We spent 2 nights and one beautiful day in Lima, Peru. We've heard that most people tend to skip Lima when they travel to Peru but we decided to check it out for a day. And we are really glad we did! We stayed in a neighborhood south of the city center called Barranco and spent the day walking along the malecon (cliffside walkway) and through Miraflores & Barranco. The coastline is stunning, especially at sunset. Our hotel was one block in from the coast but if we were to come here again we'd look into renting an apartment along the cliffs - it's truly spectacular!
We love the bohemian neighborhood called Barranco and wish we had more time to explore it. It's full of beautiful old mansions (many of which have yet to be restored), art galleries, cafes, live music & restaurants. Apparently many of Peru's most famous writers, artists and photographers live and work here.
When we arrived on Monday, many of the restaurants were closed. However, family owned Songoro Consongo was open and welcoming guests. It's located in a large building which is part restaurant and part private residence. The owner, Herman, welcomed us and explained that we were guests in his home and gave us a brief history of his family (he is the 3rd generation living in the house). He walked us through the menu, telling us who cooks each dish and made some recommendations. As the evening continued Herman played the piano while friends joined him playing the guitar or signing. One patron asked if he could participate and so an impromptu band was formed. They had also just recently hired a waiter from Cuba who had the most amazing voice. I wish I'd taken video of him singing because he was incredibly talented. Overall it was a magical evening full of music, conversation and a home cooked Peruvian meal!
By the way, if you are wondering about the title of this entry, we saw loads of people napping all over the city - on lawns, in cars, under trees, and along the malecon. And I really like Queen. :-)
Here are some pictures of our day & night in lovely Lima:
We love the bohemian neighborhood called Barranco and wish we had more time to explore it. It's full of beautiful old mansions (many of which have yet to be restored), art galleries, cafes, live music & restaurants. Apparently many of Peru's most famous writers, artists and photographers live and work here.
When we arrived on Monday, many of the restaurants were closed. However, family owned Songoro Consongo was open and welcoming guests. It's located in a large building which is part restaurant and part private residence. The owner, Herman, welcomed us and explained that we were guests in his home and gave us a brief history of his family (he is the 3rd generation living in the house). He walked us through the menu, telling us who cooks each dish and made some recommendations. As the evening continued Herman played the piano while friends joined him playing the guitar or signing. One patron asked if he could participate and so an impromptu band was formed. They had also just recently hired a waiter from Cuba who had the most amazing voice. I wish I'd taken video of him singing because he was incredibly talented. Overall it was a magical evening full of music, conversation and a home cooked Peruvian meal!
By the way, if you are wondering about the title of this entry, we saw loads of people napping all over the city - on lawns, in cars, under trees, and along the malecon. And I really like Queen. :-)
Here are some pictures of our day & night in lovely Lima:
View of the the coastline from Barranco
La Ermita (the Hermitage) in Barranco. According to legend a group of fishermen were lost in the fog at sea. They spotted bright cross in the distance that helped them find their way home. They later build this church to celebrate the miracle.
Sculpture in Parque de Amor
Mosaic wall in Parque Del Amor
Chris in Parque del Amor
Lima at sunset
People carve names into the Aloe plants along the Malecon
Sunset over the Pacific
This man was playing his guitar and singing while the sun set.
Our appetizer at Songoro Consongo in Barranco. Ceviche, pasteles, yellow and white potatoes and a giant corn on the cob.
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