What a contrast… 36oC to 23oC, and weren´t we happy little campers!
Got to our hotel late´ísh, around 11pm. When we got there, we could not believe it.
The Gran Bolivar Hotel. The grandest looking place one was ever likely to find in Lima. Not grand in the modern sense, but grand its history, its celebrity guest list and its fading beauty. It was gorgeous. Even had a model T Ford in the lobby!
However, when we got to our room, the discoteque across the street felt like it was in our bathroom. So we requested another room, and then another room, and then another room. On the 4th attempt we found one that was far enough away that we could sleep in the little time we had to do so. A very funny experience running around this large grand old dame with keys and opening doors and running up and down corridors. Very humourous!
Suffice to say we weren´t actually in Lima very long as it was on route to Cuzco. We had to do all our sightseeing by 10am. Only 2 of us managed to make it, the other 3 prefering to hang at the hotel and explore the ballroom amongst other things. Checked out the famous square, and Christmas decorations, popped into a church session that was in full swing, understood why there was a llama on one statues head (seems the Spanish word for flame is the Peruvian word for llama, hence the mistake!), was surprised at the number of she-boys swanning around… and all this done with time to spare.
Then it was back onto another plane and on to Cuzco, and altitude!
We´d starting taking our drugs the day before in the hope of warding off any nastiness. Whilst I´m sure they´ve helped in some form or other, we´ve all experienced nastiness in our own way. The local coca leaf brew is an interesting brew!
Being in Cuzco Christmas Eve was certainly a treat. The main square was full to the brim, smelly, smoky, colourful, crowded, with locals selling their wares; mainly fireworks. We got to understand later why. The cacophany that exploded all around us from midnight onwards was loud and constant. I can only imagine it sounded something like what a war zone might sound like, especially when lying in bed trying to sleep with a throbbing headache. Every now and then, you can still hear them go off.
We were so tired and hungry by the time we´d finished crusing around the square, the local pizzeria worked a treat! I know… but sometimes you just need to do what you need to do, and this was one time it was called for. By this stage it was also getting particularly cold.
When I checked out the bed at Hotel Casona Les Pleiades once we returned, and discovered 2 doonas and a blanket, my suspisions about how get cold around these parts was confirmed. Still, we slept well until the above entertainment started! Stet that, Daughter slept well for 12 hours, unlike moi!
Christmas Day is tomorrow… what will that bring?
Top of the festive season to you and yours