We've made it to Lima from Cuzco after a 21 hour bus ride with a Presidential Cama (bed). Not our best night sleep but it worked for $36/each. Best feature, it included breakfast at a restaurant about 4 hours outside of Lima, which let you get off the bus and stretch a bit.


Between now and our final flight home (Sept 1st), we hope to travel around on the weekends while we complete a 4 week Spanish course.



We have a hostel booked for 3 night in the Miraflores district, an area located along the ocean where most travelers stay. It's easy to see why this area is considered very secure.  Their public spaces are very well kept and a heavy presence of security/police is everywhere.





In the morning of our second day here, we noticed a huge setup of barracks along the park.  At first we thought they were setting up for a marathon or a bike race until we started seeing people setting up camp along the street.  We asked an officer what was happening and he told us that there was a parade about to start at 3 and should make it to the park about 20 minutes later.

We stayed and watched the parade to the very end; 4:30 hours long.  The parade was the Gran Corso Wong, which is held annually a few weeks before the Peruvian Independence day.

Sheet music attached to the person in front