Lima Summer

The brilliant sun and the vivid reds, purples of the sky just before sunset seen in the west, in the direction from Callao to Barranco. The feathery clouds tirelessly try to reach to lick the place where the stormy sea and the vermilion sky meet. The surfers return to their playing field faithfully every morning and wait patiently for the perfect wave as the sun suddenly begins to disappear from the ocean. The light at this time is a sign for the street vendors, who bring round and shiny cherimoyas and golden and full bananas from their fields to the city that is the hour to disembark on the long journey home. The white, blue and other pastel-colored shorts and miniskirts stand out among black trouser pants and serious dark indigo dresses made for the office. The street becomes a sea of nude legs, some long and thin, statuesque, hairy, bare, splotchy, boney and plump. The feet that follow are adorned by provocative sandals that allow the skin to peek from below, some hidden inside heavy and clunky sandals of thick leather; some show off red and blond hairs that shine in the sunlight; others show off delicately-painted nails of pink, pearl or tiny roses. Those that have religiously dedicated themselves to beach-going show off their smooth and firm bodies, perfectly tanned from the sun-kissed hair to the athletic and well-sculpted legs.

Lima’s summer is immortalized and emblazoned in the mind like a dream for all those that know it and yearn for its return as soon as its farewell. The sweet melody of birdsong replaces the noisy alarms while the sun’s rays filter through the window illuminating the whole bedroom in a soft, delicate light. The heat and light of summer have the mysterious power to slow down perceived time making drowsy days longer and warm kisses whose taste lingers and mixes with sweat of the wet and slippery skin. A light sea breeze gives brief relief from the most infernal hours of the day allowing for a sigh of gratitude that the sea’s presence is so near. A cool southern breeze rustles the trees bringing in with it the first signs of winter settling into Lima; until next year my faithful sunshine friend.