PERU, 2007 Staying in an Art Gallery in Barranco

We had heard that Barranco was the artists district of Lima, and I had located a B & B right in the center of it. This was to be our place of a few days of rest before heading back to the U.S. Little did we know what awaited us!

All was hidden behind these gates. The old, restored house had been Victor Delphin's gallery, open to the public. Though some rooms had been converted into simple but beautiful guest rooms, the house remained a gallery...now only open to guests.


















We had several glorious days of feasting our eyes on these and more of Delphin's passionate...as well as sometimes, whimsical....works.












Delfin's studio high above the ocean. One level higher is the swimming pool, and one more higher were the gardens and gallery in which we were occupied one of the 5 guest rooms.












A special treat was having a tour of Victor Delphin's studio, and meeting the artist. I had to laugh at myself, though! I...usually rather outgoing....got an attack of "awe" and shyness.

Impressions of Lima, May 2007

Admission is charged everywhere, and though I expect that in museums, I have an issue with paying to enter a house of God. I get quite stubborn about this, actually. We were able to sneak into this church. Such golden splendor! I wondered how many public bathrooms....just for starters...could be built so no one would need to urinate on the sidewalks. This was no house of God.






I was that nasty tourist who dared take a few flash photos
inside a church! But, just look at the gold! It's real!









There are treasures inside the old buildings, and this ceiling was one of the few we were fortunate enough to see.














I don't care for large cities, in general. I saw men urinating on the street...rather casually....and more squalor than I have seen anytime in recent history. The people are friendly and helpful, though visibly more stressed than they are in the small cities and villages. Still, I had no wish to linger, and stayed out of Lima on my second trip to Peru. I was coughing and gagging from the diesel fumes, so I was more than just a little bit cranky.
Though this city of almost 8 million people is choked with pollution from diesel belching cars....lots of them, taking up every square inch of the wide city streets without painted traffic lanes....there are gems of Colonial architecture to see among mostly unfinished building projects.


Peruvians are excellent drivers! We were very impressed both by their skill, patience, and courtesy. It's really amazing!

Photos from First Trip to Peru, May 2007

A friend sent me this photo, but it is true that guinea pig is on most menus in Peru. As far as I know, it is the wild guinea pig that is eaten, and not this domestic one. We didn't touch any "pigs", but did try llama once.

Pretty Pigs

Two Guinea pigs, wearing Peruvian local dresses, are displayed during the Guinea pig food festival in Huacho, Peru, Sunday, July 20, 2008. Guinea pigs are native to the high Andes, and have been an important source of protein for millennia. Nowadays, in Peru, the animal is served with a generous portion of Andean tubers.

Reliving that wonderful trip to Peru last year, I realize now that it was merely a warm-up for what was to come this year. My experience this year was so much richer....and, even more satisfying than before.







There were so many men....and, also, alpacas....that I wanted to bring home with me!

Addendum

I have debated whether to explain my references to the difficulties I had on this trip. Dwelling on any negatives isn't a good thing.....but, honesty IS. Hoping that my account may help someone else, here it is.

Though I am old enough to have middle-aged children, I continue to be in denial about my real age. When I look in the mirror, I see an attractive woman who is in great shape. (Darn those lying mirrors!)

On that last hike, when we climbed from a starting point of 12,000 feet to 13,000.....I came face to face with seeing the end in this physical body......and, let me tell you....denial feels a whole lot better! But, denial can kill you. My traveling companion asked if I wasn't proud of myself for having "done it" and my response was an easy "no". Unless you have a death wish, pushing yourself to the brink is nothing to be proud of. No, we must take good care of our bodies and our minds and not abuse them in any way. To push ourselves ever further is pure ego. And, my guess is that denial belongs to ego, as well.

My lab work was back when I returned to Austin, and I finally had a medical explanation for how I had been feeling. The diagnosis: complete adrenal exhaustion and intolerance to glutens. If I needed a reason for my difficulties traveling, I had it.

I share this for one reason. Always take how you are feeling seriously.

Day 13, Puno and Home, Sweet Home

These are random photos which include some of my favorites. Peru is a photographer's dream!

It was finally our last day, and we walked into town for last minute shopping.....for things we had not been able to decide on previously.....and also for lunch. Our pick-up was not until later in the afternoon. We were happy to see Silvia with a driver! Our flight from Juliaca to Lima took an hour and a half....and then we had to negotiate the large airport with our now much heavier luggage. We had a long time to wait until the Continental counters even opened and we could finally get rid of it. It was shortly thereafter that I lost Doreen whose flight to the States was 45 minutes earlier than mine....but,
we still had hours more to pass. Remembering spending the night in the Lima airport last year, I was grateful to know my flight was expected to be on time!



































The flight home from Lima was blessedly uneventful. No one wanted to sit by the door where the seats would not recline, so I had all 3 seats to myself. I slept most of the way!

My cats greeted me at the door and then went back to bed. All was well!
For me the magic lies in Cusco and Machu Picchu....as well as the Sacred Valley. There, I could stay forever, I think.