Lima la Horrible

Perhaps no other city could inspire such extravagantly hyperbolic language.  “Lima la Horrible” (1964) by Salazar Bondy is an ambitious critique of the Peruvian oligarchy; it perfectly characterizes the “odio-amor” (love-hate) that limeños feel for their city.  I picked up a copy of the essay at the Biblioteca Central after a professor mentioned it in class.  Post-parciales I realized that thinking outside the box is not built into the structure of any of my classes; taking my education to the next level requires a little extra legwork.  And I am certainly glad I did; the essay certainly has already informed my daily life and may have inspired my “narrativa trabajo final”.  I hope to work with the portrayal of Lima as a woman in Bondy's work and the female characters in La Ciudad y Los Perros.

I spent the past week exploring, in a big way.  Tuesday after class two friends and I continued what is rapidly becoming a tradition: Tuesday tragos (aka casual fun after Peruvian Social Reality).  We took advantage of cheap cine tickets to see Asu Mare, the semi-biographical film by Peruvian comedian Carlos Alcántara (Cachín). The film has broken numerous records, rapidly becoming the most popular film in the history of Peruvian cinema (according to la Republica its more popular than Harry Potter or Twilight): http://www.larepublica.pe/18-04-2013/asu-mare-rompe-records-en-la-historia-cinematografica-del-peru.  Over a month after opening night the theater was still packed.  Some critics dislike the stereotypical image the film presents of Latino mothers, but I found Asu Mare pretty funny (although I probably only understood half the jokes) and weirdly heartwarming.

I recently discovered that there is an enormous zoo a couple of blocks from la Católica.  Naturally, a couple of friends and I had to check it out.  Classic Lima, Parque de la Leyendas couldn’t just be a zoo.  There were several Huacas (archaeological sites), a children's amusement park, and a small lake enclosed within the grounds.  The day ended with an expedition to the food court in Jockey Plaza (somewhere between Surco and La Molina) and the obligatory combi struggle to return home.

Map of the grounds

Front entrance

 Sara, Hugo, Adrienne, and Martín (hiding from the camera 

per usual) in the children's maze.

Hippos-my FAVORITE

Friday, after sampling what is perhaps Lima’s most legit Mexican food (the Burrito Bar in Barranco-a chipotle style joint owned by an Australian) a couple of friends and I headed to el Teatro Racional to see “Por qué cojea Candy” (Why does Canday limp?): http://www.rpp.com.pe/2013-05-16-estrenan-obra-teatral-por-que-cojea-candy-noticia_595512.html.  The show, set in la selva of Peru, told the story Candy an adolescent “injured” by Peruvian society during the terrorism and drug trafficking of the eighties.  Like all two women shows staged in black box theaters, the play was difficult to understand on multiple levels-a problem only complicated by the fact that it was in Spanish.  However between the five of us we were able to piece together the plot; the play was incredibly intense, particularly the thematic pairing of violence and sex.  There was nudity, lots of nudity, and I may have been threatened with a machete from my seat practically on the stage.

Saturday I dragged a couple of friends to el Centro to help me pick up my number and chip for the Lima Marathon from Parque de la Reserva.  It was a really good thing I went with friends because the journey was not without its fair share of Metropolitano struggles.  But when we finally arrived: Surprise!  There was a huge running exposition in honor of the race with lots of free swag.  Afterwards we headed to Polvos Azules to experience Lima’s enormous informal (black market) Centro Comercial.  We spent the rest of the day people watching in Parque de la Exposición, a park that contains a Japanese pogoda, a Chinese fountain, and an Italian art museum.  During the afternoon we witnessed a show by a mime from Chiclayo, a parade of people on stilts, and a concert. 

Entrance...

Authentic Nikes...yeah right

 Antiquities

Oh, and Sunday I ran the Lima Marathon: http://www.lima42k.com/home.php.  Considering the circumstances it’s a miracle that I finished, even more so that I ran under 4 hours.  I registered for the race when I was in a very different place mentally; after I quit skiing I wasn’t quite ready to give up my image of myself as an athlete.  Since I arrived in Lima my need for competition has gradually evaporated (“esto es el efecto del Perú”).  I injured myself three weeks ago, and hadn’t run more than 45 minutes since my return from Cusco (where I didn’t run at all).  On top of this, I spent the past week crippled by the Lima hack (I think everyone might have respiratory problems in this city).  Really all the signs were telling me not to run, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t at least start and let’s be honest, I usually finish the things I start.  So it wasn’t the glorious first marathon that I was hoping for (although I got my runner’s high between 12 and 21 kilometers) in fact it was mostly miserable, but I finished.  And what’s more a handful of my close friends from the program were there at the finish line in San Isidro to pick up the pieces.  This was probably the highlight of the day (appart from hearing the phrase “vamos Leona” directed at me) was realizing that here on the other side of the equator I have some really, truly wonderful friends.