Love In Lima

El Parque Del Amor

El Parque del Amor (Love Park) is along the Malecon. Guidebooks lead you to believe that the colorful ceramic, design is very similar to Park Guell in Barcelona, and it is, but on a much smaller scale. Couples sit on the walls as if no one is watching them. It´s a little voyeuristic. My gringa sensibilities make me a little uncomfortable to show that emotion in front of a bunch of picture taking tourists, but these guys seem to ok with displaying their amor in public.On Valentine´s Day people go to the park and compete in a contest for the longest kiss. Not really sure what the winners get as a prize, but you can use your imagination.

There are quotes written into the walls of the murals.

Mi sangre esta alcanzando a las estrellas (My blood is reaching the stars) - Jose Maria Arguedas

Some othe quotes found in the park:

Te desvisto como quien pela una fruta

(I undress you like someone peels a piece of fruit)- Jorge Diaz Herrera

A ti como la luz del mundo a las ventanas

(To you like the light of the world in the windows)- Juan Gonzalo Rose

Somos un poco la sombra de lo que fuimos

(We are a bit like the shade of what we used to be)- Oscar Valdivia

In the center of the park is a statue of a couple fully embracing, seemingly pre-coital. It stirred up some contreversy since Peru is a fairly conservative country. The creator of the stautue is Peruvian artist Victor Delfin.Someone wrote this quote on the ledge of the wall along the Malecon.
(The views of a lighthouse are distant. Just like love, it seems far to never return).