Lima, Peru is a beautiful city that I’ve been so lucky to have visited twice in the last three years. When I found out I’d be going back last summer, I could not have been more anxious! Not only was the trip was scheduled smack dab between Ukraine and China, but Lima held some not so great memories from my first visit. Technology has become a wonderful thing, connecting each of us regardless of location. Thanks to Skype, I was able to connect with my mom and sister (in the DC metro area) to call and wish my grandmother (in Florida) a happy birthday while I was gone. I was staying a few blocks from Miraflores, and was so excited to show off my hotel room to everyone back home…it practically took up an entire city block! Later that same week on a video chat with my boyfriend (now husband), I reached a near breaking point with what I would eventually find out was celiac disease. We’d been catching up about my day when mid conversation I ran to the bathroom and began vomiting. I’d only had one beer with dinner, which had been at a highly recommended sushi restaurant. I hadn’t been drinking any local water, and could not for the life of me figure out what was wrong. This wasn’t the first time I’d done this either, only a few weeks prior I’d had the same thing happen while I was in Charleston, South Carolina.
Fast forward two years later, I now know why the beer and sushi made me sick that night. But how sick had I been? Were there other meals that upset me that week? I was excited to experience Lima again, but would I run into the same problems armed with the truth about celiac disease? My second trip started out a bit rocky. I’d been getting phone calls and emails from United all morning telling me my flight to Newark had been delayed. Before even arriving at the airport, I knew there was a good chance I wouldn’t make my connection to Lima. As I checked in at the counter, a sigh of relief came when they informed me I’d already been re-booked, and would be connecting through Houston. My coworkers were not so lucky, I’d been given one of the last seats on the Houston flight, and United had no other options for them. Eventually they were switched to another airline, and we were all set for our trip.
One of the great things about having to travel for work, is that you don’t always have time to go out to eat. I know that sounds counterintuitive and normally I’d be annoyed by this, but it actually put my anxiety at ease. Our hotel staff were great, I’d mastered the phrase “sin glooten” and they were especially careful with each room service dinner I was served. Each morning started out on the right foot as well, our hotel offered omelets made to order (my favorite!), and freshly squeezed juice from local fruits. When we finally got our workload under control, I took my team out to what I think is the most incredible site in Lima. We had dinner at the restaurant overlooking the Huaca Pucllana, it is actually built on the grounds of the Incan ruins, which are illuminated after the sun has set.
Overlooking the Huaca Pucllana during dinner!
I have to admit, I truly love trying new things when I’m outside my comfort zone. If you’ve read my blog before, I’m sure I’ve mentioned it a time or two 🙂 Peru is one of those places where there are so many fun new things to try!! I was a little afraid of going for the full fledged guinea pig that street vendors sell. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, google image search “Peru guinea pig” and I think you’ll understand. BUT, when it’s cooked and served like any other meat, I’m all in! I’d tried the appetizer sampler platter before at the Restaurant Huaca Pucllana and wanted to share with my coworkers some of the unique foods Peru has to offer.
Appetizer sampler at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant – the guinea pig is in the upper right corner!
Dinner at the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant
Please forgive me for not remembering everything I ordered…unfortunately this trip pre-dates my blog, and I’ve now started to keep better track of everything I’m trying!! Trust me though, if you ever find yourself in Lima, Peru this restaurant is a can’t-miss opportunity. The ambiance, menu, and wait staff make the experience one to remember. If you love food as much as I do, I’m hoping you’ll appreciate the next two pictures of some of my other favorite meals while I was there. As I said before, everyone in the hotel staff (we stayed at Golf los Incas) was incredibly helpful with my gluten free requests. One of the first nights we were in town, my team and I enjoyed dinner at the hotel restaurant, where I could not get enough of this great dish!!
Steak and potatoes at the Golf los Incas Hotel
Any trip to Peru would not be complete without their signature dish….CEVICHE!!! On my first trip to Lima, I tried ceviche for the first time and seriously could not get enough of the stuff! For those new to the dish, ceviche can be any assortment of raw fish, cooked in the acid from local lemon and other citrus juices. Talk to any Peruvian and they’ll tell you that you can’t recreate the dish anywhere else, because the local citrus is what makes the dish.
Enjoying ceviche in Miraflores
The last two pictures I want to share with you all today are from two of my favorite spots in the city. The first is on the water in Miraflores, where you can watch people para sailing over the coast line. Although I didn’t get the opportunity to actually try this myself, it was great to watch as everyone else flew over the hazy coast line. The last picture is quite simply a beautiful contrast of new and old on the Miraflores water front. This quaint home is situated between two high rise apartment buildings, and boasts the most enchanting home garden and front door!
Watching people glide in over the coast
Beautiful juxtaposition of old and new 🙂
Celiac Suitcase 