Austro-German colony of Pozuzo in Peru

[Gamera]

I would like to introduce something you might haven't heard of.

The beauty of the Peruvian forest is not limited to their exotic species of flora and fauna, but is also enriched with the human warmth of their inhabitants, which have been known to build admirable cultural demonstrations in perfect contact with nature.



The most tangible sample of its development is the community of Pozuzo, where almost one hundred fifty years ago a group of Germans and Austrians left it all to inhabitate this beautiful land and today they share with the travelers singular customs and constructions belonging to one of the Peruvian settlemtents of great international fame, due to the communitary tourism that it practices.

Pozuzo, that in the German language means “land of conquests and adventures”, is located in the province of Oxapampa of the Pasco region, in full heart of the central forest. To there they arrived on July 25, 1859 one hundred and seventy people, between Tyroleans and Prussians, led by father José Egg, in order to evangelize the zone and to establish as a perennial community.

At present, Pozuzo has become a prosperous district, that is highlighted for their beautiful crafts, celebrations and historic attractions, but above all by the festive spirit of their settlers -descending of colonists and native-, which maintain the customs of their ancestros in harmony with Mother Nature and they permit the travelers the marvelous experience to be a part of their community for as long as they visit (community tourism).

To go to Pozuzo from Lima one must take an interstate bus that travels through the route Lima-Oxapampa, whose journey takes between ten and eleven hours. Once in the terraport of the province, one must take another bus bounded for Pozuzo, that takes four more hours to arrive to the community.

It is recommended to hire a travel agency that besides from carrying out the purchase of the tickets and the transfers also reserves the lodging, the meals and the guided visits to Pozuzo.

For example, the agency Latino Travel offers all these services in tours of one day (from seven in the morning to four in the afternoon). The itinerary includes a journey through the zone where the river Pozuzo is born, the main church of the district, the Egg Vogt family museum, the old Cemetery of the Colonists, demonstration of the activities of the settlers -as grounding of the rice, preparation of cigars, butchering of firewood, etc.- and also a special time so that the travelers shop for crafts and take photos of the place.

The stay

One of the most recommended lodgings in Pozuzo is the Tourist Complex El Trapiche (first block of the jiron Mullenbruck), whose bungalows are of wood, in the style of the Austria-German countrysides. This establishment has also an outdoor restaurant, volleyball courts and soccer, a camping zone, an orchids zone and zones of reforestation with one of the better views to the National Park of Yanachaga-Chemillén, where diverse species of flora and wild fauna live together next to the native communities Yaneshas.

The ones that desire to return to the city of Oxapampa can lodge in the hotel Rio Grande Inn Peru, that besides including duplex rooms, coldbars, fans and restaurants, offers internet connection, parkings, laundry and the possibility of being relaxed in its pools and its own window to the river Chanchamayo.

As for as pozuzinas gastronomic offerings, its a combination of the Austrian recipes and the ingredients of the Peruvian central forest. Among the most noticeable dishes we can find the Brend Suppe (soup of toasted cornflour), the Strukel (rolled up of banana), the Kasecuchen (cheese pastel) and the traditional Buns, that can be enjoyed in restaurants as the Guten Apetit (avenue The Colonists, s/n) and El Mango (block of Pacification street 1).

To taste a variety of best-known dishes, in Oxapampa The Sanguchón Snack Cafe can be visited, specializes in fast food, with pork, chicken and turkey meat sandwichs, accompanied with the delicious oxapampino coffee.

Pozuzo has a rainy and hot climate, for which is recommended to bring sunblock and an umbrella just in case the rain surprises us sometime along your visit. Moreover, is advisable to travel between May and November, time of less fluvial precipitations. Above all we recommend to do it the last week of July, in which the foundation of the community is celebrated, which this year is its 150 anniversary.

http://www.globalexpresstours.com/en...of-pozuzo.html

Some videos:

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[Gamera]

[Sahson]

Thanks for sharing.

[Nglund]

Reminds me of Nueva Germania in Paraguay.

[Debaser11]

This thread is full of good looking people and pretty scenery.

[The Lawspeaker]

Makes me wonder whether it would not be possible to safe such communities from slow absorption into the mainstream and the inevitable loss of heritage by looking for a distant valley in Austria or Germany and rebuild the village there ?

Would such an approach also be possible with for instance the remainder of the Transylvanian Saxons ?