Próxima Lima

While Mel was in DC Felipe and I checked out some corners of Bogota we had yet to see, one of which was an industrial section filled with literally hundreds of small manufacturing shops. Wood and metal workers, offset printers, upholstery and textile producers; all able to fulfill small to large production runs, even one-off pieces, for a fraction of a fraction of the cost of similar shops in the States (Yes that was two fractions). We were like kids in a theme park except instead of DC Comic inspired rollercoasters we had large scale CNC plasma and laser cutting tables, water jet, and plastic injection molding machines to occupy our imagination. There was so much possibility there. It was a designer’s dream.

Leaving Colombia meant the beginning of our journey within Peru from Lima to Cusco, the final city on our list of potential resting places. I got off to a rough start engaging in an extensive argument with Customs over the logic that was being presented behind a ridiculous tax placed on one of the bikes. After things were settled I caught a cab to a hostel we had made a reservation for (See there, planning ahead). My cab driver, a former police officer, warned me that the area was pretty sketchy, but I shrugged off the comment thinking back on how many times we had been told similar stories in Colombia just to find the little shepard boy with full herd and no wolf in sight. This time he was definitely not mistaken and I didn’t want to end up scattered sheep so Mel and I met at a different hotel in the Mira Flores district, a modern tourist friendly spot near the beach. Our cab driver’s sentiment regarding the area around the city center was shared by a couple from Lima we were hooked up with by some of Mel’s coworkers. They showed us some nice neighborhoods and sights around town, and to some of their favorite places to grab food and drinks. James and Rocio if you are reading this, thank you again for being such great hosts; for the company, the laughs, and the good advice. We had a great time, and are looking forward to visiting Huacho when we get the chance.

Mel and I both started working again in Lima so our time to explore was cut short, but we still managed to find a variety of coffee shops and vegetarian friendly restaurants unique to the city in which to hang out during the day. About a block away from our hotel was one of our favorite spots, Buena Vista Cafe, which almost tumbled off the edge of cliffs growing from the coastline and overlooked the beach and several small islands in the distance; a great place to watch the sun as it was overtaken by the horizon every evening.

Overall Lima was a great place to chill for a while. It is massive, larger than New York City, and with over 11 million people there is bound to be something for everyone there. Along with miles of beaches and parks in the area, we were surprised to find an ancient pyramid sectioned off in the middle of modern developments. It was a bit expensive relative to most of the areas we traveled in Colombia (generally 1.5-3 times as much). I suppose increased cost is to be expected in the districts we visited as Mira Flores, San Isidro, and Barranco all pull in a large tourist crowd and are located along the beaches. It is the only city in Peru with an international airport, so if you’re planning a trip or tour you might as well make it a long lay over or stay for a few days to check it out.

We were originally planning to go straight to Cusco, but decided at the last minute to take a bus about 300 miles south along the coast to a town called Nasca known for some amazing works of ancient origin. We are excited to see what’s in store.