At year’s end we offer our readers a very special edition about the unknown south, combining history, nature and the present day. We start our journey with the aim of investigating the traditional architecture of the city of Moquegua - without doubt one of the most individual and interesting in Peru - and we find that some of its beautiful town houses are still standing, having survived earthquakes and the dubious urban ideas of its authorities and inhabitants. Once again we can confirm that poor modern design has changed a distinctive style characterized by the gabled roof into the standard concrete, aluminum and glass now found everywhere in Peru. Happily, exceptions such as the restoration of the Belen complex convince us that it is still possible to rescue the valuable legacy of the past.

Tacna, whose duty free zone has traditionally been known as a paradise for purchasers, pleasantly surprised us with its flower-lined promenades, impeccable parks and friendly people. From there we decided to return to Arequipa along the coast road, less well used than the Pan American Highway it too has its delights: traditional resorts such as Mejia and Mollendo and two natural refuges, true oases for migratory birds. The Ite wetlands and the Lagunas de Mejia Sanctuary.
In our travels we have tried to visit the most important points on the pisco trail and thus discover the history of a drink that gave rise to a powerful class of wine growers during the colonial period. We also saw that although the people of Ica have more than sufficient reason to be proud of their pisco, the same applies to the Moqueguans also. The pisco distillers of Moquegua have a thorough knowledge of the history and secrets of this marvelous liquor. People such as Alberto Villegas are living encyclopaedias of the pisco heritage and, even more interesting, is the fact that there is already a completed pisco trail from the area south of Lima right down to the border.

In this memorable journey south in which we intended to discover new natural and cultural resources, we were privileged to be guided and accompanied by our magnificent host: Mauricio de Romaña. The result was an unforgettable experience for the Bienvenida team.