Travels

Highlights from a Few End of Season Road Trips

Okay, I’ll admit I’m a little slow at getting this post out. These quick jaunts through Drumheller, Lethbridge, and Bowden were done back in early September (hence the lack of snow and the warm looking weather). To be honest, there were some time constraints and a sprained ankle to deal with, so our usual exploration abilities were limited. There are so many great places to visit in Alberta, and these are definitely not all of them, but they are the ones we discovered (and were able to hobble around) this time around.

Jenny WongNovember 6, 2019Day Trip, Drumheller, Lethbridge, Bowden, Canada

Short Scenic Sights Near Banff

Banff is beautiful, but sometimes those hour or more hikes to get a wonderful view just aren’t possible (especially during winter time). When pacing Banff Avenue over and over just doesn’t cut it anymore, here are a few suggestions to try. There are many many more sites in Banff, but the ones listed here are really close to the town centre, offer some great views, usually have parking nearby, and are our personal faves.

Jenny WongMay 1, 2019Canada, Banff

Favorite Corners - Lima

Beautiful, bustling Lima sits along the South Pacific Ocean and yet, it is the second driest capital city in the world. There’s cheap local eateries and Michelin Star restaurants. There’s colonial architecture and ancient pyramids. It’s a place full of contrasts, and yet it all seems to balance out into a wonderful city. While most people use it as a quick stopover on their way to Cusco, Lima is worth a few days to check out the cuisine scene, the museums, and the stunning ocean views.

Jenny WongApril 1, 2019Favorite Corners, Peru, Lima

Barranco

From modern art, to classical art, to culinary art, all can be found here in Barranco, also known as Lima’s Artist’s District. Just be aware that not everywhere in Barranco is “artsy”, so it’s a good idea to mark a few spots down on a map to make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

Jenny WongMarch 23, 2019Peru, Lima

Museo Larco

We usually don’t have full posts dedicated to a museum, but in this case we’ll make an exception. The Museo Larco is a bit outside the normal tourist areas, but it’s well worth the detour. While more notoriously known for its collection of erotic pottery, there’s a little here for everyone from the history buff to the everyday gardener.

Jenny WongMarch 16, 2019Peru, Lima

Food Fridays - Lima

Lima is making headlines as one of the great places to visit for foodies. From Michelin star restaurants to creative Asian fusion to hearty little local Peruvian eateries, taste buds that visit Lima will not be bored. There is a creative pulse to the food culture here, an understanding between palate, tradition, and experimentation. Our recommendation? Try the grilled meats. Try the seafood. Then try everything else!

Jenny WongMarch 8, 2019Peru, Food Fridays, Lima

Huacachina

One of the things that’s been on our bucket list for a while is to visit a desert. So when we heard that Peru had a desert but also had the only natural oasis in South American, we knew that this was a site we had to check out. It also helps that the desert is relatively reachable from Lima (4 hours drive).

Jenny WongFebruary 3, 2019Peru, Lima, Day Trip

The Ballestas Islands

A four hour’s drive took us away from the concrete confines of a bustling South American metropolis to the little town of Ica, a place where the desert meets the sea and gateway to the Ballestas Islands. Ever wonder what life would be like if birds, seals, and sea lions took over the earth? That’s kind of what we found here. It’s a long day trip from Lima, but it’s worth it.

Jenny WongJanuary 8, 2019Peru, Lima, Day Trip

Favorite Corners - Cusco

Cusco, known as the navel and capital city of the Inca world, and one of the highest places we’ve ever been. To put things into context, the Rocky Mountain city of Banff sits at 1,397 meters above sea level. Machu Picchu is at the top of a mountain and sits at 2,430 meters. And then there’s Cusco, sitting even higher than both of those places at 3,400 meters. The air is much thinner and dryer, so we had to take it easy our first few days which was very hard because there is much to see and do here.

Jenny WongDecember 17, 2018Peru, Cusco, Favorite Corners

Alleyways of Cusco

Cusco is one of those beautiful cities where getting lost really doesn’t matter too much. There’s no glass skyscrapers or polluting highways here. Just narrow alleyways chock full of little stores, restaurants, and surprises. There are also stairs (so many stairs…), but a terrific view is always around the corner if you ever need an excuse to take a little break.

Jenny WongDecember 10, 2018Peru, Cusco

Machu Picchu

I hope that the posts up to this point have shown that there is more to Cusco and Peru than Machu Picchu. That said, do NOT miss Machu Picchu. The name means “old mountain”, but it’s probably better known as the lost city of the Incas. Unlike other Inca sites around Cusco, the Spanish never found Machu Picchu and it remained pretty much untouched and forgotten for over 300 years.

Jenny WongDecember 3, 2018Peru, Day Trip, Cusco

Sacsayhuaman

Located a 30 minute walk uphill from the main square in Cusco (which can be quite a breathless march when dealing with the altitude), Sacsayhuaman was one of our favorite sites to explore on this trip. The Quechuan name translates to “Satisfied Falcon”, but most English speaking tourists remember it phonetically as “sexy woman”. The main attractions here are the spectacular views of Cusco and the long jagged fortifications, but it pays to take a few steps away from the crowds and explore what other things have been left to find.

Jenny WongNovember 21, 2018Cusco, Peru

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