Lima puts it's best face forward

Lima put it's best face forward for my mom's arrival on Saturday. 

Blue skies are a rarity in the panza de burro city, and we had a whole day of sun. 

Plus, my mom saw a different view of Lima than I had (see previous post).  We stayed in Miraflores, a swanky neighborhood 15 minutes from downtown--a sample of developed-world Lima located along la costa verde (the green coast) on the ocean.

In Miraflores, the vast inequality that defines Peru--and Latin America--was blatantly apparent. Five-star hotels and lavish condos along the beach, compared with the cardboard makeshift homes in Lima's outskirts, testify to a painstaking reality: the rewards of Peru's strong economic growth has only been reaped by a few. 

One example is this shopping center on the ocean--complete with a Chilis, North Face and other American stores--and the Marriott that towers over it.

This image of high rises, shiny Nissans and young professionals returning from a shopping spree captures the essence of Miraflores:

Hugging the squeaky-clean central park are European-style patio restaurants filled with Peruvians taking a long lunch:

In the nearby beach neighborhood of Barranco, this gorgeous church is the center of another strip of expensive restaurant selling ceviche:

While Miraflores may have been more comfortable physically, it was less than comfortable for my conscience.