Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Saturday morning Marmelita and I flagged down a motocar to take us to the Amazon Golf Course. We agree to pay the S/. 10 fare, loaded up three large bottles of water, and an equally large container with 6 turtles in water and we were ready to go.

There was a big rain storm Friday night, with high winds, and the streets were still wet, but the day was overcast and pleasant. It was good to be out and I was looking forward to several hours at the golf course.

Every Saturday we provide free golf lessons from 10:00 to 12:00 for non-golfers, and we nearly always go to watch the golf lessons, check out the course, make sure everything is ship shape, pay the crew that works so hard to make your golf course playable, and to enjoy the day.

This week LivinginPeru.com begins a monthly series of articles that feature Peruvians, or Peruvian activities around the world.

This week's article is brought to us by Cindy Rodriguez.  Born in New Jersey to Peruvian parents, Cindy is a freelance journalist residing in New York City.

She had the delight of visiting a Peña event in New York this past month, and details the experience below.

El Comercio

Only a few times a year do Peruvians forget about their material worries to follow the path of faith. This time the protagonist of their religious devotion is the Lord of Luren, patron of Ica.

Since the sanctuary of the Lord of Luren is currently disabled due to the earthquake that occurred in Pisco in 2007, this year, a provisional chapel was set up for the celebrations and the scheduled masses.

Walter Raffo, LivinginPeru’s independent security consultant, brings us all a reminder in his monthly safety column: what to do and what not to do while driving, especially while traveling long distances throughout Peru.

Photos and Essay by
Rodney L. Dodig

As a person makes more friends once they are living in Peru it is only natural that eventually you become an extended member of that friend’s family. This is the manner in which I met Tio Panchito or Uncle Panchito as we would say in English. We were out for a late dinner one evening and in casual conversation with the family, I am still struggling with my Spanish; I discovered that he was a retired shoe maker. Jokingly I asked if he knew anyone that would be willing to make a pair of sports shoes for me. Tio Panchito lit up and stated that he would be quite willing to make the shoes for me himself. They told me that he was trained in Italy or by an Italian shoe maker; this is where my Spanish lets me down.

It is quiet ---as it always is on a Saturday morning. The little street where we live is deserted. No cars and no people. The welcome silence is a tremendous contrast to the busy work days with so much activity and bustle. Now I can walk slowly down the middle of the street, and no one will honk at me. But more than that, I can easily enjoy the good part of walking --- the looking, listening and observing.

By Luis Felipe Gamarra
For El Comercio

During the economic crisis of the 80’, one of the sectors that was endangered the most was the editorial industry. With the exception of El Virrey, La Casa Verde, Época and La Familia, bookstores all around Lima disappeared, even in districts like Miraflores, Barranco, San Isidro and Lima, where the cultural offer was very important. Nonetheless, now, the book market has gained strength and steady growth thanks to the improvement in the national economy.

By Renzo Guerrero de Luna
For El Comercio

All kinds of saints arrive at 47 year-old Edwin Ramírez Mendoza’s house to entrust their souls to him. Most of the time they come during emergencies, after having had an accident. Some have broken legs, others burnt wooden faces, there are also some headless virgins and angels. There are, as well, some idols that have not suffered any kind of mutilation but are just looking to regain the splendor that they had decades ago. 

Edwin welcomes them all in his restoration workshop that he has named the Hospital for Saints and tries to do his best to fix them. He is always guided – he says filled with emotion and raising his eyes to heaven – by the hands of God.

By Bruno Rivas
For El Comercio

Painting, sculpting or playing an instrument are, without a doubt, privileged gifts. Despite having no physical or intellectual disabilities, many find themselves being mere spectators. This is not the case of Felipe Castillo, Emilia Fuentes, Félix Espinoza, Ángel Tafur, Margarita Mora and Max Hohagen. All of them are great artists in spite of having no hands, being visually impaired or suffering from Down syndrome.

The Day of the Handicapped was celebrated October 16th here in Peru, but it was during that week that various activities related to this event were held. Amongst them, expositions and fairs in which paintings, sculptures and crafts were not the only source of admiration but so were their creators. These are some of their stories.