Summer break. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Probably camping, outdoor activities, hot weather, swimming or an out-of-town trip with the family! While that may be the typical summer, my family is far from typical.  We took an out-of-the-COUNTRY vacation to Peru, the scenic nation known for Machu Picchu, the Incas, exotic food and, most importantly, the llamas. 

After arriving in the Peruvian capital of Lima from our excruciating 11-hour-long flight, my aunt and a family friend prepared a dish for us that is widely known in Peru called ‘ceviche.’ Ceviche is made with raw fish seasoned with lime and salt, mixed with onions, and served along with toasted salted corn and sweet potatoes (followed by a breath mint when surrounded by polite company). It is a citrusy meal that can feed several people, and is often accompanied by other types of seafood such as shrimp, or oysters. 

Throughout our trip, we ate loads of different dishes such as anticuchos, asado de carne, pollo a la brasa, and parihuela. Any of these are a must-try for the Peruvian traveler.  

Anticuchos are grilled juicy tender kebabs made from the heart of a cow. Asados de carne are thick slices of roast beef served with rice and mashed potatoes on the side covered in a gravy-like sauce. Pollo a la brasa is a Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken served with fried potatoes, aji amarillo (spicy yellow sauce) and a salad on the side. It is a large meal that can feed the whole family. Lastly, parihuela is a spicy, flavorful soup made up entirely of different types of seafood.  If you’re a fan of white sea bass fish, crab, prawns, clams, mussels or shrimp, parihuela will satisfy even the pickiest palate.  

Besides the loads of food we ate during our stay, we also traveled to unique places in the districts of Lima, one of them being Miraflores. We stayed an entire week in Miraflores, a popular tourist district that attracts people from all around the world. Its parks and traditional souvenir vendors creates a great crossroads of innovative Peruvian landscaping and beautiful handcrafted trinkets to remember your trip by.  

However, the main attraction of Miraflores is the great mall by the sea, Larcomar. 

Now just picture it: as you walk by, Starbucks cup in hand and ready to shop ‘till you drop,  the magnificent view of the mountains above the sea catch your eye. You watch the parasailers fly by above you and as you look down, there are the crazy, yet passionate surfers, riding the waves in 40-degree weather like the sun is still out beating down on them. Keep looking and there are countless places to grab a french crepe, Kentucky Fried Chicken and all manner of fare - Peruvian or not.

Now, Miraflores isn’t only known for its malls; it has a great deal of famous tourist parks too! Two parks we visited were El Parque Del Amor (The Park of Love), and Kennedy Park. These parks were full of art, statues and people.  However, what stood out the most was the costumed animals parading around the park with their eccentric owners.

The Park of Love, as you could have guessed, is all about love. It has a grand statue of a man and a woman kissing with gardens decorated with vivid bright colors serving as its romantic backdrop. Along the mosaic wall surrounding the park, countless locks line a chain-linked fence where lovers past left a lock and threw away the key as a representation of their perpetual love. 

Another park we explored was Kennedy Park.  Named for US President John F. Kennedy, Kennedy Park is a green, lush pavillion with all types of art and food vendors offering everything from statues to picarones and arroz con leche. Picarones are like golden fried donuts made from pumpkin batter served with warm maple syrup. Arroz con leche is a more common dessert. It is a Peruvian-style rice pudding served with mazamorra, a dark purple sweet pudding made from boiled purple corn, with a variety of fruits, pineapples, prunes, and peaches. Perhaps the most unique feature of this fantastic park are all the feline vagabonds begging for a small portion of your al fresco foodstuffs.  

Lastly, we didn’t stay just in Lima. We adventured out of Lima to go and visit Lunahuana. Traveling to Lunahuana with my two cousins, aunt, uncle, parents and grandparents was a long 3-hour trip of excessive volume, questionable directional skills, and the type of crazy driving typical of any high schooler that is just learning to drive. While many say the journey matters more than the destination, arriving in Lunahuana was far more pleasant on this particular adventure.

In Lunahuana, there are countless activities to do such as water rafting, rock climbing, 4-wheeling, ziplining, horseback riding and hiking. Out of all these adrenaline-pumping activities, my family and I went water rafting on the Cañete river. In my opinion, going to Lunahuana was similar to going to Colorado. It had a rapid, turbulent river that glistened when the sun hit it, and huge mountains with roads that swerved and curved making the car ride even more exciting!

In Lunahuana, it was much warmer and sunny than in Lima, so, luckily for us, it was perfect water-rafting weather. We booked a guide at one of the numerous agencies for water-rafting there, and it was one of the best experiences I've ever had! The river was cold, yet so much fun I didn't even bother thinking about it as I got soaked with every jump we took over all the rocks. The guide was full of jokes and advice making our water rafting experience a memorable one.

However, the day we planned to leave, my dad, as per usual,  just had to go on another stomach-churning adventure. Somehow, my cousins and I mustered up the courage to go as well. We all ended up going last-minute ziplining over the Cañete river soaring through the air nearly a quarter of a mile above the ground. It was a breathtaking view of the river, the mountains and the people below us watching us zoom by. 

All in all, my summer vacation in Peru was one of the best vacations I've ever had. From the food to the scenery, everything was incredible. I certainly miss all my family there and hope to visit Peru once again and witness the Peruvian culture all over again!

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