10 Peruvian discoveries

Just got back from Peru, where the Pretty Lady and I had a belated honeymoon. I found many many interesting things. Here are a few:

1. Mario Vargas Llosa.

We bought his book Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter for the flight back. It's quirky, funny, and the translation we got was very readable.

2. Guinea pig.

Sweet and gamey, a bit like how I imagined rabbit char siew would taste. Remember to peel off the rubbery skin.

3. Coca tea.

Herby and earthy, refreshing in the cool mountain weather. Supposedly helps altitude sickness. Can't disagree.

4. Pisco sours.

Peruvian bartenders don't water down their cocktails. I'm pretty sure every pisco sour I had contained a 50ml measure of pisco, at 46%. We got wrecked after one particularly memorable drink, a Peruvian double pisco sour. Yes, 100ml of spirit.

5. Machu Picchu.

Everything that's been written about it is true. And more. Stay at the Inkaterra Hotel in Aguas Calientes at the bottom of the hill, luxurious little rooms set in an orchid garden.

6. Sol coins.

They look like euros. I'm pretty sure I paid for some things with euros instead of sols.

7. Inca economic history.

Notable for state-sponsored indentured labour. They built all those amazing buildings out of stone because everyone had to volunteer 2-3 months of labour time each year for the construction of public projects. Usually meaning royal palaces, government buildings and infrastructure.

8. The Catholic compromise.

Peruvian Catholicism seems to be a mish-mash of Quechua / Aymara beliefs and real Roman Catholicism. In Cusco, Jesus Christ is the Lord of Earthquakes, for example, and many saints have their mountain god equivalents. Could this be the case across Latin America?

9. Alpacas, llamas, guanacos and vicunas.

It's really hard to tell the difference. Alpacas have straight ears (apparently), llamas have curved ears, vicunas look like deer, and guanacos look like they're quite fat. Or at least the single guanaco I saw did.

10. Loads more ruins.

There are so many other ruined places, both Inca and pre-Inca, that don't show up in the normal trips. Choquequirao, Kuelap, the Nasca Lines and Kotosh, just to name 4 that I want to go to.

More on all these in June!