Lima- Day One
Trip Start
Aug 05, 2005
1
4
20
Trip End
Aug 21, 2005
Lima, Peru
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Breakfast: met some fellow travelers: Kathy & Dee Devlin from Sarasota, FL; Danise Tocci from NJ. Danise and I ventured out to find a local market for water before the trip to the museum. Wandered around 3 blocks before doubling back- didn't find the "duck store"- place to purchase water per Linda & Tom Foye (Hawaii). Apparently wasn't opened yet since we didn't find the duck. We were able to locate it after returning- and I have the photo to prove it!
8:30 AM lecture in the hotel- a general overview of civilization across the major time period & regions presented by Professor Dan Sandweiss.
Then hop on the bus with our local guide, Julia- very spacious and & comfy bus- for ride to Museo de la Nacion. Small museum, nicely laid out across periods and regions. Samples of mummies, Nazca textiles. Very impressive. I can't imagine the time, patience, to put together these beautiful,intricate and colorful pieces. One exhibit was miniature to scale of Machu Picchu allowing lighting of specific areas by pushing a button. I didn't realize it was so large!
Excellent lunch- La Carreta -steak grilled, tender- excellent cab from Peru: Taberno. Complimentary Pisco Sour- this could become a habit. (but didn't- I came to learn Pisco Sour was the opening of every meal- except breakfast!). Began to meet some more of the group: Sharon & Sam Ho from Vancouver; Carol & Paul Reeve from Houston; Vinnie Phillip from Tacoma; Jessica Green- Rochester, who flew to Miami from Rochester via Chicago! guess my trip wasn't so bad.
Then a trip to the Mujica Gallo Gold & Weaponry Museum. private museum; military artifacts as well as Peruvian; apparently not legally purchased or authenticated- Prof Dan quite disdainful; I did the museum quite quickly- some nice things but possibly not worth the trip; picked up addl postcards & first alpaca souvenir- a scarf for Debra- plus knickknacks;
Special added attraction: drive on a VERY large bus through old downtown historical district with VERY narrow streets. Had to take moving shots from bus of Plaza & buildings- camera set on Sports setting appeared to do well but also seemed to eat up a lot of power; passed by shanty towns and forever unfinished districts. Per Julia- houses are taxed if they're completed- so owners never complete them. Always leave metal bars & bricks on the roof.
Time now before dinner to catch up on notes & watch TV from lovely "living room" in suite.
The weather today was solid overcast- deep gray. only becoming slightly lighter during mid-day. I can't imagine living in this grayness- worse than Pacifica. Really highlights the poverty. drizzle expected tonight. It's like the "coastal clouds" of SF but never burning off.
Dinner at hotel. Early morning trip to Caral.
