Welcome to Lima

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Buenos Dias!

We arrived in Lima 2 days ago and still haven't adjusted completley to the time difference and heat! (32C).. We both got massivley sunburnt today!

Lima is amazing, population 8 million, in what seems at times like 100m square feet! It's busy like london but with friendly people and such a laid back attitude. We're enjoying walking around at our own pace and soaking up the culture. Also, as one local explained to us, the local drivers are "mucho loco"! - the roads are chaos, the horn seems to be used more so than the brakes!

We arrived in Lima, at 7pm local time, once we got to the "Friends House", where we have stayed for the past 2 nights, we headed out for some local food - raw chunks of fish with a really tasty lemon and garlic sauce and massive corn seeds... It has to be said we were keener on the sauce and corn!

The next day we headed to downtown Lima, where the hustle and bustle was exciting more than intimidating. We found the locals really helpful and Bex had many admirers!! Despite warnings about the safety of central Lima, we had very little hastle (perhaps because we were expecting the same as Egypt!). There is no general bus service here so it's each for thier own. We've been travelling around on these crazy mini bus type things called "collectivos" - they're hillarious, it's like wacky races. In central Lima, we walked around the Plaza de Armas, the centre of the city and visited the local markets. We also visited the church of San Fransisco, where there were catacumbs of lima's dead from the 16th century - unfortunately, no photos were allowed. We finished the day by heading back to the suburb we're staying in, Miraflores, for a cocktail/beer.. Check out the picture!! ha ha!

Today, we went down to the beach, which wasn't all that good actually, quite polluted and smelly! The fun part was climbing the cliff back up from the sea front - quite dangerous as it looked like it could fall down at any point! Tonight we're getting a night bus to Huaraz, an area 3,000m above sea level, where, after aclimitizing, we're hopefully (weather permitting) going to do a 5 day hike around the highest mountain range in S. America. - according to our new S. American freind Alvaro, who we met on the plane and are hopefully going clubbing with!

So, until next week sometime.. Adios

Love Bex and Dom

xxx

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Photos

The Rio Rimac
Rimac in the distance. A very poor area of Lima

Plaza de Armas
Spot Bex (Aka Wally) in the crowd.. she is there somewhere!

Bar in Miraflores
Before..........

Bar in Miraflores
After..........

Beach at Miraflores
Very hazy all day long!

Comments

[Katie]

scary steps
those steps/that cliff down to the beach looks a bit scary!! glad you arrived safely and are enjoying the local amenities already! much love xxx

[Anne & Dave]

Gald you have arrived safely. Sounds like you are fiTting right in and having fun! We love the before and after photo!!x x

[Anneliese]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Happy Birthday darling Bex! (for yesterday!) Hope you had a fun day whatever you were up to!! We've booked our tickets now! Set off on 10th May, returning at the end of August. Yey!!! Big bear hugs, Anna xxxxxxxxx

[Alister Marsh]

Hey
hello big man glad to hear you having a great time. see the old pint downing face hasnt changed a bit. hope things are well and ur having the time of your life. Ali x

[charlie]

Mi Peru
Nice stories.I lived in Peru for 12 years from 84 till 96 but first started going there in 1973.My wife and kids are Peruvian, were now living here in Cambridge UK since 2000 I was working in Canada from 96 till 99 on the oil pipe lines and in 2000 we all moved here,me back to where I grew up my family came to a new life here in UK.My wife is from Huaraz and all her family are from up even higher living in Casas de Adobe and her uncle untill two years ago used to go to the snow level on his mule about 3 am and bring ice from the glacier down to Huaraz to sell to keep the fish fresh...Iworked as a Guide and during the Gurilla War in the eighties and early ninties when tourism was slow I drove a VW Beatle Taxi in Lima and when a nervous Gringo or Englishman would get in my Taxi after they would calm down a bit and they not knowing I was English as I would bargain the price down in Spanish with them with hand and finger signs ans I was very brown and spoke Spanish and drove a car like a Peruvian and then I would turn around and say to them ...WAR YA FROM MATE with a London accent... It was always so funny and they would always get the fare half price cheaper than a Peruvian Taxi Driver. Hope ya like the story as yours was so good and kind towards Peruvians. Charlie