The City of Lima (the name taken from the original tribe that inhabited the area) was built right on the desert. The calmness of the ocean on its shores made it a convenient place for a harbour. It’s where the El Niño and Humboldt streams meet, allowing for frequent foggy days, but no rain. It hasn’t rained here since 1973.
It has 10 million inhabitants, the same as New York.
NYC has 20.000 taxis, but Lima has 200.000, so traffic is nothing but daunting.
Walking is a pleasure here though. I came across this gathering at Parque Kennedy, a public square in barrio Miraflores where there are so many stray cats it seems they spring from the earth like the flowers of the impeccably manicured lawn. These dancers don’t dare stepping onto the lawn nor on each other’s toes, for they elegantly swing into the Saturday afternoon. I could not resist the pull of the dancing crowd and I joined el baile for a few steps, before I continued on my way.
