Lima Night Skyline

It's my first full day in Lima, and I've had the nice surprise that, despite warnings of cold weather, which had been so terribly affecting the country -specially in the south- , the sun is shining and it looks like everyone who can be is out enjoying it.

It feels like early spring, instead of the start of winter.


One unpleasant development is that the Jesus Maria municipal government has started work on the Agora, a plaza in the earliest part of San Felipe.

Granted, the Agora wasn't exactly a gem and in needed some cosmetic work, but the mayor of Jesus Maria has advanced with the project first without properly consulting the residents (some alleged that there was even subterfuge) and then against their expressed opposition, and that of the original architect as well as that of the National College of Architects.

Moreover, the proposed design of the remodel itself has some odd aspects to it. To begin with it would put in a floor of different materials ranging from cement, to brick, to artificial turf, in a target-like concentric design. And that, around a 4 m reflecting pool, which has led more than one to wonder if, and how, this pool would be maintained any better or cleaner in the future than so many of the city's other neglected water features.

I guess we'll have to see, as the proyect will go forward because "it has already been started."

In Lima!

Got here without incident after on-time and uneventful flights. My brother was supposed to pick me up at the airport but he forgot to, so I caught a taxi home.

Getting home from the airport was no big deal. It's not like I don't know my way around or speak the language. I waited a bit just in case, remembering that these guys tend to allow 45 mins from plane landing to exit when figuring out when to be at the airport. Heck, even if Tono had come, I'd still have had to book a cab.

I didn't rent a phone at the airport, and started regretting it right away as I couldn't get ahold of anyone. Then I remembered that unlike the US, here there are actually pay phones everywhere, so I got ahold of Diego and Juancho, my cousins, and we coordinated our plans. Then I went to the nearby Metro supermarket and bought a phone at the kiosk there.

We met at the apartment and then went out to Gaston Acurio's newest venture, Panchita, a restaurant that specializes in anticuchos and other grilled meats. It was actually quite good, with a lot of attention paid to the decor, the service, and small details like the wait staff's uniforms, that made it an inviting and friendly place to eat, even though it was quite crowded -a 45 min wait, on a Tuesday night!

The waiting itself wasn't bad at all as the bar staff was quite skilled in mixing the house drinks, which contained some surprising ingredients -huacatay, for example, and even aji amarillo!

Off to the airport ....!

Ok, I'm officially and, now, de facto, on vacation and can start prepping for my departure --as soon as we deal with some other matters first (like S's high school graduation!). I leave eleven days from now, but if experience is any guide, those will pass both slower and far faster than one expects.

In response to several queries: Never fear, I do indeed intend to maintain the blog on this upcoming trip!

One month ...