Peru: A day in Miraflores, Lima

Miraflores is a suburb in Lima. It is said to be one of the safest suburb in Lima. I didn't have much planned for Lima and even though I am aware of historical center of Lima with impressive buildings, I didn't make my way there. (Gasp! Horror!). As I booked a hostel in Miraflores, I went with the recommendation from the hostel's staff and went about Miraflores.

Insertion of unrelated photo

Interestingly, she didn't suggest Huaca Pucllana ruins which is one of the few ruins remaining from historic pre-Columbian period in Peru (which I have just found from googling). I have also realised that I have spent a whole day despite the whole route only took 1.5 hours.

I started from the hostel after breakfast and my first stop was a nearby supermarket. Haha. I needed to replenish my water stash and grabbed some tea to bring home. I noticed that chocolates in Peru comes with a premium price tag. I saw that the supermarket also sells tamale so I bought one to try. Tamale is made from corn based flour with meat fillings. I bought the one with pork. Umm.. the version I bought wasn't very tasty.

If you are after post office, there's one nearby too. I bought some postcards in Cabanaconde, got stamps in Arequipa, wrote them in Huacachina and wanted to post them before I leave Peru, unfortunately it was a Sunday and post offices are closed. I also found out that there is no post box outside in Peru, at least outside the two post offices that I went. Lucky for me though there is one Serpost that is open on Sunday - in the airport :)

There are many markets on Avenue Petit Thouars if you haven't bought enough Inca handicrafts, alpaca scarves or other typical Peruvian souvenirs or you are not going to the the Sacred Valley area. I had a quick browse and think that the prices are more expensive comparatively. I feel that things in Lima are more expensive which is understandable, and harder to haggle though.

Next up was Parque 7 de junio and Parque Kennedy (parque = park) which are next to each other. Kennedy Park was named after the U.S President for the aid he sent to Peru during his presidency. These parks sit in the centre of Miraflores shopping and restaurant district. I sat there to eat my lunch - the takeaway tamale.

It wasn't very good, at least the one I had so to remedy it, I thought I'll try a Peruvian dessert - the suspiro limeño or suspiro de limeña, S/12 (~USD 4 / ~AUD 5.50 / ~RM 15). It is translated to sigh of a Lima lady because it is supposed to be sweet and light like a woman's sigh. It is definitely right on the sweet department as it consisted of condensed milk, evaporated milk and sugar. Probably the sweetest dessert I ever had, and my face showed it all, much to the amusement of the couple at a table across from me. Haha.

After that I finally reached the much hyped Larcomar. I was told I must see this shopping center which is located on a cliff with view of the Pacific Ocean. Coincidentally when I was there, there was an exhibition to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 90th birthday together with a Peruvian artist, Marcelo Wong.

I had a snack and a dessert but not yet a main meal. It was my last day and I decided to splurge a little on my meal so I went to Tanta, owned by Gaston Acurio and Astrid Gutsche. There was a bit of a wait but wasn't too long because I dined alone. I ordered a mixed fruit juice of strawberry, custard apple and tangerine, S/15 (~USD 5 / ~AUD 6.50 / ~RM 19) and classic ceviche, S/44 (~USD 14 / ~AUD 19/ ~RM 55). I can't get enough of ceviche, it was the only food that I ordered more than once. This was my 3rd ceviche in Peru, the other 2 times as a starter though.

Cariñoso - fresa (strawberry), chirimoya (custard apple) y mandarina (tangerine)

Ceviche clásico

Have to walk off all the food, so I continued on my walk on El Malecón, Lima's scenic cliff top walkway. There were many people participated in paragliding activities. View along the walk is spot on.

After a short walk is another park - Parque del Amor. As the name suggests, Love Park comes with a large sculpture "El Beso" (The Kiss) by Peruvian artist Victor Delfín. I've not been to Spain but I read that the design is influenced by Antoni Gaudí.

The Faro la Marina, a famous lighthouse in Peru is at northern end of Parque Antonio Raimondi. It is built in 1900 at Punta Coles but was moved to Miraflores in 1973.

I also find it interesting that there is a pedestrian walkway in between 2 streets, complete with benches and ice-cream sellers.

Side note: Slipping glasses is flat nose people's woe