Lima
Day One - Peru - 2022
A day spent exploring all that Lima had to offer … eventually.
Map Credit: OpenStreetMap
Map Credit: OpenStreetMap
1. Larcomar
Larcomar is a shopping center overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the Miraflores district of Lima, and can be found beneath Parque Salazar which features a statue of fictional Peruvian emigrant Paddington Bear.
After two-and-a-half years (two-and-a-half years!) I finally got off the international travel schneid and found myself landing early in the morning at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport. Upon clearing the generally uneventful customs and immigration (replete with the extensive inspection of my COVID-19 immunization documentation), I girded my loins for the gauntlet of taxi drivers whom I knew would accost me upon exiting the baggage claim area. But alas! I had pre-booked a transfer service (see, I’m learning….)
Upon exiting into the parking lot area, I performed the requisite eye test attempting to find the hastily scrawled whiteboard with my name upon it being hoisted in a sea of neatly-dressed chauffeurs with far too much energy for a Sunday morning. I am getting older, I’ll admit, and my vision is slowly starting to need correction (perhaps from staring at too many eclipses!); as such, I found myself gazing too long into the car-park abyss and inevitably attracted the attention of every cabbie within Callao. “Taxi?” “No, thank you.” “Taxi?” “Nope.” “Do you need a taxi?” “Bro, you had to have heard me say no twice now.” Not only is my vision going in my advancing age, but so, too -it seems- is my patience.
So there I continued to stare outwards, hoping my driver would arrive. “My flight arrived a bit early,” I said, “maybe they are just running behind.” The time ticked away. One hour. Then two. Finally, I called my hotel, who informed me the transfer service was not running that day. Wonderful…. So, I made someone rando’s day and chose them to shuffle me over to my lodging in Barranco, a district on the complete opposite side of Lima.
As the knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade would say, “He chose … poorly.” This guy, bless him, tried not once, not twice, not three times, but four times to access the highway to Barranco which runs along the edge of the Pacific Ocean on the south side of the city. My journey, which should have taken 30 minutes, took over an hour. I guess it wouldn’t be a vacation without my arrival transfer going horribly wrong.
Arriving at the accommodation, I was pleased to discover my room was ready despite it being only about 8 in the morning. Not anticipating this, I had pre-booked a city tour bus ticket to kill some time before the “regular” check-in time of 2PM. This also allowed me to maximize my sightseeing in Lima, as I knew my time would be fairly limited. Into another taxi (this one thankfully driven by an adult with a sense of direction and common sense), I made my way to the bus departure point in Larcomar, an upscale shopping area on the cliffs above the ocean on the edge of the city. It was impossibly foggy (probably the cause of the ocean highway being closed, in hindsight), but I nonetheless had a pleasant 20-minute walk in Parque Salazar prior to the bus’ departure.
Would the transfer issue be a mere hiccup or a sign of things to come? Well….
2. Huaca Pucllana
Huaca Pucllana is a clay and adobe pyramid structure built by the Lima Culture in the first millennium A.D.
Let me not bury the lede here: the tour bus ride was not quite what I expected it to be. In simple terms, it was a glorified means of transfer from the hotel districts of Miraflores and Barranco to the historic core of Lima which did little more than breeze past sites of interest while a guide provided a basic commentary. I assumed (perhaps naively, I’ll admit) that the bus would make one or two stops along the way at some of Lima’s more interesting historical sites, such as Huaca Pucllana. Alas, a photographic drive-by had to suffice. As you can see, it remained foggy for most of the morning which limited what could be seen at times.
3. San Isidro
San Isidro is Lima’s upscale residential district.
Perhaps most confusingly, the bus went down narrow side-streets with low hanging electrical wires and tree limbs. But, again, considering I was (at least notionally) killing time I didn't mind the weirdness of the tourist bus and it did allow me to see parts of the city I probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It did make me wonder how these residents feel about a double-decker bus screaming past their windows everyday?
4. Historic Centre of Lima
The Historic Centre of Lima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 (and further expanded in 1991).
Unbeknownst to me at the time of booking, the bulk of the bus tour was not a bus tour at all but rather a walking tour exploring Lima’s city center, particularly the area around the Plaza de Armas de Lima. The city’s old core is very charming but not terribly overwhelming in scale.
5. Cathedral of Lima
The foundations of the first Cathedral of Lima were laid by Francisco Pizzaro himself in 1535 and was intentionally built over an Inca shrine to the sun god, Inti.
Arriving in the Plaza de Armas, the guide from the bus gave a brief overview of Lima’s history. Hearing word of a rich kingdom on the Pacific Coast south of the Spanish territory of Panama, Francisco Pizzaro led multiple royally-supported expeditions to conquer the territory, ultimately succeeding in defeating the Inca at the Battle of Cajamarca in 1532 and gaining de facto control of the area. Seeking a location for a capital city of the new territory, newly-appointed governor of what was then New Castile, Pizzaro selected the site of modern-day Lima due to its proximity to a Pacific port (now Callao) but high enough above the sea to avoid attacks from raiders, pirates, and foreign armies (similar to forts in Panama). Pizzaro named the area the City of Kings, but it eventually became known as Lima, a Spanish interpretation of the Quechua name for the area, Limaq. To close the loop on this story: Pizzaro was assassinated in a power struggle 1541, the remnants of the Inca Empire continued to resist Spanish colonization, Spain achieves a concluded conquest in 1572 and establishes the Viceroyalty of Peru. Lima remains the most important city in Spanish territories in South America until a 1687 earthquake decimates Lima and its preeminence is ceded to other cities such as Buenos Aires.
Regarding the Cathedral of Lima, Pizzaro’s first cathedral was soon replaced by a larger, more permanent version and when that building became obsolete, the first version of the present building began construction in the early 17th century. Damage from earthquakes plagued the building over the centuries, and the cathedral more-or-less achieved its current form in the late 19th century.
6. Cathedral Door
The Cathedral of Lima has three front doors: Puerta de la Epístola, Puerta del Evangelio, and this -the main door- Puerta del Perdón.
Owing to it being Sunday, the interior of the cathedral was closed to visitors, lest they wanted to stay inside until the conclusion of the church service. I did not.
7. Plaza de Armas de Lima
The Plaza de Armas de Lima was constructed in accordance with a 1523 directive from King Charles I of Spain who mandated all New World cities be centered upon a large square plaza.
The Plaza de Armas is undeniably the center of Lima and perhaps the most important location in Peru (symbolically, if not practically). The square is ringed by the seat of national power, the seat of power of the country’s largest city, and the most important building of that country’s largest religion. Yet despite its importance, the square was fairly quiet and peaceful for a weekend morning.
8. Government Palace
The first Government Palace was built by Francisco Pizzaro in 1535, and achieved its current form in the 1930s.
The guide then gave us a (very guarded) lecture about the political situation in Peru while in front of the Government Palace. This was particularly salient as violent nation-wide protests had just concluded in the days prior to my arrival in Peru. Without boring you to tears (particularly if you are reading this many years into the future), the current political unrest stems from the 2018 resignation of Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski after accusations of corruption forced his impeachment (at the time of writing, Kuczynski remains in pre-trial detention). His successor, Martín Vizcarra, was to complete the remainder of Kuczynski’s five-year term in 2021; however, he, too became embroiled in a crisis when his critics accused him of mishandling the COVID-19 crisis and was controversially removed from office in November 2020. The next president -Manuel Merino- served for five days (yes, five) after a succession crisis resulted in his resignation. Francisco Sagasti was then able to finally complete Kuczynski’s original term. After April 2021 elections, Pedro Castillo was elected to his own five-year term, making him Peru’s fifth President in five years. But since Peru is gonna Peru, early 2022 protests against Castillo began, centered around inflation and the rising cost of fuel resulting from sanctions against Russia. At the time of writing, Castillo has dodged two impeachment, but his popularity remains low and the threat of removal is persistent.
The 2022 protests resulted in looting and multiple deaths across the country. All the same, the guide said the barricades outside the Government Palace -the seat of the executive and occasional residence- had “nothing to do with the protests.” Uh huh….
9. Convent of Santo Domingo #1
The Convent of Santo Domingo was the first site of the University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas.
The tour group then made its way into the Convent of Santo Domingo for what I would consider to be a fairly extensive tour. Evidently, the tour bus only stops at the Convent of Santo Domingo on the weekends, and -fair warning if you are considering the bus option- I haven’t any idea where it goes during the week. All the same, the stop at the convent was certainly worth the time as it is a lovely building around which many early Peruvian religious activities centered. I haven’t any idea how a visit to Santo Domingo compares to one to the nearby Convent of San Francisco as the tour group did not stop there. As I will describe later, the bus tour does give you the opportunity to freely visit additional sites around central Lima which -presumably- could include the more ornate San Francisco Convent. All the same, I think having the guide present at Santo Domingo was helpful as I am generally unfamiliar with the history of Catholicism in the Americas.
The library at Santo Domingo was particularly interesting as its books are stored in the open rather than in a climate-controlled; this is only possible due to the dryness in Lima. Some of the books in the library date to the earliest days of the Viceroyalty.
10. Convent of Santo domingo #2
The Convent of Santo Domingo features multiple cloisters and have been maintained and restored despite multiple earthquakes.
The first convent was completed in the late 16th century. After several earthquakes caused extensive damage, the building was rebuilt using quincha, a lightweight material using wood and cane covered with mud and plaster which is also extremely earthquake resilient. As a result of this decision, the building maintained a simple appearance in line with the traditions of the Dominican Order.
11. Convent of Santo Domingo #3
Martin de Porres -born the mixed-race illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman- dedicated his life to the Dominican Order, and was canonized in 1962.
The group then moved to the chapel of Marin de Porres for a quick lecture about his life. Born in the late 16th century in Lima, Martin began volunteering at the convent around age 15. Given his mixed-race heritage and illegitimacy, he was prevented from becoming a full member of the Dominican Order; all the same, he continued completing menial tasks and -as such- is often presented in modern depictions carrying a broom. Pleased with his piety and contributions, Martin was offered the chance to join the church as a lay member at age 24 (the convent’s seniors ignoring the prohibition against admitting mixed-race members); he relented, but finally accepted membership about a decade later. Many miracles have been attributed to Martin, but most well-known is his alleged ability to commune and establish rapport with animals. Contemporary and modern depictions often highlight this, showing Martin near a dog, a cat, and a mouse living harmoniously. Martin died in 1639. Probably because of his background, he was not beatified until 1837, and wasn’t made a saint until 1962. It was the opinion of the tour guide that if he hadn’t been born of mixed race, he would have been canonized shortly after his death given the number of miracles attributed to him. In the courtyard near his burial chapel stands a lovely statue surrounded by flowers.
12. Convent of Santo Domingo #4
Azulejos -painted tiles- abound inside the Convent of Santo Domingo, reflective of a common Spanish practice at the time of its construction.
The tour continued around the various hallways and cloisters of the Convent of Santo Domingo. We additionally visited the chapel of Rose of Lima, a lay member of the Dominican Order who ultimately became the first person born in the Americas to be canonized.
Born Isabel, Rose adopted her name early on when a caretaker alleged her face turned into the image of a Rose, the first of many attributed miracles. Joining the convent as a lay member (her father forbade her to become a nun), Rose prayed constantly and adorned herself with a heavy crown of thorns which caused her to bleed perpetually from the forehead (emulating the crown worn by Christ). She died early at age 31 (possibly, the guide opined, of self-inflicted malnutrition), and it is alleged that roses fell from the sky during her funeral in Lima, which was attended by all of the city’s public servants. Only 50 years after her death half a world away, she was canonized by Pope Clement IX and was buried in the Convent of Santo Domingo.
13. Convent of Santo Domingo #5
The Convent of Santo Domingo is attached to the Basilica of the same name which houses many relics and artworks, including the skulls of Martin de Porres and Rose of Lima.
Upon conclusion of the tour at the convent, tour members were given two options: ride the bus back to Larcomar, or remain in the city center to be picked up in the early afternoon by the bus and transported back to Miraflores. Having been up all night flying to Lima, I chose the former option.
Given the cost of the bus tour, I still think it is a decent value considering how much a taxi to and guide for the city center would cost separately. I think you can greatly increase the value of this service if you were to explore additional sites in the city center (including the aforementioned Convent of San Francisco). But, to be honest, I was far too tired to do that … and peckish, as I realized I hadn’t had a meal since the in-flight dinner the night before. Arriving back at Larcomar, I entered the mall for a quick pastry and cup of coffee before catching a taxi back to my hotel where I could take a much-needed nap.
Technically, my tour began that evening with a get-to-know-you briefing in the hotel’s common area. Before I dive into that, some background on the trip is necessary as it will frame the rest of my travelogue.
I booked my trip to Peru a couple of years prior, but -naturally- COVID-19 prevented me from traveling. As such, I was about two years older than I was when I booked and I knew the fast-paced itinerary of the trip was tailored to someone much more junior than I. In addition to multiple long-distance bus journeys, the trip included a trek (the Lares Trek) high in the Andes on the way to Machu Picchu. I had the option when I booked of doing the Inca Trail, but even two years prior I realized that I was perhaps approaching an age where that would be difficult. So you can imagine I had some trepidation doing a similar (but allegedly easier) long-distance hike with two extra years of age under my belt (and two extra years of COVID weight over it.) As it was, I had just snuck under the age restriction for the trip itself.
I was not surprised, therefore, when I showed up to the get-to-know-you meeting and I was comfortably the oldest person on the trip. “Well, fuck,” I thought, “here we go, I guess.”
I was able to glean rather quickly that the median age of the group was about 15 years my junior. In at least two cases I was twice the age of other group members. And in … well, certainly more than two cases … I was twice the weight of some of the tour members. ‘Murica.
As I sat in the room, I genuinely hoped these people would ultimately do their best to take the pity on me I knew I would need. Best River Song impersonation: spoilers.
I will say up-front that I am forever grateful they did when it became necessary and if any of you ever read this: thank you for putting up with me.
After the get-to-know-you meeting, we took a public bus up to Miraflores for a nice group dinner in the outdoor seating area of a restaurant I seem to remember being called “Tanta”. By this point I was really quite tired and -despite overtures of a pub crawl from the group- I turned in for the evening.
