Lima
Ian and I were able to explore Miraflores in the morning before our guided tour in the afternoon.
We set out, map in hand, to look at the 2 parks that were 10 minutes walk from our hotel. They were very pleasant small parks which were in immaculate condition. Not surprising since about 20
gardeners had descended and were strimming, raking, sweeping, almost polishing. Then trays of bedding plants were being unloaded for immediate planting. We walked on, exhausted!
Then to the coast where we saw brightly cloured ceramic tiles in the fashion of Gaudi´s Parc Guell. This was the Park of Love! We walked north to the lighthouse, being impressed by the high rise buildings - flats would cost about 250,000 pounds - not bad, good view although it is misty 9 months of the year.
We turned round and headed south and the architecture got even better. There was a shopping mall on two levels which was as good as anything I have seen. Lots of designer clothes and we will be heading there again when we are
back in Lima on our final day. We had a drink overlooking the sea and watched some kids performing acrobatics on the sand - and being filmed.
On the bus with the other 9 in our party, we set out at 2pm for the centre. Lima is much larger than I expected, 9 million people. Lots of very varied buildings as houses of many European countries were in between colonial buildings. Through many squares until we stopped and could get out at Plaza de Armas t
o look at and inside San Francisco Cathedral. It is a museum during the week and church on Sunday. Extravagant, opulent, Catholic architecture. We all spent a few minutes out in the sun before descending into the Catacombs where many thousan
ds of people had been interned. Their bones very neatly arranged in pits with a glass front to stop us getting too close and irrelevant signs forbidding us to touch - ugh! One pit was 10 metres deep and nearly full of precisely arranged skulls and other bones!
From there, battling some crazy traffic, to a private collection of mostly pre-Inca pottery. (The Incas only ruled for about 100 years so why do we romanticise them to such an extent?). There was a wonderful display of what we thought were rare pieces and how lucky they have survived perhaps a 1000 years. We were then shown the storeroom with shelves floor to ceiling with some 30,000 beautiful and perfect ceramics. Amazing. Finally to the Gallery Erotica. Some of the pots had the most unreasonable handles on them - at least I think so. Lots of giggling in this room and I am not going to show any of the photos I took!
Lima proved to be a great surprise and for us, being in a group, a great City to visit.
We set out, map in hand, to look at the 2 parks that were 10 minutes walk from our hotel. They were very pleasant small parks which were in immaculate condition. Not surprising since about 20
gardeners had descended and were strimming, raking, sweeping, almost polishing. Then trays of bedding plants were being unloaded for immediate planting. We walked on, exhausted!Then to the coast where we saw brightly cloured ceramic tiles in the fashion of Gaudi´s Parc Guell. This was the Park of Love! We walked north to the lighthouse, being impressed by the high rise buildings - flats would cost about 250,000 pounds - not bad, good view although it is misty 9 months of the year.
We turned round and headed south and the architecture got even better. There was a shopping mall on two levels which was as good as anything I have seen. Lots of designer clothes and we will be heading there again when we are
back in Lima on our final day. We had a drink overlooking the sea and watched some kids performing acrobatics on the sand - and being filmed.On the bus with the other 9 in our party, we set out at 2pm for the centre. Lima is much larger than I expected, 9 million people. Lots of very varied buildings as houses of many European countries were in between colonial buildings. Through many squares until we stopped and could get out at Plaza de Armas t
o look at and inside San Francisco Cathedral. It is a museum during the week and church on Sunday. Extravagant, opulent, Catholic architecture. We all spent a few minutes out in the sun before descending into the Catacombs where many thousan
ds of people had been interned. Their bones very neatly arranged in pits with a glass front to stop us getting too close and irrelevant signs forbidding us to touch - ugh! One pit was 10 metres deep and nearly full of precisely arranged skulls and other bones!From there, battling some crazy traffic, to a private collection of mostly pre-Inca pottery. (The Incas only ruled for about 100 years so why do we romanticise them to such an extent?). There was a wonderful display of what we thought were rare pieces and how lucky they have survived perhaps a 1000 years. We were then shown the storeroom with shelves floor to ceiling with some 30,000 beautiful and perfect ceramics. Amazing. Finally to the Gallery Erotica. Some of the pots had the most unreasonable handles on them - at least I think so. Lots of giggling in this room and I am not going to show any of the photos I took!
Lima proved to be a great surprise and for us, being in a group, a great City to visit.
posted by Bob's Blog @ 4:48 PM
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