Two journeys, two worlds, one passion

Arturo Botey tells how Peru and China surprised him after 50 years of discovering new horizons

Arturo Botey poses in front of the Forbidden City, a historic complex that left him with an indelible memory of his time in Beijing. Photos: A. B.

Arturo Botey, a 73-year-old retired paediatrician, has spent almost his entire life travelling the world. “Travelling is one of my great passions, a weakness of mine,” he admits. He had always travelled independently, following his own path and never joining organised tours. Until one day, while out for a walk, something made him stop: a poster for the Perú Fascinante trip in the window of the GRAND azulmarino Travel Store. “I saw that it included Machu Picchu and that it wasn’t a huge trip with 50 or 60 people,” he recalls. That format -small groups, an itinerary designed to truly experience the country, and an accompanying guide from Spain- made him rethink his way of travelling. And after two trips with them, he says it has been “an absolute success.”

The soul of Peru

The Andean country was a destination he had “always wanted to visit”, and in 2024 he experienced it with the intensity of someone finally fulfilling a dream. “It was everything I’d expected and more,” he says. He was captivated by the energy of Lima, the history of Cusco, and the luminous elegance of Arequipa, where he had one of the most memorable moments of the trip: “it’s amazing to stroll through the Santa Catalina Monastery,” with its colourful beauty and almost unreal atmosphere. And, of course, the arrival at Machu Picchu, which he describes without hesitation as an “impressive and unique” place, its centuries-old ruins steeped in mysticism.

The journey across the Altiplano showed him another side of the country: Puno, the wide-open landscapes and the peaceful life of Lake Titicaca. There he spent a morning with the inhabitants of the floating islands, made from reeds, and marvelled at how they “live as they did hundreds of years ago, preserving their own culture.” He also visited bustling food markets, where he enjoyed warm conversations with the locals, because they are “very welcoming.” And when it came to flavours, he admits he enjoyed himself more than ever: “Peru is a global gastronomic powerhouse,” he says, confessing with a laugh that he ended up developing a taste for pisco sour, the popular local cocktail.

China, a world apart

He travelled to China in 2025, after “more than 30 years wanting to go,” and “it didn’t disappoint me in the slightest -quite the opposite,” Botey explains. The China. Abrimos la Muralla trip allowed him to discover very modern, safe and comfortable cities, with services “on another level” and social changes that can be sensed simply by walking through the streets. But above all, cities of immense scale: “If someone wants to see a truly big city, they shouldn’t go to New York; Shanghai is overwhelming.” He was also struck by Beijing’s Imperial City, “brutal, amazing,” an enormous complex filled with one temple after another. He additionally visited the Jade Buddha, which he remembers as “a marvel,” and the museum in Xi’an with its famous terracotta warriors. Among the landscapes, he highlights the excursion to Zhangjiajie -the area that inspired parts of the film Avatar– with its impossible mountains.

The food was another of the great discoveries of the trip. “The food I enjoyed there has nothing to do with what is served here in Chinese restaurants; it’s even better, more flavourful, they season it wonderfully,” he says. One of the moments he enjoyed most was watching how the dishes were prepared on large open grills: “it was quite a spectacle to watch the chef at work.” They also visited a traditional tea house and, later on, a family home to learn how everyday life is organised in China -an experience he values for the warmth with which they were welcomed. They are “extraordinarily kind,” he emphasises.

Arturo Botey is certain that he will keep travelling “for as long as my body allows”. He is already preparing his next adventure: Nepal and Bhutan. And he is equally sure that he will travel again with GRAND azulmarino, the Travel Store that managed to surprise him after so many years on the road.