Been to Lima yet?

Let's go to Lima, Peru, virtually, of course.  Mr. William Joseph Showalter wrote the last article in the June, 1930, National Geographic Magazine, "The Lure of Lima, City of the Kings."  The author "had come to see the first founded capital of South America in the process of modernization, and to catch something of the romance and lure of its nearly four centuries of dramatic history" (p. 727). 

The country of Peru is located on the west coast of South America.  Its northern boundary just touches the Equator, and shares the border with Ecuador and Colombia.  Its eastern region borders Brazil and Boliva.  In climate, it is cooler than its eastern neighbors due to the ocean current originating in Antarctic regions.

Here's a whirlwind course in Peru history.  Sent by the King of Spain, in the early 16th century, Senor Francisco Pizarro destroyed the Inca Empire.  At the very end, in the hope of his life being spared, the Incan King gave Pizarro a large room of gold and two smaller rooms of silver.  This did not satisfy Pizarro; he had the Incan king killed soon thereafter. 

The Incan capital was in the mountain city of Cuzco.  Pizarro thought it was too far from the coast, searched for the best site and founded the city of Lima in 1535.  He built a grand Presidential Palace and a large Cathedral in the process.  The citizens were uprising, Pizarro was killed in 1541; King Charles of Spain then sent a viceroy who summarily was killed by the revolutionaries.  For his last hope, the King sent a priest, Carbazal, another unfortunate victim.  That was the last of the Spanish rulers but their cultural imprint lasts even until today, 2013.  Their language and architecture survives, even with the slight Moorish influences as can be found in Spain.

Peru was plagued by pirates for centuries and also suffered through earthquakes.

In 1930, The Peruvians still enjoyed their bullfights and cock fights, but were starting to appreciate various athletic contests.  Transport of goods was mostly left to llamas and donkeys, sure-footed beasts in the Andes mountains.  Copper and silver were extensively mined and exported.  Engineers from North America operated plants and refineries in the oil fields.  Hundreds of years before the Inca civilization arrived, a prehistoric culture terraced farms; they were still be used by the Peruvians.  At that time, the city of Lima had electricity and the potential electric power of the Andes was recognized but not yet fully developed.

There were automobiles in Lima in 1930 but few decent roads.  "There are only a few hundred miles in the whole republic that can be considered as passably good roads for automobiles, though the government has recently begun an extensive road-building program" (photo caption, p. 776).

It was prohibited to bring matches and lighters into Peru.  "One of the nation's greatest needs is the establishment of new irrigation projects, through which many new areas may be redeemed from the desert (which reaches nearly to the beach in many places).  Yet this costs money.  The government decided that its smokers should finance these projects. . .every time one lights a cigarette or cigar he is helping to make a new acre of land contribute to the country's well-being" (p. 773).

Towards the end of his adventure, the author found a sculpture done in clay which dated to the Stone Age, Pre-Incan time.  "It has the high forehead of western Europe, the slant eyes of a Mongolian, the high cheek bones of the Indian, the nose of an ancient Hebrew, the mustache of a Manchu, the mouth of a Turk, and a composite chin. . .What visions it arouses of a man of high intelligence as subject and of a sculptor of unusual ability as artist in ages before the use of metals was known!" (p. 784).

Mr. Showalter concludes that "among archeological traces of civilizations that seem to affirm their kinship alike to Egypt, Greece, Babylon, and Orient, they gather new fascination and arouse new speculations" (p. 784).  Were there ancient visits to Peru?

(Personal note: Last Friday I started knitting a 'Ruana' out of blue "100% Peruvian Highland Wool," bought in Seattle last summer.  I was surprised then, when my next Nat. Geo. article concerned Lima, Peru!  A Ruana is a poncho-like garment found in the Andes mountains.  I may post a photo of the ruana, when completed.)