My journal blog has lots more detail of our trip to Lima, Peru last week. If anyone is interested in reading it (warning, it's very long), let me know and I'll send you an invitation. Suffice it to say, Bryce and I had a wonderful trip to Peru. He was able to meet with many high ranking officials there, and I was invited along to the meetings. It was a very worthwhile trip. Last month if you had told me I'd be posting about a trip to Peru, I'd have thought you were crazy! This trip came about very quickly. Bryce's center will be working with the people in Peru to help persons with disabilities. Bryce got a new camera (that belongs to the office) for this trip, and many of the pictures I'd like to post here are still on his camera. I'll have to come back later and add a few more. But here are just a few snippets of what we experienced.
This is a typical street scene in Lima. These busses are like glorified Taxis, only cheaper. The driver has a helper and they fill their bus and take people where they want to go, with no set route. So, if you have more time than money, they are the choice. They really cram people in because the more they can take, the more money they earn.
This is the Presidential Palace. The president of Peru stays in office five years. The guards by the door are specific to the palace and have a "changing of the guard" ceremony twice a day. We had a wonderful meeting with the first lady. She was so excited to share with us the things she is doing to help the underprivileged in Peru. The LDS church's newborn kits are a favorite of hers. She had one on display in her office. Our meeting with her was not here.
These balconies were built on the buildings by the Spaniards who came to Peru. They could sit inside and look out without being seen. We toured one of the palaces which is now being used by the Foreign Ministry's office and were taken into a balcony similar to this one. We met with the wife of the Foreign minister at that building.
Everywhere we went, we were asked if we wanted to drink a "Pisco Sour." It is the national drink of Peru. Pisco is distilled from grapes and is over 40% alcohol content. In July, when Peru celebrates it's independence, this fountain which is in the center of the city has it's water replaced with Pisco Sour for one day of celebration.
This statue of "The Kiss" is in the love park in MiraFlores, the area where we stayed. I guess the Peruvians must really be proud of this park and the statue because every time we went past it, it was pointed out to us. I understand that they have a kissing contest here yearly and that the world record for kissing was made here.Our hotel, the JW Marriott, and the view from our room. The shopping center below is called "LarcoMar." It doesn't look like it, but there are three levels, many large and small stores and restaurants including a food court area. Below LarcoMar, there are cliffs. You can't get from LarcoMar to the ocean by foot.
Here we are sitting in one of the restaurants at LarcoMar having lunch. Bryce has Cebiche and I have Paella. We shared these two dishes. Paella is actually Spanish, not Peruvian, but was available and delicious.
Top picture is Prawn Causas. The yellow layer is a type of Peruvian potato mashed with garlic and lime and other wonderful things. We saw a lot of asparagus as well. Also in the layers is a type of hominy and some large peas and carrots. We had Causas at another restaurant as well, but it was served as a log wrapped around the filling and then cut in half on a diagonal. The middle picture is us at the same restaurant again. Bryce has the Causas and I have shrimp skewers, but we usually shared our food so that we could try everything. And that bottom picture is the last of the Cebiche. See the octopus and Calamari? Cebiche was always served with a piece of yam and some large corn like hominy.
No comments:
Post a Comment