It was in Cusco, at 3,400 m, that I felt sick to my stomach and had trouble breathing. To cheer myself up, I swallowed the local magic potion:liters of mate, an Amerindian infusion. Machu Picchu is lower, at 2,400 m, which allowed me to frolic again. When I arrived at dawn, it was draped in a veil of mist. Suddenly it disappeared, I got chills. How were the Quechuas able to build this site perched in the mountains in the middle of nowhere in the 15th century? Today, it is still mysterious. To see it all at once, I walked for an hour (with quite a drop!) to the Porte du Soleil, which hikers from Cusco cross.
Overlooking the ocean from its steep cliffs, the city deserves to stop there for a few days. The historic center, classified as a UNESCO heritage site, has many colonial houses and churches laden with gilding. On the Place d'Armes, I came across a procession accompanied by a brass band. Incredible atmosphere! At the Taberna Queirolo, I learned how to make a good Pisco Sour, the national drink, and above all how to drink it. Be careful, it's so addictive it's good! Further on, in the bohemian district of Barranco, I enjoyed strolling through the streets lined with seaside-style houses. This is where Mario Testino, the Lima-born fashion photographer, opened Mate, a photo exhibition center. All around, contemporary art galleries flourish. Another district to visit, Miraflorès, where I had a coffee while trying on a T.shirt in the friendly shop of young designers Lama Unknown Worldwide.
It is the gateway to Machu Picchu, which can be reached from there by train or on foot after a 3/4 day hike. But that's no reason to avoid Cusco. It was once called the "navel of the world" and it abounds with sites, including Koricancha, the Temple of the Sun. You have to stroll through the alleys, like those of Hatun Rumiyoc where the bottom of the houses is made of stones cut by the Incas and reused by the Spaniards after their conquest in 1533. I especially loved the market which is full of fruit and vegetables – including dehydrated, super light potatoes -, fresh fruit juice stands and small souvenirs. I preferred to unearth alpaca sweaters and famous balls of wool in small isolated shops where grandmothers knit hats in the yard.
In the village of Umasbamba, about thirty kilometers from Cusco, the inhabitants have come together to form the Virgen Purificada Umasbamba association and welcome tourists to their homes for a meal. I cooked (that's saying a lot, because I only peeled the potatoes) with the women of the village, all in traditional dress, amidst a bouquet of laughter. When one of them arrived with a waving guinea pig in her arms, I thought she wanted me to pet it. But no ! She offered it on the lunch menu! Here, guinea pig is a festive dish. Needless to say, I politely declined.
Three times yes! Peruvian cuisine impresses with its diversity of flavors. It has given rise to fusions with Japanese (Nikkei), Chinese (Chifa), Creole (Spanish) cuisine over the course of immigration. But it was Gastón Acurio who really revealed it. This very funky local Bocuse is at the head of many restaurants around the world (and recently of Manko in Paris) and opened the Culinary Institute of Pachacutec in Lima. Children from the slums are trained there in the culinary arts. I was also told that young people no longer dream of becoming footballers but of being the next Gastón Acurio! In his restaurant La Mar Cebicheria, I feasted on ceviche (marinade of raw fish). Another chef to watch is Virgilio Martinez from Central. A nice surprise for my taste buds who were discovering products from the Amazon.
With Jet Tours, 12-day/9-night circuit with full board, flights and guides included. Flight Paris-Lima with Air France.
Sleep there
Hotel B in Lima, member of Relais &Châteaux.
Ninos Hotel in Cusco, run by an NGO that helps children.
More info:Peru Tourist Office.
