Hola once again! Now if you read the last blog entry you’ll know that I didn’t have the quickest journey to get to Lima and I arrived sleep deprived and highly irritable. I hoped that a night’s sleep would leave me refreshed and rejuvinated but alas, woke up and was confronted with what I can only describe as Quite The Sight in the mirror. Dehydration and fluid retention had taken up residence in my face and somehow my eyes were simultaneously puffy AND recessed. Tempting as it was to retreat back under the covers and whimper for a day, I decided to drag myself outside and inflict my sorry appearance on the general public.
A twenty minute taxi trip and I was deposited in the Plaza Del Armas to start exploring. Mercifully the Limeans didn’t shirk away upon seeing me, and I didn’t witness anyone shielding their children’s eyes whispering ‘don’t look!’
Such A Pretty City
The Archbishop’s Palace Museum was my first stop. You’ve got to agree, it’s a genuinely beautiful building.
Points for attention to detail
It’s home to a large collection of artworks and I took some pics for you, Jarrod, in case you need any inspiration for your next series of tattoos. I’m thinking maybe a homage to Virgins in Catholicism would be great on you. Virgins are easily identified by their beatific expressions. That and the shoes they wear made of babies heads…
You’ll feel as though you’re walking on air
From the Museum, I ambled next door to the Lima Cathedral and Museum of Religious Art. This place is something else. Construction began in 1584 but it wasn’t completed till 1622 so it’s what you might call a stylistic pot-pourri, with elements of Elizabethan Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical and Neocolonial. (I wish I could pretend that I clocked all of these elements on my own, and tutted about the lack of architectural consistency…but actually the information is all in the comprehensive English brochure that they provide you).
The Cathedral has about 16 little niches that are decorated in what I would describe as a classic ‘More Is More Style.’ They make Franco Cozzo look like minimalist Scandinavian design. (This reference probably won’t make sense to non-Melburnians but a quick google search will show you that Franco Cozzo is your one stop shop if you want a marble bed in the shape of a giant seashell adorned with cherubs)
It’s subtle, but I like it
Right, what have the neighbours done, because I’m going to go one better. That’s right. From beyond the grave.
Some of them are tombs, some little chapels dedicated to saints. I’m fairly sure this one tells the story of a debaucherous booze cruise in Malaga-
Shit got crazy before we even left shore
They also have little ante rooms with other artworks and statues on display.
Dear Diary, well, my Movember is off to a cracking start but sadly the donations are only trickling in
I don’t know if this little display depicts the story of Herod ordering all newborn boys to be killed, or maybe it’s portraying the baby beheadings that occurred to make the virgins shoes mentioned earlier?
Come on ladies, nobody likes a virgin with calluses
…and those baby head shoes don’t make themselves
Down a set of stairs at the back you’re confronted with some human remains in a grave. I’m not clear on when they date from exactly but she appears to be clutching a pamphlet for the cathedral, so it’s entirely possible they were in fact tourists who leant over the safety barrier just a little too far.
We didn’t realise the tour was going to be quite so immersive
Before we leave the Cathedral, I’d be remiss if I didn’t show you one quick peek at what the blend of all those styles gives you–
Leave it to the Elizabethan Gothic/ NeoClassic/ NeoColonial/ Renaissance types to fight over who gets final credit
From the main square, two blocks walk brings me to the San Fransico Monastery for a tour of the monastery and catacombs.
It’s absolutely forbidden to take photos in there so these images are grabs from postcards purchased in your classic ‘exit via the gift shop.’
The catacombs were discovered in 1943 and it’s estimated that 25,000 bodies were laid to rest there. Obviously they weren’t arranged like this when discovered, the archaeologists did that because that’s what archaeologists like to do: dust things gently with brushes, and arrange things in patterns that are appealing to the eye. You should see their platters for parties. Unbelievable.
Any archaeologist worth his salt knows that a rosetta formation is the way to display your skulls
I’ve met the tour group and our gorgeous leader Jess, and we’ve had a break the ice dinner at an exquisite little restaurant in Barrasco where we bonded over Pisco Sours, and I sampled one of their specialty dishes which is Bull’s Heart. (Apparently the way to a Bull’s Heart is with a wooden skewer and some delicious seasoning)
Wish I had arrived a day or two earlier and had more time to explore this city because I’ve barely scratched the surface really, but I’m throwing the question over to you. Lima- Jarrod, would you go there?
San Fransico Monastery from up top, above the bones
OMG !! Yes I’ve been waiting to use that …
The trip of a lifetime – how fortunate you are to have such an experience.
Sure if some of our fellow earthlings of a different persuasion were to view the virgins you are seeing, they may not be as keen to go after 72 of them in the hereafter.
Franco Cozzo would concur with you that the cathedrals and palaces are really opulent. However, like those of other countries, races & religions etc, they really are ‘over the top’, especially with some of those catacombs which I regard as ‘creepy final resting places’. I mean, patterned remains! . For f… sake!
As with the San Fransico monastery above, the buildings themselves do however make great shelters for the homeless pigeons.
On the other hand, maybe their construction was the equivalent of ‘work for the dole schemes’ of their day. They certainly have stood the test of time which is more than can be said for today’s buildings.
Another great read, Meg. x