Today we awoke in Lima, Peru, to the sweet sounds of somebody banging on pipes with a hammer or some other metal implement. In time, a beautiful harmony was made, as the shushing noises of other patrons were joined by the yelling and explanatory voices of the management. All of this was topped by the angry aria of another previously sleeping patron.
We were up.
Today was nice. We are both, I think, still feeling somewhat out if sorts and confused. This place is hectic and crazy, and the tour books and locals are filled with advice like "take a taxi home at night." So we are trying to figure out what it means to be here and to be here safely.
Today we visited first a restaurant, and enjoyed ceviche (seafood which is "cooked" in lime juice, very delicious) and some very basic meat and rice and peas dish. We were surrounded by workers of the orange vest variety, so we knew we had chosen humbly and chosen well.
We then walked downtown to see the cathedral, the shopping district (or rather, one of them), and the lovely and exciting Franciscan monastery. Like others I have seen in other countries, this one sported a bizarre and macabre display of human bones arranged, organized, and used to decorate.
After our trip down the path of bones, we took a taxi to another part of town, to visit a museum we had read of called "Museo Rafael Larco Herrera.". The museum is in the Pueblo Libre section of the city, and boasts a huge collection of pre-Columbian ceramics, as well as some textiles and metalwork. We went, however, mostly to check out their permanent collection of erotic ceramics, which was amazing, eye-opening, and, when
Standing next to middle-aged women, somewhat embarrasing.
The pieces had accompanying text like "deformed man with a female skeleton holding his erect penis" and "scenes of man and women performing male fellatio.".
One of my favorite pieces, which I heard a tour guide talk about, was a spouted vase type object. The top opening had holes all around it, which would make drinking rather messy. So, if one wished to drink, the spout was the only option. And the spout, of course, was in the shape of a big penis.
All in all, it was a fine day. We finished a long day by enjoying some pisco sours (the national cocktail) at an historic hotel, along with some fried snacks. And now, we are back at the hotel, quite early in fact, both tired and feeling like old people, but happy to get to sleep.
Tomorrow, to Cuzco.
Peru was a nutty time for me but I loved Cuzco! Enjoy it. Get a cheap massage, eat Guinea Pig and llama both are tasty and go see some ruins. There are so many ruins. Enjoy amigo. Don't drink the water or eat any street food! The cocoa tea didn't do a thing for me!
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