We went to dinner with our tour group, whom we just met, to a place recommended by our tour guide. The restaurant is just of Parque Kennedy in Miraflores, but I can't remember the name. Was it "parquette" something or was it Cafe Cafe, I am not sure. We sat on the outdor patio on the edge of the parque. THe food was less expensive that Rosa Nautoca, but it was still good. It cost us less than 7 USD each, including beer.
We returned to the hotel to re-pack our bags, as we will not be able to take all of our things with us into the jungle. We then went to bed, as tomorrow is an early start.
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We ate lunch at Rosa Nautica restaurant, a very nice restaurant that sits entirely on a pier, surrounded by water and waves. The waves actually go underneath the restaurant floor, very cool. The restaurant is expensive by Peruvian standards, but cheap by Bermuda standards. The seafood entrees started from 36 soles (about 12 USD). THe food and service was very good. MIchelle and I shared the Nova Shrimp as an appetizer, shrimp on skewers coated with spicy Peruvian crumbs. We were almost full after this, but still enjoyed our entrees. MIchelle had the tuna and I had the "Hand Rolled Tirado", a Peruvian Ceviche. Ceviche is compared to sashimi, raw fish marinated in lime juice and spices. Melts in your mouth, very tasty. We sat there for two hours, it was very nice with the waves rolling beneath us.
We walked back to the hotel via a different road, first walking along the coast at the the top of the cliff. More paragliders over our heads.
After buying two 2.5 liter bottle of agua, and going to the ATM machine, we met with our tour group and guide to talk about the trip.
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After leaving San Francisco church, we drove back to the hotel, the tour was over.
We then decided to go to lunch with Albert and Maida, from Toronto, who went on the city tour with us (they are also part of our GAP group). We went to a restaurant that we saw from the park overlooking the beach. We decided to walk from the hotel to the beach, along the main commercial street in Miraflores. Rather than going over the cliff, we took a road that splits off from the main road, which descends slowly towards the water. When we arrived at the beach, several people were paragliding from the cliffs. It seemed like at any moment that they were going to go smashing into the cliff face. Even more surfers were in the water now. Despite the fact that our guide from the city tour said th water was warm, all of the surfers were wearing wetsuits. Compared to the turquoise waters of Bermuda, we were not moved to swim.
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We walked from there to San Francisco, a church and convent from colonial times. The church is very old and the architecture is amazing, and was once part of a Franciscan monestary. They did not allow photos, but we sniuck a few hear and there.
We then descended to the catacombs below the church, which were used a cemetary. The funeral would be held in the church, and then they would carry the body down the steps into the catacombs to be interred. They believe there are 25,000 people buried below the chruch, the bones are all mixed up, and many are classified and displayed nicely for us to see. There is a second (lower) level, but that has not be excavated or opened up.
There are also some ornate courtyards in the monestary, along with paintings and sculptures. In the front of the church, there is another fountain, with thousands of pigeons, which school children were scaring to make them fly everywhere. We were lucky that no presents were dropped on us from above.
MIchelle bought a small copper church from the gift shop.
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We then went to central Lima, the older part of Lima. Along the main boulevard, there were many small buses, mostly independent bus services. The buses had colorful stripes of them, different colors on each. I took a few photos, as we were driving next to the bus lane. In each direction, there are two lanes for cars and two lanes for buses.
Finally we made to the Plaza Mayor, the main square surrounded by government buildings, including the governemt palace, where the president lives. On two sides are yellow (gold) colonial style buildings. On one side of the square is an old cathedral and rectory. In the center is a park and fountain, with Police in riot gear standing at each entrance to the park. The fountain at the center was nice, including the obligatory pigeons.
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The Lima city tour started in Miraflores, the same neighbourhood as the hotel. Our van headed towards the beach, along a main boulevard. The street has many buses
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After a light contintental breakfast at the hotel, we looked at a brochure in the hotel lobby, offering city tours and other excursions. Today is not part of our tour, so we need to decide what to see and do. After looking at the brochure, we decided to take a Lima city tour that started at 9:30 AM until 12:30.
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Despite the fact that the hotel opens up onto a back alley with the street all torn up, it is a nice hotel (and just off the main street in the Miraflores area of Lima). The hotel is simple, but no complaints. After a log day of travelling we checked into our room and went to sleep. Before going to bed, we started taking the anti-malarial drugs, as we will be in the Amazon jungle in a few days.
We also noticed, after opening one of our bags, a notice that the bag was searched by the TSA (Transportation Security Adminstration of the United States).
Update: We didn't think much of the TSA notice at the time, but the next day we realized that we were missing some things from our bags. Namely, insect repellent, my shaving cream and after shave. We assumed we forgot to pack these, but upon arriving home it turned out not to be the case. It seems our friends at the TSA forgot to put those items, which were in a small plastic bag, back into my duffle bag. It was nice for them to leave a note saying they search the bag, but they forgot to leave a note that says: "By the way, we took your shaving stuff and inspect repellent. We just had to have them. Good luck with the beard and that whole malaria thing."
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From the airport, the driver took us to our hotel, about a 45 minute drive. The drive was interesting, mostly through and industrail area near the airport, spotted with casinos and the odd Dunkin' Donuts. We also passed through an upper case area with very nice buildings. I think this neighbourhood was San Isidro.
Then the driver turned off the main road and into a dark, deserted alley, with run-down buildings and then stopped. Michelle and I just looked at each other, not sure what to think. We were a little concerned for a moment, be brought to a dark alley in Lima at 2 in the morning by a driver we have never met before and who speaks very little english. But then we noticed the hotel, just ahead on the right. The street (alley) ahead was all dug up and being re-done, so the driver could not drive right up to the hotel doors.
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