LIma fue fundada una calurosa mañana de lunes 18 de Enero de 1535.
Es a partir de entonces que a Lima la adornan distintas denominaciones: "La Perla del Pacífico", "La tres veces coronada villa", "La ciudad jardín"; en fin, le sobran títulos y distinciones. Sin embargo, Lima es una, la que los limeños queremos, la vieja capital de Nueva Castilla, pedazo de costa bañada por las frías aguas del Pacífico; alguna vez la más importante de Sudamérica y una de las más vistosas del mundo. Hoy en día y a pesar de sus años transcurridos sus contrastes y paradojas perduran aun dentro de ella con pequeños rezagos de toda esa galanura y elegancia que la caracterizaban hasta hace poco.
Lima no es más aquellas 177 manzanas (4 solares por cada una de ellas) que conformaban la Ciudad Jardín en el siglo XIV. Hoy son más de siete millones los habitantes de una urbe que cada día crece, mostrando, en cada rincón de su colorida fisonomía.
Lima proviene del idioma aymara, (lima-limaq, flor amarilla) o del quechua (rimaq, hablador) por su río, el Rímac.
¡Feliz Aniversario!
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Canción / Song: Viva el Perú y Sereno
Cantante / singer: Alicia Maguiña
Compositor / lyricist: Alicia Maguiña
Estilo musical / Musical style: vals (peruvian waltz)
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English Translation
Small dusty streets
of murmuring streams,
hubbub, doors closing up,
small foot of lasses.
Caresses from yesterday´s memories
that the wind gives me while grumbling.
I see the saya* and the manto** everywhere,
I hear the muttering of a fan.
The flower of this viceregal Lima
was its lady with her witty speech,
mischievous look, sheer bodice
and graceful walking.
Chorus
Hawkers*** that with
powerful voices go
accentuating with eagerness
the tic-tac of the clock.
At six o´clock is the milkwoman
And at seven o´clock , the tisane woman, 'catay'
At eight o´clock, the sponge cake, 'chumay'
At nine o´clock, the zanguito****, 'compay'
At ten o´clock, the jasmines, yes,
Do you smell them now, young lady?
At eleven o´clock, the chicha$, 'catay',
At twelve o´clock, the sereno $$, 'chumay'
Holy immaculate Mary!
Long live Peru and everything is calm!
(expression that the night watchman says at the end of his patrol)
Balconies and glazed tiles,
lattice windows, old-fashioned hallways,
festivities in Amancaes$$$
Saint Nicholas´s breads.
Caresses from yesterday´s memories
that the wind gives me while grumbling,
I see the saya and the manto everywhere,
I hear muttering of a fan.
Gossipy devout women accustom to snoop
through a curious enclosed balcony
at the beautiful lady from Lima of sheer bodice and graceful walking.
Chorus
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*saya = skirt. Type of skirt women from Lima used to wear a long time ago.
**manto=type of shawl that complements the saya. Ladies from Lima used to wear this item to cover her faces but one eye, giving her peculiar charm and mystery. Women from Lima wearing the 'saya' and the 'manto' were called the TAPADAS
***Pregonero = hawker. Different types of people (mostly salesmen / saleswomen) that use to announce their products or activities on the street at a specific time of the day. On the XVII century, there weren´t watches, so the people from Lima got to know the hour according the hawkers' announcements.
****zanguito = type of dessert that is eaten until these days in Lima. Very tasty! :D
$ chicha= drink made with different types of maize.
$$sereno = night watchman. Old character of the viceregal Lima that used to go around the streets, patrolling the area at night.
$$$ During the Colony, Amancae´s prairie was located in the territory now known as Rímac´s district. Its hillsides were covered with a beautiful yellow flower: the flower of Amancaes.
The words between '..' are old sayings whose translations can't be done; it's like trying to translate HEY!