Lima for New Year

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I hadn´t planned on spending any time in Lima, but when it turned out that the bus from Cusco would take 21 hours, I decided to stop for a night or so. After another chaotic cab ride I met jess and rachel at the bus depot again, but they were upstairs, I was down. I'd heard rumours that the road went over 5000m but I passed out pretty quickly, waking up in the middle of the desert again. I turned to watch the film for a bit, and next time I looked out of the window everything was green. Surely the climate couldn't be that abrupt? Then I realised that not quite everything was green - it must be irrigated, but on what scale? All that extra water evaporating must be having some kind of knock on effect? It was desert on and off all the way into Lima, but cloudy again. The bus pulled into Lima early, and I caught a cab to the hostel with the girls.
They went off and did their own thing,and I wandered to the cliff top path in the late afternoon haze, somewhat startled by the cow sculptures, and met some Americans checking out the surf, so chatted with them for a a couple of hours as the sun set, and and one point, wandering past a group of kids creating their own hip hop video. Dinner was on my own in the most touristy street in Lima, but I´d had enough chicken for a bit...

Next morning, after wandering around I met up with Vincent and Becky and went to the market for lunch - had some really great food.. although it was chicken and rice again, then kicked about a bit waiting for new year. I´d managed to pick up a cold on the bus over from Cusco, and had found a chemist who gave me antibiotics (why? I only wanted strepsils!) and a strong painkiller so that meant no alcohol for new year... great.
I helped the hostel chuck up some decorations - all yellow; anyone know why? - and waited. At about 10 thirty a group of us went up to the Plaza de Armas to watch a live salsa band (no one was dancing) and the fireworks. Quite a cool way to see in the new year, before heading back to the hostel early ish. Miraflores was still pumping until it got light, though.
Surprisingly New Year´s Day was a little quiet. I ended up wandering around the big shopping mall with not many shops open. Many Peruvians had done the same, but the massage did help ease the red hot pokers still in my shoulders from the Inca Trail.
My bus left at 10, and I was upstairs for a change, but I think I slept for about 30 minutes of the eight hour trip.... the road was insanely bumpy, and I was starting to feel quite queasy when the bus pulled in.

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Comments

[Matt]

I take it you have learn't to avoid sitting over the rear axle of the busses, I did a 5hr journey being bounced between the seat and the roof once, not good. Hope your feeling a bit more lively now.

[Dr Astelia]

I would imagine that yellow is an apposite colour for decorations that have been chucked up. Anyhow you should comfortably ignore instructions to avoid alcohol with painkillers, most tablets are just a catalyst, not the end of the world - think of the cash you'll save.

[amatth11]

Omg!
You too, eh? :)