All in HIstory

Exploring the Uros floating islands of Lake Titicaca, Peru

When planning a trip to Peru, Lake Titicaca is not always at the top of one’s priority list. Peru normally brings images of Machu Picchu or the Nazca lines, but the lake definitely deserves to be right up there! The lake is the highest navigable (by commercial craft) lake in the world – at 12,500 feet above sea level, and is the largest in South America, at over 8000 square kilometers. Sitting at the border between Peru and Bolivia, we started our exploration of the lake from the commercialized port city of Puno in Peru.

Signature banana bread at The Mayflower hotel

The Mayflower is one of the most historic hotels in DC – it has been home to Presidential Inaugural balls, the spot for the power lunches of power lunches, scandal and gossip, and is known as DC’s “second best address” (the first being the White House, of course). But it is also known for something else – BANANA BREAD. Yep, the hotel has been making banana bread since the 1950’s and it has become one of the hotel’s signature items, used in the hotel’s turn down amenities, served in the hotel’s Edgar restaurant, and even as dessert at many weddings in the hotel!

#FoodCulture - Turkish Tea and Coffee, featuring Ankara DC

Turkish coffee and tea are well known for their robust flavors, and the preparation and consumption of coffee and tea are both integral to Turkish culture and daily life. After enjoying a fantastic brunch at Turkish restaurant Ankara with endless cups of tea, and a cup of strong Turkish coffee complete with fortune reading, I was curious to learn more about the importance of coffee/tea in Turkish culture. I sat with Erin Gorman (co-owner along with her husband Utku Aslanturk), to learn a bit more about this …over a cup of tea, of course!

Cusco, Peru - Things to do while falling in love with the city

We spent a few days in Cusco acclimatizing before our Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu. I absolutely LOVED the city – the ancient Inca capital is steeped in history and culture, and is filled to the brim with Inca and Spanish history, churches, beautiful architecture, artisanal markets, local Peruvian culture, and fantastic restaurants and bars. Yes, it is also filled with tourists who use it as a base before exploring the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, but it is a truly breathtaking experience. The city is nestled in the mountains and has spectacular views all around. There are many ways to explore the city and many things to see and do.

 

“Pachamama” – Mother Earth is worshipped by Peruvians. 5 minutes in the Sacred Valley, and you can see why...

The Sacred Valley is the stretch of the Andes that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu – a stretch of villages and ruins, and picture perfect panoramas as you drive through mountains, quinoa, potato, and corn fields, agricultural terraces and beautiful Inca ruins. During our recent trip to Peru, we spent a day exploring this gorgeous valley, and highly recommend you spend some time there.

With so many great food choices in DC, finding the right places to eat is no easy task! While I struggle with making a choice many times (only because there are so many!), I can only imagine that problem compounded for someone who has only a short time in the city. Luckily, there is now a solution to this problem that all DC foodies or visitors will face: the new food tours from Carpe DC.