Glenna's memories: Down Town Lima Peru

Marco Jr. took Cynthia, Dumenico and myself to down town Lima today. There were several points of interest he wanted us to see. After a wild taxi ride we got out at the Plaza San Martin and walked across the Plaza. Marco told us about a hotel that was very interesting so we went in to look around. Gran Hotel Bolivar since 1924. For a room for one (single) it was $65 and a deluxe room is $110 and Presidential Suite it is $170 per night.

Notice the marble pillers and the great wood around the door at the entrance. You can tell it is old but still looks elegant.

This old car Ford Model T 1920 was in a room off the entry, next to the office. This is Dumenico and me.

This is looking up at the ceiling in the hotel. Really my picture couldn't do it justice.

this is looking down one of the halls.

This is one of the buildings around the Plaza. Here is Marco Jr., Cynthia and Dumenico. We are deciding on what to do next.

This is looking across the Plasa at the Peruvian White House. Marco Jr. and Cynthia. Marco was telling us there used to be a very fine wooded area in this plaza but there was either an assination or an attempted assination so who ever was in power at the time had most of the trees cut down so foil any other attempts. After this picture we walked over toward the White House and there was a lot of police and military personel around and we wondered why. Anyway there is a river running through to the left of the White House and we went there to see that then back by the White house and found they had an exibition of gold and silver artifacts plus a lot of nativities so for no cost we were allowed in to view it. We did have to show our identification, for Cynthia and myself we had to show our passports.

This is the end of the White House and you can see the soldiers (2) standing guard, the more part of them were at the other end. I wish I had a better view of the statues is a Nacimiento which is a nativity and is permanent.

This is still in the Plaza and in the back ground you will see a cow statue, they are all over the place and each one is "dressed" different this one has all she will need for milking. The yellow building is the San Francisco Monistary, we went in there to tour the church (no pictures allowed taken) anyway the building was very nice and the pictures were mostly 400 years old. They took some pictures down and under them was pictures painted on the walls that were awesome. We went all through it and even into the basement if you can call it that. There was bins and bins of bones from people buried there, not actually burried and they think there were somewhere around 25000 people put there. Not a pretty sight and yes they were dead before being put there.

They call it the catacombs. Google Monestary San Francisco Lima Peru and you will see a better picture and more information.

Next we went on down a street and Marco was telling us about a house that at one time was the tallest house in Lima. It was built by a person that was in the shipping industry. He made his house taller so he could see the sea from the top. At the time he built there was not the smog they have now so was clear.

The houses were not over two stories high so he made his three stories with the fourth story a place to go to see the sea and his ships. :) Another thing about him he was not a "nobleman" so did things different in his house. For one thing when you came into the entry the stairs going to the second floor was to the left, not the right as convention stated, nor straight ahead as they would be if you were friends with the conquistadores. A man of his own ideas.

I picture of the front of the house but now it is painted blue and under the direction of the Minister of Education. The house had a wonderful library room and in that room are medical books from 1556 and bound in Calf leather.

This is the entry and it looks like a rug but is really pebbles in a mortor. Look at the hugh water vessel.

Looking down from the third floor to the second then to the entry. The gated door on the bottom led to the servants quarters, there are 40 rooms in this house. The staris to the third floor were very narrow and they said it was in defence of the house it would make it harder for an intruder to fight them. I really don't know if that was the case of not but it sounds good. :)

Here we are standing on top the 3rd floor, our guide and another young woman that was going through this with us. Cynthia and Dumenico.

Here we are on the top most level, Marco Jr. is busy taking photos, leaning on the railing that looks none to safe. Will show you some pictures of the back side of the roof area and guide told us that 60 families live in that back area that looks none to nice.

This is the roof area and you can see it is really in need of help.

You can see the laundry to the right of the picture.

Our guide took this picture of all of us. Marco, Cynthia, Myself and Dumenico. We are up on the fourth level. Boy the camera is not nice to us we all look about 20 pounds heavier then we are. Don't know why but my feet and legs have been swollen ever since we got here. Guess I don't sit down with my feet up like I do at home. :)

In this house there was a great library and this picture is of a medical book that is dated 1556 there is a very nice book case with a lot of these books and they are bound in calf leather. Marco Jr. took several pictures and there were pictures of how to manipulate the body for choirpractic moves. Looked like torchure to me!

I needed to have a rest so found this over size chair, with leather seat and back that was very comfortable.

Marco Jr. took this picture because of the color of the building and the way it is showing the old and need of repair. I told him he was showing the "old" with the "old". So he had his mom take the next picture and that will be the last one for this time. We walked so much my feet were killing me so we stopped in a little cafe and had a dish of icecream then walked some more and found another taxi to take us home. As usual it was another fast and furious ride and being at the rush hour that made it more exciting. :)

Marco is always looking at textures and colors.

Oh yes forgot to mention when we came out of the Seamans house a woman came up to us and kept looking at me and said in Spanish so Marco had to tell me what she said. "you look exactly like Maria Reiche" this woman was a german Mathematician and Archeologist. If you google her name you can find out about her. I just found it interesting that someone would tell me this. So I will have to look her up and see if there is a picture of her. :)