LIMA – Arrival/Departure/Stop-The-Rush place

Waking up in Huacachina @ 6.17am to take an early morning bus to Lima was not at all for the reason to explore the Peruvian capital.  8,5 million populated city, which is also called ‘The Strangest Saddest City’ (due to its half a year long lasting microclimate of non-stop greyish sky that disables any access of the sun, vision of anything blue looking gazing at you or all positiveness people absorb from up there..), displays all modern & established cities’ characteristics.  Lima definitely belongs to one of the most developed cities in SA we have visited so far.  Skyscrapers , blue collar businesses, traffic jams & fast food chains of all nations… simply said, a place which is pretty close to the very bottom on our list of things which we are looking for to see while tramping through this continent.

The reason why Mark & I woke up so early that day was to get ourselves good seats in some well positioned spot of Lima Loki Hostel, crack some beers open and place a couple of wishful bets prior to Germany – Spain SF match Kick-Off (1.30pm).  The result of -50 USD losing bet put us after the match for a bit decisionmakinglessly to sleep before hitting a 5 star restaurant for one helluva grandeur dinner – Mark’s treat on his last holiday day/night with us.

Mark, who had spent 3 amazingly action-full packed weeks with us (North Bolivia & Peru) was the very next day escorted by me to a taxi* in bird-sleep morning hours.

Mark with his ‘no-worries Oz attitude’ was a fabulous ingredient of www.triper.sk voyage.  Muchas gracias bro and best luck with your future choices you’re about to be facing.

(* Lima’s taxis don’t have meters and majority of them are unregistered = unofficial.  Indeed, surveys have indicated that no less than one vehicle in seven here is taxi 🙂 – loving it! 😉 )

There is another very exciting fact giving Lima higher value of importance in our Itinerary.  Day after Mark’s departure, there was (and now is) Mimi (Mito’s & mine ex London flatmate) in Lima, who had come to spend three weeks with us and travel through a few parts of Peru & possibly even Ecuador. Mito arrived in Lima the very same day Mimi did, safe & sound after a long almost 30hr bus ride from La Paz; unfortunately missed Mark by a day.

My “interest” in the city itself was shown fully by not even leaving hostel’s closest neighborhood for the first 2 days in a row. Mito & I took full advantage of wifi in a bar area and used time friendly to catch up with at that time almost 2,5 week ‘limping’ blog status.

Probably the top highlight of our stay in Lima was the day of the World Cup finals which we enjoyed with our earlier met Dutch friends at the main city square – La Plaza de Armas in a golden VIP circle with heaps of other Orange-dressed & Spanish supporters.  Even though my money was invested on Spain we were also dressed in orange (due to our mates) and thus cheered for the Tullip country with Dutch flags painted on our cheeks and orange balloons sticking out from our hair.

I  made some wicked video & photo documentary from that fantastic unforgettable event, however, I guess it must have been in the crowd where my 007 mobile was ‘left’ to potentially serve someone else’s possible needs.

We met some terrific people that day who will surely stay our friends for long.

Peru has been so far and by miles exceeding all my expectations.  For some reason before arriving here I had pictured Peru as a tourism run down & infested country where long lasting cultural values are being erased by the powers of commercialism.  Of course, there is no lack of tourists out here but apart from their prime destinations, the country doesn’t seem very touched , influenced or negatively effected (by us).

The countryside is very pretty & diverse, but people in general seem to be the best by far. Genuinely friendly, modest, without envy, humble, with big hearts and beautiful in all traditional ways – also very colourful 🙂

Even though we saw very little of their capital city during days and spent $ amounts doubling the ones from our London times in night hours, Lima’s stay has gone beyond our original plan and sure-shot beat its main goals:  BEING A FRIEND AND STAYING WITH ONE IS ALL THAT (AT THE END OF THE NIGHT) REALLY MATTERS…