hiya. so a busy day of adventures.... we rented a taxi and driver for 2 hrs to take us to the beach and the posher richer end of lima. bit like any spanish tourist town. we watched what looked like millions of surfers - not sure i fancied swimming there tho. too cold and loadsa rubbish floating around. had a nice lunch in a mall above the beach and saw a bit more of lima. striking poverty against rich bank district and luxurious apartment blocks. typical of s america to all my ex colleagues... i saw the price waterhouse coopers building and their name planted in flowers outside. so excited! so sad.... came back to hotel to find a crazy parade going on in town. explains why so many police out this morning and tanks and watercannons.. frightening. i didnt risk any pics im afraid. this parade was huge and such an amazing thing to witness. think it was demos from the local cultural centres or towns but im not sure, with brass bands and costumes and they were obviosuly expecting cooler weather cos they were all dying in their costumes! felt sory for the little kids. take a look at the pictures... tho they cant really show the scale or general comedy of the experience! think i can still hear it somewhere ---or is that just the tune of the band stuck in my head?? meeting the rest of the tour group in 15 mins. gotta go!