ALLIE: DAY 83: Monday, 7th of
May
Flying to Lima, a walk along the coast and a superb dinner at la ‘Rosa
Nautica’
the cloister at 'La Merced' |
My sleeping problems persist.
Every night is a struggle. I don’t know what to do about it. Since our flight
doesn’t leave until nearly midday we decide to catch up with the recommended
church ‘La Merced’.
Flight to Lima |
Coastline along Lima in the fog |
Thick fog hangs over the city and the coast. “That’s
normal”, Phil explains, “there is always fog here and it hardly ever clears”.
What a great prospective for the next couple of days! “
some brave paragliders |
A few paragliders take their chance to the winds and sail along the cliffs. It’s looks scary. What if they can’t get enough lift and crash against the rocks? But they sail about just like birds. Suddenly a ray of sun. Wow! I must be lucky.
Phil insists in taking me to the
most famous (and probably expensive!) restaurant in Lima: the ‘Rosa Nautica’.
This restaurant is situated on an old pier built by the Brits a hundred years
ago. We are lucky and get a table right overlooking the bashing waves.
At the famous 'Rosa Nautica' |
PHIL:
Day 83/7 May
looking down from Miraflores |
Before leaving for Lima there is one important ecclesiastical
monument to visit. The church
of La Merced , where
conquistador Pissaro is entombed – though sadly not on public view, which may
reflect a pro-indigenous policy in the 21st century, or perhaps just
‘restoration in progress’.
It encompasses a superb pillared cloister with oil
paintings hung on every wall and ceilings of intricately-carved wood. A
monstrance of gold encapsulating the world’s second largest natural pearl
(found in Costa Rica
and shaped like a mermaid) is the centrepiece of the museum.
beautiful house decorations in Lima |
The whole area is
permanently engulfed in sea fog arising from the offshore Humboldt current,
with the only seasonal changes being tempting glimpses of sunshine in summer
and penetrating drizzle in winter.
I recall a station engineer in my BOAC/BA
days bemoaning life in Lima
under the dull grey skies.
challenging modern art |
A curious anachronism, though, is fuel prices which
everywhere are quoted per US
gallon rather than litres. It will be interesting to see if this habit prevails
elsewhere in South and Central America .
This time the renowned seafood restaurant, perched on a Victorian-style pier over the crashing Pacific waves, is host to clients who look like artists and ambassadors and staffed by impeccably mannered waiters including two Master of Wine sommeliers.
Huge portions (and prices to match)
limit us to traditional ceviche (marinated fish) and an excellent Chilean
Chardonnay with my requisite heavy oaking.
Allie has dressed for the occasion in
her ‘smart hippie’ outfit of short skirt, a woven Inca belt bought in Urubamba,
and a pair of pink suede calf-length boots with traditional decoration sewn in
that I bought her in Cuzco. I felt quite bland by comparison.
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