ab 08.06.: Tacna / Peru - 550 m

08.06.

almost warm farewell from the hostel sunny days. Daniel has gained new courage and wants to try again for the fourth time to come to Peru.
photos are taken and Glen grabs his video camera to film both of us when we leave. I still hear him say that he wants to put the clip on YouTube. Let's see...

both two-wheelers ready to go - one will come back

at the border, things don't go well for Daniel. It seems that only Chileans can leave the country with their vehicles, but as soon as a non-Chilean wants to bring a vehicle over the border, there seems to be a clear NO GO from the legislator. One possibility for Daniel would be to sell the motorcycle to his friend in Santiago, to have the power of attorney notarized, allowing him to ride the motorcycle - then the crossing could work. Let's see if he tries it through Bolivia on Sunday when there is a market and chaos anyway...

the customs officer who also served Daniel audibly exhales when he reads that a foreigner wants to bring his own motorcycle from his country across the border. Everything goes smoothly on the Chilean side. I say goodbye to Daniel and notice that the Vespa is dripping. Actually, there was no more play in the clamp on the cooling water hose, but apparently, it has come loose and now wants to be tightened even more. The tools with a decent nut and ratchet are quickly at hand and indeed, there are still a few turns left until it is now tight.

on the Peruvian side, everything is also going quite smoothly. The border guards are very friendly and helpful, the Peruvians standing in line give me navigation on how to get to the right booth to enter Peru.

the customs officer who lifts the barrier can't believe it when he holds my papers in his hand and sees that I want to go to Peru and beyond with the Vespa. The line behind me gets longer, but he wants to know everything exactly, how fast it goes, where I want to go, where I have been so far, etc. We joke with each other, thumbs up, and I am in Peru.

in the next three to four weeks, I will explore the south

desolation greets me. The two-lane road no longer has the level of Chilean roads. It goes straight. Sand on the left and right, then sand dunes and a clear indication for anyone who thinks this can only be no man's land: Propiedad privada , Private property... a few kilometers away I see a bit more green and then olive trees, almost an olive plantation that spreads out over the next kilometers. maybe this private property has an olive plantation in front of it?

after about half an hour, I reach Tacma and arrive in the real South America. Peru has apparently not yet sold its soul, has less money, and therefore does not have the ambiance that I am used to from Chile. the streets are in a more or less dilapidated state, many old VW beetles and quite run-down cars and taxis. it is cloudy and everything already seems a bit dreary.

after the third attempt, I find a hostel that also offers space for the Vespa and shortly after, I am looking for a bank. I get the money immediately. the next step is to equip the smartphone with a different SIM card so that I can receive the internet. for this, I have to drive to the center, which costs less than two euros by taxi. I won't make the mistake I made in Santiago again, but get a SIM card that is valid for all of South America. everything goes quickly and smoothly. but in two ways, I become the center of attention: once because I have light skin color and secondly because - spoiled by Arica - I walk around in shorts and a t-shirt. the taxi driver immediately asks me if it's not too cold. on the return trip to my hostel, I close the window. well - we are at an altitude of 550 m. apparently, that makes a difference.

there are freshly squeezed fruit juices of all kinds for little money, they taste very good and are prepared in front of the customer's eyes.

while I am writing here, a big band is rehearsing very skillfully for a performance. brass instruments, percussion, and a singer whose voice could do even more.

I am still not sure whether to continue driving the day after tomorrow, actually I am curious about Tacna and want to take photos.

09.06. the decision is made in my favor - I extend for one night. curiosity about the capital of the Tacna region, which has about 280 thousand inhabitants, and organizational matters that can take a lot of time:

purchase of sunglasses, the first one didn't survive San Pedro and the geysers, repair of my belt, and last but not least, my first experience at a Peruvian hairdresser.
in terms of conversion, I have an overnight rate of € 8.30 for a single room with a bathroom, TV, and parking space for the Vespa. no breakfast. the cup of tea I treated myself to this morning was 30 cents, and it was a large mug! the taxi has a fixed price of € 1.10, which is less than the tram in Berlin or Bremen, no matter where I go.

the lunch menu in a nice restaurant consisted of a starter (potatoes with a hard-boiled egg half and a mustard sauce) and a choice of asado or pasta with olives. and for dessert, a tasty piece of cake. with water and a filtered coffee (otherwise there was always instant coffee in Chile). cost including tip: € 8.20! the hairdresser cost a little over € 4.

my first walk takes me to the cathedral, which is adorned with a large dome and at first glance reminds me of a mosque. it is not quite as old - from the mid-19th century - it is very bright and not overloaded. a chandelier in the shape of a Christmas tree catches my eye immediately, otherwise the beautiful, filigree windows. the interior is painted yellow and white. large black and white patterned tiles cover the floor.

the ringing at 12 o'clock was rather subtle...

state and church? a complementary couple?

this is the first time I can walk through a new city without having to keep an overview. the taxi brings me back safely. so after lunch and a cozy nap on the plaza and writing on WhatsApp, I start looking for the theater. I hope for a performance in the evening, but only a few days later, a singer will perform. unfortunately, there is nothing else on the program before that. the architectural style of the theater front still has something of the colonial style, otherwise, the houses follow the 90-degree angle and family planning. the roof is already ready for the second floor.

on the plaza, I notice a weighty monument figure named Miguel Grau, who had to die a heroic death in a sea battle with the Chileans shortly after the start of the saltpeter war. until his death, he was a member of parliament. even today, his name is called out before the start of each plenary session, whereupon all members of parliament must reply "present". but he also earned merits in the Spanish-South American War 13 years before his death, so today he is celebrated as a symbol of chivalry. football stadiums were named after him and at the beginning of 2000, he was named Peruvian of the Millennium! That's how Peru treats its heroes. you can have your own opinion - it is part of Peru's history - perhaps he is already taking on the role of a martyr because Chile brought Peru to its knees.

the belt repair is still pending. I quickly stop a taxi and ask him to take me to a shoemaker. he hesitates for a moment - such a request doesn't come his way every day - and drives to where the real life of Tacna takes place. street vendors, one shop follows another, there is a market, and halls that we call department stores, but they are far from being as flashy. they are more reminiscent of a trade fair. each provider has his own booth where he presents his goods. I have particular sympathy for the soap and detergent vendors who have that smell in their noses all day long.
what I noticed this morning is that the shops compete directly with each other. one tire dealer next to the other. and this applies to at least 10 or more providers. there is enough space in front of the warehouses to draw attention to expensive tires mounted on alloy rims. I encounter the same phenomenon with opticians, hairdressers, as well as shops selling household goods and shoemakers. why is that?

the taxi driver offers to wait until I know whether the stitches on my belt can be renewed - there is no clock that could make him want to make more sales - it is simple helpfulness. the sewing machine of the first shoemaker is broken, but the second one can help, and with that, the taxi driver can merge back into the traffic hustle and bustle.
here, the profession of shoemaker still has meaning. the shelves are piled with shoes or backpacks to be repaired. there are two people who repair and two others who assist, take the money, and relieve them in other ways. a profitable business in the hands of the family. the belt is the duty, the leather case in which my pocket knife is located and which is connected to the belt, is the highlight. it receives much more attention. it is examined with a professional face. but what leaves the most impression is the Velcro fastener, which is opened and closed again and again. I try to draw attention to the Swiss knife and explain where it comes from, but that is less interesting. only when I say that Switzerland is a neighboring country of Germany and that I come from Germany do both - I suspect two brothers - become alert. a nice episode, and I'm sure that the idea of the Velcro fastener will be swirling around in their heads tonight.

I let myself drift through the streets, take a lot of photos, including two VW beetles. they fascinate me every time because the rear part is from the 70s to 80s and the front part is from the 60s.

front from the 60s with the fuel gauge in the speaker cover and the old door handles. the front fenders, on the other hand, are from the 70s.

the back with a larger window and with the latter with round taillights.
no rust!

I pass several pastry shops, which are also located next to each other and make life difficult for each other, but not only them, the printing and graphics industry also does not find itself in industrial areas like ours, but also in the shopping areas in stores that have plenty of space inside to put the huge printing machines. the customer chooses the sample on the computer together with the graphic designer and can see it being printed on large posters or films.

in the most shimmering colors...

the same goes for the market halls. unique selling points - for example, for wedding dresses or others, for suits that are tailor-made on request - everyone is at the mercy of the other's pricing policy. quality differences cannot be determined at first glance or in passing.

strong colors that also remind me of the pastry products

and - that can be said for the Chileans and now also for the Peruvians. there are shops everywhere - not just in markets - that specialize in decoration. and there is no limit to the variety of products in their range.

whether for children's birthdays, company anniversaries, or shop window designers - the business seems to be worthwhile for the many stores that offer them