effect my suitcase was totally ruined, but I would
resolve that another day. Time was fleeting!
We made friend with the hotel concierge who
gave us a few orientation tips, and then put us in
a car to take us to Miraflores. While only 15
minutes away, the hotel car costs $11.00 US. A
street taxi costs 6 Peruvian soles (about $2.50
US). Everyone says to be very careful when
hailing a street taxi as there are some ‘bad
apples’ out there, but from this point on, we
always hailed our own taxi and never
encountered any problems.
Spotting a café by Kennedy Park in Miraflores,
we had breakfast with delicious coffee (in fact the
coffee is great just about everywhere in Peru)
and then walked the 30 minutes toward
Larcomar, the seaside shopping complex that
graces the cliffs of Miraflores. Below we could
see surfers, kids playing football, and even some
brave souls playing in the cold Pacific waters.
Larcomar has many stores that you would see at
a typical mall in Canada, with a few unique craft
stores and restaurants, a video arcade and some
fast food. After a quick look around, we
wandered
back
downtown.
Sunday in Miraflores is quite relaxed (and very
safe). There are art exhibits on the street and in
the park. People are exercising in groups or
doing tai-chi; walking their dogs, enjoying the
flowers, attending the nearby church or chatting
in the outdoor cafes. We headed over to the craft
markets to browse the Inca-inspired textiles,
chatchkas, masks, alpaca sweaters, ceramics, Tshirts, musical instruments and paintings. And
then it was time to grab a taxi back to our hotel in
San Isidro.
Once there we decided to break two of our own
travel rules. 1) Try not to eat at the hotel (local
food at a local restaurant is preferred) and
2)
Only order room service in a hunger emergency.
As we had only one hour before we would leave
again, we ordered ceviche (raw fish marinated in
citrus juices) and a club sandwich. The ceviche
was fresh and delicious, the club sandwich was
one of the best I have eaten anywhere (and I’ve
had a lot of clubs!).
While still in Canada, we had contacted Ronald
Elward of Lima Walks regarding an afternoon
tour of Barranco, and the message left in our
room was that he would meet us in the lobby at
3:00 pm, So off we went again. We got a taxi to
Barranco, which is a wonderful suburb just south
of Miraflores known for its upscale, safe
environment, colonial architecture, bars and
nightlife in general. For two hours we wandered
the streets, taking in the style and stories about
the various houses and buildings. We learned
that all the houses were built after the city
recuperated from the great Lima earthquake of
1746. We wandered across the Bridge of Sighs
(Puente de los Suspiros) where according to
legend, anyone crossing the bridge for the first
time while holding his/her breath will have their
wish fulfilled, and then we ended the afternoon
with cold beers at a café overlooking the ocean.
Ronald had recommended the restaurant at
Huaca Pucllana in Miraflores for dinner. A Huaca
is a ‘sacred place’ and this particular pyramid
dates back about 1000 years. The restaurant
next door allows you to experience fine dining
while enjoying beautiful views of the historic site.
We were seated at an outdoor table. With
excellent service, amazing food. (I had the grilled
tuna, my colleague had the duck), and a relaxed,
The grilled tuna at Huaca Pucllana
almost mystical atmosphere. This is now entered
into my list of top restaurants around the world.
Finally at 9:00 pm we headed back to the
Westin. Quite an active day but if anything it
emphasizes all the things you can do to fully
immerse yourself into a city, taking in the culture,
the food and the spirit of adventure on the very
first day of any trip. It was our intention to
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