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What a great last night in Lima!! Gracias Diego for being my 'night guide' in Lima!! 😊 I'm gonna miss you guys!
Well, my horseriding guide from Cuzco, who accompanied me to the Colca Canyon, was not understanding the fact that I was not interested in returning to his family in Lima and, I think marry him and live happily ever after! He told me AFTER we´d hopped on the bus to Arequipa (after pleading to accompany me... as a friend!) that his mother had only sent him S/. 50 - not nearly enough to pay me back - and that he would call as soon as we got there so that she could send him more (there were conveniently no banks in the town we were going to). My good heart couldn´t leave him stranded there with no money, and it was good to have a 'guide' for the canyon, so I didn´t mind.
When we returned to Arequipa, however, and he told me he had only been sent S/.50 AGAIN, that was it. Rather than give me the money and let me be, as I requested, he used the money to buy two tickets to Lima, content
to 'bring me home to the family' and assuring me his mum would look after me and he would pay for everything then. Definitely NOT!!! I had planned to go to Nazca on the way to Lima, so, as the bus made a stop there, I decided I would leave the bus there at 5am, and that way I would be rid of him once and for all!! Luckily, there was a taxi waiting for me as I got out of the bus (under the pretext of going to the loo!), and I jumped in as fast as possible!
So in Nazca I joined another Australian, a Dutch and a Japanese guy for a flight over the famous Nazca lines. Noone really knows for why these lines are here in the desert sands near to the coast below Lima, but the video we were shown before our flight speculated that they were due to Inca, or pre-Inca, peoples ritually walking the lines praying to the gods for rain - given that all the lines seem to radiate from water sources. The animals present also represent various characteristics and qualities the people worshiped. Very bizarre. The flight was amply long
enough at 20 mins, as the plane tipped from side to side to give all four of us a good view of the lines so we could snap away - our stomachs were churning! But it was a fun little joy flight! 😊
After the flight I joined my new mates on a few hour bus ride to Ica, where we farewelled the Aussie girl - who had a permanent reminder of the Nazca monkey tatooed on her leg - and left her to head to the oasis in the middle of the sand dunes for some sandboarding. The Dutch guy and I headed to Lima on another bus, arriving a few movies later at around 10pm. I called my contacts from Gus (a Peruvian I met in my university days in Australia), who suggested I go to the hostel owned by their son. We both jumped in a taxi and headed to... luxury!
Our mouths gaped as we entered the B&B, and we stole sideways glances, each with the same question on our lips - how much??!! They had assured me they´d give me a good price - normally 40, they offered us 20. When my companion
Tree
... and the Panamerican highway they built straight through the Nazca lines before they realised the lines existed!said he was used to paying 15, they said ok, they´d give us 15 each. I couldn´t believe it when I saw the room - room service, cable tv, towels, soap, even toilet paper!! 😊 The next day, the Dutch guy left, and I got a phone call. Actually, the price they had quoted us was in US Dollars!!! Of course!! So, my friend had left paying only S/.15 - about USD 5!!!! But I didn´t mind paying a bit higher than my budget as it was sooooo nice to have a bit of luxury for a change - I even had my own phone for my folks to call me in bed!!
Day one, Gus´s uncle dropped me off in Miraflores on his way to work (the area we were staying in was quite far from the centre, but safe... although being right next to the American Embassy, I´m not so sure!!) - a lovely area of Lima with markets, shops (yay, some department stores - I didn´t realise how much I appreciated the comforts of home!!), and LarcoMar - a center overlooking the sea... although on a usual foggy day not much of the coastline is visible!
My guide :)
Looking out over the old wall which surrounded Lima A highway runs along the beach, behind which towers a cliff, and LarcoMar is situated atop this cliff with a games, shopping and entertainment area.
I rambled around the shops and streets, tried a famous ceviche - raw seafood marinated in lime juice and chile, served with onion, sweet potato and corn - YUM!!!!!! 😊😊 My Dutch friend unfortunately had a worse case of diarrhoea that I from our lunch in Nazca, and stayed in bed all morning! So I went back to the hostel that night and we had dinner before he headed off to the airport. Then I drank and chatted the night away in the hotel lobby with the delightful owner and a Colombian who was also staying there.
Next morning (or rather, afternoon by the time I´d got ready!), I caught a couple of buses about 45mins into the centre. Passing some of the dodgier suburbs, I arrived in the main square - some gorgeous buildings! I found myself a crazy companion for the afternoon when I asked a security guard to take my photo - Cynthia, an 18 year old Peruvian tourist guide, fiancee to an English guy. She was great fun, and
we whiled away the afternoon visiting the Cathedral (similar to that in Seville, Spain), San Francisco Monastry and its Catacombs, the ancient wall which surrounded the city, and the old government building which was used for the inquisition (with a display of various torture methods among others!). We tried a lovely rice pudding, and Cynthia said she´d invite me to her place the following day for lunch before I caught my bus - providing I got up early enough after my night out!
Around 10pm, the son of Gus´s cousin came round to pick me up for a night on the town with his friends. Diego was over the moon, as he and his band had got into the four qualifying groups in the competition that day! We first headed for a beer at La Mochilera - a typical backpackers bar which they never usually go to! Being a Thursday night, it was quite quiet (Fri and Sat are happening nights), so we headed on to another friend´s place with a bottle of coke and rum. Next, we headed to a nightclub - also quiet, followed by yet another friend´s place! And so the night went on! All in
San Francisco
They did renovations before realising the walls underneath were painted! all, a whole lot of fun, and we ended up overlooking the beach, music blaring out of the car!
As the night was ending, we decided to go back to another friend´s place. In the car, Diego was explaining how the police are paid next to nothing in Peru, so normally if you drink drive or commit an offence, S/. 10 is enough to get you off the hook (around $3!!!). Sure enough, my trying to touch hands with the neighbouring car (friends of course) caught the attention of the passing police! They stopped us, and asked if Diego had been drinking - to which he replied no (yeah right!) and Diego went behind the car to chat with the official (who went to turn off the video in the car). Finally they accepted that he pay them some money, but between the three of us, we could only scrape together S/. 3.20! The policemen actually LAUGHED, took the money, and drove off!!! I could not believe it (neither could they for that matter!)!!! Corruption at its best!!
I got back to the hostel at around 8/9am and went to bed. About an hour later, Cynthia rang -
I told her I´d call her when I woke up!! At 1pm, just after I got up, Diego called and came to pick me up an hour later with his friend to take me to lunch as a delicious Cevicheria - they invited me to some of the local dishes, and a nice COLD beer... I was in HEAVEN!!! The best seafood I´ve ever tasted... I hesitated... should I stay in this city???
But time pushed me on, and I sadly said goodbye to my new buddies, and headed off to catch a night bus to Huaraz - the Switzerland of Peru (how appropriate!). Now, I´m just about to start off on a 13 day circular trek around the Huayhuash Cordillera (I have changed my flight out of Quito for the THIRD time!!) - the Mountain range where Joe Simpson had his famous accident (Touching the Void - movie and book), and the second highest mountain in Peru (the highest is right next door in the Cordillera Blanca). I´m with a great guide recommended to me by my Uyuni travelling companions, and a lovely Dutch couple... stay posted for the post-trip run down!!
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Augusto
non-member comment
marriage proposals
I am surprised that your Arequipa "encounter" was the first marriage proposal you have had during your trip. It must have been the day you were wearing your "VISA" T-shirt. I am glad that you had a favorable impresion of Lima and my family did look after you. Nothing like first hand experience at corruption :-) this is why the country is the way it is (say no more)