Barranco is the bohemian soul of Lima. It maintains a flavour of the past which vibrates every day and evening until the early hours of the morning. I confess that this is the area of Lima I mostly frequent in the evenings for fun and music….. but such escapades will be revealed in some future post.
This post will be dedicated to just one hour in this district. It is the afternoon. I have just dropped my grandson off for a class, and so have about forty-five minutes to walk around this emblemic district. Please join me on my stroll.
Paulo, my grandson is greeted by his teacher and I start my walk.
It takes about ten minutes to reach the centre of Barranco. I pass by the historic tramcar which used to run for a few blocks on the very reduced track that still remains.
I arrive at the Plaza de Armas the central square, typical of many small town squares in Peru.
It needs to be said that Barranco used to be a thriving, little seaside town before being taken over by the sprawling Lima Metrópolis.
I love this busy little plaza, with its fountains, it’s bandstand and colonial styled buildings.
I am tempted, as always to go into the famous “bodega bar” Juanito’s for a beer and a “Butifarra”, but I now only have half an hour, and well, I am driving……..perhaps later tonight. There is no sign outside, but why? Everyone knows where Juanito’s is!
I pass by the old colonial buildings with their patios.
and leaving the square, head towards “El Puente de Suspiros ” (the Bridge of Sighs). On my way, the building walls display photos of how Barranco used to be, a reminder of the magic that Barranco has always had.
On the other side of this alley, is a street portrait of the famous singer and composer Chabuca Granda. She was a dearly loved artist whose songs about Lima and Barranco are part of Peru’s cultural heritage.
So important was she in the heart of the Peruvians that she figures on on the ten Sol bank notes.
A few yards further and the old bridge comes into sight.
The bridge crosses a ravine bordered by steep sides. The ravine cuts into Barranco and a path descends steeply down towards the beach far below.
On a normal day there are relatively few people walking down towards the beach. 0n each side of the ravine are rows of restaurants and bars.
However on bank holidays and week-ends, this path is packed solidly with people coming in from the districts around Lima wanting to enjoy some sun and bathe in the ocean.
Rather than climb back to the bridge again, I often take the steep path up the south side of the ravine as a short cut back to the car. The walls are covered with a wide variety of street murals.
Just before starting this climb I stop to admire, once again, this mural of a traditional Lima knife grinder.
The mural is very life-like, and I recognised him immediately.
The last time I saw him working was in the market of the neighbouring district of Surwuillo.
At the top, we find a mural of Suzy DÃaz, a “vedette”. Her succcess in life had, shall we say……..more to do with her volupuous shape rather than her intellectual capacity. However, she was elected by popular vote as a member of Congress. Indeed, she did introduce a few projects of law, more than some of her illustrious but incompetent colleagues…..in the land of the blind!!!!!!!!……..
Sometimes on my walk, when I am feeling lazy, I just cross the bridge and walk along the top of the other side of the ravine, thus avoiding all the stairs and enjoying beautiful views of the ocean.
This pathway is also lined with restaurants and leads to a Mirador overlooking the ocean.
But look at the time…….the class is finishing and Paulo will be waiting for me. I race back and get there just in time. So, seat-belt on, and off we go, dropping him off in the neighbouring district of Miraflores where I live too.
And tonight! Back to Barranco. Juanito’s, here I come!
I’ll go there on my bike. It takes about twenty minutes along the cycle path that runs along the coastal cliffs. Perhaps the wobbly return could take a few minutes more….Salud!!!!!
Two short galleries showing some more Barranco Street art and ………people!
The Street Art
The People
Wanderings! 
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