Wow...I can´t believe it has been nearly 4 weeks since i´ve been able to sit down at a real computer for a few minutes and update my online travel journal, but such is the life of a nomadic traveler....Luckily for me, facebook has allowed a lot of quick, real time updates so those friends and family keeping up, hopefully you know I am alive and well! Currently, I´m in Brazil making my way to Bolivia for the weekend before departing to the Salt Flats from Uyuni. However, since so many amazing things have happened in the last few weeks, I´d like to go back to the beginning of my trip to Peru and start by recounting my time experienced in Lima.
Although Peru was once a country people thought of as extremely poor and unsafe, much has changed in the past few decades and Lima, as the largest city, is certainly no exception. Upon arrival, I was graciously offered a place to stay at a friend of a friend´s apartment in the Miraflores area, a very upscale coastal neighborhood where most of the best restaurants and shops are located. The following morning, Sabrina met me all the way from New York, for her vacation and we began our Peru adventure. During our only full day in Lima, we wanted to take advantage of both the beach weather and explore the city so we signed up for a morning bike tour with Bike Tours of Lima. Our guide expertly guided us along the 4-hour coastal tour where we were able to see a glimpse into the beachside neighborhoods of Miraflores (which felt a lot like La Jolla, CA believe it or not), Barranco and Chorillos.
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| along the coast in Miraflores, seriously just like La Jolla Cove... |
Following the tour we chilled out with some Pisco sours beachside and took a siesta before venturing out in the night. That evening, we wanted to experience some of the amazing cuisine Lima supposedly has to offer, and I am serious that the food in Peru was some of the best I had experienced in SA so far. One of the more well known and best chefs in Peru, Gaston Acurio, has a very upscale (and pricey) restaurant that sounded amazing, but a bit out of budget, but lucky for us, he now also operates a cafe-style restaurant, Tanta, which is not as pricy as the original, but serves some of his Peruvian specialties. It was definitely a success, and after a filling meal, we headed back to the apartment to prepare for our very early departure to Cusco.
What I was struck most about Lima is how cosmopolitan it seems to be coming and how much growth potential it really has. The casino industry is taking off in a big way there which gives some flash, and I´m sure economic growth, to the community. The upscale beach properties in Miraflores are raising real estate value tremendously. The historic area of downtown, as well as the old fishing neighborhood of Chorillos, still provide a glimpse into the Peruvian history, while the newer, more upscale neighborhoods are infusing the culture with modern fashion, real estate, art and food. Of course, there are still areas riddled with crime and poverty, but the economy and politics seem to be relatively stable. In my opinion I think it has the most potential of any city I have seen so far to be the next big thing....more next from Cusco and Machu Picchu!
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| one of the MANY casinos all around Lima |
