|  Lima,
located on the central western coast, is large, noisy, polluted
and shrouded in a misty coastal fog for much of the year. There
is a sunny period, December through April, when many coast and
highland people go to the beach. Despite the unimpressive landscape;
the friendly people, important historical sites, quality museums,
and variety of dining and entertainment establishments make Lima
a very interesting place to visit.
Festivities can be explored year-round in Lima.
The Lord of the Miracles (Senor de los Milagros),
the patron saint of Lima, is celebrated in October with a series
of street parades that include a life-size replica of Jesus carried
on an elaborate adorned altar. The faithful followers are adorned
in purple robes and the entire reverent, yet festive, occasion
is accompanied by music, singing, the ringing of ceremonial bells
and the burning of incense. October is also the month when the
bullfighting season begins. The best bullfighters of the world
come to compete for the Escapulario de Oro (the gold epaulet)
in the Plaza de Acho ring. Other celebrations throughout the year
include a wine harvest festival in March, and the Feria
del Pacifico international fair in November.
The Plaza de Armas is a great
starting point for exploring Lima. Stand in the middle of this
spacious and handsome square, by the 17th-centruy bronze fountain,
and you are at the historic heart of the city. On the north side
is the Government Palace, which was completed in 1938, and suffers
from the past of Peru's dictators of the time for grandiose French
baroque. On weekdays at 12:45 pm, you can see the changing of
the guard. The eastern side of the square is dominated by the
cathedral, which was reconstructed many times due to earthquakes.
Inside, the cathedral is large and unusually austere. Opposite
the cathedral is the Municiplidad de Lima, or
town hall. The pleasant interior includes a fine library. Next
to it on the square is the headquarters of the Club de la Union,
a lunchtime mixture of politicians and professionals.
 Lima
has many choices of museums to visit. The Museum of Anthropology
and Archaeology in the Plaza Bolivar is one of the most
interesting museums in South America, with a superb collection
of pottery and textiles from all the main cultures of ancient
Peru. The Museum of the Republic, contains exhibits
from the colonial and independence periods. The National Museum,
opened in 1990, in a neo-brutalist mausoleum on Av Javier Prado
Oeste in San Borja. The museum contains impressive mock-ups of
pre-Columbian archaeological sites, and an ingenious replica of
the Chavin stela, a massive carved stone idol. The Gold Museum
contains a private collection with some fine items and artifacts.
The Museum of the Inquisition, next to the Congress in the city
center, is in the building where generations of supposed heretics
were tortured and tied. The stocks in the underground dungeons
and torture chambers are originals.
The business district of San Isidro
and Miraflores are the main areas for shopping,
restaurants, cafes and theatres. At the top end of Av. Larco is
the Parque Kennedy, where artists sell paintings
during the weekend. Next to the Pacifico Cinima is the Café
Haiti, a prime spot for people-watching. Around the corner
in Ricardo Palma, is the more upmarket Vivaldi Café.
Walking down Diagonal you will find firstly great imported export-quality
Peruvian coffee in the highly trendy Café Café
and a little further on is a side street crammed with pizzerias
with open-air tables. A cobbled road leads down a gully to the
Costa Verde, as the sweep of beaches is called. |
