Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Lima-Peru

Spent the day touring a little more of the city. Todays treat was the Museo Larco.  If one wants to see only one museum, this is it. Nice history of the various regions of Peru and its inhabitants. As we travel on the motorbikes it will give me a better understanding of the local people.



 
 
The most interesting section included a description of what was called "Peru: The Cradle of Civilization". The following map shows the six regions of the world where the first civilizations emerged independently, uninfluenced by other societies, also known as the "cradles of civilization".
 
 

 
 

There was an interesting separate exhibit, thank goodness due to all the school children, that showed how important fertility was the local ancient Peruvians. Not so much for reproduction but to fertilize the earth for future prosperity.
 




 
 
Ended the day with an excellent seafood dinner and Piscos with guide Alain in a quaint park quite festive with local families and street vendors. The parks here like most Hispanic towns, is the center meeting place for relaxing in the evenings. This particular park was full of cats! They were lounging around, chasing each other playfully, enjoying the children petting them. It was the neatest thing to see! Fat and sassy, not your typical starving abandoned cats. 
 
Off to enjoy my last day in the city... still haven't met the other rider.... tomorrow Nazca Lines via an airplane!! 
 
 

Monday, August 25, 2014

Lima, Peru

Another awesome day in Lima, Peru! I am amazed at myself how comfortable I feel traveling so far by myself in a foreign country.  of course this district Miraflores is suppose to be the upscale district in Lima, one can tell by the upscale housing, shopping and beautiful parks along the coast line. Its a nice transition into Peru for a Westerner! 
 
 
 
I finally heard the mystery surrounding an earthquake... yes, it was here 250 meters south of Lima around 6.7 . I must be so accustom to them that I never felt it! However, it was quite the conversation at breakfast this morning!  Hotel was quiet this morning for the first wave of tourist left and headed North to the Amazon. They are also visiting some of the same sights we will be so they promised to look out for motorbikes along the way! 
 

 
 
 I wondered along the boardwalk today and stumbled along a Galleria Mall... gee whiz, and a Starbucks.  Keeping with my promise, I went "Beyond Starbucks" and had a latte at the Juan Valdez coffee shop!  I was so warm still adapting to heat and humidity, ice coffee was the special for me! Wow, how did I ever survive living in Florida? and my hair ?!  Embarrassing!  
 
I met one of the guides today, Alain. He is a French/Australian just coming off another 6 week tour with 14 riders, so this will be a piece of cake for him! Eduardo is the other guide meeting us in Nazca on Thursday.   I am so ready to ride...
 
Tomorrow, City Central.
 
 


Sunday, August 24, 2014

Lima, Peru Arrival

Sunday, August 24

Arrived in Lima after a long 8 hour flight from LA at 2 am in the morning. Lima is a huge city of 11 million people, much quieter than I expected for wee morning hours. The city looked familiar even though I have never been here... a combination of new and old architecture, run down areas with beautiful hacienda's tucked in between. No traffic rules, windy roads, round about, no rules... just hang on! The driver road in reverse for several blocks trying to reach hotel front! Now I understand why we are picking up bikes south of here... liability!!

Hotel is very charming and I have fallen in love with the décor of South America again...

 


Antigua Miraflores Hotel

After sleeping 12 hours, I wondered downstairs for a bite to eat and to taste the local Pasco drink...  I am going to have to be careful with those tasty drinks!! I met a very neat woman from Cyprus "Georgina " also traveling alone . We had an awesome time chatting about adventures, choices and dreams... I love meeting people like myself that is willing to take the step outside of your comfort zone.. and learning to ride a motorcycle is another dream of hers. Encouraging other women to ride is so powerful for me yet humbling...


Another rider shows up tonight from the US....   its a good thing we are traveling on bikes... I have always loved South American art, course there is FedEx  (sorry Guy).....



Adios!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

10 Days ....

Starting to have pre-departure jitters! Similar feelings I had before I rode down the Cassiar from Anchorage to California alone.. "what the heck was I thinking?!"  However, I have far more experience in adventure riding than that trip. What could go wrong?! At least I will be riding with others this time... which brings me to the subject of "other riders along trip"..

Small group, there are only 4 riders (including myself) and  2 guides. Robert, Jay and son, Jay. Guides are Eduardo from Brazil and Alain, an Australian/French fellow... clients are all from USA.   Funny part, I did not want to pay the extra fee for single accommodations , hopefully can I choose my roomie?!


or will it be...






lol... Lucky Me!