Destination: Lima

Lima was a pivot from our original plan of visiting Buenos Aires in December. We had second thoughts about our planned AirBnb there and after canceling were left with a very small pool of options as we got closer to our planned arrival. The political climate in Argentina was also a little wonky so we decided to change things up and pivoted to Peru! The appeal of the ocean, the city’s amenities and the comfortable climate were perks that helped us make our decision.

We arrived in Lima at nearly midnight, catching a cab with a random driver that led us to his tiny vehicle without one second look at the sight of our large family. We were quite amused at the Tetris-like loading of the clown car – with 4 of us in the back seat, Harriet in the way back with luggage arranged carefully around her, and Jay in the front. Not the safest or most comfortable ride though we arrived at our AirBnb with a lot of giggles and a huge breath of fresh air.

Accommodations:

There are many considerations we take when booking lodging and this place checked a lot of boxes. We were within walking distance to many attractions (the beach being one of them) and a grocery store. Three bedrooms fit us comfortably and the kitchen was the most “well stocked” we’ve had so far (measuring cups!!!). But with all good things come the bad. There were floor to ceiling slats along the main wall in the living room that went to the outside and could not be closed. This allowed tiny bugs, moisture, street noise and who knows what else inside without any gatekeeping. We all found it rather strange! The biggest issue we had that might have to do with this open-air “feature” is that there was no way to control the humidity. A constant damp feel to clothing, towels, and bathroom walls and ceilings with obvious mold starting to grow. Not ideal. But we survive and deal with it.

There were a few things we hadn’t considered that affected us during this stay. First of all, we were in Lima over the holidays meaning we were celebrating in this space. Initially, Jay’s parents were scheduled to be in Lima for a couple of weeks in order to celebrate with us. It turns out that our unit did not allow visitors and when we asked to clarify, we were told it’s “not possible” even for simple dinners…or Christmas Day. The same was true of Jay’s parent’s place so luckily they were able to cancel in time to avoid fees. Very unfortunate for us as we were excited to be able to share our trip with family. Second, they didn’t allow us to send packages to the unit. Even with someone at the front desk 24/7, a desk that usually is stacked with packages and food delivery bags, we were told we couldn’t have packages delivered. Needless to say, shopping was old-school brick and mortar experience for me! I’m not going to lie – it was very stressful! I’d definitely call us minimalist when it comes to Christmas giving, meaning we avoid buying just to have something under the tree. It took some creative ideas and serious scouting to find just the right gifts for our adventurous kiddos. It all worked out in the end and we had a great day.

Activities:

Miraflores Tour – One thing we did that worked out really well in Lima was to take a local tour very early on in our visit. We took the opportunity on our first full day there and it was the best decision we made. We chose a “free” tour via GetYourGuide. These “free” tours seem to be available in most cities – while you do not pay to take the tour, you are expected to tip generously at the end. The money goes directly to the guide which is great as it’s funding a local business over a large corporation. Plus the really local guides do know the best places in the city as they usually live there!

We toured Miraflores with Sebastian – a local with 5-star reviews. It was supposed to be 2 hours but ended up being 5! There was a couple from northern Minnesota with us as well. We had food & beer from the jungle (plantains, yucca, sausage, and pork – influence from the Germans), coffee from the mountains at Puka Puka , and ceviche, fried calamari & shrimp, and jambalaya style rice from the sea. The girls enjoyed passionfruit and goldenberry drinks while Jay and I got to try Lima’s “bebido tipico” – Pisco Sour (it tastes similiar to a margarita…but it’s different). We walked along the coast and saw the Love Park, Larcomar – a mall nestled in the cliffside, and learned about the history of the area.

We ended up meeting up with Sebastian several more times over our month there – once to enjoy Peruvian desserts, again when we took surfing lessons, and another time to eat in Barranco. It was nice to “know” someone from the start, as we used him for local recommendations and to schedule our surfing lessons.

John F. Kennedy Park – I knew this park would be a huge hit with the kids before we stepped foot in it because JFK Park in Lima is inhabited by a rather large quantity of tame cats. The history, according to our tour guide, is that there used to be a rat problem many years ago, so the cats were brought in to solve it – which it did – however as you can imagine, it also created a cat problem! Nowadays the cats have stuck around, but they are neutered, fed, and up for adoption. They try to keep the number of kitties between 65-75. If you happen to be there when they are being fed (by a volunteer), you will see them running from all directions to get their plate. This park is also located in a central area of Miraflores, so there are plenty of restaurants and shops around to pop into while you are there.

Love Park – Looking out to the Pacific, this park brought us right back to Gaudi’s Park Guell in Barcelona. Artist Victor Delfin designed this park to house his sculpture El Beso “The Kiss” – which is surrounded by curvy mosaic-adorned benches that create little private areas for couples to be romantic.

MOUV – Easing out of my comfort zone in the city of Lima, Peru began when I popped into this pilates studio next to our apartment. It’s clean, everyone was very welcoming, and they were very patient with me as I practiced my Spanish. The class was in Spanish and by combining the words and phrases I currently know with watching the movements of the instructor, I had no problems with knowing what to do. I ended up buying a 4-class pass to enjoy over the remainder of our visit!

Bridge of Sighs/Barranco – The first time we went to Barranco we walked. And walked and walked. The kids were not thrilled with the mile-ish walk in the sun, but I found it lovely. Without a solid plan, we just wandered around to see what caught our eyes. The Bridge of Sighs was a must – it’s a “magical” wooden bridge dating back to 1876! You hold your sweetheart’s hand, make a wish and hold your breath as you walk across the bridge. If you can make it to the end, your wish will come true! You can also make wishes without a sweetheart. The only rule is they have to be kind. Under the bridge is a charming walkway (Bajada de los Baños) down to the beach lined with art galleries, cafes and street vendors selling sunscreen and snacks. The central park in the area is nicely landscaped and adjacent to a beautiful church called Parroquia La Santísima Cruz.

The second time we went to Barranco (this time with our guide) – we had a plan. It was to eat! We enjoyed coffee and chocolate at Ciclos, a snack, and then lunch at Isolina – a spot our guide wouldn’t let us miss – for good reason!

Rasta Surf – Surfing was on our list for Lima and Rasta was our first experience. The entire crew was so friendly and welcoming from the start. We hitched a ride with our guide Sebastian and arrived with zero experience. Once we got our wetsuits on, we did a warmup followed by ground training – practicing over and over the paddling to standing up technique that was crucial to surfing success. Let’s just say I did great on the ground – on the water was another story! We all had a great time and were able to have at least one good ride towards shore. George had his own 1:1 instructor which gave us great comfort in the very active ocean. The overall response was a delight and excitement for Edward’s turn when he returned to town from his visit to Brazil.

Kno Surf School – We met the owner Dany on our very first night in Lima. As you approach the beach, he’s likely the first one you will be greeted by as his spot is right by the stairs. His English is very good and when we stopped to chat with him about where we were from and what we were doing in town, we found out that he went to Middlebury College long ago! What a small world. Anyway – we wanted to surf with Dany, so once Edward arrived, we made it happen. Fiona and Edward went together this day and had a great time. With it being Fi’s second time going, she found a lot of improvement and was able to stay up for long periods of time. Edward got the bug and couldn’t wait to get back out there again.

Paracas + Huacachina Day Trip – We used our Christmas money from my mom to fund this whole-day adventure. Up and ready for our 5:50am pickup, the kids were exhausted and skeptical! We boarded the luxury bus for a 3-hour ride down the coast to Paracas where we boarded a boat to head to the Ballestas Islands – also known as the “Little Galapagos”. There we saw Humboldt penguins, pelicans, sea lions, crabs, and other sea life. Seeing penguins in the wild was a bucket list item for me – I remember studying them back in 4th grade and thinking it was unlikely something I’d experience. Checked that off the list!

From Paracas, we headed south towards Huacachina, stopping for lunch about 30 minutes outside of town. We had preordered lunch from a preselected menu that I thought was nicely curated. I enjoyed a lima bean salad for an appetizer and a Arroz Chaufa – basically fried rice – for an entree. Ready for this? The kids got….chicken and french fries!!! Ha! Some things don’t change.

From lunch we headed to Huacachina – the desert oasis. Upon arriving you are greeted by mountains of sand – how you might picture the Sahara (though I’m sure much, much smaller). We had an hour to prepare for our dune buggy ride, so we geared up with face coverings and sunglasses and got nice and hydrated. Walking up to the dune buggies was a workout, rewarded by a view of the oasis and surrounding dunes first obstructed by the village. We partnered up with a group of 3 female relatives from NY/FL and two men (didn’t get their home country unfortunately) and strapped ourselves into our ride. George and I were up front where we were told was the least bumpy but the most sandy. Fiona was in the middle with the 3 ladies (we were told this was the most comfortable ride), and Edward & Harriet were in the back (bumpiest!) with the gentlemen.

George was very nervous at the start, but quickly relaxed and enjoyed the speedy bumpy ride along the dunes. Our driver read our comfort level and pushed us all right outside of it – climbing up steep dunes, making sharp turns and accelerating into the glowing sunshine. Our sunglasses and face coverings didn’t hide our joy as we experienced this adventure. We had two opportunities to sand board – with George quickly volunteering to go first. The boards are like long skateboards without wheels. You lie on your belly with your elbows tucked in, grab onto straps at the front of the board, and use your feet as your brake. The sand was warm, soft, and a smooth ride down. If the sun wasn’t starting to set, the kids could have done it all day!

To end the adventure, we met up with the rest of our bus for a sunset toast of passionfruit pisco. We took so many fun photos along the way – I’ll cherish them forever as a memory of this special experience with the kids. We only wish Jay were with us. The 4.5 hour ride home was not our favorite, but we were dropped off at midnight and fell asleep right away, dreaming of sand, sunsets and sunshine.

Basillica and Convent of San Francisco Tour – Located in historic downtown Lima (a good 40-minute Uber ride from Miraflores), this is a stop that is not to be missed. Costing less than S/20 (about $6) per person (students and children are less), you gain entrance which includes a guided tour. Our guide’s English was a bit broken, but we did enjoy the interesting facts we learned about the history of the convent dating back to the 17th Century. The coolest part was the catacombs under the convent. With over 25,000 bodies buried there, bones were piled high and also used as decorations (thanks to the people who rediscovered them in the early 1900s). Unfortunately, photos were not allowed so you’ll just have to use your imagination on this one.

ChocoMuseo’s Chocolate Workshop – Just like in Barcelona, I felt the need to do something more on the fun side while in Lima. This experience was the perfect pick. We started off by choosing our chocolate (milk or dark), a mold, and our toppings. We filled our molds and added the extras – enjoying seeing the combinations everyone chose. The chocolates I made are for Jay as the nutty toppings were a bit too close for comfort for me.

Once the chocolate we made was setting, we got to the learning part. Also hands-on, we got to see the whole process from pod to bar. We tasted the beans in their natural pulp, roasted them in a terra cotta oven, then used a mortar and pestle to grind the beans into a paste. We used the paste to make two beverages and the shells of the beans to make a cocoa tea. This workshop gave us some perspective on the chocolate making process and an appreciation for the “expensive” bars that we indulge in vs. the commercial chocolate found in most convenience stores. We all left with our bars ready to be enjoyed!

Dining/Shopping:

Wong – Major grocery store chain providing most of what you need. We ended up here nearly every other day restocking our produce, cereal, cheese, and other essentials.

Dorcher Bier – Just 2 blocks from our apartment, we enjoyed this tap room a few times.

Helarte – Super cute 2D cafe serving ice cream along with other snacks like sandwiches and crepes.

Manolo – Better churros than Spain. There, we said it. Our tour guide brought us here on our first full day in town and we returned no less than 7 more times. The highlight: filled churros – chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche – fresh and warm.

Puku Puku – coffee. Location in mall with ocean view

Ciclos – This article from Barista Magazine gives a great review of Ciclos – a cafe that we heard about from friends of ours in Vermont. Their cousin and her husband run the shop with a focus on not only flavor but also sustainable & ethical practices from farm to cup (and bar). Downstairs is Felipe’s domain – where coffee is roasted and brewed to perfection. We shared an espresso flight and I loved tasting the dramatic flavor differences between beans sourced in different regions of Peru. After coffee, we headed upstairs to Amanda’s realm – chocolate. We learned that just like coffee, the flavors vary greatly from region to region. Amanda had us taste two identically prepared chocolates – everything the same (% cacao, amount of sugar, etc) except for the region. The kids did a better job than I did at identifying the floral vs. fruity notes and matched the correct chocolate to the correct region. Such fun!

Isolina – a must-stop for classic Peruvian dishes. We shared several traditional plates including Lomo Salto – a big hit for all of us!

La Iberica – Peruvian chocolate – don’t miss out on the pisco-filled truffles!

La Clave – This art supply store was a life saver for me. Charcoal pencils and paper for Harriet, clay for Edward’s Geometry project, and just my happy place – being surrounded by colorful mediums.

Larcomar – This cliffside shopping mall with familiar brands like Patagonia, Levis, Gap, and Banana Republic offers shopping, dining, and some of the best views in Miraflores. Set in a cliff under a park – it feels pretty unreal and is the perfect opportunity for photos. While I found the shopping underwhelming, I went back several times simply for the view and a coffee at Puku Puku.

The Perks

The People: We met so many lovely people while in Lima! From the moment we arrived, we felt welcome and safe.

The Ocean: A short walk away was a black “sand” beach – the true lifesaver for many Jay-less weeks abroad with the kids. Whenever we were starting to feel grouchy or frustrated, we’d head down to the beach to clear our heads. There is something about water that makes it the perfect reset.

The Food: Lima is known as one of the best culinary cities in the world – usually ranking in the top 3. This is for good reason – a blend of many cultures and a diverse geography (mountains, sea, jungle) allows for a fusion of flavors that is not to be missed. Don’t miss out on the ceviche, lomo saltado (steak with tomatoes & fries), anticuchos (beef heart grilled on skewers – George’s favorite!) and picarones (sweet potato & pumpkin based doughnuts soaked in a spiced molasses syrup).

The Not-So Perks

The Traffic: Lima has a well-deserved reputation for being a nightmare when it comes to driving. We found walking to be faster than taking an Uber! Traffic, one-way streets and no true crosswalks (yielding to pedestrians is not a thing there…) makes for a challenging time getting from here to there.

No real public transportation: With the traffic being so bad, you’d think – well why don’t you just take a train or a bus? Wouldn’t that be nice! The metro system has been in the works in Lima for decades and is not expected to be completed in the near future. The busses, while plenty, are packed to the brim and not necessarily safe for those that are not locals. We thought we’d get some suggestions about taking the bus but the only real one we got was to avoid it.

Access to potable water: Buying, carrying and dispensing water from giant (2-5 gallon) bottles for a month wasn’t our idea of fun. You really start to appreciate what you have when it’s no longer available. The temptation to rinse my toothbrush with tap water didn’t last long and we got used to the burden of bringing water into the apartment on a nearly daily basis. On the bright side, we all stayed healthy during our stay!

Plumbing: While I’m sure there are places in South America where you can flush your toilet paper, this wasn’t one of those places. Consider this “fun” as a family of 6. It all adds up, and quick. And sometimes certain people don’t try hard enough to make sure the TP makes it into the trash fully. I’ll stop there. It wasn’t fun.

Humidity?: The climate in Lima was strange. While I never felt super sweaty like you would for example during the summer in Vermont, the humidity in our apartment was next level. No clothes dryer (of course), and we were not allowed to hang clothes on the balcony (wouldn’t want anyone to see it from the street apparently). We always had clothes hanging from all corners of the apartment in different states of dryness, yet never fully dry. You take socks out of the drawer to wear and they feel damp. I’d get a piece of paper from a folder to use and it felt damp. The bathrooms were always damp. You get the idea. The only other time I felt this way was when we went to the Dominican Republic in 2019. It’s a feeling you don’t forget.

Wrap it Up, Amie

Lima was a beautiful city with a lot to offer! We enjoyed the Pacific, the chocolate & coffee, and the people. We would love to go back at some point to hit Machu Pichu when the kids are a little older and have more interest.

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