A Very Peruvian Practice: Travels with La Señora by John Lane

'A Very Peruvian Practice: travels with La Señora' by John Lane, is, as the cover suggests, an account of John Lane's travels with the irrepressible La Señora. These adventures are conveyed with wit and humor enough to entertain and inform all but the most hardened souls. Having been sent to the new Ladies' Health Care Clinic in Lima through the British Voluntary Service Overseas, to take up his post as advisor, he finds that he may have bitten off more than he can chew. La Señora and her husband, Dr Hermogenes, run the clinic and share the dream of providing health care to the poor (funded by their clinic in Lima) but first there is the small matter of getting the clinic's finances in order. The extravagant La Señora explains to him as he arrives, 'Our clinic is mainly for the expecting woman,' and John Lane soon finds himself residing in the top floor of the gleaming four-storeyed, white fronted clinic created by La Señora for her husband. His stay in Lima stretches from six weeks to eighteen months as he struggles to get the clinic on track, but there is never a dull moment. His hosts not only know how to through a party, and take John on a series of jaunts across the country, but Peru is itself a fascinating, strange, dark, dangerous, and wonderful place. From bullfighting to shopping, politics and travel, sunny beaches and Peruvian art; the book opens up a window on Peruvian society and lets us travel along with a bemused John Lane, as he discovers Miraflores, Lima, Peru and eventually what it is that makes it such a special place to visit. Complete with a colorful cast of characters, interesting places, full of humor wit, we are left with no doubt as to who the star of the show is. The artist, shopper, polymath, philosopheress; La Señora steals center stage and is always on hand to ensure that John never has a dull moment as she jumps from project to project. This account of John's highly entertaining adventure is easy to recommend. Brilliant stuff.