Today I went for a bit of a walk around Lima's historical center. The center is filled with beautiful colonial buildings, and has been named a world heritage site because of it.
This is the main square which, like in so many Peruvian cities, is called Plaza de Armas:
One side of the plaza is dominated by the cathedral - which apparently is another building that the Spanish erected on top of previously existing Inca walls.
Today, the cathedral is a museum on all days except Sunday, housing the remains of Francisco Pizarro, who founded Lima. Speaking of Pizarro: the palace he built for himself, nowadays used by the government, dominates another side of the plaza - the entire length of it, as befits a true city-founding megalomaniac.
Even several streets away from the Plaza de Armas, the buildings are still really nice to look at. This is a random example:
The visual information conveyed by pictures only tells one side of the story, however. Lima's other side has to do with audible information. Or in other words: noise. As in many big cities, traffic is crazy in Lima. But unlike any other place I've been to, drivers in Lima seem compelled to worsen the situation by excessive honking. Overtaking another vehicle? Honk. Entering an intersection? Honk. Seeing a pedestrian, intent on crossing the street (or not)? Honk. I'm sure there are a zillion reasons more why drivers in Lima honk, but the resulting sound carpet is simply overwhelming. So much so, in fact, that every time I went back to the hostel I was relieved that I could finally close the door on all the noise.
This is the main square which, like in so many Peruvian cities, is called Plaza de Armas:
One side of the plaza is dominated by the cathedral - which apparently is another building that the Spanish erected on top of previously existing Inca walls.
Today, the cathedral is a museum on all days except Sunday, housing the remains of Francisco Pizarro, who founded Lima. Speaking of Pizarro: the palace he built for himself, nowadays used by the government, dominates another side of the plaza - the entire length of it, as befits a true city-founding megalomaniac.
Even several streets away from the Plaza de Armas, the buildings are still really nice to look at. This is a random example:
The visual information conveyed by pictures only tells one side of the story, however. Lima's other side has to do with audible information. Or in other words: noise. As in many big cities, traffic is crazy in Lima. But unlike any other place I've been to, drivers in Lima seem compelled to worsen the situation by excessive honking. Overtaking another vehicle? Honk. Entering an intersection? Honk. Seeing a pedestrian, intent on crossing the street (or not)? Honk. I'm sure there are a zillion reasons more why drivers in Lima honk, but the resulting sound carpet is simply overwhelming. So much so, in fact, that every time I went back to the hostel I was relieved that I could finally close the door on all the noise.
