Lima–2014 January 13

Today’s trip was to the Larco Museum, which houses pre-Columbian artifacts. It’s a fairly long bus ride from the hotel; definitely too far to walk. There is a nice small park across from the museum.

Park with statue and flowers Inca-style plinth

The exterior of the museum is beautifully landscaped.

Ramp to museum Flowers in courtyard Cacti in garden Blue and red flowers blue and red flowers, and cactus wrinkly cacti various cacti Red flowers, two large ceramic jars tall cacti

The interior of the museum is just fantastic. Except for one part of the display that tells how the Catholic Church destroyed a lot of the artifacts, it’s all native Peruvian ceramics, gold, and silver. I can see why it’s rated as the number one attraction on TripAdvisor.

precolumbian sculpted stone heads precolumbian sculpted stone heads Vessels in form of cat and owls Vessels in form of cat and owls Various ceramic figures Various ceramic figures Vessel with figure of bird Man carrying wild cat Vases in form of human heads FIgure that looks like a doctor with mirror headset Alligator-like figure Man with headdress standing next to animal Peruvian geometric tapestry Tapestry with cat motif Person with weapon Vessel in form of spotted dog Vessel in form of spotted dog Man with pipe in mouth Club heads Large, colorful ear rings Silver headdress, nose ornament, and ear rings gold headdresses seated figure Gold headdress, silver ear rings, necklace, and chest plate. polished stone necklaces seated figure Large stone sculpture of man necklaces

“Almost all museums around the world have important reserves with restricted access to the visiting public. Since its foundation in 1926, the storage of the Larco Museum is the only one in Peru and one of the few in the world open to the public.” (taken verbatim from a sign at the museum) Here are some pictures I took in the storage area.

Shelves of ceramics Shelves of ceramics Ceramic bird (possibly eagle) Vessel in shape of man Vessel with top in form of a crab ceramic owl ocelot or jaguar

The museum also has an exhibit of erotic pottery. I can imagine how the Church got really bent out of shape when they saw those. I am not posting any of the pictures here; there may be minors reading these pages.

After visiting the museum, I walked back along Avenida Simón Bolívar the opposite direction of the bus. I stopped for lunch at the Mercado Bolívar and had ceviche again; also excellent.

Fruits and vegetables at market split-open green fruit with yellow interior

The walk back was through a somewhat industrial neighborhood (lots of tire stores); not the best part of town, but there was one house that had a nice decoration on its walls.

rather old, not fancy buildings somewhat run-down houses white stones forming shape of diamond on a wall

Things got nicer as I approached Avenida Cuba and walked to Avenida Arequipa.

Ornate church spire Light blue flowers hanging from lamp post Yellow flowers hanging from lamp post Bust of stern mustachioed person Rust-colored abstract sculpture in median

Once back, I went to a place called “CompuPalace” and the Inka Market nearby.

View of computer shops from second floor smiling stone head outside shop

Today’s Signs

The bus this morning was a hand-me-down from China, I believe. The second sign reads “No spitting.”

sign on bus Chinese lettering on bus door

Some good wall art.

French fry being lasered by a hamburger, with catsup (blood) spurting out Bearded man in gray, hand on chin, looking at red buildings in background
Hand-lettered sign in yard

Text reads “Enough with stealing the plants. You are being filmed.”


Sign for restaurant with waiter carrying tray

I liked this restaurant’s logo.


Smiling red sun holding a popsicle stick figure with red sun as head, holding advert for ice cream

This is the logo for a company that has ice cream vendors with carts all over town.


Manga-style girl holding sushi as advert for sushi restaurant

Advert in front of a sushi restaurant.


Poster with cloth shirt and tie

This is a poster for a youth fashion design contest. I believe the shirt and tie are actual cloth.


cartoonish image of boy holding video camera Cartoon girl with paint palette, brushes, and pencil.

These are on the wall of the building housing the Poussin Institute of Design, Photography, and Marketing.


Billboard announcing that the municipality is a wi-fi zone.

This municipality is doing it right—providing wi-fi for its residents.


Finally, these stickers on a wall near the hotel. They caught my eye, I liked them, and I had to get a picture of them. I’m not sure why it happens; it just does.

Stickers on a wall Stickers on a wall yet more stickers