Thursday, 22 January, 2015 - Cuzo to Lima, Peru

The group left the hotel in Cuzco and we were driven to the airport.  It’s a small airport with only 5 gates and a few shops.  The flight attendant remembered us when we boarded the aircraft!  Landed in Lima and immediately boarded the buses.  This time our group of 71 had to fit on 2 buses – so the two Davids were very sprightly and moved up toward the front of the group, ensuring that we were sitting in the second rows – easier for getting on an off the bus!

We were introduced to another guide from Lima Tours – Sonia – who was a ‘Limarian’ – born and bred in Lima.  The airport is actually in the district of Callao and we had to drive about 45minutes into Lima city.  It’s a hot and dry area, only receiving about 1 inch of rain per year!  So most of the population don’t own umbrellas and they don’t close their upper windows.  The city is growing exponentially, with people moving away from the central (farming) areas to the city to increase their lifestyles (wealth).  The traffic is crazy, 3 or 4 lanes in each direction.

Our first stop was lunch at Museo Larco – a beautiful restaurant area and museum of pre-Incan cultures.  It was our farewell lunch from Lima Tours, excellent food served warm in large clay pots – a type of stir fried beef, lamb, chicken in coconut sauce, rice, vegetables and salad.  Delicious!  Best of all was the pisco sour and free-flowing wine which accompanied the meal!

Entry into Museo Larco

Chimu clay figurines

 A trip to the bathrooms (banos) turned out to be very interesting with the chimu clay figurines adorning the doors.  The Chimu were a pre-Incan tribe.  Their little boy and girl pottery figures are very cute but you have to look very carefully to tell which is which. (this photo is of the large set - on the toilet doors were the penquenos (small) set)  It took me a while to work it out… and everybody’s trips to the bathrooms ended in some laughter.

Next, Sonia took us through some neighbourhoods on the way into the Plaza de Armas.  It is a large square, with the Presidential Palace on one side, the Catholic Church on another, Government buildings on another and the shops on the other.  A group of policia with riot gear on standby were clearly visible.  Sonia said it was ok to ask to have a photo with them – so we did.

Plaza de Armas - Presidential Palace in background

Mustard coloured Government building

Being watched by the riot policia

 Sonia then walked us down a  street and stopped at a big, wooden door.  We went in and found  it was like a garage with a  car parked, then went up some stairs to an open verandah and entered into an old house.  The house was owned by a Count and had been in his family’s possession for 17 generations!  It was built over an old Incan palace.  Apparently underneath the house, were tunnels to the Presidential palace but they had since been sealed.  Beautiful home with some very valuable antiques.

It was then another hour in the bus to get to our hotel in Miraflores.  By this time it was 6pm and the traffic was at gridlock in some parts, even with the policia controlling the traffic flow.  Miraflores is a distinctly up-market district, where the business and banking hubs are and middle-upper class residents.  It’s also where the tourists tend to stay and is very safe due to its high police presence.

The historical house we visited.

 Our hotel was very comfortable.  After checking in at 7pm, we walked down the street and found a pizza restaurant with a 2-for-1 deal on pisco sours and pizzas… the waiter spoke very little English but we managed.  Food was great!  Also found a supermarket on the way back to stock up on supplies and wine for the evening.