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Lima : exploring Miraflores


Miraflores is a suburb of Lima, which is safe for tourists and is a magnet for the richer citizens. The suburb meets the Pacific Ocean and there is a lovely walk set along the coast line.

 
Our walk held many surprises. 


Another interesting thing about Miraflores is that it has an active archeological site right in the middle of it. Huaca Pucllana is a site which was used by three cultures prior to the Inca arriving in Lima. The main culture the Limans built the structure, a pyramid, from clay bricks in a bookshelf formation (which withstands earthquakes due to the air pockets between the bricks). It seems it was a place of religious worship (of the sea) and ritual human sacrifice.




It was rather hot and dry when we went and while the tour was insightful, it was rather sobering. Of the next two cultures who used the site one used ritual human sacrifice too.




I enjoyed seeing the garden they have created replicating some of the foods the Lima people cultivated which we use today, they included: corn, squash, chillies, peppers, beans, mate, cactus, quinoa, kiwicha, along with guinea pigs, llama, alpaca, ducks and hairless dogs. The latter not for eating but still kept widely as a pet today.






Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 29, 2019 at 3:39 PM

    I was a bit worried about them cultivating guinea pigs, llamas and hairless dogs for eating...
    Linda

    ReplyDelete

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