I am living in Lima since 2003, first I was living in Italy. I have spent 13 years in Venice, first studying architecture and then working. So I can say that I know very well these two completely opposed cities. Now I miss Venice a lot and I often dream I am there, but while being there in my dreams, I miss Lima.

I really love to travel, but now I have a job and I am saving money because I would like to spend the rest of my live travelling. There is a huge world outside waiting for us, so I think there should be something wrong about our normal lives, living in the same places and repeating same things every single day. I think that we should follow the thoughts of Charles Fourier, the French socialist utopist that defended CHANGE: one should change job, place, friends, etc. every year at least.

I am still looking for something I have not found yet, but in the meanwhile I am trying to enjoy the trip, because who knows about the arrival.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Since I can’t travel now, I believe that listening the stories of travelers is almost like travelling. I like to meet persons from other countries because I am sure I can learn a lot from them. Hosting or just meeting couch-surfers is like travelling all over the world without moving.

Interests

Traveling, movies, literature, art, architecture, planning, history, gastronomy, drawing, open air sports… I love watching films but I also would like to make one. I have some documentary and fiction scripts about Lima. Since I like drawing, I enjoy a lot making storyboards or comics. I like visiting art galleries and exhibitions. I love cooking even if now I am following a diet. I often go to gym and practice some open air sports (paddle, swimming, trying to surf again after many years…).

• arts
• literature
• architecture
• documentaries
• cooking
• recipes
• dieting
• walking
• comics
• movies
• traveling
• drawing
• sports
• swimming
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy all kind of music, depends on the moment: fado, tango, bolero, old jazz, classical music, rock, disco, bossanova, local creole music…
I love classical Italian films (neo-realism, Italian comedy…); classical French films (Nouvelle Vague and post: Truffaut, Rohmer…); Buñuel! (all of his films: the Spanish, the Mexican and the French periods); American old and new films (Westerns, Ford, Kazan, Welles… Cohen bros…); Hitchcock! And then also New Argentinian Cinema, some Peruvian films (few).
I read many books at the same time, I have books behind my bed, in the bathroom, little books for the beach or for making a cue while waiting in a bank. Now I am reading again Calvino’s The American Lessons. I love Calvino so of course I love Borges. I want to read more books from the OULIPO Group (I have read Queneau’s Style Exercises and I want to read Perec). Peruvian writers I like and I recommend to couchsurfers in order to understand better the Peruvian society : Ribeyro, Bryce, Vargas Llosa.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Few years ago an Italian friend came to visit Lima. He is a well known photographer and together we made a reportage for the Italian magazine ‘Internazionale’ about local quacks (curanderos). It was really amazing to discover such a world in my own city. I never could imagine there were so many quacks in Lima. It was also a bit terrifying. The photographer was willing to portrait some real cases, so we convinced the taxi driver to play the role of the quacks’ patient.
I was working on a cruise ship and I really did not stand it any more. It was like a floating prison for me, so I decided to leave the ship and break the contract. The captain would not accept my request, so I found the way out after several problems. Once in Genoa watching the ship living the pier I felt really happy and free. Without knowing him, I was already following Fourier thoughts.
While working on those ships I have passed through two amazing experiences: once the ship was risking to sink in the Lion’s Gulf (close to Marseille) because of the huge waves. Another ship of the same company was burning while I was sleeping, I thought the alarms were part of the simulacra, but the fire was so huge, fortunately we were not far from Pireus.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am very curious, so I like curious persons. I love to tell stories and to listen to them. I like to taste new flavors and I enjoy learning new recipes. I like walking and practicing open air sports.

What I Can Share with Hosts

In case I am free we can just walk and appreciate the local architecture, Downtown has really interesting buildings and in Lima you can find almost all the styles (baroque, neoclassical, art nouveaux, art deco, modern, revivals…). We can also visit art galleries and museums. We can go to swim or paddle or just go jogging long the seafront.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Libya, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, Peru