Lima – Page 7 – Pirwa Hostels BLOG

Lima Will Host the 2019 Pan American Games & Invests in the City’s Future

October 21, 2013 Pirwa

Lima has been enjoying a steadily increasing profile over the last years, especially its culinary scene. This month, Peru’s capital city pulled off another coup winning the competition to host the 2019 Pan American Games, beating other contending cities such as Santiago, La Punta, and Ciudad Bolívar. This is the first time the games will be held in Peru. The Peruvian delegation made a strong case to win the honor for Lima, arguing in emotional bilingual speeches and promotional videos that Lima was the only capital city candidate boating a shoreline and a temperate climate conducive for athletic competition. In addition, Lima’s airport is considered the best in South America.

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Learn to Make Chocolate at the ChocoMuseu in Lima or Cusco

September 28, 2013 Pirwa

The ChocoMuseo mission is to make chocolate in the countries where cacao grows, which is why it luckily has three different locations in Peru. In Lima, it’s located 3 blocks from Kennedy Park in Miraflores (very close to our hostels, which are located one block and four blocks from Kennedy Park). In Cusco, it’s 2 blocks from the main square, the Plaza de Armas (just a block from Pirwa Colonial Hostel, Pirwa Posada del Corregidor, and Pirwa Suecia B&B!). There’s also one located half a block from the impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo.

(You may remember reading about Ollantaytambo in an earlier blog post, “5 Best Spots to Visit in the Sacred Valley of the Incas“.)

Visitors can take part in popular activities, especially the 2-hour “Cacao Bean to Chocolate Bar” workshop, which takes you through the whole process. Other workshops vary by location and month, but some of the standards are truffle-making and sculpting chocolate.

Each activity has a cost, although entrance to the small cacao and chocolate museum is free (and you are often invited to enjoy a cup of cacao husk tea for free as well….it’s different, but the taste really grows on you….you’ll probably find yourself buying a few bags to take home). There’s an artisanal chocolate kitchen open to view, as well as a store and café if you want to sample some of their products, which include natural cacao goods, crafts such as mugs and chocolate-making tools, and of course, chocolates.

Although the ChocoMuseos are actually quite small, the workshops and café make it a fun way to spend an afternoon and learn about one of the region’s most fascinating and delicious products.

As always, feel free to ask reception in any of our Pirwa hostels in Peru for tips and recommendations on fun, enlightening ways to spend your free time during your trip!

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The Lord of Miracles: The Purple Month in Lima

September 18, 2013 Pirwa

One of Peru’s most prominent religious festivals, the Lord of Miracles, will kick off on October 18^th, lasting ten days. October is known as the Purple Month in Lima, which isn’t surprising considering that you’ll see the color appearing everywhere throughout those weeks. In honor of the city’s patron saint, some devotees wear this color all month long. One of Peru’s most popular soccer teams, Alianza Lima, even changes the color of their team jerseys for the month.

Who is the Lord of Miracles? In the 1650s, Angolan slaves and freedmen formed the Pachacamilla guild, which managed religious services (like baptisms and funerals) and provided economic assistance within the community. One of its members painted the image now known as the Lord of Miracles (or the Black Christ) on a crude adobe wall of the slave quarters. Four years later, an earthquake devastated Lima and Callao, leveling all of Pachacamilla except for the wall with the Christ painting. As meetings and masses began to be held at the image, authorities attempted to halt them. The image survived numerous attempts to erase it, as well as another incredibly destructive earthquake and subsequent tidal wave. Finally, authorities accepted the growing cult, the Church of Nazcarenas was built around the image and the processions began.

The main event is one of South America’s largest processions, during which the image is taken from its home church Las Nazarenas and to other historic colonial churches, accompanied by the incense and drums of the faithful. The main procession lasts 24 hours, with thousands taking part. The icon is carried on a 2-ton litter by groups (brotherhoods) who work in short shifts before passing the load on to the next group. They are accompanied by singers and dancers as the streets are strewn with flowers and confetti.

The streets fill with vendors offering a wide variety of treats, but the signature choice for October is the Turrón de Doña Pepa, a sticky anise-flavored pastry created by a black slave who credited the Lord of Miracles with restoring the use of her arms and hands. If you’re one of those who find the turrón too sweet, you can opt for picarones, pumpkin fritters in syrup. Another traditional choice associated with the festivities are the skewered beef hearts known as anticuchos.

Lima’s bullfighting season also begins in October, and is named in honor of the Lord of Miracles. Some of the world’s best bullfighters gather at the Plaza de Acho, which at 246 years old is the second oldest bullring in the world which is still in use. Events take place every Sunday afternoon, with cheap tickets in the sun and expensive ones in the shade. There’s a growing antitaurino movement in Lima as well, pushing for a ban on bullfighting (which in Peru is to the death). This means you are also likely to see protestors outside the stadium.

For assistance with transport or excursions for Lima, Peru, feel free to contact Pirwa Travel Service, with more than 10 years experience providing travel services throughout Peru and Bolivia!

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Where to Stay & What to Do in Miraflores, Lima

August 17, 2013 Pirwa

Pirwa Inclan B&B is enviably located in Miraflores, often referred to as the “greenest” area in Lima thanks to its plethora of parks and gardens. It’s just a few blocks from Kennedy Park, which in the evenings comes alive with street performers, a market, and young Peruvians heading to its restaurants and clubs.

All of the hostel’s rooms have private bathrooms, whether it’s a private room or the economical six-person shared dormitory. Reception is open 24 hours a day, and there’s a Pirwa Travel desk where you can get detailed answers to your travel questions or arrange transport, guided excursions, or more. When you feel like staying in and relaxing, there’s a foosball table and other games in the TV lounge as well as a terrace with bar.

When you stay in the heart of Miraflores, there are lots of things to do in the area, which is why it’s the most frequently recommended base for visitors to Lima. Some of our suggestions:

Sample the nightlife around Calle de las Pizzas in Kennedy Park
Take a surfing lesson on one of the four popular surfing beaches along Miraflores’ Costa Verde: Redondo, Makaha, Waikiki, and La Pampilla. Ask the receptionist to set one up for you!
Visit the pre-Incan Huaca Pucllana shrine, an adobe temple from 500AD, open from 9am to 4:30pm every day but Tuesday, it’s closed in the evenings but attractively lit, and only a few blocks from the hostel.
Browse the popup market at Kennedy Park in the evening and watch the street performers
Read the poetic quotes decorating the tile mosaics of Love Park
Go tandem paragliding off the cliffs of the Costa Verde, near Love Park.
Stop by Larcomar, the upscale mall and food court nestled into the seaside cliffs, even if for nothing more than the impressive views.
Shop for souvenirs from all of the regions of Peru at the artisanal markets on Av Petit Thouars and Ricardo Palma. The Inka Plaza or Indian Market are the largest. (See our last post for more details!)

Besides a nearby market for those of you who prefer to cook (yes, there’s a guest kitchen in the hostel), there are plenty of dining options in the area. If you’re looking for a cheap, filling, and tasty set lunch menu, try Los Yutes on Arica. For fast food, pick up a burger at the Peruvian chain Bembos (there’s also a MacDonald’s, if you must). If you’re only going to splash out for one big meal, make it ceviche, Lima’s banner dish. Although there a lots of cevicherias in the area, think about La Red Miraflores, which has made quite a reputation for itself not just for its ceviche but also for its grilled octopus. The only real food requirement? While near Larcomar, do not miss Manolo’s across the street- trying one of the chocolate- (or manjar- or pastry cream-) filled churros is a must!

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Shopping for Souvenirs in Lima

August 13, 2013 Pirwa

Many travelers realize on their final days in Peru that they want to pick up some souvenirs, or else they wait until the final days of their trip in order to avoid lugging around the extra weight. This usually means shopping in Lima, the most common exit point for air travelers. Luckily, in Lima you can find diverse artisan goods from all regions of the country. Markets and shops hawk goods that run the gamut from mass produced souvenir kitsch to true representations of Peruvian craftsmanship.

The best places to shop are Miraflores, Barranco, and the historic city center. You can generally pay in either Peruvian soles or American dollars, and some places even accept credit cards. Be careful to only accept pristine dollar bills if you plan on using them in Peru (if there are any nicks or tears, or even excessive folds, almost all stores and banks will not accept them) and learn to spot counterfeit bills. Finally, no matter where you go, make sure to barter!

What should you bring back with you? Alpaca goods are by far the most popular, as are other handwoven items. Try to get educated before purchasing, however- stop in an expensive gallery store and feel the goods to learn what Baby Alpaca (from the first shearing) and Alpaca should feel like. Most cheaper places will sell alpaca mixed with wool and even acrylic, so it helps to get a feel for them at a quality store first before braving the markets. When it comes to jewelry, silver is king in Peru, although seed jewelry from the jungle is a traditional choice as well. Pisco, a Peruvian grape brandy, carved and painted gourds, and Andean flutes are also popular. Some of the repeated motifs that you’ll see on all products are the Tumi, a ceremonial knife, the Chakana, known as an Andean cross, and the Inca calendar.

The artisan markets of Miraflores and San Miguel boast hundreds of small stores. There, you’ll find all of the staples: silverwork, alpaca goods, pottery, paintings, carvings, T-Shirts and clothing, etc. Although Larcomar is the neighborhood’s most well-known shopping center, these are for brand-name clothing and other luxury goods- it’s not the place to go for handicrafts and other souvenirs. The largest markets are the Inka Plaza and the Indian Market, so stop by those if you’re looking to do all of your shopping in just one go. To reach the markets, head to the corner of Av Petit Thouars and Av Ricardo Palma; along blocks 52 through 55 on Av Petit Thouars, you’ll find Artesanías Miraflores, Kaypi Artesanías, Gran Chimu Handicraft Market, Artesanía Señor de Sipan, Gran Chavin, the Cuzco Market, La Portada del Sol and the Inka Market. Another option would be to stop by the flea market and handicraft fair that pops up in Parque Kennedy.

Outside of Miraflores, in Pueblo Libre, there are a number of less-touristy and cheaper, but less conveniently located, artisan markets along Av. La Marina. The biggest are the Tesoros del Inka Market (block 7) and the Gran Mercado Inka (block 8). There are more options as well if you continue along Av. Sucre.

Unfortunately, shipping from Peru can be a little expensive, so you’re better off leaving room in your bag. Happy shopping!

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