Northern Chile, Andean impressions. (page 7 of 10)

This first Peruvian day will be dedicated to visiting Tacna, a city of 320,000 people after all!

The city lies off the usual tourist trails, so you won’t run into many Europeans or North Americans here.

It fits into a loop that would go through La Paz - Lauca Park - Arica - Tacna - Arequipa - Cusco - Puno - Lake Titicaca - Copacabana, Bolivia - La Paz.

I actually did this loop 20 years ago, along with a stop in San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago, and Valparaíso (all by plane and bus back then).

It’s a shame it’s almost impossible to cross borders by rental car in South America (except between Chile and Argentina), because there are so many tempting road-trip routes for those who love long drives!

Tacna doesn’t have an enchanting charm and isn’t really worth a detour, but if you’re stopping over between flights or buses, it still offers a few interesting distractions.

First, we walk along Paseo de Las Aguas, transformed into a botanical garden thanks to the skill of its gardeners.





Then we arrive in the heart of the city at the foot of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, a late 19th-century building partly designed by the workshops of a certain Gustave Eiffel.





Just a few steps away, the train station has been partly turned into a museum dedicated—how odd—to railway transport.



The guided tour takes you through rooms recounting the epic story of Peruvian (and Chilean) railways, given the turbulent history between the two nations.

The rise of the rail network was largely tied to the mining boom, and the closure of mines led to the decline of certain lines.





You can still take the line between Tacna and Arica today, but I warn you—it’s not the fastest option! 😊

How about heading to the Miculla archaeological site now?

A quick look online and we find the bus number that serves this village.

Perfect, the stop isn’t too far!

We soon climb into a slightly rickety bus and, along with lots of school kids, hit the road to Miculla.

This must be where we get off, I think!

Public transport doesn’t go all the way to the site entrance, so we have to walk a bit.

A lot...

Way too much under this relentless sun!

Phew, we made it.

A big gulp of water, a little rest in the shade, and we take the trail that should lead us from petroglyph to petroglyph.



Can you see anything?



Nada...



Well, we can call this a flop...



Should we head back?

We pick a different bus stop for the return trip. Walking through the desert is way more pleasant than walking along the road...

We reach a village—the bus should pass through here!



According to Google Maps, we’re really close to the stop.

Woof-woof—Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-Ooooouafff-Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-Ouaaaaaaaaaaaaaaf

What does this mutt want with us?

Going for our calves, apparently...

Let’s wait for the bus here instead of at the stop!

An hour later, we’re back at the hotel.

We book a taxi for tomorrow and head out for dinner.

The restaurant is fancy—really fancy—surprising compared to the rest of the city.

We’re treated like royalty and eat like pigs...





Bon appétit! !

I see wine remains the must-have companion for your meals! 😉

The restaurant and the meal deserved a bottle! 😛

And when you visit a country, shouldn’t you try all its products?😇

I see you're missing the African animals 😉

And when you visit a country, shouldn’t you taste all its products?😇

I totally agree! Carmenère was a great choice! Chilean or Argentinian?

Yeah, llamas and vicuñas are cute, but there’s not much variety...

Alright, alright, with these New World wines 😠 In the Languedoc, they make the same ones! Even better!

In Peru, you drink Peruvian, sir! !

Isn’t it a bit un-eco-friendly to drink Languedoc wine in Latin America?😄

In Peru, we drink Peruvian, sir!

I do have a bit of wine knowledge, but Peruvian wine is still new to me!

Okay, after some research, 32,000 hectares mostly for Pisco production isn’t going to compete with the Languedoc 😉 Sorry for the mix-up.

Alright, alright, with those New World wines In the Languedoc, they produce the same ones! Even better!

Never forget that, following the phylloxera crisis in the 19th century, the entire European vineyard was replanted with American rootstocks (from North and South America). And that the only vines free from American grafts are essentially in Chile! Yes, I know, that stings a bit.

Apparently, vine cultivation was very developed here in the past.

I’ve had local wine in more exotic countries: India, Egypt, Indonesia...

I’ve also tried Armenian and Georgian wine.

It seems Thailand is getting into it too. I’ll have to give it a try! !

The taxi ordered by our host wasn’t exactly new.

I guess vehicle inspections aren’t mandatory in Peru...

Speed-wise, though, it was in great shape, and we made it to the airport in just about ten minutes!

A little too early...

We could’ve almost caught the previous flight!

We waited with a drink and a sandwich until it was finally time to take off.

After an uneventful flight, we landed in Lima.

The ride-hail car booked through the hotel was on time and, unlike the one in the morning, was spotless. The driver was dressed in his finest, opened the door for us, and asked if we were comfortable.

The interior roof had padding, the steering wheel was sporty, and we’d gone from a clunker to a Formula 1 car...

Traffic in Lima can be chaotic, but since we weren’t there during rush hour, we avoided the city’s infamous gridlock.

We’d chosen a small hotel in the upscale (and safe!) Miraflores neighborhood as our home base.

We soon checked out our room.

It wasn’t luxury, but for the price—under 50 € including breakfast—it was more than fine.

After a bit of rest, we set off to explore the area and walked to the very chic Larcomar shopping center, a complex of shops, bars, and restaurants overlooking the Pacific.









This wasn’t where we’d see the Peru of tight budgets at month’s end...

Hungry—an airport sandwich doesn’t exactly fill you up—we set off to find a quieter spot for dinner.



After some Peruvian specialties, it was time for a short digestive walk.



Why not Kennedy Park?

The green space is a hangout for the neighborhood’s cats, generously fed by locals from Miraflores and even farther away!



It’s the evening’s main attraction for limeños, kind of like feeding time at the zoo...



It’s pretty amusing to watch the routine—a fair trade: kibble for the right to pet them...

The restaurant and the meal deserved a bottle! 😛

And when you visit a country, shouldn’t you taste all its products?

Wooooow! Carménère! THE red grape variety of my heart, remembering an asado not far from a kilo of meat accompanied by a bottle of carménère, in Mendoza.....

😛

Yeah, the area is amazing! 😛

Clever move, Agnès! I’m reading your travel journal, and it’s not even noon yet—I think I’ll be heading to the table soon…

Enjoy your meal! ;)

Enjoy your meal! ;)

My best meal in Peru: A ceviche in a small local restaurant behind Plaza de Armas. Amazing!

Today, we're visiting Lima's old town.

Getting around by public transport between Miraflores and the city center is pretty straightforward: some blue buses, which are quite new and have dedicated lanes on certain sections, serve these two areas.

You pay for trips using the Lima Pass card, which you can buy at Tambo shops. You can also top up this card with the network agents who patrol the lines.

I’m rambling on, but here’s our stop!

We’re now strolling down Jirón de la Unión street, the main pedestrian street in the historic district.



First stop, the Church of La Merced and its Churrigueresque-style portal—it’s a bit too ornate for my taste...



A little further on, Casa O'Higgins offers a very interesting exhibition of Ayacucho retablos.

These portable retablos are usually made from cedar wood, while the figurines are crafted from a mix of potato, ceramic plaster, and fine powder.

These pieces are very colorful and naive, which gives them a certain charm.





Plaza Mayor is just a few steps away.

It’s the strategic heart of Lima since it’s home to the cathedral, the presidential palace, and the city hall.







The cathedral is open, so we go in.

The visit is paid, but at just over 5 € for two, it won’t break the bank for our trip...