Unfortunately, things didn't start off well. The no voice was now an active cough. Continental breakfast was newly defined by this hotel (no, not positively). But, one night down.
Once again I'd failed to understand or comprehend where we were going for the day. The plan was Pachacámac, a coastal fortress of the Inka. I liked the idea of seeing the coast. I didn't like the idea of getting in the car. Well, we all do what we must. It was a great field trip.
Pachacámac isn't very far from Lima, but it's certainly outside the city. Like Machu Picchu, it has a Temple of the Sun, a female's quarters, storehouses, and other similar structures. Unlike Machu Picchu, it's made of adobe. Also different, the Inka took over this complex from a people they conquered and kept building.
We headed first to the Temple of the Sun. It's up a bit of a hill, and the day was warm. It's quite a dramatic setting.
Much has been reconstructed, but some original sections remain. This red paint is original. Amazing.
They do a good job of interpretation on the site, including isometric diagrams and maps. The panels also talk a lot about the restoration process and use great images to illustrate the work.
Adobe.
And the ocean! There's an island just off to the left but you can barely see it for the smog.
I liked their logo.
Part of the original Inka Road, still in use on the site.
This is the reconstructed women's quarters. These were often young women chosen to serve the Inka and his court.
Next up, lunch. We went to a place that an earlier research team had visited, but the menu had changed and R wasn't pleased. So we went elsewhere. And thankfully we stopped at a pharmacy so that I could get some throat drops.
We passed many of these vehicles. These "taxi cholos" are three-wheeled motorcycles partly enclosed. They are delivery vehicles. They are taxis. They are often owned by young Indigenous men trying to make a living in the city. Apparently there is a running question about whether they are acting like rich Indians or poor whites.
We ended up at a huge place called La Mesa de Piedra, in Cieneguilla. It was nearly all outside, on a sprawling complex that had playgrounds and little pools -- a big weekend family place. But it's the tables. They are massive slabs of stone (hence the restaurant name). Really quite fabulous, even though I failed to take a photo! We asked to share a table with a couple, and of course, eventually got to talking. They were very nice, and again I was introduced as an archaeologist. They were curious about policy issues in the States, including the gun violence, and were quick to tell me that Lima had recently been named the fifth most dangerous city in the world. [I've since checked and can't find that. Most of the top ten are in South America (Brazil and Venezuela), but Lima doesn't crack the top ten in the lists I can find.] But still, I took notice. Part of the reason for my hotel was its relatively decent neighborhood, and even though I hated it, I resolved not to leave it by myself after R dropped me off. Nice company and great seafood, on a beautiful afternoon.
And then, a dance group. These lovely people in such beautiful traditional dress were from Moquegua, which is a coastal community.
They started and ended by us, but danced across the entire complex, for more than half an hour.
And seemed to have such fun! You may not be able to see it, but they're all wearing tire sandals, like I bought for the activity centers.
Then we drove for a bit so that I could see the Inka coastal road -- it's along the hill above, about halfway up, slanting upwards to the right.
This detail is a little better. Remarkable! This was going to be R's last fieldwork site, the week after we finished in Ecuador. He was scheduled to work with a civil engineer in Lima who is helping us with these case studies.
Another quiet night, but it was Sunday. We had an early start planned for the morning because of traffic. We had two meetings confirmed, but were expecting to have up to five.
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