Purple Haze

After my post yesterday I thought I’d write a little bit more about my first impressions of Lima, Peru. The two words that come to mind are “purple” and “haze.” And with all due respect to Jimi Hendrix, the two words are not connected.

First, “haze.” I’m not sure whether this is a seasonal thing or whether it is like this all year, but I have not yet seen the sun in Lima. I’m sure that there is a part of the haze that is caused by the pollution of a city of over 8 million people but I think it is much more naturally occurring. As I’m not a meteorologist I can’t tell you whether the dense clouds are coming off the mountains to the East or from the Pacific Ocean to the West or whether it is some combination of both. What I can tell you is that for a person who loves to walk I get to escape the effects of the sun beating down on me as I explore the city.

Second, “purple.” Lima’s non-alcoholic beverage of choice is Chicha Morada. At lunch my first day in town I had two. The key ingredient to the beverage is maize or corn. A cocktail of fruit juices that can include pineapple and apple are added and the final touch consists of adding spices (cloves, or cinnamon in some cases) to give the beverage a bit of a bite. I’ve been told that alcoholic versions exist.

For the last two nights I have stayed at a residential hostal called El Faro Inn. A “faro” is a lighthouse and the hostal is only a three minute walk from a small lighthouse located in a handsome park on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The park has all kinds of great features, from a “lover’s lane” type area which I described in my last blog posting to a small dog park, a playground, and something I do not want my mom to read about. (Don’t read the rest of this paragraph, Mom.) The park also features an area on the cliffs where parachuting enthusiasts gather. They run towards the edge of the cliff and the updraft causes them to soar above the cliffs, out of over the ocean, and then back to the cliffs where they make precision landings from the place where they started. Those of us who aren’t parachutists can fly tandem for a price that is a bit pricey. I’m thinking that this is absolutely necessary to do this before I leave.

El Faro Inn is located in Miraflores, the most beautiful area of the city. Everything here is very green and there are lots of fascinating trees and flowers, cactus and palm trees. Even though it is very temperate right now (mid-60s) the design of the buildings indicate that the region is a bit more tropical in nature. Buildings have areas that are open-air and rooftop patios abound. Especially overlooking the cliffs there are lots of high-rise condominium buildings, apartments, and the like. Most of these are designed with a sleek modern style and incorporate nature. Patios display flowers or miniature palm trees; one building has a thirty five story flowering vine that climbs up its façade. Miraflores is definitely the upscale area of Peru. I’m about a 15 minute walk from one of the booming nightlife districts in the city.

One other thing I ought to mention about Lima is that it is an extremely cosmopolitan city. While tourism to Peru is focused on visits to Machu Picchu, gastronomic tourism is booming. People come to Lima from all over the world to eat at the city’s world-class restaurants. These restaurants feature Lima’s signature dish, ceviche. Ceviche is fish or shellfish that is cooked chemically rather than with heat. Here, ceviche is cooked with lemon; other areas use lime, tomato, or other highly acidic fruits. The lemon juice fully cooks the fish, but leaves flavor and texture that heat would burn away. Other spices and flavors are added to the “acid bath” that the fish receives. The local cuisine has expanded dramatically incorporating French and Asian influences and fusion cuisine fuels the gastronomic tourism in Lima. Many restaurants offer menus with sections labeled “clasica” and “moderna.”

One more day in the city and then I am off to Machu Picchu.