Tag Archives: peru

Strong quake rocks northern Peru, one dead

We awoke today to the news of another strong earthquake in Peru. Natalia emailed us from Tarapoto, and said that the power had gone out, but everything appears to be OK.

Peruvian authorities were scrambling to assess the damage after an earthquake with a magnitude as high as 8.0 rocked the Peruvian Amazon region in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving at least one person dead.

Source: Strong quake rocks northern Peru, one dead – Reuters

Meanwhile in Yurimaguas, there was some damage. The old adobe structures don’t do well in the big quakes as this photo via El Comercio shows:

Earthquake damage in Yurimaguas, Peru (Via El Comercio)

We’ve been to Yurimaguas several times as it’s a great place to catch a cargo boat to Iquitos. It’s a growing port city in the Amazon river network.

Our prayers and best wishes go out to all affected.

 

 

Machu Picchu Monday

It was an exciting weekend, as we finally met with our friends to arrange for our Machu Picchu trip later this year.

There will be six of us going, so there are the many logistical concerns, and timing and coordination is critical. Luckily, our friend Pen was a former travel agent full time, and can not only organize it much better than I; she also finds good little discounts. Sometimes it means the difference between a so-so hotel, and something much more comfortable for just a few dollars more.

We stole an itinerary from someone else (here,) and adapted it to what we already know. It’s not that we’re experts or anything, but really there are only so many places that you can go to in the Sacred Valley. It ends up being 15 days start to finish, and gets a pretty darn good sampling of Peru.

DAY 1: SACRED VALLEY (CCOCHAHUASI & PISAC)

DAY 2: SACRED VALLEY (MARAS, MORAY, & OLLANTAYTAMBO)

DAY 3: MACHU PICCHU

DAY 4: CUSCO

DAY 5: CUSCO RUINS (SACSAYHUAMAN & PUKA PUKARA)

DAY 6: LAKE TITICACA TRAIN

DAY 7: LAKE TITICACA

DAY 8: PUNO –> LIMA

DAY 9: LIMA

Source: Detailed Itinerary for 9 Days in Peru | Cusco, Lake Titicaca, and Lima | A Happy Passport

The extra time will be spent in Tarapoto & extra explorations around Lima. I’d be excited, but my head hurts from all the planning work… It sure will be worth it though!

In the Plaza de Armas Lima, Peru

Peruvian Chef Detained at LAX with 40 Piranhas

It’s hard to get fresh fish, so much so that at least one chef tried to bring in some piranha.

Peruvian chef with 40 frozen piranhas detained for 5 hours at LAX.

What a drag, am I right? There’s never a seat at the Sammy Hagar/KISS/Jimmy Buffet/other celebrity-centered bar, the coffee’s expensive, the power outlets are scarce, and you can’t even get 40 frozen piranhas through customs in peace.

Source: The Takeout | Food News, recipes, cooking tips, and taste tests.

(Click on the link for the full story)

When we’re in Peru, we always eat more fish. The Humboldt current brings up cold water from the very south Pacific, and the fishing is good in Peru. We eat Sea Bass for $3.40/lb. It’s enough to spoil one…

Machu Picchu Monday

The excitement is growing as we’re finally actually doing some serious planning for our Peru trip in the fall. We have our tickets to Lima, and did surprisingly well on Copa Airlines. We like them because it’s a relatively quick flight, and coming back it’s a daytime flight (arriving Vegas at night.)

Leaving however, is a different story. The flight departs at 01:33 AM, so it’s a late night at the airport, and a red-eye flight. It always leaves me a little dazed, but  it ends up going fast as we sleep through the Las Vegas to Panama City part (about 6 hours,) and then drift in and out from Panama to Lima.

We arrive at 3:17 PM local Lima time, and will slouch over to the hotel, and grimly try and stay awake until as late as possible. Tentatively, our friends should be arriving at midnight. We don’t have their details yet…

Machu Picchu