Lima

Got up around 8 today and had breakfast at the hostel while uploading some photos. Since we had to move to another hostel we elected to hang around until the official check out time of 12 and then make our way the 2 or so miles to our new lodgings. We arrived to find that the owner had gone out and we couldn't check in until 4 o'clock so we left our bags there and went out to look around instead. Miraflores is Lima's restaurant district and turn out to be rather clean and plesant, if a little dull in character. Our first point of call was a men's clothes shop where we picked up 3 new pairs of trousers for myself (made to measure in 30 mins) for about $35, we then looked around the two parks located in the centre next to the cathedral and around the Inca and Indian markets which sell pretty much the same stuff as everywhere else (including t-shirts from tourist attractions not in the same country!!) Finally we found a technology shopping centre where I picked up a protector for my new Ipod. By now it was time to head back to the hostel and finally check in. We spent some more time uploading blogs and photos (we are so far behind!!) until 8 o'clock-ish when we went out for dinner. Since Mae hasn't had nuggets for about 2 months I decided that a pre-emptive strike was needed and took her to McDonalds where we also got a sort of berry mouse cake to go with our meal. On the way back we dropped by Pizza street (a whole street of pizza restaurants!!) where we also found a bar called Son De Cuba, as we arrived there was a lesson going on but the doorman informed us that after the lesson it would be free to enter so we went back to the hostel, picked up Mae's shoes and immediately left again. Only about 6 of the dancers stayed after the lesson and they all danced cuban style, however the floor was reasonably good, except it sloped slightly, and we managed to get a few good dances in. Mae also danced with the teacher who was a typical dancer from cuba, no timing, extremely rough and complete lack of spacial awareness!! (I hasten to point out that this dosen't usually apply to Cuban style dancers from elsewhere!!) At 12 o'clock we had some Pisco sours before deciding it was time to call it a night as the music was degenerating by this point and went back to the hostel.