Peru was a delightful surprise, way beyond the check list I had started with. The journey started at Lima. You’ll immediately fall in love with the colour, the vibrancy, the historic buildings and most of all….the music. However, the essence of Lima lies in its people. The warmth, the positive energy, the open heartedness with which they treat you…. All of it makes you want to stay with a feeling of general gratitude to mankind. A good way to start ofcourse.
In Lima stay at the Miraflores area, literally translated as ‘View of the Flowers’. A lovely way to spend an afternoon is at the Parque Central de Miraflores, surrounded by bright flowers and with a wonderful glow of sunshine on your face.
Here I had one of the nicest experiences in Miraflores, the dance gatherings in the central park, which anyone can join impromptu. The dance floor is a round hollow, with steps going down and opening into an amphi theatre style stage (cavity) for dancing. If you feel beachy, relatively close, a short 10 min walk away, is the Playa Rodondo beach, and more specifically the Larcomar area with restaurants and shopping, a great way to spend an evening. You’ll find a lot of locals and tourists hanging out there, and it is the more commercial part of the city. The expanse of the ocean is visible from vantage points, and perched up at Larcomar, you can’t help but feel like you are the master of the land, air and sea.
The other sightseeing in Lima are more touristy. Visit the usual downtown areas with the Palaces, historic buildings, Church of La Merced and Basilica and Convent of San Francisco etc. However, when you’re walking around, don’t forget to stop for a nice cup of coffee at a local bakery. We stopped at one such quaint one called Panoli, and the modest looking café was a wonderfully pleasant surprise.
Where to eat – Would recommend a few restaurants as well. Try Tanta or El Museo in the evenings, esp. if you like live music.
A great place for Peruvian fine dining is the Huaca Pucllana restaurant, built next to the Huaca Pucllana pyramid, a 5th century AD construction. Don’t forget to try the Peruvian Pisco sour (the national spirit of Peru). The classic lemon flavour is the best, though it does come in variants.
Souvenirs – Though tempting, wool products are better in Cusco, so I would recommend you don’t buy woollens in lima. You could buy a pair of decoration Bulls for good luck, some T-shirts (the quality is good), and some local coffee if you enjoy a morning cuppa.
Interesting….? But Lima is just the tip of the iceberg.
Peru is a revelation, and has so much more waiting for you in Sacred Valley, Cusco and ofcourse Machu Picchu. So put on your backpack, and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime.
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