The Cliffs of Miraflores

In the district of Miraflores in Lima, Peru, new luxury condominium towers hug the edge of the cliffs. At the base of a dizzyingly steep drop, the coastal highway winds along beaches popular with surfers. Miraflores is a privileged neighborhood. It contains some of Lima’s best restaurants, upscale shopping, and well-maintained parks and gardens. The district also serves as a base for foreign tourists visiting the city. Walking the paths along the cliffs provides a rare escape from the noisy, smog-filled city of almost 9 million. But the quiet is frequently broken by sounds of demolition and construction, as new glass-filled towers are are erected at a pace as frenetic as that of the city itself.