49 Lima - Day 2 - Shanty Town Tour

Today we were lucky enough to have a private tour with Nathaly (pronounced
Natalie) again. and when I say private, it really was private as it was just
Garry and I in the tour. With our own private car and driver, we drove away
from the port gates and headed south to one of the largest Shanty Tours in
Lima.. Over 1,000,000 people in what we would describe as squaller back
home.
What looked like a tsunami of small makeshift shacks cover the land and
mountain sides as far as the eye can see. For some, electricity and running
water is a luxury and for others they wait in earnest for the government to
come true to their election promises for it to be installed.
Like all governments, let's give them something, maybe not as important but
they still need and can be done quickly and cheaper than the essential
services. This infrastructure came as steep yellow stairs that make the
ascent easier when lugging the drums of fresh water to the very top of the
mountains. Why yellow? Remember when I wrote yesterday about anything to do
with the government is painted yellow.
Our tour company Haku, is also committed to putting something back into the
community, so a percentage of all their tours is fed back into these
communities, along with 100% of the Shanty tours profits. They have helped
to establish preschools and soup kitchens throughout these villages.
We started off by visiting the local market, stalls selling corn and
potatoes of varying shapes and colours. Enterprising woman selling small
bags of diced vegetables, ready to be thrown into any soup or stew. A
lovely lady who had been up since four in the morning, boiling up herbs,
spices and vegetables to make delicious sauces that can be added to your
protein of choice. Everything ridiculously cheap to us, but to locals,
affordable to ensure they can put food on the table. Tarps laid out topped
with second hand shoes and clothes for those who can't afford them new.