Lima

---

Landed in Lima which was shrouded in a depressing damp grey mist. I´m missing sunny Cuzco. Met up with Bernice (Excel alum) at Larcomar which is really touristy and the same kind of shops like ¨Darling Harbour¨, but hanging on the side of a cliff-face facing the Pacific Ocean. Basically been chilling out. I´ve already watched 2 films (X-Men 3, and The Omen) at the local multiplex for about A$3 each.

My dorm-mate took me to his fave lunch place, and I had my first ceviche looking out at a view of the ocean with parapenters floating around. Fabulous. He´s going to be away for 18 months, and has been in Lima for a month (what the ....?). Told me that if he was back home in Manchester and offered a girl a drink he´d be told to piss off, whereas here the Limeñas are all over him like a rash. Best excuse I´ve heard so far.

Took in some sights such as the Plaza de Armas (every town and city has one). Takes about 45mins - 1 hr to get there by colectivo (local mini-bus), and only costs 1 sol (about A$0.40). Also went to the Monasterio de San Francisco which has an amazing library with tons of ancient texts, plus underground catacombs which used to be a public cemetery during colonial times for 3 centuries. There are 3 levels, but only one has been excavated with around 25,000 bodies. Stacks of skulls and bones piled up in pretty patterns. Creepy but very cool. Last stop was to the Plaza San Martin. On the statue of the Madre Patria, the Spanish craftsmen accidentally (or were they taking the piss?) carved a llama on her head instead of a flame. The Spanish word is the same for both.

Another one of my dorm-mates has just arrived from Leeds. First trip overseas on his own, and fresh as it comes. I felt a bit sorry for him so took him around for a stroll around the neighbourhood, and then on a colectivo. He said there was no way he´d do all that on his own. Poor guy was so grateful that he bought me drinks and dinner. Swear that I felt like his mother.

Kimby´s cousin Siah and her 2 mates arrived in the early hours of the 9th after 28-hours in the air. No pfaffing around, that night took a 7.5 hour bus north to Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca. Taking the time to acclimatise again as we´ve gone from sea level to approx 3100m.

---

Photos

San Francisco Church
Cool Monastery and Catacombs

Comments

[Louise]

Hi
Gesine, Am loving your updates - get my weekly fix every Thurs morning when I arrive at work. Take Care.