Peru - Being There

Have you ever had one of those trips that seem to truly place you in another person’s body? No goofy out of the body experience thing but just so removed from normal life you feel like you’re having flashes of living an alternate life. Every good Caribbean real estate sales person will tell you their property will place you in another time and put you at ease like nothing else can. But aside from buying your own island we all would like to remove ourselves from our normal lives on occasion. Well, when I went to Peru it happened. Everything about it was novel. You know how tired your 4 year old gets after a day at Disney World. It was like that. It was fascinating in all respects. Observing the culture, being immersed in another land not just as a tourist but also seeing Peru as it normally is, tasting every tasty new dish, throw in a Latin dance or two and see some of the most diverse geography known. Peru does have a lot to be enjoyed. And Peruvians know how to enjoy it.

My first adventure to Peru was with a few friends and we had the chance to meet up with a few of their Peruvian friends. Despite little familiarity with Spanish it was fun learning a little about their culture from their perspective. Traveling across the country both on that first trip and subsequent trips countless stories and experiences were had. In that first trip we had a chance to visit a remote fishing village outside of Paracas with vast barren but beautiful landscapes along the sea where we tested our creative photography skills. One evening I had the largest bowl of lobster soup complete with appendages jutting in every direction. I recall my first taxi ride in Lima. These tiny little yellow boxes have so many dents, scrapes and broken side view mirrors one enters them with an awareness of what is to come. The country is absolutely full of colorful personality and energy. In the end I couldn’t get enough of it. I’ve returned six more times since that first trip in March of 2007.

I’ve visited towns such as Cuzco in the Andean Mountain, Paracas on the coast, the capital of Lima and Ica. While in Lima, the capital of Peru, I had the opportunity to attend a baptism for one of my friend’s cousins and a celebration afterward. Being that the service was in Spanish I caught only occasional familiar words but it did seem rather normal. The country is predominantly Catholic although the heritage of native population is fully celebrated. I thought the plastic water bottles at the steps of the alter were a neat thing. Apparently the priest blesses the water and the parishioners take them home presumably for things that need a little extra holy-water-help through the week. The dog wandering through the church in the middle of the service was a nice touch too. He was friendly and quite happy to attend the special event. We went to a party afterward – it was a blast. Pisco (Peruvian brandy), dancing and plenty of laughs mostly directed at the enthusiastic American. The people are genuinely happy to spend time with new friends from far off lands. They’re inviting and seem to have a special humility that breaks down barriers.

The seafood was incredible especially in Paracas. Paracas is a small fishing town south of Lima. The coast is beautiful dotted with a few small islands. One, Isla Ballesta, is full of a few thousand Sea Lions and Penguins. Really rather entertaining creatures. They seem to love looking at you from every odd angle (nimble necks without a doubt) as you pass by in a boat even though they’ve certainly seen 10 boats earlier in the day. And finally Cuzco – the mountain town most often visited by tourists on their way to Machu Picchu. Cuzco has warm and down-to-earth people that are surprisingly untarnished by the constant flow of tourists inundating their town. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and unique. You’ll see snow-capped mountains to ancient Incan architectural wonders. But back to the food - I had just about every kind of fish and creature with a shell known to man. All were incredible except the squid. The overly chewy curly tentacles just still don’t do it for me. Honestly though, the sauces are pretty fantastic. I’ve had the best lobster bisque over shrimp, rice and potatoes I’ve ever had. This stuff was creamy and clearly packed with a fresh and hearty portion of pureed lobster with just the right amount of tomato base with maybe a hint of some citrus fruit. You can definitely see and taste the influence of the Spaniards.

If you have the chance to visit South America don't hesitate to make Peru your destination. The culture, history, food and people are wonderful. The cost is definitely still attractive despite the weaker dollar. I've worked with a few trip organizers over my 7 trips and have found Pathfinder Peru to be the best. They're staff are very familiar with all the top destinations in Peru from the ancient coastal and sierra towns to the jungle excursions. The same staff handle everything from initial trip organization to hosting you across the country. So unless you're going with somebody that has been there several times you'll definitely make the best use of your time seeing and enjoying rather than searching for the special spots. I still get a quick and genuine smile when I think of Peru and hope to be there again soon. I hope you get to be there too.