Peru Trip

---

Again, I am tired but this time it´s due to the amount of activites rather than the changing times and dates!

We are now in Pisco which was about a 4 hour drive from Lima. Despite the somewhat smaller population size and less ´refined´streets and public areas, the now familiar sounds of car horns and car alarms is still an ever present, constant noise!

Earlier today, set out from ´Hostal Pukara´via public bus (!) to the city heart of Lima.

The bus ride itself was an eye opener - or closer depending on the situation. Not only did we frequently and narrowly avoid colliding with other vehicles, mostly buses, but driving along the main road highlighted the extent of those that have and those that have not - so many beggars and the quality of homes and buildings in general fluctated from moderate middle class to patch - work shanty homes within the space of only several streets.

Whilst we we were staying in ´Miraflores´, an upper class part of Lima, the majority f the population live in conditions that would not be seen in Australia - and that´s without mentioning the actual shanty towns on the borders of Lima which can be seen on the hillsides overlooking the city.

Our first stop after disembarking from the bus was a local market that allegedly manufactures clothing that are exceptional replicas of well known brands at a fraction of the price for an original. For example, I saw business shirts for S./1.50 (about AU$0.68)!! Foolishly, I didn´t buy any thinking we would return the same way. Oh well, guess it´s better that I didn´t start adding more weight to my luggage on only day 2!

After wandering through the streets nearby and observing typical Sunday activities, we came upon a buildings that were constructed during the reign of the Spanish that were amazing. It,s incredible to think that some of these bulidings were built before Australia was discovered by Captain Cook - we are a young country!

One of these buildings was the ´San Franciscan Monastary´ which, being a Sunday and adjoining a church, was very busy.

The seven of us went on a tour of the monastery which highlighted the architectural, artistic and historical people the church was able to attract and the high level of skill they each posessed.


Stunning and meticuloulsy accurate architecture was complimented by the artistic vision and nuances of the murals and paintings adorning the monastary.

Not only that, but the wealt they amassed in artworks, trinkets and statues would be HUGE - solid gold statues were scattered all over (behind ropes of course so we wouldn´t be tempted...).

The most interesting part of the tour was beneath the monastary and church - The Catacomb, which were used before cemeteries to bury the dead. In total, there are 35,000 people buried there which they established during an archaealogical investigation of the catacombs - this was done by counting all the bones as over the centuries, the many layers had collapsed and the tombs had become a ´mass grave´.

As the bones had been disturbed already, the powers that be decided to put some of the bones on display - some in a ghouly manner - which given the narrow and low maze like tunnels, unsettled some of our fellow travellers!

We then took a short walk to the Plaza de Armas near the Presidential Palace which resembled Buckingham Palace in size and grandeur. We arrived in time to see the changing of the guards ceremony which included a marching band and went on for what seemed like an age - just to finish or start your shift at work!

The stunning architecture of the buildings around and close by to the plaza, the city heart, was soon forgotten as the few blocks between there and the bus stop to return to the Hostal soon slowly degraded in scale and quality back to the appearance of most of the buldings and reality hit again how most people live here.

On the footpath where we were to catch the bus, was a beggar woman sitting, hand extended hoping for someone to give her some money. Earlier, I had given some coins to a lady at the church who had little arms - her deformed hands were where most people´s elbows are - and these two ladies highlighted the fact that there mustn´t be a pension for the aged or disabled and they really must struggle to survive.

Again, this was seen in the type of buildings on the way to Pisco, but before that a little story about an incident at the bus station...

We arrived from the hostal hungry and with little time before we left for the bus depot. Needing to use the bano (toilet) upon arriving at the terminal, I hurriedly made my way to the door when I was stopped by a man sitting a lecturn stationed between the men´s and women´s toilets and I was asked to pay 50 centimos to enter.

After paying, I received a small plastic bag containing about 4 sheets of toilet paper - oh dear... As a true Aussie and thanks to the leg presses I did whilst at QRU, I kangarooed the seatless toilet, did what I had to do and suffice to say, there was enough!!

Now in Pisco, a city devastatd by an earthquake two years ago and still in the process of rebuilding, oddly has a restaurant that is in stark contrast to the rest of the town. Walking off a dirt street, littered with rocks and homeless dogs, we pass through a gate into an oasis - a restaurant that was very upmarket and oddly, also had a swimming pool?

The meal was great and the three Pisco Sours I had were even better but it is now 12:10am and I have to be up at 6:30am for a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands....

---