On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Our second stop was Lima, Peru, where we took a tour called Civilizations of Peru that was great.
We went first to the National Museum of Archeology, which had a fabulous collection of pre-Columbian and Inca artifacts. These are burial pots. Liquid was put in through the spout. No two were alike. They were individualized for the person being buried.
Another burial pot.
Burial shroud. I don’t know if you can see how gorgeous the weaving is.
Then we went to ruins of Inca pyramids at Pachacamac. I’m using the term “Inca” loosely because while they were the last in this site, they weren’t the first. This is one of the main roadways, the east-west one, I think. Pizarro’s brother stayed here when he came to demand gold.
You can see the step shapes of the ruined pyramid.
Then, for a complete change of pace, we went to see this horse show and have lunch. This was good day.
JeanneT
You must have gotten a very early start to such a full day. Those ceramics are gorgeous!
Elma
I loved Peru. Best food I have eaten anywhere. I was sick from the altitude in Cuzco but felt great once we got down to Lima.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@JeanneT: The ceramics were wonderfully individual. There were smiling faces, grumpy faces, pets, etc. There was also a whole big area of porn pots. I don’t know what that says about the dead person they were buried with. Also, looking at them, I conclude there is nothing new under the sun
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Elma: We liked Peru. I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend more time there.
MagdaInBlack
With regard to your previous post about The Atacama: have you read Isabelle Allende’s “Ines of My Soul” ? She talks about crossing that desert. Horrendous, as you said about it.
delphinium
Those burial pots are cool. Were you able to explore any of the ruins closer up or were they all roped off? Your day in Peru sounds wonderful.
OzarkHillbilly
Not as hot as the Atacama, I would guess.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@MagdaInBlack: Holy cow, no. I haven’t read it.
Hm, even the ebook is $15. I’ll put it on my library list. One of the reasons we picked this place to live is that it’s next door to the library
Dorothy A. Winsor
@delphinium: You could get close to other parts of these particular ruins. It’s a very large site with neighborhoods next to it. I expect they worry about people helping themselves to souvenirs
Dorothy A. Winsor
@OzarkHillbilly: No kidding. Still, pretty hot, though. I was glad when we got into the shade at the horse show
Dorothy A. Winsor
@JeanneT: I think we got started around 8. Lunch wasn’t until 2:00
Anyway
Loved the food in Peru – incl. cuy! That’s a nice museum
Thanks for sharing pics!
JPL
What a fun trip and thank you for sharing the pictures of your journey with us.
Yutsano
My mom has Peruvian Pasos. They’re wonderful smaller horses that have amazing stamina. And they’re smart! Peru is very proud of their native horses.
arrieve
Thank you for sharing. I’m going to Peru next month (not sure my knees are up for Machu Picchu, but since they’re not going to be MORE up for it next year, or the year after, or the year after that, I’m giving it a shot while I still can.) The archaeology museum isn’t on our itinerary but I have a free day in Lima before the tour starts and now I know where I’m going. I have to see those burial pots.
StringOnAStick
@Yutsano: Those are fabulous gaited horses, like Tennesee Walkers but without the overbred level of crazy. I have been around horses my whole life and I met a Peruvian Paso on a trail; it was the most gentle, friendly horse I’ve ever met, an absolute gem that made me want to get back into horses. I looked at our budget though and the feeling passed.
Thanks Dorothy, Peru looks lovely and deeply interesting!
J R in WV
many years ago while NYC still had scores of tiny shops dedicated to some tiny market, I spent a rainy afternoon at a tiny shop full of pre-Columbian artifacts, mostly ceramic, all beautiful. Elderly proprietors were glad to host an appreciative young man and edumacate him about the various cultures represented by their collection.
Got to see a Russian (presumably) drop by with a big case full of such merchandise, they were polite in viewing the guy’s stuff, but declined to take availability of the big sales pitch, later telling me much of the guy’s stuff was mix-and-match, no actual reality expected nor offered. Tried to take Wife there the next day, were closed, never found them open again. One time offer?
Would love to visit Lima, probably past the high-altitude portions of your trip. Loved our Nat Geo whale watching tour, ship had some 65 passengers, many experts of many sciences on board. One guest made a great presentation of his Nobel Prize winning physics work with NASA for example.
Lovely pictures, thanks so much for sharing with us..
Dorothy A. Winsor
@arrieve: That’s a really good museum. They let you into their storage area (at least, they let us in), so you can see a huge variety of faces on the pots. The guide pointed out her favorite–a laughing man.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@J R in WV: Holy cow. That whale watching trip sounds wonderful.
Hope you’re feeling well. I’m thinking about you.
AnthroBabe
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Did they show you the “sex” ceramics of the Moche? Hee hee. Likely not, as they may not be on display. This is right up my alley as I work in Peru. Food is absolutely fantastic and the people are great. There is a site in Miraflores called Huaca Pucllana where you can have (a pricey) dinner and take a look at the site by night.