If you’re interested in a hearty dose of Peruvian history, check out Pueblo Libre. Spend an afternoon wandering through the quiet colonial streets, sipping pisco in historic bars, paying homage at ancient crossroads, and, of course, allow plenty of time for the museums. Pueblo Libre is a quiet residential area just a short taxi ride from Miraflores or Downtown, just north of Magdalena del Mar. Today its citizens are beginning to promote their tourist appeal, with signs like “No tocando el claxon tendremos mas Turismo … Al Turista Pueblo Libre conquista!” (“By not honking our horns we’ll attract more Tourism … Pueblo Libre will conquer the Tourist!”). More power to them: their little neighborhood kicks ass, and has done so for centuries.

Welcome to Magdalena, Lima Peru: Nuts and bolts. This is the first of many parts of an “over all” Lima bus trajectory list and guide to moving about the area. We have added a few landmarks and markets to see, if you’re staying in the area. In regards to bus travel in Lima; if you’re not sure if the bus in front of you is going where you want to go, then ask. Just blurt out the area or a landmark to the bus wrangler (the guy standing in the …

Most tourists who come to Lima stay in the Miraflores district, and for good reason, sometimes it’s nice to stay in a neighborhood that resembles, well, Lima. Magdalena was by far our favorite neighborhood in Lima, in part because of its great location (just a quick bus or taxi ride to Miraflores, the airport, or Downtown), and in part because of its quiet neighborly feel. Magdalena is the sort of place where your neighbors will greet you on the street, where old couples go out for an evening stroll, where neighborhood kids play impromptu fútbol games in quiet intersections.

This was the very first picture that I took last night. You can see Scott, of Tambopacaya, on the right in the blue denim shirt. He is scouting a good seat, and a safe one, for us in Estadio Monumental, Lima Peru.

The run up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa has been a twisted affair here in South America. Peru has not been to the World Cup since 1982 when, in Spain, Italy beat West Germany 3-1 in the final. This year Peru finished last in the South American qualifier pool for the World Cup. However, Peru fought hard in their last three games wining the first two against Uruguay and Bolivia respectively, and fighting to a 2-1 loss against Argentina, in Buenos Aries, almost upsetting one of the best teams in the world.

The first thing you notice about La Punta are the colors. Brilliant oranges with blues, greens with purples, pinks with yellows—all the colors of the rainbow paired on every building. The paint is bright and fresh, out of place in a city where most buildings are grimy and covered with soot.