Goodies from South America
photos: ernesthon
Lima, Peru-
Goodbye, Peru. Tonight is my last day in the country, I’m flying out on an overnight flight to Buenos Aires and will be in Argentina for the next 2 weeks. I spent most of my time in Lima around the Miraflores neighborhood, high up on bluffs with an amazing view of the Pacific. I was surprised at how mild and wonderful the weather is here, considering how close the city is to the equator. Lima is located on the edge of a desert, but it’s climate is moderated by the ocean. I’m reminded of the coast of California when I watch the paragliders and surfers by the waterfront.
Lima, Peru-
The “national drink” of Peru is the pisco sour, made with pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, eggwhite and a dash of bitters. Pisco is made in both Peru and Chile, although the Peruvians claim that their pisco is the only true pisco. It’s a clear grape brandy which is quite strong, around 45%, and has a very smooth and mellow taste. The pisco sour has egg whites that gives the drink viscosity as well as its characteristic foam top.
Lima, Peru-
Yesterday, we ventured into the historic center of Lima, which reminded me much of the streets of Buenos Aires - full of action, gorgeous old buildings, and some Latin American charm. We got dropped off at Plaza de Armas - the center of the old city that conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded in the 16th century. Plaza de Armas is lined with important buildings, such as the Cathedral of Lima and the Presidential Palace. The grandeur of the buildings here remind me that Lima was once the capital city of Spain’s South American empire (the Viceroyalty of Peru).
We walked along a pedestrian street, Jiron de la Union (pictured above), to Plaza San Martin, a beautifully restored public plaza lined with beaux-arts buildings and shopping arcades.
Parque de la Reserva, Lima, Peru-
Last night we spent part of Christmas day at Parque de la Reserva. While the park was built in the 20’s, the government installed a series of water fountains in 2007 that the park claims to be the Guinness Record holder as the largest public water complex in the world. There were 13 fountains, each with different distinct features. One formed a tunnel through which people could walk through and another was a laser and light projection show on a screen made from spraying water. My favorite, however, was an interactive fountain where people would run through paths and water jets that were timed with music.
Miraflores, Peru-
I’ve been indulging in lots of ceviche over the past week in Peru. Lima, located on the Pacific coast, is blessed with great access to lots of fresh seafood. Seafood here is both delicious and fairly cheap, and therefore makes up a major part of Limeño’s diets. This ceviche I had this morning is a fairly traditional Peruvian ceviche, with big cubes of fish marinated briefly in acidic lemon juice, spices, chili peppers, and red onions. It’s served with big whole kernels of corn and potatoes on the side. Peruvian’s generally eat ceviche only early in the day, so most of the cevicherias close in the early afternoon.
Miraflores, Peru- Tonight for Christmas eve, the Medalla Milagrosa church in the center of Miraflores, a suburb of Lima, was spilling out into the streets for its Christmas mass. I found out recently that many South Americans celebrate Christmas the way that North Americans celebrate New Year’s Eve, with parties, fireworks, and dancing at the discoteca. We could hear and see firework and firecrackers lit from all around us the entire night.
Feliz Navidad!
Cuzco, Peru-
Plaza de Armas is the center of this city, filled with relics of the Incan and Spanish past. As the capital of the Incan empire starting in the 13th century, impressive public works of temples and fortifications can be found throughout, with the typical precision stonework that the Incans are notable for.
Cuzco, Peru-
We took the train back to Cuzco this morning from Aguas Calientes. We ate at a nice restaurant called Chicha in the center of the town. We chose it because it was affiliated with the famous Peruvian restaurant Astrid y Gaston, but specialized in fine Andean cuisine.
One of these Peruvian specialties was cuy, or guinea pig. Sometimes it’s roasted whole on a skewer, head and all. Our plate was only a part of a cuy, with excellent crispy skin and a good layer of fat. It reminded me a lot of a good duck confit, crispy and fatty on the outside, and tender meat inside. Yum!
Machu Picchu, Peru-
Well here I am, in the Incan city of Machu Picchu perched high in the Andes. Although the view and the site is absolutely amazing, I’m not looking particularly pleased in this picture because I was cowed into wearing this humiliating plastic poncho due to the torrential rain. Needless to say, our scheduled hike up Huayna Picchu (the big mountain in the background) was a wash (pun intended). We ended up exploring the site in soaked shoes and marveling at the fitted Incan stonework.
Aguas Calientes, Peru.
An early morning cup of mate de coca before Machu Picchu. The coca leaf is a traditional herb in the Andes which is used to make a tea or simply chewed by indigenous people here. However everywhere around the world it is prohibited as it is the source from which cocaine is produced. Chewing or drinking coca is slightly stimulating and is supposed to be effective against altitude sickness, and feels to me much like a strong cup of coffee. It tastes a little bitter and quite “grassy”.
Aguas Calientes, Peru-
Today we hiked around the base of the Macchu Puchu mountain area, we’re heading into the sanctuary tomorrow before sunrise. The hope is to climb Huana Picchu, a big mountain that overlooks the Macchu Picchu site, and is limited to only 400 people per day, leading to fierce competition during the high season (not now, since it’s now the rainy season). Aguas Calientes is quite quaint and obviously built to service the tourist visiting Macchu Picchu. However they river and surrounding mountains are still quite beautiful.
Cuzco, Peru-
Landed in Cuzco, altitude 3400m. Our plane from Lima was tiny and a little bumpy, but I’m glad to be out of the airports for a couple days.
