Lima, Peru

Last week, we spent 4 days in Lima, Peru, a city of 10 million people. Our hostel was this renovated mansion in the historic center of Lima, about a 25 minute walk to the Plaza de Armas. (Shout out to Joe, aka Mr. Spanish Teacher, for the recommendation). It was beautiful and very well run and we really enjoyed our time there.

The funniest part about staying at that hostel is that it was a bit off the beaten path and not in the usual hostel area for Lima (the Miraflores). And yet, walking out of our room on our first night there, I practically ran over one of our fellow Inca Trail trekkers, Nabs. Talk about funny coincidences! It was so great to run into her and her sister, Fariha, again and we very much enjoyed dinner out and fun with them during our evenings there.

Highlights of Lima:

• Watching the changing of the guards (who looked like the flying monkey guards from the wizard of oz) at the Presidential Palace. Had a really great conversation with one of the guards about his job, what we’re doing, and where to find the best cebiche in that part of town. We think he was really bored and super happy to have someone to chat with.
• Visiting the Catacombs at the San Francisco Monastery, where they estimate 25,000 people are buried. Oddly enough, where they have excavated, they’ve sorted the bones by type into various mass graves, which is a bit creepy. No photos allowed in the Catacombs, but we were able to photograph the crypts in the Basilica.
• Visited the Basilica, which was beautiful. It’s also where Francisco Pizarro is interred.
• Ate loads of cebiche – which reportedly originated in Lima
• Spent an evening with our friends, Nabiha & Fariha, at the Circuito Magica del Agua (aka The Magic Fountains)
• Bought 100 Bocaditos (little bites) at Panko’s Bakery for about $10. Hello sugar rush!
• Went to see Hombre Arana (Spiderman, for those of you playing at home) in full on Spanish (& actually understood most of it)

Now we’re back in Quito and Kat’s parents are here for the next 2 weeks. We head to the jungle this weekend and then to the cloud forest.