Around the World in 80 Days: Painfully Popular Peru

When I asked my mother whether she wanted to travel South America with me, her eyes lit up full of excitement and she seemed immediately keen on the idea. But when she realised that I was planning on mainly traveling in Argentina, her enthusiasm dwindled. Sure, Argentina would be nice, but the country she really wanted to go to was Peru.

A couple of other people responded in similar ways leading me to believe that Peru must be the Holy Grail of traveling in South America - the country with the most interesting sights, the most beautiful scenery, the tastiest food and the friendliest people.

Sunset over Lake Titicaca

Having just spent some time in Peru, I can indeed confirm that all this is indeed true.

Peru is not only home to the legendary Maccu Picchu, but also to Lake Titicaca, the Cordilleras, the bustling city of Lima, the Amazon jungle, the mysterious lines of Nasca...

Window in Cuzco

Cathedral of Cuzco

Inca Terasses near Arequipa

As can be expected with such a portfolio, the scenery is amazing - there are gigantic lakes, snow-capped mountains, moon-like deserts, lush countryside, canyons and valleys. Majestic condors fly over kilometer deep gorges and hundreds of alpacas and lamas graze on the slopes of mountains. People are cheerful and wear colorful dresses, only the music is slightly monotonous and can at times get a bit depressing.

On a culinary level Peru is just as varied: you can indulge in exotic meats like Alpaca and guinea pig or try a raw-fish stew called ceviche. For herbivores, there are endless types of corn and potatoes, seeds and quinoa. And even fans of fast food will love Peruvian cooking, which serves French fries with literally everything and often already mixed into the main dish (we're talking a hamburger with fries on it and noodles mixed with chips).

So Peru really seems to be every travelers dream destination for a reason.

But...

It is not just true that Peru is beautiful and lush and magnificent and delicious. It is also true that everyone wants to go to Peru. And that of all those people who have always wanted to go, chances are a few have made it at the same time as you. As a result, I found myself surrounded by tourists and hassled by locals chasing tourists all the time.

Walking through Cusco, the gateway to Macchu Picchu, the streets are lined by hostels, cheap tourist restaurants, travel agencies and souvenir shops. Every other meter (literally!) someone approaches you trying to sell you a bracelet or painting, waves a restaurant menu into your face, offers information or tour guide services, or tempts you with a massage, manicure or pedicure. After a couple of blocks and saying "No, thank you!" politely every other step, you slowly start to become a bit annoyed, later angry and eventually even aggressive.

This is sadly the same in most cities with some appeal for tourist (and I guess you can't even blame the locals trying to make a living from all the tourists...).

But even in Macch Picchu - holy place of the Inka, UN World Heritage side and Peru's main tourist attraction - it is difficult to soak up the spiritual atmosphere of the place. For once this is not because of local vendors offering drinks and souvenirs, but because of the laughing and shouting of numerous groups of American tourists. For some reason, "Mate, check this out!" and "Dude, this is flipping awesome!" does not create a spiritual mindset...

The thing I disliked the most were people who were exploiting their culture or children to make money from tourists. Many women, dressed in traditional clothes with children strapped to their back and a baby lama on a cord, offered themselves or their children as photo models. At times, their "sales pitch" even got quite aggressive...

With culture and historical sites exploited in such a way, Peru felt at times more like Disney Land than a real country...