**Your Tour Itinerary**

Hey there!
Last time we looked at La Casona del Cuy, a restaurant serving the traditional staple meat, guinea pig. This notion of tradition prompted me to think of what really defines Peru, and so I did some digging...

It seems as though the essence of Peru is being misrepresented by travel agencies and tour groups as a marketing ploy to encourage travelers to "discover" Peru.

Machu Picchu

You need only type "Essence of Peru" into your search engine to see the available tour packages, each advertised as unique, although on closer inspection are quite similar. Each tour available is guided, so will you really "discover" Peru on one of these tours? With Machu Picchu, Lima City, and Sacred Valley all major stops, we must ask the question, will our view of these iconic locations be the view of the tour group, or will we have the opportunity to draw our own conclusions?

Lima City

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that tours should be avoided. They are a great, cost efficient way of seeing the world, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. What I am saying, however, is that your experience in Peru may differ from tour to tour, as each group will have a different definition of what the real "essence" of Peru is.

Sacred Valley of the Incans

It is interesting to see that the pictures of these iconic landmarks do not show tourists, giving the impression that the areas are untouched and pristine. Trawling the internet for I managed to find a timelapse showing the movement of tourists around one of the latest Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu.


Fun Fact:
Machu Picchu has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983, and is Peru's most visited attraction, welcoming hundreds of thousands of travelers each year.

The issue regarding alternate definitions of the Peruvian essence is not that your experience will be different, in fact I believe that this is a good thing as I feel travel should be unique for each person. The problem lies in the way each tour group represents Peru. So I ask this of you, make sure to look before you leap, or in this case research the area you are visiting to reduce any shock or disappointment that may arise.

Diddly dee potatoes...and guinea pigs

Hey there!

Last time we met we looked at the iconic llama of Peru. While llamas were a vital source of protein for the Incan people, it is not as favoured in households of current time. So in this post we will be discussing an iconic protein of current, the guinea pig!

Fun Fact:
The Irish are known for their love of potatoes, but did you know that Peru is the true birthplace of the potato and boasts nearly 4000 different varieties? Neither did I!

Look at all these colours!

One of the more common protein source to accompany potatoes is the guinea pig. In their time, the Incans once ate guinea pigs and today they are regarded as a staple meat in most Peruvian households. You will find cuy, or fried guinea pig, is served at most restaurants, and is enjoyed by locals and tourists.
La Casona Del Cuy in the Cusco region of Peru is one of the more popular family restaurants, known for serving some of the best cuy in Peru. 

The two owners and chefs of La Casona Del Cuy

Baked cuy with potatoes and vegetables

The cozy setting designed to feel like you're having a hearty family meal, and according to the reviews, the friendly staff 'make you feel at home'. La Casona caters for both locals and tourists, however due to its popularity on travel websites, the number of tourists are increasing.

The taste is compared to rabbit, thought delicious, and though difficult to accept for people in other countries who regard guinea pigs as pets, the cuy is a staple of Andean cuisine.

Here's a llama, there's a llama..or is that an alpaca?

Hey there! Over the next few months this blog will be dedicated to bringing you fun facts about Peru, with the concept of smarter travelling as inspiration. So let's dive in shall we?

As a person who has never been, nor is an expert on the matter, if someone were to ask me what I believed was a symbol for Peru I would not have wasted time in blurting out "A LLAMA!"

Over the past week I have been scouring the internet for reasons as to why this is, and what the llama symbolizes to the people of Peru. 

Before we start, the name of this blog features an alpaca, and so for those of you wondering the difference between alpacas and llamas you will find a conveniently placed video at the bottom of this blog to answer some of your questions.
Approximately 5000 years ago, llamas were first tamed and have since become an important symbol in Peru. Their perseverance when under a burden represents endurance and their calm nature represents balance, making the llama one of the most respected beings across Peru.

A Peruvian girl with her llama.

Llamas had an important role in Inca culture. They were used for transportation, their wool was used for clothing and blankets and in times where food was scarce, their meat provided a source of nutrition. I find it amazing that the local indigenous people STILL use llamas for the same purposes today!

What is even more amazing is that it is not uncommon to see young children across Peru with llamas. The docile temperament and intelligence of the llama is what makes them great companions. A Peruvian child holding a young llama is such a popular photograph among travelers that it puts the llama in a special place in the country's cultural identity. This is what I believe to be the reason for my hasty response when asked for a symbol for Peru.

Fun Fact:

Llamas are very social, herd animals and do sometimes spit at each other as a way of disciplining lower-ranked llamas in the herd. A llama's social rank in a herd is never static.

So for all of you out there who still think that llamas are nothing more than fuzzy animals that spit on things, *cough* *that was me* *cough*,  I hope that reading this has changed your view and that it might provoke some further research into the stereotypes of any given country you visit.