After nearly 12 hours of travel and a good night's sleep, we woke to an impressive breakfast spread at our hotel in Lima. We are staying in the neighborhood of Miraflores, a very safe and lively area of this capital city. Along with 14 TGC fellows, our fearless leader-Max, and Maxine (of the State Department), we are extremely lucky to have our in-country consultant, Karina, to guide and share in this incredible experience with us. This morning Karina gave an engaging and informative presentation on Peruvian culture. We looked at the history of this land, now named Peru, and how the pre-Incan and Inca civilizations played an important role in building a foundation for the now incredibly diverse identity of this rich country.
Following Karina's presentation, we began our tour of Lima proper. Our first stop was el Parque del amor. Unlike LOVE Park in Philadelphia, the statue in this park is a bit "racey" (see above). The park's surrounding wall was created in a similar style to Parque Guell in Barcelona. It has a very curvy, organic shape, and is covered in mosaic tile mimicking that of artist and architect Antoni Gaudí. After this stop we headed to Main Square where the Presidential Palace is located as well as a beautiful cathedral where Francisco Pizarro is buried. Finally we headed to the Cathedral of Lima and el Museo Convento San Francisco y Catacumbas. In the underground catacombs is an impressive and intriguing archaeological site filled with the remains of over 25,000 bodies. To close the evening, we headed to Huaca Pucllana-an impressive adobe and clay pyramid built from seven staggered platforms. Huacas are monuments that represent something revered, and were often used as sights for ceremonies. There is a lovely restaurant adjacent with a view of the whole place. We dined and enjoyed great company and an amazing view. I feel so lucky to be here and learn about this beautiful country first hand. My biggest takeaways today:
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AuthorSrta. Newell is a Spanish teacher from Massachusetts. She has the privilege of working at West Middle School in Andover. This blog is a record of her experiences on the Teachers for Global Classrooms field experience in Peru. ArchivesCategories |