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Early-Mid April: We got an over night bus from Cusco to Lima, but the first 14 hours were on twisty mountain roads, with the longest straight seeming to be no more than 100m. So instead of sleeping we spent the time getting thrown from side to side as the driver used all the road to keep his speed high. Thankfully the last few hours into Lima were on a straight road, so we got a few hours kip. We checked into our hostal, Home Peru, in the salubrious (no, really) beach side suburb of Miraflores. The warmth and additional oxygen available at sea level were a welcome change after spending the last 6 weeks largely at over 3000m, but going to the beach isn´t really an option due to a general lack of sewage treatment before they let it enter the surrounding sea.
We spent the afternoon wandering around Miraflores and then went to the cinema for the first time since we left home. Nice to do something normal once in a while. Next day, Saturday, and we headed to a museum that consisted largely of different pottery from the various parts of Peru and various civilisations upto and including
the Inca´s. Interesting enough and Niamh particularly enjoyed the erotic section (pictures included). After that it was off to the water park (for want of a better title), which consisted of a park full of various types of water fountains. While it might not sound very interesting it was actually a surprisingly enjoyable way of passing an evening. Next morning and we headed into the city centre to meet an Australian priest who´s a friend of our cousin in Melbourne. We were meeting outside the Cathedral in the main plaza, and when we got there the changing of the guard was in full swing, complete with marching band and horses. Of course, seen as we were standing outside Lima Cathedral, the first thing we did when we met Fr Joe was go for a Pisco sour drink in a local bar that apparently is the home of Pisco sours. For those not in the know, Pisco sour is to Peru what Guinness is to Ireland. After a walk through the markets we went for lunch and sampled another Peruvian delicasy, cerviche, or marinated raw fish. After that and it was out to the suburb of Paraiso (Paradise in English) where
Joe lives. Needless to say it didn´t quite live up to it´s lofty title. No paved roads, no runnning water, no sewage system, no facilities and while it has electricity it doesn´t really have enough. So if you have a microwave expect it to take a few minutes to defrost a slice of bread, while at the same time the lights dim due to the fact that the microwave is using all the available power.
That evening Joe decided to take us to mass. Unfortunately it didn´t work out how Joe had anticipated when the mass was cancelled due to firstly the caretaker not showing up with the keys and secondly no one else showing up either. Welcome to life in the missions.
Next morning we headed back to Miraflores to pick up some fresh clothes and headed back out to Joe´s on the Tuesday morning. First up the important matter of watching Liverpool beat Arsenal in the Champions League. Walk On. Then that evening we helped 3 locals with their English for an hour or so and then back to the parish priests house for a BBQ with a few of the other priests. Wasn´t expecting much
but had a great laugh with an old Irish priest and 2 other Aussie priests. Niamh nearly fell off her chair when one of them used the 'F´word. Next morning and it´s an early start as we were helping put a roof on a little church out in Paraiso. Biggest problem of the day occurs when I nearly bring the roof down. Seems the bamboo beams aren´t capable of holding 80kg´s. From that point on one of the lighter locals is given the job of being on the roof while I´m underneath fixing it down.
That afternoon Joe takes us to a little village south of Lima for lunch and a few beers and then drops us back to our hostal so we can get the overnight bus to Huaraz. When we get to the bus station there´s a slight problem. The voucher we have been given has today´s date for our journey, but the internet booking was done for yesterday. To add to the problem there aren´t any seats left for tonight so it´s a taxi back to the hostal for another night in Miraflores. After much apologising from the staff in the hostal (which is where we
bought are ticket) we are given a free room for the night and new tickets for the next night. The next day is spent doing general maintenance as Niamh gets a hair cut and I get a shave.
Thankfully this time there´s no hassels with the tickets and we leave for Huaraz that night.
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