Latest news with #Cuzco
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
How To Spend Two Days In Cuzco
The gateway to Machu Picchu has its own magnificence. The Peruvian city of Cuzco is the typical starting and ending point for trips to Machu Picchu, as it has the closest airport to the world-renowned attraction. Yet there's plenty to do in this historic city itself that makes it a worthwhile stopover. You'll want to explore Cuzco slowly. It's set high in the Andes Mountains at a breath-sucking altitude of more than 11,000 feet. Fortunately, if you base yourself at the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, a beautifully restored heritage property built around the 16th-century colonial Convent of San Agustín in the heart of the city, you can acclimate with a welcoming cup of mate de coca, an herbal tea used throughout the region to combat the effects of high altitude. Even better, the property pumps extra oxygen into each of its 153 guest rooms, making it a little easier to breathe. The hotel is a short walk from the Plaza de Armas — this main square is anchored by the grand Cusco Cathedral — and numerous museums, cafés and places to eat. Here's how to make the most of your time in that area and other parts of the city. JW Marriott El Convento Cusco is a beautifully restored heritage property. After a generous buffet breakfast at the luxury hotel, walk a few blocks through Cuzco's narrow streets to Qorikancha, where the ruins of a once-grand, sacred Incan temple are visible beneath the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, which the Spanish constructed in the 1500s atop the Incan site. Several Inca-era rooms are visible on the edges of the colonial courtyard, while paintings throughout the building document both Incan and Spanish heritage. Take time to wander the gardens, too. Your next stop is Mercado San Pedro, Cuzco's central market. Browse the crowded aisles for everything from fresh fruit juices to spices to religious objects. Enjoy a leisurely lunch nearby at Chicha, the Cuzco outpost of celebrity chef Gastón Acurio, where Andean ingredients appear in innovative preparations. You might sample cuy (guinea pig), served in the style of Peking duck, atop a purple corn pancake with a 'hoisin' sauce made from rocoto peppers. Or try alpaca carpaccio, the rich meat brightened with a pesto-style sauce. Mercado San Pedro, Cuzco's central market, is filled with fresh flavors. In the afternoon, you can visit two museums that will help you prepare for your Machu Picchu visit. The Museo Inka has informative exhibits about Incan culture while Museo de Machu Picchu, which claims the world's largest collection of Machu Picchu artifacts, takes you through the history of the site's 'discovery' during American explorer Hiram Bingham's famous 1911 expedition that brought Machu Picchu into the world spotlight. Both museums have captions in English and Spanish. Make sure you're back at the hotel in time for a late-afternoon lesson on crafting a pisco sour, Peru's best-known cocktail, or a tour of the property, which takes you through its restoration, its history as a convent and its even earlier heritage, visiting pre-Inca ruins visible on the Marriott's lower level. For a light supper, take a short walk to Organika, where many of the ingredients in the salads, soups and plates, such as quinoa with grilled vegetables, are sourced from their own Sacred Valley gardens. The tiradito de trucha, made with local trout and paired with sweet potato chips, is an excellent choice. The hotel courtyard hosts demonstrations and photo opportunities. The next morning, after breakfast, stop into the hotel courtyard, where women from the Sacred Valley community of Chinchero offer demonstrations of traditional textile weaving techniques. You can also snap your photo with Panchita, the resident baby alpaca. Afterward, take an Uber or taxi — or book a guided tour — to Sacsayhuamán, an impressive archeological site built in the 1400s at an elevation of more than 12,000 feet. Allow at least a couple of hours to properly explore the multiple areas. Its walls and gates were constructed of massive stone blocks, fit together precisely without the use of mortar. From several vantage points around the site, you'll have expansive views across the entire Cuszo region. When you finish, walk down the stone staircases and through the narrow lanes lined with colorful street art to the San Blas neighborhood. At Green Point, you can lunch in the garden on plant-based dishes that might range from vegetarian quinoa soup to the 'Vegan Cusco Grill,' consisting of stuffed rocoto pepper, grilled oyster mushrooms, fresh greens and local potatoes in a creamy golden huancaína sauce, made from aji amarillo peppers. Be sure to try one of the fruity kombuchas or opt for the tangy, slightly fermented purple corn variety. Sacsayhuamán is an amazing archeological site built in the 1400s. Nearby, refresh with a coffee or a rich dark hot chocolate at Xapiri Ground, an art gallery/café close to the Plaza San Blas that shows work by contemporary artists from the Peruvian Amazon. Head back to the hotel for a rest or to lounge in the relaxation pool in the lower-level spa. As dusk approaches, visit Planetarium Cusco, a family-run star-gazing site, for an informative presentation that explores the Incas' view of the cosmos. You'll hear the Incan names for various constellations, learn some of the differences between the skies in the Northern and Southern hemispheres and, weather permitting, look through a telescope to spot celestial bodies. The planetarium offers presentations in English and provides transportation to and from the city center. When you return to town, a pisco sour in the JW Marriott's bar makes for a fitting finale to your two days of Cuszo adventures.
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
8 Things To Do In Lima
If you have time, explore Lima's beautiful Miraflores district. This is the last installment in a four-part journey exploring Peru's dramatic landscapes — from captivating cities to pristine coastlines to towering Andean peaks. (Read parts one, two and three.) Peru's largest airport, Jorge Chávez International in Lima, unveiled a new terminal on June 1 that's three times the size of its predecessor. The $2.4 billion expansion dramatically increases capacity, welcoming an additional 40 million passengers per year, who likely are bound for ancient marvels like Cuzco and Machu Picchu. But don't just pass through — Lima itself offers rich experiences well worth a dedicated stopover. Lima is a fascinating destination. It's the second-largest desert capital in the world after Cairo, yet it hugs the Pacific Ocean and has three rivers running through it. With a population of 11.2 million, Lima ranks as Peru's largest city by far — about a third of the country lives in the metropolitan area. And it has everything from ancient ruins to hot new restaurants. If you're on a layover and want to get a taste of what the vibrant city has to offer, visit some of these top spots: Visit the pristine Pacific coastline. One of Lima's best features is its Pacific coastline. If you don't have time to surf or swim, take in the water views from El Malecón, a six-mile coastal path that cuts through various neighborhoods and connects green spaces, cafés and more. Get all warm and fuzzy at this green space. Along El Malecón in Miraflores, a clifftop neighborhood that overlooks the ocean, stop by this park with curved, colorful mosaic walls and 'LOVE' spelled out on the grass with flowers and plants. While everyone from families to solo travelers frequent the park, it's meant for couples. Appropriately inaugurated on February 14, 1993, Love Park features El Beso, a larger-than-life sculpture from famed Peruvian artist Víctor Delfín of lovers passionately kissing. Go back in time with a stop at Huaca Pucllana. You don't have to climb the mountaintops of Machu Picchu to see Peru's famous ancient ruins. In the middle of upscale Miraflores across from the modern Carnal steakhouse is an unexpected find: an archeological site called Huaca Pucllana. The pyramid served as a pre-Inca temple and played a part in various ceremonies. The structure is surprisingly still intact — it was made using the bookshelf technique, which stacked the adobe bricks vertically to protect the pyramid from Lima's earthquakes. Marvel at the well-preserved pyramid and visit the onsite museum to learn more. Dédalo Arte y Artesania is an essential stop. The pedestrian-friendly Barranco serves as the artistic heart of Lima. Writers, poets and artists live and work in this bohemian district filled with vivid European-influenced architecture amid palm trees. Come here to peruse spots like Dédalo Arte y Artesania, a mansion-turned-gallery that showcases everything from jewelry to furniture made by Peruvian artists. Walk to the back of the gallery to discover a charming brick courtyard with an ancient ficus tree's leafy branches and origami bird installations dangling over café tables. It's a great place to refuel after a day of exploring Barranco. Make another stop at Jade Rivera World, a gallery dedicated to the eponymous Peruvian painter, ceramicist, sculptor and muralist. The multi-talented Rivera's work revolves around themes of Latin identity and the environment — his El Hogar de un Suspiro ('the home of a sigh')mural on the building's side, for example, shows a man removing a heart-shaped face mask to reveal a colorful bird. That's not the only street art you'll encounter in Barranco. Walk around for a revolving exhibit of colorful graffiti adorning buildings, bridges and more. Look for Lima-born artist Bronik's women-centric murals, like Recia('strong'), where a girl struggles to hold a basket on her shoulders filled with books, vegetables, people and other responsibilities. Make a wish on this bridge. This Barranco attraction was built in the 1870s to connect two sides of a ravine. It's a favorite spot for photos and some magic. According to local lore, if visitors cross the 144-foot wooden pedestrian bridge while holding their breath, their wish will come true. While tourists flock to Love Park, you'll find locals strolling through Olive Park in the financial district, San Isidro. The less-crowded green space offers an oasis with walkways that take you past more than 1,600 olive trees, which the Spanish brought over more than 400 years ago, and a pond with fish and turtles. Keep an eye out for the park's more than 60 bird varieties, like the noisy scrub blackbird or the bright-gold saffron finch. Sip the country's most famous drink at The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center. When in Lima, you must try the country's most famous drink, the pisco sour. It combines pisco — a Peruvian grape distillate that's considered a Cultural Heritage of the nation — with lime juice, egg white, simple syrup and a few dashes of Angostura bitters as a garnish on the foamy top. The cocktail was invented in the 1920s by American expat Victor Morris in Lima's Morris Bar. The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center's Lobby Lounge Bar serves all kinds of classic cocktails and mocktails, but glowing tall walls of artfully displayed bottles of pisco point you toward the local spirit. The pisco offerings, ranging from a pisco mule to an algarrobina (similar to eggnog but with pisco and Peruvian carob), are the most popular orders. We sat at the white marble-topped bar and enjoyed the sweet and tart pisco sour underneath sprawling murals with stylized characters, like a mermaid, drinking — perhaps pisco. As the culinary capital of South America, Lima is a draw just for its food. Fine-dining institutions like Astrid and Gastón, Central, Mayta and Maido showcase the best of Peruvian cuisine and its different facets. But you don't need to dine at an upscale restaurant with a tasting menu to sample the country's gastronomy. Seek out local street food like anticuchos, grilled beef heart skewers; butifarra, a sandwich stuffed with country ham and salsa criolla; and aji de gallina, shredded chicken in a creamy, spicy sauce. And save room for desserts like picarones, pumpkin and sweet potato doughnuts drenched in chancaca honey, and mazamorra morada, a rice-pudding-like dish made with purple corn and fruit.
CBC
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
This play staged inside a Toronto cafe serves up workplace horror stories
Everyone remembers their first job, and Rosamund Small's was slinging coffee at her neighbourhood Second Cup. "I will never ever forget just how bad I was," she says with a hearty laugh, calling from her apartment in downtown Toronto. The year was 2009, she recalls, and Small — now an award-winning playwright — had just finished high school. As a student, she was "used to being good at things." At work, however, everything felt like a trial by fire. And as she watched her friends leave for university — and internships and gap years abroad — she was stuck home with her parents, unable to tell a Cuzco decaf latte from an Italian soda. "I was just completely lost." Small wasn't born to be a barista, but she's fared significantly better in her chosen profession. By 2014, she'd won a Dora Award for Vitals, an immersive play about a Toronto paramedic on an emergency call, and her latest show, Performance Review, is another project informed by real-life workplace drama. This time, though, she's taken inspiration from her own eclectic C.V. "It's seven stories about seven very difficult days at seven jobs," says Small, and the production, which begins previews Feb. 27, is happening in a Toronto cafe, Morning Parade Coffee Bar at 256 Crawford St. (Alas, Small's Second Cup went out of business the same winter she was brewing lattes.) In addition to writing, Small stars in the one-woman show, and when the doors open at 7:30 p.m. each night, she'll be serving coffee (in character) until the proverbial curtain is ready to go up. In the play's first chapter, Small tells the story of a struggling newbie barista, a girl who's a lot like her teenage self. "The boss is not liking her speed at which she's doing things. There's drama with the colleagues. She doesn't feel like she fits in," says Small, but our heroine shines when it comes to the people-skills aspects of the job. "She starts to feel like maybe she can be good at this," says Small. But her confidence is shaken when a customer tips a whopping $150, instead of the usual 15 per cent. "It begins a core theme in the play of getting in over your head and encountering power dynamics and things you didn't expect," she says — subjects covered over six more stories. There's a scene about a theatre company, a TV writers' room; a university. Small's worked in all those places herself. The tales, however, are fiction. It's seven stories about seven very difficult days at seven jobs. - Rosamund Small, creator of Performance Review As the story unfolds, the action never physically leaves the coffee shop. "There's a sort of metaphor built into it that I find kind of meaningful," says Small. "Wherever you go, there you are. You can feel sometimes that you're back where you started." Mitchell Cushman directs the play. He's the founding artistic director of Outside the March, whose immersive theatre company is also presenting the show. Small is a longtime OtM collaborator, and in addition to writing Vitals and TomorrowLove (2016) for OtM, she was the story editor and dramaturg on No Save Points (2023), a playable play by Sébastien Heins. Performance Review marks her first time acting in one of the company's productions, however, and in fact, it's her first on-stage role since high school. "I really wanted to do this show, and I really wanted to be in it," says Small, who considers the play to be "a self-portrait in some ways." "I think work is really a performance. Work is often not about what you're making, it's about how you're making the people around you feel. So I talk a lot in the show about, you know, trying to try to suck up, basically. Trying to ingratiate, trying to make connections, trying to reach out to people. And sometimes that's in a really authentic way … and sometimes that's it in a more ambitious way or a more calculating way." According to Small, the show is about navigating the complicated — and occasionally perilous — politics of the workplace. "It can be a very confusing dynamic when your job, or part of your job, to perform liking someone or making them feel good." I think work is really a performance. Work is often not about what you're making, it's about how you're making the people around you feel. - Rosamund Small, creator of Performance Review Is acting in a play any easier? And do her future career goals include more performing? "I hope so, yeah. I've really enjoyed feeling this kind of ownership of my own work," says Small. "My own taste [in] theatre has moved toward 'please speak right to me, please be authentic, please be yourself.' So that's kind of the kind of work I want to make too," she says. "I do feel really comfortable. I mean, it's terrifying to perform for sure, but I really wanted to do this show."
