Note #3 @ Peru: Creativity means Survival

In the days of travelling in the busy cities of Lima and Arequipa, I had the chance to wander around and be a live witness of the daily routine of active peruvians. When you're a tourist, every detail is a source of contrast to your own routine and its normality.

You go to Peru already expecting a different reality, a poorer, more latin american one. But unlike my expectations, I did not see extreme poverty, or at least not to the point of cultural shock. It is clear that peruvians have less possesions and lead a more "humble" life; yet, it was awe rathen then shock I experienced.

Bottom line is, you become impressed by their creativity. "Ordinary" work is scarce and so is the money available. But that doesn't stand in their way. It simply can't - bills have to be paid, children have to be fed, etc...So they literally "work around" that lack of jobs, by selling everything they can think of: ice-creams in scooters (it's clear that D'Onofrio has the monopoly of the ice cream empire), oranges juiced-in-the-moment, oranges' peeled skin as bracelets, their great physical condition as an entertainment show while you're in traffic, you name it and you'll be sure to find it...

Solutions only exist because of problems needed to be solved...