What is Machu Picchu? There is no reference to Machu Picchu in Inca literature or folklore, so what is this culturally sophisticated engineering city in the Andes of Peru? Many archeologists believe that it was constructed as a retreat for the Inca nobility between 1400 and 1500 AD. But the extensive terracing suggests it may have been a center for crop testing or used as a trading hub. Who lived …
My recent Peruvian adventure included a deep, delicious dive into the country’s authentic cuisine with seafood as a highlight. Peruvian Ceviche is a marinated seafood dish, typically the first course, which consists of a fresh, white fish soaked in fresh lime juice and served with thinly sliced red onion and sweet potato. As I traveled inland from Lima, to Arequipa, Puno, Cusco and high into the Andes, I found the …
High in the Andes Mountains of Peru live direct descendents of the ancient Inca people, invaded by Spanish Conquistadors in the 1500’s. This indigenous group of people are called the Q’ueros. They are the few that escaped forced labor by the Spanish, those able to live in “villages in the clouds” in the refuge of the holy mountains (Apus), guarding much of their sacred knowledge and keeping it intact over …
Before landing in Tokyo I was perfectly content with a plastic tray of wannabe sushi from the supermarket. Not any more. The preparation, presentation and consumption of this oh-so-subtle symphony of flavors, textures, aromas and colors and its accompanying description raised my culinary bar to previously unscaled heights. A caress of freshly “grated over sharkskin” wasabi and a fingertip of sweet/salt over the most perfect inch-wide filet of Deep Sea …
Travel is about discovery and amazement. An “older than time” Buddhist temple in Thailand, a vast and detailed Dubrovnik cityscape, the Taj, the David….the big “aha” moments. Sometimes though, it’s that random glimpse of genius that commands my attention. Wandering the cobblestone streets of Rovinj, Croatia on a lovely summer afternoon, a stunning display of bracelets caught my eye. Statement pieces every one. Crafted in a variety of metals, each …
Thousands of vermilion Torii gates blazing in the August sun which straddle a network of trails behind its main shrines. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari. I was fortunate to visit on a steamy August day… A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the ordinary to …