Just Noshing
Trip Start
Jun 03, 2010
1
2
3
Trip End
Jun 19, 2010
Where I stayed
Lima, Lima, Peru
Friday, June 4, 2010
At 2 am, Mike and I, exhausted, were escorted into hotel room in Miraflores Lima. The hotel receptionist looked for our approval and we nodded acceptingly at the room. The furnishings were simple, but a large window stood open looking out to the tree-lined boulevard below. Immediately after the receptionist closed our door, I heard Mike screech. I saw a small creature fluttering its wings next to one of the wooden beams along the ceiling. Bases on the size and Mike’s surprised cry, I figured it was a bat and covered my head. Fortunately it then took flight to a corner of the room and I realized it was merely a bird. However, a bird that we wanted out of our room. Mike shooed the bird but only succeeded and sending it back and forth across the room. I tried directing it with my arms while coaxing in a soothing tone; however, the bird did not seem to catch my drift. Mike turned off the light and suggested opening the other half of the window. He then charged at the bird and managed to get it to fly out the window. Welcome to Peru.
Still tired from the late departure, Mike and I opted not to rush from one tourist exhibit to another even though we only had one day in Lima. We decided to simply walk around Miraflores exploring as we went. We began the day by browsing in some shops as we made our way to the coast. The road ended at a trendy mall hung over the sea cliffs. After checking our a few more stores, we decided to further stroll along the tops of the massive cliffs. A well-maintained sidewalk lined with parks and gardens led the way as we occasionally stopped to admire the view. The cliffs were so high that we often had to lean over the railings to see the narrow marine terrace below. We looked for a path to climb down to the sea, but the only one we found was closed and in obvious need of repair. After a long walk we returned to the mall to eat at a highly recommended restaurant back at the mall called Visa del Mar.
Sitting on a patio hanging over the marine terrace, we were not disappointed. We shared a delicious ceviche marinated in a tangy tomato sauce. Mike ordered and was delighted with a seafood paella while I eat sea bass covered in a yummy garlic sauce. The views were as incredible as the food. We watched surfers navigate waves as well as a soccer match played below on the beach. We did discover that although this was an obvious tourist restaurant, we were still ill-equipped as our previously attained Spanish knowledge had retreated to the far corners of our brains. Sipping wine and a Pisco Sour, we were not too bothered by this and relaxed into vacation mode.
After lunch we continued our tour of the Miraflores neighborhood, by walking around the Central Plaza area and admiring the architecture. After a while, we nestled on a park bench and for simple people-watching. Knowing we had an early flight in the morning, we decided to have an early dinner. Mike had suggested two Italian restaurants from the guide book…one with an exceptional wine list and another with homemade pasta. Unfortunately neither were serving dinner until 7:30 pm. Earlier in the afternoon, we had popped into a grocery store for some water. It was an exceptional market with a wide range of fresh and gourmet products, and I had remarked that we could eat lots of yummy things from there. “Do you just want to get wine and cheese from the market?” Mike suggested. Once in a while at home, we have what we call “Wine Night” although I have recently learned the European term in noshing. Technically it is a late afternoon snack usually of wine, cheese and bread. “Noshing it is,” I replied.
Inside the market, we picked up some fresh rolls and a bottle of Shiraz/Malbec, before heading to the cheese aisle. A Parmesan Reggiano was tossed into the basket. We munched on some samples of chorizo salami and a Peruvian camembert cheese served on mini toasted bread, before adding these items to the mix. Back at the hotel, we decided to eat in the quiet sitting room outside our room. Mike grabbed plastic cups from the bathroom and managed to open the wine with his Swiss army knife. He poured a sample of the Argentina blend while presenting the bottle to me. I giggled as much at his presentation as at the flimsiness of the plastic cup. I nodded my approval at the wine as it was full-bodied and fruit forward with a spicy sage finish. The Swiss army knife also came in handy for cutting and spreading the cheese onto the mini toasts. Once this was layered with piece of chorizo, we were in noshing heaven. After several minutes of food and conversation, I commented on how nicely the wine’s bouquet was opening up. Mike brought his cup to his mouth and made a face. “I smell something bad; I think that Peru cheese really stinks.” He set the wine down and smelled his fingers, “It does, it’s on my fingers. It’s all I can smell.” He placed his arms behind his back and leaned way down to the coffee table to smell the wine. I could not help but giggle at his dramatic attempt to appease me. “Yes, it is opening up nicely.”
I smelled my fingers, “The cheese does stink a little, but I like it.”
“They do say the stinkiest cheese is often the tastiest.” Mike grinned and the noshing continued.
One could argue that Mike and I wasted an opportunity to further explore this cosmopolitan city. However, one of the goals of this trip was to spend time together. And as we laughed while sipping out of our plastic cups and eating our stinky cheese, I had everything I could ever want.
