For a long time, I’ve been longing to visit the highest navigable lake in the world, the famous Lake Titicaca located between Peru and Bolivia. At 3856 metres above sea level, this lake is said to be bigger than Switzerland! During our world trip (Orange Spots on Tour) in 2016, we finally took off on a breathtaking tour to the Uros Floating Islands at Lake Titicaca. Also, we enjoyed a nice hike on the island of Taquile. Enjoy the ashtonishing views, breathtaking landscapes and the colorful clothing of the Uros people living on this immense lake!
We’ve always been fascinated by visiting foreign countries, experience other cultures and tasting exotic food. And if we look back at the first time we met, the first topic we talked about was traveling the world. So what are the odds that we would go on a world trip this year? It totally makes sense!
On September 1st 2015 we’ll start with an amazing journey through Asia and South America for 7 months. Tokyo is the first stop in our itinerary. After that we’ll continue with a splendid round trip through Japan. This beautiful and diverse country has been on our bucket list for years!
This article appeared in Livin Magazine (edition 9, June 2015, a magazine about lifestyle and health). Published in Trujillo, Peru. Translated from Spanish
Are you craving for adventure and looking for experiences different than those offered by traditional tourism? Then consider choosing for community based tourism which offers you exotic and authentic experiences that favor personal growth.
Let me introduce you to the beautiful city of Trujillo, the capital of north Peru. This is the city where I was born and grew up until I was 5 years old. After we moved to the Netherlands in 1991, I went back several times to visit family and friends. It was lovely to wander through my old neighborhood and enjoy the atmosphere of Trujillo’s main square. Being treated with all the gastronomic delights of the region made the relive my childhood memories again.
When visiting the northern coast of Peru, you will most likely follow the Moche Route through the city of Trujillo and the beach of Huanchaco. When doing this, don’t forget to stop by the ‘Fundo Palo Marino’. This beautiful farm is home to the Association of Horse breeders and Owners in La Libertad Province. Here you’ll find one of Peru’s cradles of the Peruvian Horse: Caballo Peruano de Paso.
At Fundo Palo Marino you learn about this unique horse breed. Imagine yourself attending an authentic horse exhibition with traditional Marinera dance! Prepare to be blown away…
Huanchaco is my favorite place on earth. This charming beachside town is located 10 minutes from the city of Trujillo in Northern Peru, the place where I was born. I used to visit Huanchaco every Sunday with my family. After moving to the Netherlands, I would come back to this magical place to spend the holidays.
While I was planning my visit to Peru in February 2015, I googled my way through restaurants where I could taste Lima’s best cebiche. I soon stumbled upon (who else could it be) Gastón Acurio’s restaurant ‘La Mar’ which opened its doors in 2005 in the neighborhood Miraflores. This restaurant specialized in cebiche’s is known to serve one of the best cebiches in town. I didn’t have to look further and immediately booked a table at La Mar. Boy I was excited! By then, I couldn’t have imagined I was about to taste the most savory cebiches in my entire life…
The Peruvian cuisine is increasingly becoming more renowned and I couldn’t agree more since it’s is one of the most savory, colorful and varied cuisines in the world. Peruvian dishes contain fresh meat and fish, rare and varied spices adding an authentic flavor but also aromatic herbs and ingredients coming straight from a fertile land. And let’s not forget the multicultural influences! From the experiments of the local inhabitants dating back to the pre Inca empire, till the cooking influences of the Spanish and Africans, and later the Italians, Chinese and Japanese immigrants than settled down in Peru: they all contributed to broaden the culinary heritage of the country.
“Meet Peru, where the heartiest of appetites are awoken…”
The Peruvian cuisine has been drawing quite some attention over the last 3 years and if we are to believe the food experts, 2014 is the year of the Peruvian gastronomy. The use of fresh ingredients, the vivid colors and the refined taste are typical to the national dishes of which my favorites are ceviche (raw fish cooked in lemon juice) and cabrito (lamb stew), yet there is so much more to taste!
Causa, one of my favorite Peruvian dishes (besides ceviche) is easy to prepare and is great as an appetizer. The name of this dish originates from the Quechua language (spoken by people from the Andes, including the Incas) who use the word ‘kausay’ for food. Causa contains two elements which are basic to the Andean tradition: potato, which is the female element and pepper, which is the male element. Mix these two ingredients and you’ll have natural balance according to the Andes culture. From this harmony a simple but versatile dish was created: causa. The traditional causa from Lima is made from potato and chilli, yet other variations exist such as causa made of cassava, purple potatoes, broad beans and pureed olives. These ingredients add even more colour to the dish.
The potato forms the outer side of the causa, but lets not forget the inside which contains all the good flavours. Causa is stuffed with delicious ingredients such as tuna or prawns with mayonnaise, octopus with olive oil or chicken. It’s up to you to experiment with ingredients and make combinations you like.
Ceviche is een rauwe visschotel die vooral populair is in de Spaanstalige landen van Latijns-Amerika. De herkomst van de ‘ceviche’ is niet helemaal zeker, maar wat wel bekend is is dat het gerecht teruggaat tot de Moche beschaving die van 0 tot 750 na Chr. in het noorden van Peru bestond (pre-Inca beschaving). Ceviche is een heerlijk, fris en gezond gerecht en is hét symbool van de Peruaanse keuken.
