In Jean Renoir’s classic film The Golden Coach (Le Carosse D’Or), a troupe of Italian actors arrives in 18th-century colonial Lima, expecting to perform in a luxurious palace. Instead, they find themselves in a frontier town.
“What do you think of the New World?” they are asked.
“It will be better when it is finished.”
Arriving in Peru’s dusty, disorganized capital in July 2007, I had a similar reaction.
Today’s Lima may be more than 450 years old, but it still feels like it’s being improvised. On good days, I love the city’s eclectic, irrational spirit. On bad days, I feel like I’m living in a loonybin (or a dustbin — take your pick). As an American writer in Lima, I experience both extremes, but mainly I’m glad to be here. Even if that includes enduring an 8.0-scale earthquake while dodging traffic in my bare feet.
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Darren // Apr 11, 2008 at 5:47 am
It sounds fantastic. The question is – this post is absolutely new and original, isn’t it? It seems to me I’ve saw it somewhere before.
2 Henk // Jun 5, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Sequence different a in were they but – before words those all seen have you that fact the by confused being are you, Darren, no.
(No, Darren, you are being confused by the fact that you have seen all those words before – but they were in a different sequence.)
3 Barb // Jun 20, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Muchas grassy a**, Henkling.
4 Alejandra // Mar 28, 2010 at 1:55 am
GRA.CIAS
I don´t like Lima…maybe because i am from Arequipa.
lol!