The Peruvian Soundtrack

I love Peru. It’s a beautiful country, the people are warm and friendly, and the history is rich and rewarding to discover.

Unfortunately, the country’s soundtrack is stuck on the “pan flute” track. Apparently it is illegal to play anything but pan flute music in hotels, restaurants, on trains, and in public places.

Seriously, it’s getting a bit tiresome. They played nothing but pan flute music for an hour and a half on the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu. I am getting really tired of hearing “Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “Yesterday” played on the pan flute.

I shouldn’t complain though, the alternatives have been pretty poor too. One restaurant played Wham, followed by Bryan Adams (old school, “Everything I Do”), followed by Richard Marx. And in two of the outdoor markets we went to in the same day we kept hearing “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas.

When you come to Peru… bring an MP3 player. Or develop a love of the pan flute. Or suffer.