Carpe Diem #1442 almost at the end of our journey

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Welcome at the penultimate episode of our journey into the high mountains of the Andes. It was a wonderful journey and I hope that you all did enjoy this month at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. It wasn't an easy month to create, but I think the journey was awesome.

This journey is almost over ... finally we will arrive at our end-station Huancayo, '(place) with a (sacred) rock') is the capital of Junín Region, in the central highlands of Peru.

Huancayo is located in Huancayo Province, of which it is also the capital. Situated in the Mantaro Valley at an altitude of 3,271 meters, it belongs to the Quechua region. Depending on delimitation, the agglomeration has a population between 340,000 and 380,000 and is the fifth most populous city of the country. Huancayo is the cultural and commercial center of the whole central Peruvian Andes area. Huancayo Metropolitano is made up of seven districts that form the urban center of Junin's region. This region is considered Peru's economic and social hub.

Huancayo Cathedral

almost there
exploring the Andean Mountains
a time machine

© Chèvrefeuille

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until June 5th at noon (CEST). I will try to publish our last episode of this month later on. For now ... I hope you will find your muse ...

Carpe Diem #1433 Cerro de Pasco

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

A wonderful place we visited yesterday one of the National Parks of Peru somewhere along the Peruvian Railway we are traveling this month. Today we will make a stop in Cerro de Pasco, the capital of Pasco Region Peru.

I ran through the Internet and found a nice article about this city at Wikipedia. I will share part of it here.

Sunset at Cerro de Pasco

Cerro de Pasco became one of the world's richest silver producing areas after silver was discovered there in 1630. It is still an active mining center. The Spanish mined the rich Cerro de Pasco silver-bearing oxide ore deposits since colonial times. Sulfide minerals are more common in the Atacocha district however.
Francisco Uville arranged for steam engines made by Richard Trevithick of Cornwall, England, to be installed in Cerro de Pasco in 1816 to pump water from the mines and allow lower levels to be reached. However, fighting in the Peruvian War of Independence brought production to a halt from 1820 to 1825.

Cerro de Pasco (population 70,000) is a city in central Peru, located at the top of the Andean mountains. It is the capital of the Pasco region, and an important mining center. At 4,330 metres (14,210 ft) elevation, it is one of the highest cities in the world. (Source: wikipedia)

on top of the world
black smiths create beauty
the silvery moon

© Chèvrefeuille

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until May 22nd at noon (CEST). I will try to publish our new episode later on.

Carpe Diem #1424 Lima

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Well are on our way. Our journey through the Andean Mountains has started. And today we will arrive at Lima, capital of Peru. So let's take a break and visit Lima together. Let me firsr tell you a little about Lima.

Lima, capital of Peru

Lima the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central coastal part of the country, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima Metropolitan Area. With a population of more than 10 million, Lima is the most populous metropolitan area of Peru and the third-largest city in the Americas (as defined by "city proper"), behind São Paulo, and Mexico City.

Lima was founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535, as Ciudad de los Reyes. It became the capital and most important city in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru. Following the Peruvian War of Independence, it became the capital of the Republic of Peru. Around one-third of the national population lives in the metropolitan area.

Lima is home to one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the New World. The National University of San Marcos, founded on May 12, 1551, during the Spanish colonial regime, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the Americas.

Plaza de Armas, Lima, Peru

The Historic Center of Lima, La Plaza de Armas, is on the UNESCO heritage list. It's the ancient city of Lima. Here you can sense history as if you are there. Say ... in the ancient time, a time traveling experience.

Lima is the birthplace of the first Southern American Saint Rose of Lima. She was declared holy in the 17th century by Pope Clement IX. She became the patroness of Peru and is still the patroness of Peru.

Saint Rosa de Lima (painting by Claudio Coello

What a wonderful place Lima must be I think. So enjoy this short break ....

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until May 9th at noon (CEST). I will try to publish our new episode later on.