Day 44 – Wednesday, March 11, 2026

I left my crappy hostel at 7 am - and was greeted by a grey, overcast day. Oh well, it is March after all, fall is coming. This gatesd community I stayed at, Punta Hermosa, was really pretty, there was a bike lane flanked by palm trees. Soon I was on the busy, now three-lane PanAmerican highway again and I almost felt emotional knowing these were my last couple of miles on it. The scenery changed dramatically, now it was a grim industrial area, surrounded by pueblos jóvenes - young towns and barriadas - informal settlements. Having lived in Pakistan for six years, nothing really surprises me, but the contrast to the beach town I had just left was a bit shocking. I had a real.yummy breakfast of pork sandwich, washed down by Maracuja juice. I did some people watching there - people were hurriedly making their way to work, getting a bite to eat. I do not actually know when I reached Lima Proper, only that it was a depressing ride through the slums. Each square inch is apparently used, the crowded array of mostly unplastered houses cover even the hill-tops.. I reached the ocean again, now I had an ancient, crumbling bike path. There were scattered groups of surfers braving the huge waves.High above me was an apparently pretty area called Miraflores. After a few kilometers of this rather desolate ride, I decided to head uphill, I would have been jailed in Austria for the series of serious traffic violations I then committed. A new scene after a short ride - it was now a green, calm, developed urban area, though I was still 10 km or so from the historic center. I still had over a week till my departure from Lima, so my plan is to fly to Cusco and visit Machu Pichu - meaning I no longer need my bike - plus it has to be boxed for the ride home. I therefore started looking for a reliable bike shop. To my surprise, a few hundred meters away, Google indicated a bike shop with a rating of 4.9. I rode there - no bike shop, just a laundry. I showed the owner what I was after, he smiled, signaled me to follow him and rang a bell. A lady came down (memories of Santiago became vivid) and there, on the street, we discussed all the work she would do.

We agreed she would clean the bike thoroughly, change the pads, check the dynamo and box it. I also commissioned the laundry man to get my bike bags cleaned, and have my tent and sleeping bag taken care of. I then paid a visit to the bike shop itself - no wonder it got the high rating, it had high-tech bikes and seemed really professional. So with just one bag for the remaining week I set off in the direction of the historic center - that by a battered bus. We covered the 10 km like in over an hour, not necessarily huge traffic jams, just lots of stops and looong red lights. I booked an apartment in the center, the owner never answered the phone (only hours later, by that time, I changed my booking). Anyhow, when I got off at Importaciones Hiraoka, all I saw was a busy bazaar and one or two somewhat pretty buildings. I made a turn to a pedestrian street and my jaw dropped. Lima’s center is a place where history feels close and tangible. Cplonial buildings with wooden balconies line the streets, and landmarks like the Cathedral and Government Palace stand as reminders of the city’s role in Peru’s past. Walking through these squares and avenues, you sense the weight of centuries of political and cultural life, yet the area remains lively with daily activity. It’s a blend of grandeur and everyday rhythm that makes the center striking. I had my shoes cleaned and was enjoying sering so much history in one spot. When I first got to the center, it was still early, around noon, and practically empty. Does no one appreciate so much beauty? Oh, they do, later, as the clouds disappeared, there was quite a commotion of locals and tourists. A visit to the San Francisco Abbey was a must: it is an amazing colonial monument. Built in the 17th century by the Franciscan order, it is known for its yellow Baroque façade, spacious cloisters, and richly decorated interiors. Beneath the church lie the famous catacombs, once used as a burial site, where thousands of remains are arranged in geometric patterns. I managed to find a flight to Cusco for the following afternoon, which was then changed to last in the evening. Dome more time in Lima is OK!