CALLAO, PERU (LIMA)

Our ship docked at 7:00am in the port of Callao, located about 9 miles west of Lima.  This port is an extremely large working port that can accommodate 50 or more tankers at any given time.  This makes the dock area very congested and confusing.  You are not allowed to walk around the docks on your own but NCL provided free shuttle buses to transfer us off the docks.   

Due to extensive construction taking place while we were in port, getting off the docks proved to be a bit of a challenge, taking 25 minutes from the time we boarded our bus until we were dropped at the ‘transportation center’ just outside the dock gates.  I use the word ‘transportation center’ with tongue in cheek.  The immediate area around the docks is known to be very dangerous and you should not wander around here on your own.   

Once we arrived at the ‘transportation center’ we were relieved to immediately be greeted by Edwin, our tour guide from Haku Tours. Huka Tours is a non-profit organization and a 100% local tour company. The tour for today was arranged by Elaine Child, who I connected with on the Cruise Critics board.  Our group total was 14.   Elaine put a fabulous tour itinerary together which included both financial spectrums of Lima, shantytown in the morning and the City of Kings and Queens in the afternoon.  We were going to experience “the real Peru” with our morning visit to shantytown and then head to Plaza Mayor in downtown Lima to take a look at the classic historic Lima.

Our drive took us south, right along the coast route, past the upscale Miraflores area.

Perched on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, Miraflores is known for its shopping areas, gardens and flower-filled parks and beaches.  After about 45 minutes of driving, we turned inland and headed toward Potato Mountain.  Here we made our first stop, the local market. Edwin lead us on a leisurely walk through the market making several stops to let us sample local items including avocados, red bananas and cactus.   To me there seemed to be an abundance of stalls selling potatoes.  I would learn that Peru grows 4,000 different types of potatoes. 

Explanation and tasting of local produce

Next Edwin introduced us to a local shaman.  Shamanism is the oldest psychospiritual tradition known to humankind.  Edwin related to us that the shaman we were meeting comes from a long lineage of shamans that included his father and grandfather.  As I listened to Edwin trying to explain what a shaman does, I came away with an understanding that it is a form of folk healing that includes various techniques such as prayer, herbal medicine, healing rituals, spiritualism, and psychic healing and treats a wide range of social, spiritual, psychological, and physical problems including everything from headaches, gastrointestinal problems, back pain and fever to anxiety, irritability, fatigue, depression, "bad luck" and marital discord. 

Local Shaman

Villa El Salvador, the shantytown area that Edwin introduced us to, is a vast urban zone, divided into a series of smaller communities of around 800 inhabitants, each self-organizing and run by community leaders, most of whom are women.  Largely through the efforts of its inhabitants, several of the communities now have electricity, water, and sewage.

Small portion of this shantytown area

Streets in shantytown

Our group

Locals

Locals

Locals

 Edwin was born in this shantytown area but says he was fortunate to find a way to leave, obtain an education and later return to his ‘roots’ to provide humanitarian aid to this severely impoverished area.  Edwin reminded us that a staggering 80% of the population of Lima live in shantytowns.   

As we walked along the dirt streets, we learned about the community structure, it’s development, the urbanization projects, politics, religion and how his company, Haku Tours, provides aid and support to the area.  We had bought along vegetables and bread that had been purchased at our market stop and were able to hand these out to families as we strolled through the communities.

At one point I was able to interact with 2 young boys standing in the door of their dirt floor home.  We also made a stop at a pre-school where the children sang and danced for us. 

2 young boys who came out to greet us

 Our last stop here was a school with 80 children.  Our group had brought in several items to present to the children and the school.  All natural fruit treats, colored beads, pencils, crayons, stuffed animals and other items were taken into the school. It was fun to see the excitement on the faces of the kids as they formed an orderly line to receive 1 pencil and 1 crayon each.  We were reminded not to give the children anything with sugar because they have no dentist in the community and can’t afford to have dental work done.  This was truly a highlight of our tour.

Lining up to receive 1 pencil and 1 crayon each

Inside the school meeting the children

One of the moms outside the school gates

Next stop, downtown Lima.  Here we viewed the palaces and castles of the city from a balcony view where we enjoyed our lunch break.   Edwin had taken us to a restaurant owned by Juan Carlos called Restaurant Olamo Terraza.  As we sat outside under the bright yellow umbrellas, we soaked in the view from our 4^th floor vantage point to the Plaza Mayor below, while we enjoyed our individual menu selections.  I opted for the avacado salad, which came with lettuce, tomatoes and onions and a main course of pan fried sea bass on a bed of boiled potatoes.  I also tried out the local Peru beer.  All was edpertly prepared, flavorful and plated well.

Plaza Mayor

Plaza view from the restaurant

 As we left the restaurant we walked through Bar Cordano.  A Lima institution since 1905, this old-world dining hall has served practically every Peruvian president for the last 100 years, probably because the presidential palace is right across the street.  This was also a favorite spot of Ernest Hemingway.

Bar Cordano in downtown Lima

There happened to be a Miners strike going on while we were in town so we did witness a hugh police presence, including a tank.   Thankfully it was a silent protest with no physical disturbances. 

Police presence due to Miners strike

Our last stop would be the Saint Francisco Monastery.  Just a short couple blocks from Plaza Mayor, we did some last minute shopping along the way. 

Purchasing from local women

Colorful costumes

Aside from the church and monastery it also contains a library and catacombs. The church and monastery were consecrated in 1673 and completed in 1774.  After surviving earthquakes in both 1687 and 1746, it suffered extensive damage in the earthquake of 1970.  The architectural style is Spanish Baroque with the head alter carved out of wood.  The corridors of the main cloister are inlaid with Sevillian glazed tiles dating from the 1620s, painted by hand so each one is unique   

Saint Francisco Monastery

Due to time constraints we were not able to tour the library but in May of this year I spent 3 weeks in Peru and was able to check out the library.  This is certainly worth spending a little extra time here.  It is world-renowned containing over 25,000 antique texts pre dating the conquest.   I thought one of the most notable books was the Holy Bible dating 1571 printed in Antwerp. This photo was taken on my prior visit to Peru. 

 

Library

As we walked through the refectory one couldn’t help notice 13 large paintings on either side of you.  They represented the biblical patriarch Jacob and his 12 sons and were done by the hand of Spanish master Francisco de Zurbaran.  There was also a replica painting of the last supper depicting Peruvian ingredients such as guinea pig, potatoes and chillis.  I also found it interesting that the picture contained Judas with the Devil hovering besides him.

Finally, it was down to the catacombs.  Discovered in 1943, the catacombs contain thousands of skulls and bones having served as a burial-place until 1808, when the city cemetery was opened outside Lima.  Dark, mysterious and somewhat eerie, I was fascinated at the way they chose to ‘display’ the bones.  After a limestone decay process was completed the Monks would place the bones in different patterns in different areas.  It is said to conserve space.   

Bones of the catacombs arranged in interesting designs

We left downtown Lima and made our way back to the pier, arriving at 5:00pm.  Our sailing time tonight was scheduled for 6:00pm.    Another great day of adventure.