I love this place!
When I got here the first time around, I was thrown so quickly into the culture and the lifestyle that so differs from home that I didn't really get to appreciate it, so coming back has been nice. Not only to come back, but to have the chance to explore the 'newer' part of Lima - as a little bit of a debrief from my travels. Of course, I'm still technically a tourist here...but I feel comfortable here. After spending three days literally just walking around (FYI, you go SO FAR by walking when you literally have nothing else to do...) I feel like Lima is very comparable to the time I spent living in Vancouver. Right along the coast is 'West Van' territory, with all the gorgeous expensive rich-people buildings that overlook the ocean, with all the gates and fancy cars.
Miraflores is kind of like Burnaby/Coquitlam mixed together, and Barranco is likeGastown/Granville/Robson street area. Downtown is basically downtown Vancouver, but with more people and CRAZIER driving (if you can believe it lol) and then you've got your outer districts that remind me of poorer versions of East Hastings/Abbot, New West, and Surrey areas. So, basically the same minus the driving, and the lack of clothing stores. Literally, I walked for 6 hours and didn't find a place that even had pants. But like a million restaurants. Which makes little sense, because if they keep feeding me like this I'll need clothing stores just as much haha (jk, I'm not getting fat eating mostly fish).
When I left everyone was concerned for my safety, so I wanted to touch on that a little bit, and my adventure today. I have felt safer walking around Peru than I ever feel in Edmonton, which is kind of strange. I mean, minus the excessive amount of male attention that is a little uncomfortable, I've yet to feel unsafe.
Since I'm an explorer, I have a habit of just walking until I see something of interest, and then I just GO. I don't really think about whether I should, or the direction I walk in...I basically just try and find a route that leads to the thing I want to see. I did the same thing in Cusco, and that's how I found the farm/ruin where I got to spend a bunch of necessary alone time.
Today, I was walking along the beach and I saw the Cristo del Pacifico overlooking the coast, and decided I would continue walking in that direction. I had my tunes on, and I just motored all the way past the big fancy resorts to the more poor part of the district, and started up the Camino del Padre. It was basically a trail with headstone type monuments/altars dedicated to the saints, with a big monument/altar for Mary and Jesus at the top, with a big cross that lights up at night, and then the road continues along the top of the mountain to Cristo. It was a really cool walk, until a local on a bicycle called to me and stopped me, and started telling me how I needed to go back because it's a super dangerous road where people are known to be robbed often, and I DEFINITELY shouldn't be there alone. Granted, there weren't very many people on the road so if I were to be robbed, I'd be SOL. But since I wasn't carrying my passport or anything of value minus my cash and cell phone, I told him I just wanted to see the top.
He went on explaining how Peru is the exact opposite of Canada and that the country isn't safe and that I should just go back to my hotel. And while I thanked him for his concern I told him I was going to be living in Rimac for a few months, and he told me it was dangerous, but then once he realized I wasn't really afraid, he said if I wanted to risk it that at the top there were really beautiful views, that I was going up at the safest time of day, and that he would be biking around the area so he could keep an eye on me in case I needed help.
Almost at the Cristo, I met two other cyclists who were locals who stopped to tell me I was stupid for being up there alone and that I needed to leave. And I kind of took that as a 'kay, I should probably go now', ran up the hill, snapped a few shots, and walked back down. All the way down I didn't see any other people, except all three cyclists keeping an eye on me.
The point is, even in a spot that's known to be SO dangerous, even for locals, I didn't feel unsafe at all. And maybe that's because I'm ignorant, but I think it's mostly because I wasn't alone. And I don't just mean I was in Jesus' protection, because of course I believe I was, but also because I had three locals looking out for me. They didn't like me being there, but they were willing to watch out for me. So even if something had happened, I had three people looking out for me, and that's more than I usually have when I'm walking alone in downtown Edmonton. Very cool. The people here are very protective of us ignorant tourists, and it's kind of cool :) I feel like the risk was equivalent to people telling me I shouldn't hang out in downtown East Hastings at night (been there, done that) or downtown Edmonton (same story). And I'm not trying to say that it's not unsafe - obviously if all the locals know it's dangerous then it probably isn't the best place to spend all of my time. I'm glad I went up there and took the risk to be up there and see the incredible views and meet the people, but it's not a place I need to frequent.
Now for food :)
Kay, if you're ever planning on coming to Peru, something I seriously suggest: Go to a place with a rocking buffet. Here's why:
Now, it's not a secret that I love food, and 'buffet' is probably my favorite word. But here, it serves a couple of different purposes. When I came here, I had done no research into the typical peruvian food menu except for the fact that I knew seafood and Creole were big. But aside from the ceviche, whenever I've been to any traditional (typical) restaurant, there are always these food items that I have no idea what they are. I know they are either seafood or creole, but I have no idea what it is, what's in it, or if I'll like it. And if you've ever ordered a meal and disliked the whole thing you know how disappointing it is. So if you're like me, you just avoid the stuff you have no idea about, and stick to things you can translate.
The sad part about that is there are a lot of awesome things you miss, just because you had no idea what it actually was.
Hence: The buffet. Sure, it's expensive (still way cheaper than a buffet at home, even at the rich people places),but it's delicious, and all the dishes have names, and you get to try them ALL and figure out which ones you like, which ones you LOVE, and which ones you really could go without - so that next time you go to a super cheap restaurant, you know what everything is.
Aside from the wonderful (and necessary) buffet, it makes literally no sense here to spend a ton of money at a restaurant. Whether the ceviche is 4 sols or 15 sols or 38 sols, it's exactly the same, it's always prepared properly (so far), and it's always delicious. The same goes for every other dish I've eaten. There are big restaurants that the tourists go to for a nice meal thinking it will be better, when the reality is that the bigger restaurants are just more expensive- they give you less food, it's prepared exactly the same way, and they expect tips.
Basically, you can walk past every second doorway (or more often even) and it has a menu you can look at. And every one has incredible food. And most of them serve you an appetizer AND a main dish AND a jar of fresh fruit juice for 5-15 sols, where the restaurants are charging you ~30-50 sols for just a main dish, 20-40 for an appetizer, and around 15 for a non-alcoholic drink, 20-25 for alcoholic ones. All for the look of the establishment - which is ridiculous. The only thing is that if you eat in a small local place, you're most likely the only white person. Which for me is totally okay, but you do get a couple of awkward stares sometimes.
As for my hostel: It's fabulous! I'm a little out-of-place since this is a huge party hostel...it has a bar and drinking events every night (last night was Ladies Night, tonight is beer pong), and then after 1AM all the guests go to a specified club - which, I would have rocked back when I was like 19, but at this point in my life....Not my speed. Which again, is totally okay with me, and I get along fine with my roommates...I just don't see a lot of them haha. I go to sleep shortly after the sun goes down (between 8-10) and wake up and go exploring between 6-7AM until around 4PM. Meanwhile, most of the people staying here go to sleep around 5AM, and wake up around 3-4PM, so by the time I get back to the hostel, everyone has just left for the beach! It's a little funny, but I wouldn't have it any other way because in the morning, that's when I get to wander around the beautiful main square in peace, watch the birds eat....hangout by the beach and watch the crabs scurry around before the people come out and scare them all into their crevasses - spend some good time in worship. All of that. It's cool, and I'm slowly falling in love with this city.
Excited for more.
Hope you're all having a great week!
-B.<3
