After a light breakfast we made our way across town to the Convento de San Fransisco, a Franciscan monastery dating back to the early 17th century and surviving pretty much in tact. The three things that stand out in this beautiful building are: the original c.17th Sevillian tile work that surrounds the cloisters (decorated in shades of yellow and blue and in a geometric style similar to that in the Alhambra); a carved, cedar, domed ceiling (again in a geometric Moorish style); and, the catacombs beneath the church (complete with bones and skulls, artfully arranged in the crypts). If ever you find yourself in Lima, I can highly recommend a visit.After our visit to the monastery we made our way to the Museo de Larco, a stunning white colonial building that houses the extensive private collection of Don Rafael Larco Hoyle. The collection is predominantly focused on pre-Columbian pottery, lithic carving and textiles but also includes a fabulous collection of silver and gold ceremonial wear. By 1.30pm I had exhausted Sarah's capacity for pre-Columbian archeology so we headed back to Miraflores for some lunch and a wander.
Tomorrow we head off to Cusco on the 5.30am flight (that means a very early wake up call. We are both excited to be heading to Cusco as we have heard that it is a fantastic place to while away a few days of acclimatisation before beginning the Inka trail on Friday. We have no firm plans for the next few days but plan on working it out tomorrow.
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