Carnival of Pirates and Royalists

Madeline with her nephews and nice.

Aunty Vilma , Uncles Alejandro, Tito and Kike from my paternal side.

Madeline playing ball with her cousins.

    At a party with the family where everybody got thrown into the pool.                                                                                In Peru during February  is carnavales in most of the country is celebrated with partying
lots of dancing and parading but in Lima is more about getting you soaking wet and partying!
Good times.

I know what you are thinking!
Cousins and nephews in a kind of Sus situation.

Louise busting a move and flying the ozzie flag.

Me.  i was almost full cut so i don't know what i was doing but it fell good!

It's not as easy as just grabbing them from the freezer section.                                                                                                If you want peas here in Peru you have to peal your own.
It adds character to the meals and a few more minutes.

Also, you buy eggs by the kilo.

Avenida Arequipa from the apartment , noisy at times since the drivers here
think that beeping their horns at everything that moves it's normal.
Oh look there's a bird "beep beep".  Oh look there's another car "beep beep"
Oh look there's a corner "beep beep".

Dos Gringas and a Peruvian soldier from the artillery regiment at the Real Felipe .

 Photo with Joaquin and crew.
The Fort of Real Felipe  was the biggest structure  build in 1747 by the Spanish in Peru and the Americas .
The main purpose was to protect the port of Callao near the city of Lima which was use as the
gateway to ship the gold from Peru to Spain the port was constantly attacked by pirates and corsairs the
 likes of Sir Francis Drake in 1579  .
This Fort has been the silent witness but never broken to many battles, sieges and mutinies  that shape the country
 from colonial times. Now days the fort still holds a small contingent of soldiers and it's also a military museum.

This is call the tower of the King.  The fort is of pentagonal shape and is full of surprises like dungeons, lifting bridges,
mazes, mass graves, original cannons and heaps of horrible stories and amazing victories.

Funny how on the way to the Fort i was telling Louise and Madeline how this fort was
build by the Spanish to protect the port from pirates and Louise said ( so I may get myself
a Johnny Deep ) She nearly got her wish.

Inside the fort.

On top of the Tower.

I love the uniform.

Picture taken by Madeline .

At the park

Another Pic taken By Maddie.

Blood, fires and naughty corners.

Granadilla
it's a very popular fruit here in Peru. It's native to Central and South America and it grows
in sub-tropical climates at altitudes of 900 to 2700 meters above sea level.
It has high levels of phosphorous and good laxative qualities.
It tastes sweet and refreshing.

At the local park where the local oldies get together on the weeknights  to enjoy
listening and dancing to old tunes .

We are still eating our greens Mum. "I got photos"
and drinking my beers Boys!

It's not coke nether a hand soap dispenser . It's cloth detergent in a coke bottle for your dirty hands
at the local market toilets. It worked.

Whole chickens anyone !
At the Central Markets in Lima

Whole mini chickens anyone !
At Chinatown next to the Central Markets in Lima.
These are not mini chickens they are actual quails and i didn't dare , sorry people
not enough guts.

Madeline and I using public transport. The bloke on the left is the "cobrador"
he is the money collector , hangs around the bus door, verbally communicates with
the driver about people going in or out of the bus and loudly yells out the names of the next few
destination to the people on the streets.
Madeline thinks it's a pretty funny and cool job!

The Catholic Inquisition in Lima.
The Peruvian inquisition was first established by the church in 1570 till 1820, their main purpose was to judge,
torture and execute in the name of the church in other words they were a bunch of blood thirsty bastards.
The crimes could  be heresy, sorcery and witchcraft 

He could be there for days and even weeks waiting for a good feet massage

He was training gymnastics for the Olympics.
Poor bloke apparently he was lifted a few meters off the ground and then let down free-falling  
only to stop a short distance before hitting the ground.

Now.  This is the REAL naughty corner .

Physiotherapy Inquisition style.
the bloke on the right has a mask for insurance purposes just in case he turn the wheel a bit too much.

El Garrote.
A form of execution by strangulation.
 

Another form of torture by placing a funnel down the throat and pouring
water in it.
 

The real Dungeons

more dungeons

The Guards at the Presidential Palace.
They belong to an army regiment call "Los Husares de Junin"
The same regiment of soldiers that fought ferociously to turn around a loosing
battle between  the Peruvian Patriots and the Spanish Royalist in 1822. 

Whilst walking around Lima centre saw this fire truck going flat out.  

Then i turn around only to find out where it was going. cool.
the news that afternoon reported a fire that destroyed several shops luckily
no fatal casualties .

Play, eat and relax.

Louise showing off at the Circuit of Fountains 

having a bit of fun

Home school has started for Madeline, Louise and myself. It has been a turning point
in our travels since we are all in this together and none of us has done this before.
Where do we start? that was the question we kept asking each other.
Within a couple of days Louise took the main teachers role and i was nominated
as the cleaner / cook / mail boy / laundry boy / water boy / PE teacher and whatever
else needs to be done around the house so that the girls don't get distracted,
Madeline performs like a trooper most of the times but sometimes she is like a
rouge sailor about to cry mutiny on the ship. I will try to get some photos of that next time.

PICARONES
This is also known as the Peruvian doughnuts .
It's ingredients are wheat flour, pumpkin, sweet potato, aniseed, cinnamon,
vanilla, sugar and yeast made into a dough and deep fried  in oil and serve
in a plate with syrup on top.
It's a must if you visit Peru and a winner with the chicks .

Emoliente.
It' a drink made out of malted barley, wheat and herbs but don't get too exited
boys it's not beer. It's a non alcoholic drink served hot or cold with a twist of
lime, like coronas in street stalls. It's known to have diuretic properties and i know that
for a fact. When i was a kid my dad  wouldn't let me have one at night  because
i was sure to wet the bed that night .

CHIFA
This is the name of Chinese cuisine  blended with the Peruvian cuisine.
The restaurant is call "Chifa Union" and i must say that the girls and i were absolutely amazed
at the flavours  and the duck was out of this mortal world.
When i saw the amount of food served and knowing my girls and myself i seriously
thought no way we are going to finish this, well i was totally wrong.
  

No occupation,  health and safety rules for this bloke !.

2 gringas.
Louise and Maddie wondering the streets of Barranco.

On the way to the southern beaches of Lima by the side of the highway we found this
place baking bread in Inca style ovens, Wasn't too bad of a bread either.

My old school mates .
Still getting together after 25 years.
"Magic"

Hairless Peruvian dog.
This is an ancient dog breed dating back to the pre-inca civilisations.

Another sunset in Lima from our balcony.
Courtesy of Madeline.