We arrived on Good Friday and headed straight into the city. In the main plaza stood the Cathedral de Lima, and a huge crowd was gathered outside for a Good Friday sermon. The square was heaving with about five thousand people all carrying small figures of Christ during the crucifixion.After watching the sermon and soaking up the atmosphere, we went for a walk around the city, and it soon became apparent that everyone else was doing that also. All the
locals were wandering from church to church around the city, the crowds trying to get into each church was incredible, it was literally clogging up the street outside each of the churches to the point that you could not move. Despite the huge crowds going in and out of all the churches we had to see what was going on. Inside, the locals were walking around the church touching the statues of all the saints and walking out again, then they would move onto the next church and so exactly the same thing. After shuffling in, around and out of one church we decided we needed to get away from all the crowds and craziness, so we headed to a cafe for a coffee.
locals were wandering from church to church around the city, the crowds trying to get into each church was incredible, it was literally clogging up the street outside each of the churches to the point that you could not move. Despite the huge crowds going in and out of all the churches we had to see what was going on. Inside, the locals were walking around the church touching the statues of all the saints and walking out again, then they would move onto the next church and so exactly the same thing. After shuffling in, around and out of one church we decided we needed to get away from all the crowds and craziness, so we headed to a cafe for a coffee. Lima has a wonderful park area to the East of the city where we thought it would be good to go and have lunch, unfortunately it was not as peaceful there as we thought, due to Good Friday celebrations. For the rest of the day we walked the city, of which some part were nice some were not.
We were staying area of the city called Barranco, an upmarket area and one of the few it is safe for travelers to stop. It is situated on the coast, so when we arrived back to the hostel we were just in time for sunset, so we found a bar with a roof terrace, got a couple of beers and watched the sun sink into the Pacific Ocean....again!
The following day we spent around the beautiful neighbourhood or Miraflores, which runs 
adjacent to Barranco on the coast, and is full of stunning apartment blocks set on the edge of a cliff over looking the sea. We also experienced a South America first in Miraflores, a Starbucks. We have managed not to spy one for the last three and a half months and all of a sudden one popped up when we least expected it, we couldn't bring ourselves to go in though. The day was very relaxing, which was just what we needed before embarking the bus that evening for a 17 hours journey north to Mancora.
When the bus pulled up in Mancora the next day the sun was shining and it was lovely and warm. We arrived at our hostel to find everyone still in bed due to the festivities the night before. We were given a quick tour of the hostel and the grounds, which led straight out onto the beach, by the crazy manager, before heading up to the open air restaurant for some breakfast. The Point hostel is beautifully set right on the beach front, but is away from the touristy part of town (you need to get a noisy "moto" to get there). The buildings themselves are rustically chic, like something that would be found on a desert island, with grass roofs and lots of open space. The balcony directly outside our dorm overlooked the sea, where you could watch the sun set. Every day they have a "sun" themed song to accompany the sunset (e.g. Beatles Here Comes the Sun, Arctic Monkeys They Say It Changes When the Sun Goes Down, etc)
adjacent to Barranco on the coast, and is full of stunning apartment blocks set on the edge of a cliff over looking the sea. We also experienced a South America first in Miraflores, a Starbucks. We have managed not to spy one for the last three and a half months and all of a sudden one popped up when we least expected it, we couldn't bring ourselves to go in though. The day was very relaxing, which was just what we needed before embarking the bus that evening for a 17 hours journey north to Mancora.When the bus pulled up in Mancora the next day the sun was shining and it was lovely and warm. We arrived at our hostel to find everyone still in bed due to the festivities the night before. We were given a quick tour of the hostel and the grounds, which led straight out onto the beach, by the crazy manager, before heading up to the open air restaurant for some breakfast. The Point hostel is beautifully set right on the beach front, but is away from the touristy part of town (you need to get a noisy "moto" to get there). The buildings themselves are rustically chic, like something that would be found on a desert island, with grass roofs and lots of open space. The balcony directly outside our dorm overlooked the sea, where you could watch the sun set. Every day they have a "sun" themed song to accompany the sunset (e.g. Beatles Here Comes the Sun, Arctic Monkeys They Say It Changes When the Sun Goes Down, etc)
As it was Easter Sunday the hostel were planning a big day of food and drink. Things kicked off at 1pm with a lamb spit roast and unlimited rum punch as well as a festive easter egg hunt. We signed up for day and headed off for a shower. When I got into the shower and looked up at the fitting that holds the soap and shampoo I spotted an egg with free meal w
ritten on it. So I popped it in my wash bag. I later found out that the egg entitled me to the whole day of food and drink for free!
We wanted to head up the beach into the town before all the good stuff started at the hostel so we made our way up the beautiful white sand beach to the town. On the way up we bumped in Jules, one of the Aussie guys we did our Machu Picchu trek with. We told him what our hostel had planned and the unlimited rum punch sold it to him, so he said he would make his way down and meet us. After a wander through town we headed back to our hostel for some much need food and drink.
The afternoon was great, Jules brought a few friends with him from his hostel and we bumped into another couple from Manchester who we had met on a bus journey in Bolivia. We fed and watered ourselves, played a couple of games of cricket and football on the beach with everyone else from the hostel and generally had a brilliant Easter Sunday. They even provided us with home made Easter eggs, which were delicious! In the evening we joined Jules at his hostel, along with Megan, one of the Canadian girls who was also on our Machu Picchu trek, and drank till about 4am at a few of the local bars in town.
The following day I had to be up at 11am for my first surf lesson. I knew it was going to be hard work anyway, but not having a great deal of sleep the 48 hours before, along with the Easter day of drinking, was going to make the whole experience all the harder.
ritten on it. So I popped it in my wash bag. I later found out that the egg entitled me to the whole day of food and drink for free!We wanted to head up the beach into the town before all the good stuff started at the hostel so we made our way up the beautiful white sand beach to the town. On the way up we bumped in Jules, one of the Aussie guys we did our Machu Picchu trek with. We told him what our hostel had planned and the unlimited rum punch sold it to him, so he said he would make his way down and meet us. After a wander through town we headed back to our hostel for some much need food and drink.
The afternoon was great, Jules brought a few friends with him from his hostel and we bumped into another couple from Manchester who we had met on a bus journey in Bolivia. We fed and watered ourselves, played a couple of games of cricket and football on the beach with everyone else from the hostel and generally had a brilliant Easter Sunday. They even provided us with home made Easter eggs, which were delicious! In the evening we joined Jules at his hostel, along with Megan, one of the Canadian girls who was also on our Machu Picchu trek, and drank till about 4am at a few of the local bars in town.
The following day I had to be up at 11am for my first surf lesson. I knew it was going to be hard work anyway, but not having a great deal of sleep the 48 hours before, along with the Easter day of drinking, was going to make the whole experience all the harder.
All was going well to begin with, I caught a couple of waves, with the instructor's help, and almost managed to stand up. Unfortunately my energy was quickly sapped and it became very hard work, especially after I lost my balance paddling out and got caught up and dragged under by 2 pretty big waves. Its not pleasant when you got dragged along under the water by your board. While all this was going on Mel had the right idea and was sunning herself on the beach whilst reading. It looked very tempting, so I left the surf, collapsed on the beach, had a good rest, some lunch and headed back out when I regained my strength - I was not going to let this beat me. I paddled back out, but unfortunately the surf had died down and there were no waves to be had. I would need to continue my surfing when we got to Central America.
Later that evening we headed up to Jules' hostel to meet him for a few drinks and a game of poker with about 9 guys from his hostel. We all threw 10 soles into the pot and 3 hours later I walked away victorious.
The following day we were heading up to the Ecuadorian border. It was hard to have to leave Mancora, we could have easily spent another couple of days there, but we did not want to cut short our stay in Ecuador, so we decided that we must head off. We said our goodbyes to Jules, but arranged to hook with him and Olly again once we arrived in Oz.
The following day we were heading up to the Ecuadorian border. It was hard to have to leave Mancora, we could have easily spent another couple of days there, but we did not want to cut short our stay in Ecuador, so we decided that we must head off. We said our goodbyes to Jules, but arranged to hook with him and Olly again once we arrived in Oz.
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