DAY 16 Jan 28 - 2nd Day in Callao (Lima), Peru

This is our second day in Callao after an overnight stop here.

Lima is the capital and largest city in Peru. The population is constantly growing and it is estimated that up to 12 million people reside here. Lima might not be South America’s most beautiful city, but with excellent museums, interesting historic attractions, friendly people it has plenty to offer. Unfortunately, Lima is known for being covered in fog most of the year. Roughly from April to November, a gray cloud known as the garúa settles in over the city, making for a rather dull setting. However, from December to April, the sun shines, and it is during these hot and humid months that the bulk of Limeños hit the welcoming nearby Peru beaches. Having said that, yesterday and certainly this morning the sky is overcast, its a little humid and there is no sun in sight.

Political and economic instability during the latter half of the twentieth century created unprecedented poverty and violence in the rural highlands, forcing thousands of campesinos (peasant farmers) to migrate to Lima looking for work and a better life. Today, more than one-third of Lima’s population lives in shanty towns, locally known as pueblos jóvenes, many of which lack such basic services as electricity and running water. There continues to be widespread underemployment in Peru and over 50% of the population living under the poverty line.

Here are some interesting trivia type facts about this ancient territory of Peru. The potato originates here and they produce over 3000 varieties. The tomato too is originally from Peru. One of the corn variety's from Peru has the biggest kernels in the world and I had some of these in my soup yesterday. Delicious too. The avocado is originally from Peru as well. Peruvian food has 468 different registered typical dishes! The finest cotton in the world, Pima and Tanguis are Peruvian. The weeping willow also originates from these parts and it produces the base for aspirin. A Peruvian root known as Huanarpo Macha is what Viagra is made from. The mind boggles!! It sounds quite a country doesn't it?

Last night the Lido deck was brightly decorated with bunting in the red and white national colours of Peru and a deck BBQ was organised. Pisco Sours became the drink of the night and by all accounts sales were brisk.

Not being great lovers of BBQ's we went up to the Crow's Nest for pre-dinner drinks where young Lalaine was in charge as the other usual staff were manning the temporary bars set up on the Lido deck. Wow she too has learnt to pour a mean and good size Scotch on the Rocks!!

We understand that 65 passengers disembarked today after this the first two week segment of the Grand Voyage and 90 other passengers embarked. Many were seen looking round the Crow's Nest while we were there as they presumably explored their new home from home.

I was still suffering a bit from the excessive lunch we had enjoyed earlier in Miraflores and had no appetite by dinner time. I found that I could only eat my soup and a 'No Sugar Added' ice cream dessert. I'm sure that won't do me any harm!

After dinner we retired giving the Peruvian dancers and singers show a miss. No doubt this will have turned out to be a mistake as the act was said to be first class. At least they show it on one of the TV channels the next day.

Welcoming us in our cabin was another towel animal master-piece from Deden. This time it was a dog relaxing over a crossword puzzle on top of our bed.

As is traditional on Grand Voyages, a guest list booklet has been distributed to each cabin. This gives in alphabetical order passenger names with basic information on domicile and nationality.

A quick glance shows that the Brits are very much in a minority with only 4 or 5 couples listed. Americans and Canadians dominate the list with also a fair amount of guests from the Netherlands , after all we are on a Holland America Line ship, and a dozen or so hail from Australia.

It is rather odd therefore that in the cabin next to ours we do have another British couple, John and Barbara, from Walsall in the Black Country. Now you would have thought they would have spread us out a bit better than that or maybe they just want us together so they can keep an eye on us!!

While we have been in dock these last two days the ship has been painted on one side. A couple of cranes lift a cages that hold two painters strapped in and off they go down the port side of the ship.

From our balcony on the 10th deck we can see the little bits of rust they have missed. There is certainly no rubbing and priming here.

We managed to make a few purchases from the stalls that had grown-up near where the ship was docked. We bought some lovely Peruvian woollen jumpers that hopefully will be appreciated by their future recipients back home.

Lunch was a very pleasant smoked mackerel and smoked trout fish selection up in the Lido restaurant. We also treated ourselves to a naughty dessert that we took down to the cabin to polish off.

All on board is set for 4.30 today with the actual sail away half an hour later. It is just a shame that the sun has not appeared yet today leaving a very overcast sky to dominate the vista.