5 reasons why I love Peru

I just got back from a week in Peru and it was just as captivating the 2nd time around. There are so many reasons I adore the country. Some of the highlights for me are:

1) The vibrant and colorful culture. From the intricate hand embroidered traditional clothing and hats, farmers herding their sheep and woolly alpacas, workers harvesting cactus to make a homemade mortar paste, the omnipresent flute player, underground fire pits for cooking potatoes, etc. I can go on and on.

2) The architecture. Everywhere you look in the Sacred Valley, the hills are marked with Inca Ruins dating back to the early 13th century. The cobblestone streets, alleyways and ornate doors and balconies of Cusco. The setting of Machu Picchu leaves ones mind boggled trying to figure out how this ancient city was built in the middle of a mountain range.



3) The children. They are just so adorable. Maybe it is the big smiles and smudged dirt on their faces? We had a chance to visit a local school and the soccer ball we brought lit up their faces. It was a great way to interact with the local children and make them smile even more. It was a highlight for many on my trip.



4) The diversity of food. I am not convinced the Peruvian cuisine is my favourite, but they have a great variety to choose from. Some must tries are the cream soups (according to Wikipedia along the Peruvian coast there are more than two thousand different types of soups), Paltas Relllenas (avocado stuffed with chicken), and ceviche. For those more daring, I was told the Cuy (guinea pig) is quite good. This is a specialty in the Andes that is prepared many different ways. Rumour is it is better fried than boiled. Be prepared for the chance it might come served to you still fully intact (i.e.: with the nails and teeth).

5) The outdoor activities. Hiking in the footsteps of the Incas following their old travel routes, rafting the Urubamba river through canyons with cactus, Inca ruins, abnormal sized hummingbirds and donkeys with views of snow capped mountains, biking through local villages swerving past wildlife (roosters, cow, sheep) and saying hello to all the people who came out of their house to cheer us on.

6) And last but not least, Lake Titicaca, just because of the name. For some reason it always seems to make people giggle. According the locals in Peru, the "titi" belongs to the Peruvians and the "caca" to Bolivia. For those who don't know, the lake is the largest commercially navigable lake in the world.