Dear friends, on the occasion of the
celebration the 183rd anniversary of the Independence of Peru on
Wednesday, 28th July, we wish all the members of the Peruvian community
our best regards and congratulations on our ‘Fiestas Patrias’.
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Manu National Park: A Natural
Wonder |
Manu National Park, located west of
Puerto Maldonado in the southern rainforest, was established in 1973 by
the Peruvian government. UNESCO declared the pristine park a World Natural
Heritage Site in 1987. Manu National Park protects an entire virgin
watershed from Andean grasslands at 12,000 ft to cloud forests and vast
lowlands at 1,000 ft. The park protects 3,785,572 acres of virgin land.
The biodiversity in this area is world renowned including birds (over
1,000 species), mammals, reptiles, insects, amphibians, fish and plants
(over 15,000 species although many remain uncounted).
Unparalleled viewing of the rare and elusive animals such as the
giant otter and giant armadillo are provided in the park. Jaguars
are also frequently seen by visitors to the park. The national park
is inhabited by several indigenous groups, some of which might not
have had contact with outsiders. The remoteness of the park has
helped to protect the large tract of pristine land. The best time to
visit Manu National Park is the dry season between June and October.
Salvador Lake has camping facilities for visitors. Manu Lodge is an
eco-lodge within the park that can accommodate visitors. Manu
National Park is a must see for naturalists, bird watchers and
adventure seekers. |
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Peru Third
Best Tourist Destination Worldwide |
Peru was selected as the third best tourist destination to
visit this year by the prestigious tour guide Lonely Planet. In its annual
“Top Destinations for 2004” survey, Lonely Planet placed Peru as number 3
for the second year in a row. Lonely Planet cited the amazing and varied
remains of great civilizations and the landscape as making Peru a top tier
destination. The survey was completed by the global staff and
collaborators of Lonely Planet. The survey shows that South America is one
of the most voted for regions and that Peru is the outstanding nation
within the continent. According to the guide, Peru is “the jewel in South
America’s crown, mostly for Inca remains, but also for history,
architecture and sense of adventure.”
Peru provides visitors with the opportunity to view the
archeological ruins of the Inca and pre-Inca civilizations, as well as to
view first hand the amazing cultures of the descendants of these
civilizations. Peru’s breathtaking landscape provides the perfect backdrop
for an amazing experience.
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Trujillo
Provides a Wealth of Archaeological Sites |
The area surrounding Trujillo is filled
with archaeological sites such as Chan Chan, Huaca del Sol, Huaca de la
Luna, and the archaeological complex of El Brujo (The Sorcerer). These
world famous sites are a must see for visitors to Peru.
Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimu
kingdom, a pre-Inca civilization dating back to 1100 BC. The city was
declared an Archaeological World heritage Site by UNESCO. Chan Chan was a
city constructed out of mud and is the biggest in South America and one
the largest in the world. The city consists of palaces, temples, squares,
ponds, aqueducts and labyrinths. Its walls are ornamented with beautiful
and stylized carved drawings of fish, pelicans, rhombuses, foxes, etc.
Huaca del Sol y Huaca de la Luna are
two pyramidal huacas built out of adobe, with each piece bearing the
makers mark. The temples were the center of the Mochica culture and lie
beside the Moche River. |
The temples were decorated
with colorful friezes which can still be seen by visitors today.
The archaeological complex
of El Brujo (the Sorcerer) is famous for its Huaca Cao. Its pyramidal
shape is decorated with friezes in colored reliefs with complex
representations of scenes, characters and geometric designs. This is the
only such finding from the Moche culture.
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Butterflies Abound in Peru |
Peru boasts 20% of the world’s
butterflies. Visitors walking through the forests of Peru can see the
vibrant colors of diverse butterflies among the other spectacular flora
and fauna. It is estimated that there are 4,200 species of butterflies in
Peru, of which 3,700 have been registered. In the high jungle as well as
in the Amazon lowlands, the diversity of species is so great that nature
lovers will never want to leave. The Chanchamayo Valley and the
surrounding area are famous for their importance as part of great
butterfly collections made by botanists at the turn of the century.
See Previous Issues
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Happy
Independence Day
Felices Fiestas Patrias
183rd
Anniversary
July 28,
2004
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