Saturday, May 3, 2014

1st Post - May 3, 2014 - Lima & Arequipa, a Tale of Two Cities

We're off to a great start. Undoubtedly, the expected highlights of this tour are Machu Picchu and Cusco, but our first two days of touring in Lima, the capital, and in Arequipa in the south, have been amazingly fascinating and beautiful. Everyone took far more photos than they dreamed they would in the two cities.
Most people think of Peru as the Incan Empire and then the Spanish, but there is so much more to it than that, and the country has a long, and rich history and culture.
Our guide for the day in Lima, Celestino, brought the city and country to life for us!
By afternoon the fog even lifted and we had beautiful blue skies.

Our Guide Celestino in front of the Plaza San Martin, Lima

 Pucllana Huaca - Giant Pyramids in downtown Lima built between 200 and 700 A.D.
(long before the Incas were ever around!)

Performing with a 'wanna-be' famous singer, Yolita

Franciscan Church
No photos were allowed inside, but it was stunning. 

Franciscan Church Tower

The Franciscan Church Library was one of the most beautiful we've ever seen.
This is actually a photo of a postcard just to give an idea of the 'Harry Potter' style!

Children are always worth a photo!

The beautiful Main Square of Lima

Lima Main Square

The Schlenker Family - Rick, Chris, Amy, Omar & Denise

Moorish Balconies on the Archbishop's Residence

Overview of the Main Square and Cathedral (and John)

We were there during the changing of the guard and great band music!

Special Treat - The private residence of the Aliaga Family
Oldest house in the Americas dating to 1535 and owned by the same family for 17 generations!

Aliaga Home - Exquisite Interior

Aliaga Home Courtyard

St. Valentine's Market

Larco Herrera Museum - Gigantic Bougainvillea outside 
and the largest collection of pottery in the Americas inside!

Denise surrounded by bougainvillea

Lunch at the Larco Museum before our tour - Pisco Sours!

 Larco Museum Front Entrance

Museum Courtyard

If we were expecting a 'dry' academic tour of a pottery museum we were badly mistaken!
Our guide Celestino took us through 14,000 years of culture in an hour,
and kept us spellbound the entire time!

 Rows and rows and rows of catalogued pottery

The Pacific Coast in the Suburb of Miraflores

Amy and Omar at the Lovers' Park

Chris, Libby, Babs, and John at the Pacific Ocean

Chris has a great vertical leap!

On Saturday, a short morning flight on LAN took us from Lima, 
over the Andes and the Desert to our next great city, Arequipa.

Snow-covered Andes Mountains and Great Canyons

Lumberyard, Arequipa style

Arcades on the Main Square (los Portales)

Cathedral on the Main Square. 20,000' Andes Mountains in the distance!

The Main Square is teeming with life.

Chanchani Volcano (20,000 feet above sea level) towers over Arequipa and the Valley

Harvesting Corn

John the Baptist Church

A side alley frames the mountains

We visited the convent of Arequipa for an hour and a half and we all took far more photos than we expected! There was just another great photo shot around every corner.
The deep red and deep blue colors used throughout added to the artistry!

Babs is framed with blue walls and a red background.

Cantuta, National Flower of Peru

Charming Alleyway in the Convent

Babs and Ruth enjoy the Convent alleyways

Convent Window

Blue Sky behind the Convent Bell

Arcades in the Main Square, late afternoon

Cathedral Bell on the Main Square

Main Square Reflections

Ruth, Libby, and Babs stroll the Arcades

Interior of the Jesuit Church

Exterior of the Jesuit Church

The Cloisters by Night

Blind Street Musicians Perform


1 comment:

  1. What a beautiful destination !! Good to see Chris, LIbby, Babs, John & Ruth. Sorry I'm not there to join in on the fun!

    ReplyDelete