Day 1
We arrived in Lima around 10 pm. I was shocked to see "Welcome to APEC PERU 2016" sign at the airport. Who Knew Peru was hosting APEC this week! Both Chinese and U.S. presidents would be attending. I was hoping it would not disrupt our sightseeing plan, but it actually did on Day 3.
We found the one and only ATM machine in the baggage claim area. It seemed to only allow you to withdraw up to 400 Soles for 18 Soles fee. What a ripoff! Later we found BCP bank in Lima and Cusco city center that let you withdraw up to 700 Soles (about 200 USD) for 13.5 Soles fee. So that is a little better.
Since my cellphone always takes a while to work in a new location, we used the official taxi service, Taxi Green at the airport before leaving the security area, to go to our hotel. They charged a flat fee (55 Soles) to go to the city center, which is not bad considering on Day 4 we used Uber to go to the airport. Uber charged us 40 Soles on my credit card while the Uber driver also asked us for some money to pay for the airport ticket. I was not sure how much he asked for since we couldn't understand him, I just gave him 6 Soles, he seemed happy.
Day 2.
Today we went to two museums and the Miraflores district using Uber. It was so awesome, not only it saved us from having to communicate with the driver (most of them didn't speak a word of English), it also saved us money and hassle. One time we came out of Huaca Pucllana and wanted to go to Parque del Amor nearby, a taxi driver came to us asking where we wanted to go in English, I told him Parque del Amor. He said 20 Soles. I showed him Uber app said it would cost 7 Soles. He walked away.
1. Checked out Plaza San Martin near our hotel.
2. Plaza San Martin.
3. Plaza San Martin.
4. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
5. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
6. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
7. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
8. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
9. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
10. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History.
11. Ice cream vendor.
12. Larco Park next to Larco Museum.
13. Larco Museum entrance. Not sure why but the guards kept the door closed during opening hours, and opened it every time people wanted to go in and out.
14. Entering Larco Museum.
15. Larco Museum.
16. Larco Museum.
17. Larco Museum.
18. Larco Museum.
19. Larco Museum.
20. Larco Museum.
21. After Larco Museum, we went to the famous La Mar Cebichería for lunch. It was good but kind of expensive.
22. Shrimp soup at La Mar.
23. Miraflores Boardwalk.
24. Miraflores Lighthouse.
25. Miraflores Boardwalk.
26. Parque del Amor.
After Parque del Amor, we checked out the nearby Huaca Pucllana, a great adobe and clay pyramid located in the middle of the city. They require you to take a guided tour, but the tour guide's English was so bad, I could hardly understand him.
27. Huaca Pucllana.
28. Huaca Pucllana.
29. Huaca Pucllana.
30. Huaca Pucllana.
31. Went back to Parque del Amor for sunset.
(To be continued)
