After a destination wedding, I traveled from one oasis, an ecolodge in the Amazon jungle, to another unexpected one, in the sprawling city of Lima. My godson celebrated his marriage on a remote riverbank. A nice beach, no bugs, at least none you can see, guests from around the world. Well, who wouldn’t? But this isn’t a “destination wedding.” He’s committed his life to reforesting the Peruvian Amazon jungle, while working with indigenous people to create a sustainable livelihood. Knowing him, where else would he and his Belgian bride have a wedding for over 100 people?
Wasai Tambopata Lodge: On my godson’s reforestry center, of course, at his home on the Tambopata River (caminoverde.org). It’s in a remote area of southwestern Peru near the Brazilian and Bolivian borders that looked to be an arduous journey. Instead, it turned into an adventure, traveling with other family and friends—an almost two-hour plane ride from Lima, a 40-minute van ride from the closest town, Puerto Maldonado, and then a 20-minute boat ride to get to our ecolodge, which was within a 15-minute boat ride of his home in Camino Verde Baltimori. Invitees were spread among the nearest accommodations. I was ecstatic when I realized I was staying with many of my fellow guests at wedding central. It was the comfortable open-air Wasai Tambopata Lodge, embedded in the jungle on the nearby waterway surrounded by over 5000 hectares of protected forest. 
This ecolodge and conservation center, is where people come for immersion experiences in the lush jungle and to see the largest macaw clay lick in the world. And maybe even a reclusive jaguar, if you’re lucky. I wasn’t, but the birds were enough. 
A naturalist pointed out wildlife, even an illegal gold mine, while traveling about an hour up river to see the clay lick. I never expected to see hundreds of parakeets, blue-headed parrots, and a handful of macaws attracted to one place. Too bad there wasn’t a large flock of those glorious red birds.
The food is delicious at Wasai. The pool luxurious. Many native fruits, fish and vegetables; the cabins made with sustainable materials are comfortable yet spare, and did I mention the pool? What an array of guests are gathered there—an oasis from the heat (though it is winter in Peru, it’s still in the 80s and humid) to relax—French, Spanish, English conversations galore. 
If I were going to be in the jungle, where else would I be—and it’s all far from the clamor of ordinary life. For breakfast we had many fruits—mango, pineapple, papaya, starfruit—and juices such as passion fruit or lemonade. Plus, Andean queso fresco cheese, plantains and yuca. Meals included native potatoes or rice with local river fish steamed inside bamboo or chicken in a creamy Amazonian nut sauce.
At the post-wedding ceremony dance party, in Peruvian fashion, dinner isn’t served until midnight but we were rewarded with dinner on the early side and then cake around 11pm. So I danced with my eyes on the eight different cakes , so alluring. And finally, around midnight, I collapsed in our nearby cabin after a slice of my favorite chocolate cake. Our idyll was accompanied by the music and laughter that lingered like the mist until four in the morning.
Second Home: My Lima hotel, Second Home, is down a narrow, dead-end street, in the enchanting Barranco district. The forbidding locked front door in the tall wall that surrounds the property guards the dramatic art displayed throughout the hotel and grounds. This former residence was the family home of artist Victor Delfin, considered a Peruvian national treasure. You can see many of his works in the adjoining gallery. His famous sculpture of lovers kissing, called El Beso (1993), is in the nearby Parque del Amor. Happily, it is only a quick walk for Peruvian culinary gems including neighboring Awicha, a 10-minute stroll to Mérito, and a short cab ride to Astrid & Gastón.
Second Home seems oddly named, that is until you stay there. It really feels like that, with friendly staff, tasty breakfasts, spacious rooms with comfy beds (I was cocooned in Egyptian cotton sheets and down comforters), ensuite bathrooms, some with balconies and an ocean view. Tasty American breakfasts feature bacon and eggs, bread, Passion fruit juice, fruit, and coffee or tea. 
It’s a com- bination eclectic hotel, art studio, and gallery in a Tudor-style mansion securely rooted on a cliff overlooking the steely Pacific Ocean. 
There’s also a dramatic pool with a striking Puma head fountain. (Contact the art gallery separately for a tour.) My godson and his mother disagree about who found this hideaway. Maybe it was on the Internet? Regardless, it’s a singular haven near a real beach in a city of about 10 million people. Note to self: reserve the room with a wall of glass overlooking the ocean.
The Latin American food world, in Lima and elsewhere, is a treasure trove worth dipping into over and over again…especially with home bases like the enchanting Wasai Tambopata Lodge on the Tambopata River or art-filled Second Home perched over the Pacific Ocean. You will be at ease here in the heart of a culinary heaven.