Paucartambo, which means “flowered tavern” in Quechua, is situated in the district of Pasco in the south-east of Peru. It was right in the commercial route between Cusco, the capital of the great Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyo) and the Amazon valley Kosñipata. It is mostly known for the incredible sunrises that occur in the month of July.

Between the 15th and 16th of July Paucartambo is also the place to be to celebrate the festivities of La Virgen del Carmen, also called Mamacha Carmen. There is a great gathering which initiates this great feast on the Plaza de Armas in this Andean Village where many music bands play and different choirs singing in Quechua, this way introducing beautiful choreographies which tell parts of Peru’s history.

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1. How did something frozen end up in steamy Buenos Aires?

It is a very poorly kept secret that the beef in Argentina is second to none: this is a tidbit well known to the natives though, as your average argentine will consume a world-leading 62 kilos (140 lbs!) of meat each year. The question you will be asking yourself, however, after your innards have been assaulted by their first encounter with La Pampa prime beef is: what sweet could possibly make this experience any more divine? My first week was a blur of asados (barbecues), but I do nonetheless remember my initiation; I remember endless meat, unctuous Mendoza malbecs, home style sausages– but I also remember my shock upon seeing the decadent spread’s conspicuous absence of dessert. In fact the Argentine after-meal ritual involves less the confectioner’s oven and more the telephone: the main purpose of which is to call for a delivery of ice cream. If the word “ice cream” brings to mind visions of Baskin Robbins or Friendly’s you will not understand why those recently satiated with such sublime beef decide to take recourse in dessert from a third party, but once you have had the smallest lick, it will all become clear: Buenos Aires boasts, in this writer’s humble opinion, the world’s best ice cream.

In my previous travels I would have given that epicurean laurel to Italy, more particularly to the gelati of Italy’s breadbasket, Milan. The strength that the Italians have always had is a thriving tradition of ice cream makers with recipes that descend back generations. Yet the tide of immigration that flooded the shores of America both North and South in the beginning of the 20th Century brought not only Italian workers, but recipe-toting ice cream makers as well. And when they arrived in the Río de la Plata they found something fortuitous for those of us addicted to frozen sweets: the cows of the extensive Argentine Pampa produce a milk particularly suited to Italian gelato. The result: top end ice cream with the bright flavours of Italian gelato and the richness of american ice cream.

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1. Eat the cuy.

Seriously. One culture’s messy house pet is another’s roasted main course. You might want to avoid its eyes the first time, as it will be served with its face more or less intact.

2. Add water to the coffee.

Don’t be a hero, it’s not like sipping Italian-style espresso. It’s a velvety smooth party in your mouth. Try it like the Peruvians in Cusco do, with plenty of hot water or milk and some sugar.

3. Try the traditional menu.

Also called the menu típico or menu del día, this delicious option has several names. You’ll probably not finish the several courses you’ll get at a bargain price, but it’s a delicious way to sample traditional fare. You shouldn’t pay more than S/.10-15 and will probably pay less if you ask or look around. If you’re gullible and impatient you will probably pay more, but it’s bound to still taste great regardless of the price.

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Always been curious what it is like to celebrate NEW YEARS EVE in South America? In this newsletter you find some Peruvian superstitions. As this text is in Spanish, we included some vocabulary for your convenience. (For Spanish speakers at an intermediate level).

La noche que nos traslada al nuevo año está llena de cábalas y supersticiones que tienen que ver con buenos augurios para el año que comienza.

La mayoría de las supersticiones que se realizan la noche del 31 de diciembre fueron introducidas por los colonizadores españoles y se arraigaron con más fuerza en las ciudades que en los sectores rurales.

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They call it a phenomenon of some sort and I was surprised that I did not know about this sooner than I did.  After living in Peru for over a year you get to a point where you feel pretty knowledgeable on what is around, and certainly what is worth seeing.  I did not know about Tres Cruces or the awe-inspiring sunrise that I was in store for.  It was a bit of an adventure in and of itself just to get there.  Located a little over 4 hours outside of Cusco, journeying to this site is an adrenaline rush all on its own.  The road structures are still a bit unsteady with one-way roads that are not completely paved.  I survived by closing my eyes through most of the ride, and kept my focus on the sunrise that I knew was at the end of this treacherous road.

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Marinera is a coastal dance of Peru and it is a graceful and romantic couple’s dance that uses handkerchiefs with the dancers´ hands. The dance is an elegant and stylized reenactment of a courtship and it shows a blend of the different cultures of Peru. The Music starts and they watch one to the other to the eyes, through the distance that measures the assumed challenge. She, the always secure female, always provocative, always first, raises her handkerchief and she waves it with grace smiling to the love and to the life and shining in its brief and slowed down stroll, showing all the enchantment that the man wishes to conquer. From a distant spot he greets her with his hat in hand and he announces to her, with his elegant and decided steps, that he does not hear any escape of refusal, and that as a great connoisseur of the game, he dies of impatience to win… The dance itself has gained a lot of Recognition and is one of the most popular traditional dances of Peru.

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