i flew to lima, peru for 2 days! it was very quick, but i like to think i saw and did almost as much as humanly possible in that amount of time. lima has become famous as a culinary hotspot, so one of the main things to do there is eat! i had multiple meals of amazing ceviche and pisco sours (punto azul was my favorite restaurant). peruvians only eat ceviche made from fish caught that morning, usually chilean sea bass, and it is not even served after 3 pm or so because it has to be that fresh! i also discovered my new favorite fruit, lucuma, which grows in the amazon and tastes like buttery caramel. and a local favorite in lima are cow hearts grilled on skewers.
unfortunately, peru has suffered tremendously during the covid pandemic, sustaining the highest per capita covid mortality rate in the world. 99% of people were still wearing masks all the time even outside, often double masking. one must even be double masked during the flight to peru. they have had to build massive new cemeteries in the suburbs of lima to handle all the deceased people.
lima has a lot going on, and has a very bohemian vibe. in the barranco neighborhood they love street art, live music, and craft beer. there is also a large chinese influence, with over 1 million chinese-peruvians in lima alone, and a huge food scene called chifa, a fusion of peruvian and chinese cuisines. lima is a huge, multi-dimensional city where one could spend months and still be discovering new things. i hope to return sometime soon!
