As our plane broke through the clouds I got my first view of Lima. WOW it just went on forever. It is one of the largest cities in Latin America with a population topping 8 million. The city has thirty districts each with their own major.
Our headquarters for this visit was in the Miraflores district. Miraflores has become a major hub for tourists to the Lima area, and is full of cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops.
The area has many beautiful parks. Vendors set up booths with local crafts and souvenirs. We visited Larcomar, a shopping mall over looking the Pacific ocean. It is a very popular spot with many stores, restaurants and night clubs.
An important football match between Peru and Ecuador scheduled during our visit and we noticed a large number of police in riot gear staged around the area. They take football very seriously.
We visited Plaza Major formally called Plaza de Armas in the old downtown area. Located around the plaza are the Cathedral of Lima, The Presidential Palace and City Hall.
The guards at that palace wear vintage uniforms which are vivid blue and red.
Two blocks from the plaza is the San Francisco de Lima Church. It is the site of the first graveyard in Lima. The graves are located in the catacombs which were excavated in the 17th century. It is estimated the bones of 70,000 individuals are interred here. It was very humid and lit by a few bare electric bulbs. If I ever visit a site like this in the future I’ll have to remember a flashlight, one never knows when the power will fail. It was eerie with the lights on.
The Gold Of Peru Museum is located in Monterrico. There are over 25,000 objects on exhibit at the museum. The gold pieces included necklaces, funerary masks, scepters, ceremonial cups, sacrificial knives, nose rings, earrings and idols, which demonstrate how advanced the gold and silver works were in ancient Peru. There is also a large collection of weapons and armor.
We both found the city exciting and the people warm and friendly – and our stay was much too short.
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