Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo, Perú.
20 Mar

Do you really want to see the “authentic” Peru ?

Ollantaytambo cafeOne of the more terrible concepts in marketing, “curated”, slowly starts losing its teeth. Curated hotels, curated content, curated photos and curated itineraries. The process of curation is not dissimilar to that of carrot production in the European Union: any carrot that doesn’t fit within the specified range of length, width, weight and color is discarded. As a result we are exposed to a rosy vision of things which has nothing to do with the asymmetrical, unexpected, unpredictable essence of the world.

It is not easy to offer clients a real experience that corresponds to their preconceived idea of “authentic.” In our favorite coffee shop in Ollantaytambo, pictured here, you will not find displays of local textiles, you won’t be served locally consumed drinks and, be sure, you will not come across a single Quechua farmer. Moreover, you will be able to order your fresh coffee in English, enjoy it while looking at vintage plaques from the American fifties, and hang out with Harley riders. Is this authentic ? Is this “real Peru” ?

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