Lima, Peru: A City of Surprises

Sully enjoys everything alpaca

We'd been sad to say goodbye to our family in Florida but were equally excited to experience South America for the first time.  I really have to admit having had no idea what to expect of Lima.  It's honestly just not anything I'd thought about.  What I did not anticipate, though, was such an interesting and vibrant city.  This city of almost 10,000,000 just wasn't on my radar until now.  We stayed in a part of the city on the coast called Miraflores which was meant to be very nice.  We weren't disappointed.

Madeleine catches up on her journal

Erica had arranged a couple of places to stay and both were quite charming.  We've come to using TripAdvisor to help us find places that fit our criteria:  wifi, free breakfast, highly rated and a good value.  So far, it's working out fine.  Both of the places we've stayed in Lima came out to right around US $70/night, were interesting, in nice neighborhoods and have served us well.  Surely it's possible to spend less as well as a lot more.  Both the Casa de Wayra and the Casa de Bayarbar were interesting, fun and filled with art.  One morning at breakfast we met folks from Costa Rica, China and Brazil.  The two nights we spent in each hotel straddled our trip to the Yanamarca valley.

Henry at work

Larcomar

On our first day ever of wandering in South America, we walked a few minutes to Larcomar, an impressive mall sitting high above the Pacific coastline.  We are not really mall-shopping kind of folks but were curious as to what we'd find.   We found that this place was incredibly posh and in an unbelievable setting, open to the outside with killer views.  As was true in Panama City, many high-end US stores were there, in addition to a bowling alley and movie theater.

Larcomar views

Some time just being kids

Another big surprise was the diversity of food available in Lima.  Our first couple of beers were okay but paled in comparison to some of the fine Oregon microbrews we've come to love.  But, of course, we didn't come to Lima for the beer.

An Inca Kola modeling career, maybe?

To our understanding, Inca Kola is maybe the most famous of all sodas in Peru.  It was pretty sweet and reminded me more of cream soda than a true cola we are used to.  Added to the list of interesting things we've learned from taxi drivers, Inca Kola was bought out not too long ago by Coca Cola.  Kind of sad in a way but not at all surprising.

Chicken with pineapple and tamarind

We were eager to try some chifa, billed as a blend of traditional Peruvian and Chinese cuisines.  Our first chifa meal was tasty but didn't seem too terribly different from the Chinese food we're accustomed to.  But, as we've come to learn, it was pretty cheap.  Sit down dinners for all five of us including drinks have usually run in the US $25 range so far.  We're eager to try some Nikkei, an apparent fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines.

Erica enjoys her first Pisco Sour

We enjoyed our first Pisco Sours, a traditional cocktail made of pisco which is a clear spirit distilled from grapes.  They were strong, tasty and reminded us of margaritas.  This is not a bad thing.

Ceviche

We did also have the good fortune to sample some of the famous Peruvian ceviche.  This is typically fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices.  Our dish had corbina, octopus and shrimp and had been marinated in lime juice.  Though not ones to typically search out raw fish, we were eager to try ceviche here.  It was fantastic and was some of the most flavorful fish I've ever encountered.  The kids were a bit more lukewarm, with Madeleine enjoying it and Henry refusing completely.

Lima, Peru:  where Miller Genuine Draft is a premium beer

With a pitcher of chicha morada

Chicha morada, a traditional non-alcoholic drink made from purple corn and spices, has proved to be quite popular with our family.  This particular lunch was in a sit down but almost fast food Peruvian chain restaurant and was one of the best bargains yet.  Three dishes to share, empanadas and drinks for us all came out to be 45 soles, just shy of $15.

Sully with his new hat, more fashion statement than necessity in Lima 

The edge of the city up above the coast is filled with green spaces and parks and was consistently filled with families, young couples and anyone wanting to enjoy the scenery.  It really was beautiful and somewhat reminiscent of Barcelona, complete with tile mosaics.

El Parque del Amor (Park of Love)

A good spot for young love 

Summer colors

Sunshine and open spaces can't be beat

We spent one afternoon exploring the center of historic Lima, another UNESCO World Heritage Site (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/500) due to its cultural signficance.  Originally founded in 1535 by the famous Spaniard Francisco Pizarro, it was the most important Spanish city in South America and its scale, grandeur and history certainly seemed to agree with its degree of importance.  This is as bustling and exciting part of any city that I've seen.  Pizarro himself is entombed here.

Good times outside the Cathedral of Lima

La Plaza de Armas 

More ruins for exploring.  .  .

La Iglesia de San Francisco

My favorite part of the day was exploring the famous Iglesia de San Francisco and its catacombs beneath.  The 500 year old art, woodworking, library and chapel were incredibly beautiful but photos were unfortunately completely forbidden.  Interestingly, the Spanish here originally entombed just about everyone in the catacombs under the churches and only in the early 19th century in Lima did outdoor cemeteries become more widely used.

Church knocker detail

We wandered a bit more around the general vicinity and could not believe just how many people were out and about.

Somnolent shopkeeper caught in the act

Yet another incredibly large cathedral--one of very many in the area

Two friendly women asking for money outside one of the churches, happy to pose after a donation

La Plaza de Armas at dusk

We took another short taxi ride to Parque de la Reserva, a locale famous for its fountains and shows in the evenings.  It seemed like half of the families in Lima were there.  As has been typical for our experience, we felt very safe and comfortable, though it is true we weren't wandering around at 3 am.  Entry to El Circuito Mágico del Agua was 4 soles/person, or $1.33.  Taxi rides are typically in the $3-$5 range, by the way.

Dancing scenes projected onto water during laser show

Nighttime summer fun though we stayed pretty dry 

The tunnel fountain was extremely popular and rightfully so 

Fountains, fountains and more fountains

Sully tiptoes through the sunflowers

Overall, we've tremendously enjoyed Lima.  It has been quite the pleasant surprise for us all and we're looking forward to coming back after our time at Machu Picchu and in the Sacred Valley, even if for only one night.