My, its been about 800 years since we last spoke. Jk. But really, we didn't have stable wifi at our first hostel, so my apologies. After an hour and a half flight from Lima to Cusco and a harrowing cab ride through the moutains (2,000 feet descent) we've finally reached our midway point of Ollantaytambo before heading off to Machu Picchu.
But let's backtrack to our first day in Lima.
We arrived not too much after midnight to be greeted by everyones favorite uncle in a red tank top, Francis. He is in charge of the hostel we stayed at, Miraflores House. We paid roughly USD 23 per bed per night. We stayed 2 nights and there were 2 of us. On hostelworld.com, you only pay a %15 deposit, and an optional 2.00 for flexible booking (ALWAYS get flexible booking, its just not worth it not to). Our grand total for staying in Lima was USD 94. The rate in Peru is 1 USD = 3.27 PEN (The Peruvian Nuevo Sol). All in all, we give our hostel an 3.5/5. 1 being horrible, and 5 being "aww yeaah."
Lima is very bustling, and it almost reminds you of a bigger college park; or perhaps a smaller NYC if you will. The traffic seems to be a honk-whenever-you-want free for all, and in order to cross the street, you just have to either follow the locals or work up the courage.
When we did in fact get used to crossing the street, we walked all the way down to Huaca Pucllana, recommended by Francis our hostel owner. We initially had trouble finding it because it's a restaurant attached to the archaeological site called Huaca Pucllana. So worth the wait though! Not only was it delicious, but it made us feel really fancy (and as grody as we looked, we're honestly shocked they didn't turn us away). There's a picture below of cooked Guinea Pig or "cuy" that we ate. I approve!
We walked outside the next day, April 21st, in jeans, boots, and long sleeves; only to immediately regret that decision. We walked for roughly 20 minutes before returning to change. Miraflores, at this point, is roughly 77 degrees. Feeling much better about our costume changes (shorts, and tank tops) we explored the town. We walked all over, went to the beach, and most importantly, walked aimlessly for hours in search of the towns best churros; only to fail beautifully. If you;re on the hunt for Manolo;s Churros, best of luck to you. I think it's a Harry Potter situation where it only appears to you if you're worthy. It;s at the corner of Calle Schell and Calle Pinos. After suffering through empty promises of churros, we settled on a pancake place that was actually really good. 52 PEN for a giant pancake with Nutella, strawberries, bananas, and ice cream. Not b ad at all if you're sharing between 2-3 people. It's called Palachinke if you're looking for a good rep.
My personal recommendations so far for travel are as follows:
Scottevest SeV Margaux Cargaux Travel Pants. They are great for stowing away important documents for easy access, yet great security. I put my passport, boarding pass, and even money in the zipper pockets. It was a great find especially since it's such a hassle for me to wrestle through my bags for documents I'm constantly taking out.
2. Tortuga Backpack. This backpack is extremely popular, and actually created by two UMD alumn (go terps!). The fact that it opens like a suitcase and is perfect regulation size for carry on are priorities in my list. Nothing is worse than needing something at the bottom of your bag, and having to open it from the top.
3. Tortuga Daypack. This is to be used in conjunction with the larger Tortuga Backpack, and it's perfect for walking around during the day. Stretchy and light make this tiny pack ideal during the day (I know I sound like a brochure). One minus though is that because its stretchy and light, there no bottom or surrounding structure to keep it from taking shape of anything you put in it (careful of things with corners, they'll get you).
4. EZ Packing Cubes. These I LOVE. Even Olivia agrees, they keep all my stuff in check and by category. I have my stuff separated into clothing, socks/underwear, toiletries, and electronics. It's great for packers wanting to again, keep stuff in the right place when you need it.
That's all for now. We'll be sure to post another one hopefully in the next day. But as for now, we're tired, hungry, and wanting to just relax and enjoy the beautiful mountain town that is Ollantaytambo. See below for bomb-ass photos, courtesy of our resident photographer, Olivia Mahlmann. And don't forget to comment, I want to hear from you!
Stay fresh,
Señorita Fuerte & la Mujer Pequeña
So excited to read all about your adventures. Espero que estés hablando mucho español.
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