Lima
01.24.2013 - 01.27.2013
75 °F
View
South America
on solorooster's travel map.
I am going to take it easy today after 3 days of hanging out in Lima. I am off to Arequipa tonight. It has been a both tiring and fun start to the trip. I have met some interesting people. The hostel has several people "living" here from anywhere from 4 months to a year. Some people even work from here during the day. I also met someone from Canada who likes trekking as well and will join me on my trip to Arequipa. I got to practice Spanish meeting someone who is from Santiago and is visiting friends here in Lima. Finally yesterday I met a woman from Holland who knows 5 words of Spanish but has decided tospend 2 years teaching geography here.
As for Lima overall, it is a city of contrast. In many ways, the modern areas are similar to home. Miraflores is the new city and has a lot of hi rise buildings and common chain restaurants. There are big Walmart sized supermarkets. Lima's center is more historic and clean with colonial buildings. Then there is the area around the mercado and chinatown with stalls abd street vendors crammed into narrow and dirty streets.
The food here has been surprisingly good. Unlike my start in Spain, I have eaten well. I ate a nice seafood dish and had a smooth Pisco Sour all for $15. I had anticuchos, or beef hearts, very flavorful and lots of nourishment with a view of paradise for under $10!
I am still having to remind myself, it is January! The doors and window are open all the time and the birds are chirping every morning.
Plaza de Armas Lima
Rimac and Cerro San Cristobal
Where I bought some good meat on a stick
A Lima street scene
Quail egg vendor - She was very nice and let me take her picture. $50 cents for about 8 of them. I made sure the water was boiling before buying!
Central Lima Architecture and Color
R & R at the hostel!
Llama eating grass
My first Pisco Sour in Peru
My meal tonight
Huaca Pucllana Ruins. It is part of a large archeological site in the Lima area. Many tribes occupied the site starting up to 1500 years ago and up to 200,000 people lived here. This site is a tiny part of the whole complex, much of which lies under the city.
Eating anticucho in Barranco. Anticucho is beef heart.
The beach in Barranco, a resort town south of Lima.
McDonalds delivery bikes. You can call and get fast food delivered in Peru! I also saw a KFC one.
Posted by solorooster 01.27.2013 06:42 Archived in Peru
Looks fantastic. Is the picture of stackedblocks a pyramid? Love that you are describing your culinary adventure, it is such a part of travel. The city looks so colorful, is it safe to wander around?
Cheers, Jean
01.29.2013 by JeanorLynn