Watch a clip of our race….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVxZfWfhbS4
Our race in Peru didn’t start til Friday morning…very good for us considering we didn’t get to bed til 3am Thursday night. The Cooley family set up the whole thing for us and it was AMAZING! We piled into a bus at 10:30am and drove to and unknown location where we were given our instructions. I’ll just let you follow along for yourselves to see how our day unfolded…try to keep up!
Destination 1: Puente de los Suspiros
You must get from the drop-off point to the first location on foot – no rides permitted. There are two tasks that you must complete here.
First, near this location (Puente de los Suspiros) is a large structure that has fallen into disuse. There is a statue in front of this structure. It is a bust (head) of a person associated with the structure. You must find out his name (easy) and how he died (not so easy). If you do not find out how he died, your team will be given a five-minute penalty.
Second, at the rear of this structure is an overlook. Take a team photo at the overlook with the structure in your photo’s background.
This first destination was about a mile from the drop off point
Destination 2: Parque Del Amor
Your team will need to make its way to this well known spot. Rides are permitted here. There is a large sculpture at the center of this location and a serpentine wall that is covered in mosaic tiles. The names of many amorous couples are inscribed here. You will need to find one specific couple’s inscription. “Edgardo y Liu.” Take a team photo with the inscription clearly visible in the background.
Destination 3: The Pacific Ocean
You will need to get to the water on foot. Near the park you will find a walkway down to the ocean. CAUTION: be careful crossing the streets here! This path terminates on a road that goes down to the ocean. About10 yards from where the path meets this road you will need to cross the road. (There is a small park, or garden at this spot.) Take these steps down to the ocean. Using dirt pathways is not allowed and will result in disqualification.
It was about a 10 min run from the park to the ocean along a pathway that included about 10-12 flights of stairs.
Destination 4: Physical Challenge, Swim for the Keepsake
Someone will be on hand to direct you to a flotation device. Each team member must swim out and secure a keepsake from one of the two flotation devices. Once person at a time, like a relay. The current swimmer must be completely out of the water before the next person can start. Each and every team member must have their own keepsake before your team can proceed to the next destination.
Destination 5: Larcomar
You must make your way from the ocean to Larcomar on foot. You will proceed up the last set of steps you came down. However, instead of crossing back over the road, you will stay on the south side of Parque Del Amor. About 20 hards beyond the little park there is a set of steps that cuts off the pathway to the right and runs up beside the tennis club. Take these steps up to the top. You will need to ask directions to Larcomar.
Destination 6: Manos Morenas
At Larcomar, there is a restaurant called Manos Morenas. Here is where you will eat lunch. Your lunch will be ANTICUCHO. There is an anticucho combo for 15 Soles ($5) Each person much order this combo and eat/drink the anticucho combo in its entirety before you can move onto your next destination.
We discovered that Anticucho is actually COW HEART…yummy!
Destination 7: San Francisco Monastery (the Catacombs)
This is a famous monastery that is built above an extensive network of catacombs. You are free to use any mode of transportation that you like to get to this destination. Here you are required to take a team photo in front of a round, stone structure in the catacombs that looks like a large water well. In this instance, however, the well is full of carefully arranged skulls. Take another team photo with the skulls plainly visible in the background. From this point proceed on foot to the next destination.
Destination 8: Barrio Chino (China town)
From the catacombs you will make your way to Barrio Chino. There is a specific shop that you are looking for called Chifa Chiu Wa. Here you will each treat yourselves to Mim Pau. Like the anticucho, each person must consume the Mim Pau in total.
Continue on foot to Destination 9.
This was about a 12 block run from the Catacombs to China town. We got there and discovered that the name of just about every place there started with “Chifa”…must mean café or something! It took some hunting, but we found it! Mim Pau is a type of dough filled with something sweet that tasted somewhat like chocolate…by the way, i was so in the zone durring the race, that i didnt know we had ran through China town until after the race was over. Hahahaha..so I will have to go back and visit!
Destination 9: Plaza de Armas
This plaza is in Central Lima. There are two carriages that are each pulled by a large horse. The driver wears a tux, including a top hat. Each carriage carries six people. Your entire team must take a ride around the plaza in one of these carriages. After your ride is complete, you are free to progress to the last let of the race and you may once again secure motorized transportation.
Destination 10: The top of San Cristobal
The team that makes it to the foot of the cross at the top of San Cristobal, overlooking greater Lima, wins the race. All teams are expected to complete the race and to make it to this ultimate destination. After a time of rest and celebration, there will be a time of corporate prayer for Peru and the World Race church planting projects.
