Lima Sept 21

Sunday 21 September and my body has not yet synchronised to the time zone. Again awake at 3 am local time. Mind you the car alarms and the horn tooting from the taxis does not help either. 

Finally the daylight occurs and I head off to breakfast. Yesterday there was a couple from Jindabyne today there were a French couple, who were up earlier than me at breakfast.

View from roof top breakfast room

The plan for me for today was to catch a bus into the main part of the city and walk around. Also to purchase a tour ticket for The Magic Water Circuit (Circuito Mágico del Agua).

First stop was the Mirutour bus office, and the purchase of the ticket for tonight. Then a walk the bus stop at Ricardo Palma where it crosses the Paseo de la Republica. Here I had some help with the automatic machine by the traffic officer. I inserted my 10 sols which gives me my tap on card and 5 sols worth of travel. I can reuse the card, so this is not bad. Mind you 10 sols is only 3.90 Aust.. So down through the tap area and the ride is 2.50. Down the stairs. It is like the M2 in Sydney. The buses have their own area for stopping in the middle of the dual lanes. As the doors open for the bus so do the doors of the bus stop. Mind you sometime these are open, so if you had children you would need to be watching them. There are no steps to get on or off the bus, just a gap. Once one, we are away. Simple as. 

Then into the old city area. This buses stop is underneath the Paseo De Los Heroes Navales. And this whole area covers the whole bus stop. It is a junction of north South buses to the east west ones. You can change without having to repay a fair. I was happy to walk up to the surface and start me own exploring. 

Photos from Paseo De Los Heroes Navales

 

Sunday, churches were open and services underway. You can walk in and look. Photos were being taken, most people were good and did not use a flash, others well, they did. However there were signs around to say turn your mobile phones off. 

I went to the Plaza San Martin then onto the Plaza mayor. This plaza is to one in front of presidential palace.Walking around plaza del mayor, I went into the catedral de Lima

It was here also yesterday that I saw the construction of the tiered seating in front of the presidential palace. Now at 1030 it is still empty. There is the normal crowd control bars up, so I just lean against them at wait. At least I have a front row place. As it approaches 1100 there is movement. It seems I am in a line. Security is looking at the identification of the people and then allowing them into the stand. I show my passport and I am allowed through. So I had a seat and a view. 1130 arrived at the show began and by this time the stand was full and there were lots trying to get other vantage points were ever they could. 

The mounted horses arrived carrying the band. They played and the horses stood, the crowd clapped. All in the meantime in the background the president stood and watched. The band played five tunes, then went inside the courtyard. The horse riding demonstration commenced. All up an hour of entertainment and for free. Bonus. 

  

 

 

Now that this is finished I headed back to the bus terminal and then back to Miraflores. I missed my stop for getting off but not to worry the next one only meant I had a different walk. All good. Then late lunch or early dinner ready for the bus tour.

Hat coat and scarf as this is an open bus tour at night, and the nights are not warm yet. Off to the meaning point and away we go. The park is open Wednesday to Sunday and it is fun. A great place to take children and there are 30 fountains. We only saw a few and the main light and water show at 0830. 

we walked around and loked atthe fountains and lights. The main show was god, but it was a little to reptitive. 

Then off to the sherriton hotel for coffee. I think this is due to most Peruvian people not seeing inside such a place. But I would not say it was anything grand. No massive OMG object to go wow at. No paintings or chandlers.

Then back to my motel and bed. It was now 1130 pm.