hoped not to”, said the witness speaking to newspaper El Comercio. He was offered several pieces that could have only come from one source: Peru’s National Library. The trader even had photocopies of other examples he had already sold, also from the library. The collector refused to buy them and explained he would have to report the trader.
Two days later other person arrived with the same books, having bought them and now looking to sell them on. The collector contacted another bibliophile to help finance their purchase, their aim being to avoid the repeated sale of, and potential damage to, these antique treasures.
What they bought was enough to anger any lover of libraries or indeed history:- four books published between the 16th and 19th centuries, three in Spain and one in Mexico, all of which in the catalogues of the rarest books in the country.
Another victim of Global warming: Quilca glacier disappears
For the second time in as many months, the affects of global warming on Peru’s rare tropical glaciers is made painfully evident.
Peru’s National Institute for Natural Resources (INRENA) has reported that the Quilca glacier in Puno, 5250 m.a.s.l., has now completely vanished. This is an ominous warming for a country where the vast majority of the population lives on a desert coast who’s rivers are fed by melt waters from similar glaciers.
Bosque de Pomac squatters murder unarmed police officers
Famous Japanese archaeologist Izumi Shimada brought to our attention not many months ago the systematic destruction of the Sicán pyramids and algarobo forests by invasores – squatters who illegaly occupy land. Rushing to Peru and forced to abandon his teaching position in South Illinois University, he attempted to make local authorities to take action. Unfortunately, regional police chief Víctor Ordinola explained his force was too busy preparing for independence day festivities.
It had been almost 7 years since the natural and archaeological sanctuary of the Bosque de Pomac had been invaded and settled. The destruction was immediate, with vast areas of natural habitat for endangered species destroyed. With the destruction of part of an ancient Sicán temple, and after a six month delay, local authorities yesterday decided to act.
Heavy rains damage Nazca lines
Floods caused by the strong rains in the Andes of the past few days, an event that occurs every year, have affected one of the famous lines, part of dozens declared a UNESCO site in 1994.
Following information from archaeologist Mario Olaechea, coordinator of the National Institute of Culture (INC) in Nasca, the flash flood in question was caused by rain that has fallen in the Andean gully known as San Pablo, carving a path through the normally dry and barren Nazcan desert towards the figure known as la mano or the hand.
La Oroya: House of Lead: A story of Greed
International attention comes and goes, but La Oroya is in the spotlight once more as CNN begins its coverage of the town where 99% of the population is heavily lead-poisoned by up to three times the highest healthy limit, have strange rashes, stomach pains, are intellectually stunted, covered in layers of toxic dust of which 1,000 tonnes is omited per day, and where children are dying regularly. Living in this town means you are 2000 times more likely to die of cancer… that’s if you are even born. Should you not be miscarried, you are born pre-lead-poisoned and already risk not growing up at all.
Wari city unveiled in Cerro Pátapo – missing link discovered
In less than two weeks since work began, amazing discoveries have been made at the Cerro Pátapo archaeological site, until now little more than a pile of rocks. This huge site that stretches over 5km is now revealing its importance – it is a missing link between the declining Moche culture and the newly arrived Wari.
World’s Biggest Ceviche
As the birthplace of ceviche, Peru just couldn’t stand by and let another Latin American country hold the Guinness World Record for the largest dish ever made.
![Visit to Chakiccocha [Featured]](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1343/555374565_37d7873380_m.jpg)
