Playing Tour Guide

One of my favorite things to do is show people around town when they come in for a visit. I had the opportunity to do it twice in one day last Saturday with a friend of a friend who had an 18 hour layover in Lima between Chile and Chicago, and a former TEFL certification classmate.

I met up with Michelle in Miraflores for brunch and we ate at Cafe Cafe. It is a Peruvian chain that serves somewhat pricey but definitely delicious food. We shared a Spanish breakfast that came with a butifara (meat sandwich), a tamale, sweet potato chips and onions doused in lime. We also shared churros. We got to know each other a bit. Michelle is a friend of a friend and she is going to finish her last year of college in DC this next year. She studied abroad in Chile and went back for a visit. She is helping out my friend find a place in DC for his biodiesel company and she also does a lot with urban agriculture. She is a pretty cool chick if you ask me.

It was uncanny how her laughter and smile reminded me of my friend Chanel from high school. I love when people remind you of other people that you like. I am always happy to hear when someone says I remind them of someone as long as they like the person. It tends to put them at ease with me.

We walked to Larcomar where Michelle tried a Peruvian pisco sour. She said there wasn't much difference between a Peruvian one and a Chilean one. I enjoyed a delicious chicha morada. We then headed over to a woman's apartment who was selling some things since she is moving. Michelle helped me lug a big shaggy white carpet back to my place. She also got to meet Marco, Gabriel and Pepe.

I didn't manage to get a picture during our time together in the day but we ran into each other in Barranco while Marco and I were waiting for my second friend. Michelle had spent the afternoon and evening bumming around Barranco. She was exhausted but looked happy.

Tired and happy!

The next person I met up with was Stephanie. She and I took the same TEFL certification course in Chicago in October of 2009. She then went on to live in Lima for a while before I came to Peru. I followed her blog which was great. She then went on to get a masters degree in London before landing her job that she has now. This particular job is what allowed her to come to Peru. She was here for a conference on practices in the mining and natural resources sector. She explained to us a bit about what she was doing but I can't remember all the details. I do know that she had to give a presentation on digital security.

Anyway, we took her and her co-worker to the restaurant Javier on the boardwalk towards the ocean in Barranco. It is our favorite seafood place close by and they have great drinks. Marco and I shared a chicken chicharron and Stephanie had lobster causa.  We were only able to hang out for a few hours because it was 11:30pm when we met up and they had a flight to Juliaca early the next day. It was fun nonetheless!

I didn't remember to get a picture with Stephanie. Oh well!

So if anyone has some time in Lima coming up, let me know. If I am not working I would be happy to take you out and about!