Huaraz --> Lima

View from the mall overlooking the steep cliffs leading down to the ocean.  

Recovery time!  Dave slept for almost the entire first day in Lima, recovering from a long overnight bus ride and a horrible case of something.  We went to the pharmacy and they gave us some type of miracle antihistamines that cleared up whatever was going on.  Once again, we made the mistake of not having a reservation before entering a big city and were roaming around with a taxi driver at 6am trying to figure out a place to stay.  We finally found a place in the beautiful beach district of Miraflores and camped out on their couches until a room opened up. 

Lima was really different than we thought it would be.  I took off walking while Dave slept the morning away and found this neighborhood to be much like Marina del Rey, CA.  Sweeping views of the ocean from high bluffs, surfers, ocean boardwalks with beautiful public parks, shopping malls, and TONS of people jogging and rollerblading.  WHAT?  It was acutally a strange experience and a weird juxtaposition from Huaraz, an indigenous mountain community.  If this puts it into perspective, they have Starbucks and Tony Roma´s.  It did not feel like Perú, but it was a welcome difference! 

We were pleasantly surpised with how beautiful the colonial old town of Lima was.  The plazas were huge and we enjoyed some quality people watching.  It was HOT in Lima, also a nice change from Huaraz.  Much of our time was spent relaxing, eating amazing food, and taking long walks.  We had the best lunch of our trip, perhaps the best meal so far, at a cevicheria in Miraflores.  Ceviche is a type of raw seafood plate (can be any type of seafood) that is doused in lime juice, tomatoes, and onions.  There are all different types, but the one that we had was ceviche de pescado and it was FANTASTIC.  We couldn´t stop talking about it for the next few days.  Dave and I enjoyed this taste of being back in the first world, but after three nights we boarded the 21-hour luxury bus and headed for Cusco.  Five movies later and some windy ascents up into the high altutude of Cusco, we arrived and have been here since!

Parque del Amor...a perfect representative South American statue with a paraglider in the background.  PS-every park in every city or town in all of South America contains tons of pairs FULL ON making out.  Entirely entertaining. 

Drinking REAL coffee! 

Lima Sunset


All aboard the lux bus for Cusco...21 hours :)