Lima, Peru - Day 1 - 2

view of water from larco mar
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i thought i wasn´t going to make it to peru! i woke up that morning and it was white outside! it was snowing a bit which i did not expect. so the whole time between getting ready and taking off in the air...i really didnt think i was going to make it. the plane took off an hour later than expect but hey...at least we were in the air! i was so happy at this point that nothing bothered me...including my little tv that didnt work! i was offered another seat at the back (sorry not business class) but then i was reading, eating and napping in between...i didnt really care to move back there to watch movies. along the way i was chattin with the dude beside me - its his third time back in lima. he´s been going there for surfing (an hour south of lima...which costs $10USD by taxi to get there...wow so cheap!) he was telling me stories of his adventures in lima including how he visited his friend´s cousin in jail and met all the prisoners...funny story. anyway by the time i arrived in lima...must have been after midnight. i picked up my bag and headed out to find a sign with my name on it (i previously contacted the hostel i stayed with and he arranged a taxi to get me...i heard/read many stories of how unlicensed cab drivers would drive tourists out to the middle of nowhere and rob them...so i guess it was a smart move on my part?) i got to the hostel which did not look like a hostel cuz 1) it was in a residential neighborhood and 2) it didnt have a sign or any indication that it is a hostel. i buzzed the door and it was the hostel...weird! i checked out my room (i shared with 4 other ppl) and we had our own bathroom...yeh! everything looked fine. i was so tired i basically unpacked and hit the bed asap.

famous statue
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the next day i walked around miraflores which is the area i stayed in. i walked around Avenue Pardo and Avenue Largo which are the main streets in miraflores.  I also visited the indian markets on Avenue Petit Thomas?! which has many many souvenir shops and went to see the inca ruins called Huaca Pucllana but it was closed that day (tuesday)....bummer! but i snap photos anyway.  i made my way to the new mall by the water/beach called Largo Mar...its a nice place...lots of shops and restaurants. the best part about it is the view of the water...it was sooo beautiful! i think i am a beach/water type person...altho i cannot swim that well haha! i walked along the coast to find the famous sculpture and the park(ette)...which i cannot remember the name now...i wanted to find the outdoor market in the triangle park or whatever it is called but no luck. by this time my feet were aching already (omg its day 1 and my feet are already hurting!) so i went home. i didnt sign up for the bbq night that my hostel arranged but i joined the rest of the house for pisco sour after their dinner. pisco sour is peru´s famous drink/cocktail that has pisco in it, ton of lime juice and something something and egg white...ya egg white! but it tastes really good! i tried some of the second batch and i heard the second batch is much stronger...i felt it after 1 glass...now that is strong! i met some wonderful ppl that night...everyone is from all over the world. i noticed that almost everyone i met that night is a lot older than the ppl i met in europe. the europe crowd were all college kids so under 25...but this crowd were averaging 28/30 or so...which is refreshing! The french girl in my room is really nice - she gave me tips on where to go next and were to stay (im basically going on the same route as her...most ppl go on that route).  The american guy sleeping underneath me amazes me because he lived all over the world...i dont think he´s older than me...so thats pretty amazing. the more i talked to these ppl the more i feel i havent travel enough...seriously..i havent! not that it matters...but they all travelled over 30 countries and im probably at 20 something...so i have a lot to catch up! :)

beautiful miraflores...away from central lima...preparing for my first south america adventure!

park
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omg woke up soooooo early the next day...really it was more like a nap cuz i had to wake up at 3am to get to airport to catch my 5:40 flight to cusco. the airport was packed...lima airport opens 24 hours apparently. 3 other girls from my hostel were on the same flight...i guess it was a popular flight (and cheap too!) :P  cusco and machu picchu...here i come!