We chose to take an overnight flight from JFK to Lima on LAN Peru. Obviously, there were delays. I say "obviously" because I am consistently a disaster when it comes to travel. I had the privilege of attempting to fly out of London a few years back when the Christmas "Underpants Bomber" incident occurred. I've once boarded a plane only to discover there was a duck stuck in the engine. I've been unnecessarily rerouted to Denver while trying to go in the complete opposite direction and I've had checked luggage somehow end up in the wrong city. So, honestly, I'm totally fine with an hour delay.
Anyway, given the current state of US based airlines, I was very impressed with LAN Peru, even in coach. Wine and Inca Cola flowed freely and there were multiple meals served on the 8-ish hour flight. The timing wasn't great, with dinner being served at about 1am and breakfast at 4 or 5am, but it's the thought that counts! After a few glasses of said free wine, Robert and I enjoyed "Sharknado" in all of its epic awesomeness and then passed out.
We landed, groggy, in Lima. Thankfully, jetlag was practically nonexistent, since Lima is only an hour behind NYC. Nonetheless, the first order of business had to be a good long nap at the hotel. If you have traveled to South or Central America or know anyone who has, you have most likely heard the 2 main warnings: 1) Don't drink the water and 2) Don't get into any cabs. None of our research had any conclusive advice on how to get from the airport to the hotel safely, so we decided to just wing it when we got there. We walked past the black car service kiosk offering rides for $50 US and out into the lobby of the airport. A nice man in a suit ushered us to his taxi, we shrugged and got in.
The scary thing about taxis in Peru is that they are not standardized whatsoever. Cabs come in all colors, makes and models, and sizes. They do have ID numbers painted on the side, but, let's face it, anyone can do that. The taxi line outside the airport seems to be a safe bet, though. They cost a few dollars more, but are much safer than those on the streets outside the airport gates. Another thing to note is that passengers should negotiate the fare before getting in the car, since there are no meters. Having managed to successfully get a decent rate, Robert and I thought our troubles were over.
Peru has 2 Marriotts total. One in Lima. I figured most drivers would know where it is located, but every time I said the name of the hotel, the driver stared at me blankly. Then it dawned on me. "El hotel Mah-RRR-iott, por favor?" I asked, tentatively. Immediately, everything clicked. Weirdly enough, even if you don't speak Spanish, pronouncing English words with a Spanish accent actually really helps.
Finally, we made it to our hotel, the JW Marriott located in the Miraflores district of Lima right on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific. The US Dollar goes a LONG way in Peru. For about $150 we were given a deluxe, high-floor, ocean-view room that would probably run around $400 in the US or Europe. Amazingly, my Silver status with Marriott actually made a difference and we got free Wi-Fi as well.
After a glorious nap, we went out in search of food. Lima is very much like many Latin American cities in that it has very metropolitan and modern parts as well as many poorer and potentially dangerous areas. The district of Miraflores is the safest, wealthiest and most popular with the tourists. It is perched upon a picturesque coastline and is home to some truly incredible food, excellent surfing, shopping, and some historical sites.
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| The Pacific coastline was absolutely spectacular. However, for better views and weather, I would recommend going in the summer or spring. Lima is extremely foggy and gray most of the winter. |
We decided to splurge a bit on our first meal in Peru and headed for La Mar, a restaurant well known for its ceviche and seafood. It did not disappoint! The Ceviche sampler, the scallops, the Devil Fish, and the seafood soup were all awesome. The Chinese influence that's prevalent throughout Peru was definitely noticeable as well. There was also giant corn. HUGE. Pretty sure each individual kernel was about the size of an adult's thumb nail. Speaking of corn, we also tried a Chicha Morada, a traditional purple corn juice drink. (The jury is still out on how I feel about that...) I topped off the meal with my first of many Pisco Sours and we walked all the way back to the hotel along the coastline, admiring the surfers.
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