You can’t spell Peru without Canada!

Ok well logistically I guess you can spell Peru without the letters in Canada, but Peru, or Lima at least feels like home in many ways.

Firstly, the Peruvian flag is the Canadian flag minus the maple leaf. That said, they do offer really maple syrup #downwithfructose

Beyond that they have Turkey vultures, just like home. So. Many. Turkey. Vultures.

The craft beer scene is growing but still early days. Perhaps behind Canada, but I’ve had some decent brews so far. #notabeertrip

Just like Toronto they have a transit system but I’d say that they are ahead (not that it’s a race!). Their busses have fully dedicated lanes with second level doors, all platforms are elevated. And what’s left of their streetcars are now a museum. Perhaps we should follow suit! That said, the smell of urine around this streetcar is reminiscent of the TTC.

Their adoption of smart tech is embedded in society just as much as Toronto, but perhaps has a longer history! Most places use QR codes for menus and this gent was clearly a leader in the Google Glasses craze!

All of the fruit that we’ve tried so far has been not so new, but mostly only due to my adventures in the “choose a random fruit you’ve never seen before” experiment that I’ve been doing at LoblawsTM. So nothing really new from the Chimoya, the granadilla or others that we tried on our food tour. Keep ‘em coming though…

The one space where I’d say that Canadians and Peruvians are notably apart is toilet paper. I can only hope that Kleenex’s recent exit from the Canadian market does not lead to the current Peruvian reality. It seems like a bit of a race to the bottom in term of “soft” TP here. Everything seems to range from “Not that far from paper towel” to “This is actually paper”. The oddest thing is how it’s all marketed. Things seem to be either “super strong”, or “so soft your little girl would love to rub it against their face” (not sure how true this would be in reality). Either way…

I will say that as a Canadian I do, generally feel right at home here. The weather is perfect, the food is fresh and delicious, and I very much look forward to more adventures! Stay tuned!