5th and 6th March 2020
Thursday 5th March 2020
Callao is a seaside city on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport.
Lima, the capital of Peru, lies on the country's arid Pacific coast. Lima is the only South American capital situated on the coast. Though its colonial centre is preserved, it's a bustling metropolis and one of South America’s largest cities. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th-century cathedral are the heart of old Lima Centro.
Once more an early alarm, we are never sure why all the excursions leave so early, surely it would be better after the rush hour!
The first part passing through the port city of Callao, a very dodgy area, one everyone has been warned not to walk through, not that the port shuttle bus is about to drop you anywhere near.
Once into Lima itself all a great improvement. The traffic however is another story altogether. Well let’s put it this way, the city has grown in population from the hundreds of thousands to about 11 million in the last 50 or so years and the road system and the busses have not kept pace. At every roundabout or junction there are at least four lanes of traffic trying to get into two lanes, the rules of the road don’t seem to apply except one, and that is the oldest most dented car wins.
Much of the older parts of the city is made up of rather dilapidated colonial buildings in a French style, badly in need of some TLC.
We eventually got close to the Cathedral, but due to a very civilised riot, maybe best classed as a demonstration, “It’s Thursday it must be time for a riot”, we were dropped at the back of the Cathedral. Crossing the road is another education, apparently those nice black and white stripes are just considered as decorative street art.
Inside the Cathedral was a haven of peace and quiet. This a basilica style church with many ornate icons, side chapels and some wonderful carved woodwork.
The building, apparently solid looking, much like a European Cathedral, is apart from the front facade timber framed with bamboo and plaster filling, just like wattle and daub, you live and learn. Here lies Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquerer of the Inca empire. Unsurprisingly he is not looked upon well by the locals. He was however killed by another conquistador in a dispute over shares of the plunder and not by the plundered.
Leaving the Cathedral into the square we were delighted to find that there was no traffic and the expected crowds consisted of only a few Cunard passengers, the square being closed to the locals during the riot.
All around the square are the main buildings of government and the church. These guarded by military and police personnel, in everything from historic uniforms up to the latest in protective gear!
The Presidential Palace in the square is not being used by the current President, he preferring his own house. Four of the previous five presidents who did use the palace and have since moved out now reside in prison, the fifth one would be with them if he hadn’t died.
Just across the square we visited the Convent, not many live and pray here nowadays, but it is well kept with a lovely cloister decorated with glazed tiles, rather reminiscent of a moorish style. Here are commemorations of the three Saints of Peru, complete with skulls and death masks!
Back on the coach to brave the traffic again. Passing along the way a huge sacred truncated flat topped Inca man-made mud brick pyramid still remaining in the city.
We made our way to a beachside park, complete with a huge statue of a couple kissing, here they hold competitions for which couple can hold a kiss the longest, currently about 90 minutes, and benches decorated with coloured tile, it looks as if Gaudi was here.
Then on again to a visit to a summer house, the Casa Garcia Alvarado, this in a location now overtaken by the city, not quite as we imagined it to be. After a short tour of the house, all very smart and historic but also with many family items and photos still in place, we were given refreshments, some sorts of tapas accompanied by Pisco Sours. The grand lady of the house came in to welcome us, the family still living in the house. She being descended from the original owners. The family being of what is called Creole ancestry, that is European without any native Indian blood.
Soon back on the coach and back to the ship.
Time for some recuperation, how people live in such a busy city and travel to work one can hardly imagine, apparently it takes on average 3 hours a day travel time.
Folkloric show tonight, the Nova Folk Dance Company, Peruvian music and dancing, all very colourful and entertaining.
Overnight in port
Friday 6th march 2020
A quiet day spent on board. Only managed to venture as far as the souvenir stalls set up on the dock just alongside the ship, that’s far enough.
We were greatly entertained, little things please little minds, by the vain attempts of the port staff to move thousands of gulls off their dock not to mention our mooring ropes mainly by driving vehicles up and down the dock. As expected the gulls made a quick circle round and returned back to the dock.
We then, soon after 5.30pm, sailed for Manta, Ecuador a distance of 757 nautical miles.
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