LOCAL NEWS

Her grandfather fought for his idea of freedom, equality and a better world. Lydia Guevara is simply fighting for attention.

The granddaughter of the Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara has posed semi-naked with bandoliers of baby carrots slung across her shoulders in an advertisement promoting vegetarianism. And she made sure to wear the iconic beret so associated with the famous grandfather she never knew. Miss Guevara, 24, has been recruited by animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

'It's a homage of sorts to her late grandfather,' said a PETA spokesman. 'It very much evokes the tag line of the ad, which is "Join the vegetarian revolution".'

Since his death in 1967, Che Guevara's stylised image has become one of the world's most recognised emblems.

His family has criticised the fact that his face has been used to sell everything from T-shirts to vodka . PETA enlisted Miss Guevara, who lives in the U.S., after finding out she was a vegetarian. Che Guevara played a pivotal role in Fidel Castro's rise to power in Cuba. He was executed by the CIA in Bolivia in 1967.

The ad is PETA's first campaign promoting vegetarianism in South America. 'We say the best way to save animals is not to eat them,' Mr McGraw said.

He said others who have promoted vegetarianism for PETA include Paul McCartney, Forest Whittaker and Alicia Silverstone.

It has also emerged that Natascha Kampusch who was abducted and held in a cellar for eight years, wants to strip off for a PETA campaign.

Hollywood producer, director and actor Ron Howard arrived in Peru and visited Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, that has attracted many worldwide celebrities. Howard took the Hiram Bingham train at Ollantaytambo station as any other tourist, but some minutes later some passangers recognized him asking him to pose for some pictures with them.

The 55-year-old famous director agreed and signed some autographs for his fans, reported Peru's newspaper El Comercio.

The American producer arrived in Machu Picchu around midday and started to visit the place accompanied with a local guide. The Hollywood director took notes and recorded everything the guide was saying.

Howard is one of the most sought-after and highly regarded directors in the business. His films, including Splash, Cocoon and Apollo 13, have been some of the most memorable entertainment experiences of our era. He won the 2002 Best Director Oscar for A Beautiful Mind, which also won the 2002 Oscar as Best Picture.

Machu Picchu's popularity has rapidly risen since it was chosen one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Many celebrities such as The Police guitarist Andy Summers, have traveled to the Andean city of Cusco and visited the Inca citadel.

The list of celebrities include Princess Beatrice, daughter of Prince Andrés and Sarah Ferguson, Olivia Newton John and Cameron Díaz.

Multibillionaire Bill Gates also visited the Inca citadel and attended the Inti Raymi in Sacsayhuaman, and so did Hollywood actors Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson in December last year.

The Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun, a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire held in Cusco, will be promoted at ITB Berlin, the world's largest tourism and travel fair.

The Inti Raymi and other traditional celebrations held in Cusco will be promoted in major international events thanks to a strategic partnership between Cusco's Festivities Municipal Enterprise (Emufec), Chamber of Tourism (Cartuc) and Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur).

Emufec’s general manager Giovanni Escobar Madrid said “this strategic alliance will allow them to join forces to formally promote Cusco’s Jubilee celebrations, not only at ITB, but in other major events during 2010."

ITB Berlin is THE B2B-Plattform for trade visitors – an excellent opportunity to meet business partners and to do business. For all other visitors ITB Berlin is a wonderful possibility to discover the whole world within a few hours.

The next ITB Berlin will be held during March 10-14 on the fairgrounds of Messe Berlin.

Inti Raymi

The Inti Raymi marks the winter solstice and a new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere.

Since 1944, a theatrical representation of the Inti Raymi has been taking place at Sacsayhuamán (two km. from Cusco) on June 24 of each year, attracting thousands of tourists and local visitors.

After two and a half years of production, people around the country will be able to enjoy the premiere of a documentary about the Lord of Sipan, the oldest and most magnificent tomb found in the Americas.
The Lord of Sipan, a film about an ancient Moche ruler from northern Peru, will premiere tonight at 8pm on Peruvian state-run TV Peru (Channel 7).

The documentary was co-produced by Spanish filmmakers Jose Manuel Novoa, Pedro Almodóvar and his brother Agustín as well as film director and archaeologist Walter Alva, who discovered the Royal Tombs of Sipan at the Huaca Rajada complex in 1987.

The documentary mixes archival footage with the reconstruction of historical settings including commentaries from experts such as Walter Alva.

Peruvian actors in this film include Reynaldo Arenas playing the Lord of Sipan, Monica Sanchez as the priestess, Augusto Varillas and more than 200 local people who participated as extras.

Authorities in the Peruvian department of Ancash announced Friday the discovery of a number of tenon heads believed to be some 4,000 years old.

According to the Mayor of Huaylas district, Jose Espinoza Caballero, these ancient stone carvings were found in the Chupacoto town and would be older than the famous tenon heads of Chavin de Huantar Archaeological Complex.

He noted that the discovery shows the district’s great tourist and scientific potential, as it is considered as “the centre of the Huaylas Culture."

In addition, Espinoza stressed the need to study and protect other local archaeological remains which have not yet been brought to light or recognized.

Meanwhile, archaeologist Daniel Chumpitaz said this discovery revealed that the Chavin Culture may have originated in Chupacoto.

Authorities in the Callejón de Huaylas, a river valley that cuts between the Cordilleras Blanca and Negra in northern Peru, will host the Adventure Festival 2009 from April 29 to May 3 with the aim of increasing the number of Peruvian and foreign tourists in the region.

The five-day event will feature a varied program of activities including adventure sports, concerts, food festivals, traditional dance performances and craft fairs.

The festival’s outdoor activities and adventure sports are paragliding, canoeing, rock climbing, cycling, golf, downhill, BMX, free ride, cross country, bungee jumping, canoeing, donkey cross and boat tours.

The Callejón de Huaylas -covering the provinces of Carhuaz, Huaraz, Huaylas, Recuay and Yungay- is a 150 km long valley in the department of Ancash, in the north-central Peruvian highlands, 400 km north of Lima.

It is bordered by two mountain ranges, the Cordillera Negra (Black Range) to the West and the Cordillera Blanca (White Range) to the East.

As the name indicates, there is no snow on the peaks of the Black Range; the glaciers of the White Range, like the Huascarán, reach over 6,000 meters above sea level.

For the second consecutive week, Lake Titicaca, a nomination shared by Peru and Bolivia, ranks fifth in Group F (Lakes, Rivers and Waterfalls) of the New Seven Wonders of Nature campaign.

Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. By volume of water it is also the largest lake in South America.

The lake is located at the northern end of the endorheic Altiplano basin high in the Andes on the border of Peru and Bolivia.

Meanwhile, other Peru nominees including Amazon River and Colca Canyon ranked second and fourth in Groups D and E, respectively.

Voting for nominees will continue through July 7, 2009. The top 77 nominees by group categories (the top 11 in each of the seven groups) will be eligible for consideration by the New7Wonders of Nature Panel of Experts.

The Panel of Experts will review these 77 nominees and choose from them the 21 Official Finalists, according to published criteria.

The selection will be announced on 21 July 2009, and the 21 Official Finalists will then enter the third and final phase to vote and choose the Official New7Wonders of Nature.

Tinya Palla, a traditional dance from the Andean province of Pomabamba in Ancash region, has been declared national cultural heritage by Peru's National Institute of Culture (INC).

The dance is performed by a group of "Inca noble women", called pallas, who are involved in the search for missing warriors.

Tinya Palla is usually performed during two very important festivities: San Juan Bautista and San Francisco, held on June 24 and October 4 every year.

Tinya Palla name may be related to the Tinyash district in the province of Pomabamba, where important Pre-Columbian archaeological remains were found.

The Andean city of Arequipa in southern Peru expects to receive over 7,000 tourists wanting to visit Colca Valley and the city's Historic Center during Holy Week celebrations, said Carmela Llerena, president of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (Avit) in Arequipa.

Llerena explained that most tourists visting Arequipa are Peruvians who take advantage of a four-day holiday weekend on the occasion of this traditional religious festival.

"Tourism in Arequipa during this time of year is basically domestic. Most tourists, who come from the city of Lima, show interest in visiting Colca Valley and the city's downtown," she stated.

Llerena noted that 7,000 tourists visited Arequipa during last year's Holy Week celebrations, "a number we expect to exceed this year after the promotion of tour packages from months ago.

The Colca Valley is still the most visited place in Arequipa with tourists staying two days and one night to explore the Colca Canyon, observe the flight of the condor, enjoy the La Calera hot springs and tour the villages located along the valley.

Tourists arriving in the White City not only appreciate the colonial-style houses and temples, but also museums and beautiful countryside, which can be seen while touring the traditional districts of Characato, Sabandia, and Quequeña Yarabamba.

Peruvian nominees, Lake Titicaca and Amazon River, are at the top of their category groups in the New Seven World Wonders of Nature campaign, according to latest ranking of the New 7 Wonders Foundation.

Lake Titicaca, a nomination shared by Peru and Bolivia, moved into first place in Group F (Lakes, Rivers and Waterfalls) of the New Seven Wonders of Nature campaign.

Several institutions and authorities as Bolivian President Evo Morales joined the binational crusade to promote Lake Titicaca as a natural wonder.

A voting campaign will be held on April 3 in the Bolivian city of La Paz with more than 500 PCs and 300 Internet booths.

In turn, the 'Amazonia', which includes the world's largest river and the Amazon forest, also ranked first on a New Seven World Wonders of Nature list in the forests, national parks and nature reserves category (Group E).

Meanwhile, Colca Canyon, located in the department of Arequipa, moved up to fourth place in Group D (Caves, Rock Formations, Valleys).

Some thirty tour operators from different countries will visit Iquitos to participate in the 16th Peru Travel Mart (PMT), the most important annual event for the promotion of tourism in Peru, reported the regional director of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Cristina Alegría.

The foreign delegation will stay in the jungle Peruvian city of Iquitos from April 27 to 29, Alegria said.

Since 1987, PTM has been organized by the National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur) and Peru's Export and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru).

This event seeks to promote the cultural wealth of Peruvian regions including their customs, traditions, typical dishes and dances, among other tourist attractions.

Tour operators from France, Italy, Australia, Canada, UK, Romania, Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela have already confirmed their participation in Iquito’s PTM and business roundtables.

Operators arriving in Iquitos will be able to enjoy the regional tourism diversity and have the possibility to settle businesses in the tourism sector.

In the same way, the visit includes a tour of Loreto’s natural attractions located in the eastern Peruvian jungle, taking into account its ecotourism potential.

A group of Peruvian chasquis (or Inca messengers) will run from the snow-capped mountains of Arequipa to the Bolivian capital La Paz to create more awareness about voting for Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca in the ongoing voting to select the world's new seven wonders of nature.

The Arequipa - La Paz Chasquis Race will start from Chivay -capital of the Caylloma province in Arequipa- on Tuesday, March 10, and will finish in La Paz, Bolivia, on Thursday 12.

After the race, Peruvian and Bolivian authorities will sign a Binational Cooperation Agreement to promote the Colca Valley and Lake Titicaca as world wonders of nature.

Colca Autonomous Authority (AutoColca) president, Jose Luis Talavera, said this agreement with the Lake Titicaca Binational Authority aims to reaffirm friendship ties between the two cities and the commitment to supporting Colca and Titicaca in the new seven wonders of nature race.

AutoColca representative mentioned that last month they met with La Paz authorities to sign a similar document, which will be ratified next week in Bolivia.

The Carnival Splendor, one of the most modern ships of the fleet of Carnival Cruise Lines, arrived on Sunday in the port of Callao with more than 3,000 passengers and 1,910 crew members on board from the port of Valparaiso, Chile.

The imposing ship, regarded as the biggest transatlantic that has sailed by the Peruvian coast, arrived at approximately 06:00 am (11:00 GMT).

During their stay in Lima for 12 hours, the Carnival Splendor’s passengers visited various tourist attractions of the city including Lima’s Main Square, the Cathedral, Santo Domingo and San Francisco Convent, Larco and Gold Museums, Pachacamac ruins, ranches with Peruvian Paso Horse exhibition and the Indian Market.

Tourists also enjoyed the extraordinary Peruvian cuisine in various restaurants in the city, which already had prepared varied menus and buffets of our flagship dishes.

An important group of passengers of the huge ship traveled to the historic city of Cusco, where they will stay two nights after that they will return to the cruise ship to visit its next destination: Ecuador.

Afterwards, the vessel continued its journey through Acapulco (Mexico) Puerto Vallarta (Mexico), Los Angeles (USA) and finally San Francisco (USA).

The Carnival Splendor provides a host of new features, including: staterooms with flat screen TVs; a spectacular 21,000-square-foot, two-level spa and gym facility; 5,500-square-foot children's playroom; and a mid-ship pool covered with a two-deck-high Sliding Sky Dome.

Peruvian and foreign tourists visiting the Andean department of Puno have now the opportunity to take a new tourist route called "Men and Stone", which includes visits to stone monuments and craft workshops/fairs in different towns around the provinces of Lampa and Melgar.

Gestur NGO representative Hernan Cornejo Rosello said that with the launch of the new tour hundreds of local poor communities will benefit from increased tourist flows.

The tour includes a visit to the traditional pottery village of Pucara and its Stone Museum showcasing a collection of sculptures such as monoliths, steles and zoomorphic pieces, as well as ceramics and other objects.

Pucara is a town located in the Lampa province 107 km northeast of Puno and 62 km northwest of Juliaca, home to the famous Toritos de Pucara (Little Bulls from Pucara) traditional little sculpture clay works native of the nearby community of Santiago de Pupuja (15 km) whose reason to be is related to the magical and religious spirit of the farmers.

The “Men and Stone” tour will also take tourists to the Melgar province at 3,907 m.a.s.l. (12,820 ft). One of its highlights are the towns of Tarukani and Tinajani, famous for their large number of Puyas Raimondi (endemic species of the high Andean zones of Bolivia and Peru) and spectacular rock formations, respectively.

Italian-born American molecular geneticist and co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Mario Capecchi, described the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu as a magnificent piece of architecture.

Capecchi was very impressed on how Machu Picchu was built, "The symmetry and length allow a 360 degree view of the citadel," he told Andina news agency.

Capecchi, who is visiting Cusco with his wife and daughter, said it is surprising the ingenuity of Peru's Incas and Mexico's Aztecs to build "such amazing" monuments, which show the development of their cultures.

According to Julio Castro Gómez, Dean of the Peruvian Medical College, Capecchi visited Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley last weekend and today he will make a tour through the city of Cusco.

The tour includes a visit to the Temple and Fortress of Sacsayhuaman (15 minutes drive from central Cusco), the Temple of the Sun or Koricancha in Cusco and other colonial monuments.

Capecchi, whose research open the possibility of curing diseases of genetic origin, has scheduled its return to Peru's capital Lima for the next few hours.

Capecchi came to Peru on Friday to attend the International Seminar on "Research on stem cells: progress, controversies and perspectives", which will take place on February 10-11 at the Peruvian Medical College.

The Andean city of Puno in southeastern Peru will hold Monday a traditional parade and religious rites to honor their patron saint, the Virgen de la Candelaria.

More than sixty folk groups who participated Sunday in the colourful regional dance competition will parade today throughout the main squares and streets of Puno.

For 18 days, the highland city of Puno, nestled on the shores of Lake Titicaca at an altitude of 3,870 meters above sea level, celebrates the Virgen de la Candelaria Festival with a series of traditional dances and songs performed by over 200 folk groups from all over the region.

The festival is linked to the pre-Hispanic agricultural cycles of sowing and harvesting, as well as mining activities in the region. It is the result of a blend of respectful Aymara gaiety and ancestral Quechua seriousness.

The dance of the demons, or diablada, the main dance of the festival, was allegedly dreamed up by a group of miners trapped down a mine who, in their desperation, resigned their souls to the Virgen de la Candelaria.

The Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur) of Puno said it is expected that over 40,000 tourists arrive in Puno this month to participate in the activities scheduled as part of the Virgen de la Candelaria Festival.

In 2003, the event was declared Peru's Cultural Heritage by the National Institute of Culture (INC).

Three preferred destinations in Ecuador and Peru have made it through the first stage to pick the New 7 Wonders of the World. The Tourism authorities of both countries were officially notified that Lake Titicaca, the Galápagos Islands and Amazonia (shared by Peru and Ecuador and several other countries) have entered phase two of this international competition as of December 31st 2008.

260 natural locations have made it to the second phase, and only 20 are in South America. The voting of the second phase will conclude on July 7 with 21 finalists to be voted throughout 2010 and in 2011, the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World will be designated. Your vote is important at www.N7W.com.

Heavy rains have damaged Peru’s famed Nazca lines, a top tourist attraction and one of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries, reported daily Peru21 on Tuesday.

Precipitation has left a layer of white desert clay and sand atop some of the fingers of a geoglyph known as “the hand.”

The damage is minor, “and is reversible,” said archaeologist Mario Olaechea, of Peru’s National Culture Institute.

“We are presently conducting a field evaluation,” said Olaechea. “We have observed minor damage, and believe that the geoglyph can be restored.”

The sand and clay should soon be carefully dusted away to restore the geoglyph.

Since their discovery by American scientist Paul Kosok in 1939, the Nazca lines on Peru’s rocky Pampa San José have mystified scholars and astounded tourists.

Originally considered to be the vestiges of irrigation lines beyond the lush Nazca valley, the hundreds of figures – ranging in complexity from simple lines to stylized marine animal figures and birds including a hummingbird, pelican and condor – are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Peru.

However, as only the lizard, hands and the tree figures can be seen from the a viewing platform located adjacent to the Pan-American Highway, hundreds of planes fly over the lines from dawn to dusk every day.

According to the New 7 Wonders Foundation's website, the Amazon River - a nomination shared by nine South American countries including Peru - is one of the favorites to make it to the top 77.

Voters visiting the official website can now see the top 77 Official New7Wonders of Nature nominees of the week by category groups (Landscapes and Ice Formations; Islands; Mountains and Volcanoes; Caves, Rock Formations and Valleys; Forests, National Parks and Nature Reserves; Lakes, Rivers and Waterfalls; and Seascapes).

The Amazon River/Forest, the world's largest tropical rainforest, ranks second in Group E (Forests, National Parks and Nature Reserves).

The Amazon River accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total world river flow and has the biggest drainage basin on the planet. Not a single bridge crosses the Amazon.

Other nominations in Peru include Lake Titicaca, ranked seventh in Group F (Lakes, rivers and waterfalls) and Colca Canyon, which is in fifth place in Group D (Caves, rock formations and valleys).

A total of 261 qualified national and multinational nominees from 222 countries are participating in this second phase of the Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign. People's votes will decide which of these 261 nominees make it to the top 77.

The inbound tourism in Peru continues to grow strongly and this year could register an increase of between 7 and 8 percent compared to last year, Peru’s Trade Minister Mercedes Araoz said this week.

“We are still making this year’s estimates, because the international crisis could decrease our growth but we could expect a rate of up to 8 percent”, she said to Andina News Agency.

She added that since the international crisis worsened in September last year, no decrease was registered in the number of tourists who travel across the country.

“Tourism has not dropped, there is no formal information about it, no cancellations were registered”, minister Araoz pointed out.

More than 2 million tourists visited Peru last year, 14 percent more compared to 2007.

She told that a large group of visitors came from Chile and the United States.

One of the strategies the Ministry is working on consists of attracting tourists, especially from Latin-American countries, which are closer to Peru.

San Agustín Hotels Chain plans to open its Hotel San Agustín Plaza in the Andean city of Cusco in September or October 2009, the company's general manager Manuel García said on Monday.

"We have overcome all administrative obstacles and we already have the construction permit. The Hotel Plaza will be temporarily closed to allow building demolition," he told Andina news agency.

The project includes the construction of a four-star boutique hotel on the site of the former Hotel Plaza.

The Hotel San Agustin Plaza is located in the Cusco downtown, in front of the Koricancha Temple, in the Avenida El Sol the most important of the Cusco City, and is just 4 blocks to the Main Square of Cusco.

The Hotel San Agustin Plaza will offer 47 rooms with view to the "Koricancha Temple". Each of them equipped with cable TV, frigobar, digital telephone, hair dyer and safety box. The hotel counts with smoking and non-smoking rooms.

On the other hand, Manuel Garcia announced the completion of expansion works at its Hotel & Spa San Agustin Urubamba, located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

The Hotel & Spa San Agustin Urubamba offers 72 rooms and suites. All the rooms offer: cable TV, telephone, hair dryer, no smoking rooms, buffet breakfast, room service, restaurant and bar, meeting room, fax service, laundry and dry cleaning express service, bilingual staff offering personalized service.

Telethon 2008 raised on Sunday a record 10 million soles for hundreds of children and adolescents being treated at the Hogar Clínica San Juan de Dios, a rehabilitation clinic for disabled patients of scarce economic resources.

Peruvian President Alan García, who hosted this traditional one-day fundraising event, announced at 1:00 am (6:00 GMT) that 9 million soles in cash and S/. 1 million in equipments and supplies have been collected for children at San Juan de Dios Clinic.

The Peruvian leader explained that Telethon organizers are still tallying the money raised from phone calls; therefore, it is expected that the total value of donations will surpass 10 million soles.

President García thanked famous artists, television channels, producer Ricardo Ghibellini and all Peruvians for their participation and support during this charity event held Sunday at the Government Palace in Peru's capital Lima.

"This is a time for solidarity and for people to unite. What I wanted to do in this Telethon is to demonstrate that Peruvians can be united by setting aside political differences, disputes and grudges to think about human issues," Alan García said on early Monday.

On sunday, a great number of talented artists perfomed traditional Peruvian dances and songs during the Telethon fundraising event which was attended by hundreds of Peruvians.

Music artists performing at the event included Latin Grammy-winning pop singer Gian Marco Zignago, folk singer Dina Páucar, Cumbia band Grupo 5, and Latin American Idol finalist Sandra Muente, among other singers and bands.

The US largest selling daily newspaper in the United States, USA Today, shows in its travel section an article that highlights Peru as one of the main destinations to visit in 2009.

Besides Peru, the article also includes other four amazing places, such as Riviera Nayarit (Mexico), Vancouver (Canada), Kansas City (United State) and Vilnius (Lithuania).

With a picture of Caral citadel USA Today says that Peru offers unforgettable destinations like Caral, one of the archeological ruins of what is widely recognized as the oldest city in the Americas.

Christine Sarkis, who wrote the mentioned article and works for the online travel magazine SmarterTravel.com says that more people are visiting Peru every year and recommend it as a travel destination for 2009 since this Andean country is supporting its growth in this industry with major funding of tourism infrastructures and projects.

She stressed on Lima (Peru’s capital) concentrates the appeal of Peru into an urban centre. Rich in museums celebrating the heritage, culture, and natural beauty of the country, it also has colonial architecture, archaeological ruins, scenic landscapes, and even beaches.

The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) trained 130 representatives and employees of restaurants and lodging establishments in Machu Picchu district (Cusco), with the aim of promoting good practices to improve the quality of tourism services.

The courses were focused on the implementation of Good Practice Management services manual in Lodging establishments and Good Practice for Food Handling for Restaurants and Related Services manuals, developed as part of the National Plan for Tourism Quality (Caltur).

The first manual considers that competitiveness in the hosting service is primarily based on intangibles, such as the service quality provided by employees.

In addition, small and medium-sized companies of the tourism industry will give recommendations to improve the services, starting a quality commitment ad counting on more satisfied customers.

The ex-hostage of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Ingrid Betancourt, arrives in Peru on Thursday to hold a series of meetings with Peruvian officials, the Colombian ambassador to Lima, Alvaro Pava, said.

He indicated that the Colombian ex-presidential candidate does not yet have a specific agenda, but this would include a meeting with Peruvian president Alan García.

In declarations to Andina news agency, Pava recalled that Betancourt has began a tour around several Latin American countries, to thank for the support provided for her freeing, in the frame of a campaign that seeks to favor the release of FARC’s captives.

Betancourt, who is currently living in France after being rescued last July 2, started her Latin American tour on Monday in Ecuador, where she met with president Rafael Correa, who offered her to continue efforts for releasing FARC's hostages.

The Colombian former hostage arrived today in the city of Buenos Aires, where she is expected to meet with the Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and tomorrow Wednesday she will go to Santiago de Chile to meet with president Michelle Bachelet.

After visiting Peru, Betancourt will visit Brazil, Bolivia, and Venezuela, countries that are also part of this tour.

An expedition of local authorities verified the finding of a possible pre-Inca citadel at the Pachallama hill, located in the village of La Palma, province of Utcubamba (Peru’s Amazonas), after this was reported by people of the zone.

The group, which arrived last weekend, found stone circular dwellings along five hectares over a farming land located in the above-mentioned village.

In these dwelling places, there were also found big stones that would have been used by ancient people of the area to grind some seeds and wild plants.

The expedition has to face difficulties such as the slope of the Pachallama hill, due to wild nature and rain, in order to depart from Bagua Grande and go across the Pururco town.

The mayor of Jamalca, Ricardo Cabrera Bravo, said to Andina news agency that were inhabitants of La Palma who fitted out the area.

"They organized the work, provided with machetes they cleared the way until arrive in the place where it is possible to sight a beautiful natural landscape full of flora and fauna, besides a waterfall of approximately 500 meters", he said.

The professor Benedicto Perez Goicochea, who reported the discovery, said that cave paintings on a cliff were also found.

"The citadel arrives in an abyss that, we think, ancient inhabitants used as viewing-point and where they could see possible enemies", he added.

A total of 2,600 tourists will visit Lima’s Historical Centre Thursday, after the arrival of the Star Princess cruise ship to Callao’s port, in Peru.

The Municipality of Lima will welcome them with a “creole show” (typical Peruvian music) at Lima’s Main Square, accompanied of a traditional pisco sour and handicraft souvenirs.

Travelers will make a city tour with panoramic visits to the Lima’ Main Square, the Cathedral, churches and convents of Santo Domingo and San Francisco, Parque de la Muralla (Wall Park and Museum), among other tourist attractions.

They will arrive by groups to the Main Square in buses, and later they will go round the tourist places as well and enjoy the Peruvian gastronomy.

The giant “Star Princess” will depart from San Francisco port, the United States, for a 32-day journey through South America.

Lima has a rich and varied tourist offer for adventurers to enjoy during the upcoming holiday weekend - November 20, 21, 22 and 23 - on the occasion of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, Lima’s governor Nelson Chui Mejía said Thursday. Governor Chui Mejía noted that visitors will have the opportunity to visit archaeological and cultural sites, go to sunny beaches, explore natural environments and enjoy local gastronomy.

For example, he mentioned that in northern Lima, which includes Huaral, Oyón, Huaura, Cajatambo and Barranca provinces, people can visit the ancient citadels of Caral and Bandurria, located near Huacho province.

"If tourists are planning to stay more than one day in the area, they can also tour the Lomas de Lachay national reserve or the beautiful cities of Chancay and Huaral," he added.

In addition, he recommended to visit the Krishna Eco Truly Park temple near Chacra y Mar beach in Chancay, as well as Las Shicras archaeological site in the Chancay valley, in Huaral.
As for the cuisine, visitors can taste salchicha huachana (a typical Peruvian sausage), cracklings, tamales, rice with duck, duck ceviche, local soups and varied dishes based on fish, shellfish and guinea pig.
In southern Lima, Chui Mejía recommended tourists to visit Azpitia, a traditional town known for its wines, piscos (a popular Peruvian drink distilled from grapes) and scenic natural landscapes.

In Lunahuaná, Canete, tourists will also have the chance to taste wine and farmhouse pisco as they get ready to enjoy rafting through the beautiful and narrow Lunahuana River.

Finally, in the central part of Lima (Canta, Huarochirí and Yauyos provinces), tourists can start planning a fantastic adventure journey to Palakala Waterfall and Zarate Forests while nature, mystic, and esoteric lovers are invited to visit Markahuasi.

In Canta, tourists can visit the town of Santa Rosa de Quives, which receives many visitors in August during Holy Week.

With the aim of promoting the tourist activity in the Peruvian department of Ica, hit by last year's earthquake, a series of cultural, artistic, and sport activities has been programmed on occasion of the 29th Tourist Week, the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur), reported Wednesday.

The head of Tourism of Dircetur-Ica, Julio Valenzuela, said that even though the tourist activity of the department has been recovered from earthquake, “it is necessary to continue boosting this sector, specially now that Peru is in the eyes of the world due to be a host country of important international summits”.

“We estimate that about 1,500 visitors will participate in the diverse activities scheduled for the tourist week, number that could be increased considering that APEC’s long holiday weekend begins on November 20th”, he said to Andina news agency. “Undoubtedly, this tourist week will be different with respect to last year’s because the earthquake was recent by then. Now, Ica’s business sector shows more enthusiasm to host this event”, he added.

The 29th Tourist Week of Ica began last Monday and will last until Sunday November 16th. Among the most important activities are the contest of typical costumes and gastronomic festivals, which will count on the participation of schools, restaurants and high education institutes.

Peru ranks among the most important tourist destinations in the world thanks to the worldwide recognition that it has achieved throughout the years, Peru's Export and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru) reported Wednesday.

On this occasion, Peru won four out of ten prizes awarded by the Latin American Travel Association (LATA) based in the United Kingdom.

PromPeru, which main goal is to promote Peru's exports and tourist attractions, was chosen as the Best Tourism Promotion Office in Latin America.

In addition, the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge, a hotel located in Peru’s Amazon Basin, was named the "Best Lodge in the Jungle”.

Peru’s Aqua Expeditions was also named the "Best Luxury Cruise" for its Amazon River voyages from Iquitos (Loreto) to the National Reserve of Pacaya – Samiria.

Meanwhile, Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises, which has hotels in Lima (Miraflores Park Hotel), Cusco (Hotel Monasterio), Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge) and the Colca Canyon in Arequipa (Las Pocitas del Colca), was named the Best Hotel Chain.

According to a recent census conducted by the National Institute of Natural Resources (Inrena) in the country’s southern regions, Peru has 447 Darwin's Rheas, flightless Andean birds in danger of extinction.

Inrena’s Biodiversity Conservation Directorate (DCB) said that the census was conducted in the departments of Puno, Tacna and Moquegua, between May and July this year, in an area of 13 square kilometers.

According to Inrena representative Miguel Lleellish, 43 percent of the birds were found in Moquegua.

More than 150 volunteers from three local towns, most of them professional forest rangers and residents, participated in the process.

The project is part of a joint work between Inrena, regional governments, municipalities, universities as well as public and private organizations.

Darwin's Rhea (Rhea pennata), also known as the Lesser Rhea, is the smaller of the two extant species of rhea. It stands at 90 to 100 centimeters (3 ft to 3 ft 4 in) tall, and has larger wings than other ratites, enabling it to run particularly well.

It can reach speeds of 60 km/hour, enabling it to outrun predators. The sharp claws on the toes are effective weapons.

Darwin's Rhea lives in areas of open scrub in the grasslands of Patagonia and on the Andean plateau, through the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. It is known locally by various names, depending on the location: suri, choique, ñandú petiso, or ñandú del norte.

The next meeting of micro and small businessmen of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), to be held on November 17, is an excellent opportunity for Peruvian MSEs to learn from the best experiences and continue growing, the president of the Coordinating Committee of Gamarra Entrepreneurs, Diógenes Alva, said Thursday.

“We will take part of this meeting, besides others linked to APEC 2008. It will be essential to share experiences with the 21 most important economies of the world, which regard Peru as a country of great potential and which development of the last years has attracted investors”, he said in a local TV station.

Alva indicated that recently, Gamarra entrepreneurs have participated in seminars and meetings held in countries such as China and Singapore, due to the economic summit.

“We take experiences from APEC countries, which should be implemented in conglomerates such as Gamarra, Villa El Salvador and Huaycán. They are innovative ideas that will be also presented on November 17 and I expect that the micro entrepreneurs can take them”, he said.

“We should not only considering neighboring countries. To sign FTAs with countries of other markets will allow us to be more competitive”, he added.

On the other hand, Alva asked the financial system to be more flexible issuing loans to the sector, in special now that there is a law promoting the formalization of the MSEs.

The service of hot-air-balloon rides over the Callejón de Huaylas will start in April of 2009, with the aim of improving the tourist offer in the Peruvian department of Ancash, the general manager of the company Globos del Peru, Luis Fernández, reported Wednesday.

He said the balloon, 28-meter diameter and 30-meter height, will have a capacity for seven passengers and will offer services only from April to November, because from December to March is rainy season in the zone, which makes balloon trips difficult.

“The investment demands around 110,000 dollars and includes the purchase of a hot air balloon, a van, offices in Huaraz and the respective equipment”, he said to Andina news agency.

Fernández estimated that 1-hour ride ticket would cost between 65 and 100 dollars and would include transfering the tourist from the hotel to the departure point.

“In fact, since now, some hotels and tourist operators already have reservations for balloon rides over the Callejón de Huaylas”, he said.

He also said that the hot air balloon will be one made by the Spanish firm Ultramagic, one of the largest manufacturers of hot air balloons and cold air inflatables in the world.

Thousands of Peruvian and foreign tourists arrive in Moquegua to venerate the Virgin and martyr Saint Fortunata in the most important religious festival of this Southern Andean department.

The festivities, which began a week ago, will end on October 14, main day of of this religious festival considered one of the most important in southern Peru.

As part of the activities, a fireworks and burning of castles show was scheduled tomorrow, Monday 13, at Moquegua's Main Square. On October 14, devotees will attend a mass and procession of the replica of the Virgin.

The more than ten thousand tourists who annually visit Moquegua during this festivity show great devotion to St. Fortunata, whose intact body remains in a special wooden box inside the Cathedral of Moquegua.

During the religious festival highlights the countless delegations of dancers arriving from several areas of the southern of the country, especially from Ilo and Tacna cities.

Santa Fortunata, Virgin and martyr, was born between the years 281 to 287 of our era. She died on October 14 when she only had 17 years old during the continuous persecution that Christians suffered by the Emperor Diocesan in the called "Era of Martyrs."

The first great Parade of Tourism in Cusco, created and organized by Cusco's Chamber of Commerce, Cusco Regional Chamber of Tourism (CARTUC) and the Peruvian Association of Cusco Travel Agencies (AATC), exceeded all expectations because it counted on the participation of more than a hundred entities.

Tomorrow, at noon, floats, cars, bands and musical groups will parade from Almudena square towards Cusco's main square. The event will finish with “Cusco’s Great Night".

This event is sponsored and supported by PromPerú, Cusco regional government, Office of Foreign Trade and Tourism, National Police, Santiago and Písac municipalities, Filigranas Peruanas, private companies and public entities.

The president of Cusco's Chamber of Commerce, Fernando Ruiz Caro, thanked all participants for the success of this activity, and emphasized that the activity helps to show the real Cusco: close, fraternal and festive.

In turn, Marco Ochoa, AATC president, highlighted the massive participation of the micro and small enterprises of the zone that will parade together with their institutions.

The Municipality of Caylloma, a province located in the southern Peruvian region of Arequipa, will celebrate World Tourism Day from September 21 – 27 with a series of artistic and cultural activities including a tourist parade.

Local mayor Jorge Cueva Tejada said these activities will also aim at encouraging people to vote for the Colca Valley in the New Seven Wonders of Nature Campaign.

A tourist parade with typical dances of Caylloma and of other Arequipa provinces will be held on September 26 through the main streets of the White City, Cueva stated.

In addition, local authorities will also organize the Colca Week which includes cultural and traditional activities to take place in the Main Square with the aim of attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

During this week, people can appreciate the beauty of Colca Valley through an exhibition of paintings and can also taste typical local food.

Mayor Cueva said that during this week-long event, computers will be installed in the Arequipa’s Main Square so people can cast their vote for the Colca Valley.

On Sunday 27, several activities will be carried out in the square of Chivay, capital of Caylloma province, offering tourists a warm welcome with traditional dances and dishes.

The Colca Valley is located in southern Peru, province of Caylloma, over 100 km on NNW from Arequipa. The Colca Valley is a colorful Andean valley with towns founded in Spanish Colonial times and formerly inhabited by the Collaguas and the Cabanas.

The first phase of the contest to name the seven natural wonders of the world entered the final stage, so Peruvian nominees such as Titicaca Lake and Amazon River need people’s support to be elected Natural Wonders, said today Julián Barra Catacora, executive president of the Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca (ALT).

He stated that Peru's attractions, Amazon River and Lake Titicaca, rank among the 30 first places according to the New 7 Wonders Foundation, organizer of this contest.

Barra said that 289 natural sites participate in this contest. Asia has the largest number of nominations, 63; followed by South America with 58, Europe with 57, Africa with 48, North America with 47 and Oceania with 16.

Only 35 of all the nominees have an official support committee, 16 of these belong to South America, seven to Asia, six to North America, five to Europe and one to Oceania. Africa has not regularized the registration of any candidate yet.

The president of ALT, who also chairs the official support committee for the candidature of Titicaca Lake, highlighted the progress of two other South American sites nominees: Iguazú Waterfalls (Argentina / Brazil) and the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), which have positioned in the first ten places.

Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Bolivia and Peru. It sits 3,812 m (12,507 ft) above sea level making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. By volume of water it is also the largest lake in South America.

The Amazon River of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers flowing into the ocean combined.

The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately one fifth of the world's total river flow.

The Baños del Inca district, one of the most important tourist resort in Peru's northern highlands, celebrated Sunday its 49th anniversary of political creation and the Virgin of the Nativity festival which brought together thousands of worshippers from the Cajamarca region and elsewhere.

Celebrations began early morning with a 21-gun salute, followed by a Mass and Te Deum at the Virgin of the Nativity Church.

This and the other anniversary activities were attended by local mayor Julio Dávila Silva, political and military authorities, as well as civil society representatives.

Mayor Julio Dávila presided over the solemn ceremony held at the Municipality and in his speech he highlighted the district's rapid growth and development.

The Baños del Inca district is one of twelve districts of Cajamarca and is famous for its wonderful thermal baths where Atahuallpa, the last Inca Emperor, encamped with his army at the time of his arrest.

Today, the site offers a variety of buildings for bathing, facilities for saunas, swimming and an unusual heated boating lake.

The arrival of foreign tourists to the Andean city of Puno, in southern Peru, rose 28.77 percent in July compared to the same period of 2007, Peru’s Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism announced today.

Local director Porfirio Aguilar said the arrival of foreign tourists to Puno has seen a significant jump from 16, 908 in July 2007 to 21, 773 million in July this year.

Aguilar detailed there was an increase of 4, 865 visitors, a 28.77 percent rise compared to last year.

Aguilar attributed this growth to the election of Machu Picchu Inca citadel as one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, "which has also served to show the other wonders that Peru has."

"The eyes of the world are on Machu Picchu. In addition, Puno and Bolivia share the Lake Titicaca, considered the world’s highest navigable lake, hence, tourists traveling to Machu Picchu cannot miss the opportunity to our immense water mirror," he said.

Aguilar added that the largest number of foreign visitors come from the USA (13,064 tourists from Jan-July 2008), followed by France (12,917), the UK (10,507) and other European countries.

The director of the Executive Unit Naylamp: 111 - Lambayeque, Celso Sialer Távara, announced that two new site museums will open its doors before the end of this year in this country's zone, which will be included in the tourist offer that presents the northern department.

Sialer Távara said that these museums are Huaca Rajada Site Museum, located at Pomalca's district and Chotuna Site Museum, in Lambayeque's province.

"Presently, both cultural complexes are in a process of museographic implementation to make possible its opening on occasion of Lambayeque’s province anniversary that is commemorated on December 27, opening the doors to the national and international tourism”, he said.

In addition, he indicated that both museums will be incorporated to Lambayeque's tourist offer integrated by the cultural complexes Royal Tombs of Sipán, Bruning Museum, Túcume's Site Museum and Sicán Museum.

Train tickets from Cusco or Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu will cost less if new companies start operating on this train route currently operated by PeruRail, reported today Inka Rail.

PeruRail, partly owned by Orient-Express Hotels Ltd and their partners, has been running the railroad form Cusco to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) for nine years.

Inka Rail noted that after signing the concession contract in 1999, prices for the backpacker and vistadome service increased from $34 to $73 and from $55 to $113, respectively, in 2006.

However it mentioned that 25.7% and 31.5% price reductions in both services are expected this year.

A week ago, PeruRail denied any rise in ticket prices on the Cusco-Machu Picchu route as it was mentioned by Andean Railways, a company pushing for access to the rail route.

This Saturday, the Shrine of Saint Rose of Lima will open its doors from six o'clock in the morning to receive thousands of devotees and visitors who every year come together to commemorate the Day of the Patroness of Lima, Peru, the Americas and the Philippines.

The prior father of the sanctuary, Juan José Ungido, said that all street lamps, walls, railings and statues have been cleaned and painted inside and around the Temple to give it a bright look during this weekend's celebrations.
 

Saint Rose of Lima was the name bestowed upon a woman who dedicated her life to caring for the sick. Isabel Flores de Oliva was born in Lima in 1586 and died in 1617. Her character and good work earned her considerable fame even within her own lifetime and by the end of her own century she had become the first saint of the Americas and the patron saint of Lima.

Her shrine, in the historic centre of Lima, attracts a continual flow of pilgrims who come in hope of a miracle or a cure. On her day, pilgrims compose letters, detailing their needs, and leave them at the well in the garden of the hermitage, or in the shrine itself. The anniversary is a holiday celebrated throughout Peru, but especially in the city of Lima and the town of Santa Rosa de Quives.

More than 200 local pisco distilleries have already confirmed their participation in the 12th National Festival and 15th National Contest of Pisco, which will take place from September 12 to 14 at the Jockey Plaza shopping center in Lima, announced the president of the National Commission of Pisco (Conapisco), Johann Spitzer.

Spitzer said that at present there are 446 distilleries with the denomination of origin "Pisco" registered in Conapisco, of which 77% are located in the regions of Lima and Ica.

"The denomination of origin is a technical standard that upholds the uniqueness, contribution, tradition, history, climate, soil, roots, grape variety, and Peruvianess of Pisco. It is the seal of quality to which all pisco producers aspire," Spitzer said. 

He noted that the various versions of the festival and contest nationwide have been platforms for pisco producers of several generations to present their products to domestic buyers, such as supermarkets, hotels and restaurants.

In fact, he said the figures show that such promotion events have resulted in a significant growth in the production of Pisco.

In this regard, Spitzer noted that the production of pisco saw an accumulated growth of 139% between 2003 and 2007, and estimated that this year there will be a growth between 12% and 18%.

The 12th National Festival and 15th National Contest of Pisco is organised by the Ministry of Production and the National Commission of Pisco (Conapisco).

Polish archaeologist Mariusz Ziolkowskic, co-director of the Archaeological Project "Condesuyos", announced that the archaeological site of Maucallacta, located in the southern Peruvian region of Arequipa, would be open to public by the end of this month.

The architectural Inca complex of Maucallacta is located above the contemporary village of San Antonio (Administrative District of Pampacolca, Province of Castilla, Department of Arequipa) at approximately 3,700 meters (10,000 ft) above sea level.

It overlooks the neighboring valley and the nearest bigger city, Pampacolca, is located approximately 170 kilometers (110 miles) north-west of the city of Arequipa in the southern highlands of Peru.

This site was restored thanks to the Polish contribution and the support from local authorities such as district mayor Vicente Cárcamo Huamaní.

Maucallacta, which in Quechua language means "old town", is composed of more than two hundred stone buildings and tombs, an ushnu and three huge ceremonial platforms, made of stones and earth.

According to experts, this site is believed to be an important administrative, pilgrimage and religious center related to the volcano.

The Chiribaya Archaeological Museum, which houses 270 pieces of the Chiribaya culture that flourished on Peru’s southern coast between 800 and 1350 AD, was inaugurated in Arequipa, with the aim of becoming a new tourist attraction for the city.

The museum consists of nine rooms where you can see pieces as fishing and farming gear as well as interesting collection of ceramics, textiles and gold and silver work of more than thousand years old. 

José Jimenez Lazo, owner of the pieces, said that the archaeological legacy was inherited from his father, a doctor who lived since 1956 in the valley of Ilo (Moquegua), where he took an interest in the Chiribaya culture after receiving from the villagers some objects as a gift. 

"My father is not charged for the medical care to people and help pay their solidarity gave him pieces of their ancestors, which began to interest my father," he said.

Evidence of this culture can be found in Arica to the south and as far north as the Tambo valley in Arequipa.

Animal husbandry was important to them and research has shown that they bred a llama which produced a longer and finer wool than the best alpaca of today.

Their textiles are of camelid wool, exquisitely styled and displaying advanced techniques. Their ceramic ware is unique, decorated in geometric patterns whose meaning has not yet been revealed.

Agriculture was also very important to their economy. Maize, sweet potato, cassava, jiquima and molle were consumed in large quantities. Fruits included lucuma, guayaba and pacae.

A sample of the main traditional dishes and varied crafts of the department of Lambayeque (Peru) will be exhibited in a business round table, which will take place next October in the city of Loja (Ecuador).

The event, to be held from October 6 to 8, is organized by the Economic Development Management of the regional government of Lambayeque.

Authorities and entrepreneurs of Ecuador may taste Lambayeque’s traditional dishes like cebiche, arroz con pato (braised duck with coriander rice), arroz con cabrito (goat and rice), chinguirito, causa, espesado, among others.

They will also taste traditional beverages like chicha de jora (a corn-based drink) and algarrobina cocktail as well as the typical Lambayeque’s desserts.

The regional manager of Economic Development, Rosa Meléndez Malatesta, reported that the gastronomic journey will take place on October 8 at the facilities of the Hotel Libertador, one of the best in the Ecuadorian city. The dishes, he said, will be prepared by renowned restaurants.

Lambayeque’s handicraft products will be exhibited in stands installed at the Universidad Técnica Privada de Loja, venue of business round table.

During ten days, Lambayeque’s people will have the opportunity of appreciating hundreds of pieces discovered in the millennial city of Caral as well as in other places with more than 30 centuries of antiquity such as Aspero or Vichama. This is a traveling exhibition dedicated to Caral, which will be inaugurated in the campus of the Universidad San Martín in Chiclayo, with a free admission.

The pieces discovered in the considered South America’s oldest city is presented by second time outside of Lima. The first expo of this kind was presented in Cusco, and now it is planned an exhibition in Trujillo.

Representatives of the Archaeological Project Caral-Supe expressed that these tours in the interior of the country allow them to get experience in order to exhibit later the discoveries in other places of the continent. Among the countries that are considered to present this expo are Brazil, Argentine and Colombia.

The ancient city of Caral is located about 200 kilometers north of Lima, in the valley of Supe. It is considered, in special by the archaeologist Ruth Shady, as the origin place of the American civilization. The Radiocarbon dates show an antiquity of 5000 years, which makes it contemporary with Egypt’s civilization.

The municipality of Kimbiri district in Cusco will promote the 40.000 square meter archaeological site of Manco Pata which was discovered by local people in last December. First of all, the elaboration of studies in the area is planned to determine the concrete actions to promote this place as an important alternative for tourism, the municipality told Andina news agency.

"Since its discovery there are many people interested in visiting it, even from abroad. The objective is to promote the archeological site as a tourist attraction", said local authority Alex Lizaraso.

For this initiative we consider the use of gas royalties, if it is considered as a priority project in the participatory budget, otherwise we will seek foreign financing.

The municipality has estimated that the works will require an investment of between 500,000 and one million soles, from the initial studies to the end of the project.

Manco Pata was discovered on December 29 in the rural community of "Union Vista Alegre", in the village of Lobo Tahuantinsuyo, while clearing the area of brush.

Authorities explained that this fortress could be part of the lost citadel of Paititi the legendary lost city said to lie east of the Andes, hidden somewhere within the remote rain forests of southeast Peru, northern Bolivia, and southwest Brazil.
The place will be immediately declared "Cultural Intangible Heritage and ecotourism reserve of the town of Kimbiri and the VRAE" and will be promoted in the Cusco tourist circuit.

A spectacular waterfall believed to be among the highest in the country was found in the jungle province of Uctubamba, located in Peru’s Amazonas region, local explorer Obed Cabanillas Silva announced yesterday.

This waterfall is said to be higher than the magnificent Gocta Waterfall which is 771 meters (2529 feet) high and located in Chachapoyas, northern Peru.

Adventurers who wish to explore this natural spot should pass by the village of San Antonio and then take a three hours walk along a gorgeous hiking trail.

Cabanillas mentioned that on the way to the waterfall, explorers will find stone structures which are surrounded by lush vegetation and orchids.

Some local people knew about the existence of this waterfall but never wanted to give any information because they fear this place would be damaged.

The Colca Autonomous Authority (Autocolca) created a huge worldwide marketing campaign to promote Colca Canyon as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and motivate Peruvians, tourists and cyber surfers around the world to vote for this tourist place located in Arequipa, Peru.

The general manager of Autocolca, Juan José Luis Talavera Suarez, reported that Colca Canyon, located in the province of Caylloma, deserves that recognition award because it is one of the deepest and most beautiful canyons in Peru.

This campaign named "Cañon del Colca, maravilla natural del mundo" (Colca Canyon, Natural Wonder of the World) started several months ago and its main objective is to promote this tourist attraction through media, parades and informative and photographic exhibitions.

Talavera also said this campaign has been moved to the Congress and different exhibition halls.

"In Arequipa, we are presenting conferences, photographic and painting exhibitions. We have also carried out contests in different districts along the Colca Valley to promote this voting", he stated.

From all Peruvian cities there is one that has made of its Holy Week celebrations a flagship product: Huamanga. The fervor during these Christian holidays comes from the colonial times of Ayacucho city, where dozens of viceregal period churches are located.

The archeologist Raúl Mancilla, member of the National Institute of Culture regional office, explains that this city was founded to cover three aspects: the politician-military aspect, the economic one, and finally, but not less important, the religious aspect.

By walking across these Andean streets, it is possible to find architectural testimonies of the colonial tastes.

From the end of the 16th century until present, different uses and customs have been implemented in these religious buildings; even in a church of the town is possible to find paintings of Marx and Hegel next to Christ figure.

Nevertheless, the most outstanding of this place continues being the devotion of the viceregal period.

Five Peruvian candidates, of over 380 worldwide nominates, which participate at Natural Wonders of the World contest hold the first 77 places of the competition organized by the Foundation New 7 Wonders.

The first stage of the contest, where cybernauts of the whole world can vote for their favorites, will finish on December 31 this year, then a special committee will choose, among the best 77 places, 21 finalists which will enter to the final competition until July, 2010.

From the beginning of the competition, the Amazon, the biggest river of the world and whose waters starts at Peru, was positioned among the first places, and nowadays holds position eight.

Lake Titicaca, the highest in the world, holds position 22, while Machu Picchu Ecological Reserve ranks 42, Colca Canon 44, and Lomas de Lachay, 57.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will honor the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and the archaeological site of Tipón as world’s civil engineering landmarks in a ceremony to be held in Cusco.

The event will take place on Saturday July 26 at the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad of Cusco (UNSAAC) during the international forum: "Scientific Recognition for Machu Picchu and Tipón as civil engineering landmarks".

The forum will be attended by renowned scientists, engineers, researches such as Ruth Wright, Kenneth Wright, Henry Petroski, Aleksandar Vesic, Clifford Schexnayder, Jorge Florez Ochoa, David Ugarte, Luis Barreda Murillo and Alfredo Valencia Zegarra.

For more than 40 years the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has recognized historically significant achievements that embody the pioneering spirit and ingenuity of civil engineers.

In September 2006, ASCE conferred landmark status on two Incan sites in Peru—Machu Picchu and Tipon.

Perched on a ridge