Add Lima Peru to your Travel Bucket List
I occasionally write about other topics aside from current events and politics. Here's an example I wrote for my local newspaper.
Add Lima Peru to your Travel Bucket List
Brian C Joondeph
Lima Peru is not considered a travel hot spot, instead a stopping point to Machu Pichu or the Amazon. While those are spectacular final destinations, don’t overlook Lima as its own vacation spot.
I had the opportunity to travel there to celebrate my birthday a couple of months ago, toasting another year. It’s a relatively easy journey from Denver, flying United to Houston, then a second flight to Lima. Two hours to Houston and six additional hours to Lima. One can also fly Delta through Atlanta or American through Miami.
Lima is in the Southern Hemisphere so expect the opposite seasons but sitting on the Pacific, there is always a warm and humid sea breeze. We stayed in the Miraflores section of Lima, known for good hotels, restaurants, shopping, and views of the Pacific. It is centrally located and perfect for a short stay.
Fresh fish and seafood are in abundance, in the form of ceviche of all varieties. Grilled octopus was also a delicious treat. Pisco sours are the drink of choice in Lima, although the passionfruit pisco sour was amazing. If you want to skip alcohol, try a chicha morada, a flavorful purple corn-based drink. As an agricultural country, there are an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables.
For coffee drinkers there are plenty of coffee shops. The local specialty is café con leche, or coffee with milk, the ratio of coffee to milk up to you. South America is known for great coffee beans. You might remember the Juan Valdez commercials for Columbian coffee in the 1980s.
Prices are surprisingly good compared to similar fare in any American city. Most Uber rides were only a few dollars. A city tour, either on foot or a hop-on, hop-off bus is a great way to see the city. Other fun stops included the JFK Park in Miraflores, a small city park populated by cats, mostly basking in the sun and hoping for someone to pet them or scratch behind their ears.
Lima also has a robust Chinatown, surprising for a South American country. Chinese immigrants settled into the Bario Chino area of Lima in the 1850s. If you want great beef, add a few hours to your flight and head to Buenos Aires where the steak houses eclipse anything in the Tech Center in terms of flavor and price. For Lima, enjoy the fresh fish and seafood that is better than anything you will find in Denver.
Lima is close enough to make a 3–4-day trip worthwhile. It is a bit of airplane time, but the food and climate are a nice break from the dry and often cold temperatures of Denver. Add it to your travel bucket list!