Lima, the capital of Peru, is a two

Lima, the capital of Peru, is a two-headed creature: grand colonial buildings on one side and vast slums slipping down dunes on the other; sprawling views of the Pacific Ocean and pollution thick enough to make you feel like you’re breathing oatmeal; Western-style shopping malls for the rich and crumbling street corners for the begging poor. Lima is a living, pulsating city with a vibrance, color, and adventure lacking in most American cities today, but also possessing a desperation, despair, and chaos that rivals the most impoverished parts of my homeland.