Whereas I knew I would not stay in Lima longer than one night, after booking the bed in the dorm in Pool Paradise, I decided to go exploring Miraflores a little on foot without the backpack. I was too tired and too stinky after the journey, but knew that if I took shower, I would not feel like going anywhere anymore. I needed to buy water to rehydrate anyway, so stink bomb as I was, I grabbed the camera and stepped out.
After snapping a few pictures at Kennedy Park, I headed down Avenida Larco to Larcomar – a stripmall of sorts on the cliffs of Miraflores overlooking the ocean. From there I turned right and walked alongside the cliffs, passing a few parks until I got to Parque del Amor (Park of Love).
The park is dominated by a statue of a man and a woman in an embrace and kissing. The structures around are adorned with love quotes, and the mini amphitheater like cascading steps surrounding it are used by couples to hang out, talk or more.
I also took a walk to a place called Huaca Pucllana, which is an archieological site of an ancient pyramid structure that looks like a giant monolyth, but consists of man made clay bricks.
On the way back I made a quick stop in Parque Reducto No2, within which there are statues of war commanders and a display of old military gear, like cannons.
I looked for a fruit market, which would surely have been around had this city been in Ecuador, but there was none. A few street sellers selling fruit from carts was all I could come across. Most shops I’ve seen were either selling souvenirs, alpaca products, or they were overpriced restaurants. Overall, I saw absolutely no reason to stay in Miraflores, or Lima in general, for any more than a day.
