Peru is amazing and I’m never coming home. Just kidding, but it really is amazing here!
We arrived in Peru in the early hours of the morning after our flight was delayed thanks to a crying (screaming) baby. Exhausted, we ordered a cab from the airport and went through the most terrifying car ride of our lives. First off, Peruvians who live in Lima don’t know how to drive. Are there rules of the road? No. Their horns are extensions of their voices. Driving on a two-lane road? Wrong. You are now driving on a newly dubbed three-lane road by the taxi drivers. Walking around the city and crossing the street is another story I will save for another day. Just know that stop signs are more of a suggestion than a law.
Ben and I stayed in Mira Flores, an absolutely beautiful part of Lima. Our AirBnB was just two blocks away from Parque de Kennedy, which is a gorgeous park with blossoming flowers and tons of stray cats roaming around just waiting for Peruvians (or American tourists like me) to adopt them. If you know Ben, you know he hates cats. So, while sitting in the park enjoying the weather you can imagine his reaction when a stray cat climbed into his lap and prepared for an afternoon snooze.
I’m sure you’re all wondering how the food is here. There is no word to describe it except delicious and cheap. The Peruvian currency is definitely a friend to young Americans who want to travel. Ben and I have been eating at some great restaurants in the heart of Lima daily, usually totaling around $25 for both of us, including cocktails. Another thing, Pisco Sours are amazing and will definitely get you tipsy if that’s what you’re looking for. We tried some traditional Peruvian food, one of the dishes being ceviche. Ceviche is raw fish soaked in a citrus juice and served with onions. It’s absolutely delicious and I wish we had it in the States.
During out time in Lima we saw (and touched) the Pacific Ocean for the first time. Ben even took his first surfing lesson in it! We went on a night bus tour of Lima and took a tour of the San Franciscan Monastery and Catacombs, where we made two backpacking friends and grabbed drinks with them. We went to a chocolate museum where we learned about the process of how chocolate is made and ate an amazing chocolate lava cake. Lastly, we went to the zoo, which reminded me of how much I hate zoos and how bad I feel for the animals.
Overall, Lima was great! It’s a major city with about 10 million residents. There are some bad neighborhoods that we wandered into and some beautiful neighborhoods we toured. The people were extremely friendly and helpful when we asked for directions or advice. The city itself was incredibly clean (take a note Philadelphia!) and had a ton of culture. I would definitely visit Lima again, however I am ready to move on to the next leg of our adventure: Cusco.
From Peru With Love 