Off to Peru!

BK and I realized the other day that we’re starting to make our way around Central and South America. For my birthday this year- a big one- we headed to Peru; to Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu. I’ve been jokingly telling people that now that I’ve turned 40, I’m apparently out to prove that I can still do stuff. So here we are! 

Travel in the time of COVID

We came to Peru so we could hike Machu Picchu, but first we made a short stop in Lima. There is only one direct flight from DFW to Lima per day, so you take what you can get. We arrived in Lima around 2AM and got to our hotel around 3:30 to fall into bed. Later on the first day we had an easy morning, a city tour in the afternoon, a Pisco tasting then had an incredible dinner to end the day. 

Lima at 3:00 in the morning

A little bit about Lima: I would honestly say it feels like your typical large  South American city. One-third of Peru’s population lives in the city, about 12M people, and has significantly grown over the past 30 years. After Spanish, honking is their second language. So much car noise, but like I said, that kind of comes with the territory. 

We stayed in the area of Miraflores, about 45 minutes from the airport and right on the coast. It’s a nice neighborhood with both residential and businesses around. The first morning BK and I got out to explore and walked to the main square of the neighborhood and then down to the coast. The city is set up above the coast, but there were great views of the bay. You have to find yourself at the coast mid-afternoon, as there is fog/mist in the morning and early evening. 

Miraflores area of Lima

After we grabbed lunch we were off for a city tour with Miguel, our guide in Lima. We spent the most time in the historic colonial center where the President’s palace, cathedral and city hall are located. Francisco Pizarro is buried in the cathedral and has an extremely ornate room dedicated to him with over 1.3 million tiny mosaic tiles decorating the entire thing. He seems to be both a villain and a hero, but he does have quite a space dedicated to him. 

Francisco Pizzaro’s chapel

We also toured Santo Domingo Convent Museum. It has a ton of Peruvian history in it and is said to be the oldest church in Peru, founded in 1535. The convent has three primary saints it honors, and they are everywhere throughout- including models of their sculls on display below their portraits. Additionally, the library is open for people to visit. It has volumes and volumes of original books and magazines. I appreciated that all of the materials were kept out to be seen and were not behind plexiglass.

Convent gardens and bell tower

We headed back to the hotel for a Pisco tasting. Pisco is a distilled spirit originating in Peru. Like many other spirits, if you taste it by itself you feel like you could breathe fire. Pisco is no exception. We tasted four varieties from different parts of the country and ended by mixing it with ginger ale and lime. Pisco was not my favorite, but Pisco Sours are very well known here and the tasting was part of experiencing the culture in Peru. To make it relatable for all the Texans reading, a Pisco Sour tastes similar to a margarita, but slightly sweeter.

Different types of Pisco

Dinner in Lima was amazing. We went to a restaurant called Central, which is a Michelin starred restaurant specializing in the traditional Peruvian and Incan foods. The dishes were ultimately made with very simple and seasonal local ingredients but the presentation was amazing. That said, it was a 14 course meal and by about course 6 BK and I were starting to reach our limit and realizing we did not need to eat everything in each small dish. 

Squash soup with shrimp and avocado- presented like a sunflower

With very little sleep the night we arrived, we crashed quickly after dinner. I think everything leading up to Machu Picchu is working to prepare you for your trek, including going to bed early. The next day we headed to Cusco...more to come!