This month Food and Wine Magazine named Lima one of “3 Food Cities to Watch,” along with Copenhagen and Los Angeles. The cities were chosen for a variety of characteristics that make their food interesting and exciting. Lima chefs are being praised for going above and beyond to utilize exotic ingredients in new ways. Three top restaurants are featured, putting Lima on the map as a great destination for foodies. For years, Food and Wine editors have given Peruvian food glowing reviews. They’ve even called it “the best kept food secret.” Have you discovered the secret? Share it with a friend, and head to Fiesta Limena for Peruvian Food in CT!

Fiesta Limena Peruvian Food

Query by Himesh R: who is a popular singer?

Best solution:

Reply by Marwan B
Oh I’m sorry… That is the stupidest query I’ve actually heard..
You have like a freakin’ gazillion singers..
-Justin Timberlake becoming one particular of them.

Add your own solution in the comments!

9to6 Blog

Funeral treasures from the recent discovery of a Wari leader’s tomb in Espiritu Pampa are on show in Cusco until the second week in March, when they will be removed for further restoration work.  The exhibition –The Vilca Lords—was opened this past week during the visit to Cusco of UNESCO’s director general, Irina Bokova. The [...]
Peruvian Times

From now until the end of the year we will be having a year end blog-a-thon where we will be putting together our favorite things to see and do in Peru. Being that traveling is our main area of focus on this blog (as well as getting your bucks worth), we thought it best to start by highlighting our favorite hostels from a year of intensive travelling. Below is a location specific list of hostels you should have in mind when visiting Peru on a budget.

Hotel España – Lima

Although the name implies they are a hotel they are indeed more in the Hostel class of lodging options in Lima. The Hostel is located in Central Lima, right next to the Monastery of San Fransisco and 3 short blocks away from the Plaza Mayor (Presidential Palace, National Cathedral). The location is great and the security is very good, allowing you to take a night time stroll to Jiron de la Union for some shopping or to Plaza San Martin for some Pisco Sours (El Catedral del Pisco).

The Hostel itself is a museum of sorts with lots of artwork and a very colonial flavor in itself. Prices start at S/. 45 for a simple room with a private bath. If you are backpacking then they also have dorms which are more affordable as well as rooms with shared bathroom.

Price: Starting at S/. 45 or for a single
Tips: If you reserve a room here without making a deposit make sure you re-confirm your stay otherwise they will give your room away.
Info: Hotel España – Jr. Azangar0 – Cercado de Lima

Hostal Resbalosa – Cuzco

We have nothing but good things to say about this Hostel, the staff is friendly, the rooms are clean and the views incredible at the price. Nowadays Cuzco has become a tourist trap where finding a good place to stay without breaking your wallet can become a chore. Look no further then this cozy little hostel on the hill. It’s locations is right off the Plaza de Armas up a literally breathtaking flight of stairs. You will be met with a cup of hot Coca tea which can be enjoyed on the roof of the hostel where an awesome view of the city of Cuzco awaits.

Price: Starting at for a single
Tips: Have your taxi drop you off that the top end of Calle Resbalosa so you can avoid walking up the stairs to the hostel, can be very tiring if not used to the altitude.
Info: Hostal Resbalosa – Calle Resbalosa (San Cristobal) – Cuzco

Totorani Inn – Puno

The recently remodeled Totorani Inn is a gem amongst the many hostels of Puno. Their rooms are carpeted and most importantly heated (Puno can get very cold). The staff is very helpful and can assist you in any extra services you might need. Only drawback is location which is not too big in issue, Puno is a relatively small city which revolves around it’s docks where the tourists board their boats for the many tours into Lake Titicaca. The hostel is only located less then 10 minutes from the docks and they can call you a taxi if you need transportation elsewhere. The Hostel is located only 2 blocks away from the train station.

Price: Starting at a night in low season and a night in high season for a single
Tips: If the hot water is not working ask the staff as they may need to turn on the gas, as with most hostels attempt to take a shower as early or late as you can (when most are asleep).
Info: Totorani Inn – Av. la Torre – Puno

La Posada Nueva España – Arequipa

This is perhaps the only hostel that borders on being a 2 – 3 star hotel. This airy hostel is located in a colonial mansion and is very pleasing to the eyes. Friendly staff and clean rooms are to be had as well as a quiet neighborhood as it is located across the river from the Main Plaza of Arequipa, perhaps one of it’s only shortcomings.

The fact that they used solar energy is great for any environmentally conscious traveler. The total price for a single room is higher then most, but like I mentioned this is a hotel with the heart of a hostel.

Price: Starting at for a single
Tips: Save some cash and split a double or triple room
Info: La Posada Nueva España – Calle Antiquilla – Yanahuara

I could probably go into naming our best choices for almost every big city in Peru as there are many great cities and locations to visit. But what hostels did you like during your time in Peru? do you have any recommendations? if so share them with us in the comment section below. For hostel and hotel bookings in Peru contact us at info@karikuy.org

Related posts:

1. Our Favorite Restaurants of 2010
2. Karikuy 2010
3. Karikuy Volunteer Program 2010: Year End Review

The Karikuy Blog

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Cruz del Sur Bus Fleet in Lima Peru

For tourists looking to discover more about Peru traveling by bus might be the perfect solution. Sure it will take more time, but the rewards, like visiting the Peruvian countryside, are not experienced by all travelers and you will be saving considerably more money too.

Traveling by bus is not for everybody and traveling by bus in Peru presents another challenge. By average is not exactly the safest way of traveling. Roads are lacking upkeep maintenance and traffic signals (although is improving in some areas). Some bus companies are not as professional and their safety record is not very good (but extremely cheap compared to more established companies). These services are mostly used by Lima citizens making a trip home for festivities or to visit family members left behind.

Now the good news. There are also bus companies with good safety records, reliable and modern bus fleet. I had travel in one of them long time ago (Cruz del Sur) thanks to my father for spending more money for us to arrived safely and comfortably at our destination. I can tell you that if I have to travel by bus, I will feel comfortable traveling by Cruz del Sur or Ormeño anytime. Of course, this is not a guarantee, just my personal observation and years of watching the news and what companies are usually involved in accidents.

As a recommendation, always be “heads up” at the terminals. Don’t leave your bags unattended. It will sound mean but try not to give much attention to anybody. People will come to you asking for money or favors, looking for what articles of value you are carrying on, or just “marking” you for some other thief. Take it as part of the Peruvian experience.

Cruz del Sur

Transportes Cruz del Sur is located in Avenida Javier Prado 1109 in San Isidro, Lima, Peru. Founded in 1960, Cruz del Sur is one of the oldest and most reliable bus companies in Peru. Cruz del Sur also has one of the most modern fleet of buses. The “Cruzero Suite” has a total of 39 VIP (First Class) reclining seats, LCD screens, air conditioning and heating system among other amenities.

Cruz del Sur operates this following bus terminals in Lima, Peru:

1. Javier Prado Este 1109, Lima. Phone Number: (011–51–1) 225-5748.
2. Jiron Quilca Number 531, Lima
3. Jiron Montevideo, corner with Jiron San Carlos, Lima.

For information you can also call: (011–51–1) 311–5050 (Lima, Peru)

Some of the most popular destinations for tourist are Lima to Cuzco and Lima to Nazca. Their VIP service has been a favorite among their clients for years.

Lima – Cusco (Cuzco)

Cruzero Service Line
Departs from Javier Prado Terminal at 2pm. VIP seat costs .18. The trip lasts approximately 21 hours.

Lima – Nazca (Ica)

Cruzero Service Line
Departs from Javier Prado Terminal at 4:15am, 7am, 7:30am, 1:30pm and 2pm
VIP seat costs .94
Duration is approximate 6 hours 45 minutes.

Besides Cuzco and Nazca, Cruz del Sur destinations also include Arequipa, Ayacucho, Ilo (Moquegua), and Tacna. To get more information check Cruz del Sur schedule page at http://www.cruzdelsur.com.pe/itinerario_especifico.php

Cruz del Sur also gives you the option to buy your ticket online here: https://ticketnet.cruzdelsur.com.pe/main.php (Spanish and English)
You will be able to pay with Visa, MasterCard or American Express in a VeriSign secured website.

By Calling 311-5050 (in Lima, Peru) you can order and have your tickets delivered to your hotel free or charge (very convenient)

Ormeño

Ormeño Bus Company in Lima Peru

Grupo Ormeño has been serving travelers since 1970. Ormeño is considered an excellent company and one of the leaders in Peru and with one of the longest (if not the longest) land routes in the world provides a great customer service, excellent safety record and competitive prices.

Especially designed for the most demanding tourists Ormeño’s Royal Class Service Line offers buses with spacious and fully reclining seats, air conditioning, TV and hostess attention among other amenities.

Ormeño’s Call Center will answer your questions about schedules, fares, itineraries, routes and more, 365 days from 7am to 11pm. You can call them at 472-5000. If you are in Lima, ask for delivery of the tickets as I believe there is a small charge and maybe only to some districts in Lima.

You should consider Ormeño if your destination is not available in other bus companies as Ormeño covers a lot of the country and even international travel to Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.

Contact Ormeño at this number: (011-51-1) 472-1710

Ormeño’s Main terminal is located at: Avenida Javier Prado Este 1059, Lima, Peru.

I hope this list helps tourists make a more informed decision. Again, all reviews are personal and based on my experience or experiences, that might not be repeatable or the norm. It is very much possible that I missed some other companies with great service and safety track record and I will appreciate contacting me and I will include those in this post as an update or write a new one.

Traveling to another country is an experience, even more so to a country like Peru. Consider carefully if traveling by bus inside Peru is for you not only based on your personal experiences traveling in bus in your country of origin but also how will it be like in a country like Peru. The best recommendations are always from friends that had already done something similar. If you are one of those people with a past experience or are ready to start your bus trip consider leaving a comment of your experiences for everyone to enjoy and learn.

Peru Traveler Blog

Where can I taste this coffee in the U.S?

Comments for The Frog Blog UK: The blog of the Rainforest Alliance in the UK

Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride, Yolanda Adams and Florence Welch of Florence and The Machine opened the 2011 Grammys performing some of Aretha Franklin’s biggest hits in a tribute to the legendary singer who has . Florence and the Machine stylised as Florence the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch [...]
Business Gol

- “Cuanto cuesta?” = How much is it?

- “Diez soles” = Ten soles (1 sol = 0.40 US dollars)

- “Le doy nueve soles” = I’ll give you nine soles

- “Esta bien” = Ok

Such is the typical conversation I’ve noticed here in Peru. Whether you are getting a cab or buying something at the market, there is almost always a brief tug-a-war over the price of the commodity. In a sense, it is quite comical that we (as in, the locals and foreigners as well) will go through this process merely for the sake of a sol (i.e. 40 cents). Sometimes the savings is more substantial and one can save up to 10 soles () as I did today when I bought a pair of sandals.

While in Lima, a good meal at a nice restaurant (as in something akin to Red Lobster) might cost you about 20 soles (), though if you asked around, one could certainly find quite tasty meals for under 10 soles (). As predicted by Margo who has prior experience traveling in Latin America, it did not take long for us volunteers to become acclimated to this new culture and to redefine the value of money.

Suddenly, things that we would have considered to be a fair price in the US became expensive. Here, it has become a big deal to spend more than 10 soles on a meal (and this would be at a sit-down restaurant where you get a waiter, not a fast-food joint). Here, we bargain for a couple soles (less than ) before taking a cab somewhere, yet in US we’d simply have to pay 4 or 5 times the entire costs for an equivalent cab ride. We volunteers have even laughed at ourselves once or twice over haggling over one or two soles for a cab ride.   

This behavior is somewhat difficult for me to completely understand. I certainly am aware that some people, especially us volunteers, are on a budget and cannot afford to waste money, but sometimes this behavior seems to be somewhat…excessive…dramatic…unnecessary. Like I said, sometimes we haggle over 1 sol (40 cents) with a cab ride. However, I think that such seemingly benign decisions (i.e. the choice one makes to bargain the price down as low as possible) have important implications that should be considered more in depth.  

My personal feelings/thoughts on the matter is that this “heckling-for-the-lowest-possible-price” behavior is somehow contributing to the impoverished condition in which Latin America continues to live. I do realize that the impoverished situation within Latin America is very complicated and that the contributing factors are numerous. However, it does not take an expert in the fields of business and economics to understand the basic principles of running a business for the purpose of making a profit in order to be able to support yourself (and perhaps your family as well).

Imagine that you are a business person and that you are selling a commodity for or 10 soles. Now let’s say that it cost you .20 or 8 soles to pay for your commodity. And now let’s say a guy comes along and offers 9 soles for your commodity. You, being the desperate person in need of many to take care of the family, must decide if say no and risk losing the customer. If you agree, then you’ve just cut your profit in half, going from 2 soles to 1 sol. And perhaps the situation is more complex (as is often the case).  The business person does not simply have the cost of the commodity that he/she is selling. There are fixed costs to be considered (such as rent & taxes), as well as variable costs (such as paying employees, utilities & supplies).

Obviously, I have made a fair amount of assumptions/generalizations and that such a topic is truly worthy of a much more in-depth analysis. However, I still assert that we as consumers possess a purchasing power and that the manner in which that power is utilized does in fact have consequences. In the US, the power comes in the form of the decision to buy or not buy. Here in Latin America, such power is taken a step further by giving the consumer the ability to bargain for a suitable price. But why do these business men/women here in Latin America allow such a thing (i.e. relinquishing more power to the consumer) when it seems to be to their disadvantage?

I believe that the truth of the matter is that they are simply poor and are desperate to earn anything at all. These people would rather make a sale that brings a tiny profit than simply lose the sale altogether.

So this is where I invite you, the reader, to participate and ask for your feedback. What do you see as part of the solution? Should Latin America conform more to a system similar to the US, such as having fixed prices that don’t allow for bargaining? How would the informal economy be integrated into such a scheme? Or do you disagree with what I’ve stated above and believe that this bargaining process is somehow helping the economic situation here in Latin America? What are your thoughts on the matter?

Giving a Living to a Life in the Rainforests of Peru

After more than twenty years with the Rainforest Alliance – serving first as a board member, later as executive director and now as president – Tensie Whelan has seen the organisation change and grow tremendously. At the close of 2010, we sat down with her to reflect on another wonderful year and to talk about [...]
The Frog Blog UK: The blog of the Rainforest Alliance in the UK