Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage, Callao, Peru... Part 1 of 2

Well, it was up at 5:30 this morning to catch photos as we sailed into Callao, Peru…  The early hour was due to our scheduled arrival at 7:00 am.  Must to my dismay, it was heavily overcast skies and fog.  Hate when that happens!  Cathy, Ann and I caught the 7:30 am shuttle to the port gate. The day started out slow, the driver was in an accident and had to change vehicles so we started a bit late. After leaving the port, we stopped in Callao at the Royal Felipe Fortress…the fortress was very large, spaced over a seven- block perimeter. Next, we walked a few streets in the downtown area to see the old buildings and wall murals. After leaving Callao, we headed to Pachacamac Archeological site. We started our tour at the House of the Chosen Women, Taurichumpi’s Palace and climbed up to the Temple of the Sun/Painted Temple for a great view of the ruins on the outskirts of Lima. Leaving Pachacama, we headed for the Solar Headlands in the Chorrillos district high above the city of Lima. Driving up the mountain we got to see the squatters’ homes also known as favellas in South America...There are several statues on the hill, including the Unknown Soldier, Miguel Iglesias, Christ of the Pacific, Sanctuary of the Virgin of Morro Solar and the Planetarium. I was able to get some good views of Lima and Miraflores from on high. After our descent from the mountain, we drove through the bohemian area known as Barranco. We walked over the Bridge of Sighs and took in the fantastic wall art. Our first stop in the Historic Lima area was the San Martin Square, the second most important square in downtown Lima, this square was built early in the 20th century and was named after the giant monument of the liberator Jose de San Martin. We then went into Lima fist modern hotel, the Gran Hotel Bolivar built in 1924…what a beautiful hotel! Making our way to the Main Square we visited the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo…the convent was founded in 1535 by the Dominican order. The Convent itself was stunning. The library was large for its time and still houses over 25,000 volumes.  We made our way to the Plaza de Armas de Lima; this is the main and largest square in Lima surrounded by beautiful architecture...Like our last visit to this Square it was closed to the public due to protests. We were able to get some shots from the perimeter of the Cathedral of Lima, the Presidential Palace and the City Hall Palace. This time we passed on touring with the Casa Aliaga near Lima's main square. It is most astonishing that the home has been in the same family since 1535. At least the mortgage should be paid off... We walked a number of blocks on Union Street, the famous colonial street in Lima, meet up with our driver and headed back to the port. It was a full day but great day touring with our Guide Alfredo and driver Christian.