Handkerchiefs up for grabs at the Trujillo Festival : 28-01-2008
A visit to Peru this January will coincide with the Trujillo festival which includes horse displays, a beauty contest and a dancing competition.
The National Marinera Dance Contest provides the focus of the event as locals and travellers enjoy one of Peru's most traditional dances.
Afro-Indian rhythms and the dances of the mesica criolla (an indigenous tribe) are combined in the dance which is similar to the Spanish flamenco.
Moves, twists and swirls with a handkerchief are combined in the dance and the contest attracts nearly 500 people of all ages.
Six categories decide the winner with top performers receiving cash prizes as well as the much desired coloured handkerchiefs that are presented to the victors.
The festival is a perfect example of Peru's exciting and diverse culture and travellers will almost certainly want to head to Machu Picchu to experience some of the country's ancient culture.
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian Inca site and is located high in the mountains and is often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas".
It was also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
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