Peru: the first days in Lima
Monday, August 26th, 2013After a relaxed flight from Amsterdam to Lima (I got three seats to myself thanks to KLM steward Auke! 馃槈 ), I arrived in the early evening last Saturday聽at the聽Quincha House聽guesthouse with no plans for the first days other than…resting and making my travel schedule!
Day 1&2, Lima
I got up late Sunday morning after a ’round-the-clock’ night sleep (yeah, I guess I was pretty knackered…the added bonus is that I lost the jetlag in just one night! 馃槈 ). I spend the Sunday afternoon sniffing up some of Peru’s historic culture in the National Museum (Museo de la Naci贸n)聽and wandered around the historic centre of Lima. The city offers nice mix of colonial architecture, street entertainment/artists and churches, loads of churches…I accidentally stumbled into the lesser documented parts of Lima, the ones you would rather not go to…you know, those that are recognized by a distinct urine smell and hardly any people on the streets (probably hiding in a place I don’t want to be! 馃槈 ).
All in all it is quite easy to get around Lima; just grab one of the 325.000 taxis 馃槈 that are driving around, empty most of the day it seems and costing just a couple of euro’s for distances you don’t want to walk!
The craziest thing I experienced was getting back to the guesthouse in the evening; I literally had to guide the taxi driver using the map in my Lonely Planet!! A piece of cake of course; my spanish is non existent (though I am fluent in my dreams;) ) and聽obviously I know the city by heart after a full day! 馃槈
Today I completed my (ever-draft) travel schedule, which for now leads me tonight聽to Huaraz, high up in the Andes mountains (I just booked the bus!), Trujillo (Chan Chan), Cuzco (Machu Picchu), Puno (Lake Titicaca) then on to Bolivia: Copacabana, La Paz, Salar de Uyuni聽(Salt lakes), Coroico in The Yungas. Then back to Peru: Arequipa, Nazca, and Lima once again to fly back to Europe on September 23)…verrrrrry exciting!!!
And now…picturessss! 馃槈
My room in Quincha House
Museo de la Naci贸n
Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor)
Iglesia de Santa Domingo
Chinatown
Lima city with the Cerro San Crist贸bal hill in the background
The real Lima?! 馃槈
Giving the taxi driver directions where to go…?!?
