Making the Most of a Short Stay in Lima, Peru

On June 1, 2021June 1, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn South America5 Comments

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.

Walking the Crowded Streets of the Historical Center

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.

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.

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 Clothing

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.

Mixing the Old with the New in Historic Cities

On May 14, 2021May 14, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge5 Comments

In almost every historic city that you visit, there will be an old town area where the buildings have been preserved. There is often another part of the city that is new and modern and they are usually in different parts of the city so that the traffic associated to tourists and that of the businesses can be kept separate from one another. Every now and then, though, you will find a historic building right in the middle of the modern skyscrapers. It is often a church, but not always as it could just be a historic landmark. The juxtaposition of the two can sometimes be visually interesting.

Church in Chicago with a Skyscraper Rising next to the Bell Tower

Old and New Side-by-Side in Cologne, Germany

Modern Paris as Seen from the Eiffel Tower

We have seen several examples throughout our travels, especially in Germany where so much of the cities were rebuilt after WWII, but it certainly isn’t limited to European cities. We have seen many interesting examples here in the United States, especially in Chicago, which is a city with a rich history of its own. We find the contrasts to be so striking that we often pause to take a variety of photographs to capture the differences and similarities between the old and the new.

Another Bell Tower and Skyscraper Image, but in Denver

Apparently We Really Like Building Towers Transitioning to Skyscrapers

The Weathered Buildings of Panama City, Panama

On January 15, 2021January 15, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Central America, Photo Challenge4 Comments

Living in a tropical environment sounds like it would be an amazing experience, but with all of the rain, humidity, and wind, it is a constant battle to keep buildings from decaying. When we were in Panama City in Panama, we visited the historic old town area known as Casco Viejo and we spent several hours over a few days walking the different side streets of the town. Obviously the desire is to keep the historic buildings the same as their original construction, but the older materials are not as resistant to weather as new materials are. It makes for an interesting effect to see the buildings in different states of decay and there seemed to be ongoing repairs throughout the old town area.