PERU 2017-3. Miraflores to Barranco Walk - Doors and Windows

For those who like a little architecture we saved a couple of random door and window photos that we saw and loved on our walk yesterday.  

We love the colours 

And patterns 

I
And cactai 

And the wabi... 

And sabi 

Lloydnalex 

PERU 2017-2. Miraflores to Barranco Walk

Having more-or-less recuperated from jet-lag we set out on a day-long walking tour along the Lima coast from Miraflores to Barranco and back again. 

 

Cliff walk looking out across the misty Pacific Ocean. 

" Lima's weather and climate isn't what one would expect when travelling to a city located just 12° south of the equator. It's usually described as mild and warm throughout the year without noteworthy rain making Lima one of the driest capitals in the world. The average temperatures range from 12°C/54°F to 18°C/64°F (low) and 24°C/75°F to 28°C/82°F (high). Relative humidity is very high, and produces quickly passing morning fogs from December to April and persistent low clouds and mist from May to November. Sunny, moist and warm summers (December - April) are followed by cloudy, damp and cool winters (May - November)."  

Explanation courtesy of the Lima Climate Guide;  http://www.limaeasy.com/lima-info/the-weather-and-climate-in-lima#

 

 

Paragliding above the highway. 

 

 

Larcomar, a shopping mall with a view built into the cliff.  

 

A monument to Paddington Bear is a reminder of his Peruvian herutage. 

 

 

 

Architecture as decoration. 

 

Architecture as robust expression.  

 

And Art Deco architecture in the form of a cool but lonely "hamburgueas" bar. 

   

Some important Spaniard on a horse. 

  

A onetime catholic cathedral that is now an independent church. 

 

Puente de Los Suspiros (The Bridge of Sighs). 

 

 

The Bajada de los Baños, a walkway that connects Barranco to the Pacific Ocean.

  

 

 

 

The beach. 

 

Ceviche, a famous Peruvian dish of raw fish marinated in lime juice and washed down with a Pisco Sour. 

 

Some "Flores"

   

and some Bugs 

And now for the long walk home. 

Lloydnalex 

PERU 2017-1. TO THE NEW WORLD

...and so we were off on our journey of discovery to what was once termed "The New World", 

South America. 

 

Thank you Noel and Alois for the ride to Sydney Airport. 

 

From Sydney Australia to Auckland New Zealand then Santiago Chile and finally... Lima Peru, 22 hours all up and that was a relatively short route. 

 

Flying over Chile our first sighting South America.  

 

And the Andes, the longest continental mountain range in the world, 

 

almost 7000km runs from the south to the north of South America and runs through 7 countries. 

 

Looking for Peru. 

 

And there it is. The clouds veiling the coast to lap like waves at the base of the mountains. 

 

Our arrival in Lima was tinged with some anxiety when we got into the taxi and discovered that our spending money wallet was not in our bag!  Our hearts sank. Had we been pickpocket at Lima airport, had we dropped it in the plane, had we lost it in Santiago airport???  A fruitless hour dashing about the airport from one person that could not help to the next.  In the end we resigned ourselves to the loss and decided to get back into the taxi, which by the way was owned by one of our brothers. When I felt around on the floor of the taxi, there it was our money...  imagine if the taxi driver was not a brother.  Thank you Miguel. 

 

The next day, Wednesday afternoon, our host took us to down town Miraflores to change some money to local currency and spend 2 hours buying a phone SIM card (which it turns out is no ordinary feat in Peru) ... 

... and who should we meet?  Naturally two sisters at a Metropolitan Witnessing cart. 

 

At Kennedy Park, also called 'Cat Park' for its collection of 50 something stray cats, we indulged in a plate of delicious "picarones".  A Peruvian treat, basically a light doughnut made with squash and sweet potato and drizzled in honey syrup.  Very nice indeed. 

 

Typical street vendor. 

 

After a little shopping home to a great home cooked meal.  

 

And where is our home?  Meet our amazing hosts, Ken and Christine.  A couple of Aussie "need-greater" pioneers who have opened their home to us and are showing us the ropes as they have done for many before.  

Time to sleep. 

Lloydnalex 

Will we ever blog again?

It has certainly been a long time since we traveled and our life has changed a lot.  In keeping with that change, we are off again...