It is as beautiful and romantic as they say. This walled city looks and feels as new as the day the Spanish built it--the paint is still vibrant, the sound of harse-drawn carriages ring through the narrow stone streets, the soft yellow lights look as though they are lit by candles. It is very safe to walk alone here at night, camera out and clicking away. Policemen patrol almost every corner and there are tons of people dancing on the streets. The walled city has two general parts: most of the historic icons are in the more ritzy neighborhoods of El Centro and San Diego, while the backpacker ghetto is in the grittier and rowdier Getsamani. I stayed in Getsamani last night and the place was alive until the wee hours with people dancing to all sorts of music---salsa, techno, hip hop, even Bob Marley. I moved to El Centro the second night to get a feel for the place. There are people out until the early morning as well, but they`re more well-heeled folk. There was nary a dreadlock or arm band in sight (except mine!) and beautiful people salsa the evening away.
I had dinner at La Cevicheria, a small restaurant run by an Italian expat and was featured in Anthony Bourdain`s travel show. The chef suggested wine pairings to go with each course, so how could I refuse? I started out with langosta ceviche con limon, naranja, miel, aceite de oliva, aceitunas, alcaparras, tomate picado, oregano y cilantro, paired with a New Zealand white. I moved on to un lomo de res en una salsa de champingones de Paris con vino blance, crema, y perejil, paired with a French pinot noir. I barely had room for desert, a lemon tart. Although all of this only cost about $40, it definitely blew my daily budget. I`m back to eating comida correinte tomorrow--meat with rice, beans, salsa and fried plaintains--which is just as good, but doesn`t photograph quite as well.
