Thread: Lima Chick Trip

tips below

tips below

Update--anyone have any bits to share? looks like these "chicks" (maybe we should be chicas?) are headed to Lima in a few wks.
Mi hermana wants to paraglide--we both plan to eat some cuy and drink some wine and pisco sours...
tips are appreciated--not gratuities--maybe AFTER we come back!

Hopefully you plan on staying at the JW MARRIOT at MIRAFLORES. BUT, ANYWHERE in Miraflores is GOOD TO GO. Not a problem there. You can walk all over the place, no car needed. They have fancy grocery stores, check it out. Go to MANOLOS CAFE, everything there is great. CHURROS is specialty but they have great sandwiches and empanadas coffee, just an excellent diner owned by some SPANISH guy and has several of them all over the Latin America. Paraglyding is excellent. I believe they charge around 50 bucks but I really don't know. It's neat from where I was staying watching it. Go to HAVANNA cafe place when you go to the mall, its outside, LARCOMAR right in front of the Marriot hotel, (not really a mall but like an outdoor shopping area, alot of people go there to eat, some beggars on the streets but watch out for your wallet and scam artist.) and they have lots of different food courts there, along with neat shops, bowling alley, movie theatre, they have Tony Romas. Gonna be their winter there, and believe it or not, you need to wear something like a jacket. It's chilly! You probably won't see much of any sun there. Very lively, neat place. When you have a cup of coffee at HAVVANA, be sure to get the special along with their specialty of a piece of chocolate that comes with it. They have a nice fancy restaurant on the beach, take a cab there, called LA ROSA NAUTICA. Very fancy and you walk along a pier that feels like you are on the ocean, great bar, relaxing food not very expensive being the wife of a diplomat? Or Pilot, either or. You and your sis will have an excellent time. If you get the chance, take a cab and go to the downtown area or PLAZA NACIONAL area where you can see some interesting architecture. Go to the SAN FRANCISCO church there see the catacombs, along with a two dollar tour, very worth it. See Jesus Christ LAST SUPPER remake by a Peruvian artist depicting Jesus having CUY along with local Peruvian food. But if you decide to stay in Miraflores area, its good to go, its great. One last tip. DON'T take a cab from the hotel. Just walk across the street and take one, they run all over, and make your deal with them. If you go to the hotel and ask for a cab, you will get ripped off big time. Pay way more. Cab to the airport shouldnt' run you more than 10 bucks but if you go through the hotel, you will pay 65 bucks....(MARIOTT anyway). You taking CAL? They get there at night. Maybe one day you can be adventurous and go to Machu Pichu where the real adventurist like ME get to experience. You retired? Have some COCA TEA. Not a problem unless you get checked for urynalisis at work when you get back. Everyone drinks the tea, but usually more in the altitude areas like CUZCO. It calms down altitude sickness big time. Not addictive and not dangerous. In most cases, when in Rome do as the Romans do. (Not for me because I get checked randomly at work, and could jeopordize my trabajo.
Oh, if you get to LA ROSA NAUTICA on the beach not far from the Marriot down below the cliff, you can try a PARIHUELA, which is a mixed seafood soup. Like a gumbo but Peruvian style. I love it.

The name of the mall across from the Marriot is called LARCOMAR. Check it out. It's neat. I found this article on Havanna coffee. They hail from Argentina and that is where I first tried them and they have one in Larcomar, across the street from the JW Marriot hotel in Miraflores Lima Peru. Here is a link.
Havanna, Cafe, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina

If you don't try this place for a cup of joe, you don't know what your missin. Get the 2.50 special. Coffee with a chocolate bar comes in a triangle wrapped in foil. Goes great with the coffee, and if you make it there, go outside on the balcony to your far right, see if the kids below the cliff are still playing soccer in the soccer field there. Go to YOUTUBE and check out LARCOMAR in Miraflores, some good pictures of the place, give you an idea about it.

Don't know what kind of deal you got at your hotel, but the JW Marriot is kind of pricey, but definately UPSCALE. Great spa and they work with you if your flight leaves late. You can even go take a shower and use the spa before you go, just ask the bell man as he holds your luggage while you go shopping before your flight at night, and he'll give you a ticket for your luggage. I paid 150 bucks for a night there when I got back from Machu Pichu. (Airline discount) They have lots of laundry places in town, just drop it off and let them know when you need it, if they don't do it fast enough for you, tell them you'll give them more money, and they'll put you in the priority section or something. Way cheaper than using the hotel. Just take a backpack with your laundry with you.

Good stuff, 29 Palms! Our first night is a wash at a local colonial. (they gave us interline price) We'll be near the Marriott at the Orient Express (one of my auction goodies) after that. Flying DL and arriving late like most everyone. We have a 4 hour city tour included. Also included massages later that day. I was recommended to go to the massage center where the blind do the work--it's about $11US for an hour. Hope we can find time.
Miraflores Park Hotel Vacation Packages - Luxury Link I bought back to back pkgs and I had total of $500 off that price so it netted out at $600 4/nts.
San FRancisco is on the list, now Havanna is, too! Hoepfully we can get tom Manolo's--we have local wine guy and friends taking us around. Weather has been warm--70-80 and we expect 60-70. Last June it was pretty sunny (I guess a rare treat in Lima?) Thanks for the tips.PS--I'm retired; coca might be of interest cept for heart issues? hmmm...