After a short 10 hour night bus I awoke in Lima refreshed and ready to explore. The Peruvian buses are surprisingly comfortable and an upgrade after the rickety, packed night buses of Ecuador. Most Peruvian companies even offer bus cama services (seats that nearly lie flat) for night buses, as well as a meal or two (very small portions but better than most US airline companies offer). Initially, Lima was just going to be a stop over before heading to Cusco. I hadn´t heard the greatest reports from other travelers and the majority of opinions centered around how dangerous, polluted, and oppressively hot it is. I had to see for myself... two days, and many great experiences later, I sided with the pro-Lima camp.
When arriving in a new city, the first thing I like to do is explore as much as I can on foot. This is a larger task in a city of 8 million like Lima, but large areas can still be explored with some extra effort. The first day I explored Miraflores (the popular neighborhood bordering the seaside very close to the city center), checked some prospective cooking schools (I had thoughts of coming home a fine Peruvian chef), chatted with locals in the street, visited the artisian market, and tasted some delicious cuisine. I capped the night off with a friend of mine and a delicious dinner (including Ceviche, a local dish of raw seafood marinated in lime juice and onions) followed by drinks with another friend I had met in Colombia. While having a drink we were introduced to a group of locals enjoying the night and were soon invited to a matrimonial party at one of the couple´s houses the following day. Not a bad day in Lima.
The next day we set aside for exploring the historic center, known for it´s colonial Spanish buildings and architecture. If Cusco and the surrounding area is known as the Inca capital, Lima is the capital of Spanish Conquistador rule. The center did not disappoint in grandeur or in energy. We were lucky enough to arrive for the parade and celebration of ¨Day of the Cross¨, a fusion holiday to pay homage to the Christian cross and the Inca cross (or astrological southern cross). The sun was shining, music was thumping in the street, and dancers and musicians marched past in their traditional dress. All the excitement of the day slowly came to a close as the sun began to set in the Peruvian sky. We had a party to attend with our friends from the night before and rushed back to our hostel to change and get ready. We arrived at their house to find no party (it had been changed to a different location), but perfect hospitality, great conversation, and the warmth of strangers who were slowly becoming close friends. The locals seemed to be just another side of Lima that is over looked.
Unfortunately it was only a short stop in a kind city, but the journey had to continue; Cusco and the Sacred Valley lay in wait!
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