Lima

Lima is the first place I have visited in South America and I was not sure what to expect. After two days I realise that it is too large and varied a place to sum up in even one sentence as the three areas I have visited so far have all been remarkably different.

The monied Miraflores is modern and trendy with high rise apartment blocks and a swish mall. But it also has some charming residential streets, peaceful green parks and a fantastic pre-European archeological site, Huaca Pucllana.

Our next stop was the superb Museo Larca which gave an overview of the independent development of civilisation in Peru in the 2000 years before Europeans arrived. This was in another pleasant and relaxed residential suburb with green park squares.

After seeing two such nice areas, the hustle and commercial ordinariness of Lima Centro was something of a disappointment. People seemed so intent with their business that they were indifferent to the grand (if slightly shabby) architecture around them. We were quite glad to head back our temporary home in Miraflores.