First Days in Perú
Created at Omar's home in Lima, August 26th 2004It was quiet funny, suddenly to be brought by plane to a totally unknown spot, whereas we usually reach every place very slowly by bike. But, thanks to our hostfamily in Perú we felt comfortable pretty soon. |
 
It was a nice welcome at the airport in Lima, where Omar picked us up.
His cousin drove us to his home in the quiet neighborhood of
Altamar in Callao. There we were welcomed by the whole family, three birds,
and two dogs. (ma, mi) |
 Many things, we saw in Lima in the first days, made us remember the cities in Central America, but nevertheless it was totally different. Lima has a totally different light, everything seems to be more damped, softer, less glaring, less shrill. This causes the coastal fog, la garúa, which mostly lays over the town - a fascinating atmosphere! (mi) |
 Omar directly stopped a passing fruit-trader, that we could get to know Peru with every of our senses. He asked, which fruits we don't know. We had to try them at once. In Perú you can get a huge variety of fruits. Omar's mother Gloria prepared every day new delicious food to show us the Peruan cuisine. (mi) |
  
Right at the first day we made a walk in Lima downtown with Omar and his
mother. We were amazed! Lima offers so much, is modern and at the same time
full of history, is very lively but not tumultuous, offers South American
flair and lots of typicals coupled with goodies like pedestrian traffic lights and
zones without car traffic.the very top: Catedral de Lima above: Plaza Mayor with the Municipalidad de Lima (all pictures mi) |
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The district Miraflores located directly at the ocean we liked the most.
Here is the park of the lovers, a little isolated park with artfull
shaped tile-benches and a beautifull view to the ocean. And the lovers
didn't keep us waiting. At all Perú appeared to be very young. With
Omar we visited the university of Callao and many cheap restaurants and
cafés, where we met lots of young people. The gap between rich and poor
seemed to be by far not that big than in Mexico and Guatemala. We felt,
that here also exists a good middle class. (both mi) |
 In Lima, like here in the district of Miraflores, you can also find modern art in public places, not only pathetic monuments and cheap handicraft, like we found a lot in Central America. left: integrativ project of art students right: graffitis (both mi) |
 At dawn the sky turns into a golden gleam. With Omar and his girl friend Beatriz we slauntered along the promenade of Cantola, the lights of Callao in the background. There we finally were overwhelmed of the variaty of this interesting city. (ma) |
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Epilogue: Of course Lima, with its estimated 10 Mill. residents, has inignorable negative faces too. That, we don't want to argue. But to leave the city completely out of the traveling route, like many bicyclists do, seems for us not fair. We recommend to all, look for a host family! They usually know, how to experience Lima as best. Therefore look also to the links at "Who we met". ___________________________________________________ |
