An American in Lima

slices of my life in Peru

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Salami Sandwich Man

December 18th, 2008 · 8 Comments · Daily Life in Lima, Food & Dining

Deli counter, Wong supermarket, Miraflores; photo c. Barbara Drake 2008 I bought Braendt salami from this guy at Wong supermarket a few nights ago. It wasn’t a lot of salami — maybe 100 grams — but my purchase merited a regalo: half a ham/salami/cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread, with lettuce and tomato. Nice guy, no?

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How to (Maybe) Cure a Lima Chest Cold

September 3rd, 2008 · 9 Comments · Handmade Culture, What's up with the Weather Down There?

El Fotografo can’t kick this chest cold he’s been suffering from for three weeks. Not even the schlep to Santa Eulalia last weekend could knock it out of his system. So I decided to try a home remedy on him that I read about in Suite 101.

Now EF’s lying in bed swathed in poultices and blankets, just four feet away from me, and the room reeks of Indian food.

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El Chalan on the Street

July 15th, 2008 · Comments Off · Daily Life in Lima

Today I took Lola for a walk and bumped into this Wong supermarket employee pushing a shopping cart along the street. He was on his way back from bringing a customer’s groceries to her house, a free service that the store offers. Check out the chic Fiestas Patrias outfit: white poncho, red scarf and broad-brimmed [...]

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Supermarket Cowboys

July 13th, 2008 · Comments Off · Crossing Cultures, Daily Life in Lima, Festivals, Sacred Rituals, Religion, Food & Dining

Peru’s biggest supermarket chain – Wong – plays up Fiestas Patrias in a big way, sponsoring patriotic events throughout Lima and featuring the “flavors of Peru” during the month-long season. The store’s colors are red and white, the colors of the Peruvian flag, but to celebrate the independence-day spirit during July, some employees wear outfits distinctive to Peru. [...]

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