Around Lima

A hat vendor in Baranco, Lima's art district. 

The Peruvian flag flies in a slum on the outskirts of town. 

A man playing a traditional drum outside of the university.

How NOT to find an Internet Cafe in Lima

1) Ask a traffic officer where the nearest "cafe de la Internet" is. He will tell you that the internet is about six miles away by taxi.

2) Next, you should go into a building called "Locutorio de Internet." It is not, as you will expect, a place with free wireless. Instead, there will be lots of small children playing games, and looking at questionable websites. Americans have a word for this: the information commons of a public library.

3) After leaving the locutorio, you should enter the next building that has a sign in the window that says, "Internet." Although, they will  indeed have an internet connection, it will only be on one computer and it will not be wireless. You will also be able to purchase airline tickets, change money and place long distance phone calls if you so chose.

4) Then you should proceed to ask a grocery employee where the Starbucks is. Once he tells you the location, be sure to ask him if it has why-fie. He will look at you confused. What ever you do, do not pronounce it weee-feee. 

5) If you are committed to not finding an Internet Cafe, stay away from Starbucks, and other American cafes, they are the only places in Lima that are reported to actually have public internet.