Lima again Nov. 1

We toured Plaza Mayor. This is the main downtown plaza of Lima. Francisco Pizara, the Conquistador who defeated the Incas had his home here. It is now the Presidential Palace. We had a difficult time getting there through traffic because Nov. 1 is a holiday in Peru. It is the "day of the dead" and also a Peruvian music celebration day. There were festivities going on in the parks, families go to the cemetaries to commune and picnic with their ancestors, and there is a huge procession through the streets. Saint (the Saint of miracles) is carried through the streets followed by thousands of people (250,000 was our guides estimate) dressed in purple. When we finally got to the Plaza there were lots of people around. We walked around the plaza then went to the St. Francis monestary to tour. We toured the church and some of the dormitory and also the catacombs that contained many bones. They discovered that many people had been buried under the monestary, first the wealthy, then just about anyone - 25,000 is that estimate. They found all the bones and the caskets were gone, so they sorted the bones into groups and you can walk through and see them. This was a true Halloween experience!
1. Presidential palace
2. Plaza Mayor
3. The church of St. Francis
4. Changing of the guard at the Pres. Palace
5. St. Francis Monastery