# 97 - General impressions Peru

   Peru has been the country we stayed the longest so far. In one and a half months many things were entirely new to us.

   First things first. Peru gives you the chance to visit four distinct climate zones. The coast, the desert, the Andes and the Amazonian jungle. All in one country. And each zone, apart from the coast, was new to us. For the first time in our lives we saw sand dunes as far as the eye could see, walked in altitudes so high that breathing was becoming a struggle at times and sat on the shores of a tributary of the Amazon with the humid air sticking on our skin.

   Lima was different from everything we were about to see afterwards. A rich and modern city centre but we were warned against the outskirts, where armed robberies in broad daylight are not uncommon.

   Peru is a country of very old cultures and traditions. We witnessed a strong presence of indigenous population, who in some areas don’t even speak Spanish but only Quechua. 

   Many women, especially outside the big cities, were still dressed in traditional clothing and carrying their babies or goods on their backs inside a “manta” cloth, that was often woven by hand. 

   There was a clear distinction regarding the roles of men and women. Men work the fields called “chacras”, sometimes still using an ox plough, while women tend to the animals, raise the children and keep the house. 

   Artisanal workshops are everywhere and you can’t avoid getting sucked into the beauty of their designs. Art is all around you and that inspired us to learn the basics of macramé.

   Plants and substances that would be illegal in other countries are perfectly accepted in Peru. Coca leaves are used for tea and Ayahuasca and San Pedro for ceremonies. But we saw almost no Peruvians smoking cigarettes or getting drunk.

   In general, it is a diverse and quite affordable country especially when it comes to food. We could fill our bellies with just 5 Soles (1,35 Euros). The Peruvian diet unfortunately didn’t include many vegetables so we often swapped meat for more greens. Also fried food and sugary refreshments were part of many people’s daily eating habits which was evident in their overall physique. 

   When it came to handling food products, the Peruvians kept the hygiene standards pretty high. For example, a lady serving food would never directly handle money. She would delegate the task to an assistant or show you her pocket where you would put the coins yourself!

   Getting to know more in depth about the Tía María mine, we came in contact with a harsh side of Peru. We realised that resistance by the local population against the state can escalate into shooting and casualties much easier than in European countries. But despite the danger people were still fighting for their rights. For us a very touching and eye-opening realisation. 

   Last but not least our thoughts on the tourist milking machine called Machu Picchu: We avoided the ancient site on purpose since the ticket and transportation to get there (for non-Peruvians) is hideously expensive. Everything revolves around the commercial aspect of it. There are many other sites that are at least equally impressive but cheaper or even free. For that reason we decided to skip Machu Picchu. 

   Travelling for us is meeting the people, eating local food, learning a language or a craft, offering our cooking skills and participating in cultural exchange. And for that Peru is the perfect destination.

Un abrazo fuerte,

Panos y Nikoletta