It's Dangerous Out There!

We had another earthquake this morning at around 5:30. I was just about to get ready for work when I felt the bed shake and watched the closet doors start to rattle. I wasn't quite sure what to anticipate- was it another tremor or something bigger? It measured 5.4 M, apparently not strong enough for most people to feel, unless you are laying in bed or sitting down. Apparently, if you are standing, it just feels like a large truck is driving by. That's 3 tremors in less than three weeks. Not sure I'll get used to them.

I was actually intending to write about the streets here in Lima. They are dangerous! I am not talking about street crime- it happens in every city, and Lima is no exception. Quite literally, I mean the streets and sidewalks.

There are men and women sweeping the sidewalks every time I turn around here. In the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, and on weekdays and weekends. They are sweeping the sidewalks and the roads, and they continue to sweep, even when I can't see anything on the ground. I'm not sure what the cement mixture for sidewalks here contains, but between the cement and the street cleaners, the sidewalks are always slippery and free of debris. Add the humid wet air and you have a clumsy/klutzy person's nightmare. I haven't seen anyone slip and fall yet, though I've caught myself sliding a few times already.

As for the streets, I am currently thankful for not having a car here. I'm sure that will change along the way, but as we weave in and out of traffic each day, I continue to be reminded that not having a car is a good thing. There is far less stress being a passenger in a taxi or in a friend's car than driving here. While the roads seem to have lines similar to what we have in the US, the drivers don't use turn signals regularly, and try to get through traffic more quickly by trying to move in and out of the lanes continuously. I'm not sure how much safer it is on foot, as crossing streets has proven to be quite dangerous too. I am quite certain that pedestrians do not have the right of way here!

I'm working on walking carefully on sidewalks and across streets here, but I wouldn't be surprised if I have a picture of me in a cast posted on this blog at some point!