Peru, Part I

This is a trip long time coming. While at Oxford, my friend M. invited me to come London for a Peruvian concert he had free tickets to - M. had a way of getting free tickets for things. Anyways, the performer was Susana Baca, who I was already a fan of. Fast forward a few years to another Afro-Peruvian jazz concert in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, and the stage was set for a trip to Peru, with my sister G. joining us.


We got to Lima in one piece, installed ourselves into the hotel in Miraflores, and launched on a tour of the city, starting with the Plaza de Armas.


The barriadas of Cerro San Cristóbal in Rímac. Half of Lima's 10M live in similar communities.


Having some pre-dinner Pisco Sours at La Carreta, a popular steakhouse in San Isidro.


Taking a bus south to Ica. Ica is the gateway to the desert of the famous Nazca lines, and is also a major centre for the production of pisco. Unfortunately, it looked like we reached the end of the world before getting there.


Yes, end of the world indeed. Billboards for the bubble-gum flavoured Inca Kola.


The control tower at the Ica airport. If Gilligan's Island had an airport, this would fit right in.


Over the Nazca desert. This is a dry riverbed, but the lines themselves were incredible.


Sandboarding on the dunes of Huacachina. Fun.


But not as much fun as the dune buggies!


Miraflores. Down on the pier is a popular seafood restaurant. Unfortunately R. and G. are amongst the least adventurous eaters in the world, so we didn't go there. I'm not bitter. That said, the alternative was just as curious - chifa, the Peruano version of Chinese food. The food was really just ok, but it turns out there was a wedding reception on at the restaurant, and we were the only diners who weren't guests.


At the end of their dinner, a microphone came out, with speeches and such. Things took a turn though, when we heard the words "famous American singer" - turns out Gloria Loring was somebody's auntie and came to Lima for the occasion - and gave us all a performance of her hit single, "Friends and Lovers." Clearly, time to get out of Lima.