December 2014 started and we got to Lima, Peru

We returned to Cusco after a great trip to the famous Machu Picchu and we immediately headed to Lima on a 20 hour bus ride overnight. As the bus had to make its way from high mountains to the sea level of Lima, it was quite of a windy and bumpy ride. At least the bus was perhaps the best we've taken so far (the company was TEPSA). Better than a plane in South America, it kind of looked like a spaceship! The bus crew even had our fingerprints and photos taken as we were boarding the bus, for... security reasons?

Our bus on the way to Lima

Effects of pressure on a hard-plastic bottle going from 3.400m to sea level

Lima is quite a huge metropolis, with about 8,6 million people, the third largest city in America. That fact is almost tangible as soon as one gets there. The extension of its streets and avenues, the traffic, the smog on the air, the busy look on people´s eyes! Nevertheless we had quiet a relaxed stay in Peru's capital. We even took some extra days there in order to have some rest.

Lima's coastline is full of cliifs!

The first days were spent exploring Lima's biggest attractions. The first thing we did was head towards the coast and see the sea, or better, the Pacific Ocean! It had been quite a while since we last saw the sea, and maybe because we come from Portugal we find that having contact with the sea from time to time is a real necessity! It was great to lay eyes again on the immensity of the ocean. 

Another different feature for us was being on a warm beach in the middle of December!
Miraflores is perhaps the perfect place to check the coast in Lima, as it is a quite trendy and safe neighborhood. Actually it was there where we stayed, first on a hostel with the weird but cool name of "Red Psycho Llama"; and then on an Airbnb house that we've shared with a talkative Dutch and an easy-going Peruvian.

Dozens of paragliders were departing from Miraflores' cliffs

"EL Parque del Amor" (The Park of Love) in Miraflores

Sunday slacklining crew

On the center of Lima one can get in touch with its colonial history: how it was first founded by Francisco Pizarro and became the most important city of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Most of historic buildings reflect the importance that Lima already had at the time and the wealth it possessed. Nevertheless, Lima was affected by several big earthquakes through history,  destroying many of its remarkable constructions.

The daily changing of guard at the Palacio del Gobierno (Government's Palace)

Lima's Plaza Mayor and Iglesia del Sagrario

Lima's police guard

Lima's policewomen

One of the most impressive building that resisted through several earthquakes is the Monastery of San Francisco. Its impressive library seems to be taken out of a historic novel. The monastery is filled with sacred art pieces and several rooms are decorated with original carved wood pieces. But perhaps the most unconventional attraction of this monastery is its catacombs, which cover a large area of the monastery's underground. It is filled of thousands of human bones where in some parts archaeologists have organized them in awkward  bone patterns. It is estimated that over 25.000 people were here buried before the opening of the Lima's first conventional cemetery.

Other building of note was the Casa de Correos y Telegrafos, the central post office of the capital. It was from there we took the opportunity to send some gifts home so they would arrive in time for Christmas.
Most of this part of the city we did it on a Free Walking Tour. We always look for those because they get you to the most important sights in a few hours and generally you get to know not only some historic facts but also more about the local culture and curiosities. Although they are free tours, in the end the guide(s) usually gets a tip.

Catacombs of Monastery of San Francisco

The luminous Casa de Correos y Telegrafos

Preparing our package of Christmas gifts to send home

Spending some time in Lima we couldn't miss trying "Pisco Sour", a cocktail where the main ingredient is pisco, a brandy made from distilled grapes. We also tried the sweet "Chicha Morada" a non-alcholic beverage made from purple corn from which it gets its dark red color.
We visited also the beautiful Barrancos neighbourhood, went to the beach to send our friends a Christmas card (!!!) and visited the MATE museum, Museum of Mario Testino, a famous peruvean photographer.  It was worth the visit! 

One last curiosity is Lima's metro system, or "El Metropolitano" as it is called. It is actually a bus system that works as a surface subway. El Metropolitano has its own road way to keep it independent from the general road traffic. In spite of being a good and cheaper solution we found out that this way of transport was super-crowded with people on rush hour, as much as were the streets with cars on traffic jams.

Huge line of people waiting for El Metropolitano, Lima's bus rapid transit system (yes, we waited on the line too!)

In spite of being a huge metropolis city, Lima has definitely its charm. When we left Lima we felt refreshed and excited for heading to our 4th country on the trip (Argentina - Bolivia - Peru - next Chile). Keep following the blog to know how we had to cross deserts to reach Chile!

Finally back to the sea level!