After the smoothest journey possible, swift and cheerful processing by immigration officials (no, really) and our luggage first to arrive on the belt, we were enveloped by the humid summer air of Lima and the warmth of our cheerful pre-booked taxi driver as we were whisked (well, bumped since the roads are a bit rough) to our charming hotel in Miraflores, one of the many districts of Lima.
Miraflores is very upmarket with lots of hotels – 60 per cent of Lima’s beds according to our taxi driver. (It was a 45 minute drive from the airport so we had time for a full Spanish refresher – after listing all the fruit we could eat, he went on to name the fish we should try and then different meats but thank goodness, he didn’t test us.)
We were woken by birds warbling outside (minahs, starlings, parakeets) and walking round today, we found Miraflores full of swanky apartments, beautiful planting and flowering trees as well as birds.
We spent some time watching the extremely relaxed and spoiled cats who live in the central park here:
And then we headed for a private museum with a reputation for astonishing textiles and ceramics. The penchant for cats appears to be extremely old:
I shan’t begin to describe the different epochs and peoples and techniques – but I thought the feather weaving was astonishing. It’s believed that they kept exotic birds and used the feathers shed when the birds moutled:
And the ceramics are as astounding as we were told. (We’ve already got our first candidates for the quiz that we’ll run later in our trip.) How about this chap looking somewhat started with a jaguar and chain on his shoulder?
Or this rather weary duck/penguin?
I seem to remember Miraflores was posh 40 years ago. Are you sure they waited until the birds moulted before using the feathers?!
Have the most wonderful time xx
Well, yes, I had slight doubts about the wait till they moult story but on the whole preferred it to the kill, pluck, eat, make a cloak scenario..
So pleased you had such a smooth trip. That private museum, can’t remember the name but the very best collection.
Yes, I too have momentarily forgotten the name of the museum but it was a stunning collection of textiles and beautifully curated.
Glad to hear you had the smoothest journey possible – what a rarity these days! Miraflores looks plushly comfortable and comfortably plush- even for the stray cats!
Extremely comfortable for the cats – who seem really just to stray from one bowl of food to another and to enjoy regular stroking as far as we could tell. People here are v friendly ( we remain scarred by our Georgian experience).
I know what a special gift it is when you get the smooth journey you experienced. It is such a great start to the trip. I loved seeing your photos of exhibits at the museum.
Lovely to follow your experiences and see where you are.
The journey was super smooth. We’d set a very low bar for satisfaction after our Georgian trip ( uncomfortable flight, arrive 4am, queue for an hour for immigration, find luggage is still in Munich etc). We’re loving Miraflores!
Well done on arrival. A promising start. x
Oh yes, definitely! ( see above comments re Georgia!)
I can almost (enviously) feel the sultry warmth of the square, looking at these lazing cats. Love the expressions on all the figures, both feathered and ceramic – sort of smug surprise!
Yes, indeed. The different pre Inca Peruvian groups did have quite a lot to be smug about I think and not just the feather cloaks – (you can tell we spent a lot of today in a museum being generally stunned)
I think the ceramics are wonderful, they are just so individual and alive.So glad you are having warmth and sunshine.
I love the different sculptures – they are, as you say, incredibly vivid and sometimes intentionally comic – marvellous stuff.
What a brilliant start to your holiday. The ceramics look magnificent with hints (unsurprisingly) of Mexico. Have a great time. đŸ˜˜đŸ˜˜
We spent today at the big and very beautiful museum in Lima – completely jaw dropping! Yes, an amazing start to the trip
What a great start! it’s already sending me back to when I was 20. Kate and Alan xx
Suspect many things would seem very different but the ceramics remain startling