Saturday, February 5, 2011

February 5, 2011 Post II

We are in Lima staying at the Miraflores Park Hotel.  The hotel is located in an ultramodern section of the city that sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean,  We had a beautiful view of the sun setting on the Pacific when we checked in around 6:30.  The hotel has a website and does a better job of describing the hotel that I could ever do.

When we arrived in Lima today, we had to leave our main suitcase on the plane.  We have all our possesions for the next three days in  small wheelie.  That took some planning.

We went directly to Larco Herrera Museum, the world's greatest collection of pre-Columbian art.  We are talking about ceramics, gold, silver and textiles.  This included Incan and pre-Incan pieces.  The definite highlight for me was the Erotic Gallery with its famous collection of erotic ceramics.  I took some pictures but I do think I will publish them.

I should probably be embarassed to rave overjust how nice some aspects of this trip really are.
I am probably just exposing myself for the  rube that I am.  But allow me a Gomer Pyle "goll..lee".

We boarded the plane at the Sanford airport this morning. It is a charter 757 which operated by Thompson Airways, a British company.  The entire crew is British and has the accent to go with it. The luxury is overwhelming.  The entire plane is first class.  Not a coach seat in sight  There were fresh red roses at the top of eachseat.  We had about five feet in front of us to stretch.  Then let's talk about lunch today.  I consider myself  lucky if I have some leftovers from dinner the night before to pop in the microwave.  But today,
I am sitting in my seat and the lady comes by and puts a black cloth on my tray table.  She then brings a fancy menu. There are four courses.  Just listen to the starter course.  "Mixed leaf and herb salad with asparagus spears,  sun dried tomatoes, soft boiled quail's eggs with hollandaise sauce and parmesan shavings."  Now would someone tell   me where you can buy quail eggs.  I told Deb that the very next time that we have a "high class" dinner party,  we are going to serve quail eggs.  The second course was either Alaskan Halibut or fillet of beef.  Then came the cheese and fruit course.  And certainly no lunch would be complete without the "white chocolate and vanilla cheesecake served with rasberry coulis, Chantilly cream and fresh strawberry".  And then the lady comes by and says "Ms. Gaskins.  Do you care for coffee?  Liquers?"And I almost forgot to mention that we had been plied with first class French chablis.

And on all foreign trips I have taken, you have to fill out customs forms that they give you on the airplane. 
No exception here but there is major difference.  The expedition staff fills out the form and you just sign it.

When we arrived at the hotel tonight, dinner was scheduled for twenty minutes later.  After that lunch, there was no way that we were ready to eat.  We headed for the gym here at the hotel and will just make do.

My laptop is low on juice but I will try to add photos soon.

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