Peru, Part 2

Even though my hotel was almost in the city center, and there had been a crowd of tourists in the streets, I had a surprisingly quiet sleep. I woke up feeling pretty refreshed and ready for my adventures in Lima. This time I was feeling more courageous; I decided to get something to eat outside of the hotel. Just a hamburger, with some potatoes and some local soda. I figured I should pick a place where the biggest line is, and my instinct was right. That was some tasty burger, although my wallet would certainly disagree with that.

But enough about food — let’s do some sightseeing. The first thing I had to see was the Miraflora district, which combines residential areas with upscale shopping experience. What can I say, I’ve always liked shopping, and this part of the city really got me intrigued. There are some amazing restaurants and hotels, but you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money to have a good time here. You can just go to a park, or take a walk down the street and just enjoy the scenery. With Lima’s favorable weather, that’s always a good option. Oh, and don’t forget the beach!

The second thing I wanted to see in this city was the historic center of Lima. This is one of the most important tourist destinations in Peru, and in fact, it’s been a World Heritage Site since 1988, when it was declared as such by UNESCO. Everywhere you look, you can see history, and the evidence of the Spanish colonial rule. I don’t know much about architecture, but I can sure recognize a magnificent building when I see one. One of the things that really add to the charm of this part of the city are the balconies of Lima. These structures were adapted for ceremonial purposes, and they are considered cultural heritage.

My next stop was the Museo del Automovil Coleccion Nicolini, a really cool automotive museum. I love everything about cars, especially old ones, and this museum was the right place for me. No modern technologies here, no such thing as truck gps app, just good old cars. The only negative thing, if you can call it like that, is the fact that the museum is located outside of more touristy areas, so it’s a little bit harder to find. But for me personally, that was only a positive thing.

It was getting late, and since I had been feeling tired, I decided to go back to the hotel. But not before I visit another fast food place! (I really should take better care of my health). This time it was French fries with some weird local spices, but overall it tasted good. A good end to an even better day, you could say that. For the next day I planned something different, a little change of scenery. I planned a history lesson, a chance to learn something about ancient civilizations…