Guinea pigs popular on Peru's menu

Guinea pig meat is described as being similar to rabbit and Peruvians consume
an estimated 65 million each year.
Because guinea pigs require much less room than traditional livestock and reproduce

very quickly, they are a profitable source of food.

Scientists in Peru hope a new breed of guinea pig will convert the world to
one of their favourite delicacies.

A new super-sized version of the cuddly rodent has been developed at one of Peru's top universities.

Although in most of the world guinea pigs are enjoyed as pets

- not ingredients- exporters hope the larger animal will be easier to sell abroad.
"It is really delicious," says Gloria Palacios, director of La Molina National University's export project.
"I think if they become familiar with the cuisine, maybe suddenly they'll give in and be tempted to try it," she adds.

Dining experience
For hundreds of years farmers high in the mountains of Peru have bred guinea pigs for food.
They provide an important source of protein for many people in the poor South American country.

Peruvians eat an estimated 65 million guinea pigs a year.
It is a dining experience with a difference, says the BBC's Peru correspondent Hannah Hennessy.
You need two hands to pick at the small amount of stringy meat from the carcass, which often comes with its head and legs attached, she says.

It is often said to taste a bit like rabbit.

Segundo Quispe, left, and his nephew Maximo Quispe eat guinea pig in a restaurant in Lima, Peru Guinea pig has been enjoyed in Peru for centuries After more than three decades of research, Peruvian scientists say their super-guinea pig is almost twice the normal size, weighing just over 1kg (2.2lb).

The new breed is said to be meatier, tastier, high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol.

About 1,000 are being exported every week, to the United States, Japan and
a handful of European countries with large Peruvian immigrant populations. Besides their culinary uses, guinea pigs also have a traditional history in Peruvian medicine and native religion.

There is evidence showing guinea pigs were domesticated in Peru as far back as 2500 BC.

The Incas are said to have sacrificed 1,000 white guinea pigs and 100 llamas
in Cuzco's main square each July, to protect their crops from droughts and floods.

They can also be seen in pictures in churches. While Spanish colonisers made the locals depict Catholic scenes, Peruvians sometimes added their own touches.

The animal is so entrenched in the culture that one famous painting of the
Last Supper in the main cathedral in Cusco shows Christ and the 12 disciples
dining on guinea pig.

Inca trail

Machu Picchu

The sight before me seemed like something from an idyllic dream—an ancient city suspended above the clouds. After four days of trekking the Inca Trail, I had just reached a pass where I had my first view of Machu Picchu. I thought I knew what to expect, but Machu Picchu is one of the few places in the world where reality often surpasses a person's imagination. The light reflecting off the Urubamba River a distant 2,000 feet below made the green mound topped by miniature ruins appear tied with a silver ribbon. As the clouds cleared, the day turned beautiful; in the distance, snow-capped peaks glinted in the sun.

To my surprise, I later found that it didn't matter whether the weather was perfect or Machu Picchu was shrouded in mist. In perfect weather you see clearly how its well-planned architecture blends with the spectacular scenery of the surrounding peaks and gorges. Misty conditions wrap the stone engineering in a soft cloak of magic and mystery.

Peace is essential for a meaningful visit here— and it won't be present at midday, when most tourists come. That's why I traditionally climb to the top of a nearby peak with a pack lunch and wait till the crowds are gone. Each time I return to Machu Picchu I notice something new: an alignment of structures, a natural feature, a detail that reveals a little more about life here 500 years ago.

Built by the Inca in a rugged, isolated, area of Peru, Machu Picchu was discovered by the scientific world when geographer Hiram Bingham reached it in 1911. (Though some local people knew of it, Spanish colonists never did because the site was abandoned soon after they took over the land in A.D. 1532.) There is no record of why Machu Picchu was built since the Inca had no writing. This is no small puzzle: The Inca went to extraordinary lengths to construct a city in a area in which only a few had managed to live before. Even today the ruins perched high on a ridge look like they could slide into the precipitous gorge below.

To better understand the Inca's choice of this site I examined Machu Picchu's relation to the area's sacred mountains, and noticed that these spiritual landmarks converged with astronomical alignments (such as the setting of the solstice sun). This made it a perfect religious center dedicated to the vital forces of the Earth and sky. I also found Inca ruins and trials in the mountains near Machu Picchu. These discoveries, and others recently made closer to the site, indicated that Machu Picchu was the hub of trails and sites. Still, just as we find answers to the enigma that is Machu Picchu, new questions arise. Machu Picchu will be a place of mystery for years to come—and it will always draw me back. By Johan Reinhard

Note If you want to know prices or something else like cheap accommodation or anything else just ask me , i'll be glad to update you with the most recently information, i live here in Cusco and i almost know everything about my city

Trail loved to death

The Inca Trail has recently become a victim of its own popularity. Overcrowded campgrounds, ethical issues with porter welfare, the limited availability of trekking permits and the rising cost of taking a mandatory guided trek has made other, lesser-known routes look more tempting. After all, there were many historic trails to Machu Picchu used by the Incas, not just one.

While the commercial Inca Trail is closed during February, and reservations for peak season (June to August) are necessary up to a year in advance, alternative treks to Machu Picchu and other Inca ruins in Peru's Andean highlands are easily available year-round. They're often more rewarding, giving trekkers a closer look at traditional Andean life and immersing them in the startling beauty of the mountains, believed by indigenous peoples to be sacred deities.

For culture vultures, the pastoral Lares Valley trek lasts three to five days, including a train trip to Machu Picchu Pueblo (aka Aguas Calientes), the town below the famed Inca ruins. This less-traveled route connects Quechua-speaking villages in the Sacred Valley while wandering past hot springs, archaeological sites, river gorges and glacial lagoons, all with a backdrop of heart-stopping mountain scenery.
Note that the trail is closed every February for cleaning. If you want to know prices or something else like cheap accommodation or anything else just ask me , i'll be glad to update you with the most recently information, i live here in Cusco and i almost know everything about my city

The Classic Trail (four-day trek)

The four-day trail or Classic Trail starts from one of two points; km 88 or km 82, on the Urubamba River and 88 km and 82 km from Ollantaytambo. The first day is relatively easy, covering no more than 13 km in a few hours, passing by the Inca ruins of Llaqtapata, a site used for crop production and which has remained well preserved.

Day two includes the ascent to Warmiwañusca or Dead Woman's Pass, which, at 4,215 m above sea level, is the highest point on the trail. Day three starts with the final climb to Dead Woman's Pass, although some groups climb to the top of the pass on the second day and camp 600m below it on the other side at Pacaymayu. The views from the top provide excellent views of nearby mountains such as Salkantay and Veronika. After a second pass is the site of Sayaqmarka, perched atop a sheer cliff. After Sayaqmarka the Trail continues through thick cloud forest and jungle, filled with tropical flowers and colourful orchids. The third and final pass is Phuyupatmarka.

The final day sees a descent past Wiñay Wayna, an impressive and well-preserved Inca site, where the one-day trail meets up with the main route.

Note that the trail is closed every February for cleaning. If you want to know prices or something else like cheap accommodation or anything else just ask me , i'll be glad to update you with the most recently information, i live here in Cusco and i almost know everything about my city

About Inca Trek

By far the most popular of the Inca trails for trekking is the Capaq Nan trail, which leads from the village of Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, the so-called "Lost City of the Incas". There are many well-preserved ruins along the way, and hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world make the three- or four-day trek each year, accompanied by guides.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is actually three routes, which all meet up near Inti-Pata, the 'Sun Gate' and entrance to Machu Picchu. The three trails are known as the Mollepata, Classic and One Day trails, with Mollepata being the longest of the three. Passing through the Andes mountain range and sections of the Amazon rainforest, the Trail passes several well-preserved Inca ruins and settlements before ending at the Sun Gate on Machu Picchu mountain. The two longer routes require an ascent to beyond 12,000 ft (3,660 m) above sea level, which can result in altitude sickness.

Concern about overuse leading to erosion has led the Peruvian government to place a limit on the number of people who may hike this trail per season, and to sharply limit the companies that can provide guides. As a result, advance booking is mandatory. A maximum of 500 people, including guides and porters, are permitted to begin the trail every day. As a result, the high season books out very quickly.

Note that the trail is closed every February for cleaning. If you want to know prices or something else like cheap accommodation or anything else just ask me , i'll be glad to update you with the most recently information, i live here in Cusco and i almost know everything about my city