We enjoy many different types of lamb dishes and one of our favorites are lamb chops. Although they are delicious simply grilled with garlic and herbs, this one pot dinner is an excellent alternative. We used a tajine to cook the dish, but it could just as easily be entirely cooked in a skillet. Finishing the lamb chops in the rice and tomatoes keeps it moist and tender. Similar to cooking with wine, when cooking with olives it is always important to use an olive that you would eat on its own without adding it to a dish.
Boil the rice for about 8 minutes, drain and set aside. The rice will continue to cook in the oven.
Season the lamb with salt, pepper, and 1/3 tablespoon of rosemary.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the lamb chops for about 2 to 3 minutes per side (including the fat side).
When you pull the lamb out of the skillet, add the garlic and cook for about a minute just allow it to release some of its flavors.
Either in the skillet or in a tajine, mix the rice, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary.
Nestle the lamb into the rice mixture and sprinkle the olives around top of the rice. Cover with a lid.
In an oven heated to 325 degrees, cook the lamb and rice mixture for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the lamb reaches about 145 degrees for medium-rare.
We didn’t have a lot of time during our visit to Lima, the capital of Peru, but we certainly made the most of the time that we did have. Our hotel was located next to the beaches on the coastline of the city, but we also took time to get into the historic district as well. The two locations couldn’t be more different, but they were definitely equally interesting for their own reasons. It was also our first experience in South America and we really enjoyed seeing some of the indigenous Quechua people in their traditional clothing, something that we would learn even more about during our time in Bolivia. Regardless of how much time you have when visiting Lima, these should certainly be on your itinerary when visiting this wonderful city.
Detailed Façade in Old TownLooking Up at the Cathedral Walking the Crowded Streets of the Historical CenterPlaza Mayor
The Historical Center of Lima – Old town in Lima, also referred to as the Historical Center, is probably most known for its colorful colonial buildings with their fascinating balconies, but there is certainly much more to see than just the architecture. To make the most of your time in the downtown area we would suggest starting out at the Plaza Mayor or the Main Square and then exploring out from there. There are palaces, the cathedral, official buildings, and other churches in the area, each uniquely beautiful. It is very walk-able and you will also find stores carrying tourist items as well as many different restaurants and cafés in the area.
Resorts along the Pacific CoastBeachside Restaurants and ShopsGentle WavesIt was a Beautiful Day
The Upscale Miraflores District – If you visit Lima, Peru, we would suggest staying in the Miraflores district. Miraflores is an upscale district that sits along the Pacific coastline with beautiful beaches, excellent restaurant choices, nice hotels, and it isn’t far from downtown Lima. Obviously, many people visiting Lima come specifically to enjoy the beaches and take advantage of the festive nightlife that is found in the area. Although we weren’t in Lima for a beach vacation, we did enjoy walking down to the beach, soaking up some sun, and grabbing a meal at one of the many outdoor restaurant patios.
Ceviche in PeruOur First Pisco SoursSteak and Avocado SandwichBeef Stir-Fry
Enjoying the Fusion Food and a Traditional Pisco Sour – Lima has become a “foodies” destination because of its reputation for wonderful food and celebrated chefs. One of the reasons that the food has become so popular is because many of the restaurants have taken traditional food of the region and blended it with food from around the world. There are so many options of restaurants to visit that we’d recommend talking to the locals and finding out where they’d recommend you eat. In addition to the food, having a traditional pisco sour is a perfect way to end your day or to start your evening festivities.
Peruvian Quechua Woman in Traditional ClothingIntricate BalconyChurch Bell Tower Church and Convent of San Francisco
Many people fly into Lima as they begin their adventure into Peru and make their way down to visit Machu Picchu. It is definitely worth taking the time to see the capital city of Lima, especially the wonderful architecture of the historical center. Although we didn’t have a lot of time in Lima, we certainly used our opportunity to see as much as we possibly could.
Tell someone that you are going to a museum and it will likely bring images of paintings, statues, or antiquities, but sometimes a museum is something completely different. We have had the opportunity to see a variety of different museums in various locations during our travels. They range from cultural museums or locations of historical and political significance. The definition of a museum is basically a building or series of buildings in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and exhibited. These certainly meet that criteria and are some of the more unusual ones that we visited over the past several years.
Depiction of Egill’s DeathViking Wardrobe
Settlement Museum in Borgarnes, Iceland – During our stay in Reykjavik in Iceland, we made the hour-long drive to Borgarnes, going through a five kilometer tunnel underneath one of the bays, and enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the restaurant of the Settlement Centre. We then took the tour through the museum, which consisted of two thirty-minute audio tours that covered the history of how the Vikings first came to populate Iceland as well as their turbulent history once they arrived. The early history of Iceland is told through Viking Sagas, one of which is the Eglis Saga. Egill Skalla-Grimsson was a famous Viking and poet whose story is used to provide an understanding of the first people to populate Iceland. It isn’t just a recanting of his poetry, but is the tale of his life, beliefs, fortunes, and misfortunes.
Kilmainham Gaol – Prison in DublinEntering the Prison
Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland – Almost everyone we spoke to about what to do during our visit to Dublin recommended us taking a tour of Kilmainham Gaol. Kilmainham Gaol is a former prison in Dublin that has been converted into a prison museum. It has been used as a set for many movies including In the Name of the Father and Michael Collins as well as many others. The tour was very interesting and provided a lot of detail about the prison and prisoners, especially the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. The prison held almost every leader of the Irish revolutionary groups until it was shut down in 1924 by the Irish Free State.
Chocolate AngelMaking Chocolate
Chocolate Museum in Cologne, Germany – When we visited Köln during our time in Germany, we decided to take a tour of the Schokoladen Museum (Chocolate Museum). The museum is situated right on the Rhine river in the Rheinau Harbour next to old town and not far from the cathedral. The three story building is shaped like a large ship with floor to ceiling windows providing wonderful views of the river and city. Lindt is the official chocolatier of the museum and the highlight of the tour is tasting and buying the freshly made chocolate. There is even an opportunity to create a personalized chocolate bar with nut and candy toppings and fillings chosen by you.
Display of the Bombies FallingWooden Feet on Display
The COPE Visitor Center in Vientiane, Laos – During our trip to Vientiane we visited the COPE Visitor Center, which is partly a museum, but also provides insight into the work that COPE does in Laos. Visiting the center wasn’t on our original itinerary, but we ended up with enough time during our tour of the city to fit it in. The country of Laos has many unexploded cluster bombs (referred to as bombies) from the Vietnam war that are still causing injuries throughout the country. COPE is an organization that is attempting to find and defuse all of the bombs as well as provide medical attention and supplies to those that get injured.
Science Experiments at the True Equator in EcuadorShrunken Head
Intiñan Museum near Quito, Ecuador – One of the things that we really enjoyed during our visit to Quito, Ecuador, was going to the true equator and participating in several experiments at the Intiñan Museum. The museum itself is dedicated to the history of Ecuador with several exhibits about the cultures of the people of the Amazon. Although there are several exhibits regarding the people, animals, and plants of the jungle, the main attraction of the museum are the various science experiments that are a hands on experience for those that visit the museum.
Traditional Clothing One of the Many Trails Through DakshinaChitra
DakshinaChitra Cultural Museum in India – Located outside of Chennai, the DakshinaChitra is a living museum that depicts life, art, culture, and architecture of Southern India, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. DakshinaChitra features 18 authentic historical houses that were deconstructed from their original region and then reconstructed by artisans from the region on the grounds of the museum. Each of the houses features exhibits that represent the region’s art and daily life. Although we visited during an off time, the museum features typical artisans and performers from the various regions that you can interact with, thus making it a living museum.
Inside of Display House in the Brother’s Grimm MuseumWritings and Exhibits in the Sigmund Freud Museum
We’ve certainly been to other interesting museums including the Nuremberg Courthouse in Germany, the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna, as well as the Brother’s Grimm Museum in Kassel, and each is unique, fun and interesting in their own ways. Obviously we have also been to many traditional museums that are certain famous and contain amazing works of art or pieces of historical significance, but sometimes going to someplace that is more about the fun than it is about an education experience is equally worthwhile. What is the most unique museum experience that you’ve been too during your travels?
