Lima is the capital of Peru. Most international flights land here so most visitors arrive in Lima first. A number of people I know have suggested that i should just skip Lima. They said there’s nothing to see there. Maybe just spend a night and head elsewhere the next day. But I’m not one to skip a certain location. Once I’m in a certain area i feel like i should always explore a bit. Every place in the world must have some hidden gems, even the ones that seem boring. Heck, what’s plain and boring to some could seem spectacular to me. So I decided to spend at least 3 days in Lima, and it’s not a decision I regret.
I admit i was very apprehensive at first since I’ve read so many accounts online about safety in Lima. How people could get mugged and held up the minute they step out of the airport. And pickpockets were everywhere, people should always watch their valuables. I contacted Peruvian friends of mine and they admitted that these things do happen, but most online accounts were grossly exaggerated. And besides, don’t these things happen in any country, not just the least developed ones? Travelers just need to be careful and wary at all times when stepping foot in unfamiliar places. Common sense should always prevail. For instance, my flight arrived at 2:00 in the morning. I sure as hell won’t attempt to ride public transport at that time, especially with my very limited Spanish. Like in any country, taxis waiting outside the airport would be very expensive, so I contacted the hostel where i made a reservation if they did airport pick ups. Good thing they did, because it was way cheaper. Really sucked that they forgot to pick me up even though they confirmed via email a few hours before i arrived. Got charged a hefty mobile fee because I was on roaming, but what the heck. Even the best laid plans encounter hiccups. I can’t dwell on it and let it ruin the country for me.
For those who want to know, I stayed at The Point Hostel. Mainly because it was the cheapest hostel i could find in a safe area. It was located in the Barranco district, and my Peruvian friends all said that I should stay either in Barranco or Miraflores. The location was good. It’s near the ocean, and there are lots of places to eat nearby. there are lots of bars nearby as well, so the hostel was offering pub crawls on most nights. For the hostel itself, it was pretty good for the price i paid. Beds were comfy enough and the whole place was relatively clean. It’s not that big either so it’s easy to make friends in the common areas.
I just slept for a couple of hours then I decided to explore the city. I checked out the waves by the ocean. Lima is popular among surfers so i thought about surfing (though I haven’t surfed in three long years haha) but the waves didn’t seem ideal for surfing on that foggy morning. I spent a total of 6 days in Lima, at the start and at the tail end of my South American trip. It was foggy and gloomy all the time except for a few hours on one single day. One local guy told me it’s the typical Lima weather all year, being foggy and gloomy. So even if the city is by the ocean, it’s not ideal for sun worshipers, most of whom head straight to Mancora. i was hoping to get a shot of the sunset, but the sun never showed up lol. The tourists attractions are quite far from Barranco, but taxis were fairly cheap. It shouldn’t cost more than 30 soles (I just paid 20). Buses are way cheaper though, so those are an option if you have a lot of time. When I was looking at tourist attractions in Lima, what stood out was this monastery with catacombs where you can see skeletons piled on top of each other. That was something I had to see. Yeah I am morbid that way lol.
So the monastery is called The Monastery of San Francisco. It looks pretty plain on the outside, but once inside you’d see that it’s definitely worth a visit. Lots of beautiful old paintings and books, I was pretty bummed that we were not allowed to take any pictures. The catacombs were well preserved and it was amazing. Once i saw the skulls, I just had to take picture. i know, that was so improper but i just couldn’t help myself. i hope i don’t get sued. lol.
It was about noon when we finished the tour of the monastery. There are several cheap places to eat nearby. For lunch, i just had to try their national dish. I immediately orders some ceviche as an appetizer. It was pretty good, but i thought the taste of onions was quite overpowering. Breath mints are definitely needed after eating heh. I’ve heard that Peruvian food is really good, so there’s a lot more stuff that i had to try. A good friend kept recommending anticuchos. Another friend told me that the best Peruvian food is in Lima. According to her, food is actually Lima’s main attraction and not the colonial structures scattered all over the city.
From there i walked to Plaza de Armas, where a lot of locals seem to spend the afternoon relaxing. The place is surrounded by landmarks which include the Presidential Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace. And yup, there’s also a cathedral. There were a lot of things going on when i went there, it seems to be the center of activity in the city. There was a parade, and there were performers singing and dancing in many corners, to the delight of passersby. One old couple danced to the music of the band, and a lot of people stopped to watch. That was a really charming sight.
It was getting late, and since the historic center isn’t really a place that’s regarded as safe to roam around at night, I took a cab back to the hostel. I got to know several other travelers and got tips on other places to visit in Peru. I allotted 2 weeks for this trip, and there’s no way that I would have enough time to visit every place i wanted to visit after talking to other travelers. One month won’t even be enough! One thing was for sure though, I’d have an amazing time in Peru and i was totally psyched to visit other places in the country. And what’s the perfect way to end my first full day in the Peru?
You got that right. And I’d have many more bottles of this stuff by the time i finally left the country. 🙂
no roads to follow 