Travel is my passion, as you know if you’re reading this article.  But what you may not know is that shopping is also one of my passions, not so much at home but when I travel.  I especially love shopping in Peru!  One of my  greatest pleasures when I travel is the anticipation of what I will buy when I get to my chosen destination.  

Sometimes, I know exactly what I want.  Other times I want to be surprised. There are places around the world where shopping is nirvana and other places where you need not bother (there is nothing to buy).  And then there are places that have surprised me.  Of all the places I look forward to visiting to buy exactly what I want, Peru is at the top.  For instance, I LOVE anything from Ilaria.  The hand-crafted pure silver jewelry and home items are to die for.  And at such reasonable prices!  

If you are not into jewelry or home goods, there is always baby alpaca or vicuña sweaters, gloves, scarves, hats, throws, socks and the like that will be welcomed by anyone during the holidays or for a special birthday.  My favorite baby alpaca shop is Sol Alpaca.  They have a store in every desalination, including the airports.  Be sure to buy from a reputable store like Sol Alpaca (you get what you pay for).  If the “baby alpaca” prices at the market seem too good to be true, you’ve probably just bought yourself some “maybe alpaca”.  Which I must confess I have bought some “baby alpaca” at the market because I liked the design and didn’t really care whether it was real or not.  I was in the moment!  Shopping should be fun after all.  So, I helped the local market economy and had a little fun along the way.  

Luckily I usually find myself in Peru for our Thanksgiving trip which gives me plenty of time to shop for Christmas.  What a pleasure it is to come back home after a luxurious vacation to Peru having crossed off half of my holiday shopping list.  Speaking of the holidays, one last thing.  My favorite holiday ornaments are the hand made type you will find in the San Blas area just behind the stunning Belmond Monasterio Hotel where Zoom Peru calls home every time we are in that magical city.