Peru - 1st stop Lima

We arrived at Lima Airport late at night. Thanks to our always optimistic Lonely Planet guidebook, we were terrified about being robbed and shot by the millions of imposter taxi drivers that frequent Lima airport (apparently), so we arranged a pick up by our hostel. When we walked out of the baggage claim area a guy was standing there with Grey’s name on a piece of paper – Grey felt happy.

People in Lima drive like crazy – even compared to their wild South American counterparts (Portenos, Chileans) – and the drive to our hostel, Inkafrog, in Miraflores (the affluent seaside area where most tourists stay) was a little hair raising. We also drove past about 15 KFC’s, and have subsequently learnt that Peruvian’s LOVE fried chicken.

Memories of Lima:

• After walking around BA for 3 hours, sitting in the airport for 4 hours and being on a plane for 5 hours, we really wanted hot showers upon arrival at the hostel. Unfortunately the gas heater was broken. So angering;
• We explored the central area of the city. The main square, Plazas de Armas, is beautiful, surrounded by government buildings, the city cathedral and miscellaneous colonial buildings. We watched the changing of the guard outside the government building (slightly less formal than the Buckingham Palace version (the guards hold trumpets and drums instead of guns)) and then made an unsuccessful attempt to visit La Cathedral de Lima (it was having electrical problems so the lights were off);

Plaza de Armas, Central Lima

Plaza de Armas, Central Lima

• We also visited the Monasterio de San Francisco to see the underground catacombs containing the bones of around 70,000 people. Unfortunately, we had to go on a 45 minute Spanish tour of the rest of the Monastry before doing so, which was a little underwhelming. In the catacombs, all the different bones (femurs, hips, skulls etc) were separated from each other and the monks had arranged them into patterns (think row of skulls, row of fingers, zigzag line of hip bones etc). Strange!
• We ate cerviche at La Nautica (day 1 - amazing) and Tio Sonia (day 2 - overpriced and not so good). The flavours of cerviche (lemon, onion) are really strong, and since eating it on day 2 of Peru, I can’t see either of us wanting to eat it again;

Amazing cerviche with crab, octopus and fish at La Nautica

Tired in taxi after cerviche at La Nautica

• Explorations of Miraflores – many shops, restaurants, a great central park area, lively nightlife, and a beautiful coastline;

Awesome "Sandwicheria" - La Lucha, Miraflores

Miscellaneous sandwich, Miraflores

• Playing in a games arcade, winning tickets and a tiny prize;
• We bought books by Hiram Bingham and John Hemming in preparation for our arrival in Inca territory and read them overlooking the Pacific in a giant outdoor shopping mall, Lacomar, built into the wall of a cliff;

Looking out over the other side of the Pacific Ocean

• Dinner at Astrid y Gaston, a very famous, expensive and well regarded restaurant. We ate “an assortment of 5 homemade breads”, Black Hen Ravioli with caviar and something, something else, beef cheek with bone marrow and something, conga eel with tomatoes and something else, Morande chardonnay from Casablanca (Chile) and petit fours;

Dinner at Astrid y Gaston, Lima

Black Hen Ravioli ++, Astrid y Gaston

• Sunset over the Pacific;

Sunset over the Pacific

Park with skating/cycling tracks, all along the Pacific Coast

Sunset, Miraflores

• I got stuck in the bathroom of our room! Grey and I fiddled and pushed the door for a few minutes before Grey went to fetch the reception guy. He started pushing his shoulder into the middle of the door and I could see it cracking open from inside. After maybe 15 minutes Grey said “Stand back” and him and bits of the door lock came flying into the bathroom. Hilarious!
• Pisco sours in the centre of Miraflores – a lively area where Peruvians go to drink.