Peru Film Gets Oscar Nomination!

The Oscars have given a nod to Claudia Llosa's film The Milk Of Sorrow. The story of a maidservant in Lima and her wartime struggles and traumas.  Trauma suffered by many of the Peruvian women of the time, they believed they passed this impact onto their daughters through breastfeeding.  This is where the film got its name.

Check out this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eog9g4iyWs8
 




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Cuzco region Declared an Emergency Zone?

All the buzz this week is around the terrible flooding in the highlands!  Roads and train service is interrupted as roads wash away and landslides violently claim transportation routes.  The worst pours in as death is swirling in the aftermath of the geological events!  Read more at Living Peru!

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Travel Peru By Train!

Peru Rail is your one stop shopping for traveling the interior of Peru.  Check out the options here!
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MJ's San Francisco Travel Log and a bit of Peruvian history!

Day 1: The hubs and I hit the travel route on Friday and arrived in time to have dinner with family and see my brother BBQ Barnes perform at a local club in Oakland. He was brillant, and managed to impress his niece and son with his cool harp skills and the variety of tunes his group could perform. The 6 member band are silcon valley cubical dwellers by day and at night they unwrap their alter-egos with amazing skill and fun! I would fly anywhere to enjoy one of their concerts! Great job!

 

Day 2: After sleeping in we piled all the cousins in the cars and headed to Frisco! We spent the day knocking around and exploring some old and new haunts. We were luck enough to have good weather with a storm looming in the distance that did not arrive until late in the evening. After our causal day we all headed over to El Limon, where Chef and friend Emanuel worked his magic preparing the best Novo Andina Cusine in the city! With a few Peruvian food first timers with us, we toured the menu of sea food, beef, and chicken, topped off with 4 amazing desserts! We moaned our way down to give the Chef our greatest approaval and rolled out the door. Then it was a quick walk over to the Pisco lounge. We met up with owner and friend Guillermo Toro Lira for an evening of drinks and stories. My daughters friends all joined us and these beautiful gals had a ball dancing salsa and trying a couple of the local specialities. The best part was hearing Gui tell about his experience writing the history of Pisco Punch with his wife Brenda and also how he came to open his new lounge with his partner James. To read more about Wings of Cherubs: The Saga of the Rediscovery of Pisco Punch Old San Francisco's Mystery Drink, go to TheGreenLlama.com

Day 3: Today we rolled out of bed in San Francisco's Omni Hotel and enjoyed a walk through the Financial District. We then headed sounth to Santa CLara where we will enjoy dinner and a movie with our daughter before heading on down the road...
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El Darado Discovered? Look What Was Found In Amazon!

SPHERE's own David Knowles is reporting on a study showing evidence of an ancient Amazon Civilization uncovered due to the deforestation  of a large area in the basin on the Brazil side of the Andes.  "According to Martti Parssinen, Denise Schaan and Alceu Ranzi, the authors of the study, the community likely had a population of more than 60,000 people. The researchers said they have only uncovered roughly 10 percent of the existing structures, which may date as far back as A.D. 800."  Since the time the Spanish arrived on the continent, explorers were told by the natives about a massive city that was full of treasures.  The explorers dubbed the city El Darado and thousands who have pursued this lost city have perished.  Could this be the one?  Satellite photos have revealed an area believed to be 150 miles in size and supporting great monuments!

It is an exciting time in archeology as our technology and access bring us closer to understanding some of the great mysteries of civilizations past. In this case the undesirable act of deforestation gave view to this magnificent culture hidden from the view of modern man.  El Darado seems to be a little closer, a little more real, but what price will we continue to pay in our pursuits?
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Chilcano Pisco Festival Week!

Chilcano Festival in Lima, January 11-17!

That's right, it is a week where many of the restaurants and bars around Lima join together and offer special menus and prices.  Peru produces 5 million liters a year of Pisco with 11 types from 5 distinct regions.  Why not have your own Chilcano festival here, at home with friends.  The recipe is simple!  Shake it up by using pink lemonade,,,you are in the states after all :)

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces ginger ale
• 2 ounces pisco
• 1/2 lime (or 1 tablespoon key lime juice)

Preparation:

1. Fill a 8 ounce tumbler with ice cubes.
   
   
2. Pour the pisco over the ice.
   
   
3. Squeeze the lime juice into the glass.
   
   
4. Fill the glass with the ginger ale.
   
   
5. Enjoy!

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Happy New Year!

 There is no where like Peru for New Years Eve and ringing in the New Year!  The beach parties, Andian celebrations and general glamor and glitz give a special recognition to the flip of the calendar.  My early experiences of celebrations on the beach provide wonderful memories of dancing and good friends.

As we all take assessment of where we have been, lets enjoy being right where we are and the rich tapestry that has brought us to this point in our lives!  2010 promises to be one of growth and opportunities.  What will you do with it?

Blessings and Happy New Year!

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Disney picks Peru for an exclusive vacation package!

LivinginPeru.com reports:

http://filer.livinginperu.com/travel/disney-peru.jpg8161027

Adventures By Disney's advertisement features Peru.   (click to enlarge)

There it is on page 15 of the New York Times Magazine Winter Travel Issue: a cozy, corporate stamp of approval for el Perú. Disney chose Machu Picchu and a smiling little girl in a chuyo hat (see right) to publicize their luxury family vacation packages.

It is significant: Adventures By Disney only has 19 vacations spots around the world, and out of three Latin American destinations, Peru made the cut. (Costa Rica and Ecuador are the other two, while China and South Africa complete the list of developing nations chosen.)

Eight days of a Disney vacation in Peru is not cheap: $2,429 to $3,399 per kid and a few hundred more for adults, airfare not included. But just reading their itinerary online makes you want to get whisked away by the Disney people. They drop you off at Casa Andina Private Collection Hotel when first arriving in Lima, and the next day it's off to Cusco and a handicraft demonstrations by master weavers. You stay at Sol y Luna Lodge & Spa in the Sacred Valley.

The trip continues like that, with hands-on cultural activities during the day and a return to luxury lodging at night. On day three it's a raft trip down the Urubamba; day four's a tour of the salt terraces of Mara, then a cooking demonstration and make-your-pizza time in the evening. Day five is the train ride to Machu Picchu, where a guide shows the family around. And so on.

Disney might conjure up thoughts of a mass-produced, amusement park kind of vacation. But it seems like Disney travelers will get a lot of personal attention and an exclusive, tailored experience in Peru. Every vacation includes two expert guides, who "serve as concierge, guide and storyteller" according to the Adventures By Disney website.

The next date for a Disney Peru vacation is Feb. 8-16, but that's an adults-only trip (18 and up). For families, Jun. 7-15 is the first date, then there's 10 more options through the fall.

Detailed information can be found here at Adventure By Disney's website. Check it out.
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Peru's cacao ready to conquer the world

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The book Chocolate, del Perú al Mundo (Chocolate, from Peru to the World) highlights the chocolat as an outstanding product of the Peruvian gastronomy.

Cacao history and secrets have been registered at this luxurious book that was presented yesterday in Lima.

This publication looks forward to contribute to the diffusion of Peruvian gastronomy and also to show that this product is a fundamental piece for the programs of substitution of illegal cultivation of coca leaf.

The book contains images by Peruvian photographer Walter Wust and recipes from prestigious chefs, like Astrid Gustche, wife of Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio.

The book has been sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, the United States Agency for International Development andthe Peruvian Association of Cocoa Producers and Agronomist and Vétérinaires Sans Frontières-Centre International.
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Cows are invading Lima!

The cows have arrived in Lima! This wonderful project has been around the world and the first time I saw them was in Zurich in 1998. Each country adds their local artists to the mix and places the works of art all about town. Check out the article in Living Peru for many pictures of our 4 legged friends!
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