Lima, Peru
12° 3' S 77° 3' W
Jun 28, 2010 05:00
Distance 15504km

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Deja Vu

Sunday, June 27th to 29th . Lima, Peru.

Finally, 27 hours later (24 of these hours we were airborne), we arrived in Lima. It was now just before midnight on the same day we left on. Crossing the International Date Line helped us gain the better part of a day.  Exhausted, we arrived at our hotel and started the process of dealing with an 11 (or 13) hour jet lag.  Slept like a log, but woke up confused as to where/why/what I was.

 

As we had two days in Lima before the real adventure began, we took it easy and wandered around the Miraflores area of the city. This affluent district of Lima is near the ocean, with some wonderful cliffs overlooking the ocean just a few blocks walk away. 

 

It was drizzling in the morning, but no one used an umbrella, other than Jane.  By Lima standards, the rain was a storm and the talk of the locals.  Lima has unusual weather; whereas it is close to the equator (13 degrees south), the winter climate of late June is cool (15 degrees), and the sky is grey and overcast.  In fact, for 9 months of the year the sky is grey and it is only blue for their short summer.  This is due to the Humboldt current coming from Antarctica cooling the waters.  Because of the continuous grey skies, the buildings are painted all sorts of earth tone colors to add contrast to the bleakness.

 

On the second day in Lima we did a tour of the old part of the city, complete with cathedral, President’s palace, a statue of some conqueror and a large plaza.  The centre of Lima (population 10 million) is not especially anything. Many people suggested that it was less than safe to wander around, but I felt none of this uncertainty.  In the afternoon, we returned to the Miraflores area.  In the evening, the GAP group of fellow travelers met for the first time, marking the end of an uneventful two days, with the group beginning to overcome jet lag and rest up for a bit before the challenge of hiking at altitude.

 

Photos / videos of "Deja Vu":

Buildings around the plaza in the centre of the old part of Lima. Entrance to the catherdal on the square in the centre of Lima Old Lima.  Earlier in the day a football match of the quarterly finals for the World Cup was played on a large TV screen near this site.  A South American team had won the game so there was joy in the air.  Peru did not make it to the World Cup. Presidental palace. Lima's main catherdal.  Peru offically and realistically is a very Catholic country.  This catherdal is next to the presidential palance, reflecting the close relationship between church and state. Lima's oldest church.  What is remarkable about is that the church has survived many earthquakes over the past 300 + years.  Birds were everywhere with different types at different levels of the church.It was special Holy day so there were crowds getting a blessing unique to this church. Lover's Park.  Lima is on the coast.  Note how the sky is grey and overcast.  It is like this for 9 months of the year.  Whereas Lima is close to the equator it is not hot or humid due to the Antartic ocean current will moderates the temperature year round.  Coastline.  The city starts immediately above the beach, with a steep cliff separating city from ocean.  It was a drizzy day, by Lima standards unusual. Same view as prior photo except at night.  This part of Lima (Milaflora) is on the the more prosperous and toursit safe parts of the city.  Much of the city is off-limits non-locals/Westerns. Went to a pottery musuem.  Travelling with a partner does change one's travel style and patterns.  At least the pots were not of the broken pottery nature.  The Inca's were keen potters and perfected this double spout design. This pot tells the story of gods climbing up and falling down mountains.  After 45 minutes I was potted out for the day (and entire trip). Inca gold jewelery.  Quite impressive.  It was paper thin but 22 carrot. Pier going out into the Pacific.  One of Lima's finer restuarants is on the pier.  Surfer were riding the waves in the foreground.  Water was cold, you would need a wetsuit. Tsunami warning along the beach.  Essentially suggests you run like crazy if you see it coming. 
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