Volcano of Snow, Volcano of Fire

View of the two volcanoes from the South.

People, generally Mexican friends who live in large cities like Guadalajara or Mexico City, often ask me why I live in Ciudad Guzmán. To them it is a provincial backwater out ‘in the sticks’ – as an ex-girlfriend once memorably said to me, “Es un un pueblito rascuache y polvoriento” – it is a wretched, dusty little town. In reply I say, half-jokingly, that it is “la Perla de Jalisco”– the pearl of the state of Jalisco, perhaps something of an exaggeration.

In fact, there are many reasons why I like living here.

In Praise of Peru 2: Iquitos and Cuzco

After spending a few days in Lima, as described in my last post, I flew to Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon. Incidentally, I had previously bought this internal flight in Mexico, but it is much cheaper and also very easy to buy the flight in Peru, as I later discovered when I bought a return flight to Cuzco.

Iquitos is the largest city in the world not accessible by car – if only more cities or at least their centers were not accessible by cars.

In Praise of Peru 1: Lima

As regular readers of my blog will know, I am (notwithstanding narcotraficante violence, a supposed ‘failing state’ and swine-flu) rather smitten with Mexico – see especially my post “Ten Reasons to Fall in Love with Mexico”. However, Mexico may now have a rival for my affections – I spent most of the month of January this year in Peru and adored it.

Peru is a fascinating country.