We haven't finished unpacking from our two-week trip to Peru, and we already want to go back.
The wedding of Geoff's younger brother Matt, who lives in Cusco, and meeting his wife Edith and their baby Joaquin, was the primary purpose of our visit, though we've always wanted to visit Machu Picchu. Geoff's parents and his older brother Mark were there as well -- we partied it up Peruvian style for the wedding festivities (see "Peruvian Wedding & Events" post); toured the city; and visited nearby ruins, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu (see "Machu Picchu" post).
Food: Delicious. Very delicious. After we got back and I went to pilates, my instructor patted my stomach and asked how my trip was. Ok. Dude. Sou americana. Your brutal honesty will make me cry. Anyway, the Peruvian culinary scene is really diverse ranging from trout ceviche to Indian food. Typical dishes are aji de galina (a chicken sauce over rice; our very favorite), cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca (alpaca). I didn't try the latter two because the mouth and claws of guinea pigs resemble those of rats. As for alpacha, we don't eat red meat, so another no-go. Peru boasts thousands of varieties of corn, and our favorite dish was little corn cakes topped with shrimp, chicken or fish. Our two favorite drinks: pisco sours, of course, and chicha morrada, which is a non-alcoholic juice made from purple corn.
Language: Unlike our visit to Chile, we, more or less, were able to communicate successfully in Portuguese. I'm not sure if this is because our Portuguese has improved, Peruvians are used to Brazilian tourists, or Peruvian Spanish is more conducive to understanding Portuguese. Interesting, older people had the most difficulty understanding us. One man told me my Spanish pronunciation was all wrong and I told him that's because I was speaking Portuguese. Most everyone speaks a little English, too.
Culture: We were able to experience a lot of "firsts" -- something we really value, and seek out, in our travels. What makes Cusco such a wonderful place to visit is its culture. Seeing people lead llamas around town, watching the women weave sweaters and learning about the incredible Inca history was so unique to anywhere else we've been.
People: The people in the Cusco region are genuinely eager to share their culture with tourists, though they want tourists dollars, too. It was nice to leave the city for the Sacred Valley to escape all the "buy, buy, buy." We knew we were being charged tourist prices when we weren't with our Peruvian in-laws, but didn't mind because we're tourists and the up-charge was usually about 30 cents. We did have to be careful, though, about not being taken advantage of, which is not unique to Cusco.
Shopping: There's lots to buy in Cusco, and thanks to all her generous family (especially Aunt Edith), Eri walked away with one or more of everything. Quite literally. Sweater, dress, hats, pants, shirts, doll, stuffed llama, purse, musical instruments and jewelry. She wore it well. One night out, I thought she looked just like a little Peruvian girl. Uncle Matt said she looked like a _____(explicative) tourist.
Pictures: Prepare for an onslaught.
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Rough start at the airport in Lima at midnight.
The next flight out to Cusco was 6 hours later.
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First on the agenda: avoid skin cancer.
Eri chose this lovely pink hat herself, which did the trick nicely.
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Day 1: Guided walking tour of the city
with Greg, Margy and Mark.
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Day 2: Visiting the ruins just outside Cusco.
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We weren't sure if this was a baby llama, lamb or alpaca,
but either way it was sooo cute.
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Plaza de Armas, the heart of downtown Cusco.
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Baby Joaquin being soothed by Uncle Geoff
and his nearly three years of experience.
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Eri wanted to pet these alpacas until
we got closer. "Mama, they need a bath."
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Geoff and his girls.
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Grandpa Greg and Grandma Margy.
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Eri and her buddy.
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Eri feeding a llama.
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It's not just America that markets everything.
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There seemed to be a parade at least once a day in Cusco.
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Peruvian pancakes.
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Eri and I went horseback riding through the Sacred Valley,
which is about an hour outside Cusco.
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We rode to Moray, which are Incan ruins in the Sacred Valley.
The circular depression was used for farming;
each circle has exactly a one-degree difference in temperature
and crops were planted accordingly.
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Awe, mom.
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Peruvian women spinning yarn.
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What? Just cruisin' the Sacred Valley in artisanal pants.
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Eri loved her horse, Twinkie (not his real name)
and our guide (we couldn't understand her name either).
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We were able to see a lot of small towns and the countryside on
our horseback trip. This pack of little pigs was especially exciting
for Eri, who asked if a wolf had blown their houses down.
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Rural Peru.
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Eri noticed these boys wear a different color uniform than her
and told me that they go to a different school than she does.
I would've thought the donkey would've been the give-away.
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Wow.
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Meanwhile, Geoff's view: the Apurimac River.
He kayaked a 20-mile stretch, about 35 miles
south of Cusco.
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Geoff and his Peruvian buddy, Noel, on the Apurimac.
They kayaked alongside a group of 20 rafters.
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Home again. Geez, what's in there? I guess the
one, sometimes two, of everything from Cusco.
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