LIMA, PERU

If traveling to Lima during the winter months (June-August) don't expect to see much sun. Every time it came out we would cheer and stumble out onto the streets to catch a few rays. Although always cloudy, it never rains, making a person walking around with an umbrella clearly a tourist.

Modern and vibrant, we spend the week in the Miraflores neighborhood, roaming the cafes and great seafood restaurants the city has to offer. Lima is said to have one of the best restaurant scenes in the world and we were not disappointed. The chupe, a hot seafood soup, the popular ceviche served with an entré of leche de tigre, and wonderful suchi, are what occupied most of our time. Numerous juice bars throughout the city are also great for a quick lunch and a boost of vitamin C.

We made a short visit to historic central Lima and visited El Museo del Convento de San Francisco which houses catacombs holding over 25,000 bodies. A stop at the nearby Bar Cordano after the visit to savor their stiff pisco sour is a must in order to unwind after visiting the stuffy underground chambers.

We stayed at a small, quiet hostel we recommend, called Condor's House, Besides relaxing between meals we also had the chance to run into many friends whom we had met earlier during the trip.  We had a blast spending time with them, adding an unforeseen punch to our stop in the city.