Lima, Peru (second time around)

Favourite Moment: Hitting the massive indoor market of Polvos Azules and finding a 2008 Reggaeton Compilation...yep...2008!! It has all the best Reggaeton tracks (well, only Reggaeton tracks!)..you guys are in for a treat when I get home....

So after some much needed rest and recuperation in the mountains, Eeva and I arrived back in Lima....and lucky for the two of us, we were in time to feast on the weekly BBQ that The Point puts on every Sunday night....mmm!! The BBQ went down a treat, after the exhausting bus ride...and when in Peru, do as the Peruvian...so I happily washed it all down with a few Cuba Libres (well, Peru...Cuba...kinda getting there!!!) of course....¿porque no?

Good thing I was rested, as I had another couple of crazy days and nights...met Jam-es and Ralph...a legendary pair if I say so myself!! Watch out for them though...they are trouble!! Became one of The Pointless Bars best customers...and provided Jan (new bartender) with loads of practice at pouring the various drinks...im so helpful and considerate?!

Ventured out and did a bit (more) shopping. This time Eeva, Jan and I hit Polvos Azules, which is an absolutely HUGE indoor black market. Supposedly everything is stolen merchandise...but I cant understand how the hell they manage to steal cameras with gigantic lenses let along plasma tv screens!! (ok, im not sure if there are plasmas...but you get the gist!!) The place is absolutely heaving and there is so much stuff ranging from clothing, dvds, music, electronics, food, toys, shoes.....its unbelievable!! I managed to restrain myself and only bought enough stuff that warranted me sending a 7kg parcel home!!

Eeva and I ventured further into the sprawling city of Lima on another occasion to do the cultural thang and check out the impressive colonial style churches, government buildings and plazas. It was the run up to the election, so there was a massive police presence on the street and the odd tank knocking about...nice!

We then ambled over to the Church of San Francisco, whose striking yellow steeples rise above a magnificent plaza where vendors sell handicrafts and snacks and visitors feed the ubiquitous pigeons. Inside the church are the beautiful main cathedral, a monastic library containing centuries-old tomes, paintings by important artists, gilded religious carvings, and a peaceful courtyard. Last but certainly not least, the spooky tunnels and caverns of the Catacombs, Lima's first cemetery, are found below the church.

The Catacombs served as Lima's first cemetery. The use of such crypts as cemeteries was common in Lima's churches and the San Francisco catacombs were in use until the middle 1800's. It is estimated that the bones of some 70,000 people rest here. Now that all sounds very interesting and eerie, but in fact the bones are now artistically arranged into photogenic patterns, which means the whole experience feels very contrived...and once you've seen one bone, you have most certainly seen 70,000!!

Umm...what more did we get up to in good ole Lima...ahhh...well I in fact met young Cathy and Brett, who consequently joined Eeva and I for the next leg of our travels....! They are a good pair....lots of fun, and a thoroughly bad influence!

More soon....xx