Having missed out on Machu Picchu many years ago I decided to definitely return and visit it.....
........and added on a trip to the Galapagos Islands.
As I find it good to be able to communicate a little I signed up for some Spanish classes first!
I found a small school in the Miraflores part of Lima, the Peruwayna, and can definitely recommend. Their location is ideal and it actually had quite a number of students at different levels.
One observation....somewhat unexpected......the climate in Lima is such that even in summer it is almost permanently overcast, but never rains! My first view of the Pacific was underwhelming!
There are lots of hotels in the area, which is considered chic and I chose a Peruvian chain hotel, the Casa Andina Premium. I chose it in part because it has a pool......that was before I knew the weather would be overcast! So I actually never visited the pool! The architecture of the hotel is quite interesting....
I also chose it because it was an easy walk to the school.
Another observation.......pedestrians have no rights in Peru! Most corners had lines of cars, no traffic lights and no-one was in any way inclined to stop..... unless they had to.
One of the close-by historic highlights of Lima is the 1500 year old Huaca Pucllana...... this was totally covered with earth until 1963 and was used by motocross riders.....
Only roughly half has been excavated.......maybe in another 40 years it will be finished!
It is difficult to describe how large it is......500m long and 20m high and 30 m deep.
No open interior spaces were found within the structure. So, no burial chambers.....but they did find pottery and fish bones!
It is built with upright sun baked bricks, sort of like books on a bookshelf...... apparently the air gaps gave it the ability to withstand earthquakes.
Given the fact that most of the centre of Lima has been badly damaged by earthquakes over the years (the Cathedral had to be rebuilt twice!) ........ it would seem that their building method works!
They have a very nice restaurant overlooking the site. I went during the day for lunch but apparently it is fantastic in the evening when the site is lit up.
...and they do a great ceviche!
........and added on a trip to the Galapagos Islands.
As I find it good to be able to communicate a little I signed up for some Spanish classes first!
I found a small school in the Miraflores part of Lima, the Peruwayna, and can definitely recommend. Their location is ideal and it actually had quite a number of students at different levels.
One observation....somewhat unexpected......the climate in Lima is such that even in summer it is almost permanently overcast, but never rains! My first view of the Pacific was underwhelming!
There are lots of hotels in the area, which is considered chic and I chose a Peruvian chain hotel, the Casa Andina Premium. I chose it in part because it has a pool......that was before I knew the weather would be overcast! So I actually never visited the pool! The architecture of the hotel is quite interesting....
I also chose it because it was an easy walk to the school.
Another observation.......pedestrians have no rights in Peru! Most corners had lines of cars, no traffic lights and no-one was in any way inclined to stop..... unless they had to.
One of the close-by historic highlights of Lima is the 1500 year old Huaca Pucllana...... this was totally covered with earth until 1963 and was used by motocross riders.....
Only roughly half has been excavated.......maybe in another 40 years it will be finished!
It is difficult to describe how large it is......500m long and 20m high and 30 m deep.
No open interior spaces were found within the structure. So, no burial chambers.....but they did find pottery and fish bones!
It is built with upright sun baked bricks, sort of like books on a bookshelf...... apparently the air gaps gave it the ability to withstand earthquakes.
Given the fact that most of the centre of Lima has been badly damaged by earthquakes over the years (the Cathedral had to be rebuilt twice!) ........ it would seem that their building method works!
They have a very nice restaurant overlooking the site. I went during the day for lunch but apparently it is fantastic in the evening when the site is lit up.
...and they do a great ceviche!
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