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Published: November 3rd 2012
08/13/12
So, a long day of travel. LAX was jam packed and it took us about 3 hours to arrive at the gate. Since both of us are afflicted with Veganitis, it was almost impossible getting something to eat at LAX. I would think there would at least be some kind of option, but we had to settle with bagels and fruit, which really isn't that bad, but will only get you so far for sustenance. Anywho, we make it to Mexico City, and leave it to this airport to be the FIRST airport, out of dozens of flights I've taken, to make me CHECK my backpack (my ONLY luggage). Needless to say, I was very irritated. I had to quickly think of the things I needed for the long flight and that I absolutely couldn't afford to lose. We arrive to PERU! Another long wait, this time in customs, and luckily we were entertained by a fight that broke out. A teenage boy was punching the shit out of some guy and screaming at him. I eagerly waited for shit to hit the fan with the officials, but unfortunately I was dissappointed and confused because they only rushed him
through the line where he waited for whomever he was with. Shit, I shold have started punching somebody for this "fast pass" the gentleman was granted. We eventually see that he was with family, and his dad was the man whom he was bitch-slapping with a vengeance. They must have forgot his Prozac back at home or he was watching too much Jersey Shore, har. Taxi driver from the hostel was there and waiting with our name on a sign. Well, actually, it was the driver's daughter. They were super nice and drove us to our destination. I come to find out I was missing a thumb drive and an iPhone charger...goddamn Mexico City airport!
08/14/12
We had a great nights rest and awoke to our "continental" breakfast, which WAS...bread and jelly. Seriously though, this "continental breakfast" term has to go because it definitely glamorizes this fairly lame ammenity provided by the hotel industry. It took us some time to figure out public transportation, but fortunately, officials at the stations were super helpful. On the bus, we met a girl from Salt Lake City who could see we were obviously confused and she helped us get to Plaza
de Armas. When we arrived, they were doing the changing of the guards at the presidential palace so there was a little parade and performance in the front of the building...it was pretty boring. Walked around a little, and pretty sure we saw a dead guy on the streets. Now that we had worked up an appetite, it was time to start our food journey of Peru. I had heard multiple stories and personal accounts of people getting sick in Peru, more so than anywhere else we had been, so we were eating with extreme caution. We searched out a vegetarian place recommended by Lonely Planet, but when it came to ordering, it was utterly confusing. In other countries we had visited, it had been relatively easy to figure out the menu, or at least get an English menu and just point at what we wanted, but here it was not the case. Somehow, after several exchanges of Spanglish, sign language, secret handshakes, and gypsy tactics, some food had arrived. It was a set menu, but somehow we shared some of the components and received our own of others, spending the entire time eating with the assumption of getting sick.
The Iglesia de San Francisco was pretty radtastical. It had catacombs with bones and skulls, making it an invigorating experience. Later, we walked to the coastline from our hostel to find breath-taking views of the coast and the ocean from Parque de Amour. There were some serious sets of waves coming in brah...I really wanted to shred the gnar but then I remembered that I didn't feel like swimming. We discovered a decent vegan restaurant with Peruvian dishes, then went to a Lonely Planet recommended bar, but apparently they weren't letting any gringos in because there was a private event, but we could pay the door guy if we wanted to get in...hmmm.
08/16/12
Most of our day was wasted trying to consider our options for a Pisco/Paracas trip. The cost of travel packages with different travel agencies were very inconsistent, making us even more apprehensive then we already are with booking any kind of tour packages. Also, Megan had mentioned she would possibly get nausea on the boat for Islas Ballestas (which is the "poor man's Gallepagos"). Odds were even greater for her to go green with reports of high winds and canceled boat trips. In the
Government Palace
Changing of the guards.end, we decided not to go. As a result, we decided to spend another night in Lima and to find a hostel for the night. Finding an affordable room last minute wasn't the easiest. We stayed at a Flying Dog and it was nowhere as nice as the last place we stayed, and for the same price, but there was a travel agent there that was very nice and helpful for booking our plans for Huacachina. Either way, 1 night, who cares? With our bus trip to Huacachina booked for the following day, we wanted to get food for the trip so we stopped by a grocery store near Kennedy Park. While shopping, an alarm went off in the grocery store, and a security guard made us drop all our groceries and leave, which was odd because we just assumed that the alarm was accidentally tripped. The entire store and almost every place in the entire area had emptied into streets! Police cars were everywhere, sirens and alarms were going off, cats and dogs were living together, mass hysteria, and almost everybody looked just as confused as we were. Later, we came to find out it was an earthquake drill.
Anyways, we had read a lot about Lima's booming gastronomy/culinary food scene and discovered a vegan/organic restaurant that was super good. After going to bed, we woke up to a handful of really loud frat-boy douchebags who were going on about how cool they were, all the money they're going to make, and all the chicks they had or were going conquer, etc...I went out to the common area where they were to tell them to keep it down...it was like 3 or 4 in the AM. They responded with apologies, but more in a patronizing manor which, I'm sure, ensued with jokes about me after I went back in my room.
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