Peruvian Perceptions

It feels good to be on the trail again, albeit a little differently.  As you know I am an independent traveler. But not for my first 10 days in Peru.  I´m on an Odysseys Unlimited group trip with my friend Diane. I know I could see a lot more on my own, but staying in the lap of luxury, having someone else sort out all the details and spoon feed me Inca history has definite advantages! Now I´m worried what my last couple of weeks of roughing it in the Amazon will be like...

We began with an overview of Lima enjoying Pisco Sours (Peru´s national drink) at a lovely lunch at the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum. Perfect way to start a vacation-tipsy on a guided tour of Incan pottery depicting sex practices. The museum was surrounded by amazing gardens and housed a comprehensive overview of Peruvian culture. I´m starting to think I should have been an Inca. They were a very open culture who knew how to work the system!

The next stop was Lima´s charming main square.  It reminded me of a little Buenos Aires.  There are 29 million people in Peru and 9 million live in Lima.  It´s a sprawling crowded place and we happened to be there on Labor Day, so everyone was buzzing about.  Before heading back to our swanky Mira Flores district, we visited a Franciscan church to tour the catacombs.  Nothing like piles of bones to get you in the mood for a fabulous dinner. Diane and I managed to have dinner at the top restaurant on my list, Astrid & Gaston. What an experience.  And no, I did not try the guinea pig-yet.