Cities We've Been

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Peru - Overnight Bus to Lima

Sept 12 Machala to Lima by bus


In the morning we catch the cheap and completely hassle free international bus to Tumbes, Peru. We spend the afternoon in downtown Tumbles with our stuff in tow, and then catch our reserved night bus to Lima.

The internet café in town is interesting with small individual private boxed rooms, complete with peep holes into the next box.



Sept 13 Lima


We really enjoy the Cruz Del Sur night bus to Lima. The first floor has the drivers’ cab (for the two drivers), first class seating, two bathrooms, luggage, and engine. The second floor is second class from front to back with one bathroom. Service on the 19 hour ride includes dinner, breakfast, 5 movies, bingo, internet access, blanket, pillow, and seats which recline 45 degrees with foot rest.


De La Cruz night bus

We reserved the seats of death in the front, directly above the driver’s cab. The seats provide a video game like view of the road, and perhaps the highest chance of fatality in the case of a front end collision!


Sunset view from the seats of death

The Pan-American Norte follows the desert coast in the North of Peru. In several spots, the scenery looks like Mars, with absolutely nothing but mountains of rocks, dirt, and sand.

When we wake up in the morning, we are on the side of a sand mountain cliff above the ocean, again completely void of vegetation. The weather is unexpectedly cold, as the entire north coast of Peru is covered in fog. The scenery reminds me of Baja California, with all the vegetation removed. And just like Baja, all passengers and their luggage are search at a checkpoint, a few hours south of the border.

Peru north coast in the morning

Cut in the sand mountain for the road

Tide going out

After arriving in Lima, we taxi to the Miraflores area and stay at the Flying Dog Backpackers Hostel. The Miraflores area is upscale, almost like Europe; sidewalk cafes, manicured parks, bookstores, cafes, Starbucks, KFC, McDonalds, etc. It’s quite pleasant, but feels a bit odd, after driving through shanty neighborhoods, packed with people and trash. It´s cold in Lima!

Juggling fire at a stop light

Hostel room with high ceiling is really cold

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Vana & Kevin-

These are wonderful! I haven't commented until now, but some of these should be in National Geographic.

D. Eisenhauer

seth said...

Kevbo! you need to get your butt back to northern peru and rent a board and go surfing! in the far north you don't even need a wetsuit. peru has some of the best surf on the planet. even around Lima is supposed to be ok, but you'll need to rent a wetsuit, too.

and i agree, some great photography in this post.

Kevin and Vana said...

笑笑,

利马很冷, 你们是在那里受凉感冒的吧?还是要买一件保暖的衣服,睡觉前热水把脚泡暖和,两张床的被子加一起可以暖和些。客店虏间有暖气吗?一定要保护好身体。你们现在怎么样
感冒全好了吗?呀!房间天花板比两个kevin加起来还要高, 是少见的。

旅途愉快

妈妈

Kevin and Vana said...

博客里看不到,你又走了一程,快过中秋节了,祝你们旅途愉快、安全,拍几张10月3日中秋的照片。

陈叔叔

Kevin and Vana said...

看了你们的游记
实在不知道该做什么comment好
三个字,太神了

Han Dongli

Kevin and Vana said...

如果您看不到的照片,请到我们的博客

秘鲁-通宵巴士前往利马

9月12日 厄瓜多尔的马查拉城到秘鲁首都-利马

上午,我们从厄瓜多尔的马查拉城坐国际巴士到达了秘鲁的通贝斯城。为了等我们订的通宵巴士,我们在通贝斯闲逛了一下。

9月13日 到达利马

前往利马的通宵巴士很享受。一楼有司机驾驶室(两个司机),第一等座位,两间卫生间,行李储藏室,和发动机。二楼是第二等座位,一个卫生间。在这19小时内,包括晚餐,早餐,5个电影,宾果游戏,上网,背毯,枕头,并与脚休息座椅可以放倒45度。 (比坐飞机还好!)

通宵巴士

我们订的是‘死亡席位’,在驾驶室的正上方。叫‘死亡席位’是应为如果出车祸,本座位死亡机率最高。

日落

秘鲁北部是沙漠地区。风景看起来像火星一样:岩石,泥土山,和沙子。

早晨醒来时,我们正延着海沙山悬崖在走,完全没有植物。天气意外的寒冷,雾覆盖着整个秘鲁北部海岸,这个风景让我们想起了墨西哥的巴哈。

秘鲁北部沿海的早晨

削减的道路沙山

退潮

顺利抵达利马后,我们坐出租车来到了米拉弗洛雷斯区,米拉弗洛雷斯区是利马比较高档的区,几乎像欧洲城市一样:教堂,广场,街头露天餐厅,修剪整齐的公园,书店,咖啡馆,星巴克,肯德基,麦当劳等,相当愉快。但感觉有点怪怪的,应为来该区时经过了贫民区,简陋的社区,肮脏的人民,垃圾遍地。唉!
利马很冷!这几天我们就住在飞行狗背包克店了。

贫民区-在红绿灯耍火杂

旅馆房间天花板太高,实在是冷