Where's Grayleen?

what we did: We spent just under six weeks in Peru and could easily have stayed longer.  We spent chunks time visiting and taking Spanish classes in Arequipa, trekking for five days to visit Machu Picchu, visiting Cusco, and exploring the Colca Canyon.  In between we sprinkled in many other great sights and activities.

overall impression: Peru is chock full of things to do see and do.  It is a country with natural beauty and a rich history that has opened its arms wide to international tourism.  We loved most everything we did and ended up having to skip huge swathes of the country due to weather (see below) or lack of time.

exchange rate: 1 USD = 3 Peruvian Soles (directly translates as “3 Suns”, a nod to the Inca Sun god)

relative cost: Peru is cheap all around.  A good two course meal with beverage costs $1-3.  A private hotel room for two – $15 or less.  Buses with the equivalent of first class airline seats are ~$1 per hour driven.  Of course, high class tourist hotels exist and it’s easy to spend much, much more if you are so inclined.

the terraces: Centuries ago, the Incas completely transformed the shape of the hills and mountains of what is now Peru.  There are literally millions of terraces that cover the base of every mountain and hillside in the country and they really are beautiful.   These terraces provided the food that fueled the rapid growth of the empire.

the food: Set meals include a soup and a “segundo” (second course) which is usually some form of meat with rice or potatoes.  The soups are consistently amazing, even from hole-in-the-wall establishments selling full meals for under a dollar.  At times we found ourselves wishing for more soup rather than the segundo.  In addition, and straight to Gray’s heart, this is a country that really understands how to put their 2000 varieties of potato to good use.

Local specialties (all excellent) are:

- Fancy:

• Rocoto Relleno: peppers stuffed with beef, onion, cheese, and other deliciousness
• Cuy: guinea pig (tastes a bit like duck… yum)
• Pastel de Papa: A potato pastry.  Almost like a lasagna with layers of potato and cheese.
• Chicharron: Thick cuts of pork with intense flavor.
• Alpaca: Various preparations, always tasty.  We found it to be very flavorful and tender, a bit like veal.

–    Every Day:

• Papa Rellena: potatoes stuffed full of meat, onion, and cheese.
• Lomo Saltado:  beef, onion, and pepper stir fry served over french fries.  Even in the cheapest places, we found ordering the lomo saltado to be a safe and delicious bet.
• While in Arequipa, in the splurge range of $10, we found food rivaling anything we’ve had elsewhere in the world.  If you’re traveling to Peru, be sure to check out “we recommend” below.

the people: We chatted up locals and became great friends with a Lonca (Arequipan) named Evelyn who graciously showed us around her town and into her home.  On the flip side, we also had way too many experiences where we’d give an “Hola!” and in return we’d receive nothing but an avoidance of eye contact. This happened especially in the countryside.  Visit Peru for the history and activities and not for the service or to be greeted everywhere with warm smiles.  But they sure do have cool outfits!

the climate/weather: We thought we were heading into the South American summer.  What we learned was that near the equator there is no summer, just the rainy season (Oops!).  That said, we were very lucky and most of the rain we had in places like Cusco and Lake Titicaca was at night; warm, sunny days with blue skies were the rule the rest of the time.  In addition, Peru’s high elevation cools off what would otherwise be too-hot-for-us equatorial summer days.

we recommend:

- Salkantay trek & Machu Picchu

A true highlight and not to be missed: there’s a reason Machu Picchu is the number one tourist attraction in Peru.  Climb the stairs pre-dawn to be one of the first in the gates; you’ll get to see Machu Picchu before it is filled with tourists with its magic just-abandoned-by-the-Incas ambiance.  (Bring a shirt to change into.  You’ll be sweaty after climbing the over 1000 steep steps.)

- Colca Canyon (self guided)

Start early on hiking days; the sun is very strong at this altitude this close to the equator and you don’t want to be doing a ton of hiking between 10am and 3pm.  Also, while most people just spend one night at the Oasis, we recommend taking one day more and relaxing at the utterly charming hostel named Gloria’s in the tiny town of San Juan de Chucho.  Nothing to do but relax there, which doesn’t seem like a bad thing to us.

- Arequipa

Great food, beautiful surrounds, fun mix of history and hipness, and less touristy than Cusco (aside from the main square with its restaurant touts).  Specific recommendations in Arequipa include:

Nuevo Palomino:  This is the spot to go to for amazing Peruvian food.  Order the Rocoto Relleno (which comes with a potato pastry) and something with pork.. Note that it’s only open for lunch.

Tratoria del Monestary:  Situated right next door to the Monestary Santa Catalina, this restaurant serves up world class french-inspired cuisine with local ingredients at Peruvian prices.  Gray had the best lamb he’s tasted here and Aileen loved the sweet potato ravioli.

- El Club International:  A sprawling sports complex and fancy country club in one.  It’s a private club, but with some sweet talking, international travelers can get in for just 10 Soles (USD $3) per day.  We spent three different long afternoons lounging poolside, running on the track, and playing pool.

- CEICA:  A solid Spanish language school that gets good reviews.  This was time and money well spent.

- Cusco Coffee:  This Starbucks knock-off was a taste of home in a very foreign city: decent coffee, high prices, comfy couches, and free wifi.  What more could you ask for?

we do not recommend:

-  getting stuck on a bus during a protest

Bus stations in Peru are intimidating places with people calling potential destinations at you from all directions.  Take your time and ask at multiple bus company windows where prices can vary widely.  And if traveling between larger cities, remember to ask whether the roads have been closed between you and your destination by a protest (“un  paro”).  For whatever reason (we’re guessing monetary), they don’t volunteer this information.

- Puno

Puno is the Peruvian gateway to Lake Titicaca.  Nothing to see here; head right to the docks and find a way out into the islands.  Or, better yet, head to the Bolivian side and its gateway Copacabana that is everything that Puno is not.

we wish we had: Visited Huaraz.  The Cordillera Blanca is supposed to offer some of the very best hiking in the world  Unfortunately, Huaraz is nothing more than a sloppy mess during the rainy season.  We met many travelers who hopped the bus to Huaraz only to spend several days watching the rain out the window their hostel before turning right back around.  Huaraz, we will be back!