El Día de Mamá: Let's Walk to the Beach

A non-functional lighthouse atop the cliffs over the Pacific Ocean in Lima

The signs all say that today is El Día de Mamá, Mother's Day on both sides of the equator. The long lines out front of all the restaurants this afternoon say the same thing. The sun and the warm (but not hot) temperatures all say: Beach Day in Miraflores.

Miraflores is an upscale suburban neighborhood within the City of Lima. 

We're not in the Centro Histórico anymore.

Access to the ocean in Lima is very limited and there really is not the infrastructure to walk along the beach. So, instead, in Lima -- or at least in Miraflores -- the "boardwalk" along the beach is up high on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific.

That is Puente Eduardo Villena Rey, which spans one particular opening in the cliffs up to Miraflores.

There is a lot to see on the "Malecon de Miraflores," the Miraflores boardwalk.

Such as this orange thing of modernity:

But once you get close to cliffside, the ocean view is great.

First sight to see:  Parque del Amor. 

It's known for its monstrous kissing statute. 

This is the butt-side view.

It doesn't get much better when you get closer.

And here it is. Full glory. Such as it may be.

But the ocean looks nice from high atop the cliffs at Parque del Amor.

A short walk down the Malecon is Parque del Faro, Lighthouse Park. Which is where we will find: the Faro de Lima.

The Lima lighthouse. It is purely decorative. It does not protect the ships at sea.

There is exercise equipment in many places along the Malecon. Open air exercise with an ocean view.

Then, further down, heading up the coast, is Parque Chino. Chinese Park. Let's see how many Chiense stereotypes we can pack into one little greenspace.

Chinese looking lions guarding the entrance. Check.

Is that a pagoda-roofed building? Check.

Lucky golden rabbit. Doublecheck. Double because you can smell incense burning here.

Pandas. Check. Give an extra check for the cuteness factor.

And the pandas are ride-able. Triple check.

Say is that a koi pond (which is really Japanese not Chinese but who's quibbling?) under the pagoda?

Yes. It is. Check to that, too.

Finally, a Fat Buddha whose tummy is rubbed for good luck? Bingo.

Yes, these all are stereotypes of Chinese culture. But they also are linked symbolically to Chinese culture. And there are a lot of Asian tourists in Lima and a lot of them were resting up at Parque Chino. I didn't see anyone looking offended. So I'm not.

It is now time to descend the cliffs at one of the path openings and head down to sea level.

This is surfer country.

The ocean is cold here because the Humboldt Current coming up from Antarctica affects ocean temperatures more than the equator-proximate location. And the surf is rough. So surfers. Not swimmers.

Well, some swimmers.

But not a huge number for a beautiful day in May. Which, given which side of the equator we are on, means we're deep into autumn.

Lots of people trying to sell me on surfing lessons down there. Not happening. So time to ascend back up the cliffs to the Malecon.

I'm not sure how the physics works, but it is a MUCH longer ascent up the cliffs than it was a walk down the cliffs.

And, carved out of the side of the cliffs in Miraflores is:

Larcomar. An upscale shopping mall. My least favorite kind of shopping mall.

My problem with upscale shopping is the feeling that I don't fit in. I don't share their tastes. I don't want to sport those brands. I don't want to pay those prices. I'm not one of them. But, looking at me feeling like I don't fit in to all this upscalery, to most of the people in the world -- and most of the people of Lima and Peru -- I'm just another face in the upscale crowd. In other words: get over myself.

Let's end on a place where I do feel like I fit in: a Catholic church:

Nuestra Señora de Fátima. Our Lady of Fatima. In Miraflores. Just a little too far inland for an ocean view.