All in Culture

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

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

aparna krishnamoorthy
Drinks, Food, HIstory, Peru, Restaurants, Travel, Culture

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.

Exploring Peru's Sacred Valley

aparna krishnamoorthy
Culture, HIstory, Machu Picchu, Peru, Travel

 

“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.

Ramen 101 at Daikaya DC

aparna krishnamoorthy
DC, Food, Culture

There’s always so much to learn in the world of food and drink. Daikaya’s Ramen 101 classes, held on scheduled Saturday mornings, are the perfect start to learn about the big world of ramen. I attended this class recently, and came away with a whole new appreciation and understanding of this intricate dish.  

Celebrate Day of the Dead at Oyamel

aparna krishnamoorthy
DC, Culture, Food, Drinks

When you walk in to a party greeted by a server with a skull painted on her face, live music with the sounds of Mexico, and a whole pig being portioned into tacos – you know it is going to be a good night.

What is going on?  The “Dia de los Muertos” (day of the dead) festival is a celebration of life and homage to the dead, and is widely celebrated in Mexico. If you want to experience the festivities though and cannot get in a trip to Mexico, head down to Oyamel instead.

Carpe DC Food Tours: the real deal!

aparna krishnamoorthy
Food, DC, Culture, HIstory

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.

The Feria De Abril in Seville - An unforgettable experience!

aparna krishnamoorthy
Food, Drinks, Spain, Culture

Every once in a way, you have a “once in a lifetime” experience that no amount of pictures or words can do justice. For us, it was experiencing the “Feria de Abril” (The April Fair) in Seville, Spain.

The Feria is held for a week in April each year, starting two weeks after the Semana Santa, or Easter Holy Week. During this time, all of Seville clears out and people head to the fairgrounds, packing into rows and rows of “casetas” (tents). The women are decked out in traditional flamenco dresses, the men are dapper in suits, and the children look absolutely adorable - everyone fitting right on the cover of a fashion magazine.