Lima through the Lens

Life usually throws me surprises in the form of embarrassing ailments and disfigurements.

For instance, I was really quite marveled by that one time my face was temporarily paralyzed after a spectacular Hawaiian fishing trip. And I can’t explain the joys I experienced when a Peruvian parasite showed up out of the blue and hung around for a month or so tormenting my intestines. (I’ve discovered these little monsters will make me millions as the latest fad in weight loss!)

Well, I’m sure you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to find myself in Lima, a destination far off track from our planned backpacking destinations, in rather decent physical condition. (Minus the fact this unexpected detour was due to my aforementioned little bug that joined the trip three weeks prior.)

With almost no knowledge of the city, we spent our two days at the center of the capital, ducking into every Spanish colonial monastery and history museum we came across while getting our seafood fix .

Lima’s church circuit took us underground to the depths of Convento de San Francisco (pictured above, top) through the catacombs of the city’s first cemetery, and to the peaks of bell towers overlooking the capital, as seen from atop of Monastery of Santo Domingo.

We got a feel for where the powerful squander during the changing of the guards at the Government’s Palace in Plaza Mayor (above, top), and where Lima’s immigrant population have established communities in barriadas at the outskirts of town (above, bottom). And don’t even get me started on the cathedrals. Heaven on Earth.

For someone who hasn’t made it to Europe yet, I was obsessed with the architecture, and how romantic the city felt at every hour of the day. Even the bull ring had an air if elegance, before the show , that is.

Lima, I will be back.

xo
J