Peru 2014 - Part 11 Downtown Lima - Meeting Friends

Monday August 25

Today was really nice. After a 2 mile walk for another McDonalds muffin and coffee, we grabbed a taxi to downtown Lima, and realized that we have really been in the burbs. We had made arrangements to meet my sweet young friend Flavio.

Becky & Flavio

Parque Amor

We arrived way too early, because the taxi driver jumped on the interstate and we got there faster than anywhere else we have gone. We were in front of the house of Congress of Peru. Since we had time, we went walking the block and ended up in a China Town.

Market in China Town

It was pretty cool, but the sea of people was making Mark feel like I do when I go to Wal Mart, he had to get out of there. So we waited at the Museum of the Spanish Inquisition for Flavio. We did the quick free tour of the museum, looking at all the torture devices they used to convert people to Christianity.  Then we were off to the Plaza de Armas of Lima. There is a grand Cathedral, and the Presidential Palace. Such old buildings with intricate details for blocks and blocks, peppered with KFC, Starbucks, and Subway signs. Then we went to Miraflores to have dinner by the sea. It was beautiful to see the same area during daylight. We watched surfers riding the waves. We passed Parque Amor. If you only went there on a visit to Peru, you would have a very skewed view of Peru. I think it would like be thinking all of the USA is like the beaches of San Diego. We took Flavio to TGI Fridays. He ordered Peruvian food, and I ordered American food so we could share the flavors - the Peruvian food was delicious. The other tasted like home. His English is really good, so Mark had someone to talk to again. He was precious, and walked with us for a while until it got dark, then told our taxi driver where to drop us off. He is the same age as Natalia so I got to play mama for a few hours.
When we got back, I sat in the lobby using the internet, and struck up a conversation with the lady that works here. It was very nice. My Southern charm is getting more people into conversations.


Becky & Rafael

We decided to call it a day and got ready for bed about 9:00 when I got a call from Rafael, another friend here in Lima. He had just gotten out of English Class at the University Britannica close to our hotel, so we changed out of jammies and hopped in his car to go to for coffee and ice cream.  He too, is precious and shy. We had a good visit in both English and Spanish. Two hours later, we called it night with plans to meet again Wednesday morning.