02/28 - back to Lima

We had to go back to Lima, to catch our international flight back to SFO. It was raining, for the first time since the day we arrived in Cusco. We were very lucky, weather-wise, considering that it was the rainy season there. We took a cab from our hotel to the small airport in Cusco, and took a 1-hr flight on a small jet to Lima (Star Perú flight 2I 1182, seat 5A). They fed us a sandwich and a muffin. We got to Lima in the early afternoon, and took a cab to the Miraflores district.

The Flying Dog stored our bags for us, and we had a drink there. Then we walked around. Our plane was leaving at 1:15am. We planned to catch a cab around 9:45pm, to be safe. At dinner, I had ceviche for the first time; it was delicious and extremely spicy. After eating it, I felt sort of high, the way one sometimes does after consuming large quantities of very spicy food. It was around 9pm.

Jim wanted to spend our last 45 minutes at an internet café. I wanted to go back to the market (Mercado de Pulgas) in Parque Kennedy. So, we split up, and agreed to meet back up at cab-time (9:45pm). While walking to the market, I saw a woman feeding the cats in the park. I stopped to take a photo. So I guess I still had my phone in hand when I walked into the market. A woman started massaging me with her wares [she was selling massage tools]. My hands were full, and I was distracted. I think I set my phone down on her table. I looked at her wares. She massaged my neck, back, and legs with 3 or 4 different tools. I bought some stuff, and continued wandering through the market.

It wasn't until I met up with Jim, 45 minutes later, that I realized my phone was missing. I went back to look for it, but it was gone. We stayed as long as we could. The language barrier was never so frustrating. I was in tears, and some people were very helpful, especially a girl named Franci from the Arte Objeto booth. She spoke a little English, and gave me a sweet card when I had to leave to catch the plane. The card reads:

"From the Peruvian people: All your feelings, good moments in our country 

will be preserved in our memory with happiness.    -Peru"

Photos of Parque Kennedy's cats and Mercado de Pulgas, courtesy of Google image search.

So, that's how I lost the 700-or-so photos from my Peru trip. Jim had about 200 on his camera, which softens the blow, but it is still a tragic loss. And it was completely my fault. My memory is bad, and that's why I take so many photos. I have written this blog, while the trip is still relatively fresh in my mind. I hope it will help me retain my memories of this trip.