Visitors 3
Modified 29-Feb-24
Created 5-Aug-09
68 photos
These photos are from 1975, when we lived in Lima for just over 2 years. The country at that time was under military rule. There was no middle class to speak of and if you lived there, you were either considered very very wealthy or dirt poor.
For the rich, life was good in spite of the imposed curfews that occurred every now and then, and you could usually get whatever it was you wanted. For the poor, it was a daily struggle just to put food on the table.
Miraflores district was the well-to-do area and the restaurants and stores reflected that ambiance.
Elsewhere, it was back to basics and the farmers markets or road side shops became the norm.
Everything was managed by the govt, including the currency exchange rate and prices for most goods and services. There was a flourishing black market that made it possible to by-pass many of the restrictions the govt had imposed.
When the military returned the govt back to an elected democracy, these restrictions were lifted.
