DAY 50 LIMA & DAY 42 CRYSTAL SERENITY

We wanted to begin with our thoughts and experience with respect to our tour of Lima, Peru.

We had an amazing day in Lima, Peru.  We went on a private tour with a tour guide and driver.  Once we made the 45-minute drive into the downtown area we walked the entire time until our driver picked us up for the drive back to the port.

Our tour guide was Rodrigo who is married, with a six month old girl, and who is 34.  His wife worked in the IT department of a bank and her Mother watches their six month old girl for them during the week.  He looked much younger than his physical age, except for a few gray hairs.  He said his father who is 60 looks young too.  We were afraid to ask him how old he thought we were.  

He was very mature and he spoke English extremely well.  In addition to speaking Spanish and English fluently, he also speaks Portuguese and plans to learn Italian.  His command of his subject matter was amazing. 

Our driver was Juan.  Our tour guide first said John as in John Lennon to keep it simple for us.  Juan aka John did a great job driving and was able to navigate the streets in a lot of traffic.

Our tour included:

Visit to the first University of the Americas one of 39 universities in Lima.  In addition to our own tour guide, Linda who is head of the tour guide program at the University also personally took us all around the University.

Visit to Plaza San Martin and then a walk through Jr.De la Union which is a walking promenade where we visited several heritage houses including Teatro Municipal and Teatro Segura.

We then proceeded to Lima’s Main Square called Plaza Mayor.

We visited Casa Osambela which is a house that dates back to the 18^th century and then we visited Convento de Saanto Domingo where Keith and our tour guide Rodrigo climbed the tower.

By then we worked up an appetite for lunch.  We began with a Pisco Sour, then had a very tasty Potato Appetizer and for our entrée we had Chicken with Mushrooms and a sauce on top along with Rice.  We passed on the dessert. 

We also visited the Convento de San Francisco and then to a Park called Parque de la Muralla, which overlooks the Rimac River and the Cerro San Cristobal and the Casa De La  Literatura Peruana which became a library after originally being a train station.

Then it was on to the Museo de la Inquisicion.

From there we want to Chinatown.

There is so much to see and do in Lima and this was our fourth visit here.

These photos show the other areas that we visited.

We took this photo because in addition to money stores you can convert money on the street and these people are sanctioned by the government.

Wanna Stone.

A view from the tower that Keith and the Tour Guide Climbed.

You can see the Chanti Town from the Bell Tower.

Saint Rose of Lima

Presidential Palace although the current and last couple of President's do not live there anymore.  The President can serve one term of five years.

The library which was a former train station.

China Town.

A fruit and vegetable market but it was late afternoon when we walked the market so much of the produce had already been sold.

Rodrigo was always pointing out items to us and sharing lots of interesting information with us.

All in all it was a wonderful tour.

after a very long day of touring, we decided to have dinner in our room last evening.  We usually do this two or three times during the course of the World Cruise.  We made it Pizza and Movie night.

We began our meal with salads similar to what Keith has in the Crystal Dining Room as his standing order salad.

For our main course, we had Pizza.  One was with Mushrooms and the other one was the "Everything" Pizza or as Rao says, it was the "Inclusive" Pizza.

As to dessert, we had Popcorn.  After all, when you think Movies you also think Popcorn.  We watched the movie And So It Goes starring Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton.

Although we were docked overnight, we still slept very well last evening, even without the gentle rocking of the ship.  Some people said they heard noises from the pier but between being very tired and on a higher deck we didn't hear a thing.  

Today was turn around day.

About 200 guests departed Serenity this morning with around another 200 guests who boarded so the second segment of the World Cruise will have around the same passengers count as the first segment had.

During this voyage we wailed from Miami, Florida to Callao, Peru and traveled 3,777 nautical miles or a distance of approximately 4,344 land miles.

The second segment of the World Cruise will start in Lima, Peru and conclude in Auckland, New Zealand and will total 19 days, including several sea days.

We decided to make today a sea day on Serenity and just relax and enjoy the ship.  After all, we walked all day yesterday except for our drive to and from Lima.

We both worked out in the morning and Keith worked out a second time.  We had breakfast in our room as we do each and everyday.

We then caught up on reading and writing and we spoke to fellow guests and members of the crew.

We had lunch at the Lido Cafe where we each made Salad Entrees.

In the afternoon, Anne Marie walked for an hour and Keith played Paddle Tennis.  Keith met up later in the day with dear friend Bob and Anne Marie continued to work on her knitting projects.

This evening we will dine by ourselves at Prego.

TODAY'S THOUGHT FOR THE DAY........

"Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them mast you.  Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight." - Hellen Keller

Keith & Anne Marie