Entradas
Peru finds human sacrifices from Inca civilization
Mon Jun 8, 2009 3:08pm EDT
LIMA (Reuters) - Researchers at an archeological site in northern Peru have made an unusually large discovery of nearly three dozen people sacrificed some 600 years ago by the Incan civilization.
The bodies, some of which show signs of having been cut along their necks and collarbones, were otherwise found in good condition, said Carlos Webster, who is leading excavations at the Chotuna-Chornancap camp.
The sprawling 235-acre (95-hectare) archeological site is 12 miles outside the coastal city of Chiclayo, near the ancient tomb of Sipan, which was one of the great finds of the last century. The sacrifices were made just decades before Spanish explorers arrived in what is now Peru.
Although archeologists regularly find evidence of human sacrifice from Incan and pre-Incan cultures, it is rare to find the remains of 33 people in one place, researchers said.
Scientists say human sacrifice was common within the Incan culture, which flourished immediately before the arrival of the Spanish in what is now parts of Peru, Chile and Ecuador between 1400 and the mid-1500s.
"Most of the remains belong to young women, around 15 years of age. One of them appears to have been pregnant because in her abdomen, the collarbone of a fetus, probably around 4 months, was found," Webster said of the latest find, made over the past year and a half.
"The majority (of the bodies) are in good condition -- skin tissues and hair have been preserved. They were found in a dry area more than 7 feet underground," he said.
Incan civilization is best known for the city of Machu Picchu, the ruins of which are Peru's top tourist destination and considered one of the new seven wonders of the world.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Dana Ford; Editing by Peter Cooney.)
jueves, 11 de junio de 2009
viernes, 3 de octubre de 2008
Belleza del Lago Titicaca
The grown-up gapper: On Lake Titicaca
Backpack stuffed with an assortment of fleeces and wool clothing, our gapper goes island hopping on Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.
By Ruth Holliday
Last Updated: 4:10PM BST 02 Oct 2008
Peru does cold like few places on earth. At night, temperatures at altitude drop below zero - yet after eight weeks here I am yet to spot any kind of indoor heating system.
In a bid to educate us yet further on the extremes of night-time chilliness, our Peru Experience co-ordinators send us for a four-day stay on Lake Titicaca. The world's highest navigable lake is home to a clutch of hardy tribes whose way of life has remained largely unchanged for millennia. For two nights we are to be guests in their unheated and isolated homes.
First we have a comfortable evening in the friendly lakeside town of Puno, staying in the relative luxury of the Camino Real hotel. Puno is notably unspectacular; most of its buildings are constructed from a brown mud brick, many streets are unpaved and traffic consists mainly of bicycles and tuk-tuk-style motorbike taxis.
In sparkling contrast to the town's dull muddiness is the emerald water of the lake. Titicaca is one of the largest on earth at 110 miles long by 38 miles wide. It’s a vast and shimmering border between Peru and its mountainous neighbour, Bolivia.
Backpacks stuffed with an assortment of fleece and wool clothing, we set out just after dawn to begin our first day's island hopping, crammed aboard an uncomfortable, diesel-saturated boat with around 20 other tourists.
Half an hour later we stop to meet the Uros, a unique community living on man-made reed islands, anchored to the lake-bed by a system of ropes. The islanders are thought to have fled dry land to escape war and famine around three thousand years ago. Ever since they have been replenishing and replacing their floating communities, living on the lake's fish stocks, and more recently, on the fascination of visiting tourists.
On arrival we are greeted with a round of singing by a group of local women, then shown how the islands are made - with reed blocks, reed matting, and yet more reeds strewn on top for good measure. Uros homes are made of reeds, as is the furniture inside, reeds are burned (very carefully) for firewood, and every night the locals sit down to a side order of reed roots with their fish supper.
We are given the chance to look inside the houses, offered a selection of reed-crafts for sale, and then taken from one tiny island to the next on a reed boat woven in the shape of a dragon.
The Uros islands may be an anthropological curiosity, but they are also a well-honed tourist money-spinner. We climb back aboard our non-reed boat feeling we are yet to see anything particularly untouched or authentic.
Amantani is the next stop, an uncomfortable three hours away. From the port we have to climb an inordinate distance up the island's steep mountainside - weighed down as we are with precautionary quantities of warm clothing. At the top, we are introduced to the host families who will accommodate us that night. For 25 soles (around £5) they will provide lunch, dinner and breakfast and give us some form of shelter from the perishing cold.
Our hostess is called Olga - she greets us with one hand while continuing to spin her bobbin of alpaca wool with the other. In rural Peru, spinning is an all-day job. She is dressed in the brightly coloured, voluminous skirts particular to the island, and sets off ahead of us with the speed and stamina of a stampeding llama. We puff and pant after her, and are shown to a simple three-bedded room off a mud-brick courtyard.
Olga shares her tiny home with a husband and three young children. Like other Titicaca islanders in the Altiplano area, they subsist on a largely vegetarian diet. By vegetarian, what I actually mean is potatoes - little else will grow on these exposed and windswept hills. Hence the lunch she proudly serves us is a potato and quinoa (Peruvian grain) soup, followed by a main course of worm-riddled potatoes devoid of sauce, spice or anything else to dilute their floury spudiness. We ask for salt and politely eat what we can, trying to ignore the crunchy bits.
At 4pm we are summoned to a football game in the community's main square - the locals versus the "internationals". As tourists visit the island several times a month, there is a certain spontaneity lacking among the local team. But being South American, they win nevertheless.
Our guide then assembles the fitter members of the group for a one-hour hike to the island's summit to watch the sunset over the lake. We arrive at the top just as the temperature begins to plummet, the sun dipping over the horizon like an immense, glowing egg yolk. The view is extraordinary, the surrounding islands transfigured by the twilight and shrouded in purple mist.
We are encouraged to withstand the cold a little longer to watch the stars come out. Our host families have provided us with a comic assortment of woolly hats for the purpose, complete with knitted ear flaps and colorful pom-poms. We huddle together in the shelter of a craggy rock face and see first Venus, then Mars, then Alpha Centauri twinkle into view. After half an hour or so the biting wind forces us back down to the village, and by the time we arrive the sky is alight with the most dazzling spectacle. Thousands upon thousands of stars, each one incandescent, the Milky Way swirling through their midst in glorious clarity.
But there is little time for stargazing. There is a “special” party to be held for the tourists immediately after our dinner time ration of potatoes. We are dressed in traditional costume for this purpose; a musty but impressive selection of locally woven and embroidered attire. Unfortunately we are too exhausted by hiking and excess carbohydrates to really enjoy it. What is more disconcerting is the bored expressions of the locals - evidently forced to attend these contrived tourist-pleasers. We stay for a couple of reels, then retire to shiver our way through the night under a hundredweight of itchy alpaca blankets.
As the next day starts - mercilessly early - a sense of grimness pervades the group. All are suffering a touch of tourist fatigue. We each confess we would rather forego our second night on the islands for a hot shower and a flushing toilet back in Puno.
We pack up and trudge back to the boat, hoping for better luck at our next stop - Taquile.
As it turns out, this gorgeous little island is enough to lift the most jaded of spirits. Our guide directs the boat to a small harbour at the back of the island, sparing us the 500 steps up from the main port which the locals nickname “the tourist killer”.
Nevertheless, we face a substantial climb to the central square - the Plaza de Armas. But the walk is picturesque - a snaking pathway through eucalyptus-garnished hills, overlooking the glittering deep blue of the lake. The landscape here is reminiscent of the Mediterranean, with rocky shores sloping down to inviting bays and hidden beaches.
After a decent lunch of local trout - and potatoes - we meet our second night's host - Silvano. It is his incredible hospitality that really makes this trip. His home is an idyllic farmhouse, tucked away in a secluded part of the island. The courtyard is lined with lime vines and terracotta pots filled with pink flowers. The rooms we are shown to are decked with multi-coloured alpaca rugs and hangings. Our group is elated.
Silvano takes us on a tour of the island, shows us local weaving techniques, explains the island's intricate dress codes and marital systems, shows us how to make organic shampoo from an indigenous plant - and even feeds us protein in the form of omelettes.
Yes, the night is bitterly cold, but the island is so charming and the hospitality so immense that by next morning none of us wants to leave - hot shower or no hot shower. Taquile is a jewel on Titicaca with many of its communities clinging faithfully to a social and agricultural system that pre-dates the Incas.
Silvano can take up to eight people on long or short breaks (silvano.taquile@yahoo.es). I defy even the grumpiest, most tour-weary traveller not to feel buoyed by a night or two as his guest.
Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hubs/gapyear/3122020/The-grown-up-gapper-On-Lake-Titicaca.html
Backpack stuffed with an assortment of fleeces and wool clothing, our gapper goes island hopping on Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake.
By Ruth Holliday
Last Updated: 4:10PM BST 02 Oct 2008
Peru does cold like few places on earth. At night, temperatures at altitude drop below zero - yet after eight weeks here I am yet to spot any kind of indoor heating system.
In a bid to educate us yet further on the extremes of night-time chilliness, our Peru Experience co-ordinators send us for a four-day stay on Lake Titicaca. The world's highest navigable lake is home to a clutch of hardy tribes whose way of life has remained largely unchanged for millennia. For two nights we are to be guests in their unheated and isolated homes.
First we have a comfortable evening in the friendly lakeside town of Puno, staying in the relative luxury of the Camino Real hotel. Puno is notably unspectacular; most of its buildings are constructed from a brown mud brick, many streets are unpaved and traffic consists mainly of bicycles and tuk-tuk-style motorbike taxis.
In sparkling contrast to the town's dull muddiness is the emerald water of the lake. Titicaca is one of the largest on earth at 110 miles long by 38 miles wide. It’s a vast and shimmering border between Peru and its mountainous neighbour, Bolivia.
Backpacks stuffed with an assortment of fleece and wool clothing, we set out just after dawn to begin our first day's island hopping, crammed aboard an uncomfortable, diesel-saturated boat with around 20 other tourists.
Half an hour later we stop to meet the Uros, a unique community living on man-made reed islands, anchored to the lake-bed by a system of ropes. The islanders are thought to have fled dry land to escape war and famine around three thousand years ago. Ever since they have been replenishing and replacing their floating communities, living on the lake's fish stocks, and more recently, on the fascination of visiting tourists.
On arrival we are greeted with a round of singing by a group of local women, then shown how the islands are made - with reed blocks, reed matting, and yet more reeds strewn on top for good measure. Uros homes are made of reeds, as is the furniture inside, reeds are burned (very carefully) for firewood, and every night the locals sit down to a side order of reed roots with their fish supper.
We are given the chance to look inside the houses, offered a selection of reed-crafts for sale, and then taken from one tiny island to the next on a reed boat woven in the shape of a dragon.
The Uros islands may be an anthropological curiosity, but they are also a well-honed tourist money-spinner. We climb back aboard our non-reed boat feeling we are yet to see anything particularly untouched or authentic.
Amantani is the next stop, an uncomfortable three hours away. From the port we have to climb an inordinate distance up the island's steep mountainside - weighed down as we are with precautionary quantities of warm clothing. At the top, we are introduced to the host families who will accommodate us that night. For 25 soles (around £5) they will provide lunch, dinner and breakfast and give us some form of shelter from the perishing cold.
Our hostess is called Olga - she greets us with one hand while continuing to spin her bobbin of alpaca wool with the other. In rural Peru, spinning is an all-day job. She is dressed in the brightly coloured, voluminous skirts particular to the island, and sets off ahead of us with the speed and stamina of a stampeding llama. We puff and pant after her, and are shown to a simple three-bedded room off a mud-brick courtyard.
Olga shares her tiny home with a husband and three young children. Like other Titicaca islanders in the Altiplano area, they subsist on a largely vegetarian diet. By vegetarian, what I actually mean is potatoes - little else will grow on these exposed and windswept hills. Hence the lunch she proudly serves us is a potato and quinoa (Peruvian grain) soup, followed by a main course of worm-riddled potatoes devoid of sauce, spice or anything else to dilute their floury spudiness. We ask for salt and politely eat what we can, trying to ignore the crunchy bits.
At 4pm we are summoned to a football game in the community's main square - the locals versus the "internationals". As tourists visit the island several times a month, there is a certain spontaneity lacking among the local team. But being South American, they win nevertheless.
Our guide then assembles the fitter members of the group for a one-hour hike to the island's summit to watch the sunset over the lake. We arrive at the top just as the temperature begins to plummet, the sun dipping over the horizon like an immense, glowing egg yolk. The view is extraordinary, the surrounding islands transfigured by the twilight and shrouded in purple mist.
We are encouraged to withstand the cold a little longer to watch the stars come out. Our host families have provided us with a comic assortment of woolly hats for the purpose, complete with knitted ear flaps and colorful pom-poms. We huddle together in the shelter of a craggy rock face and see first Venus, then Mars, then Alpha Centauri twinkle into view. After half an hour or so the biting wind forces us back down to the village, and by the time we arrive the sky is alight with the most dazzling spectacle. Thousands upon thousands of stars, each one incandescent, the Milky Way swirling through their midst in glorious clarity.
But there is little time for stargazing. There is a “special” party to be held for the tourists immediately after our dinner time ration of potatoes. We are dressed in traditional costume for this purpose; a musty but impressive selection of locally woven and embroidered attire. Unfortunately we are too exhausted by hiking and excess carbohydrates to really enjoy it. What is more disconcerting is the bored expressions of the locals - evidently forced to attend these contrived tourist-pleasers. We stay for a couple of reels, then retire to shiver our way through the night under a hundredweight of itchy alpaca blankets.
As the next day starts - mercilessly early - a sense of grimness pervades the group. All are suffering a touch of tourist fatigue. We each confess we would rather forego our second night on the islands for a hot shower and a flushing toilet back in Puno.
We pack up and trudge back to the boat, hoping for better luck at our next stop - Taquile.
As it turns out, this gorgeous little island is enough to lift the most jaded of spirits. Our guide directs the boat to a small harbour at the back of the island, sparing us the 500 steps up from the main port which the locals nickname “the tourist killer”.
Nevertheless, we face a substantial climb to the central square - the Plaza de Armas. But the walk is picturesque - a snaking pathway through eucalyptus-garnished hills, overlooking the glittering deep blue of the lake. The landscape here is reminiscent of the Mediterranean, with rocky shores sloping down to inviting bays and hidden beaches.
After a decent lunch of local trout - and potatoes - we meet our second night's host - Silvano. It is his incredible hospitality that really makes this trip. His home is an idyllic farmhouse, tucked away in a secluded part of the island. The courtyard is lined with lime vines and terracotta pots filled with pink flowers. The rooms we are shown to are decked with multi-coloured alpaca rugs and hangings. Our group is elated.
Silvano takes us on a tour of the island, shows us local weaving techniques, explains the island's intricate dress codes and marital systems, shows us how to make organic shampoo from an indigenous plant - and even feeds us protein in the form of omelettes.
Yes, the night is bitterly cold, but the island is so charming and the hospitality so immense that by next morning none of us wants to leave - hot shower or no hot shower. Taquile is a jewel on Titicaca with many of its communities clinging faithfully to a social and agricultural system that pre-dates the Incas.
Silvano can take up to eight people on long or short breaks (silvano.taquile@yahoo.es). I defy even the grumpiest, most tour-weary traveller not to feel buoyed by a night or two as his guest.
Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hubs/gapyear/3122020/The-grown-up-gapper-On-Lake-Titicaca.html
viernes, 12 de septiembre de 2008
Machu Picchu impresiona a Chinos
Home to ancient ruins, lush forests and burbling volcanoes
By Erik Nilsson (China Daily)Updated: 2008-09-12 16:37
2008-09-12 16:37:25.0
Erik Nilsson
Home to ancient ruins, lush forests and burbling volcanoesPeru,Machu Picchu
Peru holds a special place in the hearts of many geographers because of the diversity of its land and people.
The country's elevation rises from its 2,414-km-long coastline, flanked by lowland Amazon basin rainforests in the east, to the towering Andes Mountains, where several volcanoes still burble, in the central regions. From the highest mountaintop of Nevado Huascaran, 6,768 m above sea level, the topography again dips and stabilizes along the western coastal plains.
Owing to the diversity of its geological features, the 1.28-million-sq-km country, half of which is draped in tropical rainforests, contains three quarters of known types of ecological zones.
Peru's varied landscapes are constellated with a number of natural wonders and ruins from ancient civilizations.
Some of the most spectacular natural sites that have helped propel the country's burgeoning tourism industry include the Cordillera Blanca, the world's highest tropical mountain chain; Arequipa's snowcapped peaks, bubbling volcanoes and Colca Valley; and Lake Titicaca in Puno.
But perhaps even more than for its natural wonders, the country is celebrated for its cultural sites. Some of the top locations for visitors are the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu; Chan Chan, the world's largest mud brick citadel; and Cuzco, where republican and colonial buildings rise from the foundations of Incan ruins.
Little is known of Peru's ancient civilizations, as they did not have a written language, endowing them with an air of mystery.
The 29.18 million people who dwell in the country's mountains and valleys are nearly as diverse as the geographical areas they inhabit. About 45 percent are Amerindian, while 37 percent are mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) and 15 percent are black. Chinese Peruvians, or tusuan, are the next largest group.
While Spanish and Quechua are Peru's official languages, a large percentage of its mostly indigenous population speaks Aymara and a multitude of indigenous Amazonian tongues.
With all of its cultural and scenic offerings, the country is seeking to rapidly expand its tourism sector, which contributes 7 percent to its $219 billion GDP (adjusted for purchasing power parity). Currently, it is the country's fastest growing industry.
The government has hailed tourism as proffering great potential for hoisting the 44 percent of the population living below the poverty line toward a higher standard of living.
Per capita GDP, adjusted for PPP, stood at $7,800 last year, and this figure is expected to climb as the country enjoys a 9 percent annual GDP growth rate.
Such relatively increasing prosperity and development is an upswing from decades of military rule before democratization in 1980. These years were followed by periods of economic turbulence and violent insurgencies, which lost momentum in the 1990s.
But things have been looking up for the country since the turn of the millennium. And since 2006, President Alan Garcia's administration has been putting greater focus on improving living conditions and maintaining fiscal prudence.
(China Daily 09/12/2008 page19)
Link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2008-09/12/content_7023754.htm
By Erik Nilsson (China Daily)Updated: 2008-09-12 16:37
2008-09-12 16:37:25.0
Erik Nilsson
Home to ancient ruins, lush forests and burbling volcanoesPeru,Machu Picchu
Peru holds a special place in the hearts of many geographers because of the diversity of its land and people.
The country's elevation rises from its 2,414-km-long coastline, flanked by lowland Amazon basin rainforests in the east, to the towering Andes Mountains, where several volcanoes still burble, in the central regions. From the highest mountaintop of Nevado Huascaran, 6,768 m above sea level, the topography again dips and stabilizes along the western coastal plains.
Owing to the diversity of its geological features, the 1.28-million-sq-km country, half of which is draped in tropical rainforests, contains three quarters of known types of ecological zones.
Peru's varied landscapes are constellated with a number of natural wonders and ruins from ancient civilizations.
Some of the most spectacular natural sites that have helped propel the country's burgeoning tourism industry include the Cordillera Blanca, the world's highest tropical mountain chain; Arequipa's snowcapped peaks, bubbling volcanoes and Colca Valley; and Lake Titicaca in Puno.
But perhaps even more than for its natural wonders, the country is celebrated for its cultural sites. Some of the top locations for visitors are the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu; Chan Chan, the world's largest mud brick citadel; and Cuzco, where republican and colonial buildings rise from the foundations of Incan ruins.
Little is known of Peru's ancient civilizations, as they did not have a written language, endowing them with an air of mystery.
The 29.18 million people who dwell in the country's mountains and valleys are nearly as diverse as the geographical areas they inhabit. About 45 percent are Amerindian, while 37 percent are mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) and 15 percent are black. Chinese Peruvians, or tusuan, are the next largest group.
While Spanish and Quechua are Peru's official languages, a large percentage of its mostly indigenous population speaks Aymara and a multitude of indigenous Amazonian tongues.
With all of its cultural and scenic offerings, the country is seeking to rapidly expand its tourism sector, which contributes 7 percent to its $219 billion GDP (adjusted for purchasing power parity). Currently, it is the country's fastest growing industry.
The government has hailed tourism as proffering great potential for hoisting the 44 percent of the population living below the poverty line toward a higher standard of living.
Per capita GDP, adjusted for PPP, stood at $7,800 last year, and this figure is expected to climb as the country enjoys a 9 percent annual GDP growth rate.
Such relatively increasing prosperity and development is an upswing from decades of military rule before democratization in 1980. These years were followed by periods of economic turbulence and violent insurgencies, which lost momentum in the 1990s.
But things have been looking up for the country since the turn of the millennium. And since 2006, President Alan Garcia's administration has been putting greater focus on improving living conditions and maintaining fiscal prudence.
(China Daily 09/12/2008 page19)
Link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2008-09/12/content_7023754.htm
Encuentran reliquias Incas en Cusco y Lambayeque
Inca Relics found at Cusco and Lambayeque
Associated PressPublished: September 11, 2008
Cusco, Peru--Peru archaeologists say they have found the lower jawbone of a fetus among the remains of a sacrificed woman in a pre-Inca tomb in northern Peru, suggesting the Lambayeque practiced the atypical sacrifice of pregnant women.
A lead archaeologist said his team found the remains of seven sacrificed women and several sacrificed llamas in two tombs in the Chotuna Chornancap archaeological complex in the province of Lambayeque.
A Peruvian archaeologist said on Wednesday that the sacrifice of a pregnant woman is very unusual in the pre-Inca world and it could have been carried out for a very important religious event.
Chotuna Chornancap is a sacred site of the Lambayeque culture, which flourished in northern Peru between 800 and 1350 A.D.
Link: http://www.wnct.com/nct/news/world/article/inca_relics_found_at_cusco_and_lambayeque/18499/
Associated PressPublished: September 11, 2008
Cusco, Peru--Peru archaeologists say they have found the lower jawbone of a fetus among the remains of a sacrificed woman in a pre-Inca tomb in northern Peru, suggesting the Lambayeque practiced the atypical sacrifice of pregnant women.
A lead archaeologist said his team found the remains of seven sacrificed women and several sacrificed llamas in two tombs in the Chotuna Chornancap archaeological complex in the province of Lambayeque.
A Peruvian archaeologist said on Wednesday that the sacrifice of a pregnant woman is very unusual in the pre-Inca world and it could have been carried out for a very important religious event.
Chotuna Chornancap is a sacred site of the Lambayeque culture, which flourished in northern Peru between 800 and 1350 A.D.
Link: http://www.wnct.com/nct/news/world/article/inca_relics_found_at_cusco_and_lambayeque/18499/
Pisco Peruano: Aprenda a tomar como estrella de cine...
Learning to drink like a movie star
Filmfest Beverages
Adam McDowell , National Post
So what if it's pink? Bold, bittersweet and exquisitely balanced, you couldn't insult the Spoke Club's Pink Tanq by calling it a girly drink -- it's more like a sophisticated beverage for an empowered woman.
Jennifer Aniston loved it when she visited the Toronto private members' club on Sunday night.
"She actually had a couple of them," says John Paul Potters, the club's food and beverage manager, sommelier and the creator of the drink. "The greatest compliment to a cocktailer is when they order a second one."
No one would confuse Toronto with a cocktail town. It's more of a beer-and-whisky burg that's forced by a certain annual festival to mix up a few drinks --often clumsily.
However, this year's filmfest attendees are drinking better than ever, as more bartenders have adapted to the biggest news in cocktails of the past several years: "The martini's over," as Drake Hotel bar manager David Brown puts it.
He's not referring not to classic gin-and-vermouth martinis, which, like Ray-Bans, will always work for certain people. What's on its way out are the predictable concoctions of vodka and fruit juice in oversized, conical cocktail glasses -- the ones we have been fooled into calling "martinis" since sometime during the 1990s. The cosmopolitan and other over-the-top, colourful "martinis" are as much leftovers from the Night at the Roxbury era as shiny suits and frosted tips.
"Hopefully, the cosmo's dead," Potters says.
It's time for an adventure, one that might even involve pushing aside the martini glass and drinking out of a less ladylike rocks glass. If Jen can do it, so can you.
If you're somewhere other than Toronto and can't try the creations described below, don't worry; TIFF has always served as a preview of things to soon be released to a wider audience.
THE IT DRINKS
The venue Upstairs at Grace (503 College St.), a restaurant that openedinMay. The upstairs bar opened just last week, in time to host filmfest parties.
The drink The Graduate, containing Tanqueray gin, elder-flower cordial and lemon balm grown on the roof. Tangy and sour, but with sweetness coming from the cordial.
Star power Gin. Chris Hoffman, husband of Grace owner Leslie Gibson, says, "I think it's kind of like the long-lost spirit." Back in the old days of Hollywood, says Hoffman (who moved here from Los Angeles just a few months ago), stars would soak themselves in gin after a long day on the set. "We're single-handedly trying to put gin back on the map."
---
The venue The Spoke Club (600 King St. W.), location of several small, private parties during the festival.
The drink In addition to the delicious pink Tanq, the club has also offered the Emerald Geisha to guests during TIFF. It's a sweet and earthy combination of Tanqueray 10 gin, organic jasmine tea, lime juice and lychee, garnished with flower petals.
Star power Balance. The Spoke's Potters can speak eloquently about the need for calibrating the basic flavours to create a sense of deliciousness, whether with a wine, a dish or a mixed drink. "You've got to make sure the sweet-sour balance is on the money," he says. But actions speak louder than words, and the demure Geisha does the eloquent talking for him.
---
The venue The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St. W.), host of Virgin Festival after-partying, the Passchendaele private party and other events.
The drink The Apple Fix, an interesting combination of Goldschlager, apricot brandy, dry Marguet Pere & Fils Champagne, apple juice and a slice of organic McIntosh apple
Star power Fresh ingredients -- and gold flakes. "We wanted something gold and flashy but still connected to the harvest," says the hotel's Brown, explaining the double timeliness of bartender Simon Ho's creation. It features some sparkle and zip from the bubbly, but the main thrust is the tried-and-true combination of apple and cinnamon.
---
The venue Skylounge , InterContinental Hotel (220 Bloor St. W.), often used by publicists as a locale for one-on-one interviews.
The drink The Leading Man, featuring pisco, muddled cucumber and honey.
Star power Pisco. The hot, of-the-moment ingredient is a brandy hailing from South America. Already popular in New York, pisco looks like the next cachaca. As assistant bar manager StefanieGeorgopoulos puts it, the drink uses pisco in a way that exudes "character, as you'd want in a leading man" --but it does have a sweet side.
JUICY MARTINIS, IF YOU MUST
The venue Sassafraz (100 Cumberland St.), a TIFF institution and a restaurant at the heart of the Yorkville neighbourhood. Ed Harris, Colin Firth and Ivan Reitman have popped in for a bite this year.
The drink The WAMStini, featuring Polar Ice vodka, Uphoria Pomegranate, raspberry liqueur and topped with prosecco, garnished with raspberries and fresh lime.
The justification For each drink sold, $5 is donated to Women Against M. S. The WAMStini also works as a flashy fashion accessory.
---
The venue One Restaurant (118 Yorkville Ave.), chef Mark McEwan's luxe restaurant inside the posh Hazelton Hotel.
The drink The One, made with apple-and pear-infused vodka, fresh pineapple and lime juice with hints of cinnamon and clove, and garnished with a gooseberry.
The justification This fruity drink looks great but lacks substance. However, it probably works even better than the WAMStini as hand candy; it's a gorgeous drink for a glam restaurant.
amcdowell@nationalpost.com
Link: http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/story.html?id=6213b1b2-2adb-468c-815c-617455a58461
Filmfest Beverages
Adam McDowell , National Post
So what if it's pink? Bold, bittersweet and exquisitely balanced, you couldn't insult the Spoke Club's Pink Tanq by calling it a girly drink -- it's more like a sophisticated beverage for an empowered woman.
Jennifer Aniston loved it when she visited the Toronto private members' club on Sunday night.
"She actually had a couple of them," says John Paul Potters, the club's food and beverage manager, sommelier and the creator of the drink. "The greatest compliment to a cocktailer is when they order a second one."
No one would confuse Toronto with a cocktail town. It's more of a beer-and-whisky burg that's forced by a certain annual festival to mix up a few drinks --often clumsily.
However, this year's filmfest attendees are drinking better than ever, as more bartenders have adapted to the biggest news in cocktails of the past several years: "The martini's over," as Drake Hotel bar manager David Brown puts it.
He's not referring not to classic gin-and-vermouth martinis, which, like Ray-Bans, will always work for certain people. What's on its way out are the predictable concoctions of vodka and fruit juice in oversized, conical cocktail glasses -- the ones we have been fooled into calling "martinis" since sometime during the 1990s. The cosmopolitan and other over-the-top, colourful "martinis" are as much leftovers from the Night at the Roxbury era as shiny suits and frosted tips.
"Hopefully, the cosmo's dead," Potters says.
It's time for an adventure, one that might even involve pushing aside the martini glass and drinking out of a less ladylike rocks glass. If Jen can do it, so can you.
If you're somewhere other than Toronto and can't try the creations described below, don't worry; TIFF has always served as a preview of things to soon be released to a wider audience.
THE IT DRINKS
The venue Upstairs at Grace (503 College St.), a restaurant that openedinMay. The upstairs bar opened just last week, in time to host filmfest parties.
The drink The Graduate, containing Tanqueray gin, elder-flower cordial and lemon balm grown on the roof. Tangy and sour, but with sweetness coming from the cordial.
Star power Gin. Chris Hoffman, husband of Grace owner Leslie Gibson, says, "I think it's kind of like the long-lost spirit." Back in the old days of Hollywood, says Hoffman (who moved here from Los Angeles just a few months ago), stars would soak themselves in gin after a long day on the set. "We're single-handedly trying to put gin back on the map."
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The venue The Spoke Club (600 King St. W.), location of several small, private parties during the festival.
The drink In addition to the delicious pink Tanq, the club has also offered the Emerald Geisha to guests during TIFF. It's a sweet and earthy combination of Tanqueray 10 gin, organic jasmine tea, lime juice and lychee, garnished with flower petals.
Star power Balance. The Spoke's Potters can speak eloquently about the need for calibrating the basic flavours to create a sense of deliciousness, whether with a wine, a dish or a mixed drink. "You've got to make sure the sweet-sour balance is on the money," he says. But actions speak louder than words, and the demure Geisha does the eloquent talking for him.
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The venue The Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St. W.), host of Virgin Festival after-partying, the Passchendaele private party and other events.
The drink The Apple Fix, an interesting combination of Goldschlager, apricot brandy, dry Marguet Pere & Fils Champagne, apple juice and a slice of organic McIntosh apple
Star power Fresh ingredients -- and gold flakes. "We wanted something gold and flashy but still connected to the harvest," says the hotel's Brown, explaining the double timeliness of bartender Simon Ho's creation. It features some sparkle and zip from the bubbly, but the main thrust is the tried-and-true combination of apple and cinnamon.
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The venue Skylounge , InterContinental Hotel (220 Bloor St. W.), often used by publicists as a locale for one-on-one interviews.
The drink The Leading Man, featuring pisco, muddled cucumber and honey.
Star power Pisco. The hot, of-the-moment ingredient is a brandy hailing from South America. Already popular in New York, pisco looks like the next cachaca. As assistant bar manager StefanieGeorgopoulos puts it, the drink uses pisco in a way that exudes "character, as you'd want in a leading man" --but it does have a sweet side.
JUICY MARTINIS, IF YOU MUST
The venue Sassafraz (100 Cumberland St.), a TIFF institution and a restaurant at the heart of the Yorkville neighbourhood. Ed Harris, Colin Firth and Ivan Reitman have popped in for a bite this year.
The drink The WAMStini, featuring Polar Ice vodka, Uphoria Pomegranate, raspberry liqueur and topped with prosecco, garnished with raspberries and fresh lime.
The justification For each drink sold, $5 is donated to Women Against M. S. The WAMStini also works as a flashy fashion accessory.
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The venue One Restaurant (118 Yorkville Ave.), chef Mark McEwan's luxe restaurant inside the posh Hazelton Hotel.
The drink The One, made with apple-and pear-infused vodka, fresh pineapple and lime juice with hints of cinnamon and clove, and garnished with a gooseberry.
The justification This fruity drink looks great but lacks substance. However, it probably works even better than the WAMStini as hand candy; it's a gorgeous drink for a glam restaurant.
amcdowell@nationalpost.com
Link: http://www.canada.com/topics/lifestyle/story.html?id=6213b1b2-2adb-468c-815c-617455a58461
lunes, 8 de septiembre de 2008
Evento mas importante sobre el Pisco en Lima
Peru 8 September, 2008 [ 17:25 ]
Minster announces Peru's most important Pisco event
Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz
The commencement of two of the most important events in Peru's pisco industry were announced on Monday by the country's Minister of Production, Rafael Rey.The minister announced that the 12th National Pisco Festival as well as the 15th National Pisco Contest would be taking place from September 12-14 at Jockey Plaza Convention Center in Lima.It has been estimated that over two hundred of Peru's most important pisco producers will participate in this national event.Minister Rey pointed out the tremendous success the event had had over the past several years, affirming that the production of Pisco in Peru had doubled between 2003 and 2007.He added that production in 2008 would increase between 12 and 18 percent to approximately 5.8 million liters of pisco.The promotion of the national drink has also increased the country's consumption of the grape brandy 35 percent. Despite this, the country's annual per capita consumption is quite low, said Minister Rey, explaining that Peru's per capita consumption reached approximately 0.5 liters while Chile's had been registered at 3 liters."We hope that promotion campaigns will encourage the consumption of pisco in Peru's market," said Rey.
Link: http://www.livinginperu.com/news/7337
Minster announces Peru's most important Pisco event
Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz
The commencement of two of the most important events in Peru's pisco industry were announced on Monday by the country's Minister of Production, Rafael Rey.The minister announced that the 12th National Pisco Festival as well as the 15th National Pisco Contest would be taking place from September 12-14 at Jockey Plaza Convention Center in Lima.It has been estimated that over two hundred of Peru's most important pisco producers will participate in this national event.Minister Rey pointed out the tremendous success the event had had over the past several years, affirming that the production of Pisco in Peru had doubled between 2003 and 2007.He added that production in 2008 would increase between 12 and 18 percent to approximately 5.8 million liters of pisco.The promotion of the national drink has also increased the country's consumption of the grape brandy 35 percent. Despite this, the country's annual per capita consumption is quite low, said Minister Rey, explaining that Peru's per capita consumption reached approximately 0.5 liters while Chile's had been registered at 3 liters."We hope that promotion campaigns will encourage the consumption of pisco in Peru's market," said Rey.
Link: http://www.livinginperu.com/news/7337
Navegando y Viendo el Peru
Sailing and Seeing Peru
Two youth optimist sailors from the US Virgin Islands, and their families, recently traveled to Peru to participate in the first Optimist Training Clinic and Regatta with kids from 11 other nations. Earlier this month, Alex Coyle, from St. John, and Billy Gibbons, from St. Croix, traveled to Paracas, Peru, on the Pacific Coast, to sail with 38 other sailors in a clinic run by world class coaches.
Gonzalo “Bocha” Pollitzer, who coached Malaysia to a second place team finish at the 2005 Opti Worlds, and Fernando “Happy” Alegre, who coached the Trinidad team at the 2005 Opti Worlds, organized the event which included a five-day clinic, limited to 40 sailors, and a three-day regatta, which saw 53 sailors from 12 nations competing. Invited sailors included the North American champion, South American champion, 3rd place at Europeans, and 2nd and 7th place at the Opti Worlds in Switzerland this summer. The VI kids were happy to see their friends from Trinidad, Wesley Scott, Annick Lewis, and Matthew Scott (2nd at Worlds), there as well.
During the clinic a typical day for the sailors started with breakfast and was followed by calisthenics and a run through the desert. Paracas is on the 14-degree latitude south and is on the shore, but is also in the desert. The wind would be dead calm in the early morning and would start to pick up around 10:00am. The sailors would launch around 10:30am and begin on-the-water drills. By noon the wind would make a 180-degree wind shift and the coaches would reset the marks. The kids had a snack for lunch on the water. There would be more drills and practice races throughout the afternoon. By mid-afternoon, the wind would be blowing 18-25 and the kids would sail until dusk, which would be around 6:30pm. There would be time for showers and dinner, then they would meet with the coaches for debriefing along with video footage of their day’s sailing.
The regatta days were a little more relaxed with no morning workouts. Before the races, the sailors had a chance to do a little exploring around Paracas. One side trip included a boat trip to Las Islas Ballestas, which are referred to as the Peruvian Galapagos. It is a small cluster of rock-islands a couple of miles off-shore, which is home to hundreds of thousands of birds of many different kinds, including terns, gulls, vultures and penguins. There are also thousands of sea lions there. So there were times when a stray sea lion would pop up on the kids’ race course, much to their delight. Another great side trip was a sand dune buggy trip. The buggy drivers would drive you into the desert and just start driving all over these huge dunes. Sometimes, as you climbed, you didn’t know if the dune would level out, go over the other side, or the driver would choose to drive sideways down the dune you just climbed. The kids also experienced sand boarding Just like snow boarding, but down these big dunes. It was a great time.
The weather in Paracas was warm and sunny during the days and would cool down at night. It was quite dry, being in the desert. We never saw a hint of rain while we were there. In Nasca, a town south of Paracas, we were told it hasn’t rained for four years. Though the air was warm, the water was very cold, as it is effected by the Humboldt Current. The kids would have to wear plenty of spray gear and wetsuits in order to stay warm.
Before heading south to Paracas for sailing, the two families flew to Cusco, up in the Andes Mountains. There, they visited the Sacred Valley and the ruins of Pisac; Ollantaytambo, which is an old mountain village where many people still live like they did hundreds of years ago; and the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. It’s amazing to think that these structures have stood for over 700 years, through earthquakes of 7.5 and years of overgrowth. We are lucky that it is one of the few places left unharmed by the conquering Spaniards and their search for gold.
One of the highlights for the kids, and the adults, was our encounter with the llamas at Machu Picchu. They were so tame. We had a great time petting and posing with them. We hear they “spit” at you sometimes, but we missed out on that experience.
It was a great adventure. From climbing the ruins at Machu Picchu, to petting the llamas, to sailing the Pacific in Paracas, to driving the dunes, and baying like the sea lions, Peru has a lot to offer.
Link: http://www.allatsea.net/specificissueeditorial.php?featureid=751
Two youth optimist sailors from the US Virgin Islands, and their families, recently traveled to Peru to participate in the first Optimist Training Clinic and Regatta with kids from 11 other nations. Earlier this month, Alex Coyle, from St. John, and Billy Gibbons, from St. Croix, traveled to Paracas, Peru, on the Pacific Coast, to sail with 38 other sailors in a clinic run by world class coaches.
Gonzalo “Bocha” Pollitzer, who coached Malaysia to a second place team finish at the 2005 Opti Worlds, and Fernando “Happy” Alegre, who coached the Trinidad team at the 2005 Opti Worlds, organized the event which included a five-day clinic, limited to 40 sailors, and a three-day regatta, which saw 53 sailors from 12 nations competing. Invited sailors included the North American champion, South American champion, 3rd place at Europeans, and 2nd and 7th place at the Opti Worlds in Switzerland this summer. The VI kids were happy to see their friends from Trinidad, Wesley Scott, Annick Lewis, and Matthew Scott (2nd at Worlds), there as well.
During the clinic a typical day for the sailors started with breakfast and was followed by calisthenics and a run through the desert. Paracas is on the 14-degree latitude south and is on the shore, but is also in the desert. The wind would be dead calm in the early morning and would start to pick up around 10:00am. The sailors would launch around 10:30am and begin on-the-water drills. By noon the wind would make a 180-degree wind shift and the coaches would reset the marks. The kids had a snack for lunch on the water. There would be more drills and practice races throughout the afternoon. By mid-afternoon, the wind would be blowing 18-25 and the kids would sail until dusk, which would be around 6:30pm. There would be time for showers and dinner, then they would meet with the coaches for debriefing along with video footage of their day’s sailing.
The regatta days were a little more relaxed with no morning workouts. Before the races, the sailors had a chance to do a little exploring around Paracas. One side trip included a boat trip to Las Islas Ballestas, which are referred to as the Peruvian Galapagos. It is a small cluster of rock-islands a couple of miles off-shore, which is home to hundreds of thousands of birds of many different kinds, including terns, gulls, vultures and penguins. There are also thousands of sea lions there. So there were times when a stray sea lion would pop up on the kids’ race course, much to their delight. Another great side trip was a sand dune buggy trip. The buggy drivers would drive you into the desert and just start driving all over these huge dunes. Sometimes, as you climbed, you didn’t know if the dune would level out, go over the other side, or the driver would choose to drive sideways down the dune you just climbed. The kids also experienced sand boarding Just like snow boarding, but down these big dunes. It was a great time.
The weather in Paracas was warm and sunny during the days and would cool down at night. It was quite dry, being in the desert. We never saw a hint of rain while we were there. In Nasca, a town south of Paracas, we were told it hasn’t rained for four years. Though the air was warm, the water was very cold, as it is effected by the Humboldt Current. The kids would have to wear plenty of spray gear and wetsuits in order to stay warm.
Before heading south to Paracas for sailing, the two families flew to Cusco, up in the Andes Mountains. There, they visited the Sacred Valley and the ruins of Pisac; Ollantaytambo, which is an old mountain village where many people still live like they did hundreds of years ago; and the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. It’s amazing to think that these structures have stood for over 700 years, through earthquakes of 7.5 and years of overgrowth. We are lucky that it is one of the few places left unharmed by the conquering Spaniards and their search for gold.
One of the highlights for the kids, and the adults, was our encounter with the llamas at Machu Picchu. They were so tame. We had a great time petting and posing with them. We hear they “spit” at you sometimes, but we missed out on that experience.
It was a great adventure. From climbing the ruins at Machu Picchu, to petting the llamas, to sailing the Pacific in Paracas, to driving the dunes, and baying like the sea lions, Peru has a lot to offer.
Link: http://www.allatsea.net/specificissueeditorial.php?featureid=751
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