We arrive in the capital city of Peru after an 8 hour flight from Dallas in seats designed with midgets in mind. Tired and stiff we breeze through immigration, collect our bags and pre pay for a taxi to our very first AirBnb accommodation (more on that to follow). Our driver was smartly dressed, courteous and thankfully spoke better English than we speak Spanish, so we loaded up and headed off to Miraflores.
Lima is home to over 9 million people and our first impression backed that up. Even though it was 6 am in the morning, the traffic was dense and very Manilla like, with three vehicles trying to squeeze into one lane. Homes and shops crowded the streets with many little better than rickety shacks propped precariously up by their neighbours. Vendors patrolled the curbs and meridians hawking everything from brightly colored drinks, to sunglasses.
Our overall impression was that of a rusty brown, dirty and polluted city. Our driver tried to persuade us that the grey sky was just because that is typical Lima weather in the mornings (which it is). However the smell of diesel fumes and smoke was prevalent, only lifting a little as we travelled along the coast to one of the better parts of town, Miraflores.
This section of the city is known as the green coast, thanks to the vegetation clinging to the netting that drapes the cliffs in an effort to control rock slides. Along the cliff top a connecting series of boulevards known as Malecons have been built as a playground and buffer between the mass of high rises and the steep drop off. Like many of Limas inhabitants it was to the malecon we were inexorably drawn.
Our Air BnB host was there to warmly greet us, show us around our apartment and hand over the keys. Thankfully the bed was comfortable as the first thing we did was catch up on some sleep. We awoke around midday to sun shine and the temptation to go and explore.
We were just a block from the Malecon and very close to Lovers Park which is dominated by a huge statue of lovers (of course). The lovers are surrounded by paths and a mosaic wall into which couples names are inscribed. This in turn is surrounded by low hedges, shade trees and grassy areas, dotted by couples and dogs.
We firmly believe that you can tell a lot from a people by how they treat their animals, so were pleased to see that the dogs were well cared for, were collared, well fed and were being walked by professional dog walkers, the maid or the owners themselves. It seemed that everyone had a dog and not just little ones either; as most residents of Miraflores live in apartments they do need to walk their dogs.
Although Miraflores is swept by strong breezes off the Atlantic there is a distinct aroma. It seldom rains here; there are few public washrooms and lots of dogs doing their business. We will leave you to determine what aroma we speak of.
Despite the pong we spent many an hour strolling along the malecon watching kids play on the swings and slides and the various folks using the many gym sets that dotted the area (these varied from serious body builders to teenagers showing off for each other). Courting couples dotted the lawns, or snuggled up on benches, temporarily vacated by seniors out for a stroll. Amongst all of this were vendors selling jewellery, drinks, hats, sunglasses, newspapers, corn snacks and ice cream. Judging from the amount of yellow clad folks toting coolers, or pedalling converted bicycles, Peruvians like their ice-cream and lollipops.
Although Lima is much more than just one small area, we decided to stay close to home as there was so much going on. Nowhere else in the world have I encountered barefoot, wetsuit clad, surf board toting guys crossing busy intersections intent on catching a few waves. This section of coast is popular with the surfing crowd, every time we glanced out to sea we could see a speckling of dark figures far out in the dark grey waves, or just launching themselves off the pebble beach.
Access to the pebble beach is via a number of pathways down to the waterfront, where it’s all about the sport. Here you can take lessons, hire gear, show off your skills, grab a bite to eat or stretch out on the pebbles to take the chill off. Yep it’s cold and definitely not the Caribbean.
If surfing is not your style, why not take to the air instead? Miraflores is well known for hang-gliding. A designated launch area was just a few minutes’ walk away and we spent hours watching people run off the edge of a cliff, supported only by a piece of filmy fabric and a few strings.
Just kidding! Hang-gliding has been around for a while and the gear is now very sophisticated. Most equipment now comes in its own backpack which becomes a seat for the pilot once launched. This is also where beginners or thrill seekers get to try it out (and yes I was tempted, but knew it wouldn’t be covered by our travel insurance). For around $80 you can ride tandem with your pilot and swoop off the cliffs and out to sea, then swing back in and over the high rises before coming into what appears to be a fast and scary landing. Never fear help is at hand, two attendants help launch and catch the tandem riders, making life a lot easier for pilot and passenger.
As we pack up in readiness for our next destination, we are glad we came to visit but know that big city life is not for us.
