7-10/08/24

NB. I’ve started dating my entries for my own sanity as I’m already forgetting where we went when! Also WiFi has been patchy of late and it’s been difficult to upload images to the posts.

Aaaanyway… After a pretty uncomfortable, but thankfully shortish flight, we landed in Lima, Peru. We had a similarly well-organised taxi experience as in Bogotá, whereby you go to a desk, pay, get a ticket and they call a specific taxi driver to come and get you. So far, driving in Peru seems marginally better than Colombia. It’s still wacky races on the roads, but at least there’s indicating! And much less honking.

We arrived at our hotel late. Check in was easy and we went up to our room to crash. This hotel had the feeling of faded grandeur… I’m sure at one point it was really snazzy but hasn’t been updated in a while! And continuing on with my gripes about ill-thought-through room design, the bedside lights were wall mounted and not within reach of the bed. Also another fridge, not plugged in, and a truly bizarre fully open ventilation shaft that meant you could hear every sneeze and fart from all the rooms connected to said shaft.

All in all, I had a pretty decent sleep. Decided to check out breakfast (Alex didn’t want to risk it) and it was fine, pretty average stuff, filled a gap and was free. Coffee on the other hand… oh dear. We had been truly spoilt in Colombia.

Our first stop was, of course, the cat park. “What in tarnation?!” I hear you exclaim. Let me explain. There is a local park, where loads of cats live. Someone (maybe city council even?) put up little huts for them to sleep in and they get fed and everything. Clearly they like living there! It was great, there were lots of cats.

Then saw a bonus cat in a bookshop.

We had an early lunch at “La Lucha Sangucheria Criolla” which is like a hot sandwich/burger chain. Chips were insane, frozen passion fruit juice was insane, my sandwich wasssss fine.

We then walked to Barranco, the neighbouring area to where we were staying in Miraflores. On the whole, it felt like a much more chilled experience than Bogotá, although that said I did see a most hilarious display of male dominance ever.

The point at which we started to witness it was a bloke running along a cycle path and shoving a man off his e-scooter, gesticulating and shouting before heading back in the other direction. E-scooter man wasn’t having this, literally dropped his scooter and bag and legged it after the first guy. Full on fisticuffs and rolling around on the floor (jeez just kiss already) ensued, in the middle of the road by the car that the first assailant was running back to. The car was also in the middle of an interchange. I tried to take a video but Alex told me off. Spoilsport.

I can only assume that the e-scooter cut him up or swore at him or dinked his car or something. Anyway, we were miles over on the other side of the pavement, rubbernecking along with everyone else.

We had a nice wander to Barranco via the Pacific Ocean.

Then did a little tiny bit of culture at a modern art museum (pretty thin on the ground in terms of quantity) had a hot chocolate and carried on into Barranco itself.

We then walked to a place called the bridge of sighs that was rather pretty.

This area took us down to the ocean again. Enjoy this super warped panoramic photo.

After that we decided to get an Uber back to the hotel, whence we napped and then decided we had both eaten too much that day and had a gentle evening of recovery watching Netflix.

In the morning, I risked what I referred to as the murder shower. Seriously creepy. But great water pressure. After breakfast we got to admiding… it was time for another laundromat adventure, and some farmacia supplies for our upcoming ascent in altitude. We also visited the local fancy supermarket because it’s important to experience local culture as well. We got some Inca Kola which is a big deal here. Neon green/yellow (could one say chartreuse?) and tastes kinda like cream soda or Irn Bru if Irn Bru was more gentle and not inherently Scottish.

After all that and a repack of the bags it was time for a Pisco Sour and some dinner. Although I got a Pisco Mule which is like a Russian Mule but either Pisco. I know. Mind blown.

Dinner was at a place called “Canta Rana” in Barranco recommended by a friend of Alex’s who passed through recently. I had my first ceviche fix – mixed seafood so as to try many things, as well as hot garlic prawns that were deliciousness itself.

We finished off with one last cocktail near the hotel at a bar that was sort of 2010 Tiki vibes but playing classic rock. Alex got a very silly cocktail that they set alight.

The following morning was an 8am bus to the airport to catch a flight to Cusco. All in all, not a bad start to Peru!