The next morning, our bags have not arrived so we have to make do with what clothing we have on and hit the streets of Lima with a walking tour. Our guide, Julio, collects us from our hotel in Miraflores district and we take the bus into Lima Centro - the historical heart of Lima. I have to admit that after 36 hours of travel, we were still pretty out of it and didn't take in as much as we could have, but here goes!
Our first stop is the Plaza San Martin. The plaza was constructed in July 1921 to commemorate Peru's 100 years of independence and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It houses the statue of Jose de San Martin, who fought for and liberated Peru from the Spanish Empire. Fittingly, our guide points out that it is only a week until Peru’s Independence Day on 28 July.
Our next stop is the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Merced or Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy, built in 1535 for the Order of Mercy. Peru is a heavily catholic city and this is just one of the many churches that we visit today (because all the ones we visited only 6 months ago in Europe were not enough). You'll also have to forgive my photos as I was playing with a iPhone camera tool. But back to the church - it was partially destroyed in 1746 by an earthquake and was restored to what we see today. It is also one of the few churches in Peru to still have a fully operating convent as others have given their space back to the city.
As we continue to stroll through the city, one thing that stands out is the balconies of Lima. Until now, we did not know that this was a "thing". The balconies on the buildings were built during the Spanish colonial regime mostly in the late 17th and 18th centuries. As a result, while balconies are plentiful in Lima, they are mostly located in the historical centre. According to Wikipedia, the local municipal government has introduced an "adopt a balcony" program in order to maintain these balconies and their historical significance.
Soon, the streets of Lima open up to the Plaza Mayor - the center of Lima. It is surrounded by several important buildings, including Government Palace (official residence of the President of Peru), the Archbishop's Palace and the Cathedral of Lima. The importance of the square, its surrounding buildings and its inhabitants explains the large police presence in the area, completely decked out in riot gear, ready to pounce. As we make our way through the plaza, we ask Julio about the church's role in government. He says that while the laws have been written relatively religion free, the church still has a fair bit of sway - which may be indicative of the Archbishop's Palace being located next to Government Palace. He also tells us that because Catholicism plays such a large part in people's lives, they tend to vote more conservatively in elections, preferring candidates with a family unit.
Clockwise from top left: Random building in the square, Cathedral of Lima, Archbishop's Palace and Government Palace
At our next stop, I regretfully do not take any photos of and I am not sure why. Our guide tells us that when the Presidential Palace was constructed, a large portion of land was taken away from a catholic church. Naturally, this would have impacted the local community. So to give something back, a local train station was built behind the Presidential Palace in 1912 to service the local community. Then in 2009, the building was converted to the Casa de la Literatura Peruana or The House of the Peruvian Literature, housing a collection of books from Peruvian authors. The back of the building opens onto Lima's River Rimac and there are tables and chairs set up where students and anyone else can come together to enjoy the environment. Check out The House of Peruvian Literature here, especially the pictures of its glass dome.
A stone's throw away is the Basilica de San Francisco de Lima or The Basilica of St Francis. You know, the guy in the brown robes just like Friar Tuck in Robin Hood. The church and its adjoining convent were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991 and also contains a library and catacombs. Having seen the catacombs at St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, we decide against visiting them and move on.
Our final stop before lunch is the Church of St Peter or San Pedro in Spanish. This one was my favourite, though I am potentially biased as it was constructed by the Order of the Jesuits in 1638. In true catholic style, the church is shroud in gold and like the Basilica of St Francis, it was also added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.
After three and a half hours exploring the city and listening to tales from our guide, it's time for a lunch break. Our guide drops us off at a restaurant serving a popular Peruvian dish of grilled chicken, which to us is charcoal chicken! Of course the chicken is marinated with more spices and is very tasty. Gold star from ness. To go with our meal, Tim decides to give the local soft drink, Inka Cola, a try. The verdict? "Tastes like bubble gum".
After lunch, we are about ready to head back to the hotel for a long nap. But we push through and it's back on the bus to head to the Barranco district. Once a populated by fisherman, Barranco developed into a hot spot for tourists and the wealthy who built large homes in the European style that was popular at the time. In 1940, much of the area was devastated by an earthquake that measured 8 on the Richter scale. And today, much of the sea side properties are either run down or are hostels for visiting tourists. In its heyday the area was famous for its romantic, bohemian vibe that attracted all kinds of artists to the area. While it is quite different today, it still oozes that same vibe that reminds us very much of Montmartre in Paris.
Julio drops us off at the hotel with just enough time for a quick snooze to fight off the jetlag before meeting with our G Adventures tour group for a briefing on our travel to Cusco for the start of the real reason for the trip – the Inca Trail.
After the briefing, we head over to Punto Azul (Calle San Martin 595, Miraflores) on the recommendation from our friends over at Culture Stamps. Eating Cheviche in Lima – check. Time for a sleep before we really kick off our tour with one of our many early morning starts.
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