General Info

[QUOTE=Lima Busy;1142665]I was having drinks down at the "old pub" with 10-12 guys who are currently in town and only a few of us were aware of "Ley Seca". As this is an election weekend all bars will be shut down and liquor sales are banned. Forewarned is forearmed![/QUOTE]I am in Lima 3 days from this morning. Since I arrived at DRY season, is there anything to do as replacement? I would buy a drink if someone wants to join me, but don't know where; (

Send me PM if anyone wants to meet and find some workaround for those 3 days!

There was an article on this place in today's Sunday paper here in Lima. Once in awhile forum members ask about intensive Spanish classes, this seems to be an interesting alternative. Plus the Director, Kathy Mujica, is a babe: [url]http://www.hispanaidiomas.com/[/url]

Thanks David, might give that a go for my next trip.

[QUOTE=David_33; 1148623]There was an article on this place in today's Sunday paper here in Lima. Once in awhile forum members ask about intensive Spanish classes, this seems to be an interesting alternative. Plus the Director, Kathy Mujica, is a babe:

[url]http://www.hispanaidiomas.com/[/url][/QUOTE]

In general, do people want to paid in USD or Soles?

If USD, what are good denominations to bring singles, fives?

I find it much easier and cheaper to pay in Soles. Dollars are easily converted to Soles with the cambio guys on the street in Miraflores. Bring only fresh unmarked bills with not even the slightest tear or mark or the cambio will not accept them.

The best exchange rates that I have found are in the casinos. They will give you a slightly better exchange than the cambo guys. If you are in a casino get a couple of hundred exchanged. I have a slightly more secure feeling there than on the street where passerbys can witness the exchange.

Lima is loaded with counterfiet money. Become very familiar with the bills and coins before you change money. Even at the bank! Most people will try to give you false 5/2 soles coins. Don't be afraid to say NO THANKS. Cabbies try to push them on everybody.

I smell my bills right in front of everbody. The response I get is " ah tu conoces Lima muy bien".

Dollars are worth crap for the most part. Who the hell wants to be payed in a fluctuating third world currency? Soles is where it's at.

Well this is not very encouraging. What does it smell like? Puta?

In Colombia I got a few coins that were supposedly no good. Not counterfeit, just no longer accepted as valid currency. And they have so many different coins, I had no way of knowing.

[QUOTE=Artisttyp; 1149532]Lima is loaded with counterfiet money. Become very familiar with the bills and coins before you change money. Even at the bank! Most people will try to give you false 5/2 soles coins. Don't be afraid to say NO THANKS. Cabbies try to push them on everybody.

I smell my bills right in front of everbody. The response I get is " ah tu conoces Lima muy bien".

Dollars are worth crap for the most part. Who the hell wants to be payed in a fluctuating third world currency? Soles is where it's at. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Hasideas Tao; 1150304]Well this is not very encouraging. What does it smell like? Puta?

In Colombia I got a few coins that were supposedly no good. Not counterfeit, just no longer accepted as valid currency. And they have so many different coins, I had no way of knowing. [/QUOTE]It is nothing to fear but you definitely need to be aware of what is what. I would change around $100 the first time around and ask for different denominations to familiarize yourself with the money. Some of the fakes are fantastic.

1. Any money smells like money. Take out a dollar bill and take a whiff. Fake money is not printed
on the same paper.

2. Feel the bill. Run your fingers along the bills and feel for raised ink. You should be feeling some sort of texture not totally smooth.

3. Hold it up to the light and look for water marks and the gold trim in the middle. I think peruvian bills have the guys head on one side then a water mark of it on the other side. Not sure though.
4. 2 and 5 soles coins are what you will run up against the most. If it looks like a fake token it is not real. If you can barely see the artwork on the coin ask for another one. Usually the fakes are faded with only partial view of artwork.

So far Lima has been the worst place for this sort of thing in my latin american travels. Too the point where it gets annoying. You will get dooped a few times like I did but once you figure it out you won't.

Start off asking for SMALL bills. If you get a fake you lose very little. Maybe 20 soles bills.


One time the bank gave me a fake 50 soles bill that I tried to pass to a pfp chica. It was of exceptional quality so I thought she could pass it off to someone else. It worked but the cab driver that took her home figured it out and she came back to the hotel! I was a scumbag that day but I seriously thought she could slip it to someone else without them knowing.

I was a jerk. I will never do that again.

[QUOTE=Artisttyp;1150308]2 and 5 soles coins are what you will run up against the most. If it looks like a fake token it is not real. If you can barely see the artwork on the coin ask for another one. Usually the fakes are faded with only partial view of artwork.[/QUOTE]On one of my first trips to Lima I tried to get change for S / 5 in the airport to use the phone. The lady who was giving me change recognized right off without looking at it hard that it was fake. She showed me the difference but I still could not tell. They looked exactly the same to me. It's like the fake one had (or didn't have) some little mark in the gold part. Anyway I thought who the hell would go through the trouble of minting a coin of such a low denomination, and who would even think to check. As in my country they never check anything lower than a $20 bill. They could give a shit about a $1 bill.

In today's El Comercio (most important Peruvian Newspaper), there is an article about the new socialist mayor of Lima's proposal to establish a "Zona Rosa" in the city. In this area SWs; male, female and shemale, would be for all practical purposes left alone to ply their trade. The Peruvian National Sex Workers Organization estimate that there are around 15,000 chica streetwalkers at present in Lima. The article has a handy little map which shows where each type of SW can be found.

[QUOTE=David_33;1150624]In today's El Comercio (most important Peruvian Newspaper), there is an article about the new socialist mayor of Lima's proposal to establish a "Zona Rosa" in the city. In this area SWs; male, female and shemale, would be for all practical purposes left alone to ply their trade. The Peruvian National Sex Workers Organization estimate that there are around 15, 000 chica streetwalkers at present in Lima. The article has a handy little map which shows where each type of SW can be found.[/QUOTE]Isn't that the case already with ave tacna and a few other areas? Even calle de pizzas is an area. I see cops and hookers all the time. Its funny though how they went after the san jose brothel and left the street action alone.

Are they planning on doing what mexico does by arresting anyone doing it outside of said areas?

Depending on where and how they do it that zona could be extremely dangerous. All the rateros of Lima in one general area knowing people brought soles to party.

Great news if it works out to our benefit though. Lima has been stagnant in the pfp department for years. I only caught the tail end of it and that was over 5 years ago.

They periodically round up everyone, and there is constant harassment by the serenazgo. They shake down the girls, or load them all into trucks and leave them in the middle of nowhere. This is how it has always been. According to the article the zone would be regulated and protected. It would be called a "zona de tolerancia". It might be in a park or a special avenue and the SWs would receive medical assistance and lectures.

Do the pharmacies in Lima sell Viagra and Cialis or the generics without a prescription?

Is it reasonably priced like in Costa Rica or Thailand?

[QUOTE=Soft Bob; 1150693]Do the pharmacies in Lima sell Viagra and Cialis or the generics without a prescription?

Is it reasonably priced like in Costa Rica or Thailand? [/QUOTE]All pharmacies sell generic Viagra without prescription. A 100mg tab will run you 2-3 soles. It is also possible to get the brand name though not all stores might have it at 28-35 soles per tab. Cialis is harder to get.

Cialis is in the major pharmacy chains. Last I checked it was between $7 and $8 a tablet. Higher price because there is no generic available as in the case of viagra (sildenafilo). As far as Cialis is concerned, I purchase my supply here: [url]http://www.generic4all.com/[/url] Always delivered to USA address quickly and with zero hassle.