Fly, robin, fly

When you walk around the Malecón (Boardwalk) in Miraflores you will see people paragliding over what is called the “Costa Verde,” or “Green Coast.” It has become part of the coastal landscape in this district. You can spend time enjoying the vast ocean view with these flying devices sprinkled in the sky.
For US$50 you can have your ten minutes of Icarus glory and see this coastal city from above. It is an exhilarating experience, a little steep for Peruvians but quite affordable for American standards. So far, no accidents have been reported and even an 85-year-old Peruvian grandmother “La abuela voladora” has done it (I later learned she is the mother of a college classmate.) But digging a little bit deeper, one of my students who went up in the air found out that the company who runs this activity is not registered with the city and has no insurance. Another incredible third-world story.