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Five Days In Lima, Peru        April 2017
Originally the plan was to make my first trip down to South America from California a modest stay of two weeks but as certain events developed in London, I cut it short to just five days over a weekend. Arriving just past midnight at the Jorge Chavez International Airport on a crowded Avianca flight from San Salvador, I was met by family members at the bustling Arrivals Area and confronted outside by slow bumper to bumper traffic. I was told there was a shooting on the main thoughfare from the airport heading towards the centre of town an hour or so ago and a portion of the road had been closed by the local police for their investigation. I, all at once, felt like a schoolboy out on a school trip and was taking in as much as I could in this new country I had just landed upon.

A stopover in El Salvador on the way to Peru

Lima is such a bustling city, sprawled out to its limits and like all major cities of the world unwillingly embraces widespread poverty alongside areas of affluence. Smog is prevalent at times as the number of vehicles struggle to navigate the space between each other, from buses and trucks, mopeds, Tuk- Tuk Taxis, bicycles and motorcycles it is challenge for me to witness.
I was amazed at the skills of the family driver who literally forced his vehicle through the dense swaying curtain of traffic. You certainly cannot be faint hearted behind the steering wheel at anytime here, mopeds and scooters rush past you barely missing the car mirrors on each side – it gives you something to listen out for I suppose during your travels! Then there are the numerous small buses called Paradero that service the city and surrounding outlying areas loaded to the gills with standing passengers at most hours of the day and night, generally hanging on to dear life. it’s just as well that they appear to stop anywhere that they can to pick up and drop off passenger

 

When I first saw the local motorized Tuk -Tuk taxicabs running around in Cieneguilla I fell in love with them – not for the lack of obvious safety they displayed but in fact that they instantly sparked fun, uniqueness and vivid colour to an area which often displayed dusty and desolate landscapes amid mountainous areas of pure beauty. If I ever have another opportunity in life to return here, a ride in one these sparsely designed and built machines, regardless of the life threatening possibilities it could bring thereafter, would bring a beaming smile to my face. You can see these types of transportation in the Far East, in numerous films and photographs but to see them here in Peru is quite an experience. I could not lose my love for this unique mode of transport and kept taking photographs whenever I could. I am not sure if I could ride in one for too long a journey but this type of transportation in the outlying is obviously a cheap method of transport and no competition to the likes of Lyft or Uber (who have yet to make a presence here).

The one noticeable fact that came to me as a passenger in the car was that the local outlying roads would have stretches of asphalt interspersed by sudden overriding installations of speed bumps. Most of traffic speed their way along these straight portions of road until the very last second – the car in front’s brake lamps lighting up in quick unison. Stop..Go…Stop! Certainly, one way of doing a brake test!
Cieneguilla is surrounded by the most majestic mountain range in the area. As a first time visitor I thought they could be the initial foothills to the real Andes mountain range but after some research, I discovered that the map showed them located a moderate distance away to the east. A fog would partially hide these mountains for the majority of the day but by late afternoon it burnt off and the whole panoramic view unfolded to the delight of this visitor. I became so enthralled by the scenery in my surroundings – it was so different to Northern California, indeed even Southern California

 

 

 

 

When I was shown this well thought out layout of an Peruvian Orchard of which fruits such as Bananas, Mangos, Limes, Lemons grow in abundance it came as much of a surprise. I had never seen such produce actually growing in front of my eyes. Below the mature tree trunks they dig a simple circular irrigational system which surrounds and services all the orchard’s acreage. Even if it is the birthplace of the potatoe, it too thrives here in numbers. A household that is certainly quite self sufficient. Breakfasts would include fresh picked fruits and vegetables and a simple salad covered in Lime juice in place of the Salad Dressings most people are used to. Absolutely Delicious!…I just love the variety of food that the average Peruvians eat. Even if I am not the most noted fish eater in the world, you can rarely surpass the amazing succulent taste of fresh Peruvian Ceviche – the best I had being from a beach near Lima. Outstanding!

As the time of the year that I visited Peru was in late April the weather was slowly changing towards a more wintery feel to the air. We still experienced sunny days overall but in the Cieneguilla area it was noticeably cooler at times. It did not deter from the trip of which I was still very much absorbing all the changes and enjoying thoroughly. It was time to head back to stay in a downtown townhouse owned by the family who invited me.

The Miraflores Shopping Centre

Back in Lima and a visit to the infamous Shopping Centre located close to the ocean in the exclusive Miraflores District of Lima. It is a lovely designed centre for all the family with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding terrain. There are many exclusive shops located inside this complex and we only skipped through it briefly. I was surprised by a promotional display of the most current models of the Land Rover and Jaguar car models – quite a surprise really! They even have a statue of the infamous Peruvian beer named Paddington who overlooks the expanse of land and ocean. Knowing the original book written by Michael Bond who recently passed away and his story, I was still quite surprised to see this adoring monument which was erected after the original Paddington film was released.

I must say that the statue has been incredibly popular with children who visit the area and it was still a nice surprise to come across it out of the blue! I think that they did a great job on achieving the result they were looking for. Beyond the statue is a location to the north where paragliding is popular flying over and around the cliffs

I loved the views of the Pacific Ocean below and there are miles of beach life to enjoy along the shore. The shoreline is quite pebbly in composition, surfing is evident around certain areas. It was quite spectacular in all its views. With the height looking down from the Miraflores Centre, it was magnificent!

Looking northwards and along the Pacific Ocean, there is a long pier which houses a well known Seafood restaurant to the locals. It reminds me of the traditional British piers that were so popular in the past. As my time in Lima is almost at a close, this being my last evening, I head to the heart of the town. The Presidential Square (as shown at the start of this post) and Lima’s famous Cathedral.

I absolutely loved my brief trip and was sad to leave a land I barely even touched. The time flew by rapidly, as often as it does for first time travellers. Tomorrow morning I would fly back to San Francisco with a stop over in San Salvador and then head directly onto London. Lots of hours ahead to remember the great moments on my first trip to Peru. I promised myself that I would return one day to ride a Tuk Tuk taxicab, visit Cusco, Lake Titicaca and then Machu Picchu before I die….sometimes I’m not always so good on promises!…
 
Huntly Maury
July 2017