Peru - Lima

If there is one thing you should not expect in Lima it is to see the sun. Surprisingly, the sky is grey/white all the time. Otherwise, you can expect a busy city, friendly people, good food, and a few historical monuments. On the main Plaza Mayor, in front of the seat of government, the orchestra of the guard plays the legendary "el condor pasa" - which has become the unofficial national anthem of Peru. It is quite amazing how the square (and the guard) still feel so Spanish.

Peru is known as the best food country in South America. Well deserved prize! And I am not saying that because there are 120 types of potatoes... There are many specialties, including those mixing different influences - here it is called "fusion". For example, a "chifa" fusions Chinese and Peruvian cuisine. There is even the "Tiendecita Blanca" a Swiss restaurant. As for the specialties, you can try a new one almost every day: rocoto relleno, ceviche (the seafood one is excellent!), chupe de camarones, lomo saltado, aji de gallina, alpaca, and the most typical the cuy (guinea pig). I even tried this one - I was warned by a friend that it would be served in its entirety, including the head and the teeths. But this did not deter me from eating it.

The only specialty that did not impress me much is the pisco. It's a kind of brandy, mixed with all sorts of things. I ended up drinking more of the other typical drinks that are chicha morada and inca cola.

Let me also mention two common signs in Peru. The first one indicates areas that are safe in case of an earthquake. This picture was taken inside a church, under the main pillars. Does this imply that many areas of the place of worship are unsafe?  In any case, many Peruvians would point out that pre-Spanish buildings generally withstood earthquakes better than Spanish ones. Sometimes, a cathedral would stay standing, while others would be flattened, thus increasing the popularity of its saint.

Another common sign along the Pacific coast indicates the tsunami escape route. Lima itself does not look too much at risk, because the city is mostly built on higher grounds. Even the Lima waterfront - Larcomar - is not at water level.