The Beach – Mar Adentro, Lima

Lima, Peru

I finally got to go to the beach ;-) And what a beach it was…in Lima, the beach during the summer is not just an option – it’s a way of life. I am lucky that the majority of my family owns beach houses, so I am completely spoiled! The coast south of Lima is pretty much one beach after another – along the Panamerica Freeway that is referenced by how many kilometers they are from Lima. My aunt Cucu’s beach house is on a beach called Mar Adentro that is approximately 100 kilometers from Lima and is absolutely gorgeous. The first day was a combination of eating fabulous food, laying out on the beach and swimming in amazingly clear, warm ocean water. The menu included home-made ceviche, bbq and amazing desserts, and of course – rum and cokes ;-) I was absolutely exhausted after being out all night with my uncle Andres et al in Barranco, so I decided to take a little nap around 8:00 with every intention to wake up in a couple of hours and head to the main center in Asia (the beach town) with my cousin Carlo Mario so he could show me the night life. I had heard how much fun the clubs in Asia are, but unfortunately, that was not enough to wake me from a well-needed sleep ;-) I woke up around 1:00 AM; totally rested, but bummed that I had slept the night away. I was surprised that Carlo Mario had not woken me up – but found out from my aunt that he had also fallen asleep shortly after me. I quietly walked into the kitchen for a glass of water and there was Carlo Mario doing the same ;-) We laughed and decided to have a night cap outside watching the ocean. We ended up talking and drinking scotch until 5 AM – 4 hours of quality catching up and getting to know each other for the first time in 12 years. All the while listening to the ocean waves crashing on the shore….ahhhh! The next day we all shared a delicious breakfast and Carlo Mario and I took a two hour walk on the beach – exploring the caves and watching the dolphins that were swiming insanely close to the shore! Then we headed to the pool area (yes, a pool area on the beach!) to eat some Conchas a la Parmesana (Parmesan crusted Scallops – yum!!) at the clubhouse and hang out by the pool. The rest of the day was spent laying out on the beach, playing poker with Mamama and Aunt Chabu, and eating. TOUGH LIFE!! I did not want to leave, but we had to head back to Lima so we left around 4:00. What an incredible weekend – if I lived in Peru, I would never leave the beach ;-) Note to self – save up and buy a beach house in Lima!! Here’s more info on Mar Adentro for any one who wants to do the same ;-) http://www.playamaradentro.com/home.htm l