I did my first solo-vacay two weeks ago to Lima, Peru. I spent my three days there trying to pack in literally as much of the city that I could in such a short amount of time! I really really liked Lima, it has such an interesting blend of a huge city with large slum areas, islands of modernity, and colonial architecture in the city center. It is made up of more than 43 neighborhoods and sprawls from the Andes to the Pacific Ocean.
FIRST DAY
Lima was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, and was the seat of the Spanish rule for 300 years--so it has wonderful churches, museums, cloisters, and monasteries. So, the first day there, I made my way through the Center. The hostel that I stayed at was close enough to the center that I could walk there. I began at the Cathedral of Lima and the Archbishop's Palace. Initial construction on the Cathedral began in 1535 and ended in 1622. It was designed as not only with religious focus but also as a sort-of chest for all the Church's riches. There are 14 side chapels, and a crypt underneath the High Altar. The Cathedral also contains the tomb of the city's conqueror. There is also a museum attached to the church that contains relics, art, and clothes of former archbishops and private collectors.
Cathedral
Side Chapel for the Sacred Family
Entrance to the Crypt of Our Lady of the Assumption
Me in front of a mass grave in the crypt--terrifying
Tomb of Francisco Pizarro
I then made my way next door to the Archbishop's Palace. This building was also commissioned by Pizarro, and is not only the residence of the Archbishop of Lima but also the administrative headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church in Peru.
Chapel in the Palace
A look from the upstairs
Outside of the Archbishop's Palace
Outside of the Cathedral
I then made my way around the Plaza de Armas to find a place for lunch.
Plaza de Armas
The Saint Francis Monastery is located a few blocks off the Plaza de Armas. It was built in the baroque-style of the late 1600s. The adjoining monastery has a superb collection of ancient religious texts, about 25,000 books Theology, Philosophy, History, Literature, Music, Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Law; as well as, about 6 000 scrolls generated by Jesuit, Augustine and Benedict priests, and Bibles that predate the printing press. Some of which were brought over by the first wave of Spanish priests after the conquest of the Incas. The Monastery also contains catacombs. The catacombs under the church served as the cemetery of the emerging city during colonial times. Religious authorities, administrators and benefactors were buried in special places. Elsewhere, at lower levels, were placed the remains of prominent persons among the commoners, while the rest of the rabble went to mass graves in deep pits with rounded brick walls. It is estimated that more than 70,000 people are buried down there. As a part of the tour, we walked through parts of these catacombs--I was bent over and squished the entire time, but so so cool.
Saint Francis Monastery
I then made my way to the Convent of Saint Dominic, which is not only a Church, Convent for the Dominicans, but also the Sanctuary of the Peruvian Saints. The priory and church were founded in 1541 and the construction ended in 1583. I had a private tour with a Peruvian woman who was beyond excited that not only did I study theology in college but I was also working/volunteering my time at a Catholic school in Santiago, that she went above and beyond to show me ALL of the saint's relics in the place.
In the gardens of the Main Cloister
At the top of the bell tower
The relics and some of the remains of the three Peruvian Saints are kept here in the Convent: Saint Rosa of Lima, Saint Martin of Porres, and Saint John Macias.
In front of artistic depictions of Saint Rosa
Tomb of Saint Martin
Chair of Saint Martin that contains part of the True Cross. Women sit here if they want to become pregnant.
To finish my first day, I ended up at the Inquisition Museum--a gruesome place to say the least. In colonial days, Lima was the capital of South America as well as the seat of Spain’s control over the territories. The museum is located in the building that was used as a headquarters for Inquisition officials from 1570 to 1820. During the Inquisition, torture was common. It was here that local people suspected of heresy, blasphemy or witchcraft were detained, interrogated, and sentenced to public burning and execution.
Outside of the Museum
Tour guide explaining torture method
Original torture devices
The tour walks you through the holding cells and a dimly lit underground torture chamber to show the techniques that were used against the prisoners. Wax figures with their faces are shown undergoing all types of abuse. I thought that the museum was a good complement to the area’s beautiful colonial palaces and cathedrals, serving as a reminder of the tremendous injustices imposed under colonial rule.
SECOND DAY
I began day two with a group tour to the Ruins of Pachacama. The Temple and Ruins of Pachacama are located about 40 minutes southeast of Lima. It was a major site for pilgrimages for the ancient people, who would travel from all around in order to make their sacrifices. Pachacama (Earth-Maker/Shaker) was considered to be the creator god. Most of the common buildings and temples in this area were built c. 800-1450 CE, shortly before the arrival and conquest by the Incan Empire. The guide told us that the archequologists believe that less than 25% of the ruins have been uncovered--due to lack of funds as well as people who now squat on the land. Andean civilization never developed writing so today very little is known about the heavily eroded collection of adobe and stone temples and pyramids.
Housing for the pilgrims
Temple of Pachacama
Ruins
We got out and walked around the Temple of the Sun--which is the only Incan temple there. The principal side faces the sea, and has niches all around the sides for offerings, as well as altars for human and animal sacrifices that were offered to the Sun.
Temple of the Sun
Original red plaster that covered the entire temple
I then spent lunchtime and the afternoon in the neighborhood of Miraflores, which is on the beach and a much more wealthy and touristy area.
The Miraflores coastline walk
Beach-side soccer court
I was in the middle of asking a police officer for directions when this couple came up to him and asked for directions to the same place--how fortuitous! We decided to split a cab to the other set of Incan ruins in Lima. Turns out by new friends had just met a few days before on the airplane--Emily was from France and was on vacation, Gabriel was from Lima but lived in Paris. They were great and I was so happy to have travel buddies! The ruins were actually closed, so we made our way to the Reserve Park for the Magical Circuit of Water spectacular. We sat and chatted in the park as we waited for the sun to set. I asked a guy to take our picture for us (to commerate our wonderfully blossomed new friendship) and it turns out he was also travelling by himself from South Korea (Mike spoke no Spanish, or French, and was a little sketch on the English--he could only understand me "perfect" English), so we invited him to join our merry bunch for the water show and then for dinner. After dinner, Gabriel negotiated a cab price for me so that I could make my way back to the hostel. (Fun Fact: none of the cabs in Lima have meters, so before you get in you have to negotiate the fare).
Me, Gabriel, and Emily
THIRD DAY
I didn't fly out of Lima until really, really late that night, so I slept in and checked out of my hostel around noon. I then made my way to the Larco Museum and then back into the Center to visit the National Art Museum and the gardens of the Exposition Park. The Larco Museum is an absolutely giant privately owned museum in the neighborhood of Pueblo Libre, that showcases pre-Colombian art.. There is also a gallery of pre-Columbian erotic pottery--which was a umm, very interesting exhibit to see. My favorite part was the Cultures Gallery which houses over 40,000 years of history--including a Gold and Silver Gallery showcases the largest collection of jewelry used by many notable rulers of the times. It comprises of a collection of crowns, earrings, nose ornaments, garments, masks and vases, finely wrought in gold and decorated with semi-precious stones. The National Art Museum was under construction so they only had three galleries open. Though incredibly different, all three of the exhibits featured artists and their works from the 70s and 80s in South America (which as many of you know was an incredibly difficult and politically-repressive time in history). The art was stunning and shocking and disturbing and beautiful, but I had to sit outside for a while afterwards to kind of unwind.
I ended my time in Lima with a dinner of ceviche-- a seafood dish that is a specialty of Lima. The dish is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with chili peppers. Ceviche is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavors, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, or avocado.
Ceviche
Bus Depot at sunset
Though the time flew and I felt like I was flying the entire time while I was there, I very much enjoyed my time in Lima. It is such a different city from Santiago and yet wonderful in its own right. I hope to make it back there one day to eat more of that delicious spicy food before making my way to Machu Picchu. Then, I caught a ride back to the airport later that evening and jetted off as a very very excited girl to Mexico!
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