June 21 – 22, 2019
We landed in Lima around 11:00 PM and went straight to our hotel in Miraflores, Tierra Viva Miraflores Centro. No jet lag as Lima is on CST, but still a long travel day. Allan went to bed and the boys and I went to find a late-night snack….Kentucky Fried Chicken.
The hotel is near Parque Kennedy, honoring JFK. The area was very lively with young people out partying. Jacob and Jack checked out one of the bars. They card!
The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and set out to explore Lima. We only had one full day we decided to walk down to the Centro Comercial Larcomar, stopping along the way to pick up hearing aid batteries, toothbrushes, chapstick, and other forgotten items. Larcomar is a shopping mall with top local and international brands wedged into the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Miraflores. It is worth a visit for the view but otherwise, it is just an over-commercialized shopping mall.
Centro Comercial Larcomar
Our first stop in Barranco was the Bridge of Sighs. The legend is that if you can cross the bridge (about 30 meters) for the first time without taking a single breath you are entitled to a single wish. We almost missed the bridge as there were no signs and so many school children taking formal photos that they practically camouflaged the bridge. It’s just a small wooden bridge but the park is lovely.
Known as the SoHo of Lima, Barranco is one of the city’s hippest neighborhoods, with colorful street art, tucked away bars and coffee shops, vibrant old mansions and summer houses, beautiful museums, delicious food, and plenty of bohemian vibes.
It was here we had the best meal of our trip!! While wandering the streets we found Restaurante Arlotia. The tapas were outstanding and the presentation perfect. It was a perfect place to catch our breath. If we were staying longer in Lima we would have definitely gone back!
Bridge of Sighs 
Memorial Chabuca Granda 
We had dinner at the Swissotel which was a beautiful formal setting but the meal was not memorable. However, Jacob’s Long Island Ice Tea was!
After dinner, we went to the Circuito Magico del Agua, The Magic Water Circuit, in the Parque de la Reserva. This was one of the attractions Tiffany recommended.
The Magic Water Circuit holds the Guinness book record for the largest fountain complex in the world. There are 13 fountains which are all illuminated. Many are interactive. The main attraction is the 130 yard long Fuente de la Fantasia (Fantasia Fountain). Each night there is a choreographed show of water and lasers set to Peruvian and classical music. Definitely worth seeing.
When we entered the park we walked through The Tunel de las Sopresas (The Tunnel of Surprises) a 38-yard walk through a series of water arcs.
On the way home we took a stroll through Parque Kennedy just across the street from our hotel. It is a beautiful park with lots of people singing and dancing. Kennedy Park is famous for its cats. “In the 1980s, the park was infested with rats. Local legend says that the church adopted a group of cats to combat the rat problem. The cats at Parque Kennedy are taken care of by anonymous angels, who keep them spayed and neutered, take them to the vet as needed, and keep the park clean of any undesirable odors. It’s an arrangement that’s been going on for at least 20 years, but nobody’s really sure how it started.”
