Almost home

Well, there really isn't much to do in Lima. Actually, that's not true. There are things to do, but everything is so spread out that it makes it difficult to truly go out and see things. Combine that with the fact that Ramsey and I are beginning to lack both energy and money, and you've got yourself two young women who are far different from their former selves. In the past, we walked and explored until we were so exhausted at night. In Lima, we stroll around and take our time. It's actually been pretty nice. Instead of providing a daily play-by-play, I'll just list some of the highlights from our time here in Lima. Here they are, in no particular order...

Plaza de Armas in Lima Centro -- This Plaza de Armas is pretty similar to the one in Cusco, but it's much larger. The day we saw it, there was an enormous mass taking place outside the cathedral and within the plaza in honor of Corpus Christi. It was quite a spectacle. There were thousands of people, and music was playing over larger speakers.

Museo del Convento de San Francisco de Asis de Lima -- Really amazing yellow colonial-era church. Its outside is home to hundreds of pigeons. The inside, like many churches we've seen, is beautiful. The main draw for many people, though, is the catacombs, where nearly 10,000 people are buried. While on a tour, one will see piles and piles of bones. A little creepy but pretty cool.

Parque del Amour -- A small park with a huge statue of a couple in a passionate kiss and embrace. All of the seating is covered in quotes about love and the names of famous couples, such as Don Quixote and Dulcinea. In the general vicinity, there are plenty of couples imitating the statue. We actually walked through there twice, and the first time, there were three married couples posing for pictures. It's a cheesy place, but since it's right by the ocean, it is very beautiful.

Larco Mar -- A mall overlooking the ocean. I mention it to give an idea of how different Lima is from everywhere else we've visited. It's far more commercialized, especially here in Miraflores. This mall has a ton of different stores, as well as a food court, making it similar to the malls in the US. What's different, though, is the fact that it's roofless and next to the ocean.

Random Chinese restaurant -- We had heard that Chinese was a good choice here in Lima, but we didn't realize just how great it really is. We found this one place next to Parque Kennedy that offers lunch for ten nuevo soles (around four bucks). We'd get a big bowl of soup, plus a meal. By the time our meal came, we'd already be full, so then the rest of our food was perfect for dinner. It was such a great money saver, so we ended up eating there three times! One of the best things was Lomo Saltado, a beef stir-fry dish that's a specialty here in Lima.

Churros -- I will never reveal how many we've eaten while we've been here, but it's enough to make up for that ten-mile hike up Machu Picchu we did last week. Normally they're filled with dulce de leche, which is amazing, but today we found some with chocolate dough and chocolate filling. Either kind is fine with me. They're crispy, greasy, sweet, and delicious!

Inca Kola -- We've seen it a lot on our trip, but we finally tried it here. It tastes like Big Red. The fact that it's yellow, rather than red, makes it somehow more appealing for me, but I'm still not totally a fan.

Ceviche -- This we tried in Ecuador, but Peru's version is much different. In Ecuador, it was a lukewarm tomato soup with shrimp, onions, and cilantro. Here, it's a plate of raw fish and onions covered in lemon juice. If you have issues with sushi, you definitely would not like this version of ceviche. I thought it was delicious, though!

Barranco -- We visited this neighborhood twice. It's very trendy, with a lot of funky little restaurants and cafes. There's not much to do, but it's a pretty place to visit.

I don't think I've left out any really big highlights. Like I said, there really isn't much to do here in Lima, so it's been very low-key. If there's one thing I would change about Lima, it would be the weather. It's been overcast the entire time we've been here, and today it rained for a while. Yesterday we at least saw the sky for a brief moment. Overall, though, Lima has provided a nice chance for us to relax a bit before coming home. Speaking of coming home, we fly out tomorrow! We've both had an amazing time on our adventure, but we're also both very excited to see our husbands and families. It will be nice to be home. Unfortunately, it's not exactly a quick trip back. In all, we will be traveling for twenty-two hours, which includes about seven hours of layover time. Oh well, at least we'll be on our way home! I am very much looking forward to seeing and talking to everyone I know and love!