City of Kings

What is one of the most visited cities in the world, where the visitors are in such a hurry to leave there, that they forget to look at and enjoy a city that has many unknown, interesting places to visit and things to do. When I was travelling the common reflection or judgment of Lima was one which tended to be the same with whomever I spoke too, one which was without a glowing reference or fond memory.

One of the most frequently visited places in South America is the city of Lima, capital of Peru. This statement can start of a train of thought, that makes the reader believe that Lima is droving with tourists, who come their to bask in the riches that makes anyone want to visit somewhere in the first place for example, culture, places of interest, history, etc. but this couldn’t be further from the truth, with Lima seen as something entirely different, a sort of stop over or gap filler so as to tour the other more popular areas of Peru such as Cusco, Arequipa, Trujillo, etc., with visitors, choosing to spend as little time there as possible.
Millions of people are squeezed into Lima, making it one of the most populous cities in South America. The city can transport you from somewhere that resembles in patches – Europe, with its business district and the modern Miraflores, with its hip and stylish shops, to somewhere that on the opposite end of the scale that seems like the third world, with many shantytowns dotted around the city, housing poor people, amongst very wretched and what seems like unlivable conditions.
Movement in Lima can be hectic and a little draining, with it being a fast-moving metropolis with a reputation for pollution, freneticism, being a dangerous place and the odd traffic jam!!!!. (Which incidentally, some might say is a very polite way to put it). Maybe this is one of the things which irritates the tourists when they arrive here, as straight away you are put right into it, head first when you make your journey from the airport to the most probable location of any tourist, back packer, etc. being Miraflores, within time it clearly becomes obvious that patience is a virtue that might well be needed and have to be used in abundance.

If the effort which comes from the aforementioned is called upon then the rewards can be plentiful, with a wide range of things to do, see and enjoy, for example, pre-Inca archeological places like Pachacamac and Huaca Pucllana and the lasting impression which the buildings and houses of Downtown can leave upon you, from the very influential period when the Spanish ruled this part of the world, and used Lima as the capital of their vast land spanning empire, thus naming Lima the City of Kings, with as well as leaving the Spanish language they also left lots of examples of typical Spanish colonial architecture, this being so much true, that the centre itself is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List, not forgetting, also there are ultramodern shopping malls, the countries best museums like the Museum of Archeology, Anthropology and History of Peru, paragliding with a view of the cliffs in Miraflores, and the relaxed atmosphere of Barranco bars and discotheques.
These are, though, only but a few, the tip of the iceberg some might say, with along with being famous for its Incas history and infinite numbers of archeological sites, there is another thing that Peru is world famous for, food!!!!! Peruvian food is very quickly gaining a reputation world wide as having some of the most delicious and succulent that there are, with the

various types on offer, being able to cater for all tastes and preferences, as well as wanting to try something new which someone unfamiliar with these parts, might well want to do. On the subject of food and an area which in most cities in Europe, Asia and North America are accustomed to having, this being a Chinatown, but for example, South America is one continent in the world which has not being going with this trend, as in this moment the amount of these such areas in this part of the world are few and far between, with the Chinatown in Lima being the most distinctive, with as well as setting itself apart with its food, there are also other aspects which give the area a feeling of transporting you to a uniquely different experience from that which Lima gives you, to being able to enjoy Chinese architecture and decorations.

Peruvian food as stated before is growing in reputation, and Chinese food in Lima is no exception, with the quality, being second to none. There are over 6000 Chinese-Peruvian restaurants in Lima called Chifas and Peru is by far the country with the most Chinese restaurants in Latin America, which no doubt reflects the popularity of the food in this country, so a visit to Chinatown in Lima is a must, if you want to experience a unique atmosphere in a unique location in the world.

So if you have been to Lima or as yet have not been able to enjoy its many delights, please give it a few more days than the accustomed amount tourists usually tend to do, who knows, you might well be surprised and maybe even be able to persuade many others to come and see what the fuss is about, and start of a train of thought that co exists with that of a destination and not just a stop over. I hope so!