The Hotel "España"and Annuschka

In Lima i have been a longtime guest in the above mentioned hotel, but when they rose prices for the fourth consecutive year of around 15 % i about had it and moved to the hotel "Europa", just down the road,where i recorded the video. This place is lesser known to tourists, charges half the price as the "Espana" and represents a lot better value.

Annuschka is my dentist in Cusco. While dentists in Germany sniff at me, because i am not privately insured, she gave my teeth a wonderful TLC treatment for such a modest price, that i was left gobsmacked. It is always a genuine pleasure dealing with people not driven by greed . My days in Peru for this year are over now and what's my conclusion ? I must say i once more had a really good time and what annoyed me most were  elderly women, who just cannot wait patiently in line, but need to jump the queue and start nagging. But of course i was just a tourist and for tourists life in Peru is generally plain sailing. On the other side an article in the New York Times i have read on my flight back home confirmed my view, that the outlook could be a bit dim. Peru meanwhile belongs to the emerging markets, where the economy grows at rates of about 6 % p. a.. Big foreign corporate money flows in with the exploitation of raw material meaning more prosperity for the middle- and higher class - housing prices in Lima and Cusco are already skyrocketing. As usual where some become richer others are left behind, living in a destroyed and contaminated environment and are unable to participate at the newly found wealth. Maybe it doesn't take long and we see the resurrection of the "Shining Path" or another terrorist group fighting those injustices... . I once spent three days in an appartment house with oceanview in upscale Lima-Miraflores and it bored the heck out of me. Leaving it i had to pass security. Outside at every corner - security and police cars patroling the streets. Rich people living in constant fear behind high walls, that some pennyless dude could rob them and thus keeping psychiatrists busy. Anytime i prefer sharing a beer with less affluent people in a cantina in Cusco and once they are all torn down to make room for slick appartment buildings i know it is time to pack up and move elsewhere. But so far i still can quote Arnie from one of his shitty movies : " Cusco, i'll be back !".

Due to popular demand ...

... i cranked up the distille once more and made some maracuja schnaps. Earlier attempts with exotic fruits were rather disappointing, but this time it turned out just fine. It is triple distilled and and has some rich flavor - very much worth the effort.

Pilcopata

...discussing the oneness of it all.

New Pope

No, ... not him but a chap from Argentina. Usually news from the catholic church are about child abuse, however yesterday the new pope was inaugurated after having been elected by 115 old f... . I don´t mean to offend someone, but watching the ceremony ( only a few minutes ) and the surrounding caboodle with thousands of glassy eyed people - spooky stuff, if you ask me. Religion ? Thanks, but no thanks.

Cheltenham 2013

The Cheltenham Festival gets underway tomorrow and i hope i have done my homework properly to snatch some dough out of my bookies deep pockets. Selections as follows:
Treble - Simonsig (GB) to win the Arkle won/ Quewega (FR) to win the Mares Hurdle won/ Sprinter Sacre (FR) to win the Champion Chase won at combined odds of 3.12
Single - Zarkandar (IRE, left) to win the Champion Hurdle @ 4.5 unpl.
Single - Bobs Worth (IRE) to win the Gold Cup @ 4 won

Alvin Lee †

Guitar ace Alvin Lee passed away  Feb. 6 in Spain, age 68. He wrote music history in 1969 with his band Ten Years After after having played an electrifying concert at the Woodstock Festival. Their signature song was " I´m Going Home", which i practiced many hours until i could play it faster than him - silly me. I feel fortunate, that he was a part in my younger days and that i do not belong to the Rap or Techno generation.

Cash is the king !?

Meanwhile it is possible to pay not just with a plastic card, but with a smartphone or even a fingerprint too and people like Jack Dorsey, the founder of the babble box Twitter, want to develop a system that makes cash completely superfluous. Less initiated minds will welcome it thinking cash is  something for drug pusher or other crooks anyway and still better it can´t be stolen anymore. Now wait a minute. First of all cyber crime causes a lot more damage than petty theft and there are some more points to think about. Cash is the only legitimate currency, while a number on the account is not. What if the system crashes through technical failure or sabotage and  suddenly it is not possible anymore to make payments. Being cut off from the system can easily  threat one´s existence. Next obviously a trace is left with every payment and citizens can be monitored by Feds making the visions G. Orwell described in his book "1984" become a greater reality. Bankster will certainly love it, because they are getting rid of their biggest fear - the bank run. No bank retains nearly enough cash to satisfy huge demands and should a bank gets into trouble and plenty of people want to withdraw  money from their account, it is simply not possible anymore. Disturbing activities for cryin´out loud.