Lima is brimful of culture and heritage, though it's not obvious at first. On a strictly guidebook level, there are the museums (the best of which are excellent and should definitely be visited before setting off for Machu Picchu or any of Peru's other great Inca ruins), the Spanish churches in the centre, and some distinguished mansions in the wealthy suburbs of Barranco and Miraflores. But in their own way, too, there's a powerful atmosphere in the pueblos jovenes, where Peru's landless peasants have made their homes. In addition, Lima's noisy, fast-moving frenetic craziness is mellowed by the presence of the sea and beaches. The mix of lifestyles and peoples is a fascinating world of its own: from the snappy, sassy, cocaine influenced criolla style - all big, fast American cars, cruising the broad main streets - to the easy-going, happy-go-lucky attitude that can seem a godsend when you're trying to get through some bureaucratic hassle. And, as anyone who stays here more than a week or so finds, LimeA±o hospitality and kindness are almost boundless once you've established an initial rapport.