Blogs from Lima, Lima, Lima, Peru, South America - page 26

The bus took off around 12:30 on Wednesday. I had booked through Palomino (good reputation) but found myself on a bus run by Wazi. I had a window seat and a pleasant gentleman next to me who didn't speak with me at all but who observed boundaries a lot better than most I have met thus far. The bus was very comfortable, though I thought I had booked Cama, not Semi Cama (full recline v. partial recline) The food was quite good. We had spaghetti to start, which was nice and then for dinner had a selection of breads. I am carb loading in South America. Peruvian buses are known for being less than safe and I was afforded an opportunity to see this twice first hand. The first came when on the long winding roads ... read more

Miraflores is the affluent part of Lima a world appart from the cramped dusty old banger, car jammed, beep beep streets of central Lima and Hotel Kamana. It´s wide avenues, linned with designer boutiques and department stores, lead to resturaunts that over look the beach from a rocky cliff top. Surfers catch waves and paragliders ride thermals, holiday makers shop for handbags wearing designer sunglasses strolling below mirror windowed hotels that are partially obscured by fluffly white clouds. We are at high altitude here. We eat well and people watch, chat and drink Pisco sours on a resturaunt balcony taking full advantage of the four hour happy hour. Like most citys there are many sides to Lima. Miraflores is a place for the rich to play whilst the poor toil almost out of sight. We take ... read more

Lima is built on a grid system a little like New York or Milton Keans. The Armistace square is the only place where I have seen grass or trees. The narrow roads are perminantly choked with traffic. The shops and work places are all grouped by type. All the optitions are on one road and all the stationers are on another. There is a road of printers their workshops opening onto the road the smell of ink mixing with petrol fumes. The streets are free of litter and cleaned by day glow suit, cap, mask and glove clad individuals. Yesterday I saw a woman stub out a ciggerett with her heal the pick it up and put it in the bin. A mountain overlooks the city it appears hazy brown and grey through a light smog. ... read more

Landed in Cusco in the early afternoon today. On the flight I coincidentally spoke to some people who I had met from the plane from Atlanta two days earlier. I like Cusco very much. Many colonial churches, a large central square (Plaza de Armas), and many people. I looked for little Z´s carved into buildings until I realized I am not in Mexico - I would have a good emoticon to go with the comment, but this keyboard is a little confusing... Anyway, I am experiencing the expected altitude sickness of the first day. Not too bad, but a little dizzy, faster heart rate, faster breathing. I think acclimation takes about a day. A German traveller at the hostel explained his was a little worse, with headaches. If I can get pictues uploaded tonight they will ... read more

after the trek ended i wanted to go to chavin, the majorly important ancient culture in this region. they have an underground complex with carvings and interesting history. i wont waste any more time explaining about them because the road to it was blocked by a rockfall and there being no other road we couldnt go so we went to a galcier instead, like you do!! on the way we went through the national park again and saw these really wierd plants, i am ashamed to say i didnt write down the name so until i get back i dont even know what they are!! but they were very bid and alien looking on the landscape. we drove to the foot of a mountain and walked up to the tip of a glacier at the top. ... read more