Latest news with #Arequipa
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Peru's president doubles her salary despite record low approval rating
The president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, has issued a decree doubling her salary despite having a historically low approval rating of only 2%.She will now be paid more than 35,500 soles ($10,000; £7,300) per economy minister said the president's salary had been increased to match those of other heads of state in the region. The news has been greeted with derision on social media, where many called Boluarte "tone-deaf" and her salary increase "outrageous". Others shared footage of the president's recent visit to the city of Arequipa, where her car was pelted with stones and eggs, to illustrate the anger many Peruvians was not elected as president. Instead, she came to power in December 2022, when the previous president, Pedro Castillo, was impeached and she, as the vice-president at the time, stepped in to fill the vacuum. Her presidency has been overshadowed by several investigations, including into whether she failed to declare luxury gifts and into whether she abandoned her post when she did not appoint a caretaker president during her absence for surgery on her nose. She has denied any wrongdoing but her already low approval ratings has fallen further as Peruvians grow increasingly impatient at what they say is her failure to tackle rising Minister Raúl Pérez Reyes said that prior to the raise, Boluarte's salary had been the second lowest of 12 countries in the region, with only Bolivia paying its president less per month. Her new salary is almost 35 times that of the monthly minimum wages, which stands at 1,025 soles ($288; £210).
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
10 Cities That Are Quietly Becoming the Next Best Food Cities — And Why You Should Visit Now
If you travel for the food, you've probably visited at least some of the destinations crowned the top international cities for food and drink in our Global Tastemakers Awards, but once you've checked the usual suspects off your bucket list, what's next? We surveyed our team of editors to come up with a list of cities that might not be on your radar yet for their culinary scene, but we predict that soon enough they'll be on everyone's lips—and Instagram feeds. Some were voted on by our panel of experts in the Global Tastemakers Awards and didn't make it into the top spots, while others came up in our research over the past year. Some have a rich culinary heritage with traditions that have endured for centuries, while others are more compelling for their up-and-coming scene. All of them will engage your taste buds and expand your horizons should you choose to visit them. Related: The Top 10 US Cities for Food and Drink, According to the Experts Take a look at our top 10 emerging cities for food and drink, listed alphabetically. Lima may have stolen the spotlight when it comes to Peruvian dining destinations, but Arequipa is the country's unsung culinary capital. Thanks to its well-preserved colonial architecture, which features indigenous influences, its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A similar mélange of Spanish colonial and indigenous influences has shaped the city's gastronomy, leading UNESCO to recognize Arequipa as a Creative City for Gastronomy. Though new restaurants by Lima-based chefs like Gaston Acurio are opening in Arequipa, the city still values its traditions, namely the picanterías, which trace their roots back to the 17th century, when the Spanish forced rustic taverns to serve small plates similar to tapas and the food eventually became more of an attraction than the booze. The number of picanterías is dwindling, though. Go now to experience them while you still can. And be sure to try the city's most popular dessert, queso helado. Located in the southeast part of Turkey's Anatolia region, Gaziantep may not be on travelers' radar but it has a rich gastronomic history that stretches back to the days of the Silk Road. In 2015, the city was recognized as one of UNESCO's Creative Cities of Gastronomy for its enduring commitment to culinary excellence. According to UNESCO, 60 percent of the city's active population is employed in the food sector, making it a crucial part of the economy. Gaziantep is considered Turkey's baklava capital, producing 95 percent of the country's supply, according to Afar. And while the city has strong traditions of its own, its food culture is also being reshaped by Syrian refugees who have settled there. Derided until fairly recently as a culinary backwater, Glasgow now boasts a food scene that's considered one of the best in the U.K. The Michelin guide awarded the first restaurant in the city with a star in 2021; a handful of restaurants are now recommended by the guide, some with a Bib award. For a relatively small city, the restaurant scene is impressively diverse, with fantastic places that serve up Indian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisine, not to mention Mediterranean flavors. (Rosie Healy, who trained under Ottolenghi, has that on lock at Gloriosa.) Glaswegian chefs are reinventing maligned dishes like haggis and embracing locally sourced seafood to create contemporary Scottish cuisine. Related: 28 Delicious Reasons to Eat and Drink in America's Greatest Food City There's a Chinese proverb that says that to enjoy life to the fullest, one should be 'born in Suzhou, live in Hangzhou, eat in Guangzhou, and die in Liuzhou.' A mix of historic architecture and modern high rises, Guangzhou is one of the world's biggest manufacturing hubs, making it popular among business travelers, but foodies should also take note. Previously known as Canton, the city offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy Cantonese cuisine, especially dim sum, which is a fundamental part of the region's gastronomic heritage. Indulge at longstanding institution Nan Yuan Restaurant and head to Michelin-starred Jade River in the White Swan Hotel for handcrafted dumplings and other regional specialties. In the 1930s, under Belgian and German colonial rule, coffee cultivation became mandatory across large parts of Rwanda, but until recently it was too expensive for the locals to enjoy themselves. And though coffee production was nearly wiped out during the politically unstable 1980s and the Rwandan genocide in the '90s, it's now a fundamental part of the economy, with around 450,000 small farms producing over 35 million pounds of coffee annually. As third wave coffee shops sprout up around the city and coffee becomes more affordable, Kigali is becoming a place that coffee aficionados are flocking to. Its restaurant scene, too, is becoming one of the most exciting on the African continent thanks to innovative chefs elevating Rwandan cuisine. This charming French city has been considered one of the world's capitals of gastronomy for nearly a century. In fact, food critic Maurice Edmond Sailland called it 'world capital of haute cuisine' in 1935. The city owes some of its culinary prowess to the Mères Lyonnaises, cooks for bourgeois families who began opening their own restaurants in the early 20th century and revolutionizing the city's culinary scene in the process. Legendary chef Paul Bocuse began his career in the kitchen of Mère Brazier, which now has two Michelin stars. When in Lyon, you must dine in a typical bouchon (i.e. a humble tavern serving rich, hearty dishes like pâté en croute, a local sausage called rosette de Lyon, and quenelles bathed in bechamel.) Everyone knows that Mexico City is a gastronome's paradise, but the smaller, more under-the-radar city of Mérida deserves a closer look. Capital of the Yucatán state, it often gets skipped in favor of Cancún or Tulum, but has a culinary scene that begs you to dig in. Start your journey with a visit to the Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca, where you can learn all about the region's recipes as you chow down on cochinita pibil in the courtyard. Then dig even deeper at Ku'uk, a fine dining restaurant dedicated to reviving ancient Mayan culinary techniques. No visit would be complete without some tacos and a healthy dose of mezcal. For the former, make a beeline for Taqueria La Lupita inside the Mercado de Santiago. For the latter, head to Acervo Mezcalero Sureste. Related: The Top 10 International Cities for Coffee, According to the Experts If all you know about Penang is Panang curry — which is actually a Thai recipe — you might be surprised to learn that Penang has long been a cultural crossroads. The island was a British colony founded by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company and attracted people from China, India, Indonesia, and Burma (today Myanmar). The melding of these cultures resulted in Peranakan cuisine, which is also commonly found in Singapore. George Town, the island's capital, offers everything from steaming bowls of laksa and curry noodles at hawker centers to Michelin-starred fine dining. Located on Brazil's northeast Atlantic coast, Recife is a vibrant city with a fascinating culture, history, and delicious food. It's sometimes referred to as the 'Venice of Brazil' because it's located on two rivers and has many small islands linked by bridges. The surrounding area is a major producer of sugarcane, so you can expect to drink plenty of cachaça in the form of caipirinhas (Brazil's national cocktail). One experience you shouldn't miss is a meal at a churrascaria, which is essentially the Brazilian version of an Argentine asado. Another thing to try is tapioca, which isn't a custard like it usually is in the U.S. but rather formed into a sort of crepe served with sweet or savory fillings at street carts. For dessert, look for bolo de rolo, which is similar to a Swiss roll with very thin layers of cake rolled with guava paste. The capital of Italy's Piedmont region usually gets short shrift compared to Rome, Florence, Milan, and Bologna, but food lovers should take note. Historically, the city was home to the Savoia dynasty that ruled Italy when it became a united country in 1861, so it's full of elegant cafés such as Baratti & Milano and Caffè Mulassano, where you can sip a bicerin (a drink made with espresso, hot chocolate, and frothed milk). The countryside surrounding Turin famously produces truffles, hazelnuts, and some of Italy's most prized wines (Barolo and Barbaresco, anyone?) and chefs take their cues from the area's bounty. For an unforgettable evening, book a table at the Michelin-starred Ristorante Del Cambio inside the historic Farmacia del Cambio and head upstairs for a nightcap at the moody Bar Cavour. To uncover the best food and drink experiences for travelers, Food & Wine polled over 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers, and wine pros from across the globe for their top culinary travel experiences. We then turned the results over to our Global Advisory Board, who ranked the top nominees in each category. For the full list of all 165 winners, visit Read the original article on Food & Wine
Reuters
03-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Peru expects $4.8 bln in mining investment this year, and slight increase in copper output
LIMA, June 3 (Reuters) - Peru's Energy and Mines Minister Jorge Montero expects mining investment in the world's third-largest copper producer to reach $4.8 billion this year, and output of the red metal to be 2.8 million metric tons, he said on Tuesday. Peru in 2024 produced about 2.7 million tons of copper, lightly less than the prior year. Speaking at a press conference, Montero also noted a concerning increase of informal and illegal mining in two key copper production areas, referring to the Apurimac and Arequipa regions of southern Peru. Top copper mine Las Bambas, controlled by miner , is located in Apruimac, while Canadian miner Teck ( opens new tab is developing the Zafranal copper project in Arequipa in partnership with Mitsubishi Materials (5711.T), opens new tab. The rise of artisanal copper mining has created a much-needed income for impoverished Andean Peruvians, despite bringing them into conflict with major miners. Peru's north, meanwhile, has been grappling with an increase of illegal gold mining activity, including the recent killing of 13 mine workers.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Forbes
The Artisans At Altitude In The Peruvian Andes
The Incas believed the vicuña had special powers. Killing one was forbidden. Only royalty could wear its wool—so fine it floats off your palm, so rare it was called the Gold of the Andes. Even now, it can take four wild vicuñas to make a single scarf. Each one, roaming the Andean highlands in high altitude, produces just 150 grams of fiber per year. Shearing happens only once every three years, still sometimes done by hand, in silence, as it has been for centuries. Centro Artesanal Mallqui Pallay Colca Before spinning, the raw fibers are often laid under the sun, said to soften them and honor the mountain spirits. The dye is pulled from regional fruits crushed between fingers. In this part of Peru, the past is not a place you visit. It's worn. Felt. Stitched. Slept in. It's those threads—of hair, of wool, of memory—that reveal the texture of the region better than any guidebook could. And that's what I came to see for myself: how artisan traditions endure in the Colca Valley, a remote region in the Andes, and meet the people still keeping them alive. The 3-hour drive to our hotel, PUQIO, begins in Arequipa, Peru's second-largest city and our jumping-off point into the Colca Valley. We'll return to its stone churches and textile studios later—but for now, we climb. As we head into open country, the air thins and the light sharpens. Our driver, Nadel Chambi, steers with one hand and gestures with the other, painting stories into the windshield—about volcanoes, vicuñas, and the canyon that sits at the heart of the region. Vicuñas in the Colca Valley, Peru. More than 3,000 meters from rim to river, the Colca Canyon is one of the deepest in the world. But it's not just the depth that stuns. The valley is carved with pre-Incan terraces still in use today, and watched over by Andean condors with wingspans nearly ten feet wide. In the horizon, snow-capped volcanoes keep quiet vigil—this region holds the highest chain of active volcanoes on earth, though most seem content to simmer in silence. We pass trucks barreling toward the coast with copper in tow, heading for coastal ports that will ship the region's precious resources to China and beyond. The landscape changes with the passing of every few songs on the radio. Cacti turn into scrub brush. Reds smash into blues. Clouds race sideways. Rain, sun, and wind cycle through. It is the kind of terrain that makes you feel small, in a good way. At 5,000 meters, we pull over for mate, a tea infused with cocoa leaves, muña, and herbs to fight off the nausea that's just starting to creep in. Agricultural terraces in the Colca Valley, Peru. Before the highway was built for mineral transport, you couldn't get to most towns without a mule, a guide, and a lot of patience. The Colca Valley didn't appear on tourist maps until the 1990s. It feels largely untouched by rush, despite being one of the oldest continuously inhabited regions in the Americas. Still today, much of the region's know-how lives off the highway. When we finally reach PUQIO, the wind is pushing hard against the hillside. It tears through the stalks of purple quinoa growing near the main tent and whistles through the property's paths. But inside, it's all stillness. The lobby feels like a warm embrace—cowhide rugs, antique maps, glass decanters filled with unfamiliar tinctures, a vintage National Geographic from 1934 that rests beside sketches pinned to the wall. PUQIO sits quietly on a hillside, with views of towering Andean peaks. It's remote by design: eight thoughtfully spaced accommodations—four canvas tents and four adobe roundhouses. Inside, you'll find wood-burning stoves, curated artworks, and cozy sitting areas. The canvas tents, inspired by the original explorers of the Andes, feature outdoor bathtubs and both indoor and outdoor showers, allowing guests to soak in the valley's expanse under the open sky. PUQIO, a boutique hotel by Andean. Amenities are designed to enhance the experience: soft alpaca-wool slippers await after a day of exploration, and warm water bottles are tucked into your bed each evening to ward off the highland chill. Each room includes a writing desk, encouraging guests to reflect and connect with the surroundings. 'PUQIO is about awakening that raw, childlike curiosity—canvas, light, earth, silence. We wanted it to feel elemental, as if it belonged to the valley rather than being placed in it, ' notes Sandra Masias, Product and Experience Manager at the hotels' parent company, Andean. PUQIO, a boutique hotel by Andean. Meals are a bountiful affair, shared in the main lounge or served on your private terrace. Breakfast arrives in perfectly-sized courses—fresh mango, avocado, eggs cooked in the horno, local cheeses, house-made granola, and herbal teas—all sourced from nearby farms. Dinner is served by candlelight. Each night, a different ingredient is sketched on the front of the menu; turn it over, and every course is built around it. The cooking is incredibly thoughtful, simple in preparation yet powerful in flavor. PUQIO, a boutique hotel by Andean. There are no televisions or required excursions at PUQIO, although plenty are on offer; the focus here is on presence and connection. The valley itself—designated a UNESCO Geopark in 2019—is integral to the experience. The canyon stretches for miles in either direction, with centuries-old villages dotting its edges. Each one, our restaurant host Marco Florian tells us, 'preserves its unique stories through dishes, rituals, and dance', a living archive of Andean culture. Families of the Colca Valley pass down their looms like heirlooms. Textiles are made for dowries, burials, and beliefs. Natural dyes come from moss, bark, and other flora. The weft is spun by hand. The warp is sometimes stitched with llama bone. The process is slow, sacred. Centro Artesanal Mallqui Pallay Colca On the first day, our guide at PUQIO, Yulisa Oxa, took us to see some of the local weaving cooperatives. At Centro Artesanal Mallqui Pallay Colca, blankets can take weeks to make. A complex one can take far longer. You won't find duplicates. Tomasa, an artist and designer, spun yarn as she spoke. Her husband, Antonio, explained the meanings stitched into each pattern: diamonds for protection, zig-zag lines for water channels, the chakana for cosmic balance. Nearby, their ten-day-old llama, Flor, wandered around the courtyard. Handmade tools and natural dyes—22 shades sourced from the land—lay scattered on the floor. The global alpaca industry runs through this valley. Arequipa accounts for nearly all of Peru's alpaca fiber exports, and Colca is where much of it begins—on the backs of animals raised at altitude. The best of it—baby alpaca—is soft enough to rival cashmere, but warmer and more durable. It often ends up in local studios or the cutting tables of European fashion houses. Centro Artesanal Mallqui Pallay Colca Yet still, weaving remains a form of identity. Each community has its own motifs and methods. While major brands like Sol Alpaca and Michell have built global supply chains from this tradition, the knowledge itself remains rooted in place—passed through generations, preserved in calloused hands that know exactly how much tension to pull through a loom. Artisans don't just sell textiles. They live in them. Yulisa has been saving up for a full traditional outfit of her own, which can cost nearly a thousand dollars. Each layer—from skirt to shawl—signals something: marital status, regional origin, season. Even hats may carry ridges to represent sacred mountains. Braids are woven with colored yarns and sequins, and hair itself tells a story. 'In the Colca Valley,' Yulisa told us, 'women only cut their hair once in their lives—at age five or six, by the hand of their godfather.' After that, it grows long and thick, washed with cactus pulp, braided daily not for beauty but to hold up to the wind. Celebrations in Coporaque, Colca Valley, Peru On our last day, we walked through Coporaque, a village with the oldest church in the valley. It happened to be a day of festivities, the celebration of La Virgen de Chapi. Devotees decorated the streets. Women danced in intricate skirts. Men played percussion in the plaza. The parade moved like a slow procession from house to house—breakfast at one, lunch at another, music all around. In some towns, there are bull races. In others, feasts and firecrackers. But everywhere, there is reverence—for the Virgin, but also for the land and the rhythm of the seasons. Back in Arequipa, the contrasts are immediate. Volcanic stone archways frame cellphone shops. Centuries-old churches cast shadows over Korean coffee and Turkish kebab joints. Antique stores sit next to bodegas selling SIM cards and knock-off sneakers. The BBVA looks like a museum, and the Dollar City store appears to be adorned in ancient etchings. The White City, as they call it, is anything but colorless. Facades of Arequipa, Peru. CIRQA sits in the middle of it all, inside a UNESCO-protected 16th-century monastery turned hotel. The building has been restored with restraint—even the original religious paintings in the guestrooms were left beautifully untouched. An olive tree anchors the courtyard, where alpaca blankets are draped over modern, low-slung furniture. The rooms are luxurious and warm, with exposed brick and tiled floors. The public spaces hold carefully considered details: palo santo in buckets, light linens, and antique mementos scattered like clues. The hotel doesn't feel like a break from Arequipa, but an immersion into it. CIRQA, a boutique hotel by Andean. 'At CIRQA, we worked to honor Arequipa's volcanic stone architecture with a monastic serenity—pared-down textures, vaulted ceilings, and shadows that breathe with history. The elegance lies in what we choose not to add or change,' says Sandra Masias. The city's historic center, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is built almost entirely from sillar, the white volcanic stone pulled from nearby quarries. The Santa Catalina Monastery, founded in 1579, is a labyrinth of painted cloisters and vivid frescoes—burnt reds, ocean blues, sunlit yellows—that rival any museum. Inside the Church of La Compañía, Baroque altars drip with gold leaf, while the ceilings are carved with indigenous iconography layered beneath Christian motifs. Art isn't something you seek out in Arequipa. It's embedded in the walls, drawn onto doorways, and laid into the tiled floors you walk across without thinking. Santa Catalina Monastery, Arequipa, Peru It's easy to romanticize craft until you see what it actually requires—weathered hands, raw material, time, and repetition. In Arequipa and Colca, craft is a function of geography, survival, and belief. It is knowledge passed between generations, not through textbooks, but through motion: the twist of a spindle, the weight of a dye pot, the rhythm of a loom. You come here thinking you're going to see how things are made. You leave realizing you've been watching how they endure.
