Today’s WordPress prompt asks: do you have a favourite place that you’ve visited? I love my island home of Kingston, Jamaica very much as it’s warm and vibrant and filled with lots of spots for great food, live reggae music, mountain views and even has nearby beaches, rivers and waterfalls: all of my favourite things! Kingston is fast becoming a melting pot of cultures too, with influences from China, India, Latin America, the Middle East and more. Tourism drives the physical development and entertainment options available in the city too, which is great. While Jamaica will always hold the #1 spot in my heart, and I haven’t been outside the country a lot (yet), here’s why Peru is the favourite place I’ve visited (so far). Note: I visited in May 2022.
1) Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is still the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life and it’s somewhere I think everyone should visit at least once. I marvel at the delicate preservation of this beautiful Incan citadel built in the 1400s on a 2,430m (7,970ft) mountain ridge. The houses and temples were intricately and intimately carved to hug the mountain face, and all the buildings are connected via steep roughly hewn steps which will test your fitness level. My mouth was agape the entire daytrip both from being awestruck and from trying to catch my breath. This day is easily one of the best days of my life. I also enjoyed exploring Aguas Calientes, the town closest to Machu Picchu as everywhere was walkable! The only transportation in the town are the buses which transport tourists to Machu Picchu, and the trains which carry people and goods in and out of the town. I loved walking along the narrow alleys, wandering in and out of shops and restaurants and admiring the love-locks bridge and the breathtaking mountain views of Aguas Calientes.
2) The beauty of Cusco, former Incan Capital
Cusco is a city located on the southeastern end of Perú near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes Mountains. This colourful and vibrant city is the former capital of the Incan empire and proudly preserves traces of its Incan ancestors. These ruins seamlessly exist alongside Spanish colonial and modern-day buildings. Cusco was a delight to explore on foot, minus the altitude sickness and cold. I definitely needed the heater as night temps fell to 2°C!
3) Pisco Sours! And Great Food!
Pisco sours are the national drink of Peru– official or unofficially, I’m not sure, but you can’t say that you’ve been to Peru without drinking one. The Peruvian pisco sour is made by mixing Peruvian pisco, an unaged brandy, with Key lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, Angostura bitters and ice cubes. I had my fair share of pisco sours during the week I spent, and my biggest regret is not taking any pisco home. I also enjoyed trying the local food but I steered clear of the ceviche because I was afraid of getting ill by trying uncooked food. I had too short a time in Peru to risk getting ill, and this is another of my trip regrets because ceviche is such an integral part of their cuisine that I feel as if I missed out on a cultural experience. Oh well!
4) The People Are Warm & Friendly
Last but not least, the people were great! Everyone was so excited to learn that my partner and I were from Jamaica. They often guessed America first and seeing their faces light up when I replied, “No, Jamaica!” was priceless. I still remember the bartender who made me my first and last chilcano in Barranco, Peru. He proudly showed us his red, green and gold Rasta armband and he knew some Bob Marley songs despite not being fluent in English. Bless his soul, and it was great hearing reggae ever so often in the Peruvian streets. Ofc I had to write about the similarities I found between Jamaica & Peru.
Wrap Up
P.S. I never did finish my Peru series last year! I had 2 titles left to write but then life happened. Should I still write those 2 articles or call it a day? Let me know in the comments section. Also, what’s your favourite place visited thus far? Let me know in the comments section too. Brb, gone to daydream about the travel I have planned for 2024!
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‘Til Friday!
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