Sacred Valley to the Amazon

Previous Day Prev P

Next Day Next N

Wednesday, 17 April 2024 - After breakfast walked through the Miraflores district of Lima, visited a local market sampling dragon fruit and star fruit, enjoyed fresh seafood and chicha morada, ate lunch beside the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site, then toured the historic centre seeing colonial buildings, the Lima Cathedral, Casa de Aliaga, and streets of the old town as the sun set.

peru2024 — Statues of vultures in Federico Villarreal Park. The artist knew the disdain people kept regarding vultures, and he knew they had a purpose in God's kingdom. So he elevated their being in this street sculpture.

peru2024 — Mom and Cal posing next to the bougainvillea.

peru2024 — Mom and Virginia Ann posing at the same bougainvillea.

peru2024 — We then visited a local market.

peru2024 — Dragon fruit - very odd looking. Not one of our favorites for eating.

peru2024 — Star fruit which was good - we had it made into sauces for meats.

peru2024 — Beautiful, luscious strawberries.

peru2024 — Chillies were in everything. These little chillies are Rocoto (Andean chili pepper) and very hot.

peru2024 — One of several meat stalls.

peru2024 — Seafood looked very fresh.

peru2024 — Fresh clams and shrimp.

peru2024 — Purple corn is used in chicha morada, a drink made by boiling ground purple corn kernels with pineapple, cinnamon, clove, and sugar.

peru2024 — A snack on our food tour.

peru2024 — We ate lunch next to Huaca Pucllana Archaeological Site.

The site is a great adobe and clay pyramid built from seven staggered platforms. It served as an important ceremonial and administrative center for the advancement of the Lima Culture, a society which developed in the Peruvian Central Coast between the years of 200 AD and 700 AD.

peru2024 — The adobe bricks have lasted for hundreds of years because there is virtually no rain in Lima.

peru2024 — Because it was believed to have a divine connection, the 72-foot Peruvian temple was likely reserved for religious rites and ceremonies held by the communities' high priests. Furthermore, it was used for grand feasts and ritual banquets.

peru2024 — After lunch, we headed to the center of the old town to walk around.

peru2024 — The home of Francisco Pizarro who established Lima - and now the presidential place and seat of government.

peru2024 — Government building built in the 1700's in the Spanish style.

peru2024 — The Lima Cathedral - hard to get great pictures in the main plaza as the police had cordoned off the entire space.

peru2024 — We toured Casa de Aliaga. It dates back to May 1536, at the beginning of the founding of the city, and belonged to Conquistador Jeronimo de Aliaga who was Francisco Pizarro's partner in conquering the Inca Empire.

peru2024 — Beautiful tile and woodwork throughout the home.

peru2024 — While we were in the home the current owner and conquistador descendant came out and visited with us.

peru2024 — Mom posing before a portrait of the current owner.

peru2024 — Art work in the home's chapel.

peru2024 — The altar in the home's chapel.

peru2024 — City government buildings - beautiful.

peru2024 — A break in a cafe with our guide and historian, Gladys. Cal and Virginia Ann had chocolate tea - which was surprisingly good. Mom had an Inca Cola (owned by Coca-Cola) without ice which was terrible.

peru2024 — Setting sun on the windows of the Cathedral.

peru2024 — Sun lighting up the massive door knocker on the cathedral doors.

peru2024 — Wood detail on the supports for the balcony of the cathedral.

peru2024 — Setting sun on the Presidential Palace.

peru2024 — The headquarters of the House of Peruvian Literature housed in the old Desamparados Station which was the former train station.

peru2024 — Church of San Francisco of Jesus in the setting sun.

peru2024 — A pretty balcony of a home built over a hundred years ago.

peru2024 — Mom and Virginia Ann purchasing an Alpaca rug for Mary (Cal's sister).

peru2024 — The facade of the Convent of San Francisco.

peru2024 — Bell tower of the Convent of San Francisco.

peru2024 — The Convent of San Francisco - we returned the next day for a quick - very quick visit.

peru2024 — A long day as the sun sets in the old city of Lima.

Previous Day Prev P

Next Day Next N

Top

Top

Cal and VA | Adventures | Peru

© Cal and Virginia Ann Holman
All Rights Reserved 2000-2025 Do not use without permission.
Privacy Policy - Terms

Modified last on 2025-12-26