Arrival
Night one in Peru, no sleep and a missing bag. The bag was left in Mexico, the airport offered a 3-hour window in the morning to retrieve it, so we chose to drink all night and make acquaintances up at the hostel’s rooftop bar. Pilsen a light beer brewed in the neighborhood of Callao is ubiquitous in Lima, and kept a constant presence that night. By the late morning the bags were retrieved, friends had been made and we were fast asleep.
The first days in Peru were a blur (hence the lack of pictures). We kept busy exploring Miraflores, the pebble beach below, Kennedy park named for John F. Kennedy, and the grocery store. The pathways through Kennedy park host large number of cats, the year-round residents of the neighborhood. Kennedy park is a popular and safe area lined with hostels, restaurants, street vendors and tourists. Newcomers to any city inevitably winds up in places like this. We tried our first Peruvian fast food at a flashy open-air restaurant along the Kennedy park plaza. My dish, a heavenly pairing of fried chicken, french fries and fried rice, I forget what Stephanie had.
After a couple days of wandering around Miraflores it was time to go.
Steep road and cute dog in Cusco
Cusco Round #1
The flight from Lima to the district of Cusco is a quick one. We collected our bags and negotiated a taxi ride to the first hostel we read about with a bar and free Wi-Fi.
Hot tip: The taxi drivers who wait right outside of bus stations/ airports etc. usually have some sort of “official” badge to prove to tourists they are legitimate. However, they cost a premium. A cheaper ride can usually be found around the corner, but you also might get abducted. Fair warning
Statue in the center of the Plaza De Armas
Cusco was a big change from the busy modern streets of Miraflores. We wandered the city’s cobble stone streets, haggled with street vendors, and walked the steep causeways, slowly becoming accustomed to the altitude.
Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas, was the first time we saw the precise mason work of the Inca. The masonry still holds steady like the 12-angled stone that supports a section of the palace walls till this day. Through out the Sacred Valley and Cusco, tradition still exists and glimpses of the past can be seen in the long braids of the women and the adorned animals that pass through the streets.
Row in the central market
One afternoon we visited the central market, where vendors occupy stalls and steps to supply the local populace. Our spending took a significant dip after discovering this thriving location. Lunch was a huge bowl of chicken soup, glasses of fresh squeezed juice and endless people watching for less than 5 US dollars.
Night of the match
Unbeknownst to us we were in Peru at a great time, the national team would be competing in the World Cup. That night across the country people gathered to watch the match. The Plaza de Armas filled with hundreds of locals and tourists and an enormous projector screen was set up adjacent to the church. We drank local beers out of grocery bags and joined the mass of onlookers. The match brought out citizens of all demographics and vendors swarmed looking to make a small profit selling beer, snacks and mementos. The match ended in a draw and we found our way to an upstairs tourist bar and finished the night.