Over the course of my travels this year, I've had the fortune to visit three small and equally lovely islands: Rapa Nui or Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, Block Island in the Atlantic Ocean and the Island of Menorca in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Although they are each distinct in many ways, considering the first alone is a volcanic island and the other two continental, all located in different bodies of water, they share a common trait, which is authenticity. To different degrees, all of the islands are lacking in major tourist infrastructure for they have not been built for such mass access; thus the only visitors are those who truly have a desire to explore them. Always on the lookout for new places to explore in South America, in February I found a direct flight from Lima to Huang Roa (Easter Island) and decided to travel to the Pacific island, which had long mystified me. I am not (generally) the sort of traveller who does meticulous research before visiting a new destination, but rather, I follow my instinct and go simply to satisfy my attraction to travel to a new place. I was ready to be surprised by Easter Island, and I was. I was surprised by the magnetism that the famous giant statues or Moais had on me, that despite seeing many of them in different locations I never tired of seeing them. I was also surprised by the barrenness of the terrain. I never expected it to be so devoid of trees, vegetation and wildlife. I thoroughly enjoyed my five-day visit to Easter Island and would happily recommend the charming Explora Lodge to anyone who goes to Easter Island. The visit left me with bittersweet memories and a longing to return and spend more time admiring the intriguing Moai, studying their
Over the course of my travels this year, I’ve had the fortune to visit three small and equally lovely islands: Rapa Nui or Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, Block Island in the Atlantic Ocean and the Island of Menorca in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Although they are each distinct in many…
Mistura festival 2013 Mistura is Peru's largest gastronomy fair, with restaurants setting up stalls to showcase their speciality dishes and producers demonstrating their region's finest fare. The food fair takes on a celebratory, festival-vibe come night, with music performances and entertainment to as you wash down Peru's hearty food with local drinks. Visiting Mistura Festival After waiting to get inside, we waited in line for tickets for food, and then we waited in line for food with our tickets. They gave us brightly colored maps to navigate the venue spanning some 2.5 kilometers (about 1.5 miles) along Lima’s Costa Verde de Magdalena. Many resourcefully turned their maps into hats to protect their heads from the sun which was shining down unexpectedly this past Sunday. To get a sense of the size, take a look at this video that gives a virtual tour of 2013’s Mistura venue. Though it was my first time at Peru’s international gastronomic fair, this year marks the sixth Mistura since 2008. It has increased in size and duration since the first fair which lasted a paltry three days with a total of 30,000 people passing through the Cuartel San Martin in Miraflores. Since the first Mistura, the fair has changed location and scope such that this year, the host of the event, the Peruvian Society of Gastronomy (Apega) reported that by the end of the first weekend of the fair, some 101,742 people had attended. It was a 10% increase from 2012. Food & Drink from across peru The venue was sprawling. There was every type of Peruvian food that any non-Peruvian, and probably most Peruvians, could possibly imagine or ever desire. There was a Mundo (world) for everything: coffee, bread, quinua, anticuchos (beef heart kebabs), sánguches (sandwiches), de las brasas (grill), oriental, ceviche, líquidos and tabernas y bares
Mistura festival 2013 Mistura is Peru’s largest gastronomy fair, with restaurants setting up stalls to showcase their speciality dishes and producers demonstrating their region’s finest fare. The food fair takes on a celebratory, festival-vibe come night, with music performances and entertainment to as you wash down Peru’s hearty food with…
Coffee Rust effects coffee Production in Peru As devoted and, at times, feverous lovers of coffee here at Aracari, when we heard about trouble brewing in the Peruvian coffee community, we were simply obliged to investigate. Thousands of cafetaleros (coffee farmers) across Latin America this year have suffered major losses due to a fungus known as “coffee rust” for the dusty, orange spots that appear on affected plants. Peru, the world’s eighth largest coffee producer, has been particularly hard hit by this plague, la roya. Coffee harvests under threat from coffee rust Reports estimate that more than a thousand farmers have lost their entire harvest, and the National Chamber of Coffee predicted in June that Peru would lose 2 million quintals of coffee this year, which is about 46,000 bags and almost a third of expected production because of la roya blight. Peru exports to 46 countries with 60% of its output going directly to Europe. This will affect the Peruvian agricultural export economy considering that in 2012 coffee exports generated a quarter of the total revenue—about $1 billion. Already Peru has seen a 30% decrease in coffee production because of the fungus and the fact that coffee prices have dropped internationally. You might be sipping coffee sourced from Central or South America as you read this and wonder how or if la roya will affect you as a purveyor of the world’s finest beans. The truth is that it probably will not impact you directly, but in Peru, it has devastated coffee farmers across the country. Facing huge debts, the farmers requested financial and technical support from the government and were disappointed by the initial reaction to their petitions for aid. This tension peaked in recent weeks when protests by coffee farmers broke out across Peru, including a recent
Coffee Rust effects coffee Production in Peru As devoted and, at times, feverous lovers of coffee here at Aracari, when we heard about trouble brewing in the Peruvian coffee community, we were simply obliged to investigate. Thousands of cafetaleros (coffee farmers) across Latin America this year have suffered major losses…
Manu Wildlife Center Review A few months back, in April, I ventured once again to the southern Peruvian rainforest and to the Manu Wildlife Center, located in the buffer zone of the Manu National Park. Having already visited Chalalan lodge in Madidi National Park, Bolivia, and having later been on an epic journey with my colleague James to three lodges in Tambopata , it was easy to compare and contrast the remote amazon jungle lodge offerings in Peru and Bolivia. A remote Amazon lodge The journey to Manu Wildlife Center Lodge is an adventure in itself and was far more adventurous than to the lodges in Tambopata, and even to the lodge in Madidi. It is reached by a 45-minute flight from Lima or Cusco to Puerto Maldonado followed by an 8-hour journey by car and boat - the route I took on my visit. It is also possible to get there overland from Cusco, via Paucartambo and through the gorgeous, sloping landscapes of the cloud forest between the Andes and the Amazon. However, this is a longer journey that requires an overnight at Cock of the Rock lodge, allowing for more opportunities to spot animals at a higher altitude (Cock of the Rock is at around 1,600 metres of altitude). Although in theory it is possible to fly to the Boca Manu airstrip at the confluence of the Manu and Madre de Dios rivers, the operations there are so temperamental that it is not currently viable for any airline to run a commercial service. Operators in the area also reluctant to rely on charter services as this can lead to delays: travellers can miss an entire day of their program if the charter flight doesn’t run according to schedule. Travelling from Puerto Maldonado by road Arriving at Puerto Maldonado airport
Manu Wildlife Center Review A few months back, in April, I ventured once again to the southern Peruvian rainforest and to the Manu Wildlife Center, located in the buffer zone of the Manu National Park. Having already visited Chalalan lodge in Madidi National Park, Bolivia, and having later been on…
A perfect luxury hotel in Peru The beachfront property Arennas Mancora has recently undergone a combination of renovation and expansion, and Aracari was the very first to hear the details and see the latest photos of the shiny new facilities. We sat down with Yasmine, the hotel’s Asset Manager and an Aracari friend, to get the scoop on this luxury beach resort in northern Peru. Hotel Features Each of the hotel’s 15 original rooms have been completely redesigned, installing new fixtures and furniture and updating its décor. The hotel has also added 7 new rooms to the property, an addition that provides more accommodation options without sacrificing the private, personalized feel. The most coveted of the selections of rooms are the Arennas Suites, which feature private terraces, the choice of Jacuzzi or pool, direct views of the ocean, as well as en suite massage services (at an additional cost). Common areas of the hotel have also received a face-lift, and with many and varied dining and lounging areas, guests are easily able to find a comfortable nook to settle into to spend the day soaking up the sun and enjoying the refreshing sea air. One of the architectural features of the hotel is the focus on providing guests with a view no matter where they are. The hotel faces 200 meters of palm tree-lined beachfront and has a series of patios that are terraced, each level designed for a different function from padded lounge chairs for sun bathing and casual dining to a more formal dining area. Arennas Mancora also has its own pool and a spacious Jacuzzi, the perfect spot to watch the sun set. For those wanting to sip on a fresh-pressed juice after a morning jog or to have a hand-crafted Pisco Sour, head to the hotel’s
A perfect luxury hotel in Peru The beachfront property Arennas Mancora has recently undergone a combination of renovation and expansion, and Aracari was the very first to hear the details and see the latest photos of the shiny new facilities. We sat down with Yasmine, the hotel’s Asset Manager and…
Hotel B Boutique Art Collection Located directly next door to the country’s most important contemporary art gallery and within walking distance of several other prominent Lima galleries, Arts Boutique Hotel B has a strong connection to Peru’s art scene. The house itself is a piece of art, with its ornate facade, high ceilings, and mosaic tiled floors, all of which have been painstakingly restored. The hotel also boasts its own collection of contemporary and traditional Peruvian and Latin American art, which is tastefully displayed in each and every corner of the historic mansion. In fact, Lucia de la Puente, of the connected namesake gallery next door, handpicked the collection, carefully placing each piece and yielding a layout that is described as “a classic traditional feeling with modern accent.” Private visit to Hotel B's Art collection Following up to our initial sneak peek of Lima’s hottest new hotel, members of the Aracari team visited the hotel for a private viewing of their art collection with Lucia de la Puente as well as Aracari specialist guide John Alfredo Davis. Representing the diversity of the city, the hotel carries the pulse of Lima on its walls and its shelves, in its guest rooms, lining its stairwells, and even in its public bathrooms. The moment you walk into the door, you are greeted by a modern and pronounced sculpture of a woman, the first hint at what to expect throughout the rest of the property. Continue into La Sala, the hotel’s main reception room, with modern works covering the spot-lit walls including a phallic marble sculpture, abstract paintings, and elegant vases. A few steps away and you are sitting at a sumptuous copper bar, sipping your hand-crafted cocktail and gazing at a massive José Tola painting, a piece that fits the grand room perfectly and
Hotel B Boutique Art Collection Located directly next door to the country’s most important contemporary art gallery and within walking distance of several other prominent Lima galleries, Arts Boutique Hotel B has a strong connection to Peru’s art scene. The house itself is a piece of art, with its ornate…
