Page 55 - washington state wine

Finding a Silver Lining in Peru

| STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIBETH MELLIN |

ravel is my passion. Like all azon's spooky gloom. An extra bag was terial infections in California that decid-
great loves, it messes with on hand for alpaca sweaters, woven tex- ed to emerge most inconveniently. They
my mind and heart at times. tiles and precious folk art. My taste buds could have destroyed everything, but
But vale la pena, as we say in tingled at the thought of Peru's endless serendipitous moments created heart-
Spanish. It's definitely worth versions of ceviche, the unique flavor felt memories that left me longing to
Tthe effort. of aji chilies and delicate pink trucha return to Peru ASAP.
(trout) from Andean streams—but not
Take my recent weeklong Peruvian mis- for cuy, the cooked version of Peru's kit- A Promising Beginning
adventure. The ambitious itinerary in- ten-sized, cuddly guinea pigs.
cluded a writer's conference and a dash The week's highlights began with a
through Lima, Machu Picchu, Cusco and Catastrophe struck two days into the chance sighting of folk dancers parad-
the Amazon, all places I'd grown to love trip, however, during my one precious ing in front of the cathedral overshad-
while writing the Traveler's Peru Com- night at the lovely, historic Inkater- owing Lima's Plaza de Armas. Children
panion in the 1990s. ra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Any perched on their dads' shoulders and
thought of food made me woozy; my
My must-do list included meditating body refused to carry on. Travel tummy
with alpacas on a hilltop overlooking seemed the obvious culprit, but I later Top: Cusco’s narrow streets are lined with intrigu-
Machu Picchu and reveling in the Am- learned I'd picked up two stubborn bac- ing shops. Opposite: Shaman in the Sacred Valley.

Wine Dine & Travel Summer/Fall 2015 55