Friday, 20 December 2024

Lima, Peru

We arrive in Lima at 10am, the start of a very busy day. It's our last full day on Marina, and we have to have our bags packed and outside our stateroom door by 10pm tonight--and we have a 6.5 hour shore excursion that begins at 11am. To make matters worse, the transportation staff on board screwed up our travel time to the airport tomorrow morning. Although I filled out the required form correctly, they interpreted our 9:55am flight to Cusco as 9:55pm, and put us on the last bus from the ship at 8:30am--not nearly enough time to make our am flight. Then they added insult to injury by putting us on the only available bus at 4:15am, resulting in a very early rising and a five-hour wait at the airport! But we will survive.

We are ready for our shore excursion at 11am, "Lima Highlights," which will take us to two very different and very far-apart parts of this huge metropolis. The ship is docked in Callao, a city entirely apart from Lima, which is the location of both the seaport and airport. It takes over an hour in heavy traffic to reach Miraflores, the upper-class seaside community at the southern end of Lima.

Miraflores is a community of high-rise hotels and condos, beautiful parks, and high-end restaurants. Other than the oceanfront there isn't much of interest here, but since I had not been to this part of Lima on my previous visit, I am willing to endure the long bus ride.

El Parque del Amor

Then another hour on the bus as we drive through the wealthy communities of Miraflores and San Isidro to reach the heart of Lima, Plaza de Armas. We first visit the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo (1766).

From the convent we begin a long walk to the central plaza, passing a series of slums rising in the dusty hills.

We stop at Casa Aliaga (1536, 1746), occupied by the same family for 17 generations.

Just before entering the Plaza des Armas, we pass the side entrance to the Government Palace:

The Plaza des Armas is the largest square in Lima and the center of political and spiritual life.

Government Palace Facade (1920s)

Archbishop's Palace (1924)

Caretas Magazine Building

The most imposing building in the plaza is the Basilica Cathedral of Lima (Francisco Becerra, 1602-1797). 

Our tired legs and worn-out eyes pass a  number of other interesting buildings as we make our way to the bus for the 45-minute drive back to the port in Callao.