Lima, Peru | Saturday 04 July 2009 09:03 | | |

|
|
First off, I’d like to point out that I have been living in Lima for one year now, and have taken 100’s of taxis. Mainly because of the fact that they are just so cheap. I mean, S/. 10 ($3) for a 15km 25 minute taxi journey is unheard of where I am from. That, coupled with the fact that there are so many of them, means I take them quite a lot. So when, after a year of getting taxis here, there and everywhere, I finally (almost) got robbed in one, I thought - well, it’s not that bad a ratio of taxis taken to incidents of robbery, really!


As far as this person is concerned, touring Lima by bike is one of the best activities available here. I have been asked to do some follow-up articles about touring other areas of Lima to the one that was published a couple of weeks ago here in “Living in Peru.” In this article I will cover biking from Miraflores to Lima Central. Although this tour is longer than the one I did from Miraflores through Barranco to Chorrillos and back, in many ways it was easier.
It had been many years since I had ridden a bike and for some in the group it had been decades. We all hoped that the old adage “It’s like riding a bike. You never forget” would hold true for all of us. We were at the shop of Bike Tours of Lima in Miraflores, Peru getting outfitted for our tour of the Bay area. The bikes were Beach Cruisers, a type easily managed by even the rustiest rider. The seats were comfortable and fitted to our individual heights and we were all given helmets. If you bring your own bike you are welcome to use it. A bottle of water for the road and we were ready to go.
When I received the flier in my inbox about the 4th annual "Ciclonudista Lima" which transpired last Saturday, I knew that I had to go and check it out. Who can resist the prospect of snapping a few scandalous photos of a bunch of young men and women that have decided to display themselves for all the world to see? Yes, I knew that the Ciclonudista was to support some cause or other, but let's face it, it's the nudity that people are interested in. No matter how technologically advanced we become as a society, a naked person gliding gently by on a bicycle is always...always...going to turn some heads.
I have always been a traveler. When I was younger, my mom loved to bring me along with her on excursions as she traveled to countries such as France, India and England. As I’ve grown, I’ve realized that life is a plethora of experiences where one learns and lives, and traveling is a perfect opportunity to explore the world while I discover more about myself. Some experiences are life-altering, whereas others may only leave a trace in your mind.
Six centuries have now passed since the young Túpac Yupanqui, chief commander of the victorious army of his father the grand Inca Pachacútec, set eyes on this extensive green valley for the first time from the dry desert hills above, the valley that today is called Cañete. Strategically allied with the Chincha further south and the local rulers of what is now a town called Asia further north, perhaps the young Inca thought the conquest of the prosperous Guarco (Huarco) people would be simple.
Got 48 hours to explore Lima? Long considered just a stopover on the way to the famous Inca ruins at Machu Picchu, Lima has emerged as a destination spot of its own in recent years.
It has been a long time since I've fallen in love. However, I am smitten by Anthony as we shoot baskets together on an outdoor court in Lima. His dark eyes gleam as he does enthusiastic high-fives when he makes a shot -- and he doesn't laugh when I miss. Anthony is 10.
Travel web syndication [RSS]
what is "web syndication" ?