Aventuras de Lima

Alright Brett, I took your advice and began this blog ordeal. Though I am creating it via my phone so we'll see how far it goes. Saying that folks, forgive the lack of capitalization and other extraneous punctuation. Alright lyn?? Love you!!

I've been in Peru now for 3 days and have done a lot of roaming. I think it has been very good for my nomAd soul. I arrived in Tuesday night after a slightly turbulent yet enjoyable flight via Taca. As you can imagine exhausted doesn't even begin to explain how I was feeling. For those of you who do not know I flew out of Miami. See I found a flight for $500 ...how can you turn that down?? EsPecially when flights out of Raleigh and charlotte were like $12-1300 ... So after my initial buddy pass fell through, I began to consider other cities to fly out hoping it would be cheAper and hence I ended up in Miami. The drive was long but I had fantastic company, the lovely Ashley Wooten and partner in crime Justin Pinch, aka pinchy-poo. So braced at the wheel of moshi, I-pod loaded, and plenty of red bull and junk food, we set out at 9:00 Monday night. Even though pinch and I swapped off and I had the option of getting a solid 4 hours of sleep, I had consumed too many no-doze and too much caffeine and besides that my adrenaline was pumping. I was so excited and ready, that I unfortunately slept for only about an hour or 2. This was after a very unsuccessful 4 am trip to the local Georgia waffle house. We arrived in Miami in a very successful 13 hours. Unfortunately it was 10 and my flight did not leave until 4. But there was no way that I could have left later...mu body would have been shot. Plus driving through the night you never know if a rest stop for a few hours will be needed. Hence the 6 hour early arrival. I think the worst part was the fact that Taca did not begin there check in until 12. So there I was: Miami-Dade airport, sitting on the floor, my 30 lb pack still strapped on, waiting for Taca to open their gate. I have to say, rough mAy be an understatement as to how I looked at this point. The ladies gave me very odd looks when I was brushing my teeth and washing my face in the airport bathroom. I mean hey you do what you gotta do right? :)

Once in Lima, though, I have to say I have lucked out. My sister will not be here until Saturday, however, her friend from the coast is here and she and her host family have graciously agreed to another gringa in the house. So I have a safe, free place to crash and leave my gear bomb which is super nice. She stays in Miraflores which is a little suburb of Lima and slightly Americanized but quite busy and very walkable. That is if you can successfully dodge the taxi,s buses, combis and other crazy drivers :) although I think my driving would fit in well here.....Andrea you were right there.

My first day in miraflores I slept in super late And then strapped on my mini pack, armed with a guidebook and roamed. Being a gringo you learn reAl fast to walk quickly, headphones in, and eyes not connecting with anyone. Otherwise I feel you will feel totally harassed. I did speak with one interesting guy in el parquet Kennedy. He was nice enough but definitely had the machismo and flintiness trying. I think I disappointed him when I told him there was no way for him to contact me and that the point of this trip was for me to not make plans...pobrecito.

I did get quite lost that night. But i was rather amusing. Seee there are quite a few "óvalos" here in Lima where you have 6 or so streets intersect. I was on the right track and now looking back at it was only 2 streets over but for the life of me could not get there. So I eventually ducked into a mens clothing store and asked the clerk how to get over there. I felt like such a ding dong. Had I walked in the opposite direction I would have eventually gotten back over but kept turning back right before hand. But after speaking with this man. I was good to go. Though I did bump into a teenager (again a boy) who lightly made fun of me in spanish for walking "redondo" and asked me if I knew where I was going to which I responded that I never know where I'm going but iwas good. I think it confused him a bit.

Yesterday I walked to the coAst, of which I have some amazing photos which I will post when I return. Sorry Heidi...no 3 am photos till I get back :(. I took the road along the coast south into another suburb "barranco". Which is super cool. Very bohemian feel. Lots of cool architecture. A little dirty but in a good way. Not at all Americanized. Once again just roamed about, but this time with a map and I can now say I have luckily Gotten my bearings straight. Ate at a little veggie place. Super funny : I walked in around 7 and the place was dead. I had to poke my head around a corner to the kitchen to get anyone's attention. Apparently peruvians eat at like 3 and then again at 9 so they weren't expecting to see anyone. But it was a very good meal. I don't think a very Peruvian in style but damn it was tasty. And after walking for like 4 hours, my tummy was very happy.

That evening Lauren invited me along with her friend to a discoteca. It was interesting. What was funny was that we met up with her friend Pablo and took a combi to his friend alonzo's place to hang for a bit before. It was only like 9:00 and we could not go to " help" until 11....no one goes out before 111. At Alonzo's he had a girl staying there who went to school at state so she had invited a bunch of her friends over. It was weird. It was like a like a little NC reunion in Peru. Actually one of the girls knew some kids from the banks whom of course both Lauren and I knew. The discoteca was cool, just a guy playing a bunch of American rock and folks dancing. But being my old lady self had to leave about 1. I just don't have the staying power. So I bartered with a taxi and got myself home safely. Taxis are another funny part to Lima: they don't have meters, so you ask before hand what it would cost to get somewhere. Being a gringa, they almost always try to rip you off....i'm glad my Spanish is as good as it is thought; b/c when I look at them like they're crazy and then barter and obviously yes i'm a gringa...but not an idiot.

ok i had written a bunch more earlier today, but apparently it was erased. i'll tell you all about plaza mayor later.
besos y abrazos mis amores!
-la gringuita