Pirwa – Page 68 – Pirwa Hostels BLOG

Program for the 14th Annual Marcona Tourism Week

February 3, 2014 Pirwa

The fishing town of San Juan de Marcona is located just 44 miles from Nazca and is mainly known for its beaches and the Bay of San Fernando Reserve, which shelters diverse marine life, including boobies, Humboldt penguins, and sea lions. The most popular beaches are Playa Hermosa and La Lobera.

Each summer, it Marcona celebrates its Tourism Week in order to showcase the area for national and international tourists as well as locals. This year, it will run from Saturday, February 8th through Sunday, February 16th and will offer a series of sporting, cultural, and recreational events. Read on for the program…

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Chincha to Celebrate the Verano Negro Festival this February

January 28, 2014 Pirwa

Each February and March, the Verano Negro Festival takes place in Chincha, the community considered the country’s cradle of Afro-Peruvian culture. The Black Summer Festival, as it is translated, is the most important tourism event in the Ica region. It allows visitors to sample Afro-Peruvian cuisine, and watch traditional dances, poetry contests, and parades.

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Colorful Carnaval in La Paz & Oruro

January 21, 2014 Pirwa

Carnaval is one of the largest events of the year in La Paz, with preparations beginning in advance. In Bolivia, it’s beaten only by Carnaval in nearby Oruro, which many travelers attend through bused day trips from La Paz. However, even in La Paz itself thousands of dancers brighten the streets in their folkloric attire, while many revelers spray others with water, colored flours, confetti, and more. As in other South American countries, the Catholic pre-Lenten celebration of Carnaval in La Paz is fused with ancient customs and rites.

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The Santa Tierra Festival on Lake Titicaca

January 7, 2014 Pirwa

In Andean myths, Lake Titicaca, the sun, moon and stars came out of Lake Titicaca, as did Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, the legendary founders of the Inca civilization. The lake and some of its islands are still considered sacred sites in Andean culture to this day.

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Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Bolivia

December 28, 2013 Pirwa

Bolivia celebrates two new years- January 1^st and June 21^st. (The latter is considered the Aymara New Year.) You’ll find that the New Year’s Eve celebrations of December 31^st share a lot in common with those of other South American countries.

Roast pork is the traditional dinner choice, as it represents bounty and prosperity, followed by a champagne toast. The Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes while making wishes is commonly observed, but the most important custom is the wearing of colored underwear. Yellow is for wealth and luck, and red is for love. You’ll find that underwear is a popular item for the mobile vendors on the street.

Even those who spend the evening with their families will often choose to go out dancing after midnight. In La Paz, themed parties are popular (80s, metal, etc). However, many people do travel to the tropical yungas and Amazon rainforest or Lake Titicaca, taking advantage of the fact that New Year’s Eve coincides with summer vacation. Coroico (on the edge of the tropics) and Sun Island (in Lake Titicaca) are said to have better parties than La Paz.

However, those of you who choose to spend New Year’s in La Paz won’t be disappointed spending it with friends at Pirwa La Paz. Celebrating with other travelers is a great way to ring in a new year of adventures around the world!