Lima: Gems in the City of Grey Part 1

Lima is the capital and largest city in Peru, with over 8 million people. Many people are scared off from visiting, due to it’s violent history of street crime and political unrest in the '80s and '90s. Today, tourists are told to keep there valuables hidden and not to wear fancy clothing due to pickpockets in the area. Sage advice when walking through any major modern city.

Upon entering Lima and leaving Jorge Chavez Airport, Lima may seem dark and bleak especially in the downtown area. Here, you may find clouded skies, polluted air and the congestion of cars. However, this it true of many large cities.

While Lima does have it’s share of problems, there are a number of reasons why one should visit. Many museums can be found in Lima, telling us of some of the history of Inca and Pre-Inca times. The museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, the Museum of the Nation and the Gold Museum are a few of he interesting museums in Lima The Museum of the Inquisition may hold interest for those with a fascination for the morbid. Those who enter may see original stocks and torture chambers that had been used. Many ruins such as Pachacamac, Huaca Pucllana and Puruchuco may be found within or near Lima.

Lima has many restaurants, theaters and shopping centers. The main area for these types of activities is the San Isidro and Miraflores business districts.

Quick Tips:

Artesanias Indian Market on weekends... try to find Parque Kennedy where you can find local artists selling their paintings. If paintings do not strike your fancy, there are numerous bars here to sit down and relax in. If you are with that someone special in the Miraflores area, the Gaudi styled Parque del Amour is the place to take them. For dancing and nightlife try the Barranco with it’s discos and bar at night. If you get here at the right time you may enjoy the sun set over the Pacific.

One must see the central heart of the city, which in Lima's case would be the Plaza de Armas. Here, you see a 17th-century bronze fountain in the center. On one side of the square is the Town Hall with it’s library. Opposite it, on the other side of the square, is the cathedral, which has been rebuilt several times over the years due to earthquakes. On another side of the square is the French Baroque styled governors palace. One tip is to get here on weekdays at 12:45pm to catch the changing of the guards.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take a cab from your hotel. Cab fare is relatively cheap and it only costs a few dollars to get to most place. I hired a cab for the full day for around , and I was taken wherever I wanted to go. You probably could get a cheaper rate for the full day if you haggle a lot. If you share the cab with 3 people this works out even better. Avoid hailing cabs on the street if you do not speak Spanish, and negotiate a fare beforehand to avoid problems. Truthfully, many of the people who become unemployed just decide to be cab drivers the next day from what I was told.

The church and convent of San Francisco was built around 1674. The exterior of the building is a yellow colonial styled structure with Baroque architecture. Upon entering you pay $2 for a 45-minute tour. On your tour you first see the church with its wood carvings and tiles. Next, you walk to a monastery with a museum of religious art. Paintings by the local artist Francisco Zurbarán and painting of the life of Saint Francis of Assisi can be seen here. As you continue walking you are taken to a library with an impressive collection of over 25,000 books. This room houses massive choir books on floor stands. As you continue walking you end up in the convent area where at the far end of the dining area is a huge painting of the Last Supper. The artist added some Peruvian elements to the scene. The apostles and Jesus are dining on cuy, roast guinea pig and drinking Chicha, an alcoholic Peruvian corn drink from a gold Peruvian cup called a queros.

We next walked near a courtyard with various plants and walkways before heading to the main attraction of the catacombs. The catacombs served as a cemetery until 1821. At first, church members were buried here. Later, it served as a public burial ground for the poor, slaves, and servants who were placed in a labyrinth of wells 10 to 20m deep. The bodies were stacked in wells and covered with lime. After they decomposed, the bones were arranged elsewhere. It is estimated that over 70,000 bodies were kept here. Some bones are scattered. Other bones are arranged in different ways. There are places where the skull is places in the middle and bones radiate outwards like a spider.

The church and catacombs are quite a unique experience to say the least.

The Parque del Amour or Park of Love is located in the Miraflores district near the Pacific Ocean. It was opened in 1993 on Valentines day. The colorful mosaic benches may remind one of Gaudi Park in Barcelona Spain. The centerpiece of the park is the sculpture of El Beso, a couple engaged in a passionate kiss. It was sculpted by Victor Delfin. The sculpture celebrates the lovers who gather to catch the sunset on the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Walking here at most times of day you may see many couples kissing or snuggled together. Bring your significant other to this park around sunset you both will be glad you did.

The building which houses the museum is shaped like a fortress with old canons on the outside. It has housed the collection of Miguel Mujica Gallo for over 20 years. He purchased relics from tomb robbers and amassed a huge collection. It features gold figures, masks, jewelry, and other artifacts from the colonial and Inca periods. Other artifacts such as headdresses and mummies are also on display.

The arms museum is upstairs. It houses various weapons, swords and uniforms from various eras and cultures. Items of the Pizarro brothers and Simon Bolivar are displayed here. To tell you the truth, I was more impressed by this museum than the gold museum downstairs.

There are several problems that should be noted. Not everything in the museum is clearly marked. No photos are allowed inside. More importantly in 2001 it was found that many of the metal pieces in the museum were fake. It was said that the fake pieces were removed. Family members of the deceased Gallo said the pieces may have mistakenly been purchased fake, assessors may have introduced fake pieces, or fake pieces may have been introduced when they were loaned to outside museums overseas.

Despite these problems the museum is worth a trip especially to see the museum of arms upstairs. One tip is, as you enter on the left side there is a store that sells relatively cheap handmade Peruvian goods. I wonder who will buy the pregnant Mary statue in that store.

Pachacamar lies 25 miles away from Lima and is the site of ruins from Native American settlements. The site is considered a very important center for religion and contains a number of pyramids. Pachacamar when translated means he who animates the world.

Around 200 to 600 AD, at least 1 pyramid stood on the site. Then around 600 to 800 AD, the Huari Empire developed the site. Around 800 to 1450 AD, the Huari Empire collapsed and the site grew in size. During this period, many pyramids and structures were built. When the Incan Empire again expanded the site it became the Incan administrative center and a religious shrine. During this time the Mamacuna and the Pyramid of the Sun were built

Pachacamar is one site where you should hire a guide so you can understand the history of the ruins some of which are half standing and covered in sand. If you walk through on your own, nothing is clearly labeled so you will not get a sense of what you are looking at nor of the history of the place. The guides are only a few dollars, and they take you for an hour long walk about the site.

The best part of the journey was standing on top of the Pyramid of the Sun and taking in the breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. I imagine this would look even more spectacular at sunset. Our guide told us a Peruvian legend of how the Island on the Horizon came into being. If I remember it goes something like this. A nobleman fell in love with a woman who refused to get married. He disguised himself as a beggar and hid in a tree. The woman stopped under the tree and a fruit suddenly from the tree. She picked it up and ate it and later became pregnant. After she gave birth her father wanted to know who the father of the baby was. He gathered all the men in town to see the child. The child ignored everyone except the nobleman dressed as a beggar. The woman felt ashamed that a beggar may be the father so she picked up her child and raced towards the sea. The nobleman raced after them, removing the beggar disguise. He did not reach them in time. The woman jumped with her child into the ocean and they became the large island seen near the horizon.

At the end of the tour you see the newly excavated and reconstructed ruins of the Mamcuna or Templo de la Luna. It is surrounded by a garden and there are many birds flying around. It was here that the Mamcuna (or holy women) who took a vow of chastity, stayed, and learned how to serve.

All in all the site was worthwhile, especially with a guide to explain what you were seeing. After the tour I went back for a half an hour to again see the views of the Pacific ocean that I loved.

If you are traveling to different sites in Peru, this museum will help to put everything you have seen or will see about ancient Peruvian culture together. The museum has several levels and covers ancient Peruvian culture from the pre-Inca to the Incas. If you hire a guide they make the exhibits even more worthwhile. After visiting Nasca, Machu Picchu and Cuzco the museum seemed to put everything in place. When walking through the museum you see paintings, costumes, ceramics and jewelry from different civilizations in Peru. You can see how different civilizations evolved from past ones and how they differ. In addition, you can see different types of erotic art and how they differ with each civilization.

An important exhibit in the museum is the burial tomb of the senor of Sipan. It took 5 months to excavate and about 4 years to restore the grounds. The museum uses replicas to show the progress of the excavation until you reach the burial tomb.

Here, you see the ruler with a gold headdress, gold earring, a silver/gold necklace, and gold facial ornamentation. In his right hand he held a scepter while in his left he held a staff. The ruler was surrounded by several companions. There were two females; one laid at the top, and the other at the bottom of the ruler. On the left side a llama, a dog, and a warrior chief were buried. Around the tomb were jugs filled with ornaments and food. A guard was buried at the entrance of the tomb with his legs cut off.

This was definitely a good place to visit, especially if you take a guided tour.