Perusing Peru: Free Day in Chiclayo

Catedral de Chiclayo, with the Parque Principal de Chiclayo decked out for Christmas in the foreground

Today was my free day in Chiclayo, with the rest of time in Chiclayo devoted to upcoming tours of the historic sites in and around the city. And do you what happens when I have a free day with no planned activities while I am on vacation? Work happens. That's what happens.

So I got a late start on my not-as-free-as-I-would've-like day.

Lots of fresh fruit on the offer on Calle Capitan Elias Aguirre, the main road into the core of Chiclayo. 

Other things, too. Picarones, por ejemplo. I got a few of those for dessert after my supper. Picarones are Peruvian fried donuts, served hot (or warm) in a sweet syrup. Fried dough in syrup. What's not to love?  But I am getting ahead of myself.

I checked out the city's Central Market, Mercado Central.  

It was filled with people, but there was only a small section for food. Most of the booths were selling clothing of some sort, which just isn't as photogenic as food.

Nearby was a "artisanal" ice cream shop, Mapache Frío. One google reviewer said had the best ice cream in South America. That's high praise: a whole continent.

So I figured I should try. I had two scoops (dos bolas), one blackberry (mora) and one of rum raisin (ron y pasas). Surprisingly, to me at least, was that the rum raisin was clearly superior. Not only were the raisins juicy, but the rum part tasted like they used a whole distillery's worth of rum to make the batch. And it tasted like the alcohol from the rum was intact. This was not "rum extract," or "rum flavor." This was true booze.

Was it the best in South America. It was quite good, but everyone knows the best ice cream in South America is in Belém, Brazil. Seriously. Everyone knows this is true. True story detour: when I was in Belo Horizonte, Brazil a few years, talking to some women at the table next to mine at, all of all places, a German restaurant in Brazil, I asked about a local spot for ice cream and one of the women said, and I quote, "The best ice cream in Brazil is in Belém." I knew she was right. I had been to Belém and there was an ice cream store there (local chain) that had phenomenal ice cream. Some of the best I've ever had. Best flavor? I kid you not: Castanha do Pará. What is Castanha do Pará? The Brazil nut. Last nut taken in the Planters' mixed nut can. Best nut for ice cream.

Verdict: Very good. But not the best on the continent.

It was time to check out Parque Principal de Chiclayo and the Catedral de Chiclayo that is on the eastern side of the park.

In most cities in Peru, this park would be called "Plaza de Armas," celebrating the city's martial history. But Chiclayo has no military history. The indigenous tribes were largely gone when the Spanish got to this part of the Peruvian Coast, so there were no battles here. Until recently, the major city in this province of Peru was Lambayeque. This is why this called Lambayeque Province. Lambayeque was the center of the Sipán culture, which is an upcoming adventure on this trip. But Chiclayo is largely new and thus there is no "Plaza de Armas."

And it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in Chiclayo's Parque Principal.

How do you like your electric light-up reindeer?

With the Catedral de Chiclayo in the background?

Or do you prefer a backdrop of El Palacio Municipal de Chiclayo?

I figured this arch was going to look awesome lit up at night:

Alas, when I went back after dark, the full array of Christmas lights had not yet been turned on. What are they waiting for? Christmas?

 

You know who else is waiting for Christmas? The Christ child. The manger in the above scene is empty, as it should be until Christmas Eve.

Weirdly enough, and I hate to be a pedantic purist here -- oh who am I kidding? I love to be a pedantic purist -- while Baby Jesu has not yet arrived at the Nativity Scene, the wise men who, bearing gifts, traversed afar, are there and present. How could have even found the place, since the star has not yet risen and would not until the birth took place? I guess the Magi aren't called "wise" for nuthin'.

Here is a closer look at El Palacio Municipal de Chiclayo.

And the building on the other side of the Cathedral, while a little beaten up looking, still looks interesting architecturally:

I'm not sure if it even has a name.

The Cathedral does, however. Its official name is Basílica y Catedral de Santa María.

I decided to come back to the park once the sun went down. And look who was here.

Santa. That makes sense. This, however, does not.

King Kong? There is a very popular local dessert called the "King Kong." It's a large layered cake, with cookies and various jams between the layers. It sounds awesome by the way. I'm looking for somewhere that has it. Seeing that King Kong would make sense. Instead, I've only seen the above King Kong. For Christmas.

Earlier in the day I could not go into the cathedral because I was wearing shorts. Shorts are verboten in the pope's old church.

And here's how you know it's Pope Leo XIV's old church:

The man! There was a service going on and, besides, the interior was shockingly plain. It's almost, and when you read these next words, read them with the condescension dripping from them that I am intended, almost Protestant in its simplicity.

You can't tell in the picture below, but that figure in the balcony on the second floor of El Palacio Municipal de Chiclayo?

It's another cardboard cutout of Pope Leo XIV. They love it in Chiclayo that a local priest became the supreme pontiff.