For those of you contemplating a visit to Peru, there is no better time to experience Cusco and Machu Picchu than at the end of June. Not only is the dry-season weather sunny and bright, but the city's spectacular festivals are in full swing. The final two weeks of June are devoted to dance performances and…

While I know that gourmets have been savoring the world’s most fabulous foods since the dawn of time, I do think that the past few years (at least in the U.S.) have seen a particular renaissance of appreciation of great eats. There is more interest in local food, less processed food, traditional tastes and culinary…

Our day-long adventure took us South (photos at the end of the post!), zipping with our chatty driver out of the historic center of Cusco. We passed the city’s more modern urban areas, watching locals hurry about their daily business and hankering for a stop in one of the many “pollerias,” where…