This Lived Life

I opened my eyes to beams of sunlight filtering between the golden curtains of our little room. We had arrived in the early morning and as I stepped into the courtyard it was as if I had been transported in time. All the hours of flights, layovers, and travel seemed to disappear as my senses were taken over by brightly painted buildings, lush green plants, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. El Patio is a small guest house nestled in the Miraflores area of Lima with friendly english speaking owners. I met up with the rest of our crew in the dining room for breakfast where we enjoyed fresh tea and coffee and began to plan our first day in Lima. We decided to catch a cab and head into the main city square. We exited the cab in front of the famous Gran Hotel Bolivar and decided the only way to start any tour in Peru is with a Pisco Sour at one of the city's oldest hotels. As we entered the hotel my breath was taken by a ceiling of colours and glass. The ceiling looked like a kaleidoscope of delicate pieces of yellows, greens, and red glass. What I love about random travel is the unknown. I hadn't expected to see this beautiful ceiling and thats what made it authentically mesmerizing. Today was a day of complete unknown, and this was just the beginning. We finally found a seat on the old veranda of The Bolivar and sipped away on the famous pisco sours while flipping through our Lonely Planet. We opted for creating our own walking tour that would lead us through the streets to some of the city attractions. Whether it was the feeling of freedom and adventure in a foreign city, or the after affects of the pisco sours, we were high on life and ready for exploring. We strolled through streets, listened to street performers, admired artists, and savoured fresh, warm churros filled with creamy caramel. As we made our way back to our little hostel we felt a strange sense of comfort. We had explored an unknown city, walked new streets, and immersed ourselves in a new culture. Yet as we pushed open the gates of El Patio, a sense of home filled our chests. The bubbling of the courtyard fountain and warm glow of the lanterns created calm in a day of hustle and bustle. We made our way to the second floor patio and enjoyed a bottle of wine as the city sky took on a glow of street lights and night took over. We had just finished our first day in Lima and we couldn't help but get lost in the beauty that was all around as one day finished and another was to begin.