Peru

Route of the Sun Inka Express Bus Cusco to Puno

Posted in Peru on July 7th, 2015 by Vagablonding – 1 Comment

To get from Cusco to Puno (and back) we took the Inka Express bus for $50 each way. The bus is pretty fancy, with comfortable seats that recline, an oxygenated cabin to combat the altitude, a very tasty buffet lunch, and free refreshments on board. The bus stops at several points of interest to make the long trip more interesting. At each stop, the bus guide gives a tour in English and Spanish. Entrance fees are not included if you buy your bus ticket online, but they are included if you buy with a tour operator. Entrance fees total for one way are 40 soles. Here are the stops in Cusco to Puno order. Views from the bus are also interspersed.

Peru Street

Stop 1: Andahuaylillas
This over the top baroque church is called the “Sistine Chapel of America” because of the amazing frescos and gold leaf coating. Photography is not allowed, but they kindly give you a CD of interior pictures. Since I don’t have a CD drive, the pictures below are borrowed from the internet, not taken by me. The entrance fee is 15 soles for this church and the next one combined.

Andahuaylillas

Andahuaylillas

Andahuaylillas

Andahuaylillas

Andahuaylillas

Stop 2: San Juan Bautista Church in Huaro
Another impressive baroque church, this one is know for its detailed murals. It also has the oldest pipe organ in the Americas. Again, pictures for this church are provided on the same CD as the first church. They’re probably great pictures, but I haven’t seen them. These ones are borrowed from the internet.

San Juan Bautista Church in Huaro

San Juan Bautista Church in Huaro

Stop 3: Checacupe
There is a neat suspension bridge over the Urubamba river and some ruins here. I walked over the bridge, mom enjoyed it from afar.

Checacupe

Stop 4: Raqchi
This Inca ruin is quite large and impressive, including the tall center wall of the Wiracocha temple, several ruins of smaller buildings, and a ton of circular food silos. The entrance fee is 15 soles. This was my favorite stop.

Raqchi

Raqchi

Raqchi

Raqchi

Raqchi woman

Raqchi

Raqchi

Raqchi

Raqchi

Steps built into the stone walls:
Raqchi

Stop 5: Sicuani Buffet Lunch
So tasty! A wide variety of food was available for lunch, definitely something for everyone. On the way there we also had entertainment from a local band. The lunch is included in the ticket, cold drinks are not.

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Stop 6: La Raya Pass
This is the highest point on the trip. The altitude is 14,232 feet.

La Raya Pass

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Stop 7: Pukara Museum
This museum features monolithic stone sculptures and multi-colored pottery collected from a local archaeological site. These artifacts date to 500 BC – 200 AD. The entrance fee is 10 soles. This was the last stop before arriving in Puno.

Pukara Museum

Pukara Museum

Pukara Museum

On the way we passed through the town of Juliaca, know for its smuggling. Female smugglers head across the border to Bolivia to buy all manner of items import tax free, from the mundane household goods to more illegal wares. The entire town is built on this industry.

Juliaca

Juliaca

Juliaca

Our ride continued on into Puno where we began our Lake Titicaca tour. I found the trip to be very relaxing and would recommend this company to others.

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Peru

Lake Titicaca Islands and Homestay

Posted in Peru on June 27th, 2015 by Vagablonding – 1 Comment

On the 23rd we took the Inka Express Bus from Cusco to Puno for 10 hours. Look for a post on that later. We met up with our Gap Adventures representative at our hotel, Balsa Inn, to go over the details of our Lake Titicaca Islands tour and Homestay.

The next morning we were picked up at 8am to go the Puno’s harbor. We met up with the rest of our group, about 12 people who were on a longer Gap Adventures tour. We bought gifts of rice and cooking oil for our homestay families, and boarded the boat. The boat was much nicer than I expected, it was completely enclosed with a roof and windows, and it had comfy reclining chairs.

Lake Titicaca is on the border of Peru and Bolivia. About 60% of the lake is in Peru and the rest is in Bolivia. It is the largest lake in South America, and the highest navigable body of water in the world at 12,507 feet above sea level. The lake is huge, with a surface area of 3,232 square miles. When you look across its waters it’s like looking across the ocean.

The name means grey (kaka) puma (titi) in the local language because the outline of the lake looks like a puma chasing a rabbit. However, if you say it wrong you’re saying puma poop.

Our first stop on the tour was the Uros Floating Islands. These islands are made completely of the reeds that grow in the lake and are anchored down with big sticks. As one islander said, you have to anchor your island, otherwise you might float into Bolivia. Also, if you don’t like your neighbor, you can just unanchor and float somewhere else!

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Stepping on the island feels a bit like walking on a waterbed.
Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

They have a cat 🙂 He tried to get on our boat.
Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Marta showing us a tiny model of how they build an island, using peat moss as a base and adding reeds on top. New reeds must be added every few weeks.
Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

We went inside Marta’s house and she dressed mom up in traditional clothing.

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

For 7 soles you can ride on the very cool reed boat.
Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

As we were taking off, the ladies surprised us with songs in Amara, Quecha, and My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean!
Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

The cat came on the reed boat ride.
Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Uros Floating Islands Lake Titicaca

Our next stop was Taquile Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its unique cultural practices. Here, the men do all the knitting and weaving, including making clothes for their families. The women spin the yarn. We hiked for 45 minutes to the top of the island where the town center is located.

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

In the town center we had an excellent lunch of grilled trout with vegetables at one of the local restaurants for 25 soles. After lunch, our guide explained some of the interesting local customs to us. The type of hat a man wears signifies his status in the community. A single man wears a white hat and is considered useless, not even worth speaking to. Married men wear red hats (pictured) and a two layer belt, the inner part of which is woven from his wife’s hair, which she cuts off and gives to him when they marry. Married men also carry with them a pouch of coca leaves, which they exchange with other married men as a greeting in lieu of a handshake. Married men are the only ones who can chew coca leaves, which they do all day. Yet another kind of hat signifies that a man has been elected to serve as a community leader for a year.

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

After lunch we hiked back down the island to our boat.

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Here everything is reused. What once was a tire turned into a sandal, and then the hinges of a gate.
Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Taquile Island Lake Titicaca

Next, we landed on a large peninsula at the village of Luquina, where we met our homestay families. About 30 families participate in the homestay program on a rotating basis, so that each family has guests twice a week.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

We met our homestay mother, Lula, before engaging in a soccer match with the locals. It was a tough game, we outnumbered them by at least double, and came away with a 1-1 tie. After the game we dressed up in local clothing and learned a traditional dance.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

Our group then split up and we went to our individual houses. Ours was at the top of the hill, no easy walk for mom at this altitude, especially wearing all that traditional clothing. Our room at the homestay was far nicer than we expected. We had lights and a flushing toilet! We joined the family for a traditional dinner of potato, vegetable and quinoa soup, and an entree of potatoes and rice. The people here are farmers and they grow several types of potatoes, which are native to Peru.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

In the morning we were greeted with lovely lake views, worth the climb in the dark the previous night.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

We helped Lula cook breakfast of fry bread and boiled eggs. After that we took the sheep down the hill and staked their ropes so they could graze all day. This was my favorite part 🙂

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

After climbing back up the hill we sat and peeled freeze dried potatoes with the rest of the family: Lula, her mother, father, aunt, and brother. The small potatoes are freeze dried naturally in the winter when the weather is below freezing. They are kept outside for several days and naturally dehydrated. After they are peeled, they are dried some more and then stored in sacks for up to 10 years.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

At midday we had lunch with the family, the tasty vegetable soup again along with two kinds of potatoes and fried cheese. On of the types of potatoes was the black ones we were peeling. They don’t taste good. The yellow potatoes are delicious though.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

After lunch we gathered our things, thanked the family, and headed back down the hill to meet our group. Of course I had to say goodbye to one of my favorite dog buds too.

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

Luquina Homestay Lake Titicaca

We boated back to Puno for another included night in our hotel.

Puno Harbor Lake Titicaca

While we were coming back from dinner, we passed an extremely drunk Peruvian woman named Luz who was literally falling in the street. She was well dressed and about my age, probably had gone out after work. I didn’t want to leave her so we helped (ok, carried) her to her house about 5 blocks away. She was so wasted she asked my name about 20 times. We left her on the stairs inside her apartment building, there was clearly someone there she didn’t want to wake up, though she did offer to cook us some dinner (right….). It was pretty hilarious and I felt better leaving her behind a locked door rather than out in the street.

The next day we took the Inka Express bus back to Cusco again. Now it’s shopping time!

Machu Picchu in Two Days

Posted in Peru on June 22nd, 2015 by Vagablonding – 1 Comment

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu!!!

To get to Machu Picchu we took the Peru Rail Vistadome train from Cusco Poroy Station to Aguas Calientes early in the morning. Poroy station is a 20 minute drive outside Cusco, so head out a while before your boarding time. The train winds through the beautiful Sacred Valley, stopping once at Ollantaytambo. The Vistadome train is excellent for viewing the transition from the high desert landscape of Cusco to the cloud forest at the beginning of the Amazon region. On the train, you get a small snack, which we appreciated because it allowed us to skip lunch and head straight to Machu Picchu as soon as we arrived in Aguas Calientes.

Once in Aguas Calientes we quickly checked in to our hotel, Eco Machu Picchu, and headed for the bus station to take us on the 30 minute switchback ride up the mountain to the ruins. The bus costs 24 dollars round trip for one person.

Machu Picchu is simply amazing. We arrived around 1:30pm and explored until 4:15. This was a great time to go, it is much less crowded than any other time. On this first day we walked mainly up and down the East agricultural sector, the residential sector, and the industrial sector, all located in the lower area, or to the right when you enter the ruins. This is where workers and visitors lived, and man did they have a view! Here are the pictures from our first afternoon:

Machu Picchu

Waynapicchu is the verdant peak that overlooks the city. You can climb it if you buy a ticket.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Group of the Three Doorways
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

The East agricultural terraces
Machu Picchu

We wandered down to a closed area accidentally and were rewarded with the discovery of this adorable viscacha before a somewhat difficult exit of the closed area.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Temple of the Condor. The stones on the ground are supposed to resemble a condor’s head and the large angled boulders its wings. This is all guesswork though, many meanings behind Machu Picchu are largely a mystery.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

The city has an impressive carved rock canal system that carries water to many sites. More canals made of dirt and rock along the ground carry waste water away.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Look at these viscachas, they are so cute!
Machu Picchu

The Plaza Principal (main square)
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Resident llamas! They earn their keep by constant mowing and posing for photos. They are friendly and you can pet them which of course I did.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

At the end of our first day at Machu Picchu, we retired to our our hotel, Eco Machu Picchu. The beds there are very comfortable, but everything else about this hotel is terrible for the price. The bathroom is so tiny anyone with longer than really short legs wouldn’t be able to sit down on the toilet, and there wasn’t really hot water. Also, Aguas Calientes is extremely loud until the wee hours of the night. Don’t stay at this hotel unless you plan on bringing earplugs and low expectations. The food we had in Aguas Calientes was also really bad, with the exception of Cafe de Paris, a cute french bakery with quiche and goodies.

We woke up before dawn to catch an early bus to Machu Picchu for the sunrise. This is totally worth doing for the beautiful lighting and fog that slowly lifts off the mountains as the morning progresses. Here are the pictures from our second day:

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

After enjoying the morning views mom and I hiked for about 45 minutes to Intipunku (the Sun Gate) one of the two entrances to Machu Picchu from Inca times. This is also the entrance to Machu Picchu for those hiking the Inca trail. It’s worth the time if you go early before it’s too hot, the views are incredible, We were pleased to learn that Intipunku is 2745 meters above sea level, which is 25 meters higher than Waynapicchu. We were quite pleased with ourselves.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

When we returned I hiked to the Inca Bridge, a treacherous looking bridge on the wall of a very steep cliff. This is the other traditional entrance to Machu Picchu. Clearly no one was getting into this well guarded city unseen.
Machu Picchu

After the Inca Bridge mom and I explored the upper levels of the ruins, including the Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Three Windows, Casa del Inca, and Intiwatana (an astronomical observatory).

The Funerary Rock, possibly used to mummify nobility.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

The Intiwatana rock, at the top of the hill with the same name, was used to predict the solstices.
Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Our trip to Machu Picchu was incredible. I definitely recommend splitting the visit into two days, a morning and an afternoon. You get the best lighting for photos and avoid the mid-day crowds.

We returned to Cusco via the Peru Rail train this evening, which was another lovely ride. This time with a performance and alpaca wear fashion show! Tomorrow we ride the Inka Express bus all day to Puno where we begin our Lake Titicaca adventure!

Mercado San Pedro and Inti Raymi Cusco

Posted in Peru on June 20th, 2015 by Vagablonding – 1 Comment

Mercado San Pedro is a large local market were you can buy anything from pig heads to textiles to fruit. We wandered through and bought a couple souvenirs: a flute for 23 soles, earrings for 7 soles, a flag of Peru for 8 soles, and a little llama toy for 8 soles. We spotted a lot of things we will come back for on the return trip when we plan on buying more keepsakes and gifts. Of the three markets we visited today (Centro Artesanal and a market set up just for Inti Raymi were the others) this one had the best prices. Probably because it was the smelliest. Always find the stinky market for the best deals.

Another parade was underway in the Plaza de Armas today, this time with impressive floats.

For Suzy:

After walking through the crowded street to the plaza we got lunch at a place with a balcony to enjoy the view.

When the parade was over there were women in traditional dress wandering around wanting you to hold their lamb and take a photo for a donation. This is an excellent gimmick, of course I want to hold your baby animal!

I met this dog bud last night, he lives in the plaza so I petted him again today. Such a bud.

After my animal fix we walked to Qoricancha, an Inca ruin that the Spaniards built the Iglesia de Santo Domingo atop. This church / ruin has original Inca walls and a museum you can tour for 10 soles. In the first photo, the base of the building with the big square stones that fit together smoothly are Incan. They were known for their impressively tight stonework that can withstand earthquakes.

View of Plazoleta Santo Domingo from the church

Llamas and alpacas in Plazoleta Santo Domingo

A sweet beggar lady

Tomorrow we go to Machu Picchu!!!

Cusco Inti Raymi Festival

Posted in Peru on June 20th, 2015 by Vagablonding – 1 Comment

Cucso is full of color and bustling life for the once a year Inti Raymi festival. Peruvians from all over the country flock to Cusco for this multi-day festival celebrating the Inca culture. The main celebration happens on the twenty-fourth but there are exciting things happening every day for 10 days or so beforehand.

We checked in to Terra Viva Cusco Centro yesterday and enjoyed a delicious full breakfast this morning, complete with all the coca products to help with altitude sickness: coca leaves, coca jam, and coca tea. Chewing the leaves is like drinking a lot of coffee but without the jitters.

We set out to Ministerio de Cultura to purchase our Machu Picchu entrance tickets, you can only buy them here in Cusco, not in Lima or online beforehand. Make sure you have 128 nuevo soles per person per day. We didn’t have enough so we had to head to the bank to change money. Be warned, banks will only take the newest, crispest bills without even the tiniest tear or wrinkle. Cab drivers are the same. We have a feeling a beggar would hand you back your wrinkled 20 dollar bill. I’ve experienced this before, but it seems like Peruvians are extra picky about the dollars they will accept.

In the street just outside the Plaza de Armas we saw the beginning of an amazing colorful parade at 11:00am. The beginning of the parade has groups of small children dressed in traditional costumes. Each group is different and has a choreographed dance that explains some part of Incan or Cusco history. We think they might be different schools that do the same dance year after year. We watched for hours and the parade kept extending out of sight. In the Plaza they do their main performance for what might be a group of judges and a lot of spectators.

It was truly amazing, take a look:

This guy twirled me around

And this one twirled mom 🙂

Some of the spectators were just as adorable as the performers

Bubbles!

La Compania de Jesus on the Plaza de Armas

Rainbow flag atop La Catedral. The flag is a symbol of Inti Raymi, not gay pride, but we can pretend.

After watching for about 3 hours we had lunch at Emperedor on the side of Plaza Regocijo. They give you a free pisco sour with your lunch, which was a stuffed avocado with veggies for 20 soles. It was tasty but some of those veggies may have been uncooked, mom felt ill later.

After lunch we discovered the parade was still going, but the groups of children were getting older, now about 10 years old.

This little one was with her older siblings

As you can see the line of kids just keeps on going out of sight, each sign is another group

Then the kids got older still, maybe 13 years old now

We headed back to the hotel to rest for a while and went back out at 7:00pm. The parade was still going! We grabbed a seat on the balcony of Bagdad Cafe to watch. The performer were much older now, perhaps 18 or 19, and their choreography was quite impressive.

The parade ended at 9:00pm. A 10 hour parade! I’ve never seen something so amazing. What a fun day, I love this city! Anyone planning on visiting Cusco should definitely try to be here during this festival.

Lima Centro Walking Tour

Posted in Peru on June 19th, 2015 by Vagablonding – Be the first to comment

After another delicious breakfast at Mariel Hotel we checked out and stored our bags. Our cab from Miraflores to Lima centro cost 10 dollars. We arrived at Plaza San Martin to commence our walking tour of the center, plan borrowed from the Discover Peru Lonely Planet guidebook. Plaza San Martin features a bronze statue of Jose de San Martin, Peru’s 19th-century revolutionary.

We then walked up Jiron de la Union, a pedestrian only street with excellent architecture. Still preserved is the Iglesia de la Merced, a baroque church built in the 1500s.

The street ends at the Plaza de Armas Lima, a huge square where the city was founded. Unfortunately the center of the square was closed by police for upcoming protests, so we had to walk around it. There we met an extremely helpful tourist information man who explained the area to us and gave us a map. He was so kind and helpful. They are dressed in white jackets with an “i” information patch, look for them!

At one end of the Plaza de Armas is the huge Palacio del Gobierno, Peru’s presidential palace. Apparently an exciting changing of the guard ceremony happens at 11:30am, but were were a bit too early to see it.

More streets were closed on our way to the Monasterio de San Francisco. There we caught sight of some of the protesters. The first group were ladies dressed in red with pro-choice signs. Sure a lot of police for a dozen women seeking rights if you ask me.

We took a tour of the Monasterio de San Francisco and its bone-filled catacombs with a guide in Spanish. We could have waited a few more minutes for an English guide but we wanted to practice our Spanish. I think I understood less than half of what she was saying, but I was also busy trying to sneak some pictures (photos were not allowed.) Thankfully there are signs in English and Spanish.

A borrowed photo of the beautiful library, from Dave Etzold’s Blog

When we exited the church, there was yet another group of protesters gearing up, the Municipal Workers Union were unfurling their signs and prepping to march. Two men with them wanted pictures with me, soy la sola rubia :p

Beginning to be pressed for time, we left the rest of our walk for another day and took a cab to the Bernucci Pasta restaurant in the Lince neighborhood for 5 dollars. Mom is really into genealogy and we believe the owner of the restaurant is her third cousin. It was very exciting to be there, we had pasta, snapped a few photos, and left a note with our contact information for the owner. We hope to meet her on the return portion of our trip.

We took a cab back to Mariel Hotel for 5 dollars to get our bags, then another cab to the airport for 17 dollars to catch our flight to Cusco. The airport was easy, but the plane ride was slightly sketch. There was a strong fuel smell, the cabin pressure wasn’t right, and the plane’s speaker system was so loud I had to cover my ears. Otherwise Peru Air’s service was good, they give you soda or juice of your choice and a little prepackaged lunch with half a ham and cheese sandwich and a banana muffin.

We arrived in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire, in the early evening and took a cab to city center for forty soles. This was a 5 cab day, wow. Cusco is very lively right now due to the upcoming Inti Raymi festival. There are tons of locals and visiting Peruvians about, packing the streets. There were fireworks at 10pm so loud they were setting off car alarms. Mom and I decompressed and wanders for a Pisco Sour and a snack before going to bed. More Cusco tomorrow!

Parque Kennedy Cats in Lima

Posted in Peru on June 17th, 2015 by Vagablonding – 2 Comments

Parque Kennedy is very close to our hotel in central Miraflores, and it’s the BEST. PARK. EVER. This well manicured park looks like nothing special before you step in it, but it’s home to over 100 cats! The cats have been roaming all over the park, which is about the size of a city block, for 25 years.

These well-loved kitties are taken care of by a nonprofit group called Kennedy Park Kittens that spays and neuters them, feeds them over forty pounds of food a day, and gives them regular vet checks. During our three visits to the park today (yes three, I love kitties) we saw a woman administer medicine to a cat with an eye problem and several people feeding them. They are extremely friendly and very popular with the locals and tourists alike. You can help the kitties by donating to the group, or by adopting! There are adoption evens at the park weekly.

We are flying to Cusco tomorrow to begin the mountain leg of the adventure 🙂

Lima Peru Parque Del Amor

Posted in Peru on June 17th, 2015 by Vagablonding – Be the first to comment

I’m in Peru! I’m here with my mom on a new adventure, esta vez en espanol! We arrived at 6:00am this morning, same time zone as US Central time. The airport was a breeze. We were through immigration and customs in about 5 minutes. We got a Green Taxi from the airport to Miraflores, the more upscale neighborhood of Lima where we are staying. Green Taxi is recommended because it’s a set fare of 20 dollars (PS my number four key isn’t working… I’ll be typing out dollars from here on…) We arrived at our hotel, Mariel Hotel, many hours before check-in, but they let us have free breakfast and stored our bags. After a very good hotel breakfast with fruit, eggs, toast, real coffee and yogurt, we set out to walk to the Pacific Ocean.

Lima is built on a high bluff over the ocean, and the coast line isn’t beachy. It looks like gravel was poured all over what might have been a beach. They appear to be working on making it more appealing. It’s winter here and Lima is covered in high clouds, though it’s still warm.

We walked along the beach and found Parque del Amor, a sweet little part with a huge statue of an amorous couple and lovely mosaic benches with famous Spanish quotes of love and poetry inlaid.

This one is for mi amor 🙂

And this one is for mi perro

After enjoying el mar we wandered back to our hotel but were still too early for check-in. We had lunch at Balabo Cafe, right across the street from Mariel Hotel. A delicious grilled veggie sandwich and a diet coke for 16 nuevo soles (about 5 dollars)!

Finally we checked in and took a two hour nap in the very comfy bed. Check out the next post for what we did later! (It’s about CATS!!!)