August 24 - 25, 2013 - Lima, Peru

August 24- 25, 2013 - Lima, Peru

August 24: 
A dear friend from my days in Kentucky, Brittney arrived super early in the morning.  Around 5am I think.  I didnt even hear her come into the room at the hostel.  So, she hopped in bed and got a couple hours of sleep.  We woke and had breakfast of juice, coffee, bread and jam.  We got organized and figured out all we wanted to see in Lima.  

Our first stop was the Huaca Pucllana ruins just a couple blocks from our hostel in the Miraflores area. These ruins predate Macchu Picchu and before the excavation started it was used as a motocross track.  It was used at a religious site and they estimate that many many more bodies remain buried within the structure.  

 They had a Peruvian hairless dog!

Then we headed off for some traditional Peruvian Ceviche and Pisco Sour at El Mar.  This restaurant was rated top in Lima for ceviche.  And the place was hopping! We had to wait for 45 minutes for a table.  Fortunately, there was room at the bar so we found some chairs and ordered a Pisco Sour.  A Pisco Sour is a typical drink of Peru made with Pisco (a type of brandy), sugar syrup, lemon or lime, and egg whites. 

Here is a recipe. 

3 parts Pisco
1 part sugar syrup
1 part lime juice
 1 egg white
 Shake!
 Add just a drop of bitters


We also got the meet a local couple that gave us some good tips on other things to do in town, in south america, and what to order.  

Once we got our table we ordered the ceviche sampler.  For 59 soles we got 5 different types of fancy ceviche with different fish and seafood.  TASTY! 

Following all the food we took a walk along the coast line.  Lima is situated along the coast but high up on cliffs. So the view is spectacular.  The city has also place parks all along the cliff edge.  

August 25:
Today we headed out to see the old city center.  We arrived just in time to watch the changing of the guard as well.  Perfect.  

 Sand wishs....hehe!

We had a cab driver take us to a park with local vendors set up selling food.  We shared a chicharon plate with corn and a salad.  

Afterwards, we headed to a local craft market.  Im on a mission to find a new scarf and towel since I forgot mine at the hostel in Mancora.  Im a bit devastated, those have been prized possessions since the start of my trip! hehe.  I supposed its a good excuse to buy new souvenirs.   I didnt find what I wanted here but Ill keep looking.  

We then packed up our stuff and headed to the bus station.  We got there with plenty of time so we just sat down to relax for a bit.  At one point Brittney went to get a tea and was gone for a few minutes.  BUT during that few minutes I was almost ROBBBBBBED!  Yes, robbed.  Geeez.  I was sitting there with our big bags in front of me and my little bag sitting next to me on the ground.  While I wasnt paying attention a guy snuck by and grabbed my small backpack and made for the door. LUCKILY, another guy saw him do it and he alerted security.  The guy dropped my bag, thank goodness( it had $500, my passport, all my cards, e-reader and tablet....my life basically), and started running off. About 30 minutes later the security guy returns and tells me they have caught the guy and I need to go meet the police.  At this point I have 30min until my bus leaves.  He tossed me in a cab nonetheless and we went to were they had caught the guy.  I gave my info and showed the police the bag and then returned to the station just in time to catch my bus.  My poor friend was sitting there not knowing what happened...she didnt know they had put me in a cab and left.  I am so fortunate that everything turned out ok though. Sheeeeesh....I supposed I learned my lesson. I will now be keeping a much closer eye on all my bags. Again, I am so thankful I was able to get all my stuff back.  I would have been in a pickle if I had lost it all.   

Side note to family:  If this story makes you worry, dont.  Remember that time in college were someone broke into our house and stole all of my roommates' and my stuff!?!?  Just a lil reminder that the same kinda stuff happens back home too. :-)  Oh and Ill start wearing my money belt while traveling.  Rest at ease.  

As soon as I returned to the station we loaded the bus and headed towards Cusco...an estimated 22 hour ride.  The  bus though was pretty comfy again.  The seats reclined to 160 degrees, there are legs rests and we were fed dinner and breakfast. 

August 14 - 22, 2013 - Getting to Lima, Peru

August 14 - 23, 2013 - Getting to Lima, Peru

August 14:
 From Bogoto I took the bus to Popayan, a small city to the south.  It cost be 71,000COP and 17 hours. I got to the bus terminal early hoping to catch the 10:30 bus but unfortunately it was already sold out.  I had to wait til 12:30 for the next bus.  After a very long ride I arrived in Popayan at 5:30 in the morning, went directly to my hostel and slept.

August 15:
I spent the day walking around town and trying local foods. I bought some fresh fresas (strawberries) and moras (blackberries).  That night I treated myself to coffee and cheesecake.  Not as good as mom's but it still hit the spot.

August 16:
I woke early and headed to the bus terminal to find a bus to Ipiales.  The first bus I tried wasnt gonna leave at 9 like they first told me so I got my money back and tried another one.  And it was leaving at that very minute! Perfect, I hopped on and we were on the road by 8:45am.  It was yet another long bus ride.  When I reached Ipiales I checked into a hotel just across the street and chilled for the evening.

August 17:
Just outside Ipiales there is a Cathedral called Las Lajas and its built in a valley across a river.  The place was beautiful.  I took a taxi colectivo for 2000 and walked town to the cathedral to have a look and take pictures.

The lady is roasting up a Guinea pig.  And the yellow and green things at the bottom ended up being a tasty little bread almost like a sweet cornbread.  Yum. 

 It was 2000COP for the trip back to the hotel.  I gathered my things and walked back over to the bus station.  There they have taxi colectivos waiting to take people to the border. For 1600COP I got a ride with 3 others to the Colombian immigration office.  From there it was super easy to cross over to Ecuador.  I only had to wait a couple minutes to get stamped out of Colombia, I walked across the bridge into Ecuador and waited another couple of minutes to get stamped in.  Easy.  I got another taxi colectivo to the bus terminal in the city of Tulcan.  There I caught a bus for $6US for Quito.  A 5 hour ride.

Ecuador Visa Fee: $0
Exchange rate:  Ecuador is on the US dollar so its a 1 to 1 exchange.  And it makes things easy!

August 18:
 I spent wandered around Quito a bit and bought a bus ticket to Cuenca.  I didnt get to do too much in the city.  Im running out of time to get to Lima.  That night the hostel owner dropped me off at the bus stop and I took the night bus to Cuenca. I stayed at Vibes hostel in Quito. Great place and I highly recommend it if you are in the area.

August 19:
I arrived in Cuenca around 6AM and thankfully the hostel let me take the bed right away so I could get a few more hours of sleep.  Cuenca is a nice little mountain town set along side a river.  I spent the day venturing out to all the churches and cathedrals and walking along the river.

August 20:
Another day in Cuenca wandering the streets.

I caught the bus that night to Mancora, Peru.  A sunny beach town on the coast of Peru.  I had heard some real horror stories about crossing the border from Ecuador to Peru.  To top it of I was going to attempt to do it at night.  After booking my ticket I started to get a little worried that my 8 hour direct journey would turn out to be more like an 12 hour bus to bus to bus journey.  I set off nonetheless hoping for the best.  We reached the border at 3am.  We filed off the bus and quickly got stamped out of Ecuador then waited a short time to get stamped into Peru.  WAY easy.  We all got back on the bus and continued on to Mancora.

Visa Fee: $0
Exchange rate: 2.8 soles = 1USD

At 5am we reached the city and I was the only one to get off.  Everyone else continued on.  I got my bags and a tuk-tuk to take me to the hostel.  Again, thankfully, they let me have the bed immediately so I could sleep.

 It was a super short trip through Ecuador.  I will have to return to do some more exploring and hit up the Galapagos Islands!

August 21:
Some of the girls in my room and I all went to the beach and then to eat.  Unfortunately, it was a tad cold/windy to stay too long on the beach but it was perfect weather to wander through town.  That night all the girls from my dorm went out to the Full Moon Party at a different hostel in town.

August 22:
A slow morning then a morning and afternoon full of sunbathing.  I really soaked it up as I know the next few months are gonna be chilly to down right cold.

I catch an 18 hour bus (100Soles) tonight to Lima! Wahoo....almost there.

 August 23:

I finally made it to Lima,  after having to change bus companies due to mechanical problems with the first bus.   It was a fairly comfy ride.  They served dinner and breakfast and played several movies.  We reached Lima around 2:30 and I shared a cab to my part of town with some guys from Argentina who were heading to the same area.  Now I wait for Brittney to get here!  Its gonna be a packed 2 weeks with her.

And its even cold here!