We were so excited about our airport pickup that we had arranged through the hostel. We wouldn't have to haggle with any taxi drivers or deal with public buses. The only problem was they didn't turn up! Luckily we found a legit looking taxi for the same price.

Our hostel was right amongst the bar area in Miraflores, one of the main tourist districts along the coastline in Lima. Some of the online reviews had said it can get a little noisy, but when we were informed of the free earplugs we realised a little noisy might be an under statement. It was loud! We think our room was probably one of the loudest. Our window was facing right out to the bars. We got some respite at around 5am, until 6am when the gym under our window started up for the day!

So, after a broken sleep we joined one of the free walking tours. It started in Miraflores but they took us on the express buses into the downtown area, starting in the square. We were given an overview of the square. Many of the buildings were painted yellow and black, the colours of Lima. All the usual government offices and Cathedrals are present and it was here that San Martin proclaimed the independence of Peru in 1821.

For the rest of the tour we visited churches and shopping areas, had a Pisco tasting of a few varieties and ended in a park. While the tour guide did the best job he could, Lima really isn't the most enthralling city.

The next day we explored a different part of the city on a bike tour. The tour started in Miraflores, following the coast to the Barranco district. The coastline follows a cliff edge, though there is a small section of beach and a road at the base of the cliff on reclaimed land. In the Barranco area we visited the Bridge of Sighs, unfortunately it was being repaired at the time, amongst the bohemian surrounds of the area.

We stopped at Restaurante El Salto del Fraile where for tips, a crazy dude in a monks outfit dives off an extremely unsafe cliff into the ocean below. He is recreating the story of a guy that jumped off the cliff to try and reach his love, being sent away on a boat by her father.

After cycling up the hill a bit and back through one of the poorer areas of Lima we stopped at an Italian bar, a bit of a local institution, for a sandwich and a drink before returning to Miraflores. Before leaving the office our guide recommended a few other sights around town so we set off to check these out in the afternoon.

We made our way to the ruins of Huaca Pucllana. This site is the ruins of a Pre-Incan city of the Lima and later Wari cultures and was used as a ceremonial and administrative centre. Made primarily from vertically stacked adobe bricks, it sits amongst regular residential buildings and up until relatively recently was predominantly buried under a pile of dirt, likely left there when the city was abandoned.

The primary feature is a large pyramid, used for ceremonial rituals and burials of important people. Many tombs were discovered here, some only in recent years. Excavation of the main plaza shows 5 different layers. Our guide explained that each time there was a new ruler, the plaza would be basically renovated, with a new layer and plaza built over the top of the last.

From there we walked to the shoreline and along the cliff edge until we reached Love Park. We certainly knew when we found it, given the central feature is a huge sculpture of a couple making out. We sat here with masses of others and watched the sunset before making our way back.

We had one more day in Lima on this visit which we really just spent wandering. We visited Larcomar, a big fancy shopping centre with an incredible view over the ocean as well as other shops and eateries.

LAPFWT