March 2026 Newsletter – Lima, Peru

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Greetings from Lima, Peru! Steve and I have been here since mid-January, and on April 8th we’ll leave the Pacific Ocean behind and fly across the Atlantic Ocean to the Canary Islands.

As I mentioned in the February newsletter, we’ve been lying low, catching up on some personal computer projects, and doing some serious travel planning. Both are coming along well. We now have concrete plans locked in through the end of September, and a rough sense of where we’ll spend the rest of the year.

All money is in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated.

What We’ve Been Doing

We’ve been enjoying Lima’s mild weather (more on that below), returning to a few of our favorite restaurants including Salve Luigi and La Caffetteria, and trying some new ones. There’s been a bit of sightseeing, too.

Sightseeing

We also spent a few delightful hours at the Museo Pedro de Osma. De Osma was a collector of Peruvian viceregal art. This work, spanning the 16th through 19th centuries, blends European and indigenous techniques. Much of it was created to facilitate the Catholic evangelization of the region, with a heavy emphasis on Christian saints and the Virgin Mary.

Steve and I continue to enjoy walks along the Malecón, a roughly 6-mile (10 km) clifftop walkway overlooking the Pacific Ocean, dotted with parks, playgrounds, and cycling paths. A 45-minute walk brings us to Larcomar, a clifftop shopping center that is also home to a Paddington Bear statue.

Huaca Pucllana may not rival Machu Picchu, but it’s well worth a visit if for no other reason than its adobe brick pyramid rising proudly amid the everyday life of the Miraflores district. Built by the Lima Culture around 400 AD using millions of handmade bricks arranged to withstand earthquakes, it served as a hub for religious rituals and offerings to the gods. When the Wari culture absorbed the Lima people around 700 AD, they took it over.

Today it’s both a museum and an active excavation site.

I don’t expect the caliber of museums one finds in Paris, Vienna, or London, but for a city of 11 million people, I was surprised the museums weren’t more sophisticated.

One afternoon, we set out to visit the Museum of Natural History. We arrived at 1:40 and were disappointed to see that it was closing at 2:00. This was not its usual closing time, and it was not what was shown on the museum’s website.

We went in anyway since the entrance was free. Twenty minutes was long enough to get a gist of the one floor of displays. Not only was the museum small, but the animals were reproductions. It might be good for kids to get an introduction to many types of animals, but for seasoned museum goers, it was a letdown.

The Museum of Italian Art was nearby, so we thought that was a good pivot. We arrived there to find the gate locked. The guard told us the museum was unexpectedly closed. Again, without any notice on their website.

The third time was the charm. A short walk took us to the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI). By now we were hot and tired, but determined to get something out of the afternoon. We spent about two hours there.

MALI has art spanning nearly 3,000 years, from pre-Columbian times to contemporary works.

Traveling to Orlando

On October 18, 2025, I watched the news coverage of the second No Kings protest from the Canary Islands. Seeing people marching for what they believe and against the corrupt policies of the Trump administration made me proud of my fellow Americans.

It also gave me a bad case of FOMO (fear of missing out). In those moments I wished I were in the thick of things.

Later I spoke with both of my daughters and vowed that if there were a third protest, I would be there.

I upheld that promise by spending a few days in Orlando, during which I not only got to spend time with my daughters, but also got to experience the positivity and power of the No Kings movement.

Planning our next chapter

We’ve also been thinking seriously about where we want to settle. Since we left the U.S. in 2018, we have intended to settle outside the U.S. when we slow down. We felt that one day we would know we had found the place.

That place was Tenerife, a Spanish island off the west coast of Africa near Morocco.

When we were there in 2024, we fell in love with the dry, mild climate and the laid-back lifestyle.

Several months ago we worked with a relocation expert in Spain. We found that settling there would increase our tax burden by $15,000 per year. In addition, other drawbacks don’t make this a good choice for the near future.

This month we participated in a multi-day webinar with Move Abroad Coach. It helped us wrap our heads around the issues we need to consider and develop a timeline for making the move when we are ready.

Dealing with medical issues

This month, I saw a dermatologist for a growth on my leg. Luckily, it was benign. It was easy to get care, and the results came quickly. Even though it cost $190, it was worth it for the peace of mind.

Steve and I both got our semi-annual teeth cleanings. We were scheduled to do it in the U.S., where insurance would cover it, but due to some complications, it didn’t work out. It cost us $75 each in Lima, but not having to deal with insurance issues and being able to see our chosen provider promptly made the cost easy to justify.

I was also delighted to learn that I could get my two pricey medications without a prescription and for just a few dollars more over the counter than they would cost in the U.S. with insurance.

Five Things About Lima

Gastronomy

Lima is the gastronomy capital of South America and home to Maido, named the world’s best restaurant on the 2025 list compiled by U.K. media company William Reed. As wonderful as it sounds, their “Maido Experiences” start at $380 per person, so we’ll be sitting that one out. There’s no shortage of consolation prizes, though: Lima has restaurants in every price range and cuisine imaginable, and punches well above its weight on the world stage with four entries on the 50 Best list, matching Paris and trailing only Bangkok, which has five.

Driving

Over 11 million people call Lima home. Sidewalks are busy, roads are chaotic, and unless you’re experienced driving in mayhem, renting a car is best avoided. Many intersections, even busy ones, have no stop signs or traffic lights, leaving drivers to carefully force their way across.

Stop signs, marked with the word “PARE,” function more as a suggestion to slow down before merging into traffic. A complete stop is a rare sight, except when pedestrians are in the road. Red lights fare only marginally better. Many bus drivers will hurry through them after they’ve changed, and it’s a common sight to see a motorcyclist come to a complete stop and then proceed through the red light.

I’m amazed we didn’t see any accidents, but whether you’re walking or driving, stay alert.

Supermarkets

Supermarkets in Lima are generally modern and well stocked. We favored the Wong on Avenida Santa Cruz in Miraflores, a sprawling store with an entire upper floor dedicated to household goods, some clothing, stationery, and decorative items. We even bought an air fryer there.

Prices are reasonable and noticeably lower than in the U.S. The produce section alone is worth a wander. You’ll be amazed by the variety of potatoes. Olives, however, are a different story. The selection is surprisingly limited, so if you’re particular about them, temper your expectations.

Weather

Lima is the third-largest desert city in the world by population, after Cairo and Karachi, yet it defies every expectation of what a desert climate should feel like. It receives less than 0.5 inch (12mm) of rain per year, but you won’t find scorching heat or blazing sunshine here.

Because Lima is in the Southern Hemisphere, summer runs from December through March, with temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to low 80s°F (18–28°C). Even during the sunniest season, overcast skies are a regular companion and the city has a habit of keeping you guessing.

Despite the minimal rainfall, humidity runs high, particularly in winter. Sitting right on the Pacific coast, Lima is also prone to rolling fog. It’s some of the most changeable weather you’ll ever experience, but with the silver lining that it’s never oppressively hot.

Barking dogs

Dogs are allowed to bark nonstop, even when their owners are with them. Apparently, this is a cultural norm in Peru.

Every morning just after 7:00, a trio of little white dogs gets walked through our neighborhood in a cloud of relentless barking. At first, we assumed all three were responsible for the racket. It turned out only one of them was the culprit, though he was a master. The dog walker wasn’t the least bit bothered.

What’s New on the Website

If you missed our February newsletter, you can read it here. I also published the lighthearted “The Frustration of a Non-Foodie Traveler” in March.

Where to Next?

As I wrote above, our next stop will be Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. This is another 12-week stay. We’re looking forward to visits from friends and family in one of our favorite places.

After that, we’ll spend four weeks in Flic en Flac, Mauritius, a small island off the east coast of Africa.

Then it’s on to Bali, Indonesia, for 8 weeks. While there, we’ll take side trips to Singapore and Komodo National Park, home of the komodo dragon, the world’s largest living lizard.

Tentative plans from there are Japan, Da Nang, Vietnam, and the Maldives. That would take us through the end of 2026.

Until Next Time

That’s our update for March. Steve and I would love to hear about your upcoming travel plans. Just drop a note in the comments.

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Happy traveling,
Linda