Archeology, Horses, Food, Pisco Sours Fill First Day in Lima

Day 11, 2025 Grand World Voyage

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025; Lima, Peru.

Peru deserves more time – two weeks, I would say. As it is, this is my second time here and we have two-and-a-half days. I still feel I’m only scratching the surface. This typically is an overnight port (or two overnights as is the case this time), enabling overland tours to Machu Picchu.

Fifteen months ago on the 2023 Grand South America cruise I toured Lima’s historic center one day and participated in a food tour the second. This year I’m touring other parts of this city of 12 million people. We dock in the huge commercial port in nearby Callao, and there is nothing to see anywhere near the port. In fact, shuttles are required to the port gate, which is an unsafe area for tourists. That’s where we meet our independent tours (ship excursions leave from the pier). Otherwise, passengers can take a free shuttle to the swanky Miraflores area – a ride that easily can take an hour each way. Note the red lines denoting traffic jams on the map in mid day.

This morning, we left from the pier on an all-day tour to a museum, an archeological dig and a hacienda for a horse show and lunch. The Larco Museum, inside a colonial mansion, provides a dive into Peru’s history covering thousands of years. Our guide explained that most tourists only know of the Incas – the last civilization before the arrival of the Spanish. Previous civilizations did not have written language, so only through excavation have they uncovered earlier histories. In 2023 I visited the ruins of one of those civilizations at the Chan Chan temples near Trujillo, Peru, north of here.

The Larco Museum has incredible pottery, tapestries and jewelry from various areas of Peru. One section includes several rooms dedicated to erotic pottery, also used to distinguish the men’s and women’s toilets.

From there we traveled along the coastline of Lima, between the huge cliffs and the waterfront built on reclaimed land. It is summer here; the kids are out of school; and today brought a rare sunny day (fog is common). The beaches were packed despite the naturally cold water of the Pacific.

To the south lies the ancient city of Pachacamac (part of Lima’s sprawling metropolitan area). Amid the ruins are temples, pyramids and roads that led throughout Peru. Spaniards destroyed much of the pyramids, looking for gold enclosed in chambers that in reality did not exist – the pyramids were solid.

Our last stop was a nearby hacienda where prancing Paso horses and their riders performed while we drank pisco sours, based on a brandy made with fermented and distilled grapes combined with lime juice, simple syrup, frothed egg whites and a splash of bitters. Deb, Sheryl and I volunteered to finish off some extras and can attest to the strength of the recipe.

After the horse show, we enjoyed a late lunch of grilled chicken, salad, rice, potatoes and dessert before dozing during the long ride back to the ship.

Before arriving in Lima, we enjoyed two sea days that kept us busy with wine tastings, brunch on Sunday, lectures and all sorts of classes. I’ve joined the watercolor group, led once again by Deb Arts. Yesterday we celebrated Rubber Duckie Day (the birthday of the bathtub toy of Sesame Street’s Ernie) with ducks hidden around the ship and floating in the pool. Last night was a Grand Fair with carnival games and prizes.

Bartender Helen surprised me by digging out a selfie we took almost three years ago on the Westerdam. As I brought the same dress and necklace on this cruise, I told her I would wear them on the next dressy night for a repeat photo. I think we both look better with time! (2022 left, 2025 right)

Perhaps unwisely, I decided to purchase the beverage package for this cruise. Holland America typically sells a Have It All package that includes specialty dinners, shore excursions and up to 15 drinks a day (special coffees, canned water, beer, wine and cocktails). On this grand cruise, they offered only the beverage portion for $20 a day. Last year I spent $15 a day (yes, I tracked it), so I originally decided the package wasn’t a good deal for me. But at some point this fall I changed my mind. Now my frugal nature won’t limit me to one drink only during happy hour. The scale will tell me whether I’ve made a mistake.