tourism – M's Adventures

Tourist Information for Rome

May 22, 2022May 25, 2022M's Adventures

Rome is a great place to be a tourist. I’m not a tourist, but I get asked a lot of questions… so here is the info, all in one place. Even more info on the official site for Rome. I start with the most “must-do” places and what is nearby. First, COVID rules are on this site. As you can see from the map below, most of Rome is within a two-mile/three-kilometer radius, but you may end up walking ten miles/14 kilometers criss crossing it! Or 28,000 steps, for those counting steps.

Most of the green dots are tourist attractions. From tiramisu to gelato is about 3 miles/5 kilometers.

Vatican City: For the museums (the entrance is on the side of the Vatican) including the Sistine Chapel, buy tickets online. For St. Peter’s Basilica (and to climb up the dome), get in line inside the plaza at the Vatican. Open most days except Wednesday when they are only open for one hour.

Castel Sant’Angelo: It’s a museum, mausoleum, has those angels on the bridge, and you can walk to the Vatican from here.

Coliseum and forum (they are combined as an open-air museum). Buy tickets here on the official site, although there are many tour companies that sell tickets. Most people are okay with the two-hour tour (which can run on, but you can leave). Open 9 am to 7:15 pm every day, with last entry one hour before closing. Times change during the winter. While over here, check out the neighborhood of Monti. It’s up the hill from the forum (above the Colosseum, on the map).

Centro historico/Historic center — Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish steps (which is near Via del Corso for shopping/people watching), Alter to the Fatherland (called the wedding cake — it’s impossible to miss. Also on the piazza where Mussolini gave his speeches, and located between the center and the forum): All free but you may need to get a timed entry for the Pantheon (open 9-7 every day but last entry at 6:30 pm). While you are in this part of the city, try to walk down Old Government Street (Via del governo vecchio), as it is picturesque in parts. I like Forno Monteforte cafe/bakery which is on this street but way down. If you have time, when you are near Monti or Trevi, visit Quirinale, the palace of the president.

Campo de fiori market: You will probably run across this when wandering around downtown. Open from 8 am to 2 pm. Overly touristy, but hey, this is Rome.

Jewish Quarter: It is famous and quaint. There were Jewish people living in Rome before the time of Christ. Look for the small brass cobblestone plaques marking where Jewish people once lived before being taken in WWII. If you need an address to locate it, go to a cheese store called Beppe and His Cheeses, Via di S. Maria del Pianto, 9a/11.

Trastevere: This is an area that was once a separate small town. Now filled with students and artsy types. It’s adorable. These days, it’s too crowded for me, but it’s probably a must-see. Get gelato at Otaleg.

Campodoglio: Is the hill with the Capitoline museum and the mayor’s office. But, I like it for the view of the forum. Free and great at sunset.

Circus Maximus: Free. It’s a huge area that was once a sports area. Near my favorite farmers market. If visiting on a weekend, I would recommend the local zero kilometer market to see the foods (fresh cheese, meats, oil, fruit, and breads — all produced within 68 miles of Rome) available. The market is closed in August.

La Bocca della Verità (address is Piazza della Bocca della Verità 18) – Mouth of Truth: Made famous by the film, Roman Holiday. It’s near the Circus Maximus. Open 9:30 am-5:30 pm. I think it’s free or you pay a small donation.

Keyhole of the Knights of Malta/Aventine hill/orange garden (good for a view and at sunset)/rose garden: The Aventine hill is beside the Circus Maximus. Open all the time and free but especially popular at sunset. The keyhole allows you to see three “lands” — the Knights of Malta’s garden (the Knights of Malta are an independent entity), Italy, and the Vatican. And according to a local, you can also see a fourth kingdom — heaven.

Ask for this place to get to the keyhole and walk down from there.

Borghese museum and gardens: The Borghese Gallery houses masterpieces by Bernini and Caravaggio, among others. Tickets are 27 euro and there is timed entry all day from 9 am to 5 pm (they close at 7). The parks is called Villa Borghese and it is free. It includes the national gallery, zoo, a lake, rental bikes, and so much more. It’s the green lung of the city.

Baths of Caracalla: Open for concerts in the summer. Closed on Mondays.

Baths of Diocletian: Closed Mondays.

Testaccio Market: This market is visited by many food and travel shows. Open 8-4 or so because it also has lunch options.

Trionfale Market: Open 7:30-1:30, located near the Vatican, this is the largest of the produce markets in Rome. There are many local markets all over Rome but as a tourist, you probably won’t visit them.

There are many churches and museums to visit as well especially if you want to see some of the masterpieces in a quieter setting. But, that’s a much deeper level of tourism than your first, second, or third visit. Here are some other things to do on visit two or three.

Via Appia: The famous road is a park just south of Rome (there are many bit os this road outside Rome) and it can be a fun outing.

There are things to do outside Rome as well making for good day trips. Here are some ideas:

Naples for a day (boardwalk, museum for the items from Pompeii, pizza, downtown). I wrote about this here.

Pompeii: Info on how to get there and buy tickets.

Wine tasting lunch at Torre in Pietra: I love this.

Sabine valley wine tasting/olive oil tasting: I also love this.

Plus, as a tourist in Rome/Italy… gelato, tiramisu, wine (ask for the local — Italy has more varietals than France — some so local that they are only grown within a few miles of the place you try it), prosciutto, or pizza, every day. See my list of where to eat.

Now some practical matters.

Money

Euro (each country in the euro zone makes their own euro but you can use them all over the euro zone) is the currency. There are ATMs all over the city. You can also exchange money all over the city. Most places take cash and credit card, but vendors pay a fee for credit card use so I usually use cash if it’s under 25 euro. Most grocery shopping and meals are under 30 euro and I don’t find Rome to be excessively expensive.

Tipping

The general rule is that you do not need to tip in Italy. Americans have a reputation as good tippers so many places will expect that Americans will tip well. But, you do not have to tip at all. Most restaurants will already have included a “service” or “pane/bread” charge to your bill, usually around one to three euro per person. If you think the service was excellent, you can leave a tip of a few euro or ten percent. No one should make you feel wrong for not tipping. Nor for leaving one or two euro. Lots of places like gelato shops, will have a tip jar. You can use that if you want to tip them. Again, no obligation to tip.

In taxis, you can round up to the whole euro. Otherwise no tipping in taxis. At hairdressers, beauty salons, massage therapists, etc., you can leave a tip if you thought they were good. But, it is not expected. Never more than ten percent. If you go on a tour, like food tour, you can tip if you want to, but again, you do not have to.

Transportation

From/To Rome airport (FCO is the airport code because the airport is in the town of Fiumicino about 30 kilometers/18 miles from Rome): There are buses that go direct from the airport to all over the city for as little as five euro. Also, the Leonardo Express to/from Roma Termini train station for 18 euro. Taxis have a fixed rate to the walls of old Rome. 50 euro from Leonardo da Vinci Rome airport and then meter. There are private limo services starting at 50 euro. Read more about this here. The SIT bus stops near the Vatican which is convenient if you are staying in Prati. Most buses and trains connect to Roma Termini.

Getting around: Most of what you will want to see in Rome is within a three-kilometer/two-mile radius. But you may get tired of walking. You can buy a 24-, 48-, 72-pass that will let you use all buses, trains, trams, and the Metro. Some passes also let you get into museums for the same price.

Taxis: Taxis are white and you should not flag one down… supposedly. There are taxi stands all over the city. You can also download the ItTaxi app and order a taxi to your location. Even as a tourist. You can pay with cash or credit card in all taxis.

To travel by regional train (to Naples or Florence, for example), there are two train companies, TrenItalia and Italo. You can download their apps and purchase tickets from your phone. Or buy them at the station, but remember to validate!

Phone Card

While there is a lot of WIFI and you can download maps, but if you want to buy a phone SIM card, TIM sells them for 45 euro for the first month and nine euro after that. So if you are here for more than a week, it might be worth it. Other local companies are Vodafone and Windtre.

Water and bathrooms

The water is free from the fountains. Perfectly clean and cool. Learn how to drink from one of the “nasone” fountains. Bathrooms are harder to find. Generally, you need to use them at a restaurant or coffee bar.

Safety

Rome is safe, also at night. But, don’t let your credit card out of your sight. Wear all your valuables on the front of your body, from groin to armpit. Anything on your back will be pickpocketed. Thieves are the biggest danger. Oh, and the traffic.

Accessibility

Rome is not a place for wheelchair users. It can be done, but there are so many steps and crooked cobblestones everywhere. Mostly, there are stairs everywhere and no ramps.

Language

Italians speak more English than every before. I doubt in Rome that a tourist would need to learn Italian, but a “Buongiorno” is always appreciated. If pressed, use Google translate. Plus, most of the service people in Rome speak English (many are from Bangladesh and the Philippines). Also, there are more tourists in Rome than Italians, so ask another tourist. They probably have the answers, as they are going to the same places.

This photo of the Trevi Fountain was taken last year, empty due to COVID.

Having now lived in Rome for over a year, my conclusion is that Italy is an awesome place to be a tourist. As I learn more practical tips from my visitors, I’ll update this article.

Napoli for a Day

April 8, 2022April 8, 2022M's Adventures

Naples deserves a longer visit, but as it is only one hour away from Rome (in the next region, Campania), it is often done in just one day. Here’s how to do a tour of Naples in one day. To read about the “new city” of Napoli’s 3,000 year history, read here. First, a warning. There is a lot of graffiti in Naples. But only in the central part near the university. The city feels really gritty in those narrow streets.

Take an early train to Naples. The train from Roma Termini goes every hour and takes an hour.

Go to the famous fish market. It is not as picturesque as in the cooking shows, but it’s located near the train station in a “dicey” part of town. I didn’t think it was all that dangerous but maybe it was because it was daylight and the sun was shining.

Go for breakfast in Naples. Try Caffè Gambrinus, on Via Chiaia n. 1, favored haunt for the presidents of Italy, if you want to go somewhere famous. Otherwise, find any local cafe for a sfogiatella (a traditional pastry from the region of Campania) and a coffee.

Visit the National Archeological Museum of Naples (MANN). If you are not going to visit Pompeii, then visiting this museum will give you a chance to see some of the art from the famous city.

This museum has a “Cabinet of Secrets” where they display some of the erotic art from Pompeii. This room is only open until 2 pm, and there is a time limit of five minutes.

Eat seafood for lunch. Spaghetti alle vongole is so famous and it seems like a natural dish to eat in this port city.

Walk the promenade, admire the view of Vesuvius. (or if you are really cheeky and want to include even more in one day, take a drive down the Amalfi Coast or a ferry along the coast.)

Grab a gelato along the way. Gay Odin is a famous chocolate and gelato chain with many locations in Naples.

Eat a famous pizza for dinner. Most restaurants should make good pizza but you can also look for a sign stating that the chef is a trained pizza expert, a “pizzaiolo” — learn about how Neopolitan pizza making is on the UNESCO “intangible heritage” list here.

You can stick to the classic Margharita or branch out. I had a spicy ‘nduja sausage one and it was the best pizza I have had in Italy.

My spicy pizza at L’Albero dei Visconti, where they have two pizzaioli.

Along the way, enjoy some wine. Ask for local wine and discover grape varietals that you have never heard of. But, traditionally, one drinks beer with pizza.

Take the last train to Rome.

Agroturismo – Farm Bed & Breakfast

November 6, 2021November 6, 2021M's Adventures

Italy is famous for its agroturismo, a bed and breakfast on a farm. To qualify as an agroturismo, the farm must actually be a working farm. Many of these places will also have animals. Many are family owned. You can search this site or use other sites, like Google, to find a stay. Some of these farms have a minimum stay and during the peak summer season that may a minimum of a week. Because these farms are actually farms, often someone’s family homestead, the guest accommodations may not as fancy (or air conditioned) as at a hotel.

The concept of an agroturismo was started as a government scheme over 30 years ago, as a way to help the economy and tourism, which is 13 percent of Italy’s GDP. During the pandemic, I have been told, that the quality of the cleanliness has gone up at these farm stays.

Recently, I stayed at two that contrast quite a bit but seem typical of what’s out there.

One of the bedrooms in the apartment “room” that we had.

Sotto i Sassi: Located at Via Castellino 171, Guiglia. Near Modena. You can book them through the usual places like booking, airbnb, tripadvisor, etc. but my tip to you is to whatsapp him (Matteo Bizzini): +39 337 331 802. He speaks English.

The family farm is located up some narrow lanes in the countryside and you may get lost getting there. Use a GPS. And go left around the parking lot with the bench at the end of the road — the road continues to the left but, BUT, do not go up in the field. Not yet. Prepare time to find the place.

Once you get there, Matteo will greet you and help you to your room. The rooms are decorated stylishly like something out of a style magazine. There may be steps. During the pandemic, the breakfast part is a basket placed outside your room in the early morning. The onsite restaurant is not open every night but it’s an excellent restaurant with lots of outdoor (under the trees and stars) dining. The food is so good that it’s a place that people eat here for the food, even if they are not staying at the B&B. Convenient for not having to drive home after dinner, as well. Matteo takes a genuine interest in your stay with him. At dinner, he gave us a taste of his family’s balsamic.

The grounds are free for walking around and there are some majestic gobstopping views. The air is clean and as it’s the countryside, you can hear the animals in the early morning. Sotto i Sassi is the kind of place that I imagined an agroturismo geared for slightly luxury customers. Lots of photogenic locations, nice bathrooms, kitchens, good food, not so fancy that one can’t figure out how to turn on the light (actually there were a lot of lighting options), but nice enough that you felt that you were staying at a deluxe farm. Some antiques and some modern design. Plus, the personal connection to Matteo, always just one whatsapp message away.

Some of the buildings are Sotto i Sassi.

Then there is the other sort of experience… The sort of experience where you feel like the hosts were gulag forced into exploiting their inheritance to keep it in their family. A place where the hosts are shackled by their amazing farmstead but can’t enjoy it because they are constantly changing sheets in the rooms. Corte Olfino was such a place. Their website makes it look cosy (I have not posted any photos here of this place — it was cute in a tired sort of way — be a bit suspicious of the website photos) and emailing with them makes it seem like they speak English. The couple who run the place look so unhappy. Well, she does. He seems oblivious to how miserable his wife is. She is harassed and stressed looking all the time. If this beautiful farm is her inheritance, I almost feel sorry for her that she can’t enjoy it.

The majority of the customers are German and they give the place a high rating. The place is interesting looking, like a small village, and the rooms are clean. But, the checkin process and accessing WIFI was difficult. I only found the WIFI code because someone left if on a scrap of paper on the table in my room. Some of the rooms are up in a tower from a fairytale and have a dungeon-like lock that makes it quite annoying when tired (mine had a modern key). The breakfast was fine and included the usual cake (yes, the Italians seem to think that tourists eat cake for breakfast), and toast, ham, eggs, and cheese (Is it this that makes them have higher ratings? The hard boiled eggs? The ham? Apparently it’s the price point and the cleanliness). Yes, they have animals including a llama, and maybe this is why people like this place. The prices were around 68 euro per room per night. So not so high. But, the overall prison feel given off by the house-poor owner made us uncomfortable. Also, the rooms had no sound insulation so one could hear everything going on in the neighboring room.

We felt no need to stay and left early. They owners did not seem surprised and did not want to know why (I paid for the whole stay even though we left early, but I wish they cared why we left early). I guess they don’t need my business. I wish them well and hope that they enjoy their farm when the cash cows are not there…

The doors at Sotti i Sassi are a photo-op waiting for you.

A word about air conditioning. A place like Sotti i Sassi doesn’t have it but even during the heatwave of the summer, the rooms cooled down by evening. Corte Olfino had AC but we also didn’t need it.

The season is over so you have six months or so to research where to stay next year.

The Return of the Tourists in Shorts

June 24, 2021M's Adventures

Aperitivo of Aperol Spritz (the standard) in front of the Pantheon. It almost can’t get more touristy than this.

The tourists are back. Well, primarily, the German and American tourists. The kind that wear shorts. The Romans are so happy to see them. The waiters are perky and filled with enthusiasm after 18 months of no tourism. The Italian government opened up to American tourists back in May and the start was a bit slow (although I saw some within days of the “re-opening” of Italy). But, now, it’s almost July and kapow! They are back! Not like before 2020, but much more than I’ve seen here in the last six months.

It’s been both enjoyable and sad to have Rome to myself without tourists. I think I prefer it with tourists. Even if I don’t really want to go downtown anymore… until winter.

While I know that most tourists come to Rome in July and August, it’s much better in February. The weather is better and the skies are blue. Currently they are gray and overcast from humidity.

I Love Olive Oil — Tasting with Johnny Madge

May 28, 2021June 5, 2021M's Adventures

Tomatoes are juicy and red,
Olive oil is gold and green,
Mozzarella is creamy and white,
And Johnny Madge is keen.

I felt inspired to write a cheesy poem!

Johnny Madge loves, lives, breathes olive oil. He even has “I Love Olive Oil” written on his van. Oddly, that is the least of the reasons to go on his olive oil tour. Sorry, Johnny. It’s not just about the oil.

If anyone is a natural at what they do, then it’s the legendary Johnny Madge. Taking an olive oil tasting class with him feels less like a class, and more like you just happen to have a wise friend who is an expert on olive oil… wild plants… wine… life? There are some professors and tour guides who seem scripted in their style of teaching. All respect to them, but Johnny is not one of them. Johnny Madge speaks with the ease of someone who knows vastly more than they are telling you. It reminds of advice a writing teacher once told me, “Make sure you know everything about the character, and then put none of that in your story.” Once in a while you meet people who are more than the product they sell. The fact that he has a British accent just makes everything he says sound more credible. It’s easy to get a crush on him (olive oil joke).

As I said, the olive oil tasting was a minor part of the day. The whole day was a celebration of good extra virgin olive oil (and the lifestyle that it symbolizes). Johnny Madge has a sensational high rating on TripAdvisor and rightly so.

He will pick you up from the train station in Fara Sabina (a small town about 35 minutes on the regional train line from Rome) in his van which can seat eight. If you drive your own car, you can follow him like the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamlin. The whole day had that fairytale feel to it as we meandered the undulating lanes.

You might wonder what could take so long. The pace is set by the lovely small streets along the neat rows of olive trees, the green hedges, and azure sky above gently rolling country. The tour starts in an olive tree orchard. Johnny will tell you about olive trees, the recent devastating fires, harvesting, and other facts about the trees. Did you know that an olive tree can survive a fire? As you walk around enjoying the clean air of the countryside, he will show wild edible plants like wild fennel, and explain other plants if you ask him (I asked about a seed that I found which it turns out inspired Leonardo da Vinci to invent the helicopter). Or you can wander away and sit in the shade of an olive tree. There are no demands that you pay attention and no exam. No stress.

After the orchard, he takes you to visit the largest olive tree in Europe. The tree is famous for being large, but it was comforting to meet such an old tree. It is perhaps 2,000 years old but no one really knows. Olive oil trees hollow out making it hard to count rings. When we were there admiring the tree, the owner came out to chat with Johnny. They were clearly friends catching up with each other.

Then back to admire the vegetable garden. All the while, Johnny regales you with stories and anecdotes, pointing out this and that along the way. As a city person, it’s interesting to see Swiss chard growing like a weed. One could feel the pace of life slowing down to that sweet art of doing nothing (a saying in Italian)… the art of enjoying the sweet life.

The mill is entering prime time. They got game.

After this, we went to an olive oil mill, Il Frantoio Saporito, which, with a new store, a new YouTube video, new Instagram account, is ready for primetime. They got game.

Outside the main hangar-size building, there is a metal car scale built in to the parking lot. When the local farmers need their olives processed, they drive their olive-laden cars on to the scale. After the initial weigh-in, the car is emptied of olives. Then the car is weighed again. The client pays by weight. I say client because it turns out that many Italians own a small patch of olive trees and make their own olive oil each year. After the weighing, the olives get cleaned, crushed, and spun. In the old days, the olive mash would be squeezed in reed mats but now, the oil is extracted using centrifugal force. Super high quality olive oil is spun for a mere seven minutes — thus ensuring that minimal heat is created — making it truly cold pressed. Most extra virgin olive oil is spun for 30 minutes. After spinning, the oil is filtered. Olive oil doesn’t need to be filtered but it’s better to avoid the sludge at the bottom of the bottle. Unlike wine, olive oil does not get better with age.

There is also something about what can be called “virgin” and “extra virgin” — the “virgin” olive oil is defective. Shocker. I think that he explained that defective doesn’t mean undrinkable. But I wasn’t paying attention… I guess I’ll have to go on another tour. If you want to geek out a bit, read this newsletter. Olive oil’s quality is not based on color. How deep is that? Professional tastings happen with blue glasses.

When we came by, they surprised us with bruschetta (the green is pistacchio paste).

The mill has just opened a shop on site where small bottles of olive oil cost 5 euro and large bottles cost 8 euro. I didn’t get a photo of the shop because I was too busy shopping! They also sell flavored oils, but not garlic flavor (Romans really don’t eat much garlic), and spreads like pistachio with pesto. I think I spent around 90 euros… because I wasn’t sure when I’d get back. That said, the mill will deliver and you can purchase online. I don’t know if it was pre-arranged (despite what Johnny said) but when we visited the mill, they gave us freshly made bruschetta, which had been toasted on the olive tree wood barbecue. I’m not sure it gets better than that, in terms of experiential shopping experiences.

From the mill, we could see our lunch destination, across the valley, past neat green fields, impossibly pretty. Can this be real?

Lunch was a leisurely feast of multiple courses including creamy cannelloni beans, crunchy bruschetta with tomato, cheese, golden oven roasted potatoes, yummy lasagne, and not too sweet apple pie. Johnny brought lots of wine to pair, but it was mostly about the olive oil pairings. Every dish had olive oil. At this point, Johnny explained how to taste olive oil and we tried a few straight up. I did not like most of the oil when tasted alone. I preferred the oil on the food. We actually started with olive oil on a chocolate crostini which brought happy memories of my days in El Cacaotal in Lima. I can’t wait to get these food nerds together and watch them nerd out.

To contact Johnny for olive oil tastings, or to feature him in your documentary or to hire him as an expert (he was in Pasta Grannies! Name drop!), here is how to contact him: Johnny Madge, oliveoil@johnnymadge.com, www.johnnymadge.com, +39 328 339 8479. He speaks English and Italian.

The olive oil tour, including lunch, wine, and olive oil tasting, cost 110 euro per person. The train costs 2.80 euro each way. You can also drive there in 35 minutes and leave your car at the train station or follow him around the countryside.

The vegetarian lasagne made me want to be vegetarian.

The day out was fabulous. Johnny loves olive oil and after a day with him, you might love olive oil as much as Johnny. Or maybe him.

If you really want to get an idea of how pleasant the day was (I mean, how olive oil is made!), enjoy this video by the mill again.

I end this with a version of the roses are red poem from Les Mis. We did go a-touring in the countryside of Rome where the pomegranate blossoms were orange and I loved, loved, loved it.

We will buy very pretty things
A-walking through the suburbs.
Violets are blue, roses are red,
Violets are blue, I love my loves.

I have also made a video of my own. Nothing compared to the mill’s… but, enjoy the song by Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli. It’s perfect.

Binge Watching Italy

February 23, 2021M's Adventures

If you want to binge on watching videos about Italy, here are some I’ve found. Mostly on food. Mostly about Rome. I will not list all of them as there are too many, but a few that will give you some leads to follow.

Rick Stein is one of my favorite TV chef presenters. The thinking chef’s chef. Here in Corsica and Sardinia.

Alex Polizzi is a British-Italian TV presenter. Here’s an episode from Puglia.

Insider is a channel about food. This host is Italian and in this short video, the topic is Limoncello. There are many other videos from Insider like this one pasta in Bari. Or focaccia in Genoa.

WocomoCook is another YouTube channel that I found. Here is an episode about food in Umbria.

A show on pizza from Munchies.

A vlog channel by expat guys who live in Rome.

Or visiting during lockdown.

Choice TV show on Roman food.

Farm to Table, here in Tuscany.

Two Greedy Italians. Need I say more?

Floyd was a chef who had a good time, this time in Liguria.

Pizza by the slice (taglio) sold by weight is a very Roman food.

If you want months worth of binge watching, Rick Steves provides! Rick Steves has eight hours of free TV shows on Italy alone! He also has free audio tours, apps, books, etc. He is much raunchier on his audio tours! If you want a private guide in your ear, he has those! If you just want to watch him give good advice, watch him here.

Also, many people like Dream of Italy. Here, the host is in Amalfi and Naples.

Italy Unpacked is a more scholarly approach.

Then, there’s this guy is quite wealthy (he is an angel investor and helped start Virgin America) but decided to make a travel show because he didn’t find any that matched his lifestyle. Swish.

Possibly the most famous car in Rome? This is in Monti.

A BBC documentary on Rome.

Another BBC documentary, this one on Sicily.

A great way to learn history is with Tony Robinson. He is a great story teller, here about Caligula.

Reel Truth History makes documentaries. This one on Rome.

So many classical and historical views all in one.

And, if you want to watch people buying A Place in the Sun in Italy…

Rome is very proud of their free drinking fountains. Stay hydrated!

Or follow tour guides (and me) on Instagram. More about who I follow in another blog posting.

A ‘bar’ in Rome. Drinking a coffee is a social activity and Romans do it all day long.

A Unique Time To Be A Tourist in Your Home Town

December 3, 2020M's Adventures

Where have all the beggars gone, long time missing? Maybe the way of the tourist trinket shops.

It’s a sadly unique time to be a tourist. The streets are empty in a way that one just would not have imagined. Normally, over 60 million tourists visit Italy. Due to the pandemic, not only the international, but also the intra-country tourists, are not here. Just the Romans.

I went to the Trevi Fountain and was one of three tourists. Not that there were no people there — there were. But they were working. I went to the Pantheon (well, to the square, as the Pantheon is closed), and finally got begged from. But only from two beggars. I also wonder where the pickpockets go during this time. I did not see any of them either.

At Piazza Navona (the big rectangular one with the three fountains), I finally saw more people. Once the tourists come back, I can imagine that this square will be wall to wall with people. As it was, there were only a few hawkers and they were not too aggressive. One greeted me with a phrase from the Lion King, which did catch my attention. But, in general, the hawkers seemed fairly listless, as they saw no reason to make much effort when there are no cash cows in town. Who knew that one would miss being milked?

M’s Adventures Love Letter to Peru Movie Trailer

July 3, 2020July 3, 2020M's Adventures

As I mentioned in a previous blog posting, we are all content creators now. I started the M’s Adventures blog/website when I moved to Bangladesh in 2011 (you can read one of my early blog postings here), and since then, I’ve created a book for each country I’ve lived in. As I will soon depart Peru, I was looking through photos to put together my book. The previous books have been published on Lulu.

But, this time, as I’m learning how to make movies on iMovie, I thought I’d make a “videobook” or moving picture book, a love letter to Peru. I may also make a paper book, but I’ll see how I feel when I’ve edited 8,000 photos and taught myself more iMovie. For now, here’s a film trailer so you can see what how it’s going. Don’t worry, the content of the body of the show will be less dramatic (film production really teaches one how much music changes the mood of a piece).

Here is the video trailer for “M’s Adventures in Peru: A Love Letter”

Or if you prefer to watch it on my YouTube channel, here is the link.

Traveling on the Worldwide Web

May 31, 2020June 3, 2020M's Adventures

During this time of quarantine, many of us are “artist in residence” or “banished from the realm” — all depending on how you want to phrase it. I have been in splendid isolation. Free to travel the worldwide web. Armchair traveling is actually one of my favorite forms of travel because it’s comfortable, cheap, not sweaty, and I don’t have to get on a plane. Deep in the outer galaxy of this blog, is my travel page where I list many of my favorite travel writers and quotes. I revisited my travel page and actually re-bought a paperback book of one of my favorite travelogues.

“Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.” –- Benjamin Disraeli

Much of the Internet, podcasts, YouTube videos, Instagram, Facebook, IGTV, etc. reminds me of that book, The Diary of a Nobody. Most of us are nobodies. Equal among other nobodies. Driveler among drivelers. So why not add my voice to the cacophony? On my media page (and here on Google Podcasts), there are links to the other platforms from where I’m catching the virtual cyber train. In preparation, I’ve been exploring, adventuring, and I found there are so many new places to visit, people to talk to, and things to eat. After my residence as “artiste in residence” is done (or “digital content creator” as is the new name on the street), I’ll be back out there.

One of my newest gadgets is a tripod/selfie stick with light.

On Facebook, there is a group called, “View from my window” and I’ve enjoyed it. Very positive people and it makes one realize how beautiful, and similar, this world is.

On Instagram, I’ve delighted in the mother-daughter E. and S. Minchilli (yes, that’s their last name!) cook, talk, answer questions, and adore Rome, and everything Italian.

On YouTube, I discovered that I could pay for programs and get really high definition videos (much higher definition than when I watched the original shows in the 1990s).

On Stitcher, I’ve been listening to The Fantastic History of Food (who can resist a title called, “Piracy, Witches and Hot Chocolate.“?) Plus, since I’ve learned so much about cacao from Amanda at El Cacaotal, I see/hear about cacao and want to learn more. Also, on Stitcher, it’s comforting to hear Christopher Kimball (from when I watched lots of PBS) on Milk Street.

On Podbean, I listened to surprisingly entertaining banter about hunting and nudists on The MeatEater Podcast, Ep. 220.

As I’ve explored podcasts, I realized that this is basically radio, that old fashioned technology that like many technologies, can change the world, or bring comfort (like FDR’s Fireside Chats — check out the film of him giving a chat). I would call podcasts, “audio-blogging” and you are welcome to call it that too.

And as the quote above indicates, much of life is stranger than fiction so why not read, see, hear, more of it, without the hassle of airplanes (for now). Happy adventures from splendid isolation!

Fast Food in Lima – Even in the Time of COVID

May 17, 2020May 17, 2020M's Adventures

Peruvians love fast food. They love hamburgers, hotdogs, fried chicken, and pizza. Peru has chains like Bembos which is their version of McDonalds, and many other chains including Pizza Hut, KFC, Popeyes, and the newest arrival from the U.S is Little Caesars (pick up only). Taco Bell (part of Pizza Hut and KFC) was closed for a decade but it has made a reappearance, perhaps as a sign that more Peruvians have been exposed to U.S. television and pop culture. Three years ago, the taco was a foreign food. Now, the taco can now be found on almost all menus in Lima, even at the high end places.

As of May 14, 2020, many of these chains are now delivering. I have added them to the massive google document (down around 700 something of places that deliver) which is linked in my previous blog posting on delivery in Lima.

I can’t find any photos from the fast food places mentioned, so I include a photo of the last good burger I had in Lima (at Django’s).

Delivery in Lima in the Time of COVID – the List

May 9, 2020July 10, 2020M's Adventures

To make it easier to hunt for those who cannot access Google Docs, here is the list of delivery places in Lima as of May 9, 2020. As always the Google doc is updated daily. This post is “stuck” to the top of the blog as a featured posting and can also be found in the pages sections (I changed the template of the blog — gosh, it’s been what five years or so since I changed my WordPress template — so I thought it was time. Hopefully it’s easier for folks to read some of my previous articles). I have also added the COVID delivery list as a PDF for those who like that style of info: FoodGroceryDeliveryLima-COVID – FoodGroceryDeliveryLima-COVID.

To make it fit on this page, I have deleted the category and location columns.

Name	Type	Phone – from PE cell	Email-website	Notes
Cinthia Adrianzen	masks, gloves, sanitizer	987 982 659		verified
Aerospacial	masks	943 739 603
Ainhoa	sanitizer gel	932 561 705
Farmacia Queens	medication, drugs, sanitary items	01 264 3444	www.farmaciaqueen.com.pe
Farmacia Universal	medication, drugs, sanitary items	01 417-1800, 982 700 080	www.farmaciauniversal.com
Inkafarma	medication, drugs, sanitary items	01 314-2020	www.inkafarma.pe
Mi Farma	medication, drugs, sanitary items	01 642-9398, 938 882 441	www.farmalisto.com.pe
Boticas MedFarma Salud	medication, drugs, sanitary items	922 398 888	www.boticasmedfarmasalud.negocio.site, FB
Barthel Bakery	bread, sandwiches	999 705 563		verified, very busy
Capo de Pasta	pasta and desserts	923 015 329		verified
El Cacaotal	chocolate	937 595 812		verified
Mo Bistro	meals	986 006 575
?	Asian fusion?	987 794 607
Nutri Store Confiteria	nuts	956 784 365
Audsy Catering	meals, empanadas, sandwiches	992 760 984	eaudsy@yahoo.com	verified, 48 hr pre-order
El Frutero	fruit juice pulp, fruit etc.	987 643 067, 960 778 541		verified
Arandanos del Huerto	fruit products	934 993 717
Cheese Corner Peru	cheese	936 686 315		verified, min S/200, S/12 fee, pay via bank transfer, 48 hr preorder
Selectos Ibericos	charcuterie	939 739 982
Pizza al Volo (Brian Mollison)	pizza	984 714 955		verified
Le P’tite France	bread	01 342 1565
Nadu	health food and meals	960 765 259
Don Italo	Italian	998 128 448
Pastas Pina	pasta, lasagne, ravioli	941 378 379	pedidos@pastaspina.com.pe	verified
Marciano Vegano	vegan	996 282 852
La Cacerola Gourmet	cooked chicken meat	920 716 283
Dona Martha	veggie spirals, fruit, veg	914 997 971
La Principal	pasta, desserts	995 561 655
Cafe Monreal	coffee	983 277 479	www.cafemonreal.com
Fausta	quiche, aji de gallina, desserts, etc.	989 496 359
Naturally Divine	spiced oils	986 801 082
Huachano	tamal, cheese, pickles, beans, fruit, etc.	987 142 858		pay via bank transfer
Glacial	water	924 812 105
Mercabasto	fruit and vegetables	942 000 035
Osso Carniceria	meat	01 469 7438, 922 019 328, La Molina +51 987 967 210San Isidro +51 922 019 328	www.osso.pe	Wed-Sun 9AM-12noon, S/15 fee
Don Tito	meat	949 722 371
Granja del Valle	quail eggs	996 399 970		100 for S/10
Carniceria Pal Diario	meat	981 323 389, 998 264 075	www.paldiario.com.pe	no cash. Min S/100
Serrano	meat	994 537 137, 965 326 525
San Fernando	chicken and turkey	01 219 5600, ext. Surco: 5002, Miraflores, San Isidro, 5003, Barranco 5004,		M-S, 9AM-2PM
BioFeria	fruit and vegetables	999 104 963
Pesco	seafood	914 651 233
Kasani Fish	seafood	925 941 225
Surquillo	fruit and vegetables	990 123 602		minimum 20 soles
Mercampo	fruit and vegetables	928 624 119		no cash
La Sanahoria	health food	Barranco: 913 733 677, Surco: 913 733 367, San Isidro: 913 733 668
AJE	water, sportade, juice pulp	980 493 562, 932 107 925, 993 207 058
Gallinas Libres	eggs – cage free	993 477 758		minimum 100 eggs!
Peru Pacific	seafood	946 541 722, 01 717 9506	inbox on Facebook
Naturally Divine	health food – coconut oil, flour, jojoba, etc.	986 801 082
Sanua	health food		message on Instagram
Karin Eco Fish	fish from an artisanal fisher woman	987 104 168		minimum three bags, pay via BCP, BBVA, and Yape
Amaru Superfoods	dried fruit, stevia, cacao, etc.	940 851 444
Palacio del Pasta	pasta		palaciodelpasta.mitienda.pe
Jordi Prime Grill	meat and frozen fries	955 373 365
La Parriteca	meat, pickles, wine, charcoal	01 446 2278, 998 918 822	www.parriteca.com, Facebook
Cafe Ecologico	coffee	992 687 398
Agricola Organicos	fruit and vegetables	992 845 300
Puku Puku	coffee		@nanayperu on Instagram
Duman	cheese	999 502 049
Valle del Rio Chillon	fruit and vegetables	954 122 645, 945 303 096
U of Agraria La Molina	fruit and vegetables	999 308 582
Agroferias Campesinas	fruit and vegetables, seafood		delivery@agroferias.com
Universidad Nacional Agraria	fruit, veg, meat, dairy	948-022-028		5 day pre-order
Volcan de Frutas	fruit and vegetables	994 304 459
Verduleria Vera	fruit and vegetables	995 738 887
Carniceria Sumas Aycha	meat	999 694 971
Donna y Maribel	chicken	952 508 545		verified
De Mercado Verduras y frutas	fruit and vegetables	993 372 039
Fresh Mart	online store	934 109 650	www.freshmart.pe
Pescaderia Rosita	fish	980 758 562
Food Co	fruit and vegetables	914 395 793, 942 369 084	pedidos@foodco.pe	Verified
Expat Shop	lentils, etc.		www.expatshop.pe	Aviv Hemant
Ivan Puga	seafood	974 531 053		Verified
Avícola Gloria	corn fed eggs	994-113-514		Tues and Wed
Avinka	chicken	01 615-3770 / 965-396-725	avinka.riqra.com	Order 9 – 2
Del Mercado	groceries	993-372-039
Don Torcuato	groceries	962-962-952	don_torcuato3@hotmail.com
Franvive	fruit and vegetables	965-394-546 / 998-134-143		minimum S/100
Fruta al Día	fruit		www.frutaldia.com.pe
Lima Orgánica	organic	951-125-106	pedidos@limaorganica.pe / www.limaorganica.pe.
Mercadillo	organic		www.mercadillo.pe .
Nanay	groceries-eggs-vegan		Fb: nanaype / Ig: nanayperu.
Organic Express	organic	910-901-524
Sana Saludable y Natural	organic	991-072-866	@sana_synperu.	T, Th, F delivery
Sprout House	sprouts	936-605-482	@sprout.house.pe.	Sat and Sun only. S/30 minimum
Todo Fresco	fruit and vegetables	981-594-764		M-S, S/100 minimum
Tu Chacrita	groceries		www.tuchacrita.pe .
Tu Mercado	groceries		www.tumercadoperu.com
Vacas Felices	dairy and organic		www.vacasfelices.com
Zu Canasta	groceries		www.zucanasta.com	verified, excellent veggies, no new clients
Verduras Erick	fruit, veg, cleaning products	993 689 003		One day pre-order, 50 sol minimum
Bodega Thiaguito	fruit and vegetables	998 911 199
Tienda Valentina	groceries	01 372 9349
Bodega Edith	groceries	01 275 0555
Del Eden de Av. Primavera	groceries	934 572 804		cash or yape
Andean Pacific Foods	seafood	966 555 459		verified
Bodega Barranco	groceries	01 477 9149
La Calandria	groceries	941-368-345	www.facebook.com/lacalandriabarranco
D’Manu Gourmet	preserves and sauces	98-374-296	@dmanugourmet.	Thu-Sat delivery
Misha Rastrera	kefir, kombucha, eco personal hygiene	924-713-062	www.facebook.com/misharastrera / www.misharastrera.com.	Delivery los martes y viernes de 10:00 a 16:00 horas
Punto Orgánico	organic fruit, veg, and products	989-043-427.	www.puntoorganico.com	24 hrs notice for orders
Thaniyay	fruit butters, keto	958-344-860	@thaniyayperu.	8 soles for delivery
Bodega Arakaki	groceries	01 445-6078.		zona Enrique Palacios street
Bodega El Paisa	groceries	926-680-450.		Zona Tomás Marsano cuadra 17
Bodega Elizabeth	groceries	999-927-459 / 435-3709
Bodega Kunimon	groceries	01 253-6146		Zona Juan G. Moore
Bodega Tantaleán	groceries	01 242-2019.
Bodega Edgard	groceries	996-350-584.		Zona Av. Angamos Oeste con Av. Comandante Espinar
Cosecha2GO	fruit and vegetables	979-281-980
Frutería Robert, Mercado de Santa Cruz	fruit and vegetables	983-467-985
Frutero Javier de Mercado Mendiburu	fruit and vegetables	956-784-365
Jet Market	groceries	937-264-756 / 934-890-462		8:30am to 5pm
Manuel Mercado Mendiburu	meat	992-694-971
Punto Gourmet	groceries	01 273-8264		Zona Simón Salguero. Hacen reparto solo por las mañanas.
Quillari Market	groceries	962-284-873		Zona Mendiburu
Thika Thani	groceries	987-448-914
Tienda Minimarket	groceries	01 241-5999		Zona Parque Tradiciones
Bodega 3B Market	groceries	01 396-1374		Zona Calle Las Rosas, La Molina Vieja
Bodega Rinconada del Lago	groceries	01 368-2406
La Esquina. Zona Las Lagunas: Pedidos: 479-0842.	groceries	01 479-0842		Zona Las Lagunas
Market Donna	groceries	01 479-2358
Todo Fresco	groceries	981-594-764		Mon-Sat. S/100 minimum. Fee S/ 5 y S/ 10
Sra Enedina de la Bío Feria de La Molina	chicken, eggs, fruit, veg	958-982-488
Willi Market	groceries	01 368-1768 / 01 479-1037 / 01 364-5234 / 01 364-5231		Zona El Sol de La Molina
Bazar Luisa	groceries	949-638-931		Zona Pezet
Bodega Arakaki	groceries	01 241-6882		Zona Belén 265
Bodega Sebas	groceries	01 422-3109 / 997-767-504		Zona cuadra 39 Av. Petit Thouars
Jet Market	groceries	937-264-756		8-5:30. Zonas Los Laureles, Canaval y Moreyra 305, Juan de Arona 777
La Gordita	groceries	01 221-8378 / 01 440-6108		Zona Choquehuanca, El Olivar
Bodega Yulli	groceries	01 224-4218		Zona San Borja Norte
Bodega Ojeda	groceries	01 358-7990		Zona Las Artes Norte
Bodega Óscar	meat, fruit, veg	986-213-330		One day pre-order
Bodega Elizabeth	groceries	999-927-459 / 01 435-3709		Zona San Luis
Bodega Erick	groceries	993-689-003
Bodega Flores Génesis	groceries	989-496-322
Frutería Liz	fruit	997-921-248
Market Comercial Bayleti	groceries	960-991-919.
Tienda Silvia	groceries	902-065-327
Tu Caserito	groceries	920-716-524 / 995-798-600
Bodega Elizabeth	groceries	999-927-459 / 01 435-3709
Bodega Jhomar	groceries	967-703-415		Solo en Surco por Ricardo Palma y Roca y Boloña
Minimarket Paquita	groceries	01 344-3339 / 01 344-4964 / 01 344-3232
Señor Víctor del Mercado de Surco	groceries	998-380-078
Super Pet Peru	pet food		Instagram @superpet_pe
Groomers	pet food	Miraflores: 01 715 5454, San Borja: 01 713 0707
Rambala Barf	pet food	970 356 974
Aromapan	bread	925 532 917
Bodega Tres Chanchitos	groceries	01 368-4564, 01 479-2965, 943 530 897
Bodega Isabelita	groceries	991 779 911, 995 859 557		zona santa catalina
Bodega El Brother	groceries	01 226-1478
Balerno	meat	949 444 234, 983 514 059	facebook.com/BalernoPeru
Buen Fuego	meat	982 592 384
Del Gordo – Carnes Premium	meat	920 252 114	inbox on Facebook
La Charcuteria de Lima	meat	998 108 452	www.lacharcuteriadelima.com	48hr preorder, min S/100, delivery S/15
Meat Fest	meat	986 832 861	www.meatfest.pe, FB	USDA connection
Prime Meats	meat	980 712 396	Facebook
Animal Revolution Peru	pet food	01 692 6024	Facebook	verified
Full Family	pet food	970 786 523, 01 304 0585	Facebook	verified
Rambala Barf	pet food	970 356 974		verified
Cerdena	deli, cheese, etc.	913 048 042	delivery@ti.cay.com, www.cerdenaembutidos.com
Quesos Lait’s Tacneno	deli, cheese, etc.	993 570 160		S/30 min
Zimmermann	deli, cheese, etc.	998 141 731	www.embutidoszimmermann.com
Bayas Peruanas	fruit and vegetables	970 947 621	@bayasperuanas	Only Mon, Wed, S/10 fee
Canasta Food Co	fruit and vegetables	914 395 793, 942 369 084
Del Mercado	fruit and vegetables	993 372 039
El Chasquipe	fruit and vegetables	924 614 153, 936 281 426		24 hr preorder
Organic Food	fruit and vegetables	982 033 898, 997 977 277
Ridelivery	fruit and vegetables	943 642 587	FB
Verduleria Petty (Mercado El Eden)	fruit and vegetables	965 425 493
La Verduleria	fruit and vegetables	917 344 140
Los Castilla Market	minimarket	924 899 591
Market Comercial Bayleti	minimarket	960 991 919
Market Donna	minimarket	01 479 2358
Tienda Minimarket eUs	minimarket	01 241-5999		zona Parque Tradiciones
Flora y Fauna	organic	986 915 313, 934 599 647, 940 414 018
ICI Lab Gourmet	bread	998 103 181
Masana Panaderia Artesanal & Saludable	bread	993 857 210
Panaderia Ecologica Alemana Los 7 Enanos	bread	915 116 657
La Mora	bread	940 230 042, 994 318 908, 914 891 313, 945 775 493		Min S/30, S/10 fee, 48 hr preorder
Eco Fish	seafood	987 104 168
Kalkal	seafood	998 284 655		depends on catch of the day
Osthias Pescados y Mariscos	seafood	943 597 369		free delivery if over S/70
Pesco	seafood	914 651 233
Avicola Gloria	eggs, corn fed	994 113 514		Tue and Wed only
Avicola Hermanas Tapia	chicken, turkey, duck, veg, meat	01 273 0430, 947 230 966		Min S/50
La Gallinita de Corral	eggs, meat, poultry, pork	994 034 030, 991 898 554
Senora Enedina (de la Bio Feria La Molina	chicken, eggs, fruit, veg	958 982 488
Porthos Prime Food	ribs	955 479 881
Manuel Casssanova	oyster mushrooms	993 993 689		verified, S/15 kilo
Laive	dairy	01 0800 15248, 914 164 000
Rebcca Blueberry	berries, fruit	911 101 155		verified
Olivam	olive oil	982 055 881
Masas Salvaje	bread	933 790 881		verified
FloralP	cheese	999 192 602
Mercado de Santa Cruz	fruit and vegetables, meat, chicken, fish	01 422-9045, 932 393 390
Fruteria Feli	fruit and vegetables	987 497 809		fee outside Lobaton area
Morning Coffee	coffee	987 540 673
Lait’s	cheese, butter, dulce de leche	993 570 160		minimum S/30
Bioimex Peru	seafood	936 741 959
Inmerso	BBQ	971 285 608	inmersoperu@gmail.com
Fresson	groceries	984 299 277
Flavor Fusion Detox y Padma	essentials	952 758 625
PesCo	seafood – fresh caught	914 651 233
Rikchari	coffee	999 582 587
Lacteos Conga Peru	dairy	949 714 483
Piscis	lake trout	989 211 465	@piscis_pe	verified, M-F, 8-3
La Rosetta	bakery	La Molina: 936 327 010, Miraflores: 993 194 547
D’Onofria	ice cream	Surco: 930 691 159, San Miguel 999 220 693, San Borja 999 604 185, San Isidro/Miraflores: 977 198 425, Surquillo 991 980 588
Amarelly	masks	933 010 725
Veneva	masks	996 173 772
Ecocampo	eggs	@ Instagram
Meche Correa	masks		pedidosmechecorrea@gmail.com
Impotacions GMV	rubbing alcohol	992 474 307, 981 259 788		only bulk to Lima
Cafe del Fundo	coffee		@cafedelfundo.pe
Bloom Tostadores	coffee		@bloom.tostadores
Neira Cafe Lab	coffee		@neiracafelab
Cappuccetto Peru	coffee		@cappuccettoperu
Narela Cafe	coffee		@narelacafe
Cafe Maldonado	coffee		@cafemaldonado
Muju Coffee Roasters	coffee		@muju_coffee_roasters
Dark Wing Coffee	coffee		@darkwingcoffee
Finca Tasta	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Master Coffee	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Cafe Negro	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Pueblo Coffee	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Coffee Hunters Peru	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Cafe Compadre	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Finca Don Salazar	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Don Guto Cafe	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Fundo Santa Teresita	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
NA	masks, alcohol, gloves	964 303 258
Casa Gourmet	bakery	998 163 785, 981 022 572, 998 174 296
Frosac	seafood	987 790 708
Corporaction Licha	masks		Inbox on Instagram
Ecologic Peru	fruit and veg		@ecologic_peru
Dual Hogar	cleaning products		Inbox on Instagram
Limpieza Es Facil	cleaning products		Inbox on Instagram
La America Cafe	bakery		Inbox on Instagram
Pa’ Tu Casa	fruit and veg	983 596 245, 983 527 051
La Molina Market	groceries	950 281 160
Enrique Tomas Peru	proscuitto	992 466 006
?	eggs	943 688 738
Boticas Santa Fe	pharmacy	980 896 301
Cafeteina	coffee	924 886 011
Del Fundo (Manina Carmona)	mandarins, palta	997 551 205
Pratola	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Houssy Peru	mouthwash	998 633 524
Vimaant	building cleaning		Inbox on Instagram
Cafe Link Peru	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Go Pet	pet food	944 445 467
Qamir Fruit	fruit and veg	941 382 000, 922 386 721
Mi Bodeguita 231	groceries		inbox on facebook	verified
Maranatha Fish	seafood	942 370 042
La Vaca Loca	steak	998 371 342
Lakshmi Casa Organica	organic
Samaca	organic
Naturlandia	tofu, beans, etc.
Ande Bar	organic
Pecaditos Integrales	organic	991 970 806
Pesco Pescaderia	fish	914 651 233
Amazona Chocolates	chocolate	944 952 227
Mascarilla Eirl	masks		inbox on Instagram
Delivery San Borja	groceries	950 281 160
Procesos Industriales GMV	rubbing alcohol	992 474 307, 981 259 788
Abbas Delly	fruit and veg	988 184 902
Ventas de Verduras y Frutas	fruit and veg		Inbox on Instagram
Montreal Bagel	bagels	968 968 876
Jordi	meat	946 483 610, 994 269 020	ventas1.jordi@gmail.com
Beans Fruit Dry	beans, fruit	987 823 444
La Choza Nautica Brena	fruit and veg	936 663 475
Winebox.Pe	wine		winebox.pe	verified!!
Nipa Korthari Indian	Indian food	993 523 921		verified
Textiles Espinoza	masks	948 079 240		verified
CBF	masks	990 001 146
Sercomed	masks	920 259 867, 966 423 059
Mercado 365 Peru	fruit and veg		infomercardo365@gmail.com
Scrapyart	masks, soap, gloves, alcohol	982 878 609
Feel Organic	masks		inbox o Instagram
El Huerto Agroecologico	fruit and veg	999 308 582	huerto01@lamolina.edu.pe
Project Pieta	masks		Inbox on Instagram
Recytex	masks	Daniel 991 204 073, Rosalita 991 200 619	dguerra@ctrycytec.com, rcoastales@ctrecytex.com
Rico Pet Sac	pet food	900 952 263
Finex	masks	9335 599 399
Piruw Natural	honey		Inbox on Instagram
Palta Fuerte Organica	avocado	955 093 368
Champinoes Frescos	mushrooms	999 094 111
Casa Blanca Home	masks	923 100 565
Verde Puro	fruit and veg		centraldepedidos@vermisac.com
LK Importaciones	masks KN95	981 521 564
Alcohol 96 Peru	rubbing alcohol	933 901 540
Fausta Mila Cafe	coffee	989 176 739
Selectos Ibericos	bakery	939 739 892
Tealistotulista	groceries	972 039 516
Crea Pais Peru	masks	998 785 557	creapais@hotmail.com
Andean Bites	gluten free, vegetarian snacks	913 034 105
Invitalo	fruit and veg	978 365 482, 995 820 164		Less then 24 hrs for delivery!
La Huerta Organica	fruit and veg		Inbox on Instagram
Cappucino Cusco	coffee		Inbox on Instagram
Natural Home	pet food	935 219 644
Pan de la Chola	bakery	992 126 980		verified
Antica	pizza	951 904 870
San Fernando	poultry	960 587 331
Organica Carbon de Coco	charcoal	981 472 936
Bodeboca Bruzzo	lasagna, platters, Italian	999 662 477
Fruta Verdura Delivery	fruit and veg	991 690 814
Rayito Print Peru	masks	966 635 440, 923 176 021
Concienca	chocolate	970 306 585		verified
Gina Morales	wine	948 029 719		verified
La Terraza	lomo saltado, etc.	942 895 461		24 hour pre-order
La Bodega	wine, beer, pisco, groceries	912 002 407, 981 293 010
Gate Gourmet	groceries		www.gateperu.com
Proflimsa	industrial cleaning	989 538 821
Carbon Ecologico	charcoal	981 472 936
La Casita Honey			@lacasitahoney
Teas Organico	coffee	923 470 649
Mattoni	meals	924 066 643	administracion@mattoni.com.pe, IG, FB	min S/50, delivery fee
Servi Casa Peru	bakery		@ Instagram
Bandra	bread, fruit, veg	972 593 603, 958 062 733	frankbimjani@bandra.pe	min S/50
Lomo de Res	meat	960 703 092, 979 257 175		verified! minimum purchase
Panicomio	bread	967 338 429		verified!!
Soraya	chicken, fruit, veg	987 030 561
Maria Alejandra	wine	999 213 314		verified
Cymed Medical	masks		inbox on Instagram
165Logistics	masks	981 510 662, 933 523 369	ventas@165logistics
Green Fresh	fruit and veg		inbox on Instagram
Hong Kong Market	Asian specialities		inbox on Instagram – via platanitos
Taylor Briomonte	fruit and veg	950 581 082	inbox on Instagram
Filo Carnes	meat	953 723 353
Orquidea Chocolate	chocolate	947 351 564, 951 492 572	inbox on IG and FB
Oriente Food	Venezuelan tequenos		inbox on IG
Enrique	chickens and eggs	980 781 057
La Fidelia		924 575 008	store.lafidelia.pe, inbox on IG and FB
Claudia Palacios	cakes	994 272 358
Crunch It Peru	granola, nuts, dried fruit	947 080 729
Caserita	groceries	976 338 870
Sumaqcha	fruit and veg	998 337 070		min S/50, fee S/5, delivery 3-5 pm
Verde Natural Market	organic	942 162 596
Days Peru	gloves		inbox on IG, daysperu.com
Quimachi Snacks			inbox on IG
Health Care Shop PE	sanitizer gel		inbox on IG
Interfoods TS	meat		inbox on IG
Mueble VM	purified water system	931 900 438	inbox on IG
La Cabrita Queso	cheese	987 530 794	lacabritaproductos@gmail.com, lacabrita_09@yahoo.es, on FB @lacabritaquesosdecabra
La Fabrica – Mobile Pizza	pizza	980 735 264
Unknown	masks	940 205 120, 997 296 786
Pharmivet	pet pharmacy		www.pharmivet.pe
Alexandra Dammert	masks	998 106 183		verified
La Salteneria	Bolivian empanadas/saltenas	997 108 496		verified
Chacra Verde	fruit and veg		Inbox on Instagram
Panicorp Bakery	bread		Inbox on Instagram
Magna Premium	charcoal		Inbox on Instagram
Duman Quesos	dairy, and pizza	999 502 049	Inbox on Facebook
Felines Swimwear Peru	masks	946 622 285	Inbox on FB and IG
Wall Market	groceries, drinks	994 845 699
Celin Aylin, La Fruteria	fruit and veg – frozen	983 550 063
Rebo Foods	fruit and veg	989 112 286, 992 962 748
Bon Beef	meals		www.bonbeef.com, inbox on FB
Bodega Carel	groceries, drinks	973 797 373, 920 419 796
El Parrillon de Pablo Profumo	Uruguayan beef	998 197 619	www.elparrillon.com
La Bondiola Sangucheria	sandwiches		Inbox on IG
D’Tinto & Burgers	burger meat	946 409 789, 987 268 430	Inbox on IG
El Pan de la Chola	bread, flour	993 126 980	www.elpandelachola.com	verified
Barra Alquimia	cake	980 577 430		verified
El Frutero	frozen fruit	960 778 541, 941 526 338, 941 676 601, 987 643 067	pedidos1@elfrutero.pe
Fresh Food Lima	fruit and veg	997 889 121, 993 751 251	Facebook
Come Cerdo Come Sano	pork		inbox on IG and FB
Grupo AngloMed	masks	928 003 285	ventas@grupoanglomed.com
Amkha Market	fruit and veg		inbox on Instagram
Trigal	bakery and bakery supplies	997 466 231, 994 328 461		S/50 min, S/10 fee
El Granero de Lima		942 160 182
The Pharmacy Lab	healthy food	992 761 894	inbox on Instagram
Salud 360	masks	972 207 666	inbox on Instagram
Limpia Como Mama	deep cleaning		inbox on Instagram and Facebook
Protector Facial	plastic face masks	992 777 067
Nina and Sisa	transportation services	959 021 686
Delivery Seguro	transportation services	947 314 821
El Peque DLC	pork	956 739 379
El Huerto Ecomarket	groceries	997 716 904
Aromas del Valle	Coffee	955-130-909	www.aromasdelvalle.com, contacto@aromasdelvalle.com
Alfogo Angus	meat	997-152-521
Berries del Peru	berries	01 448-1414	pedidos@berriesdelperu.com, on Facebook
Market Circolo	groceries	978-371-872		24 hr preorder, transport fee
Sr. Choque en el Mercado de Huirachocha	chicken	995-213-888
Sr. Víctor en el Mercado de Huirachocha	chicken	931-029-239
Sra. Roxana en el Mercado de Huirachocha	fruit and veg	998-116-505
Frutería Feli	fruit and veg	987-497-809
Bodega Teresa	dried fruit	985-895-894
Ally Embutidos Saludables	groceries	922-337-858
Avícola Pool	chicken and eggs	984-764-999		free delivery, one day pre-order
Avícola Tony	chicken and eggs	955-172-816
Café A Market	hamburger, bacon, buns, etc.		FB Café A Market
De Huacho 554	Salchicha huachana, jamón del país, chicharrón de prensa, frutas, menestras	987-142-858		min S/30
Gastón y Otto	cured meats		www.gastonyotto.com
GourMeat Perú.	meat	996-826-324		24 to 48 hr pre-order
Huevos de Codorniz Sra. Yuli	quail eggs	902-245-254 (only text. No Whatsapp)
La Carnisseria	meat	998-158-725		free delivery with S/100 purchase
Mama Olga	free range eggs	994-019-454
Oregon Foods	beef, groceries, charcoal	San Isidro +51 421 9148, La Molina +51 479 0833, Casuarinas +51 237 5173, Barranco +51605 6416	Inbox on FB and IG	min S/500
Panuts	sausage, hotdogs, ham		www.panuts.com
Tomodachi	ramen, sushi, Japanese	01 370 6119, 950 304 507		bank and cash
Pato Señor Dionisio	duck	963-171-981 / 974-651-282	edes @granjaricopato / ricopato@gmail.com	BCP and cash
Pollo Fresco	chicken	910-605-173
Todo Parrilla	meat, charcoal	991-160-545
Berries Alyssol	berries	980-822-672		min S/50 and delivery fee
Casa Verde	fruit and veg	993-887-145		mínimo S/ 80
Citrus Vending	Valencia oranges and orange juice		www.guguich.pe / @jugozdelcampoalvaso
Cr Transport	shopper service	922-488-245 / 944-600-229 / 927-443-406
Del Fundo a Tu Mesa	fruit, veg, olive oil	951-291-565
Deli Frutas	fruit and veg	980-548-416		delivery S/ 10 y pedido mínimo S/ 80
Dimerc	fruit and veg	917-899-123		mínimo S/ 100 soles y delivery S/ 10.63
Distribuidora Limón	fruit and veg	992-831-361
El Alamein	asparagus and olive oil	994-612-894
Enhe	groceries	924-544-774
Fresh a Tu Puerta	fruit and veg	951-566-510
Fruta y Verdura Delivery	fruit and veg	991-690-814		min S/65
F&L Frutería	fruit and veg	942-358-331
Hacienda El Carmelo de Virú	cheese, oil, olives, etc.	998-344-079
La Chacra Delivery	fruit and veg	938-359-166		mínimo S/ 110
Paqu jaya	oils, spices	915-156-465 / 944-510-014
Punto Natural	fruit	923-610-468
Súper Nikkei	Japanese products	954-621-553		mínimo: S/ 200
Súper Shop	fruit and veg		www.supershopperu.com
Agroindustria Ibsa	cheese, etc.	991-443-155.
Cayetano Express	cheese, etc.	956-640-214 / 994-210-102		mínimo S/ 50, delivery gratuito
Lácteos Piamonte	cheese, etc.	992-096-057
Productos Lácteos D’Yuma	cheese, etc.	983-231-946
Proveeduría Leche Fresca		920-567-706, in Barranco: 01 477-3364
Quesos Lait´s Tacneño		993-570-160		delivery fee
Yogurt Damatta	yogurt, granola, honey	985-484-914
Ango	bakery	01 440-0639		24 hr pre-order
El Perro Pan	bakery	940-569-111
En Boca de Todos	bakery	990-738-451		delivery fee
Panadería Carmelitas	bakery	959-176-479
Pastipan	bakery	981-043-829		72 hr pre-order
Wilton’s	bakery	964-579-963		mínimo de S/ 30
Demar	seafood	934-645-680		min 2 kilos
Frozen Products Corporation	seafood	934-645-064		mínimo de S/ 100 soles y costo de delivery S/ 20
Sushi by Noz	scallops/conchas	986-003-874		mínima un kilo
Pueblo Café por Ricardo Robles	coffee	984-332-227
Corte	beef	965 729 800		USDA connection
Carnicorp	beef and pork	933 821 328	pedidos.carnicorp@gmail.com	USDA connection
Razzeto	beef and pork	948 317 157		USDA connection
Maria Renee	chocolate	992 061 446
Tupuestito	fruit and veg		Inbox on Instagram
NYJ Peru	masks (and cloth head coverings)	958 688 198, 956 726 894	Inbox on Instagram
Kioski Pasteleria	cake		Inbox on Instagram
El Colmenar	honey, pollen, carob syrup (algorrabina)	996 579 063, 988 002 450, 998 245 770	Inbox on Instagram
GNS Empresarial – Andre Moriano	deep cleaning	961 758 615	Inbox on Instagram
La America Cafe	meals		Inbox on Instagram
Kent Peru	water	987 808 472
OraSi Peru	soy, rice, almond milks		Inbox on IG and FB
Jiron Sanguche	sandwiches, tacos, enchiladas	01 746 8696
Nippon Accessories	mask carrier		Inbox on Instagram
Paltas Chirimoyas	avocados	987 604 364
Mercadito Peru	fruit and veg	994 663 376 (Debbie)
Enkai Cocina Nikkei	Japanese Nikkei	01 550 6858	www.enkai.pe, @chefmasaki14
La Canasta de Yi Chang	groceries		@lacanasta.yichang
Cosecha Verde	fruit and veg		Inbox on Instagram
Praia Brava	masks		praiabravacollections.com
Rayito Print Peru	masks	966 635 440, 923 176 021
Mystika Tienda Saludable		992 761 894
Entre Perros y Gatos	pet food	946 567 837
Panalza Peru	transportation services	01 653 2787	Inbox on Instagram
Mi Gran Combo	lomo saltado, etc.	985 404 636, 01 309 7979
Tarta Mania	desserts, cakes		Inbox on Facebook
Pilsen Callao	beer	979 734 003
Toda Parilla del Colorao	beef, pork	991 160 545		24 hr preorder, min S/150
Palta Hass	avocado	960 622 605, Surco: 986 761 661
La Cafetta Express	groceries	967 705 388, 930 508 955, 955 171 592
Living Home Peru	pasta, gluten free pasta		www.livinghome.pe
Tortilla de Papa Peru	tortilla espanola	998 114 603	Inbox on Instagram
Alora	mask boxes	924 566 300
La Verduleria	fruit and vegetables	978 336 197
Panakuna Express	groceries	934 886 872	Inbox on Instagram
Dazzo Market	groceries	983 575 985	Inbox on Instagram
Tio Papas	salchipapas, etc.	943 492 907	Inbox on Instagram
Muyfreshkitos	groceries	935 825 136
Delivery Verduras y Frutas	fruit and vegetables	922 154 297, 970 792 593
La Huerta Lima	fruit and vegetables		Inbox on Instagram
Montini Pizza	pizza	989 204 475	Inbox on Instagram
Qhatu	personal shopping service	957 254 981
MDLab	masks	983 466 419
TocTocEnvios	transportation services	947 749 866
Super Pollo	chicken	991 480 025, 986 611 485
Not Peru	masks		Inbox on Instagram
MSC Home	foot activated door opener, sanitizing station	01 715 0603, 948 055 969	ventas@sfhnos.com
Delivery Express	personal shopping service	994 007 441
Brewdog	beer	972 826 204, 958 192 425
Al Tavolo	pizza		Inbox on Instagram
Yupigo	personal shopping service		Inbox on Instagram
La Cocina de Luis	cocina criolla	997 632 119		S/5 fee
Mafasil Delivery	groceries	962 118 337
Jolamafar	COVID kits: masks, mask holder, gloves, disinfectant, etc.	946 390 750, 965 750 066	Inbox on Instagram, ventas.jolamafar@gmail.com
Rafaella Clothing	masks		Inbox on Instagram
Servio Mercado	personal shopping service	944 986 598
Goo Prices	fruit and vegetables		Inbox on Instagram
Vide Verde Peru	fruit and vegetables		Inbox on Instagram
Comsatel Peru	cleaning		Inbox on Instagram
Koketa	masks		Inbox on Instagram
D’florita	soap	986 844 794	Inbox on Instagram
Go Pet	pet food		Inbox on Instagram
Sami Productos Naturales	honey		Inbox on Instagram
Feel Organic	cotton		Inbox on Instagram
ValFruit Delivery	fruit and vegetables	938 543 761
Core Lima Cafe	sandwiches, etc.		corelimacafe.com, Inbox on Instagram
Eolis Air Peru	air purifier	994 212 167	excellencemedical.pe,
Lulucity	masks	946 109 920	Inbox on Instagram
Fullen Peru	fork lift transportation		www.fullen.pe
Master Clean	cleaning	994 313 983	Inbox on Instagram
Safety Med	masks, glasses, shoe coverings, etc.	993 534 599	Inbox on Instagram
2bornotobe	masks with designs	990 888 775	Inbox on Instagram and Facebook
Pedi.2s	limes		Inbox on Instagram
Clean House Desinfecciones	cleaning	922 236 664	Inbox on Instagram
Drogueria GYP	masks		Inbox on Instagram
Ecocampo Peru	eggs		ecocampo.pe
Makis by Beto	sushi	982 660 428	makisbybeto.com, inbox on IG
MiaValencia19	masks	936 956 889, 930 470 045
Vimaant	disinfection products	977 249 806	administracion@vimaant.com
Pasta Peru	pasta, groceries		pasta.pe
Fuego y Brasa peru	pollo a la brasa	940 477 146
Ibericos Gold	wine and oil	933 908 899
Paletas Factory	ice cream	913 033 358
Sra Diaz Catering	meals	956 599 382	diazhomefood@gmail.com	min 6 people, mother’s day specials
Dulce Fina	desserts, cakes	966 295 915
Artesanta Tienda Virtual	soap, beauty products		Inbox on Facebook
Huella Verde	boxes	983 535 231
Paqari Yana	blank books, journals		Inbox on Facebook
Champisol	mushrooms	999 094 111
Julieta Gongora	corn tortila strips	992 248 890
Flores dia de la madre	flowers	971 377 631
Orchids	flowers	979 257 175, 960 703 092
Palachinke Peru	pancakes		Inbox on Instagram and Facebook
Cafe de Lima	bread, empanadas, lasagna	01 221 2513
7G Gourmet	frozen fish, wine, groceries	915 124 839	@77gourmet
Casero	fruit and vegetables	928 242 080
Ylla	frozen fruit	987 827 541
Neo Vision	eye doctor, glasses, lenses	975 035 993
Caserita	fruit and vegetables		Inbox on Instagram
Neve de Latte Gelateria	ice cream	940 861 628
RomiPack Peru	plastic bags	994 013 626, 997 538 033, 998 818 009	informes@romipack.pe
Magaly Wenzel	vet and dental cleaning for pets	993 452 829		verified
Manuel Cols	vet	959 189 949		verified, speaks English
Yapa Express	fruit and vegetables	963 694 779
Bake Studio	cake, desserts, pizza bases	955 082 211
Fleischmann	yeast	986 118 901		verified
Fleischmann Surco	yeast	902 344 910
Days Peru	shoe coverings		Inbox on Instagram
Ico Food Service	cheese, sausage, etc.		www.ico.com.pe	min S/100
Trigal	bakery, baking ingredients		Inbox on Instagram
Frex Box	dried fruit	987 220 187	Inbox on Instagram
El Buen Gusto	bakery, sandwiches	946 244 168	ventas@elbuenguesto.com.pe	24 pre-order, min S/30, fee S/10
Amma	meals		Inbox on Instagram
Cosme	meals		cosme.com.pe, @cosme
Statera	meals		Inbox on Instagram
DAR	pita, hummus, dips, chips	956 486 633
Zokya Cafe	coffee	955 235 669
Sercomed	medical supplies	920 259 867, 966 423 059
Salud 360	medical	972 297 666
Normativa	masks	977 360 749
Seafrost	seafood	914 681 205, 914 681 204, 962 203 109, 944 251 900		min S/120
Fonzarelli Peru	sauces, salsas	987 708 382
Agustos Market	sandwiches, groceries, fruit, pasta, etc	937 288 233, 01 772 3830
Kase Gourmet	lasagna	999 602 358	Inbox on Instagram and Facebook	delivery fee
Laurie Pujalt	ground pepper		www.laurie-pujalt.com
Mikhuna Alimentos	personal shopping service	968 200 588
Papel Higienico Good	paper hand towels	01 429 6855, 998 377 292, 981 314 346	www.PapelHigienicoGood.com, ventas@papelhigienicogood.com
Bici Entregas	personal shopping service	923 487 696
Elas Food	buffalo wings, burgers, wine, etc.	942 348 493		verified
Mascarilla Eirl	masks, gel, alcohol		Inbox on Instagram
Don Tomy Pasteleria	bakery		Inbox on Instagram
Cieptac	mental health counseling	933 699 193, 01 288 3185
Rai Peru	spices		Inbox on Instagram
Angus Express	beef, chicken wings		Inbox on Instagram
Pidealgo	online shop		Inbox on Instagram
Punta Gourmet	cheese, etc.		Inbox on Instagram
Super Bid Peru	financial investment services		Inbox on Instagram
Despensallena	beef, flour, bananas, etc.		Inbox on Instagram
Scrapyart	masks, gel, alcohol, eye proctection		www.scrapyart.pe
Verde Natural Market	fruit and vegetables		Inbox on Instagram
Mr. Bar Delivery	beer, wine, spirits		Inbox on Instagram
Fishbox Peru	seafood	990 061 686	Inbox on Instagram
Hoof Meats	beef		Inbox on Instagram
Munay Compost	composting	993 597 514	helene@munaycompost.com
Taglio Peru	pizza	994 229 741	Inbox on Instagram
El Borrego	pollo a la brasa, cuy, pachamanca	992 826 708
El Rincon de los Sabores	al cilindro, pollo, chancho	986 029 856, 960 717 980, 960 358 182
Best Packaging Peru	bottles, etc.		Inbox on Instagram
Tecnicas en Linea Blanca	washing machine repair	929 129 134	info@tecnicasenlineablancalima.com
Tool Celular	cell phone repair	931 150 305	Inbox on Instagram and Facebook
Lynch Cafe para Volar	pasta, cake	978 800 039
Corsun Bio	biodegradable clamshell packs	01 440 4191, 998 171 892
La Costanera	pollo a la brasa, cuy, pachamanca	999 933 355, 953 277 899	www.lacostanera.com.pe
La Casa Mari Miel	honey		Inbox on Instagram
Azafran Restaurant	meals	978 997 042, 992 248 018	Inbox on Instagram
Niubiz Peru	online banking		Inbox on Instagram
Worx Co	business service		Inbox on Instagram
Derma Farma Peru	skin care		Inbox on Instagram
Doggy Camp	dog camp, pet service	999 055 841	Inbox on Instagram
La Central Huaral	meals		Inbox on Instagram
TeleOptics	glasses, eyeware, contact lenses,	920 196 277	Inbox on Instagram
Aroma Pan	bakery		Inbox on Instagram
Gianni	chicken	997 095 179
Rosatel	flowers		Inbox on Instagram
Wabi Casa	shopping service		Inbox on Instagram
Knino	pet food	944 574 353	Inbox on Instagram
Entel Empresas	cell phone services		Inbox on Instagram
Verisure Peru	security		Inbox on Instagram
Reneq777	cleaning	993 728 552
Callers Club	call center services		Inbox on Instagram
Clinica Antonio Raimondi	healthcare		www.clinicaraimondi.com
Taberna Pueblo Viejo	chichorrones, tamales, sandwiches	986 853 267
Ma Gracia Farfan	masks	987 833 079		verified
Delizia Art	food photography		Inbox on Instagram
La Curacao Peru	transportation services		Inbox on Instagram
Melina Bertocchi	wine, champagne	984 108 774








Disclaimer: this list is a compilation from El Trinche, Google, Instagram, Facebook, and personal references. It does not represent the endorsement of any government or official entity.

Markets of Lima… and Then There is Minka

March 1, 2020March 1, 2020M's Adventures

I know someone whose hobby is photographing markets. In Lima, there are essentially four types of markets: wholesale food markets, local grocery markets, eco- or bio- markets (farmers), and previous “informal” markets (black market).

Wholesale markets

Santa Anita wholesale market in Ate is the source of all produce sold at the other markets in Lima. I was sure I had blogged about it but it was only in my mind. Santa Anita is about 25 minutes out side of Miraflores on a weekend. I describe it as 24 airplane hangars of produce. The prices are great if you need bulk (50 kilos of limes), but it’s not worth it if you are just shopping for personal use. Nonetheless, I’ve enjoyed visiting several times.

The fish market, Pescado Terminal, is the source of all fish and seafood sold in other markets and stores in Lima.

Gamarra is the textile market. Fabric at stores in San Borja can cost around 30-90 soles per meter whereas in Gamarra that same fabric will cost 6-16 soles per meter. Gamarra is also know for it’s “informal” part (they just got raided recently).

Informal Markets (but now with legal items as well like custom made cell phone covers)

Polvos Azules is the formerly known are for knock off goods and other “informal” goods. Halfway to downtown.

Polvos Rosados is the electronics and other goods market also formerly “informal” located out in Surco.

Grocery markets

The central market in downtown is a “local” market for Lima’s nine million inhabitants. It is near the old chinatown so convenient for tourist tours of downtown.

Surquillo 1 is a local market but also a central market. I still shop here as there are specialty stalls like the spice stall that other local markets do not have. The prices are better than at Wong. This is the market where the gastro tour go so there are lots of foreigners and tourists in this market. It’s gotten sort of dirty and it’s a mishmosh instead of neatly organized (meat in one area, etc.). On Sunday mornings, there is a farmers’ market outside. Lots of places to eat local food as well (and Venezuelan). The famous La Picanteria is just a few blocks behind hence why this market is part of the food tours.

Surquillo 2 is a collection of areas and not as safe as Surquillo 1.

Lince, Labotan, market is a local market for Lince. I like this market because it has zero tourists (well, me), it’s clean, organized, and covered. Plus, the area around it has many pastry industry shops.

Santa Cruz is one of the local markets for Miraflores. Exceptionally clean.

Productores in San Isidro (on the Miraflores border) is a local market for the wealthy San Isidro-Miraflores types along the malecon. There is a fish market there. One goes in to the parking lot at the San Isidro sports complex and the market is inside.

Magdalena also has a local market. As does every district/barrio.

Minka

… and then there is Minka.

This is in the words of a friend, “reason to never leave Lima.” (my photos do not do it justice. Go see for yourself).

Minka has an excellent fish market, produce market, etc., in the old style INSIDE a giant open-air California style mall. Everything under one “roof.” There are restaurants, tailors, play areas, a Metro (grocery store), cell phone stores, banks… okay, I take it back… maybe there isn’t a movie theater… nor a high end grocery store selling my imported cheese…