Departure and Lima - A Wonderful Starting Point

We set out on our big adventure early on a Thursday morning.  Thanks to Dunbar for getting up VERY early to get us there.  In contrast to our last departure from DIA, we felt like we didn't have any luggage.  Since we will be traveling from country to country without a home base we tried to pack as lightly as possible.  In the end, we managed to get our luggage down to a daypack and a suitcase each.  3 of the suitcases are carry-ons (European-sized!) and the last one is slightly larger than carry on (since we have to check one with toiletries)!

We arrived in Lima expecting a big city that we could not wait to get out of.  Instead, we fell in love with Lima's people, food and seaside parks. Lima skyrocketed to our favorite city in South America and is a place we would be happy to live (not that we are leaving Boulder).

Peru's people are warm and welcoming and have been making sure we understand their culture and have the best experience in their country. They are even patient with our limited Spanish, which is quickly improving due to daily opportunities to practice (if we want to eat or get anywhere)!

Most restaurants are run by a passionate owners who attend to our every need. If we have not tried one of the Peruvian specials, they bring us out samples. So far we haven't convinced ourselves to try cuy, which are guinea pigs and the local delicacy.  It is hard for the kids to eat their class pet, but the alpacas have not been so lucky.

We found the best food and restaurants in the world in Lima.  The food is a fusion of flavors from many cultures and the Peruvians take advantage of all their different climates to grow fresh "everything."  For example they have 3,000 different types of potatoes.  Our favorite restaurants were La Mar, which took service to a whole new level with their use of iPhone technology, and Huaca Pucllana Restaurant that overlooks illuminated pre-Incan ruins.

We stayed in Miraflores, a suburb of Lima, which has a beautiful park system that runs along the ocean for miles. We strolled along the pathways stopping for the kids to join in a game of soccer and to have an early dinner at a restaurant on an a ocean dock that over looks the surfers playing in the sea.  Hang gliders soared above, except for the one that crashed by the beach making us glad we did not pay to take a ride.  Lima was a pleasure to stop in and we even look forward to visiting again as we leave Peru for Chile at the beginning of February.  Next stop: Cusco (and Machu Picchu)!