I
hate arriving in a strange city in the dark, but that is pretty much the case
when traveling to Central or South America. After what seemed a very long time driving
along a narrow curvy road bordering
water with not a single streetlight or building in site I was one happy
camper to see the lights of Miraflores!
Miraflores, a bedroom community of Lima, is where our hotel was
located. The next morning we stopped at a pharmacy across the street from the
hotel to buy some foot powder. What a surprise to find it all closed off with
steel grating and to learn we had to stand on the sidewalk and make out request
known to the clerk inside. No checking the merchandise here! It was unnerving and
a pretty uncomfortable feeling.
We
had been assured it was safe to walk the area in daylight. As we made our way
toward the waterfront I noted there seemed to be a bank on every street
corner—and they came with a pair guards armed with assault rifles wearing
bullet proof vests outside each door!
We soon came to a nice
little park with paved walkways and a church that was the focal point of the
park. An art exhibit lined much of the pedestrian walkway. Shops and
restaurants lined the streets surrounding the park. We were feeling more
comfortable.
We
were in no hurry as we had the whole day while we waited for the rest of our
hikers to arrive. After a leisurely lunch we strolled on a bit farther and
found Parque Salazar
which was our original destination.
As we
approached the park we spotted what looked like a huge candle shaped sculpture.
On closer inspection, we saw three of them. They were mirror covered and the
shape changed as one moved around them. They reflected the buildings across the
street, and the reflections changed in shape and size depending on one’s position.
These unique structures fascinated me.
A ramp
led to a lookout viewing area, and we were surprised to find a lovely four-level
shopping- restaurant complex with all kinds of views of the ocean. Navy blue
uniformed security guards were found everywhere. It was not cold, but a bit on
the cool side. Later we were to learn that it was typical Lima weather. Most of
the year a coastal fog called garua
blocks the sun. Locals told us that Lima never needs a weather forecast,
because the weather is always the same. The only rain the city ever gets is a
fine mist.
Before
heading back to the hotel we made our way to the banos. What a pleasant surprise to find them clean and well stocked
with an attendant wiping up every drop of water. As it turned out, these were
the best bathrooms we would see for
two weeks!
Public
bathrooms hardly exist in Peru except in transportation buildings, and then
they were most often dirty. Most
bathrooms had no supplies, so be prepared!
Decently equipped bathrooms were found only in the very best hotels and
restaurants.
Because
Peruvian plumbing leaves a lot to be desired, all toilets had a plastic
trashcan nearby for the deposit of TP. Flushing paper can clog the plumbing and
cause an overflow. Nearly all the time there was only a commode; for some
reason toilet seats were few and far between. Then on the other hand, the plain
ole hole in the ground wasn’t all that uncommon!
As we
approached the hotel we stopped at a store to buy bottle water—a must in all of
Peru. While there I was curious to try an Inca Cola. Because it was in a glass bottle we had to
drink it on the premises. The yellow drink tastes a lot like a crème soda and
was quite good.
Because
of 9-11 a couple of weeks later, we never made it back to Lima to continue our
sightseeing as we flew home from Lake Titicaca.
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