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PERU STORY IDEAS

1. Complex and Savory, Is Peruvian Cuisine Poised to Be the New Hotness? Ethnic cuisines tend to take their turns in the international foodie spotlight, and now it looks like ’s moment is fast approaching, with upscale restaurants and celebrity chefs such as Cordon Bleu graduate Gastón Acurio popularizing, updating and fusing classic dishes not only in Peru but throughout North America, Europe, and beyond; Peruvian’s also a key element of the chic Latin fusion movement known as Nuevo Latino. Among other indicators, ’s September Mistura food festival has become an increasingly important stop on the international foodie circuit (it broke records this year with a single-day attendance of nearly 44,000). And though it’s still not quite widely known, la cocina peruana is actually one of the more complex and varied world cuisines, with elements drawn not just from the colonizing “mother country” Spain but also the cultures of the people who’ve been here since before the conquistadores; Africans originally brought to Peru in bondage; and immigrants from Asia (a local classic is chaufa aka chifa – fried rice), the Middle East, and elsewhere in Europe. The marinated fish and seafood cocktail known as cebiche is perhaps the single best known Peruvian dish, but it’s just one of many quite distinctive offerings. It goes without saying that corn and potatoes are huge staples (35 varieties of the former and thousands of the latter), but less well known are the likes of alpaca, chicha morada (a sweet, purple, corn-based soft drink), and cuy (an Andean guinea pig). You’ll certainly be hearing more about Peruvian cuisine in the years to come. Finally, a fun fact: did you know that tomatoes and peanuts were brought to Europe from Peru? European cookery would sure be different without this country. http://www.restaurantgirl.com/gourmet-gossip/trend-watch/peruvian_food_alert.html http://traveltips.usatoday.com/culinary-tourism-peru-1913.html

2. Top Peruvian Restaurants in Germany, France, the U.S., and Argentina With Peru’s cuisine becoming increasingly trendy, Europe and North America have seen their modest number of traditional Peruvian eateries joined by more upscale cohorts specializing in nouvelle and sometimes fusion versions of Peru’s national favorites (Peruvian-Japanese, for example, or pan-Latino). Following are some favorite Peruvian restaurants, both traditional and nouvelle: USA: El Rancho, Las Canteras, La Granja de Oro in Washington DC; Mixtura, La Cofradía, El Chalán, El Gran Inka, Chalán on the Beach in Miami; La Mar Cebichería, Chifa Peruano, Mo-Chica, Mi Lindo Perú in San Francisco; Mo-Chica, Los Balcones del

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Perú, Intiraymi, El Hatuchay, Nazca, Mario’s Peruvian in Los Angeles; El Anzuelo Fino, Lima’s Taste, La Mar Cebichería in New York City; Taste of Peru, Ay Ay Picante, Machu Picchu, 4Suyos in Chicago; Rincón Limeño, Machu Picchu, Taranta, Orinoco

3. Pisco: A Potent Peruvian Goes Increasingly Upscale A yellow-tinged AOC* brandy produced in Peru from Italia, Muscat, and other grape varieties since the 16th century and taking its name from the town and valley of Pisco (on the Pacific coast 240 km south of Lima, not far from the famous Nazca lines). Its distillation process is not unlike single-malt whiskey and fine tequila, and there are dozens, even hundreds of brands. Rudyard Kipling once wrote: “Pisco…the noblest and most beautiful product of our era…I have the theory that it is composed of little cherub wings, the glory of a tropical sunrise, the red of sunset clouds and fragments of ancient epics written by the great fallen masters.” The Peruvian national cocktail is of course the pisco sour, made of egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters. And just as we’ve been seeing a spate of fine tequilas coming out of Mexico, the pisco industry has also seen an increasing number of refined, high-quality versions in recent years, and also similar to Tequila, Mexico, there is a “ruta del pisco” where visitors can explore the liquor’s culture as well as places where it is produced and served. Meanwhile, since 2003 National Pisco Sour Day has become a nationwide favorite in early February. Just be careful – despite being 60 to 100 proof, it’s deceptively non-alcoholic-tasting – so it can sneak up on you! http://www.peruviantimes.com/28/peru-to-promote-pisco-route-in-ica/16636/ http://www.exploretaca.com/eng/article.html?id=1338

4. When It Comes to Ancient Civilizations, It’s Not Only the Incas Peru is of course world famous for Andean destinations such as Cuzco and Machu Picchu. But the Inca were only the most powerful and best known of the country’s ancient civilizations, and it’s true that the tagline “An Empire of Hidden Treasures” holds true no more than in its archaeological sites. You may also have heard of the Nazca Lines, a relic of the some 400 km south of Lima. But there are dozens of other fascinating sites that predate the Inca, as well – including one right in Lima. is a very distinctive pyramid built by a 3rd-to-8th-century civilization known as the Lima Culture. The Wari Ruins are the 16-acre remains of the capital city of a civilization in southern Peru near present-day Ayacucho, while Huaca de la Luna, near Trujillo in the north of the country, is an adobe-brick structure with impressive murals left over from the Moche civilization which flourished during the first millennium AD. The Chechapoyan civilization’s Kuelap on a northern mountaintop is a complex including

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450 houses and a stone fortress that’s South America’s largest ancient structure. Caral, a breathtaking complex some 200 km from Lima with a modern hotel opening this December, is the continent’s oldest known settlement, dating back as far as 2627 BC (see more details below). Yet more sites can be seen from cultures including the Chimú, Canta, Norte Chico, Chincha, Chavín, and more.

5. The Latest From Cuzco/Machu Picchu Peru’s biggest and best known tourism destination has seen some major doings this year. In Machu Picchu, new discoveries are still being made - most recently, in September, an unusual stone tomb (because of its location on a hill, rather than in a cave). After receiving thorough study by archaeologists, it will be restored and likely open to visitors. In late August, Peruvian president Ollanta Humala announced a major future development: the government will invest US$460 million in constructing a second regional airport in Chinchero, between Cuzco and Machu Picchu, that will be able to accommodate larger aircraft directly from abroad (CUS is limited to smaller domestic flights), and care will be taken to minimize the new facility’s environmental impact. Earlier this year, Machu Picchu was closed for weeks due to damage from torrential rains and landslides to the rail line from Cuzco, as was the Inca Trail. Meanwhile, in Cuzco itself, international hospitality brands continue to grow with the September opening of the J.W. Marriott Cusco. Finally, Cuzco now also has much quicker road access from Lima since this past summer’s opening of the Interoceanic Highway – 10 hours, down from 20 hours. saexplorers.org or the English-language Peruvian Times (peruviantimes.com)

6. Peru's Andean Explorer Named Top Luxury Train In South America El Pullman pasa! This luxury 1920s-style train is operated by PeruRail from Cuzco in the Andes to Puno, farther southeast on the shores of Lake Titicaca, which Peru shares with Bolivia. It includes both first-class and backpacker-class options. It wends its scenic 10-hour way through mountains, grassy plains, and canyons, past quaint villages, inspiring ancient ruins, and thermal springs, and stops once, at a local market around midpoint. The experience is heightened by onboard activities (pisco mixology! an Inca fashion show! the inevitable Andean band playing El Cóndor Pasa!) and a very cool, transparent, semi-outdoor observation car. The train received the award for best luxury train in South America at the World Travel Awards – sometimes referred to as “the Oscars of the travel industry” - held this year on September 15 in the Caribbean’s Turks and Caicos islands.

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7. New Hotel to Open in Caral, the Hemisphere’s Oldest City (Dating to the Time of Egypt’s Pharaohs) In the Supe Valley a mere 200 km (120 miles) north of Lima yet little known outside (and even among many inside) Peru, Caral is the fascinating remnant of the oldest known civilization in the Americas, a 626-hectare UNESCO World Heritage complex of temple mounds, sunken amphitheatres and the remnants of spectacular stone structures on an arid plateau near the Pacific coast. Little is known about the Caral- Supe civilization, but evidence suggests that this site dates back as early as 5,000 years. Full-day excursions are available from Lima, or as of December 2012 visitors will be able to overnight in the ancient city’s first hotel, the Empedrada Fundo Hotel & Spa (www.hotelempedrada.com). More information / photos: http://www.caralperu.gob.pe/menu.html BBC documentary about Caral: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75CsHHGzVis

8. The Amazon With A Spanish Accent: Peru’s Largest Region Many non-Peruvians think of the country mostly in terms of Lima and the Andes Mountains. But in fact, more than half of Peru is composed of the 13% of the Amazon jungle that it shares with Brazil and several other countries - and what’s more, the Amazon River actually originates in Peru. Key destinations in the area, all accessed from Lima via air, include Iquitos with its Belle Époque rubber-baron manses, Manú National Park, Tambopata National Reserve, and Puerto Maldonado (which is now also linked to Peru’s coast by the new Transoceanic Highway). Compared to its main (and much better known) competitor across the border in Brazil, the Peruvian Amazon not only tends to be less expensive but many say offers better wildlife viewing (it’s one of the planet’s most biologically diverse areas) and community tourism (among tribes speaking dozens of indigenous languages that are not Spanish). Highlights include pink river dolphins; piranhas; stupendous birdwatching; and a series of jungle lodges including native ayahuasca (hallucinogenic potion) ceremonies for the truly brave. http://www.peru.travel/en/where-to-go/loreto-659-3.15-2-1307-ci4.

9. Peruvian Purchases: The Fine Art of Shopping Few countries in Latin America can offer such vibrant and varied souvenirs as Peru, which among other things has a rich menu of artisanry. You’ll find attractive, high-quality earthenware and paintings all over, of course, but for mementos that are particularly Peruvian, we’d point you toward traditional silver jewelry; colorful weavings (especially the tapestries from San Pedro de las Cajas, east of Lima); sweaters, hats, rugs and throws of wool, alpaca, and vicuña in geometric patterns; and wooden pan flutes (paging Zamfir!). And of course don’t forget the national tipple, pisco (see above)!

10. Sandboarding the Dunes of Huacachina Heard of sandboarding? In a small number of destinations around the world with sand dunes, people surf down dunes on snowboards, and Latin America’s top mecca for this somewhat rarefied sport is a morning’s bus ride from Lima, near the city of Ica (an area also known for its pisco; see above) – and one of the dunes is the largest anywhere in

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PHOTOS & INTERVIEWS, PLEASE CONTACT JOSÉ BALIDO AT [email protected] the world. There’s even a Copa Sandboarding championship every August. There are also great dunes closer to Lima, in Chilca. More info: http://www.sandboardperu.com/2012/index.html Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg0wXHpNwNg

11. Colca Canyon: Twice as Deep as the Grand Canyon, It’s Where El Cóndor Pasa Some 160 km (100 miles) outside the southern city of Arequipa, it is a spectacular sight indeed – though perhaps not quite as obviously so as the Grand Canyon because its sides aren’t as steep. But what is especially awesome on top of its scale is its resident population of condors, the planet’s second-largest flying birds. You can take guided hikes into the canyon.

*denomination of origin/appellation d’origine controlée