Lima

Two days in Lima: very many pisco sours, constant ceviche, and 36,202 steps.  Which feels surprisingly few given how tired my little legs are right now.  The city is grey and hectic, the constant noise of people and traffic and dogs and music in the distance blurring together in the mist.  Due (I think) to its spot on the coast, the Lima fog is well known and the city has seemingly made an effort to blend in the grey concrete buildings too.  But it’s an amazing place to go exploring: one second you’re accidentally next to a 6 lane motorway and the next you’re in a deserted residential street with crazy trees, white and pink and purple and orange flowers, and a lovely old lady saying hello wondering why you’re looking at her front garden.

There’s an ancient, ruined pyramid from 650AD in the middle of the city, of course, and what must be at least 50 incredibly healthy looking stray cats in our local park in the Miraflores district (one of the most popular for travellers and tourists).  It seems the city takes care of its residents; there’s cat food and water out for them and a little hut where you can adopt them from.

The people take care of the city too.  We haven’t seen a single bit of litter, no chewing gum on the pavements, no cigarette butts, and there’s recycling bins for plastic bottles that everyone was using.  We didn’t see any homeless people either, and it felt very safe walking at night as well as in the daytime.

We’re getting by with my ruuuuusty Spanish and Jeremy’s Portuguese [Jeremy edit: Portanhol thank you - I’m making a real effort to sound like what I imagine South American Spanish sounds like], and lots of gesticulating.  However it didn’t help us much yesterday when we decided to have lunch in a teeny cafe with a little chalkboard outside and only locals inside.  And two pigeons that came in for a wander (and a poo) at one point.  The only things on the menu we understood (ceviche, now a key part of my diet) they weren’t doing that day so we picked some things at random and ended up with a Scottish cola drink - the drink of Arequipa, a bit further south, obviously - and two mountains of slightly different cooked rice that could each easily feed a family of four.  At least we didn’t accidentally order guinea pig.  (Jeremy did try some in the evening though and is still in the ensuing existential should-I-go-vegan crisis).

We’re now on our way to Cusco, via Paracas, Huacachina, and Nazca, on a Peru Hop bus which means we can stop as long as we like in each location.  Lima’s a little bit nippy (it is the middle of winter after all) but Huacachina is in the middle of the desert so I’m hoping for a day when I don’t need my thermals 🙃

Love to all - Melissa and Jeremy