Wow, thank you, Karla. I know you've been steadily following along so this "best yet" comes with some serious flattery! I'm sending you virtual cup of coca tea! We did try it (very herbaceous---not sure if it calmed my high altitude nerves though). Upon return, we looked at the giant bag of quinoa at the grocery store and took a beat. It requires commitment! I need to investigate how to showcase its panko-like qualities as I enjoyed it most as the crispy skin treatment on trout and chicken. And as a burger--I've tried a lot of wimpy, fall-apart veggie burgs (lentil, cashew, etc.) but the Peruvian versions really stuck and didn't require a shower after eating.
Where next? That is a good question that will eventually surprise me as much as you! I was recently reading about the Prosecco Hills of Italy...
Oh yes.... lots of bubbly in Prosecco and in that climate you need it! (Loosely quoting Emma the restaurant owner in Italy from Rosemary & Thyme - gardening & murder series/ BBC
Wonderful adventures and descriptions, Jules, done in your own inimitable fashion! I loved the photos especially of the birds of course although the suspension bridges hit me right in the vertiginous area of fear... I remain happily in my office chair for these particular travels! Thank you for sharing. Oh, and Luxembourg is my favourite unexpected discovery especially descending, in the capital city itself, down to "the Grund", by elevator, to explore an older village with a cathedral housing the Black Madonna and nearby castle ruins. A river winds through the village so of course there are scenic sturdy bridges. Then we looked up to the early medieval caves surrounding the 'sunken' village, dozens and dozens of big caves...there are tours of them but our timing was off. I would return for those caves.
Thank you, Caroline! Well, who knew Luxembourg was built on caves? I knew it was a landlocked country and all but wasn't aware of the sunken village. I do have a thing for those. It's quite disturbing to think of former villages along the Nile and Yangtze that are now submerged. Imagine, pointing to the depths of a river as the place where your family once lived. Along the Camino, in Portomarín, Spain, a town totally relocated due to flooding (and new hydroelectric project). The town's historic churches and buildings were all dismantled stone by stone to be rebuilt on higher ground--imagine! Thanks for sharing your unexpected destination! And yes, the birds in Peru were unreal. We failed to see the brilliant Andean cock-of-the-rock but I always believe that one should leave something missed to return to! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLN9p88bJY8 (It's like a Muppet and LSD trip got in a tangle).
Thanks, Veronica! I won't be able to embellish anything now---thanks for continuing to follow me virtually (but really, physically, day ago). I appreciate it! Did you wear your poncho while reading this?
Amazing landscapes, crazy flora and fauna, mouthwatering food, especially those wild ice cream flavors! Great, very entertaining post. Thanks for taking this couch potato along for the ride!
Hi Rafael, Peru is known for it's 4,000 varieties of potatoes---they may have missed you as an Andean couch potato in the count! It really was the best swirl of flavours, forest and fauna. Admittedly, I don't go out of my way for ice cream but it seems to be a recurring theme in our recent travels. In Madagascar it was a green peppercorn ice cream that first won us over and then in Palawan (Philippines), it was a cheese ice cream. So, new mission: find the most bizarre ice cream flavours abroad! There was a popcorn ice cream somewhere in Lima but we couldn't remember where we had seen it after a day of many circles. Thanks for coming along.
Your best yet!
Never been to Peru.
Never thought about it.
But the quinoa got me hooked..a little.
Only had quinoa as a sub for rice.
I found it blah.
But (!!!!) your menu of possibilities was certainly tasty although not enough to get me out of the house & onto a plane.
Peru sounds like my cup of tea... just 40 years ago. Glad I was able to visit it niw thru your (discerning) eyes!
Where are we going next???
Wow, thank you, Karla. I know you've been steadily following along so this "best yet" comes with some serious flattery! I'm sending you virtual cup of coca tea! We did try it (very herbaceous---not sure if it calmed my high altitude nerves though). Upon return, we looked at the giant bag of quinoa at the grocery store and took a beat. It requires commitment! I need to investigate how to showcase its panko-like qualities as I enjoyed it most as the crispy skin treatment on trout and chicken. And as a burger--I've tried a lot of wimpy, fall-apart veggie burgs (lentil, cashew, etc.) but the Peruvian versions really stuck and didn't require a shower after eating.
Where next? That is a good question that will eventually surprise me as much as you! I was recently reading about the Prosecco Hills of Italy...
Oh yes.... lots of bubbly in Prosecco and in that climate you need it! (Loosely quoting Emma the restaurant owner in Italy from Rosemary & Thyme - gardening & murder series/ BBC
Ha, I just watched a trailer for the series. Like French and Saunders if they dabbled in delphiniums.
Wonderful adventures and descriptions, Jules, done in your own inimitable fashion! I loved the photos especially of the birds of course although the suspension bridges hit me right in the vertiginous area of fear... I remain happily in my office chair for these particular travels! Thank you for sharing. Oh, and Luxembourg is my favourite unexpected discovery especially descending, in the capital city itself, down to "the Grund", by elevator, to explore an older village with a cathedral housing the Black Madonna and nearby castle ruins. A river winds through the village so of course there are scenic sturdy bridges. Then we looked up to the early medieval caves surrounding the 'sunken' village, dozens and dozens of big caves...there are tours of them but our timing was off. I would return for those caves.
Thank you, Caroline! Well, who knew Luxembourg was built on caves? I knew it was a landlocked country and all but wasn't aware of the sunken village. I do have a thing for those. It's quite disturbing to think of former villages along the Nile and Yangtze that are now submerged. Imagine, pointing to the depths of a river as the place where your family once lived. Along the Camino, in Portomarín, Spain, a town totally relocated due to flooding (and new hydroelectric project). The town's historic churches and buildings were all dismantled stone by stone to be rebuilt on higher ground--imagine! Thanks for sharing your unexpected destination! And yes, the birds in Peru were unreal. We failed to see the brilliant Andean cock-of-the-rock but I always believe that one should leave something missed to return to! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLN9p88bJY8 (It's like a Muppet and LSD trip got in a tangle).
It’s like I was there! 😉. Brilliant writing! I’m a new fan- thanks for the wonderful prose and pics, Jules!
Thanks, Veronica! I won't be able to embellish anything now---thanks for continuing to follow me virtually (but really, physically, day ago). I appreciate it! Did you wear your poncho while reading this?
Amazing landscapes, crazy flora and fauna, mouthwatering food, especially those wild ice cream flavors! Great, very entertaining post. Thanks for taking this couch potato along for the ride!
Hi Rafael, Peru is known for it's 4,000 varieties of potatoes---they may have missed you as an Andean couch potato in the count! It really was the best swirl of flavours, forest and fauna. Admittedly, I don't go out of my way for ice cream but it seems to be a recurring theme in our recent travels. In Madagascar it was a green peppercorn ice cream that first won us over and then in Palawan (Philippines), it was a cheese ice cream. So, new mission: find the most bizarre ice cream flavours abroad! There was a popcorn ice cream somewhere in Lima but we couldn't remember where we had seen it after a day of many circles. Thanks for coming along.