Dear Readers,
Wonderful news! A new exhibition at El Museo de Arte de San Marcos, Centro Cultural de San Marcos opened yesterday: Cromáticas del Azul: select works by Peruvian artist Julio Hoyos Peña. You can view the PR at the following link Exposicion Cromaticas del Azul.
Translation in English
By Verioska J. Torres
April 16 inaugurates the exhibition "Blue Chromatics", paintings by Julio Hoyos Peña
Wednesday April 8, 2015
The Art Museum of San Marcos will present on Thursday April 16th, the latest exhibition of Peruvian artist Julio Hoyos Peña, Blue Chromatics, a selection of abstract oil paintings that characterizes his artistic production. The exhibition will be opened in the hall Vinatea Reinoso located at the Cultural Center of San Marcos at 7:00 pm.
Born in Abancay, Apurimac, Julio Hoyos studied at the National Superior School of Fine Arts of Peru. He worked as an assistant to Professor Ricardo Grau, later becoming his student. The approach to large painting in the arts greatly influenced his artistic career. After passing through the ENSABAP, Hoyos participated in several solo and group exhibitions. His career was divided between artistic production and teaching, becoming a recipient of the 2012 Horacio Zeballos Prize in painting, award given by the Derrama Magisterial.
From his inception in the artistic profession, Hoyos manifested his predilection for abstract forms. According to José Garden Wong, "the change plastic-pictorial from Julio guides his creativity towards achieving a very personal, intimate, characteristic of the current informalist universe. His work expresses a lyrical abstraction, and proposes questions through the 'doubt dialogue'. '' Pablo Heli Ocaña, president of the Derrama Magisterial, highlights the technical quality of our artist, which, "with a complex language of totemic constructions, tinges intermittently veiled and floating geometric forms or spaces divided by agile and vehement beings or in a gestation state."
The chance to appreciate the work of Julio Hoyos runs from April 16th to May 16th. Tours are conducted Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2-5 pm in the hall Vinatea Reinoso, 2nd floor, Patio de Derecho of the Cultural Center of San Marcos. See you there.
---------- End of Translation ------------
Hope you are able to enjoy his works online!
Regards,
Veri
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Thursday, April 2, 2015
List of Peruvian Artists: Parte I
Collecting facts is important. Knowledge is important. But if you don't have an imagination to use the knowledge, civilization is nowhere. -- Ray Bradbury
My current research is simply a collective one. I'm collecting and noting as many Peruvian artists I can find through an online search, ArtStor database, and other databases, as well as, group exhibitions from galleries who represent exclusively Latin American artists, art museum databases with a Latin American art collection, and books/monographs/catalogues from my personal library.
By far, I have accumulated a list of fifty-or-so contemporary Peruvian artist names, which is organized by artist name, region/country, lifedates, style, influences, and active in fields on a spreadsheet. However helpful a spreadsheet would be on a blog, it would be too involved. Instead, I will note a number of key players, in my opinion, of modern and contemporary Peruvian art. In the future, I do intend on creating separate pages for each artist [refer to left columns "Contemporary" and "Modern"] as a reference library for myself and potential scholars.
Artists ("Artistas Plasticas"):
- Kukuli Velarde (Cuzco, Peru) -- PA
- Ana de Orbegoso (Lima, Peru)
- Maria Maria Acha-Kutscher (Lima, Peru) -- Spain/Mexico [Antimuseo w/ Tomas Ruiz-Rivas]
- Carolina Kecskemethy (Peru) -- Germany
- William Hernandez (Peru) -- OR
- Victor Baselly (Cajamarca, Peru) -- Germany
- Antonio Paucar (Peru) -- Germany
- Rafael Ramirez Maro (Lima, Peru) -- Germany [Director of Ramirez Maro Institute, Son of Antonio Maro]
- Sergio Zevallos (Peru) -- Germany [Grupo Chaclacayo]
- Raul Avallaneda (Peru) -- Germany [Grupo Chaclacayo]
- Hugo Lecaros (Cuzco, Peru) -- CA
- Elena Damiani (Lima, Peru) -- Lima/Copenhagen
- Graciela Arias Salazar (Ayacucho, Peru)
- Monica Luza (Lima, Peru)
- Ximena Garrido-Lecca (Lima, Peru)
- Adriana Ciudad Witzel (Lima, Peru) -- Germany
- Margarita Checa (Lima, Peru)
- Carlos Leon Xijimenez
- Jorge Marroquin-Winkelmann
- Tania Bedrinana
- Cesar Calvo de Araujo (Yurimaguas/Iquitos, Peru)
- Antonio Maro (Catacaos, Peru)
- Victor Delfin (Lobitos, Peru)
- Andres Molina (Peru)
- Grupo Chaclacayo (1983-1994)
- Colectivo SHAPSHICO
- Colectivo MAKIS
Saturday, March 21, 2015
New Template and New Font!
Dear Readers,
The blog had a makeover! I decided to have a new look for this year, and of course, why not re-vamp the pre-existing template background to GOLD. The previous template was functional for my intentions of showing a display of artworks on a wall, but given the simplicity and banality of said template, I chose to change it in order to leech out my true intentions. The background color chosen is symbolic with a textured appearance of molten gold. Also, the color combination of the text is both a literal representation of the Peruvian flag (red and white, gold for emblem) and an allusion to the Inka's tyrannic pursuit for creating a large empire through bloodshed and bloodletting. In Peru's history, the Inka were a fierce people and empire with great amounts of war tactics, conquest, and gold. When one asks, "If you can think of one word that describes Peruvian art, what would it be?" One might answer "gold."
One preconceived notion in identifying Peruvian art is through its pre-Colombian roots and bringing forward comparisons to Mayan art and Aztec art. Although, my mission in using this blog, aside from promoting Peruvian artists and expanding my research options, is to teach the public a different side of Peruvian art. Peruvian art is not solely archaeological findings of pottery, gold jewelry, and mummies, that is merely an aspect of Peruvian art. Although, there is much needed scholarship and archaeology to be done in Peru still, and my intention is not to be dismissive about the archaeological work promoted in Peru today. I am simply stating my personal opinion on the identity and definition of 'Peruvian art' as we know it and see it in exhibitions here in the United States.
Peruvian art is a culmination of pre-Colombian artifacts and architecture, Colonial/Spanish art and architecture, Modern art and architecture, and Contemporary art (or at least, that is as far as it goes) from all diasporas including Andean, Chinese-, Japanese-, and Afro-Peruvian, as well as, Peruvian-American.
In a holistic sense, I am expressing my appreciation for the artistry my ancestors produced and left for us to preserve through an explicit and intentional presentation of the color gold in my 21st-century digital blog.
Now lets talk about modern and contemporary art, shall we?
The blog had a makeover! I decided to have a new look for this year, and of course, why not re-vamp the pre-existing template background to GOLD. The previous template was functional for my intentions of showing a display of artworks on a wall, but given the simplicity and banality of said template, I chose to change it in order to leech out my true intentions. The background color chosen is symbolic with a textured appearance of molten gold. Also, the color combination of the text is both a literal representation of the Peruvian flag (red and white, gold for emblem) and an allusion to the Inka's tyrannic pursuit for creating a large empire through bloodshed and bloodletting. In Peru's history, the Inka were a fierce people and empire with great amounts of war tactics, conquest, and gold. When one asks, "If you can think of one word that describes Peruvian art, what would it be?" One might answer "gold."
One preconceived notion in identifying Peruvian art is through its pre-Colombian roots and bringing forward comparisons to Mayan art and Aztec art. Although, my mission in using this blog, aside from promoting Peruvian artists and expanding my research options, is to teach the public a different side of Peruvian art. Peruvian art is not solely archaeological findings of pottery, gold jewelry, and mummies, that is merely an aspect of Peruvian art. Although, there is much needed scholarship and archaeology to be done in Peru still, and my intention is not to be dismissive about the archaeological work promoted in Peru today. I am simply stating my personal opinion on the identity and definition of 'Peruvian art' as we know it and see it in exhibitions here in the United States.
Peruvian art is a culmination of pre-Colombian artifacts and architecture, Colonial/Spanish art and architecture, Modern art and architecture, and Contemporary art (or at least, that is as far as it goes) from all diasporas including Andean, Chinese-, Japanese-, and Afro-Peruvian, as well as, Peruvian-American.
In a holistic sense, I am expressing my appreciation for the artistry my ancestors produced and left for us to preserve through an explicit and intentional presentation of the color gold in my 21st-century digital blog.
Now lets talk about modern and contemporary art, shall we?
Thursday, October 30, 2014
New Page on Facebook!
Dear Readers,
An announcement must be in place: I now manage a page on Facebook! It is called "Support Modern & Contemporary Peruvian Art," I have added/shared links to articles specifically on Peruvian artists/artwork in Peru/United States.
It is currently under construction given that I have NOT chosen a profile picture or cover photo for the page. But once I do, it will become public and I will be able to invite friends and family to like the page. I am very excited about this new addition to my ever-expanding resources.
Next stop: Graduate School?
We will see how this goes. I still need to apply for graduate schools and write my sample. I will be dedicating my writing sample to a Contemporary Peruvian-American artist, Kukuli Velarde, whom I have yet to write a full biography about on this blog. That would need to happen as soon as possible!
All the updates I have for now.
An announcement must be in place: I now manage a page on Facebook! It is called "Support Modern & Contemporary Peruvian Art," I have added/shared links to articles specifically on Peruvian artists/artwork in Peru/United States.
It is currently under construction given that I have NOT chosen a profile picture or cover photo for the page. But once I do, it will become public and I will be able to invite friends and family to like the page. I am very excited about this new addition to my ever-expanding resources.
Next stop: Graduate School?
We will see how this goes. I still need to apply for graduate schools and write my sample. I will be dedicating my writing sample to a Contemporary Peruvian-American artist, Kukuli Velarde, whom I have yet to write a full biography about on this blog. That would need to happen as soon as possible!
All the updates I have for now.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Commencement of Peruvian Artists Pages
Dear Readers,
New Beginnings! "Curator - An Independent Agency" has been temporarily changed to "Curatorial Independence - Transparency and Scholarship." The title will be changing for the next couple of months as I try to come up with a solid introductory blog and resource enhancing contemporary Peruvian art/artists.
My intentions are to not only promote visibility in the United States, but also to encourage art historical scholarship. There is very little scholarship on modern or contemporary Peruvian art because it is viewed as part of an overall art historical diaspora known as "Latin American art." Latin American art is beginning to separate into niches according to its/their appropriate diaspora or country. Only recently, Cuban art and Argentinian art have legitimized their diaspora partially due to political and social turmoil. Each country in Latin America has an art story to tell. I hope I can be one art historian, of Peruvian ancestry, to deliver scholarship on modern and contemporary Peruvian art.
In terms of teaching, I would love to lecture seminar and survey courses on this topic. I know I have a great deal to learn about the history of Peru and the historiography of Peru, which I am researching and reading on my free time. Two impactful moments in Peru's social and political history that are critical to artistic production in Peru were the presence of terrorism by Sendero Luminoso (1980- present) and MRTA (1982-1997), and the administration of Alberto Fujimori, "Fujimorismo," and the Fujimori corruption (1990-2000).
Peru has grown to be an independent, stable, and prolific country. It's greatest revelation began with the discovery and transparency of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Archaeological and astrological importance phased into existence during the late 1960s. The colonial period (17th - 18th-centuries) may have been the beginning of Peru's art scene, which later flourishes in 19th-century romanticism and the Indigenismo movement in the 20th-century.
History is exciting, folks! Until next time...
New Beginnings! "Curator - An Independent Agency" has been temporarily changed to "Curatorial Independence - Transparency and Scholarship." The title will be changing for the next couple of months as I try to come up with a solid introductory blog and resource enhancing contemporary Peruvian art/artists.
My intentions are to not only promote visibility in the United States, but also to encourage art historical scholarship. There is very little scholarship on modern or contemporary Peruvian art because it is viewed as part of an overall art historical diaspora known as "Latin American art." Latin American art is beginning to separate into niches according to its/their appropriate diaspora or country. Only recently, Cuban art and Argentinian art have legitimized their diaspora partially due to political and social turmoil. Each country in Latin America has an art story to tell. I hope I can be one art historian, of Peruvian ancestry, to deliver scholarship on modern and contemporary Peruvian art.
In terms of teaching, I would love to lecture seminar and survey courses on this topic. I know I have a great deal to learn about the history of Peru and the historiography of Peru, which I am researching and reading on my free time. Two impactful moments in Peru's social and political history that are critical to artistic production in Peru were the presence of terrorism by Sendero Luminoso (1980- present) and MRTA (1982-1997), and the administration of Alberto Fujimori, "Fujimorismo," and the Fujimori corruption (1990-2000).
Peru has grown to be an independent, stable, and prolific country. It's greatest revelation began with the discovery and transparency of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Archaeological and astrological importance phased into existence during the late 1960s. The colonial period (17th - 18th-centuries) may have been the beginning of Peru's art scene, which later flourishes in 19th-century romanticism and the Indigenismo movement in the 20th-century.
History is exciting, folks! Until next time...
Saturday, June 14, 2014
History behind the Bull: El Torito que Viajo al Cielo
"El Torito que Viajó al Cielo" (The Little Bull that Flew to Heaven)
by Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza
Brief History of the Peruvian Bull by Verioska J. Torres
A dramatic children's novel about a little bull named Calixto¹, who lives peacefully with his mother and father bulls in the countryside of Ayacucho² until his owners sell the torito to a band of bullfighters.
The beginning of the story climaxes with a large storm that destroys all vegetation and flora in Ayacucho. Calixto's owners, Don Juan and Dona Ana, lose their crops from the storm and begin to suffer financially. They decide to sell off their only surviving animal. The narrative follows Calixto, who finds himself in a barbarous city with very little grazing fields and befriends two adult male bulls, Simon and Jose, inside a tiny corral.
Bullfighting is a long, old tradition in Peru that began in the late 18th-century. Plaza de Acho is Lima's oldest bullfighting rings located in Rimac district.
.... talk about debate
.... talk about the art of bullfighting v mistreatment of bulls
Another Peruvian tradition was cattle branding, a ceremony most common in the Andes as tribute to the Pachamama. The animal is branded with fire, its mouth and anus slit and aji is rubbed on its wounds so that the animal licks its mouth and frantically moves its tail. In a small village of Pucará in the central region of Puno, Peruvian oral history tells of a legendary bull in the midst of sacrifice through ceremonial cattle-branding when suddenly it strikes a rock of a high mountain peak with its horns and water spills from his mouth all over the countryside. In this legend, the people of Pucará are saved by the multitude of water and starvation, which lead them in full admiration of the powers of the bull. It was not until the Colonial era that the traditionally painted, adorned, nose-licking bulls sacrificed to Pachamama were created in clay form. To that affect, Pucará becomes one of the largest commercial ceramics centers of Peru. Los Toritos de Pucará, named after the legendary bulls of Pucará, are decorated ceramic bulls, either glazed or bathed in white paste, animated to a cattle-branding stance, with painted flora and fauna, and other elements of the Peruvian landscape. Los Totitos are commonly seen on the rooftops of churches and houses in the Andean regions of Apurimac, Cusco, Puno, and Ayacucho, but can also be seen in parts of Lima.
The author has a clear understanding of his cultural heritage and further reveals a message promoting awareness of the cruelty of bulls in bullfighting. Bullfighting is meant to be a spectacle in comparison to the spectacles Roman gladiators, who were slaved into combat, or even the spectacles of animal sacrifices. An element of humanity is enhanced in the character/animal Calixto. As animals ourselves, we can empathize the loss of family and friends, as well as, the extremity of suicidal thoughts when emotionally distressed from trauma. Furthermore, the author adds the element of religion. Suffering and sacrifice are two aspects of Catholicism that Peruvians have constant awareness.
About the Author:
Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza was born on February 23, 1997 in Ica, Peru. In 2013, his first novel El Torito que Viajó al Cielo was published by Fondo Editorial Cultura Peruana. In order to encourage young adults about the importance of Peruvian Literature, as well as, to promote awareness of animal cruelty, Jean Pierre visited several schools in Peru including Colegio 013 Instituto Leonardo Rodriguez in Tumbes. He currently lives and works in Lima and is fulfilling a career in Cinematography.
Notes:
1. "Calixto" is a name of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It derives from the Greek word kallistos, meaning 'beautiful,' and the Latin male name Calixtus. (Ex. Religious image: Saint Calixto (San Calixto Papa).)
2. Ayacucho is the capital of Huamanga District in the Ayacucho regions of Southern Peru. The name of the city derives from the Quechua words "aya" and "kuchu" meaning 'death corner.' Indigenous peoples of the Wari, Chanka, and Nasca inhabited this region until their downfall and the rise of the Incan empire. Two historical instances led to the naming of the city: In 1540, the city was given a colonial name "San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga" founded by Francisco Pizarro against Manco Inca's Rebellion; and in 1824, Simon Bolivar changed the name of the city to "Ayacucho" after the Battle of Ayacucho in the Peruvian War of Independence.
3.
by Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza
Brief History of the Peruvian Bull by Verioska J. Torres
 |
| (C) Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza, Fondo Editorial Cultura Peruana. (Image scanned June 2014 by Verioska J. Torres) |
The beginning of the story climaxes with a large storm that destroys all vegetation and flora in Ayacucho. Calixto's owners, Don Juan and Dona Ana, lose their crops from the storm and begin to suffer financially. They decide to sell off their only surviving animal. The narrative follows Calixto, who finds himself in a barbarous city with very little grazing fields and befriends two adult male bulls, Simon and Jose, inside a tiny corral.
Bullfighting is a long, old tradition in Peru that began in the late 18th-century. Plaza de Acho is Lima's oldest bullfighting rings located in Rimac district.
.... talk about debate
.... talk about the art of bullfighting v mistreatment of bulls
 |
| Image: Toritos de Pucará, Frank Tipiani, October 6, 2014. Taken from InfoDestino de Frank Tipiani (blog). |
The author has a clear understanding of his cultural heritage and further reveals a message promoting awareness of the cruelty of bulls in bullfighting. Bullfighting is meant to be a spectacle in comparison to the spectacles Roman gladiators, who were slaved into combat, or even the spectacles of animal sacrifices. An element of humanity is enhanced in the character/animal Calixto. As animals ourselves, we can empathize the loss of family and friends, as well as, the extremity of suicidal thoughts when emotionally distressed from trauma. Furthermore, the author adds the element of religion. Suffering and sacrifice are two aspects of Catholicism that Peruvians have constant awareness.
About the Author:
Jean Pierre Contreras Espinoza was born on February 23, 1997 in Ica, Peru. In 2013, his first novel El Torito que Viajó al Cielo was published by Fondo Editorial Cultura Peruana. In order to encourage young adults about the importance of Peruvian Literature, as well as, to promote awareness of animal cruelty, Jean Pierre visited several schools in Peru including Colegio 013 Instituto Leonardo Rodriguez in Tumbes. He currently lives and works in Lima and is fulfilling a career in Cinematography.
Notes:
1. "Calixto" is a name of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It derives from the Greek word kallistos, meaning 'beautiful,' and the Latin male name Calixtus. (Ex. Religious image: Saint Calixto (San Calixto Papa).)
2. Ayacucho is the capital of Huamanga District in the Ayacucho regions of Southern Peru. The name of the city derives from the Quechua words "aya" and "kuchu" meaning 'death corner.' Indigenous peoples of the Wari, Chanka, and Nasca inhabited this region until their downfall and the rise of the Incan empire. Two historical instances led to the naming of the city: In 1540, the city was given a colonial name "San Juan de la Frontera de Huamanga" founded by Francisco Pizarro against Manco Inca's Rebellion; and in 1824, Simon Bolivar changed the name of the city to "Ayacucho" after the Battle of Ayacucho in the Peruvian War of Independence.
3.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
On the Coast: Ica and Huacachina (PERU)
ICA
Ica, with a population of over 200,000 inhabitants, sits on the coast at approximately four hours south of Lima. From mysterious ruins of supernatural proportions to architectural ruins due to natural disasters, Ica is believed to be a magical city. 'Magical' in the supernatural sense, other-worldly, sorcery and witchcraft.
Its greatest attraction is the wine. As the saying goes...
One vineyard that I highly recommend is called El Catador, which literally translates to 'the taster.'
At El Catador you are guided through a luscious vineyard, access wineries, and be part of the wine-making process, as well as, wine tasting! The best time to visit the wineries in Ica would be in March for the annual Grape Festival (harvest and pressing grapes). Just so we're clear, wine in South America are mostly sweet or semi-sweet, never dry (be careful what you ask for at restaurants!). Also let it be known that Peru has no legal age limit for drinking alcoholic bebidas.
After the tour around the vineyard and winery, you are sent back to the bodega turistica for wine tasting. Depending on the time of day, you are given 6-7 (7-10 in the afternoon) tastings of wine, plus one of pisco puro and another of a cocktail-mix liquer. El Catador is well-known for their grapes; their best product is called "Tres Generaciones Pisco."
For more information, contact them via email (English or Spanish available) and LIKE them of Facebook.
El Catador | Fundo Tres Esquinas N.102 | Subtanjalla, Ica, Peru | (056) 403-427
CLARO: 986 961126 | MOVISTAR: 956 957440
Email: elcatadorq@aol.com
BEST PLACES TO EAT:
I would also recommend El Encanto de La Huerta as you leave Ica, located six minutes away from tourist buses. They serve the best sopa secca, causa, and papa a la huancaína.You must also try their version of chicha morada--it is extra foamy, not too sweet, and a strong essence of cinnamon.
El Encanto de La Huerta | Calle Fermin Tanguis N 347 | San Miguel, Ica, Peru | (056) 218970
Cel: 956309466 | RPM #943983929
www.elencantodelahuerta.com.pe
_____________________________________________________________________
HUACACHINA
Huacachina is Peru's desert oasis built around a small lake, home of a mythical mermaid, surrounded by sand dunes. Located in the Ica district, approximately five to seven minutes by taxi, Huacachina is a tourist wonder, even for local Peruvians, filled with specialty meat vendors and adrenaline-pumped dune buggies.
When in Huacachina, dune buggies and sand-boarding is the thing to do! Ask your taxi driver or a local to point you to the nearest agent. Dune Buggies are ONLY available through a tourist agency, unless otherwise purchased online.
The dune buggies, or tubulares, are available at certain times of the day and some in the evening. I recommend your excursion on the dunes between 04:00 (16:00) or 05:00 (17:00) in the afternoon. This timeframe allows for plenty of sand-boarding, picturesque photos, and a beautiful sunset on the west.
WATCH OUT FOR:
(1) Inexperienced drivers. You can almost always recognize an inexperienced driver by their manner of driving and their inept attention to their own buggy. A good driver always checks their vehicle after a long, BUMPY crusade, AND follows a trail previously marked by other buggies. If a driver is driving off-course or trying a new route, please let them know. It is very easy for one to get lost in the dunes, especially around nightfall.
(2) Short trips. Most dune buggy excursions run between two to three hours (length in kms unknown) and one can sand-board up to four hills in one trip. With an inexperienced or lazy driver, you may suffer a short trip of two hours and only within a 10 mile radius.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR RIDE:
(1) Long Sleeves, Pants, and closed-toe shoes! It is important to wear apparel that is light and comfortable; short sleeves and shorts are good options for riding on the buggies. However, if you plan on sand-boarding make sure you have an extra pair of long sleeves or pants (easy to attach). You are sand-boarding belly down with the likelihood of scraping your forearms and your shins, so please be advised to wear long sleeves/pants. Finally, only closed-toe shoes are accepted while in the dune buggy.
(2) Wind and Sun. You are given the option of wearing protective glasses from sand blowing into your cornea, however it is not necessary. Also, take care of your skin; sunblock should be applied liberally.
(3) Camera. You can bring any camera you wish. The photos and the experiences are your only souvenirs. Note: cameras are NOT permitted when you opt for sand-boarding, you MUST leave your camera in the buggy and wait until the buggy picks you up from the bottom of the hill.
WHERE TO STAY:
Hotel Mossone 3/5 ***/***** $$$ ($50-200)
A wonderful hotel with Spanish architecture throughout and a fabulous view of the Laguna. A great location with historical significance. Continental breakfast--Delicious morning breakfast served in buffet style, breakfast to your liking. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, bar and restaurant, HD Television with cable and WIFI, and A/C. Large rooms with full bathroom (hair-dryer, soap, shampoo, towels included) and housekeeping.
_________________________________________________________________
Ica, with a population of over 200,000 inhabitants, sits on the coast at approximately four hours south of Lima. From mysterious ruins of supernatural proportions to architectural ruins due to natural disasters, Ica is believed to be a magical city. 'Magical' in the supernatural sense, other-worldly, sorcery and witchcraft.
Its greatest attraction is the wine. As the saying goes...
Si a Ica vino y no tomo vino, entonces porque mierdas vinoYou can grab a taxi from the center of Ica, or its periphery, and visit any vineyard in Subtanjalla.
 |
| View of Subtanjalla, on the periphery, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
At El Catador you are guided through a luscious vineyard, access wineries, and be part of the wine-making process, as well as, wine tasting! The best time to visit the wineries in Ica would be in March for the annual Grape Festival (harvest and pressing grapes). Just so we're clear, wine in South America are mostly sweet or semi-sweet, never dry (be careful what you ask for at restaurants!). Also let it be known that Peru has no legal age limit for drinking alcoholic bebidas.
After the tour around the vineyard and winery, you are sent back to the bodega turistica for wine tasting. Depending on the time of day, you are given 6-7 (7-10 in the afternoon) tastings of wine, plus one of pisco puro and another of a cocktail-mix liquer. El Catador is well-known for their grapes; their best product is called "Tres Generaciones Pisco."
 |
| El Catador bodega, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
El Catador | Fundo Tres Esquinas N.102 | Subtanjalla, Ica, Peru | (056) 403-427
CLARO: 986 961126 | MOVISTAR: 956 957440
Email: elcatadorq@aol.com
BEST PLACES TO EAT:
I would also recommend El Encanto de La Huerta as you leave Ica, located six minutes away from tourist buses. They serve the best sopa secca, causa, and papa a la huancaína.You must also try their version of chicha morada--it is extra foamy, not too sweet, and a strong essence of cinnamon.
El Encanto de La Huerta | Calle Fermin Tanguis N 347 | San Miguel, Ica, Peru | (056) 218970
Cel: 956309466 | RPM #943983929
www.elencantodelahuerta.com.pe
_____________________________________________________________________
HUACACHINA
Huacachina is Peru's desert oasis built around a small lake, home of a mythical mermaid, surrounded by sand dunes. Located in the Ica district, approximately five to seven minutes by taxi, Huacachina is a tourist wonder, even for local Peruvians, filled with specialty meat vendors and adrenaline-pumped dune buggies.
 |
| View of Huacachina, returning from Dune Buggy excursion, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
 |
| Image of a 8-seat Dune Buggy, Dunes of Huancachina, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
WATCH OUT FOR:
(1) Inexperienced drivers. You can almost always recognize an inexperienced driver by their manner of driving and their inept attention to their own buggy. A good driver always checks their vehicle after a long, BUMPY crusade, AND follows a trail previously marked by other buggies. If a driver is driving off-course or trying a new route, please let them know. It is very easy for one to get lost in the dunes, especially around nightfall.
(2) Short trips. Most dune buggy excursions run between two to three hours (length in kms unknown) and one can sand-board up to four hills in one trip. With an inexperienced or lazy driver, you may suffer a short trip of two hours and only within a 10 mile radius.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR RIDE:
(1) Long Sleeves, Pants, and closed-toe shoes! It is important to wear apparel that is light and comfortable; short sleeves and shorts are good options for riding on the buggies. However, if you plan on sand-boarding make sure you have an extra pair of long sleeves or pants (easy to attach). You are sand-boarding belly down with the likelihood of scraping your forearms and your shins, so please be advised to wear long sleeves/pants. Finally, only closed-toe shoes are accepted while in the dune buggy.
(2) Wind and Sun. You are given the option of wearing protective glasses from sand blowing into your cornea, however it is not necessary. Also, take care of your skin; sunblock should be applied liberally.
 |
| Inside a tubular, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
WHERE TO STAY:
Hotel Mossone 3/5 ***/***** $$$ ($50-200)
A wonderful hotel with Spanish architecture throughout and a fabulous view of the Laguna. A great location with historical significance. Continental breakfast--Delicious morning breakfast served in buffet style, breakfast to your liking. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, bar and restaurant, HD Television with cable and WIFI, and A/C. Large rooms with full bathroom (hair-dryer, soap, shampoo, towels included) and housekeeping.
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| Outside Hotel Mossone, April 2014. Photograph credit: Verioska J. Torres |
Balneario de Haucachina s/n, Ica
Referencia (frente a la Laguna)
TEL: (056) 213630
FAX: (056) 236137
Referencia (frente a la Laguna)
TEL: (056) 213630
FAX: (056) 236137
For reservations: Book Hotel Mossone
Promotional video: Hotel Mossone
hmossone@dematourshoteles.com_________________________________________________________________
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