Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Lima, Peru

 I was in Lima for a couple of days for meetings this past weekend. Peru has always been one of the places I've wanted to visit. Though I was nowhere near Machu Picchu, there are  ruins predating their famous cousins just outside (40 kms) of Lima.
 The temples of Pachamac were built circa 850-1450 CE ( Common Era) and predate the Inca invasion. After the Inca conquest, it remained an important religious site but also took on significant administrative functions for the growing empire.
 
 
 
 
 
As you can see, Lima is a parched, dry place.
Though everyday I was there it was overcast and humid it never rained.
Conditioned as I am by UK weather I kept waiting for at least a dispiriting drizzle from the flat grey sky.
There was none.
Winter in Lima is a succession of dull low clouded days.
No rain
In fact there is very little rain annually and the pictures above attest to a desert landscape.
As usual when I had a chance I snapped pictures of people.
There were interesting scenes and faces in abundance. 
The number one soft drink in Lima isn't Coke or Pepsi.
Its Inca Kola.
Yellow, bubbly and sweet.
To me its a bit sickly and tastes similar to cream soda.
In the middle of Lima's Miraflores district is a dusty pre-Incan pyramid. Its actually not a pyramid at all but used to exist below the modern city and  was only discovered in 1969 after clear up work from a big earth quake. Its undergoing extensive restoration and I'm sure would be well worth the visit. Short as I was for time I had to content myself with a couple of quick pictures through the iron gate surrounding the complex.
The San Francisco Monastery and Church in the centre of Lima is  famous for its bone and skull filled catacombs.
Its not as creepy as you'd think, just dusty and cramped.
I wonder whose job it is to dismember the bodies and stack up the tibia's and skulls.

That's it for today.
I'm in London today and will be in meetings until I pick up Jess and head for Canada for a week off!
Hope all is well wherever you may be.
T

1 comment:

Your sister said...

Gee so that's where all the skulls are ! ! Great people pics add some of your wife please ! See you on Sat.