After months of waiting and imagining, I am really here--in Lima, Peru!!!

Years ago I realized that people are more alike than different, and it follows then, that where they live is similar too. So it is with Lima. Our hotel, though it has a rather silly name--

is comfortable and modern and within walking distance of many things--including the Brazilian embassy right across the street!  Cars rush by honk-honk-honking as they do in any large city. People scurry, dogs dawdle, and an occasional bicycle bell chimes a warning.  We walked down the wide sidewalk on the median of a major boulevard:

and found our way handily to a supermarket with an amazing assortment of potatoes:

Artisan shops and a fabulous restaurant followed. Mary Anne and Jim are superb planners, and our first meal out was a feast of flavors, beginning with the Pisco Sour!

It did pack a punch--great fun! We look forward to many more!

Lunch was appetizers and desserts, more than ample for everyone and providing many novel flavors:

 

In spite of ample appetizers, never, never skip dessert! Sharing dessert is a good practice; it's just enough sweetness to end the meal.

Returning to the hotel, we all crashed and slept for three hours, which we ascribed totally to not having slept for two nights and not at all to the strong Pisco Sour!

Although Jamie says it doesn't rain in Lima, it's all semantics--it 'mists!' Fine, very fine water falls from the sky. But it wasn't cold and didn't inhibit our evening plans. We sought out an evening market, though most was covered with plastic because of the non-rain. Dinner was once again fabulous--a variety of grilled appetizers including mussels, scallops, big ole shrimp, incredible grilled octopus (Boil it first, the waiter said.) Then a single amazing entree 'Tacu, tacu.' Followed, of course, by two desserts. Sadly, there is no photographic record of that wonderful meal. We just ate it, every speck!

Tomorrow will be another early day as we take an excursion to see the Nazca Lines, more about that tomorrow. For now, Good night from Lima, I'm finally here!