Today everyone in mi casa went to el centro de Lima to look at pretty buildings and see the changing of guards. Morgan, the girl from France who lives in my house, managed to get everyone out of the house by 10:30 (impressive!) in order to be in at the centro by 12:00.
Note: I failed to describe earlier in my blog how I transport myself everywhere. Lima is not small. This is an understatement. Lima is HUGE. We can walk some places, but usually we take the private bus system in Lima. This sounds fancy but there is no public transportation. In reality, the buses are called combis and micros and consist of rundown vans and buses with a driver and another person hanging out the door or window yelling where they are going. You rush on and off a combi. They rush everywhere too. I'm actually quite impressed by the drivers ability to weave in and out of traffic with a packed bus and stop at a moments notice to pick up someone. I also feel like praying every time I get on one. But, they only cost 1 sole (about 50 cents).
Back to today. After we survived yet another combi trip we arrived in the centro. We walked rapidly through parque de universitario and a street with lots of stores in colonial style building, finally arriving in the Plaza de Armas. Where, we were greeted with a surprise parade of traditional style music and dancers. If you are my facebook friend, you can view the video I am going to post after this. Otherwise, I guess you won't.
After this parade, the changing of guards was a little disappointing. Mostly a bunch of men in uniform doing a silly walk to music. But I guess I am more cultured because of it.
We also had the chance to enter the Cathedral across the square at the end of Mass to see the recessional and take some photos before getting yelled at that we shouldn't be using flash and that there are guided tours Monday-Saturday. Opps.
This is one of the beautiful sculpture "rooms" they had in the Cathedral.
You can't tell, but I'm peering through bars.
After a short walk which included discovering a park with some ruins in it, we were STARVING. We satisfied this hunger at Wallys. Wallys only has chicken. So first we had a soup with some chicken feet in it (which I ate around), then pollo de brasa and fries which was very good. All this washed down with the famouse Inca Cola, the premier soda of Peru. Which happens to taste exactly like bubblegum and is overwhelmingly sweet. All this for only 8.50 soles! And we had a waiter who told us his name is Luis and he works every Sunday if we want to come back.
After lunch some went home, and some of us (me) went on a little walk around the centro with ice cream. There were a bunch of different street performers and we discovered the spectacular China town they have here.
Finally, we took another combi home on which we got a little lost. But, just as soon as we were lost we asked directions and found ourselves a new combi which dropped off a block from the house. All's well that ends well.
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