Lima, Peru

We arrived in the evening and had a half day tour the next morning and then it was back to the airport for our flight to Cusco.
The tour only stopped at the Plaza de Armas and the Parque Del Amore, but we drove across many of the different better neighborhoods.

The traffic was so bad I started to worry we might not get back to the airport in time, but I worried for nothing. Currently they only have one public bus line, but more are planned, small private buses known as collectivos and too many taxis are the cause for many of the traffic jams.

Along our route we saw;

Plaza dos de Mayo

Plaza de Armas, this plaza was surrounded by restored buildings,  government buildings, a Cathedral and nearby was a Monastery.

The fountain with the Lima Cathedral in the background.

A better view of the Cathedral.

The Archbishop's Palace and museum, nearby was a Gastronomy Museum. We had time for neither, to be fair I only just found out about the Gastronomy Museum.

 The Government Palace and resident of the president.

The Cathedral had a facade of stone but internally the parts normally made of stone were made of wood, the columns, the vaults. It was done to help resist earthquakes.

The Cathedral had a room for Francisco Pizarro, the guy who was the downfall of the Incas. There is quite a bit of animosity towards him, the Spanish and the Catholic church.

 This hold some of his remains.

A doorway in the Monastery, they also had extensive catacombs with lots of bones. No Photos were allowed. The Monastery also held an important painting of the Last Supper, on the menu was Cuy(Guinea pig). There was a similar painting in the Cathedral in Cusco.

This was parked outside the Monastery. Very retro. I had our guide ask permission to take the photo.

Parque El Olivar, an Olive grove started in 1560, with 3 Olive trees brought over from Spain, the park was made a National Monument in 1959. It looked like a pleasant place to stroll, but we didn't stop.

Huaca Pucllana, on the border of San Isidro and Minaflores neighborhoods is a 1500 year old archeological site having adobe and clay pyramids and other structures. We barely got a look. The adobe lasts because Lima does not get a lot of rain, mainly drizzle. It is one of the driest capitals in the World. The Andes Mountains to the East keeps the rain from the Amazon from reaching Lima.

Parque del Amore, here we got out again and took a short walk along the cliff top, below there were lots surfers and there were also para-gliders. There was a sculpture by Victor Delfín entitled El Beso (the kiss), but we were not impressed and took no photos.

 The Pacific Ocean.

Surfers and some restaurants on the pier.

We then flew from Lima to Cusco (90 minutes), were met in Cusco by Umberto and Michael Schumacher jr. (who spoke English as well as we speak Spanish). Umberto gave us the itinerary for the next day and sent us on our way with Michael, who drove us to Ollantaytambo, about an hour and a half over hill and dale and many switchbacks. It was an interesting ride.

 Just outside the airport in Cusco.

 Some rolling hills on the way to Ollantaytambo.

 And some mountains with glaciers.