Caraz to Lima

We hung out for a couple of days in Caraz, then headed for Lima. We took a nice scenic route down along the mountain range where we got a glimpse of Mount Huascaran, the highest point in Peru at 22,000 feet.  Then the road crossed some plains until it wound its way down through a valley and spit us out onto the Pan American highway north of Lima.  We stopped in Barranca for the night then hit Lima the next day.  We took a couple of days off here to get a front tire and replace some seals and gaskets on my bike.  We took a taxi into the central plaza then got a double decker bus tour of Lima.  We also went on a tour through the catacombs of San Francisco Cathedral where there were 25,000 people buried.  After the bodies were skeletons,  the bones were collected, then separated and stacked into different crypts to save space.  We weren't allowed to take pictures in the church or the catacombs so you won't get to see the rows of bones and skulls.  The library was also pretty impressive with  25,000 religious texts dating back to the 1600's.  Following are some random pictures  as well as our ride to Lima.

what kid wouldn't get a haircut in one of these chairs?

We went to the market in Caraz for these shots.  The yarn is colorful alpaca wool. 

These were some ruins outside of Caraz.  They were only found eight years ago so restoration has barely begun.  We had free access to the whole complex.  Could have dug for artifacts, illegally.

the following are the view from the top of the ruins site,  up and down the valley

On the road south out of Caraz

Above, the highest point in Peru we barely got to take a shot before the clouds covered the peak.

Riding along the mountain range and across the plains.

The plains ended and we started to wind our way out of the valley

besides the cows in the road check out the way the road corkscrews at the bottom

                                 Different geology

                Corn drying in the sun.

                 The rest of these pictures are from our bus ride and walk around Lima

                    Presidential palace

                       This and next two pictures, cathedral in central plaza

                             Cedar wood

                San Francisco Cathedral,  catacombs through the white arches on left.

  

Door knocker on cathedral in central plaza

      Judy being interviewed about our trip and thoughts on Peru.

                      These guys were on all four corners of central plaza

           Central plaza from cathedral steps

                   Another church facade

        One part of pedestrian only district

                   Traffic in Lima,  that's why we let the buses do the driving.

These last three are just some random buildings from our bus tour.  This is the justice building.  

Leaving Lima tomorrow.  Check back in a couple of days for the next post.