On this bus I met a very friendly couple from California who were seasoned travelers and had a lot of advice for me for the rest of my trip and upcoming destinations. It was a good thing that I met them, because we had to get off of the bus for Immigration twice (once for our stamp leaving Ecuador and once for entering Peru). I had no idea what was going on, where to go, or even where our bus was once I was finished. They were very helpful, waiting for me to get everything situated so I didn't get lost. I also met an older woman from Ecuador, Fanny, who was very eager to talk to me in order to practice her english. She told me that she has been away from her husband for eight years; he is in New York City working while she stays at home taking care of their three children--he can't come home and she can't visit him due to visa and passport difficulties (really puts our bubbled American lives into perspective, doesn't it?).
Once in Piura, I got on yet another bus to Lima. I told the driver of my previous bus that I needed transportation that was safe for a young, blonde, American to ride over night. He said no problem and put me in a cab. When the driver dropped me off, I initially didn't want to get out of the car; the area was dark and I didn't see a bus or anyone in a line. I asked him again if this was definitely safe for me and he assure me it was. I purchased my ticket and was sent to the back of the office where the bus was loading. BALLER!!! This bus was a double decker; my seat was on the top right behind the front window the an amazing view of the drive. The seats was comfortable and huge (plus no one was sitting next to me so I could lie down), they gave us pillows, AND dinner and breakfast. Thanks for the hook up!
At 8:00 am I finally arrived in Lima, Peru. Luckily, the bus terminal had an internet cafe in it, so I could even look up directions to the hostel in Miraflores where I was told to stay at--lucky, lucky me. I walked in without a reservation (again) and they had an open bed--no problem! I instantly met a few girls in my room that were heading off to the Inca markets to go shopping and asked me to join; nothing like friendly travelers :). We wondered around for the day and later that evening decided to go get dinner down by the water. We went to the Marriott Hotel for drinks, first, because they were told by some other travelers that that was the place to go for some amazing passion fruit pisco drinks. Now, my last experience with pisco was less than to be desired, but I figured I'd try it again. MMMMMM, so good! They had numerous house infused flavors, as well. I tried one that was infused with hot peppers, celery, and an excessive amount of black pepper--it took the three of us 15 minutes to finish one shot because it was SO spicy (but would make a phenomenal Bloody Mary). Afterwards we walked along the Pacific Ocean in a failed attempt to find a restaurant. We wondered for a while and then headed back towards the hostel where we knew we could find some food.
The next day I got up early and went to GOLD'S GYM!! Sadly, I was quite excited to find a really good gym (which is all over the United states), and I went to run on a treadmill and take a spinning class. When I got back to the hostel I met a Aruk from London who was taking a trip to central Lima. I was doing the same so we went exploring the historical sights together. We walked through the Plaza Mayor, Government Plaza, and through the San Francisco convent where you tour a beautiful church and walk through underground catacombs. After that, I found a restaurant that served Cuy--I have been looking for this since I arrived in South America. It was delicious :) That was basically the end of my short adventure in Peru. A few hours later I got on my plane to Argentina!
FOOD CORNER
CUY!!!!!! OK, this is apparently the national dish of Ecuador and a delicacy in both Ecaudor and Peru. That's right, kids, I ate Guinnea pig!! The internal organs are removed and everything else remains (head, ribs, claws); then, it is battered and deep fried, served with an ear of moté, salad, and baked potatoes. It literally tastes like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I washed it all down with a local beer, Cristal :)
Taste: 5
Aftertaste: 1
#2 For lunch the day before I had what I knew was some part of a chicken and french fries. Later I found out that it was the esophagus--chewy and a little crunchy but once you get over the texture, not too bad.
Taste: 3
Aftertaste:2 (it was extremely salty and I got a little nauseous, but once I consumed some chocolate I felt a lot better:))
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