Larcomar: When You Just Need Some Coffee

I traveled to Lima in August with my sister and her family, and another family of friends. There were 14 of us all together and one morning, some of us were craving some good old American coffee. I knew exactly where to go: Larcomar, the trendy, ritzy shopping mecca in Miraflores across from the Marriott Hotel. It is full of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and American fast food, like Starbucks.

We walked over from our apartment and as we were waiting for our coffee, my sister chuckled and told me that her husband hadn’t stepped foot in a Starbucks in the U.S. and she found it funny to see him sitting there waiting for us in a Starbucks in Peru. In fact, when the five of us emerged with our Starbucks cups in our hands, he snapped a picture of us and had a good time ribbing us about traveling so far only to buy something that is available around the corner from our homes.

I love looking at this picture and remembering that moment. It was actually pretty ironic since we never thought we would get him to travel to Peru with us and he was the only one that day who was really acting like the commited world traveler.

I should mention that Larco Mar is not just about shopping. It looks like a park with fountains, palm trees, lovely sea views, and futuristic architecture. Filled with entertainment opportunities both during the day and at night, it is impossible to be bored with Larco Mar. There is something for everyone from children to adults with a bowling alley, gold museum, movie theaters, and discos. Open from 10 am to 10 pm, it offers a spectacular view of the sunset and every restaurant has views of the sea.