31st May 2017

We were advised not to eat heavily or drink too much alcohol at altitude, as digestion slows significantly in such conditions. Pisco Sour definitely falls into the latter category. At around 2 am, I woke with a hangover and a pounding headache. A couple of aspirin later, I managed to drift back to sleep and stayed asleep until 7:30 am. Fortunately, I’d only had one glass of this Peruvian nectar.

Breakfast was the usual international spread, but the inclusion of probiotic yoghurt was a thoughtful touch. The fruit bowl featured an unfamiliar addition, a beetroot-like fruit with seeds. Sue enjoyed it, but it wasn’t to my taste.

After breakfast, we headed back to the beach and decided to explore the path leading in the opposite direction to yesterday’s walk. Sue’s foot is still bothering her, so we took frequent breaks to watch the locals and take in the scenery. While sitting on a bench in a small park, we befriended a pug and its owner. The dog was delightfully scatterbrained and kept us entertained for a good 15 minutes with its antics.

The path eventually ended at a ravine with a road cutting across our route. From there, we wandered into the city and stumbled upon a charming café. We stayed for about half an hour, savouring their exceptional hot chocolate and indulging in a bit of people-watching.

We returned to the hotel, where Sue took a short nap while I ventured out to try a slice of Peruvian pie from a nearby shop. Later, we went for another short walk to stretch our legs, which ended with us enjoying some ice cream before heading back to catch the bus for our afternoon city tour. The ice cream had a yoghurt-like quality to it, light and very refreshing.

Our group for the city tour consisted of fourteen people. We all gathered in the hotel foyer before boarding the bus. The first stop was a brief visit to an archaeological site under excavation. It appeared to be a flat-topped pyramid dating back several thousand years, constructed from adobe bricks. The restoration work was being carried out using traditional methods, which gave it a spectacular and authentic feel. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to leave the bus to explore further, which was rather disappointing.

Next, we headed into the old city and stopped at the central square. Here, we had time to stroll around and admire the stately buildings surrounding the plaza. I was lucky enough to capture photographs of the changing of the guard at the government palace.

From the square, we visited a chocolate-making establishment. We were given the usual presentation on the process of growing, harvesting, and producing chocolate before being treated to a selection of samples. The liqueurs proved especially popular, and I ended up buying a couple of bottles to take home.

Next, we visited Lima Cathedral and its associated convent, an absolutely fascinating site. The crypt was particularly intriguing, as was the story of Saint Rosa, whose skull is kept there alongside a painting depicting her likeness.

Our guide explained that Lima is shrouded in cloud for nine months of the year, with January, February, and March being the only reliably sunny months. It was somewhat comforting to know that the overcast conditions we’d experienced weren’t due to bad luck but were entirely normal for the locals. As we returned to the hotel, the evening light was fading, and the traffic was heavy, giving us a chance to observe the people of Lima going about their daily lives. Public transport is clearly a vital part of city life, and residents seemed content to wait patiently in long queues. Perhaps their lack of enthusiasm in returning a friendly wave can be attributed to the scarcity of sunshine!

For dinner, we returned to the park we had visited the previous evening, but chose a restaurant on the opposite side of the busy road. The meal was enjoyable, though it started with two complimentary Pisco Sours. These were slightly sweeter than the ones we’d had before, and Sue found them to her liking. Whether or not we’ve acclimatised will be revealed in the morning! After dinner, we headed back to the hotel for an early night, as we faced a 2:20 am wake-up call for our flight to Puno tomorrow.

Lima is home to ten million people, a third of Peru’s total population of 30 million. It’s a bustling, vibrant city, with Miraflores being the main district for hotels and tourists, a deliberate policy by the government. In the past, gang violence posed a significant problem, with incidents including bombings in the very square we visited today. In response, tourists and hotels were relocated to the safer district of Miraflores, where the heightened security presence is palpable. The area reminded us of Copacabana, with uniformed police stationed on street corners, patrolling the escalators, and generally being highly visible.

Today, for example, we encountered a line of riot police (complete with shields) outside the chocolate shop. Far from being intimidating, they were happy to pose for photos with some of our group, striking humorous poses. It certainly makes you reflect on what life in the UK might feel like with such a visible security presence!