Peru - Elemental Quests

The Inca Empire flourished for a few hundred years. At its peak, it was the largest nation on the planet. Their influence stretched along the west of South America from the Andes to the Pacific. In Peru, their culture, language, and values still exist in the mountains. Similarly, the Amazon Rainforest covers almost half of Peru and shelters plants and animals that do not exist anywhere else.

MUST SEES: LIMA

Miraflores

This garden neighborhood is next to the Pacific Ocean. Along the coastline, there are high cliffs right across from the water. Along the Malecon, there can see statues and a lighthouse.

Convent of San Francisco

Pigeons flock to the yellow exterior of the church. The workshop of Peter Paul Reubens created the paintings in the Room of Profundis. The dark catacombs have pits of human leg bones and skulls.

Cathedral of Lima

The cathedral is in the Plaza Mayor of Lima, former site of an Inca shrine. In 1535, Francisco Pizarro founded Lima and laid the first stone of the cathedral.

Larco Herrera

The museum has one of the world’s largest collections of pre-Columbian art. There is an extensive gold jewelry collection. They used the gold for both ritual and ornamental purposes.

MUST SEES: CUSCO

Qorikancha

The Temple of the Sun was once the most important religious site for the Incas. All that remains is a massive stone wall. You can examine the perfect masonry with its flush surface and no gaps.

Plaza de Armas

Many of the buildings that now define the bustling Plaza de Armas sprang up from the foundations of Incan temples.

Cathedral Basilica

The Cuzqueña School provided the cathedral with 400+ paintings. The indigenous artists incorporated many of their own sensibilities. For example, Marcos Zapata’s The Last Supper painting shows a guinea pig at the center of the meal.

Corpus Christi

During this Catholic festival, onlookers pack the Plaza de Armas. A dozen groups carry relics and floats on their shoulders from the cathedral to the square. Revelers sing and set off fireworks.

San Pedro Mercado

The market has much to offer. The meat section includes guinea pigs. There are exotic fruits such as cherimoya and maracuya. There is purple corn and potatoes of all shapes and colors.

Incan Ceremony

The healer prepares an offering with llama fat, corn, grains, flowers, and shells. The healer gives you three coca leaves. You think of three essential things and place the leaves in the bundle. You blow on the offering and thank Mother Earth.

MUST SEES: MACHU PICCHU

Vistadome Train

Why hike? Board the train at Ollantaytambo and choose your class: 1) Expedition (Economy), 2) Vistadome (Business), and 3) Hiram Bingham (First). Nab a window seat on the left for the best views. The tracks follow the Urubamba River to Machu Picchu.

Agua Calientes

The city is at the base of the mountain. Ride a bus for 45 minutes up to the entrance. Spend a couple nights at Agua Calientes, so there’s one full day to explore Machu Picchu. You also beat the crowds by entering first thing in the morning.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a legendary city on a ridge between two mountain peaks. It represents the apex of the Inca civilization. The Inca nobility would vacation here wearing gold jewelry and colorful alpaca wool ponchos. The other residents were here to work the land and take care of the royals.

MUST SEES: LAKE TITICACA

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is located in the Altiplano, a high plateau in the widest point of the Andes Mountains. At 12,241 feet, it is the world’s highest navigable lake with Peru to the west and Bolivia to the east.

Uros Islands

Take a boat ride to the floating Uros Islands. The Uros constructed the islands entirely from totora reeds. They barter for everything they need.

Puno

Puno is a city on the banks of Lake Titicaca. Getting to the city requires driving over a high mountain pass at over 14,000 feet.

Sillustani Tombs

The Aymaras were advanced for their time and built chullpas (tombs) on the hills by Lake Umayo. They buried their high priests in cylindrical structures, which were 36 feet tall and once covered in gold. The Spanish have since stripped the gold.

MUST SEES: RAQCHI

Wiracocha

The Incans built this temple for the Creator. The superior Incan masonry forms the core of the temple. A mud wall rises from the stones. A colonnade on either side of the wall once supported a wooden roof.

FOOD

Ceviche

Ceviche consists of raw fish marinated in citrus. The zesty dish also contains onions, a slice of potato, a slice of sweet potato, and corn on the cob.

Lomo Saltado

This dish is a stir-fry of steak strips, soy sauce, onions, tomatoes, rice, and fries. It is a popular dish from the chifa tradition, which fused Chinese techniques with Peruvian ingredients.

Causa Relleno

Yellow potatoes form a golden exterior layer. The stuffing can include chicken, avocadoes, olives, and onions The whole thing is rolled up and garnished.

Aji de Gallina

This is a plate of chicken, potatoes, olives, and rice. The dish is covered with a creamy, spicy, garlicky, yellow sauce.

Cuy

Cuy is a delicacy in Peru. Some grills in the main plaza display a pile of guinea pigs. Some cuy have little tomatoes in their mouths. You can still see their little teeth and charred tails.

Lechon y Leña

At La Lucha Sangucheria in Lima, get this legendary sandwich. The ciabatta is stuffed with roast pork slathered with spicy sauce and sliced onions. Wash it down with guava juice while you watch the world go by from the sidewalk seat.

Salchipapas

Perfect golden fries are crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Sausage slices top the fries.

Chicha Morada

Chicha Morada is a beverage made by boiling purple corn in water along with pineapple peels, quince, cinnamon, and cloves.

Pisco Sour

A pisco sour mixes pisco (a brandy), lime juice, simple syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters.

Inca Kola

Inca Kola is a soft drink even more popular than Coca Cola in Peru. The flavor of Peru has a fruity bubble gum taste.

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