Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [479]
cuadra – city block
curandera/curandero – traditional healer
cuzqueño – inhabitant of Cuzco (also spelled Cusco or Qosq’o)
escuela cuzqueña – Cuzco school; colonial art movement that combined Spanish and Andean artistic styles
feria – street market with vendor booths
garúa – coastal fog, mist or drizzle
grifo – gas (petrol) station
gringa/gringo – generally refers to all foreigners who are not from South or Central America and Mexico
guanaco – large, wild camelid that ranges throughout South America, now an endangered species in Peru
hospedaje – small, family-owned inn
hostal – guesthouse, smaller than a hotel and with fewer amenities
huaca – sacred pyramid, temple or burial site
huaquero – grave robber
huayno – traditional Andean music using instrumentation with roots in pre-Columbian times
iglesia – church
inca – king
indígena – indigenous person (male or female)
Inrena – Insituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales (National Institute for Natural Resources); government agency that administers national parks, reserves, historical sanctuaries and other protected areas
Inti – ancient Peruvian sun god; husband of the earth goddess Pachamama
isla – island, isle
jirón – road (abbreviated Jr)
lavandería – laundry
limeño – inhabitant of Lima
locutorio – calling center
marinera – a typical coastal Peruvian dance involving the flirtatious waving of handkerchiefs
mestizo – person of mixed indigenous and Spanish descent
micro – a small bus used as public transport
mirador – watchtower, observatory, viewpoint
mototaxi – three-wheeled motorcycle rickshaw taxi; also called motocarro or taximoto
museo – museum
nevado – glaciated or snow-covered mountain peak
nuevo sol – the national currency of Peru
oficina de migraciónes – immigration office
Pachamama – ancient Peruvian earth goddess; wife of the sun god Inti
pampa – large, flat area, usually of grasslands
Panamericana – Pan-American Highway (aka Interamericana); main route joining Latin American countries
parque – park
peña – bar or club featuring live folkloric music
playa – beach
pongo – narrow, steep-walled, rocky, jungle river canyon that can be a dangerous maelstrom during high water
pueblo – town, village
puna – high Andean grasslands of the altiplano
puya – spiky-leafed plant of the bromeliad family
quebrada – literally, a break; often refers to a steep ravine or gulch
quero – ceremonial Inca wooden drinking vessel
río – river
selva – jungle, tropical rainforest
sillar – off-white volcanic rock, often used for buildings around Arequipa
soroche – altitude sickness
taximoto – see mototaxi
terminal terrestre – bus station
totora – reed of the papyrus family; used to build the ‘floating islands’ and traditional boats of Lake Titicaca
turismo vivencial – homestay tourism
vals peruano – Peruvian waltz, an upbeat, guitar-driven waltz played and danced to in coastal areas
vicuña – threatened wild relative of the alpaca; smallest living member of the camelid family
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The Authors
* * *
CAROLINA A MIRANDA
AIMÉE DOWL
KATY SHORTHOUSE
LUKE WATERSON
BETH WILLIAMS
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
* * *
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CAROLINA A MIRANDA Coordinating Author, Lima
Born of a Peruvian father from Chiclayo (an area – FYI – that has a reputation for producing very fierce people), Carolina has spent her life making regular sojourns to Peru to kiss her aunts, wrestle her cousins and eat as much ceviche as is humanly possible. When not experimenting with pisco sour ratios (three parts pisco, one part lime juice, simple syrup to taste), she makes her living as a freelance writer in New York City. She has contributed stories to Time, Budget Travel, Travel + Leisure and public radio station WNYC – and is the author of the uncouth and saucy arts blog C-Monster.net.
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AIMÉE DOWL North Coast, Huaraz & the Cordilleras, Northern Highlands
Whether spotting condors in the páramo (high-altitude Andean grasslands)