Shocker: the Whytes are doing a river cruise. Sorry Viking, not that kind of river cruise. We both wanted to see the Amazon, G Adventures had a trip that looked good so we booked it. Maybe I am getting lazy in my old age but at this point I have no problems booking guided trips. We started our trip in Lima, Peru where we met our fellow travelers.
- Lima, Peru Facts
- Lima has a population of 11,283,787.
- Lima is the 2nd largest desert city in the world, Cairo is #1
- Lima gets 80% of it’s drinking water from the Rimac River
- 2,000,000 residents do not have running water.
- Lima was founded in 1535 and is nicknamed the City of Kings
- Lima is a destination for foodies and is home to one of the world’s highest-rated restaurants: Maido
- Maido has a 6 month wait list and dinner for 1 ranges from $258 to $587. We did not go.
- Lima is a hot bed for surfing
We stayed in the Radison Red hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. We felt safe walking the streets in the area. If the area started to look iffy we headed in another direction.
Pisco Sour is the national drink of Peru and the hotel was hosting a master class in how to make them. Pisco is made by distilling fermented grape juice and has been compared to Tequila and Grappo. Pisco is 80 proof.
- Pisco Sour Recipe
- Pisco: 3 pounces
- Lime Juice: 2 ounces
- Simple syrup: 1 ounce
- Egg white (raw): 1 tablespoon
- Add ice to the shaker and shake until the egg whites are foamy
- Pour into glass and add bitters.
BIRD TOUR
We arrived in Lima 2 days before heading to the boat. I always like to arrive early in case of flight issues. Leann booked a bird tour for our first day. We had to get up early since they were picking us up at 6:00 am. At least we thought they were. We waited about 20 minutes and then Leann called Viator to see what was happening. She talked to a guy in Switzerland and he said the tour was the next day. She said it was not and had the proof on her phone. He said he would call back in 15 minutes, she called him back in 16. Apparently they screwed up and scheduled the guide for the next day. They woke up another guide and he arrived at 7:30 and did a great job.
Pacific Ocean
Lots of birds, Leann was very happy.
Leann saw 82 new bird species while we were in Peru.
Of course we had to find a boardwalk.
COOKING CLASS
On day 2 we took a cooking class. First stop was the market. The produce was amazing. Peru has more than 4,000 varieties of potatoes. The Irish part of me was in heaven.
We tried several of the local fruits, most of them were more sour than sweet.
My lunch:
Causa on the left: potato layer top and bottom, layer of chicken salad, tomato and avocado in the middle.
Ceviche is the national dish of Peru and is on the right: raw fish, lemon juice, onions and corn.
It wasn’t bad but I don’t think Maido should be worried.
After lunch we walked around the Miraflores district to get a feel for the area.
Leann loves animals and was looking for a deal on an Alpaca for the back yard.
We had a meeting with our group and then headed out for dinner. I had the Paella which was really good.
CITY TOUR
Lovers park which is home to the sculpture El Beso by Victor Delfin. The park is considered the most romantic spot in Lima.
Couples swear their love to each other by leaving a love lock.
The Bridge of Sighs is a another popular destination. Tradition states that you think of a wish and hold your breath as you walk across the bridge. It did not work for me.
We visited the San Francisco monastery and toured the catacombs.
The catacombs hold the remains of an estimated 25,000 people. We were not allowed to take pictures inside.
The library was amazing, think Harry Potter. This picture came from the web.
Who doesn’t love a parade?
This is a lot more people than we would typically see on a trip.
Typical street scene with a lot fewer people.
Huaca Pucllana is one of the more than 400 pyramids, temples and burial sites in the city. It was built from clay bricks that have held up well in Lima’s dry climate. The pyramid was built between 200 and 700 AD.
Next stop: Amazon River.
HAPPY TRAILS, STEVE