Buggying in the desert in Ica

My favorite landmark in Lima is El Malecon, which is the beachfront walking path dotted with parks filled with various statues and art installations. I run along this path three or four times a week before school, so part of the reason I like it so much is because I am around it so often. But it offers gorgeous sweeping views of the ocean below the cliffs and the colorful art gives it a distinct Latin America feel. It is also buzzing with activity every morning with runners, bikers, or people just going to work. I feel like the general feeling of Miraflores is encapsulated in this beach front park.

Our group has been to almost every museum in the country by now, but my favorite is a toss up between the Gold Museum and the Museum of Anthropology. The Gold museum has Francisco Pizarro’s actual sword as well as 4 mummies from the Mochica civilization and countless gold artifacts. The Museum of Anthropology has a more well-rounded collection of Indian artifacts, as well as an impressive collection of Mochica skulls that had undergone some sort of change. As a biology major, I was fascinated by skulls with holes tapped into them then covered with gold or silver plating, or skulls that had been shaped since birth to be conical or flat to fit the latest fashion trends of the day. Each of these museums has so many artifacts to offer.

My favorite excursion, though, was dune buggying in the desert in Ica. We rode in buggies that flew up and down the dunes at insane speeds, then we got to sandboard down a few of the dunes. It was a gorgeous desert, and we enjoyed it in the best way possible.