Meat Grilling for Sunday Dinner

By the Sunday Chef (translation by David Knowlton)

It is a tradition in much of the world for families to get together to share a meal and talk about all that has taken place during the week. In Cuzco,  Sunday afternoon is the time.  While the occasion may be any meal, in Cuzco we especially love a delicious grill of meat in which all help.  Besides being fun, you do not need great culinary experience to obtain delicious grilled and juicy steaks, chops, or chicken.   The challenge is one of lighting the coals and maintaining them lit.  Though a challenge it is just lots of fun. Read the rest of this entry

Doing Exercise in Sacsayhuaman

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

Cuzco and Sacsayhuaman since time immemorial have been stages for sport. Athletic practices are part of the customs of a great part of Cuzco’s population. In this case, the north east zone of the city is made up of different neighborhoods and districts extending along the edge of the Sacsayhuaman park. The Circunvalación leads through these neighborhoods from the city to the site of massive Inca remains. It is the preferred route of Cuzco’s athletes who morning run up the entire route to Sacsayhuaman. Read the rest of this entry

A Beggar Chewing Coca Leaves on the Corner of the Sol Avenue

By Hebert Huamani Jara (translated by David Knowlton)

Many people in Cuzco go out during the day to beg on the principal streets of Cuzco and others live day and night in the cold of the streets. While the vast majority of people in our city have homes and manage to find food, still for a few that work involves asking people for help while for others is sleeping in doorway for some shelter in the street. Some loose their life to the cold. Read the rest of this entry

Would You Like to Buy a Picture

By David Knowlton

In a brilliant little essay Alberto Fuguet upends the standard understanding of tourism. He writes that more important than the destination is the place people come from. But for the people of Cuzco who wonder what will attract more tourists and get them to spend more money, Fuguet is wrong. It has to be the destination–Cuzco–since they have no control over the point of departure. Read the rest of this entry

Welcoming Travelers this Morning in Cuzco

Today at an early hour, around 7 am, Cuzco’s municipal government along with the Inca, the Ñustas (Empresses) waited to receive tourists who were arriving at the Bus terminal in Cusco, just as they did in the airport.  They gave them a warm welcome with dances from Cuzco’s traditional repertoire of Cuzco.  They also gave them souvenirs of Cuzco such as and CDs of Cuzqueñan music in order to make them feel very welcome in our city.   Read the rest of this entry

I Need Your Picture

First thing in the morning, September 27th, the Regional Directorate of Tourism (DIRCETUR) will appear in Cuzco’s Velazco Astete airport as well as in the city’s bus terminal to surprise the first tourists to arrive this day with music, traditional dances, and special surprises. They wish to give them a festive reception in honor of World Tourism Day. Read the rest of this entry

Selling D’onofrio Ice Cream on the Street

By Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara (translated by David Knowlton)

In Cuzco the weather changes constantly from cold to hot. It can do so just within the space of a few minutes. When the sun comes out and it is felt strongly, because it is hot, the parks and plazas of our beautiful city not only fill with people, they also draw ice cream vendors. They walk through the street pushing their carts of different flavored ice cream. Read the rest of this entry

The Tourist Guide Explaining to the Toruist from Ausangate

By Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara and Walter Coraza Morveli (Translation by David Knowlton)

While across the Plaza de Armas, the Main Square, of our historical city we, Walter and I, Hebert, saw a crowd of people dressed in traditional clothing from rural Cuzco. It is unusual to see large groups of rural people in the Plaza. In fact we had never seen such before, and so we wondered where did such a colorful group of tourists come from. Read the rest of this entry

Silverware, Limes and Hot Sauce

By Hebert Edgado Huamani Jara and Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

In Cuzco, people often talk about a warique (wah-ree-kay,) a favorite restaurant where ordinary people eat but that is not widely known.  They are found throughour the city of Cuzco.  The food they sell tends to be the common, or as we say, typical dishes of our region.  Read the rest of this entry

Olluco and Rice, an Ancient Tradition

By the Sunday Chef (translation by David Knowlton)

An ancient dish that ruled the Inca’s table and still holds court in the homes of all Peruvians is olluco with jerky. The olluco, also called ulluco in English, is a small tuber that seems to belong to the broad variety of the potato family. They are completely Andean products and have been used for some 4000 years in a fusion that pleases and nourishes at the same time it is part and parcel of our history. Olluco with jerky is one of the most ancient dishes of Peruvian cuisine. Read the rest of this entry