On Sunday, National Pisco Day, we ventured south to the Pisco making region. The town we visited, Lunahuana, was just lovely. It took us way longer than we thought to get there. But what's a bus trip in Peru without delays and annoyances. Anyways, we had great Pisco, an incredible lunch of fresh shrimp and a nice hike in the desert region south of Lima. Above is a pic of Mark and I hiking. I intend to add the picture of our lunch (patience is a virtue).
Monday was the biggest national holiday Peru has, Fiestas Patrias (Independence Day). Sarah Anne, Mark and I were kinda pooped from our trip to Lunahuana and the bus rides back and forth, so we relaxed and took it easy. Sarah Anne took it upon herself to start cooking. Mark and I actually awoke to the delicious smell of eggs and mixed veggies. Not only that, but she proceeded to make an incredible lunch... she is certainly earning her keep. Oh my goodness, we've been eating well.
That brings us to Tuesday, another day off for Peruvians. Unlike July 4th, whether the holiday falls near a weekend or not, Peruvians get two days off for independence. Sarah Anne and I took that day to see some sights. We ventured into the historic center of Lima. We walked around the Plaza de Armas and went to the Monastery of San Francisco (pictured above). All in all, an educational trip. We even stopped for some incredible ceviche that just happened to be available in a nearby park. Later we went to a festival in a neighborhood of Lima called Surco. We had some more amazing Pisco while listening to a live Peruvian band.
And today, we ventured out for ceviche again, at Punto Azul, a restaurant near my house. It was so delish! It had a different sauce than the classic ceviche made from a pepper here called 'rocoto'. All I can say is that I enjoyed it thoroughly. Now, it's time to prepare for the jungle and Iquitos. Sarah Anne and I will be staying at Heliconia Lodge. I heard some good reviews so I booked it! Hoping for the best. Thank goodness for low-cost, high-quality anti-malaria pills; they are essential for the journey. Look for a post when we return. Exciting things to come :)
