Huaca de la Luna: Peru's most beautiful ruin?

Peru’s most beautiful ruins are not located at Machu Picchu. The Inca construction there is an example of masterful engineering, and has a jaw dropping location, but, in the end, the ruins themselves are a series of very well-built gray walls. I know, it’s not the Incas’ fault that their decorative elements were spirited away by dashing archaeologists, but that doesn’t change the experience for visitors today.

If you want to see the height of ancient, artistic creativity, you’ll have to head to an archaeological site on the other end of the country: the Huaca de la Luna. The site receives just 300 visitors per day, not because it is hard to get to (it is only about fifteen minutes by taxi from the center of Trujillo, Peru’s third-largest city), but because it has never been mythologized or marketed, which is a shame.

The pyramid was built by the Moche culture about 1,500 years ago- well before the Inca came to power in the southern Andes. Along with the Huaca del Sol, it book-ended a city of some 20,000 people in the Moche River valley, under the folds of the Cerro Blanco hill. The Huaca de la Luna was the religious center for the Moche, a site for sacrifices and rituals.

The ruins of the ancient Moche city, the Huaca del Sol, the Moche River valley.

One approaches the site today from the Trujillo suburb of Moche. Don’t be put-off by the pyramid’s external appearance: it looks like a massive pile of dirt and bricks, covered by some metal roofing. The good stuff is all inside.

What is the good stuff, you ask? Ancient friezes covering the interior walls of the temple, with their original, 1,500-year-old paint jobs. Because the Moche kept building new temples on the old site, the bricks of each new temple preserved the paintings of the old one.

Archaeologists have peeled back the layers to fin representations of gods and religious ceremonies. One massive room has images of Ai-Apaec, the principal Moche god, covering every wall, with different facial expressions. It’s hard not to ponder at the world view (and San Pedro cactus) that led to such art.

Ai apaec friezes

On an outside patio, your guide will explain which chambers were used for human sacrifices, and how the victims were selected through ritual warfare. Inside, the altar where their blood was consecreated to the gods is perfectly preserved, and the paintings around it have been maintained.

The most breath-taking site is one you’ll see on your way out of the pyramid. As you exit by the ancient ramp that served as the entrance to the temple, you will see the external wall of the final pyramid. Its entire side is covered in painted friezes, dating back a thousand years. Here, more than any other place I’ve been in Peru, it is easy to see what the ancient city looked like when it was occupied.

The external wall of the pyramid

One amazing aspect of the Huaca de la Luna site is that excavations have, basically, only begun. The ancient city is just being explored now, and archaeologists have not done excavation in the Huaca del Sol, which could hold similar artistic treasures. It’s an exciting, evolving attraction on the northern coast.

Moche Programs

New book reveals the history of Ashaninka food

The Universidad San Martin de Porres press has just published a notable book: The Magical Ashaninka Cuisine, by Pablo Macera and Enrique Casanto. Joining the renowned historian is Casanto, an Ashaninka born in the community of Belén, Oxapampa, dedicated to compiling and publishing the ancestral histories of his people, spread through much of the Amazon. He also contributes the lively illustrations found throughout the book.

The book’s more-than-300 pages include information on traditional game- with deer, tapir and peccary the most important, as well as agriculture, led by yucca, beans and corn, and fruits of the Ashaninka.

There are also complete maps, information on fishing, studies of insects and traditional oral narratives about food customs.

“We can’t understand the Ashaninka and their cultural richness (including their cooking habits), except from a vision of Peru which recognizes it as part of its cultural multiplicity,” Macera says. Later he adds “It’s within this context that we must place the efforts of the Amazonian societies to preserve their own traditions. The Ashaninka are no exception. The cuisine represents a form of cultural struggle, a line of resistance.”

This situation is going through change. “The unit of production is the conjugal union, with gender-specific tasks. Nevertheless, recently there are changes as a result of the entrance of the market economy,” the authors write.

The women’s work, which included the production of household goods, there is more emphasis on helping the men in the agricultural field, to commercialize the products. Pottery is losing ground to the wave of aluminum. This book compiles, with text and images, the native tradition.

Apu Productions: behind some of the biggest productions shot in Peru

Many may have seen Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) and Shia LeBouf (mini Indy) walk through a street market filled with vendors wearing traditional Andean ponchos and hats in the last Indiana Jones movie. Or perhaps fashion lovers noticed that the November catalogue for U.S. brand Anthropologie was shot in Peru. How did these projects come about? Well, in part thanks to the work of Apu Productions.

We sat down with Bruno Canale, founder and producer of Apu, who gave us an inside look at what the company is doing to bring the best in film, television and photography productions to Peru.

Tell us how Apu Productions got started:

Apu is a production service company for film and television. It was created in LA in 2005. I lived there since 1998, doing music and mixing. Many people I knew [in the business] started asking me about shooting projects in Peru. My partner’s uncle, who is also in the film industry also started getting calls and asked me if I wanted to do it. I went for it and we started Apu.

We cater to foreign films and foreign productions. We’re kind of a one-stop-shop for every service; from customs clearance to the most creative aspect of production, and all the in-betweens like transportation, lodging, film permits, location permits and anything that is needed like costume design and crew.

How big is the company?

I always try to keep a very low overhead, only when I need it. We can have a crew base from two to four people all the way to 100. I’m learning to delegate, but at the beginning I did everything because I wanted to know, at least do everything once, to understand the process.

Did you ever think you’d have a production company?

At the beginning no, at the beginning I wanted to be a guitar player! And then I went to school in Boston, did engineering, since I was a kid, really. I had the fortune of working with some very interesting people but when this opened up, it made sense to me. What I really like is shooting on location, I’m an outdoors person so instead of being inside four walls in the studio mixing a commercial, I can be in Machu Picchu shooting a commercial! So that side is really nice.

Tell us about the filming of Edhiran in Machu Picchu:

It was the biggest [Bollywood] movie in 10 years. To get that permit it wasn’t easy or difficult; we knew the archeologist in charge and knowing the amount of people who were going to be there, 150 on set, we wrote up the rules and regulations for the shoot. It was difficult for him to say no because it was well done. We were able to shoot even with a small crane, which has always been an issue since the accident years ago, but we were really careful. The good thing about the Indian crew is that they had certain flexibility, whenever we hit a wall - when they'd say we can’t use a crane here or there - the crew went ahead and did something else. It’s good because some crews and directors won't budge on those things but in this case, you’re shooting on location at one of the Seven Wonders of the World and that's very difficult.

What was the first project for Apu?

There were two first projects. One was Jeopardy. They have a team called the Clue Crew that travels around the world. They came to Peru and Brazil and I did the logistics for both. Usually Alex Trebek doesn’t travel with the team but because it was Peru he wanted to come! So they were all down here, the crew and main producers.

Simultaneously we did some services for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Since they were doing everything in the States, they needed to recreate what they said was Cusco or Nazca, so they did the set in LA but they needed all the costumes. They sent one person to Lima to do all the buying and then we packed and exported the ponchos, chullos, etc. Then, we worked with a second unit that needed to do back plates, which they later use in post [production] to use as a background for a scene. So they sent a guy from Industrial Light & Magic, which is a George Lucas company. We went all over Machu Picchu, up and down every field, taking pictures and filming. You don’t explicitly see it in the film but they use it when they do all the composing.

So, do you see that there's a great demand?

Peru is kind of a specific place to come. For that [project] they needed the clothing, the scenery. It’s not like some movies that go to Chile for a desert. They don’t come to Peru for that, just yet, it's kind of new and out of the map for many. But now Brazil is getting expensive, Argentina also, and they’re looking for new places. Peru is doing good economically, it’s stable and well located; 8 hrs from LA, direct flights from NY. Plus there’s good lodging, infrastructure. It’s starting to change now. Microsoft came last year from Seattle to do a documentary. Also Scotiabank from Canada that did a video to promote within their structure.

You've done fashion shoots as well...

Catalogs, photo shoots; those are an extension because it’s almost the same but in the end it's a little simpler. They are interesting projects because of the smaller crews, you can go to more difficult places. With a film shoot you have to be max. 1 hour away from your hotel. For a photo shoot you have three buses or vans and you’re set. It’s good for new locations. We’ve done projects for Vogue and Anthropologie, Vogue Holland, all in Cusco.

With the Vogue project we didn’t have complete control, as apposed to Anthropologie. With that one we had all the responsibilities and it was flawless from beginning to end. They really liked it and Peru. Fashion companies and brands are always looking for something different. I’ve done 3 or 4 bids to shoot in the north, in the Mancora area, there are some nice houses; we’ve done a couple of things for a jungle location.

You do a lot of the scouting, too.

Every big project has a scouting involved and I always try to do it. When I go scouting I definitely get what the client wants but I also get what I want because I have my own database of locations that I use extensively to sell Peru.

Are there areas that you really want to put out there right now?

They always ask me, 'What location do you think are used the least or that have the most potential?' Definitely the jungle. Right now for the jungle, they go to places like Brazil or Costa Rica. We can’t compete with Costa Rica for the ease of getting there but in Peru you can get a lot more, as a package. You can get the jungle but do so much other stuff and we have more options in the jungle itself. We have low jungle with a big river, we have high jungle with ruins, we have more variety. Also the desert. We have a huge desert up north and south. And all the colonial sites, apart from Cusco. Cusco is definitely our entry to everything but I've done shoots in Tarapato and it’s amazing. I also like Kuelap [northern Peru.]

There's an adventure side to the job, then.

Definitely. We did the shoot of a project for The History Channel, Latin America. They did four episodes, it was an 8 week shoot and we traveled by land. Two vehicles, a brand new pick-up truck, the anchorman had to drive, I did as well and a big bus for everybody. It was fun to drive all over Peru because we covered everything. We went all the way from Bolivia to Ecuador. It was an adventure, especially in places like Manu, we were driving at night, shooting during the day, it was crazy. At one point we had 45 minutes to get from one point to the other before they closed the gate and the ride usually takes an hour and a half but one of my producers is also a stunt driver. It was like a rally! The poor archeologist in the back was sick and at one point I kept thinking, ‘They pay me to do this!' [Laughs.] 

The company makes sense with a country so diverse and rich in natural beauty. You like the idea of showing it off?

I’m half a production company and half a film commission because there’s no film commission [here] yet. Every time I go out, I'm selling the country. Many companies, because people know the country, just sell their company. I need to sell the country and tell them it’s safe, etc. PromPeru has always been really good with me and helping our projects.

We also have to be careful. Machu Picchu, for example, won't always be available. It’s a matter of the number of people you let in, the problem is the high season, it’s not the low season, when you go in low season it’s very manageable. With film crews you have to be careful, we never go overboard, we always do what they recommend and let us do.

So there are a lot of projects you'd like to realize?

I would like to do a great video for el Grupo 5! But because their budget for that is small, they don’t make big videos. Here, there's a bottom line business mindset, cost conscious: if it works, why spend more? All the chicheros, they have great music and big following, they could be doing cool videos. Maybe soon.

The last thing we did was a song for the documentary Lima Bruja, it’s like the Buena Vista version in Peru. The director, my friend Rafael Polar, went to shoot the musicians and realized this is kind of an unknown side of musica criolla. I mean, you know Zambo Cavero, the famous guys, but these guys were probably a little famous in their time but nobody knows them. He went ahead and did a documentary about them, I think that’s great.

One thing I would really like to do if I had the chance would be more documentaries about Peruvian music, rescuing what’s left. There’s still a lot of that generation, it's fading but there’s still a lot of content there. I always talk to my friend Alex Acuña about this. Sooner or later we will do it.

InkaNatura Travel excels in organizing logistics for professional photographers and international film crews.

Peru film services

MIXOLOGIST: REAL PISCO IS ONLY MADE IN PERU

 Mixologist: Real Pisco is only made in Peru. (Photo: Andina)

An article about grape-based alcoholic beverages at The Star cites renowned Peruvian mixologist Hans Hilburg Vivar as saying that real pisco is only made in Peru, which has strict regulations about the production.

Pisco, a grape-based spirit that is the national spirit of Peru, has been produced in the Andean country since the 16th century, and takes its name from the port of Pisco, Peru.

Today, pisco is only produced in some coastal valleys of Peru in the regions of Lima, Ica, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna and it is closely linked to Peruvian identity and history.

According to Peruvian mixologist Hans Hilburg Vivar, pisco is a pure Peruvian product, even though other South American countries such as Argentina and Chile also make their own types of pisco. The Bolivians have a spirit that is closely related to pisco called singani.

“The pisco in these countries is made with different processes and grapes. Real pisco is only made in Peru, and we have strict regulations about the production,” Vivar said during an interview at a pisco tasting session at Flo Lobby Lounge, Hotel Equatorial Kuala Lumpur.

Like other wine-based spirits such as cognac and armagnac, pisco is derived from the distillation of fresh grape must (grape juice), the article notes.

It can only be made from eight types of grapes (namely Quebranta, Negra criolla, Mollar, Uvina, Albilla, Italia, Torontel, and Moscatel), and the fermented juice has to be distilled in copper or stainless steel vessels to the desired alcoholic proof which is usually 38% to 48% ABV.

Nothing else can be added to alter the liquid, so pisco does not contain any water, flavouring or anything other than the distilled product.

In Peru, there are four different classifications of pisco: puro (pure pisco made from a single variety of non-aromatic grapes such as Quebranta, Negra criolla, Mollar and Uvina); aromáticas (Aromatic pisco made from aromatic grape varietals such as Albilla, Italia, Torontel, and Moscatel); mosto verde (“green must” pisco, distilled from must that is distilled before the fermentation process has completely transformed sugars into alcohol); and acholado (“half-breed” pisco that is derived from a blend of the must of aromatic and non-aromatic grapes).

According to Vivar, Peruvians generally prefer to drink pisco neat, and usually as a digestif after a meal. “You need a full stomach to enjoy pisco, because it is so strong!” he said. “In Peru, we always say that pisco is meant to be drunk ‘kiss by kiss’, meaning you should enjoy it slowly.”

Font: ANDINA

PERUVIAN CUISINE AMONG TOP TEN FOOD TRENDS FOR 2012

Peruvian cuisine among top ten food trends for 2012

Consumer web site The Food Channel has included Peruvian gastronomy in its 2012 Trends Forecast, the top ten food trends for next year.

According to The Food Channel, Peruvian cuisine seems to be 'the next Big Thing on the ethnic culinary scene.

The Mistura Food Festival, held annually in Peru’s capital of Lima, has become one of the biggest food events in the world, attended by a half-million foodies, including many internationally-known chefs.

Spain’s Ferran Adria, among the globe’s leading authorities on haute cuisine, is currently working on a documentary film about the food scene in Peru, foodchannel.com reported.

Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the most varied and rich of the world. Thanks to the inheritance Incan, Pre-Incan and to the Spanish, African, Chinese-Cantonese, Japanese and Italian immigration, it gathers, it mixes and creates a gastronomy and exquisite flavors of four continents, offering an unrivaled variety. On the Peruvian coast alone, there are said to be more than two thousand different soups.

Peruvian cuisine features a great deal of seafood, often prepared raw or cured. Its culinary creations are typically highly acidic with ingredients like Key lime juice and red onion. The fruity aji pepper, which brings a tingle to the lips, is another frequent component of the cuisine.

The potato is another prominent player in Peruvian cooking. Potatoes, in fact, have their origins in Peru. Peruvian-style ceviche often includes bits of yellow potato or yams. Mashed potatoes are served cold in Peruvian cooking, topped with fish or chicken salad in a dish called causa.

Lima has become Latin America’s leading gastronomic destination, according to culinary experts, and a thriving industry of cooking schools has been created there.

Font: ANDINA

WINNER: MACHU PICCHU!

"Ultimate places to see before you die"

Machu Picchu won the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. 
The choice was made by readers of "The Huffington Post"

What's so special about Machu Picchu?
"Machu Picchu is definitely the destinatio­n that every human being should visit at least once in their lifetime !!!

"Everyone in the world must visit Machu Picchu, it's an extraordinary and magic place."


Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

More about to Machu Picchu

Non-human mummy found in Peruvian highlands

Anthropologist Renato Davila, from the Private Museum of Andean Rituals in Andahuaylillas, located in the south-eastern Cusco region, announced the discovery of a mummy with “non-human” features.

Davila added the discovery has been confirmed by Spanish and Russian specialists.
Speaking to local radio station RPP, Davila said the body was about 50 cm in length, had a triangular head, disproportionate eye cavities, molars, and a fontanelle (an anatomical feature usually found on infant’s skulls.)

The unusual features demonstrate that there is an enormous gap between the human anatomy and the mummy found, peruthisweek.com reported.

"We thought he was a child but Spanish and Russian doctors have come and we have confirmed that it is indeed an extraterrestrial being," said the anthropologist.

Fuente: ANDINA

6 Places To Have A Paranormal Experience

Whether they're ghost hunters, investigators of the unexplained or just X-Files junkies getting their David Duchovny on, a surprising number of people believe in the possibility of ghosts, aliens, cryptids and other unexplained phenomena. After all, it only takes one UFO or Big Foot sighting to turn someone into a believer for life.

If you want to do a little more paranormal travel, these destinations are some of the top places to investigate or experience something from another world or dimension.

Lima, Peru - Markawasi Stone Forest

The Markawasi Stone Forest in Lima, Peru gives new scope to the term "paranormal traveler." Both a geologic and space-time anomaly, the spiritual sensitivity of the Markawasi's giant rocks is well known and it's thought that the specific kind of sensitivity is conducive to actual inter-dimensional travel.

According to some locals and paranormal investigators, the unique combination of energy produced at Markawasi often opens portals where you can look into the same space in other dimensions, and even walk through to join what some claim to be a 17th century looking village on the other side. It does not seem to work both ways though, so think real hard about this trip before you take it.

Tours to Lima:

- Lima: The Colonial Capital 3D/2N

"CARAL RAYMI" O DÍA CENTRAL

Sábado, 29 de octubre:

Al conmemorar el 17º Aniversario del inicio de las investigaciones sobre la Civilización Caral y la puesta en valor de la Ciudad Sagrada de Caral, declarada Patrimonio Mundial, la ZAC recupera las costumbres ancestrales andinas, de celebrar reuniones colectivas con la participación de las autoridades y la sociedad civil. Esta congregación cumple varios propósitos: económicos, sociales y de integración social en un marco de festejos, con música, danzas, comidas y bebidas.

Programa
Desde 9:00 am hasta 4:00 pm
· Presentación de los valores de la civilización Caral, visita guiada por la Ciudad Sagrada de Caral, Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO
· “Catu Andino” con expo-feria Caral, venta de productos agroecológicos y artesanales de los pobladores de las provincias de Barranca y Huaura
· Festival y III Concurso Gastronómico “El Sabor de mi tierra”
· Festival Artístico Cultural con la participación especial de los valores artísticos de la población local y trabajadores de la ZAC/MC



Mas informacion de Caral

CARAL: CEREMONIA TRADICIONAL, "PAGO A LA TIERRA"

Viernes, 28 de octubre:

Vivencia de un importante ritual de la tradición cultural andina. Los participantes comparten el agradecimiento por los beneficios obtenidos durante el año transcurrido; se da inicio a un nuevo ciclo y se pide por la renovación de las energías y por el éxito en todos los aspectos de la vida de los participantes.

Por su parte los trabajadores de la ZAC/MC agradecerán el haber podido intervenir en la Ciudad Sagrada de Caral sin problemas y sin que afecte su salud.

ProgramaDesde las 7:00 pmConcentración de participantes en el Centro de Recepción de la Ciudad Sagrada de Caral.

• Peregrinación hacia las faldas del cerro Gozne, siguiendo el circuito y apreciando los edificios iluminados de la Ciudad Sagrada de Caral.
• Inicio de la Ceremonia tradicional "Pago a la Tierra", a cargo de un maestro tradicional acompañado de músicos.
• Campamento y fogata en las inmediaciones de la Casa del Arqueólogo.

Turismo en Caral

KONCHUKOS CULTURE & ADVENTURE

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Complete Itinerary 

Manu: Peru's Eden in the Amazon

By Birtan Collier

The Peruvian Amazon makes up about a third of the country’s land area and is as rich and untamed as the rest of the Amazon in neighboring Brazil and Ecuador. The Peruvian government has been vigorous in its efforts to protect the nature and the native peoples of this region and as a result, the Amazonian Peru has some of the most pristine primary rainforests of the world. Although logging, mining, ranching and agriculture compete with these preservation efforts, much of the biodiversity of this region’s nature is still protected and vibrant.

Our destination is the Manu National Park in the southern Amazon, which along with Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park forms a vast sanctuary enormously rich in wilderness. Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve is over four and a half million acres sustaining an entire ecosystem and hosting the most diverse flora and fauna in the world. Thanks to this rich nature, Peru ranks near the top in world’s lists of mammals, amphibians, fresh-water fish, insects, butterflies and plant life. It has 1,800 species of birds, 1,000 of them in Manu. Thus the Manu sanctuary allows a person to experience a true Amazonian wilderness in its forest trails, forest canopy, tranquil lakes, rivers, clay licks, bamboo trails, clearings and gardens.

We start our journey in Lima and, after an evening arrival from Miami, rest overnight and catch a morning LAN flight to Cuzco and Puerto Maldonado. Puerto Maldonado is a city in southeastern Peru in the Amazon basin near the convergence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers. It is the capital city of the Madre de Dios region, established in 1912.

With a population of 52,000, this quaint city has as its main economic activities logging, gold-mining, Brazil nut-growing, cattle-ranching and ecotourism. Since gasoline is very expensive, motorcycles and three-wheeled motorcars are very popular here. Because of its proximity to the Manu National Park, Puerto Maldonado is our launching point for Manu. After several van rides and river crossings, we reach the dockside of the Madre de Dios River in the small village of Atalaya, where we board a long wooden motorized canoe fitted with comfortable seats for 12, a roof for protection against the strong sun, and enough space for our luggage. Since Manu has no roads, motorboats are the primary means of transport and in fact our lodge, the Manu Wildlife Center, on the banks of the Madre de Dios, is only reachable by boat after a three-hour ride from Atalaya.

Along the way, we see wood storks, yellow-billed terns, cocoi herons, ringed kingfishers, black caracaras, plumbeous kites, black skimmers and neotrophic cormorants. Flocks of scarlet macaws and parrots fly over our heads.

The Manu Wildlife Center (MWC) is privately owned by Manu Expeditions and the Peru Verde Conservation Group, a nonprofit organization involved in rainforest-conservation projects. MWC is a rainforest reserve that forms part of the Manu Biosphere Reserve and is in the Cultural Reserve Zone for the indigenous Amazonian tribes. The infamous rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald opened Manu to the outside world in 1893 through his discovery of the watershed divide that carries his name. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

For five nights we stay at the MWC’s bungalows built with local wood, bamboo and palm fronds in the same style as the local Machiguenga communities. The bungalows are raised on stilts as the river floods every 3-4 years. They are connected to each other and the main house of the lodge by gravel walkways. All rooms are screened and all beds are furnished with mosquito-netting and comfortable mattresses. All rooms also have bedside tables with windows facing the rainforest and garden. Although furnished with private toilets and showers and hot (gas) and cold water, the bungalows do not have electricity. So come 5:30 p.m., it is pitch dark and we put on our head lamps, pull out our flashlights and light up the candles the management supplied us.

The lodge is strategically located in an area of the forest with the highest diversity of habitats, which has more species of animals, birds, reptiles and insects than elsewhere in Manu. Our five-day stay at MWC, which includes many forest walks, catamaran and boat rides to clay licks, and climbing two-canopy towers, just to name a few of our activities, is a testament to this Amazonian Garden of Eden. In addition to being a refuge for animals and birds, Manu is a refuge to many native tribes including Machiguenga, Piro, Mascho Piro and Yaminahua. Some of these natives are so elusive that no one knows how many of them there are.

During the entire day, we are serenaded by the bubbly syllables and high-pitched squeal of the russet-backed oropendulas with their pendulum nests hanging from a tall seiba tree in the middle of our bungalows. Our first morning starts with a 4:45 a.m. wake-up and a 5 a.m. departure by boat to the Blanquillo clay lick where we witness a most beautiful spectacle of brightly colored macaws and parrots. Perched on the vertical walls of the river bank to eat clay are flocks of red-and-green, scarlet, blue-and-yellow and chestnut-fronted Macaws, and hundreds of blue-headed, yellow-crowned and mealy parrots. It is believed that the birds eat enormous amounts of clay to help absorb and neutralize the toxins from the unripe fruits they feed on, especially in the dry season when food is not plentiful. We stay and watch this phenomenal display of color for several hours while having our breakfast before returning by boat to MWC for lunch.

Several afternoon walks in the forest trails of Manu treat us to common squirrel, brown capuchin, white-fronted capuchin, red howler and black spider monkeys and saddleback tamarins, always first heard by breaking branches and falling leaves as they acrobatically swing from tree to tree. Another ever-present resident of the forest trails is the screaming piha – a small bird the size of a starling, with a unique high scream, heard loud and clear throughout the forest. Scanning the forest floor, we are rewarded with a group of 15 roaming pale-winged trumpeters searching for a meal of insects and reptiles.

There are many 5 and 5:30 a.m. mornings at MWC, which are very rewarding. One such morning, we climb the 120 circular steps up a huge kapok tree to a canopy tower, where we hear the early chorus of birds and are surrounded by sweat bees.

Collared, blue-crowned, black-tailed trogons, white-throated toucans, curl-crested aracari, yellow-tufted woodpecker, and golden-green, cream-colored and crimson-crested woodpeckers are but a few of the birds sighted by us, which make the up-and-down climb and the battle with sweat bees well worth our while.

Another highlight is a catamaran – which is a large plank of wood resting on two narrow hulls – to one of the oxbow lakes, Cocha Blanco. From the comfort of our fold-out chairs, we see horned screamers, wattled jacanas, red-capped cardinals, Cruvier’s toucans, Amazon kingfishers, black-capped donacobius and the strange-looking hoatzins with blue faces and punk-hair crests. Another resident of the oxbow lakes are the giant otters living in family groups. Families of eight capybaras, the world’s largest rodent, were seen along the banks of the Madre de Dios.

About an hour’s walk from our bungalows is a large mammal lick, where tapirs, the largest mammal in South America, regularly come for minerals. A female tapir, named Vanessa by MWC’s staff, comes to the lodge’s kitchen entrance several nights in a row and is treated to fresh fruits while guest get a chance to take pictures. Vanessa looks pregnant and has a big appetite.

Before leaving MWC, we also travel to another oxbow lake, Cocha Camungo, which has a 226-step-high canopy tower on a kapok tree, providing spectacular views of the surrounding rainforest. An oxbow lake (cocha) forms when a meander loop of a river becomes isolated from the river channel. Other important sightings along the shores are spectacled, white and black caimans and yellow-spotted Amazon river turtles, carefully balanced on logs surrounded by most colorful and beautiful butterflies licking the salt brine from the turtles’ eyes.

Coming back to the lodge after every morning outing for a tasty lunch, we are also treated to close-up views of hummingbirds visiting the hummingbird-feeders outside the dining-room windows. Among them are the rufous-breasted, white-bearded, reddish hermit, white-necked Jacobin and fork-tailed woodnymph.

The perpetual humidity of the rainforest makes it an ideal place for epiphytes – plants that live on other plants and take their nutrients and water from their surroundings. Lichens, mosses, ferns, bromeliads and orchids are a part of this process. Also starting as an epiphyte is the strangler fig tree. A seed is transplanted by birds to the top of the tree, germinates on its branch and sends down roots to the ground. Eventually the roots of the fig surround the host tree and kill it by slow starvation of nutrients. Seiba or kapok trees are among the giants of the rainforest, anchored to the forest floor with huge buttresses. They have a gray bark and a broad umbrella top and make an ideal location for the canopy towers. The buttresses support these trees because the soil is poor and the roots cannot go deep. The forest floor is also thick with healiconias, ferns and many colorful tropical plants so everywhere we look in Manu, we see beauty, color and abundance of life. Matched nowhere else in the world, Manu is a Garden of Eden. 

Peru Verde offers programs to Manu through its Travel Agency InkaNatura Travel. For further information we invite you to visit our website

http://www.inkanatura.com/en/special-tours-all-north/lost-cities-of-the-northern-peru



MANU: PERU'S EDEN IN THE AMAZON

ANDINA. The Peruvian Amazon makes up about a third of the country’s land area and is as rich and untamed as the rest of the Amazon in neighboring Brazil and Ecuador.

The Peruvian government has been vigorous in its efforts to protect the nature and the native peoples of this region and as a result, the Amazonian Peru has some of the most pristine primary rainforests of the world.

Although logging, mining, ranching and agriculture compete with these preservation efforts, much of the biodiversity of this region’s nature is still protected and vibrant, according to an article published by Main Line Times.

"Our destination is the Manu National Park in the southern Amazon, which along with Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park forms a vast sanctuary enormously rich in wilderness.

Manu National Park

"Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve is over four and a half million acres sustaining an entire ecosystem and hosting the most diverse flora and fauna in the world. Thanks to this rich nature, Peru ranks near the top in world’s lists of mammals, amphibians, fresh-water fish, insects, butterflies and plant life.

"It has 1,800 species of birds, 1,000 of them in Manu. Thus the Manu sanctuary allows a person to experience a true Amazonian wilderness in its forest trails, forest canopy, tranquil lakes, rivers, clay licks, bamboo trails, clearings and gardens.

Giant otter in Tambopata National Reserve

WASHINGTON POST PUTS COLCA VALLEY CHURCHES IN THE SPOTLIGHT

(Photo: Andina)

ANDINA. An article in the Washington Post takes readers to one of Peru's top tourist attractions, the Colca Valley in the southern Arequipa region.

In addition to describing the scenic beauty of one of the deepest canyons in the world, journalist Rebecca Dalzell writes about "The magnificent churches of Peru’s Colca Valley."

The Washington Post writer said she structured her visit to the Colca Valley around churches largely as an excuse to visit the Andean towns and villages, including Tuti, Chivay, Sibayo, Callati and Madrigal.

A spray of colors lit up the sleepy brown countryside. The women wore long floral skirts, handwoven shawls and patterned hats studded with mirrors.

The children were wrapped in striped wool blankets. Musicians with horns and drums were scattered through the crowd, playing catchy folk tunes, and people danced in circles, repeatedly pulling me in.

The chicha, or corn beer, flowed generously. An old man insisted that I try a shot of herb-infused spirits, which he poured from a plastic soda bottle.

Behind them, Peru’s Colca Valley, with its checkered green fields and the Colca River coursing between jagged Andean peaks, unfurled dramatically.

Agricultural terraces, some dating to the 11th century, line the hillsides, seeming to stitch together the rugged scenery.

CUSCO MUSEUM HOSTS PHOTO EXHIBITION ON MACHU PICCHU SACRED TEMPLES

The Regional History Museum Casa Garcilaso in Cusco

ANDINA. The Regional History Museum Casa Garcilaso in Cusco hosts the photographic exhibition ‘The sacred temples of Machu Picchu’ in honor of the centennial anniversary of the scientific discovery of the Inca citadel, Regional Directorate of Culture (DCR) reported.

The exhibit, which opened last Friday and will last until August 4th, showcases the work of Peruska Chambi and Alfonsina Barrionuevo.

Museum goers will have the opportunity to appreciate the research work carried out by Barrionuevo in the communities of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and of other personalities of ancient Cusco.

“The exhibition features photos from 16 sacred temples of Machu Picchu as a contribution of our history to the whole world; as a new perspective and appreciation for our culture,” the photographer noted.

This activity is sponsored by Xstrata Tintaya with the support of Cusco’s DCR.

MACHU PICCHU PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENS IN BANGKOK

Inca citadel of Machu Picchu

ANDINA. An exhibition celebrating 100 years since the re-discovery of Machu Picchu opened at the Emporium in Bangkok, making this weekend the perfect opportunity for viewing the photos and tasting some Peruvian food.

The Peruvian Embassy and the Emporium Shopping complex are responsible for bringing this special show to the capital of Thailand.

Entitled "EmporiumPeru: 100 Years of Machu Picchu World Revelation", the exhibition offers a collection of photos of this hallmark of Inca civilisation and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

On display for the first time in Asia are 30 photographs of the ancient site taken by Beatrice Velarde, one of Peru's foremost photojournalists.

Other activities running concurrently with the exhibition include a showcase of Inca handicrafts and costumes such as lucky clay dolls, pottery and painted gourds, which are also for sale.

They also include a presentation of Peruvian dishes including ceviche, causa, potato pie with chicken, tuna or seafood filling, and choros a la chalaca, the most popular appetiser along Peru's coastal line.

According to Thai daily The Nation, visitors can also sample wines from Peru's leading vineyards and the national beverage Pisco, an alcoholic grapebased drink that's perfect for cocktails.

The exhibition, which runs until Monday, can be found in the mall's 1st floor Fashion Hall. Admission is free.

Machu Picchu open until 14:00 hours on July 7

Cusco, Jun. 30 (ANDINA). The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, in Peru’s southern Cusco region, will stay open to visitors until 14:00 hours on July 7, main day of the 100th anniversary celebrations of its scientific discovery, regional director of Culture Juan Garcia said Wednesday.
He told Andina that the monument will receive visitors until the said time, when authorities will close its doors. Those who enter minutes before will be able to stay there for two hours.

“Tourists won’t be allowed to enter after 14:00 hours and those who enter in the last group will be allowed to stay for a maximum of two hours. That’s the regulation,” said Cusco’s official.

He recalled that only 800 tickets have been put on sale for this date (usually, Machu Picchu can hold a maximum of 2,500 people).

Garcia said that for that day alternative routes have been established in the citadel, so that tours do not interfere with the ceremony scheduled for the morning.

HIRAM BINGHAM LISTED AMONG TOP 10 EPIC TRAIN JOURNEYS BY CNN

ANDINA. The Hiram Bingham Orient-Express, which connects Cusco to Machu Picchu, ranked second in the list of the top 10 epic train journeys in the world compiled by CNNGo, a travel television show broadcast by CNN.

The publication highlights the gastronomy that it is offered “during the four hours it takes to climb heavenwards through the spectacular Andes mountains” and adds that “this is the easy way to tackle the Inca Trail.”

In addition, it mentions Hiram Bingham, who was an American historian credited with bringing the ancient Inca site of Machu Picchu to world attention.

On the other hand, the travelers are reminded to take their party frock for the cocktail party on the return evening journey. This train boards from Poroy with a cost of US$588 round-trip.

The list of the top epic train journeys also includes the Orient-Express route to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, the legendary Venice-Simplon, which passes through several cities in Europe and the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia, allowing discover of the Russian Arctic and the silk Road from Moscow.

Another train on the list was the Pride of Africa, offering luxurious suites on a train that can be boarded in Cape Town, South Africa, or in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

World's Prettiest Places

By Jada A. Graves

First off, not every pick on our list is indeed a "place," per se. One is actually a scientific phenomenon, while another is considered a massive living organism home to more than 1,500 fish species and nearly 3,000 individual coral reefs. Several are wide-open spaces, but a few are brick-and- mortar sites built for kings (and in one case, a queen). Three have been included on the listing of the Seven Natural Wonders; three were also selected for the listing of the New 7 Wonders of the World. But no matter how you slice and dice them, all 10 have something important in common: Sometimes, it is all about what pleases the eye

Machu Picchu
Peru

Machu Picchu's 12 acres of mysterious temples and exquisite terraces are perpetually shrouded in cloud tufts, proving that this ancient site of Peru's Urubamba Valley still lives up to its reputation as the “Lost City of the Incas.” Or at least it seems like it from the pictures. In reality, this ancient city is always overrun with hikers exploring the Inca Trail or catching the view from the Temple of the Sun. So come with plenty of camera film and patience. For fewer crowds -- though not by much -- visit between October and April.

THREE 2500-YEAR-OLD TOMBS FOUND AT LAMBAYEQUE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

ANDINA. A group of archaeologists have discovered three tombs dating back more than 2500 years at the Ventarron-Collud-Zarpan archaeological complex in Peru's northern Lambayeque region.

Several ceramic fragments, poorly preserved bones and a large stone wall were found in the tombs.

According to the archaeologists, the unearthed pieces do not belong to the high ranks of the ancient cultures that inhabited this region, but the pottery features an excellent finish.

They expect to find a very complex monument, after completing the excavation activities.
Archaeologist Ignacio Alva pointed out that the origin of the civilization and architecture in Lambayeque dates back 4500 years