Taking a deep breath, we dove into Lima’s center’s busiest pedestrian street. Stores of all kinds are aligned and both sides, buzzing with locals. There definitely weren’t many gringos around. Ignoring McDaniels and Burger Queen, we followed Lonely Planet’s advice and entered a very busy Peruvian restaurant with a hypnotic and fractally sculpted wooden ceiling. The owner (who must have been something between 85 and death) brought us the expensive and extensive menu, but we opted for the lunch set of local dishes for unbelievable $6.
I ordered an Inka Cola, the main soft drink in those parts. Glowing in a strong yellow color, it tastes of Malabar and childhood.
After reaching Plaza San Martin (and the end of the “safe” zone), we tried to look for a taxi metropolitano, recommended by our hotel. Taxis come in all shapes and colors in Lima, most of them unofficial, some ready to leave you in a back alley stripped of all your valuable possessions - and down to your underwear. If you’re lucky, that is.
Back in Miraflores (still wearing clothes, lucky we), we looked around for a recommended hipster café, only to discover it had been replaced by Popeye’s, a local fast-food chain. Talk of a buzz-killer.