Exploring Peru’s Capital – Part I

Lima, Peru

After our Machu Picchu adventure, E and I caught a flight from Cusco to Lima. Mac stayed behind in Cusco and was able to explore the city for a few days on his own. E and I had 2 full days to spend in the city before she flew home. The day after E left, Mac’s cousin Bree & her husband, Brett arrived in Lima. The three of us only had one evening and half a morning in Lima before we caught a flight to Cusco to meet up with Mac.

Miraflores

The hostel where E and I stayed was situated in the popular tourist neighbourhood of Miraflores. Home to many bars & restaurants, it’s quite the happening place. We spent one of our two days in Lima just walking around the huge neighbourhood. One of the coolest things was the Malecon – a boardwalk of sorts that runs parallel to the coast. The walkway really promotes health & activity as there are quite a number of workout equipment pieces along the path.

There is also a landing strip for the ever-popular activity of paragliding. From the hours of 2-5pm, the skies above the cliffs are filled with the sails of paragliders! It was mesmerizing to watch them float along and be carried by the wind.

Away from the cliffs & coast and towards the central area of Miraflores is a park where E and I spent quite a bit of time. (And then I also visited this park again on a few occasions with Bree & Brett). This park – Kennedy Park – is also known as Cat Park. This is for the simple reason that it is quite literally FULL of cats! Several dishes of food are placed around the park, and a high majority of the cats are in really good health. It was fun to sit and watch them. A word of warning: if you go to the Cat Park with food, be prepared to be bombarded!!

Downtown Lima

As part of a free walking tour, Ellen and I were familiarized with downtown Lima over the course of 3 hours. Our first stop was at the Plaza de Armas where we witnessed the changing of the guard. It was quite the show – complete with marching guards, a complete band, and full military attire! Apparently this spectacle occurs every single day, with the band music changing daily, AND the addition of horses on the weekends!

After the ceremony, we admired the surrounding buildings in the plaza: the Palace of Government, The Plaza de Armas, & the Cathedral.

From there, we walked through one of the central artisan markets (of which there is a similar one in Miraflores – pictured below) and into Santo Domingo Church. We admired the ornately carved wooden ceiling before continuing on to the old train station which has now been converted into a market/post office.

We then walked over the Trujillo bridge and saw just how far the suburbs of Lima extend. We finished off the tour with shots of Pisco! … When in Rome!

Often used as a stop-over from the airport to more “interesting” cities in Peru, Lima is frequently skipped on travel itineraries. Though covered in a perpetual state of haze & grey skies, Lima was actually a fascinating city to visit.  It’s also becoming quite well known for it’s gastronomical delights. E & I found some really delicious ‘hole-in-the-wall’ places to eat, but there’s definitely something for every budget. If you’re traveling to Peru and have an extra day or two, check out Lima! You might be surprised!