Indiana Genoveva conquista Lima...

                                       

Lima is the main city to the north of where I stayed.  When referring to Lima in this blog, it's like referring to Center City in Philadelphia as opposed to the metropolitan area. 


After flying into Lima the night before, Pilar took Nicole and I back into the city from Miraflores by taxi.  It was a short trip north along the coast, probably only about 20 minutes.  She directed the taxi driver to take us straight into "the old part" of Lima.  As we drove into the central plaza, I was incredibly surprised to see what was revealed by the first peek...everything was bright yellow!  Just like I mentioned in my previous entry, the old part of Lima was organized according to the standard plan of the main cathedral, government buildings, a museum, and all kinds of shops surrounding un zocalo with a fountain in the middle.

Interestingly enough, Pilar told me that each of these brightly colored yellow buildings used to be the homes of the important people in Lima long ago.  Miraflores was kind of like their weekend/beach getaway.

The main government building.

Main government building-not open for tours.

Me, Pilar, and Nicole on the steps inside the museum/previous home of the Catholic Archbishops.

One of the altars inside the museum.  Like many of the altars, this was actually originally carved out of wood and then covered in gold.

A door going into the main museum.

Outside of the museum.  A tiny Pilar and Nicole on the right hand side.

The cathedral in Lima.

I found the cathedral in Lima to be breathtaking.  I think the fact that Francisco Pizarro (the Spanish conquistador who captured Atahualpa and conquered the Incas) is buried there and the manificent photos speak for themselves.  What I found to be amazing was that absolutely every single thing other than the marble slabs inside of the chapel where Pizarro's tomb is held is a mosaic made out of 1" x 1" tiles.  Yes, every single thing you see within the tomb that covers not only the walls but also the ceiling and the floor.  EVERYTHING.

The home of the tomb of Francisco Pizarro off to the right hand side once you walk in through the main door of the cathedral.

Diagram of Pizarro's skeleton.



Tomb of Francisco Pizarro.



The altar across from Pizarro's tomb.  Yes, still all made of 1' x 1' tiles.

Once again, completely a tile mosaic.

A view of the main area of the cathedral.

Below the cathedral.

The skulls below the cathedral.