Lima, Peru

We are staying at the JW Marriot with a fabulous view and yummy breakfast buffet.

Our excellent guide, Mr. Glestino, drove us on a Classic Tour of Lima in a Different Style (in other words a private tour of major attractions in the communities near where we are staying).  He taught us history, architecture and a bit of politics.

We first walked through Miraflores Park to Lover’s Park.

The mosaics reminded us of those in Barcelona.

We decided to get into the mood.

 This area is surrounded by wealthy homes in Spanish, French and British Colonial styles.

Peru has about 250 ruin sites.  We stopped at Huaca Pacllana, a pyramid that was built around 200 CE.  It is older than Machu Picchu and was built by the Quachua peoples of what is now Inca, a word originally from the Spanish “inga” meaning lord-king or man of royal blood.

The bricks are laid side to side and spaces are left to allow for flexibility when earthquakes hit.

 Glestino took us through both wealthy areas and areas where working class people
rent homes or rooms.  The average teacher’s pay is $380 a month; private school teachers make more.

Pizzaro was both the beloved and reviled founder of Lima.  He needed a place from which it was easy to ship gold and silver back to Spain.  He also founded the first university in America.

 San Martino is revered for proclaiming Peru’s freedom from Spain in the 1820s.  His burial site is in a church abutting San Martino Square.

 We walked several blocks along a pedestrian street toward the main square and government buildings.

Surrounding Plaza de Armas, the main square, are the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Municipal Palace (residence of the Mayor). 

This fountain is mile-zero from which every place in Lima is measured.

The Convent of Saint Francis was rebuilt in 1672 in  Spanish Baroque style after being destroyed twice in earthquakes. 
  

The monks who live here are Franciscans (yes, men live in convents in Latin America) who believe in living a life of poverty, chastity and obedience though the convent does not reflect the poverty as the wealthy donated much to insure their burial in the crypt.
No photos are allowed in the church so we will name a few outstanding features.  The wall tiles are from 1620 and rest below murals of the life of St. Francis.  The painting of The Last Supper reflects the people they were trying to convert, so the food is local, including guinea pig, and Judas is taunted by a devil rather than drawn to gold.   

The crypts were dug up in the late 1940s to break down remains with lime in order to have space for recent burials.  Fifty thousand femurs have been found so far.

On our drive back to the hotel we asked our guide for restaurant recommendations.  We went to Mango’s, just across from our hotel.  Jerry enjoyed seared ahi and Anna Lee relished the poke and shrimp salad.