Callao was founded by the Spaniards in 1537, and soon became their main port for commerce. Drake, Hawkins and other pirates raided it repeatedly until 200 years later, in 1746, a massive earthquake wiped the port out. Nevertheless, today Callao handles 25% of Peru's export, and 75% of its import trade.
Although Callao used to be somewhat upper class at some stage - an old English Club building and English Cemetery are still in existence - it seems to house more disadvantaged than advantaged citizens of Peru.
Streets are lined with dusty and miserable buildings, mostly unfinished to avoid property tax (it only kicks in when a building or home is 'finished').
One drives for about half an hour to an hour to Lima, or about the same time to Miraflores. Lima is a hub of ancient Moche and Inca history, as well as a show piece for colonial architecture. Miraflores on the other hand has some historical buildings, but is more of a middle and upper class residential area with a cliffside malecon which overlooks the Ocean.
During the drive from the Port of Callao one passes some examples of makeshift dwellings, unfinished small houses, rooftop camps, and scores and scores of Tragamonedas - Casinos - aptly named 'money-swallowers'.
Many make shift homes are often constructed from non waterproof materials, roofs provide no more than shade. Reason: it never rains. There are no gutters, storm drains, or sloped roofs. It is hard to imagine this city without precipitation for centuries, as the coastal 'garua' - fog - shrouds the confluence of land and ocean almost continuously making it appear forever on the verge of some kind of drizzle. But - nothing.
Beyond the city, on the slopes of barren sand and rock slopes, are barrios of the very poor who arrived from the Andes in search for work and livelihood. Their dwellings are marvels of corrugated anything, plywood, torn tarps, woven sugar cane walls, cardboard - anything to call a space of your own.
Lets start with Miraflores, a lively suburb with trendy shops beside Peruvian handicraft markets, pricey art galleries beside fruit vending carts, modern bank buildings beside colonial style churches and official buildings.
The centre of activity is Larcomar, a shopping/restaurant/cinema/parking complex built into the sandstone cliffs which rise a couple of hundred feet from the sea to city ground level.
A good place to cast a long look - provided the garua had lifted its misty veil a little - over miles and miles of perfectly aligned swells, which break evenly along the shoreline in never ceasing rhythm, a paradise for surfers in search for the perfect waves. Here they seem to just keep rolling in...
When one sits in one of the many open air restaurants overlooking the sea, one listens to the amplified sound - perfect acoustics compliments of the sand stone cliffs - of eternally rolling gravel along the beach. A kind of growling inhalation and exhalation of a giant sleeping in the sea.
Quite pleasant as background music for a typical Peruvian light refreshment of Pisco Sour and a little 'cebiche' (lime marinated fresh sea food spiced up with a pimiento salsa).
A couple on the table next to me seemed to enjoy a romantic luncheon together, the looks, the kisses, the hanging at each other's words....until it turned into a 'business lunch' when they brought out colourful brochures of 'Johnnies on the Spot' and discussed the best colour scheme for their next sanitary project. Love blooms...and the surf below sighs in harmonious ecstasy....
I walked around the local markets 'uptown' Miraflores, visited a couple of galleries, the church, the park and scoped out the taxi situation for tomorrow, day two in Lima...
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| Textile handcrafted wall hanging, with a tromp d'euille which makes the design look three dimensional |
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| Many paintings of archangels depict the angels in full Spanish Armor and holding various weapons |
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| Santa Rosa de Lima - Patron Saint of South America |
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| Santa Rosa de Lima - she watches over Peru every where... |
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| It is prohibited to abandon cats inpublic roads...that what it says |
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| Obviously it is not being followed in all cases as this feline sitting right under the sign proves |
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| Miraflores Plaza Kennedy with Cathedral and Municipal building |
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| View over the Pacific from the Cliffs at Miraflores |
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| Pisco Sour and Cebiche, as they spell here 'ceviche'... |
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| View from the cliff down onto the gravelly beach... |
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| One hopes, that no imminent earthquake is going to topple this viewpoint into the sea |
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| Example of very fine textile weaving created by an artist living in the Andes |
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| Unfinished 'homes' without real roofs between Callao and Lima |
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| More Casinos than Las Vegas.... |
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| Park of the Lovers, newlyweds come here to have their wedding photos taken under this passionate statue. The Pacific Ocean stretches out to the horizon... |
