Ali Ryder presents the fifth in series of articles, Peru at the Movies. The Royal Hunt of the Sun, from 1969, portrays a somewhat stereotypical Spanish conquest of the Incas, the capture of Inca Atahualpa and his infamous ransom – but with a twist, Pizarro has a human side and befriends Atahualpa.
August 26, 2010 | Film
For many Peruvians, the taste of this thick purple goo is a treasured memory from childhood. Made from Peru’s unique purple corn it is a dessert dish with an interesting history.
August 4, 2010 | Peruvian Food
SPECIAL: PERU WITHOUT MACHU PICCHU – Machu Picchu is closed. It will stay that way through all of February at the very least. Do you have your flights booked and are wondering what to do next? Should you cancel or put off your trip to Cuzco?
February 4, 2010 | Travel and Places
In May 2007, US company Odyssey Marine Exploration discovered $500,000,000 of Peruvian gold and silver coins from the sunken colonial ship Nuestra Señora del las Mercedes. Spain immediately claimed the bounty as property of the Spanish crown, as did Peru. The saga begins more than 200 years ago, and is one that is only now coming to an end.
January 15, 2010 | Modern Peru, News
As part of a United Nations-backed plan to restore historical architectural gems that have deteriorated into slums, residents of Rimac, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Peru’s capital, Lima, will start registering property titles as of 2010 in an effort to restore the priceless landmarks.
January 1, 2010 | Modern Peru, News
On the 10th of December of this year, 185 years passed since Peru won a battle that decisively ended any hope for a Spanish presence in South America. At 3,500 above sea level, on the field of battle of the Pampa de Quinua, thousands gathered to take part in a huge recreation in honour of this occasion.
December 13, 2009 | Ayacucho Guide, Modern Peru, Traditions
San Blas. A blend of ancient, colonial and modern, religious and decadent, peaceful and lively, traditional and new – the district is a bit of a mix to say the least. It’s a hippy hang out, an artists retreat, a backpacker’s home. It’s a tourist puller and a night-life mecca. A religious site that is home to an important parish church, and also a place where locals live in the same homes that have stood here on the same streets, high above Cusco, for centuries.
August 13, 2009 | Cusco Guide
Born José Gabriel Condorcanqui in 1742, he was the great-grandson of the last Inca emperor Túpac Amaru. Like his great-grandfather before him, he was destined to resist the Spanish occupation, and, like his great-grandfather before him, was destined to meet the same fate.
July 29, 2009 | Commentary/Opinion, Modern Peru
Mark of the must-see travel blog travel-wonders.com visits what locals describe as “the Sistine Chapel of the Americas”. Though he considers that a bit of a cheeky exaggeration, this ordinary-looking church on the outside does not fail to impress once you step inside.
July 27, 2009 | Cusco Guide
The origins of the magnificent ruins of a building that we call Hatunrumiyoc are lost in time. Built with huge polygonal stones, cut and fitted with exceptional precision, it is one of the most impressive structures of ancient Cusco. Its imposing walls hide a number of surprises, from the famous 12-Angle Stone, to shapes of local animals built into the structure itself.
July 13, 2009 | Archaeology, Cusco Guide, History
Jutting out into the Pacific from the old port city of Callao is La Punta. Despite being attached to the noisy and bustling metropolis that is Lima and Callao, La Punta remains tranquil and pleasant, not unlike a small town in itself. Deeply connected to the sea and sea-faring, this is where private owners of yachts tie-up, where boating clubs reside and where the Peruvian Navy has its naval school. Home to Callao’s middle-class, its streets are attractive and tidy, lined with the mansions of the countries Republican period.
May 25, 2009 | History, Lima City Guide
Starting life as a rocky bay that was the nearest natural port to Pizarro’s capital of Los Reyes, El Callao soon became the most important port in the Spanish colonies. It has witnessed colonial splendour, pirate attacks, disastrous tsunamis, battles, republican splendour and economic collapse. Each of these events have left a mark on the city and the chalacos that live there, many of these marks visible to this day.
May 21, 2009 | Lima City Guide, Modern Peru