We flew on Interjet Airlines, lots of legroom in economy, transited in Mexico City, and then we were in Lima. Since the Airport Bus does not go to Barranco and it was getting dark, we took the easy way of a prepay taxi (Taxi Green) contributing to the already very congested roadways of Lima.
Lima has changed discernibly since we were here in 2010 and 2011. Though not the quite the high rise forests of China, the amount of economic activities is nevertheless impressive. We chose to base ourselves in Barranco this time, as it is touted by all the guidebooks and recommended by our friends, mostly because we had expected to overlap some Barranco 145-year anniversary festivities. While the charms of Barranco didn't escape us, my heart is still with Centro Historico.
Two interesting natural phenomena happened when we were in Lima: 1) We experienced a 4.5 earthquake, centered right off the coast of Lima, from our 4th floor apartment 2) On Oct 25 the noontime sun was exactly overhead, creating zero shadow, the closest we have ever been.
The balcony of our 4th floor apartment, just a minute from the Plaza and the Metropolitano BRT.
Plaza de Barranco; the town center. Most evenings we enjoyed the 145-year anniversary events going on there.
Just a few steps from the Plaza, the Bridge of Sighs is popular day and night.
Many murals around Centro Barranco.
One evening event for the 145th Anniversary featured a hard rock band. Nice!
Another evening, a singer-songwriter and rapper. And there were always several buskers.
On Saturday there was a contest to paint a portrait of beloved Peruvian singer Chabuca Granda. We stopped by several times to check on their progress, and later the winning paintings were on display.
Also, Saturday evening was Museum Night and all the Barranco museums were free. The MATE, Mario Testino Museum, had an amazing collection of Testino photos. Beautifully displayed. No wonder he's world famous.
And the Museo Pedro de Osma, housed in the Osma family mansion, was a stunning venue with an array of special activities
Inside another old mansion, now the art gallery 80m2 Livia Benavides.
We also had some very good vegetarian meals in Barranco, all veg-friendly although not 100% vegetarian restaurants. Lunch at La Bio Cafeta.
At Sr. Roos. Super friendly and featuring a Vegetarian Menu del Dia.
Not to forget the very friendly family-run Barranco Burger diner with a full array of non-meat burgers.
Seemed like we were always walking by this old mansion.
And this Art Deco gem.
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One day we rode the Metropolitano BRT to Centro Lima. That was the day the sun was directly overhead at noon. Here's my attempt to capture the moment in a photo, an orange traffic cone with no shadow.
Between the BRT and Plaza de Arnas is this Art Deco McDonalds, and below my photo from 2011 = yellow ;-).
The Plaze de Armas was tightly policed to say the least.
Our main sightseeing goal was to visit Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo which we somehow missed in 2011. The highlight of our visit was a climb up to the top of the Bell Tower.
View of the Basilica on the way up the Bell Tower.
A look down into one of the tranquillo cloisters.
To the old train station and Rio Rimac.
View to Plaza de Armas.
Into a chapel.
The Convento library was very cool.
Only the band was allowed in the Plaza de Armas for the noon Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Centro Lima has many vegetarian restaurants. We had lunch at Manantial Restaurant Vegetariano.
Looking to the Chinatown Barrio Chino Gate. The amount of commerce in Chinatown was amazing.
Looking to Lima Desamparados Railway Station.
The railway station building is now the House of the Peruvian Literature.
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