The Argentine tango, a passionate dance and music style emerged in the late 19th century in Buenos Aires, Argentina from a blend of European, African and native influences, especially in the working class and immigrant communities. In the great immigrant flow of the early 20th century, tango became the culture of Buenos Aires’ neighborhoods, bars, nightclubs, and popular theater. Once “the forbidden dance, ” it had been typically considered to …
Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile became a favorite within minutes of arriving. A park with everything hikers like me dream about. Narrow but stunning valleys that separate hypnotic geological features, glaciers, and lakes of impossible shades of blue. In fact, Paine means “blue” in the native Tehuelche (Aonikenk) language.and is pronounced PIE-neh. Torres del Paine National Park, located in the extreme south of Chilean Patagonia, is world-renowned for its spectacular views, formidable mountain ranges. And …
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 …
Although the trail to the remarkable Inca engineering and cultural achievement called Machu Picchu is Peru’s most famous destination, Cañon del Colca, or Colca Canyon is a grand and extraordinary experience…one not to miss! One of the deepest canyons in the world — nearly 14,000 feet from its highest point to its lowest, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, it is home to the Andean condor, a sacred bird …