Miraflores

We are staying in Miraflores, home to several big hotels and the Larco Mar shopping mall, and one of the most popular areas for tourists in Lima. We are very close to the ocean and this is the view we have if we walk a block from our apartment.

At sunset it is even more stunning.

Our neighborhood is residential and a mix of old houses and apartment blocks. There are many tiny grocery stores and at some street corners there are carts with fruit and vegetables for sale.

Every day we hear the distinctive sounds of street vendors who announce their presence with various whistles (for the knife sharpener and the man who buys your unwanted items) or with the more high tech option of a repeating recording and a megaphone favored by the tamale seller.

Miraflores has a large central park named after John F. Kennedy. It is a popular place where artists display their work and street vendors sell their products.

The park is also a haven for stray cats and there are many cats roaming around, basking in the sun or running away from small children! The cats are cared for by an association that also oversees adoptions.

This cat from the park preferred the comfort of a nearby bookstore!

Another park near our apartment is the Parque del Amor (Love Park). Colorful mosaics on walls shaped like waves include quotes from various Peruvian poets and it is very popular at sunset. It’s also a great place to watch the surfers in the ocean below and paragliders taking off from the cliff.