How many days is this now? Only 3???? Where are we getting the energy to walk this!? God only knows... and I firmly believe that we are not walking this trek alone. Thank goodness someone up there is looking out for us, that´s all I can say!
Most trekers have said that the Inca Trail was far more challenging and strenuous than they had ever imagined. Bruce and I finally realize what they meant! Walking on old Inca paving stones is not an easy task. As my friend Anne said, and we have both experienced this, we just have to keep our mind carefully focused on the step in front of us. As I mentioned before, we missed taking several photos due to this ´focus´, as the energy required to safely walk can be tiresome. This slow walking, step by step, at altitudes where the air is so much thiner is challenging to both of us.
Day 3 - We climbed another ridge (3860 m) following the Inca highway to the ridgetop ruins of Sayaqmarka. We walked carefully through a narrow tunnel, named the Tunnel of Love, and then we entered the the famous cloud forest, renowned for wild orchids, layslippers, bamboos of all types, with birdsongs everywhere.
Our campsite this evening, was a very rocky one. We had to watch our footing as we walked around to the dining tent, the tent toilets and just finding places to admire the magnificent scenery. Wewere were situated very high up (3530m) overlooking more Inca ruins and the Wilcanota River.
This was to be our coldest night ever. I needed to wear my new Peruvian toque, and Bruce was properly ´rugged´up, as they say. As this was also our first clear night, we had a splendid view of the night sky in the Southern Hemisphere - clearly seeing the Milky Way, the Southern Cross along with so many other constellations. As a group we sat outside and were totally transfixed - the stars were so beautiful! We felt we could almost touch them....
Our cooks continued to prepare these light, but wonderful, nutritious meals, beginning with the delicious Peruvian soups. Tonight, Bruce and I shared our bottle of Pisco (Peruvian grape brandy) with our group, which the cook heated up, using limes and cinnamon for flavour. A great hot toddy! Then off to sleep... with Bruce sharing his sleeping pills with other hikers - imagine!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
June 8 - Monday, 2nd day oon the Inca Trail
Woke up this morning, feeling great. Both of us were energetic, and I realized that I had no blisters on my feet after walking (mostly climbing) all day yesterday. Slow and steady seems to work for my old footies!
Today was our most strenuous day of the trek. Thank goodness we did not know what was ahead for us! We literally climbed the highest pass, Dead Wonam´s Pass, 4201 meters. Bruce did have some difficulty with the altitude and the steepness of the climb, so the guides were right there beside him, encouraging him along, and carrying his pack, when required. God bless them! Bruce reached the peak of the pass, and our whole group cheered him on. He actually made it!!! Everyone was so happy for him - and congratulated him for the effort it took. Lordy, but we had all worked hard on this one. We then took a group photos. Bruce´s legs were still like jelly, and at the end of the day, mine were too. (Now, why are we doing this????)
Next came the very long descent. Extremely steep going, stone upon stone, uneven rock walks, with Cesar warning us not to look back, but to keep our eyes focused on the ground, moving forward. This we did. I thought for sure my knees would give out. Using stones as our steps, which were oftentimes set deeply apart for each other. What a walk! Bruce totally crashed when we reached our campsite at the end of the day. I was able to have tea and popcorn, while Bruce remained horizontal during this time. I was thankful he was resting, and he even managed a little sleep.
We´re eating well. Our bodies are completely depleted of energy, and our minds are like mush - this trek is indeed a humbling experience for both of us. (Whatever in the world was I thinking when we booked this, and at our ages! Jeez!!! I began to have serious doubts about my travelling dreams for the future.)
After tea, Cesar, our guide came with me to the tent to make sure that Bruce was alive and still well. At dinner that night, he informed the group that he was very proud to be our guide, and extremely proud of our accomplishments that day. God bless him - had it not been for the guides, I don´t know if Bruce would have made it. Our group members told us that we were their inspiration - can you believe this! Through us, they can now see themselves having active and healthy futures in their lives, with never-ending adventures and experiences. Bruce and I were humbled once more. Wow - what a great group we have supporting our crazy endeavour!
We´re not taking as many photos as we would like to, for we´re so focused on the climb, we do not have much time to take out our cameras and shoot! We are admiring the scenery though, each step of the way.
Weather during the day is warmish. Skies are blue, few clouds are around, yet the evenings and nights are extremely cool. We do bundle up in our sleeping bags, around 8:30 p.m. and we sleep like lambs! (Still wish we had done this at a younger age, for we just do not have the rebound energy we used to have.)
Today was our most strenuous day of the trek. Thank goodness we did not know what was ahead for us! We literally climbed the highest pass, Dead Wonam´s Pass, 4201 meters. Bruce did have some difficulty with the altitude and the steepness of the climb, so the guides were right there beside him, encouraging him along, and carrying his pack, when required. God bless them! Bruce reached the peak of the pass, and our whole group cheered him on. He actually made it!!! Everyone was so happy for him - and congratulated him for the effort it took. Lordy, but we had all worked hard on this one. We then took a group photos. Bruce´s legs were still like jelly, and at the end of the day, mine were too. (Now, why are we doing this????)
Next came the very long descent. Extremely steep going, stone upon stone, uneven rock walks, with Cesar warning us not to look back, but to keep our eyes focused on the ground, moving forward. This we did. I thought for sure my knees would give out. Using stones as our steps, which were oftentimes set deeply apart for each other. What a walk! Bruce totally crashed when we reached our campsite at the end of the day. I was able to have tea and popcorn, while Bruce remained horizontal during this time. I was thankful he was resting, and he even managed a little sleep.
We´re eating well. Our bodies are completely depleted of energy, and our minds are like mush - this trek is indeed a humbling experience for both of us. (Whatever in the world was I thinking when we booked this, and at our ages! Jeez!!! I began to have serious doubts about my travelling dreams for the future.)
After tea, Cesar, our guide came with me to the tent to make sure that Bruce was alive and still well. At dinner that night, he informed the group that he was very proud to be our guide, and extremely proud of our accomplishments that day. God bless him - had it not been for the guides, I don´t know if Bruce would have made it. Our group members told us that we were their inspiration - can you believe this! Through us, they can now see themselves having active and healthy futures in their lives, with never-ending adventures and experiences. Bruce and I were humbled once more. Wow - what a great group we have supporting our crazy endeavour!
We´re not taking as many photos as we would like to, for we´re so focused on the climb, we do not have much time to take out our cameras and shoot! We are admiring the scenery though, each step of the way.
Weather during the day is warmish. Skies are blue, few clouds are around, yet the evenings and nights are extremely cool. We do bundle up in our sleeping bags, around 8:30 p.m. and we sleep like lambs! (Still wish we had done this at a younger age, for we just do not have the rebound energy we used to have.)
June 7 - Sunday - First day of the Inca Trail!
Claudette beats Bruce up the mountain! This has never, ever happened before on our travels!
Ninos Hotel - Ate a light breakfast, enjoying the local elderberry jam with our rolls.
We were picked up by our head guide, Cesar at 6:45 a.m. All the group was together on the bus, and we drove for 1.5 hours to our first checkpoint, then drove another hour to km 82 - the beginning of the Inca Trail. It was now 10:00 a.m.
Scary thoughts are filling my brain. Can we do this? It´s too late to back down, and the group we are with are pretty upbeat, so hopefully, Bruce & I will not have bitten off more than we can chew...
We walked and climbed, right up to 4:30 p.m. Light backpacks on our back, with the porters carrying 10 kg of weight for each person. (Sleeping Bags, mats and extra clothing.) Backpacks became heavier as the day wore on, but we were able to manage. We travelled mostly uphill, descended some parts, came across steep steps; this trail is quike rocky. Bruce and I, being the élders´were also the tailgaters, followed by our assistant guide Wilson.
The Andes Mountains are stunning - skies are blue, hummingbirds are everywhere, the flora and greenery is abundant, and bromeliads grow up the mountainsides. We see hanging glaciers, thrushes, cows, donkeys, horses, and many other hiking groups.
Many villages have farm plots, and the women sell Gatorade, drinks and snacks to the trekkers. Homesteads are pretty basic, but one can tell that the people are managing well with the basics. Cobs of corn of all colours and sizes, black, orange, yellow, & spotted, are drying on the flat rooftops of homes. Delightful stuff!
Bruce found the climb hard today, due to the thin air - the lack of oxygen. We are both huffing and puffing quite a bit. I´m a titch concerned because he is finding this climb really difficult. He says his legs feel like rubber... Tomorrow´s climb will be worse, as we hit the highest peak of our walk. I´m hoping and praying he will be okay... (Honestly, I really am not out to kill him just yet!!!)
Food is great. Meals will be kept light for us, as we do not eat a lot at these heights. Lunch was chicken and veggies, all set up in a camp tent, all this managed by the cook and his staff - and they will do this every day! Dinner is trout, and miraculously enough, it was delicious. (Trout was caught from the streams around us.)
At afternoon tea, everyone introduced themselves, which was such a nice thing to do. We´re starting to bond with our group - such a good feeling.
Cesar, our head guide, truly is a leader. He´s knowledgeable, caring, helpful and concerned about his ´people´. He is Quechua in origin and is extremely proud about his background. He frequently shared his knowledge and history of the land and the people with us, so that our experience would also be cultural, rather than just the ´physical´ challenge we all planned on. What a great teacher!
Wilson, our assistant guide, also Quechua, proud of his Peruvian ancestry, kind, patient, supportive and knowledgeable, especially about the plants in the area. His support meant so much to me, for he followed me as I descended every mountain, making sure I did not injure my knees. I learned so much from him.
Ann & Bob , from Florida. Wonderful couple, full of travel stories, wise, humble, and just a delight to have with us.
Ryan & Lauren, from Toronto. (Mid-20´s) Ryan really showed care and concern for Bruce, and this couple was such an added bonus to our life on the mountain.
Maria & Fatima, Brazilian friends, who were supportive of one another, and us, and just delightful to be around. I look forward to visiting them in Brazil some day soon!
Kim, Anita, & Laurie - Californians, whose personalities also enriched our group. Kim was the phtotgrapher extraordinaire, and she entertained us with her funny stories. Kim was a huge support to us too. (God, but we were lucky!) Anita has a medical background, and Laurie runs her own daycare. Great, energetic ladies!
Mother & Daughter - Japanese couple. Such a delight, although they were pretty quiet, and did not speak English all that well. They were still an important part of our group.
Sisters from Chicago - Enthusiastic walkers! They, along with Ryan and Lauren were always first up the mountain! We wished we were as young as they!
Slept in tents at Wayllabamba - 2980 metres high. Everyone went to bed early. Slept well!
Ninos Hotel - Ate a light breakfast, enjoying the local elderberry jam with our rolls.
We were picked up by our head guide, Cesar at 6:45 a.m. All the group was together on the bus, and we drove for 1.5 hours to our first checkpoint, then drove another hour to km 82 - the beginning of the Inca Trail. It was now 10:00 a.m.
Scary thoughts are filling my brain. Can we do this? It´s too late to back down, and the group we are with are pretty upbeat, so hopefully, Bruce & I will not have bitten off more than we can chew...
We walked and climbed, right up to 4:30 p.m. Light backpacks on our back, with the porters carrying 10 kg of weight for each person. (Sleeping Bags, mats and extra clothing.) Backpacks became heavier as the day wore on, but we were able to manage. We travelled mostly uphill, descended some parts, came across steep steps; this trail is quike rocky. Bruce and I, being the élders´were also the tailgaters, followed by our assistant guide Wilson.
The Andes Mountains are stunning - skies are blue, hummingbirds are everywhere, the flora and greenery is abundant, and bromeliads grow up the mountainsides. We see hanging glaciers, thrushes, cows, donkeys, horses, and many other hiking groups.
Many villages have farm plots, and the women sell Gatorade, drinks and snacks to the trekkers. Homesteads are pretty basic, but one can tell that the people are managing well with the basics. Cobs of corn of all colours and sizes, black, orange, yellow, & spotted, are drying on the flat rooftops of homes. Delightful stuff!
Bruce found the climb hard today, due to the thin air - the lack of oxygen. We are both huffing and puffing quite a bit. I´m a titch concerned because he is finding this climb really difficult. He says his legs feel like rubber... Tomorrow´s climb will be worse, as we hit the highest peak of our walk. I´m hoping and praying he will be okay... (Honestly, I really am not out to kill him just yet!!!)
Food is great. Meals will be kept light for us, as we do not eat a lot at these heights. Lunch was chicken and veggies, all set up in a camp tent, all this managed by the cook and his staff - and they will do this every day! Dinner is trout, and miraculously enough, it was delicious. (Trout was caught from the streams around us.)
At afternoon tea, everyone introduced themselves, which was such a nice thing to do. We´re starting to bond with our group - such a good feeling.
Cesar, our head guide, truly is a leader. He´s knowledgeable, caring, helpful and concerned about his ´people´. He is Quechua in origin and is extremely proud about his background. He frequently shared his knowledge and history of the land and the people with us, so that our experience would also be cultural, rather than just the ´physical´ challenge we all planned on. What a great teacher!
Wilson, our assistant guide, also Quechua, proud of his Peruvian ancestry, kind, patient, supportive and knowledgeable, especially about the plants in the area. His support meant so much to me, for he followed me as I descended every mountain, making sure I did not injure my knees. I learned so much from him.
Ann & Bob , from Florida. Wonderful couple, full of travel stories, wise, humble, and just a delight to have with us.
Ryan & Lauren, from Toronto. (Mid-20´s) Ryan really showed care and concern for Bruce, and this couple was such an added bonus to our life on the mountain.
Maria & Fatima, Brazilian friends, who were supportive of one another, and us, and just delightful to be around. I look forward to visiting them in Brazil some day soon!
Kim, Anita, & Laurie - Californians, whose personalities also enriched our group. Kim was the phtotgrapher extraordinaire, and she entertained us with her funny stories. Kim was a huge support to us too. (God, but we were lucky!) Anita has a medical background, and Laurie runs her own daycare. Great, energetic ladies!
Mother & Daughter - Japanese couple. Such a delight, although they were pretty quiet, and did not speak English all that well. They were still an important part of our group.
Sisters from Chicago - Enthusiastic walkers! They, along with Ryan and Lauren were always first up the mountain! We wished we were as young as they!
Slept in tents at Wayllabamba - 2980 metres high. Everyone went to bed early. Slept well!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
June 5 & 6 - Cusco, Friday & Saturday
Slept in today, and took our time to ´get going´. This touring takes a lot of energy - forget the altitude of the region ... it just takes work! One needs time off every now and then, so today we chose to take it easy. Once rested, we felt much better about our ´new´ world. I´m definitely less anxious about our trek now that I´ve had a good night´s sleep. Thank goodness! Bruce is also feeling better, which means that he will be able to do the trek in fairly good health. Just what we wished for!
Reviewed our documents and ´must-do´s for today. Because we arrange our own tours and adventures, when we hit a town, we need to contact people and agencies to ensure that all is in place. This is time-consuming, but it does take us to different areas of town that we would not normally have the opportunity to see.
Leaving Ninos Hotel, we went off to seek Eco-Amazonian Tours, to confirm reservations and pay for our jungle tour - June 17 - 21. Then we went to Andean Treks to ensure that we were indeed registered for the Inca Trail, and to find out about our Saturday´s initial group meeting.
Then, we wandered about Cusco, ate lunch, checked out the Plaza D´Armas, marvelled at the architecture, Inca & Spanish, and generally got a feel for downtown ´touristy´Cusco. And touristy it is! Everyone wants the tourists to purchase all their wares - so hands reach out to you constantly! We are continually saying - no, gracias!
Went on a church tour, Iglesia de la Campania de Jesus, the first Jesuit Church in Cusco. We even had our own guide who provided us with additional information which we would have missed had we been on our own. It was once more confirmed for us, Christianity and Inca traditions are interwoven - one sees this in the statues and the manner in which the altars are decorated. Truly an interesting concept! Christ on the cross, wears a skirt, as Peruvian men used to. Mary´s elaborate dress symbolizes the Andes Mountains, so her skirts are full & flowing, decorated with flower symbols, painted or hand-sewn. The Cusco religious art has flowers, fruits, & vegetables of the region, and gold leaf is added to the painting. The gold symbolizes the ´sun god´of the Incas.
Purchased a wool hat for the trek plus a few souvenirs. Ate dinner at a pizzeria, of which there are dozens in Cusco. Listened to a Peruvian band in the square and became disoriented because the crowds were so thick. Demonstrations are happening every day in Cusco - we saw 3 today. Do not know what is going on, but people are marching for something. We do find it difficult to breathe on the streets of Cusco, as the deisel fumes drive us mad, and vehicles are everywhere. Walking can be a bit treacherous, as pot holes are frequent in the cobbled walks. Can hardly wait for our mountain walk!
Sat., after completing the necessities of daily travel life, banking, paying the hotel, ensuring reservations for our return, etc., we attended our initial meeting with our climbing group at Andean Treks. Fifteen of us altogether. One half of our group members are closer to our ages, the other half, much younger. Our guides, Caesar and Wilson appear to be accommodating, although a little disorganized. We will be trusting our lives with these two -
Visited the neat artsy shopping are of San Blas area in Cusco.
Made sure we had a decent meal for dinner, and literally prepared ourselves for our Sunday morning pickup for ´the´ trek at 6:30 a.m. Here´s hoping and praying all goes well!
Reviewed our documents and ´must-do´s for today. Because we arrange our own tours and adventures, when we hit a town, we need to contact people and agencies to ensure that all is in place. This is time-consuming, but it does take us to different areas of town that we would not normally have the opportunity to see.
Leaving Ninos Hotel, we went off to seek Eco-Amazonian Tours, to confirm reservations and pay for our jungle tour - June 17 - 21. Then we went to Andean Treks to ensure that we were indeed registered for the Inca Trail, and to find out about our Saturday´s initial group meeting.
Then, we wandered about Cusco, ate lunch, checked out the Plaza D´Armas, marvelled at the architecture, Inca & Spanish, and generally got a feel for downtown ´touristy´Cusco. And touristy it is! Everyone wants the tourists to purchase all their wares - so hands reach out to you constantly! We are continually saying - no, gracias!
Went on a church tour, Iglesia de la Campania de Jesus, the first Jesuit Church in Cusco. We even had our own guide who provided us with additional information which we would have missed had we been on our own. It was once more confirmed for us, Christianity and Inca traditions are interwoven - one sees this in the statues and the manner in which the altars are decorated. Truly an interesting concept! Christ on the cross, wears a skirt, as Peruvian men used to. Mary´s elaborate dress symbolizes the Andes Mountains, so her skirts are full & flowing, decorated with flower symbols, painted or hand-sewn. The Cusco religious art has flowers, fruits, & vegetables of the region, and gold leaf is added to the painting. The gold symbolizes the ´sun god´of the Incas.
Purchased a wool hat for the trek plus a few souvenirs. Ate dinner at a pizzeria, of which there are dozens in Cusco. Listened to a Peruvian band in the square and became disoriented because the crowds were so thick. Demonstrations are happening every day in Cusco - we saw 3 today. Do not know what is going on, but people are marching for something. We do find it difficult to breathe on the streets of Cusco, as the deisel fumes drive us mad, and vehicles are everywhere. Walking can be a bit treacherous, as pot holes are frequent in the cobbled walks. Can hardly wait for our mountain walk!
Sat., after completing the necessities of daily travel life, banking, paying the hotel, ensuring reservations for our return, etc., we attended our initial meeting with our climbing group at Andean Treks. Fifteen of us altogether. One half of our group members are closer to our ages, the other half, much younger. Our guides, Caesar and Wilson appear to be accommodating, although a little disorganized. We will be trusting our lives with these two -
Visited the neat artsy shopping are of San Blas area in Cusco.
Made sure we had a decent meal for dinner, and literally prepared ourselves for our Sunday morning pickup for ´the´ trek at 6:30 a.m. Here´s hoping and praying all goes well!
Friday, June 26, 2009
June 4 - Thursday -Puno to Cusco
Awoke early to board the Inca Express, a special tour bus that goes between Puno & Cusco. We will spent several hours getting to Cusco, and we will enjoy touristic stops along the way. Well worth the extra cost!
As we left Hotel Qelqatani, the staff surprised us with a gifts - cups and bookmarks from the hotel. We figure this must have been Paula`s doing - she was the waitress at Hotel del Monastario in Arequipa, and we believe this hotel in Puno belongs to her boyfriend´s family. A generous touch, to say the least! (Hotel costs were $66 US per night. A bit steep, but worth every penny!)
Leaving Puno, we drove into Juliaca, where the airport is located. Our guide informed us that this city was the centre for textiles - wool mills that send their products throughout Peru. No wonder we see the same products in all the local marketplaces! Juliaca is one mess of a city - dirty, with piles of stone rubble and incomplete buildings all over the place. Total chaos... I would never stay here - period! The people are into tax evasion, so as long as their buildings are incomplete, they do not have to pay the local taxes.
Drove onto Pucara where we visited an Inca `ruins`museum. The collection was similar to Dreyer`s collection in Puno - just more extensive. We appreciated seeing these works.
Pucara is the town where the pottery bulls which adorn the rooftops of homes are made. These bulls are said to promote prosperity, wealth and good health to the family home. A Christian cross and two vessels, one with food, the other water, can also be found alongside the bulls on the rooftops. Peruvians are covering all bases - they truly seek prosperity for their families.
Driving along we saw huge herds of alpacas and some vicunas. The countryside is getting greener, and the mountains appear less rocky. They actually look as if they have a velvety coat to them. Beautiful!
We reached La Raya, the highest point on our route. We stopped for photos of the snowy mountain ranges and glaciers. Absolutely stunning!
Lunched at Sicuan for an absolutely delicious buffet of Peruvian food! Listened to a musical group playing the flute, and enjoyed the warm mid-day sunshine!
Moved onto Raqushi, visiting the Inca ruins of a walled town, called Wiracocha`s Palace. Mgnificent! We were in awe with the amazing stonework. We just do not know how the Incas managed this fine stone construction.
The landscape is changing considerably. We are descending into the Cusco district and so much greenery now surrounds us. Eucalyptus forests, farming of all sorts, people cutting the wheat by hand, or tossing it, separating the wheat from the chaff. We are seeing an outstanding view of country life in Peru, yet everyone really is dirt-poor.
The Cusco law requires that all homes have tiled rooftops, something that came from the Spanish. No homes are to left unfinished either. This part of our drive gives one the feeling that all is well with the country, peace and good health appear to exist here. This was also the first time that we felt there was prosperity and hope for this land and its people.
We stopped at another little village and visited a Jesuit Church which is beautifully decorated with frescoes painted on the inside walls and ceiling. The church was then taken over by the Dominican order, who placed European copies of religious paintings over the original frescoe art. Such a shame... The altar was magnificent - covered completely in gold leaf, floor to ceiling. Once more, we saw the representation of Inca symbols in the statures, which ensured the people would remain faithful as they converted to Christianity. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Pathamama (Mother Earth) are one and the same. Interesting indeed!
Then onto Cusco. Arrived at a dingy bus depot, and taxied to our hotel - Ninos 2. I was exhausted, so I was not too impressed with the place at first glance, but it did prove to be a jewel of a little hotel - just what we needed! ($44 US per night, and a hot water shower!) The profits from this hotel support three groups of Cusco street children with education, clothing and food. We do like this place. Slept well, and are looking forward to tomorrow, (anxiety is mounting...) our first day in Cusco!
As we left Hotel Qelqatani, the staff surprised us with a gifts - cups and bookmarks from the hotel. We figure this must have been Paula`s doing - she was the waitress at Hotel del Monastario in Arequipa, and we believe this hotel in Puno belongs to her boyfriend´s family. A generous touch, to say the least! (Hotel costs were $66 US per night. A bit steep, but worth every penny!)
Leaving Puno, we drove into Juliaca, where the airport is located. Our guide informed us that this city was the centre for textiles - wool mills that send their products throughout Peru. No wonder we see the same products in all the local marketplaces! Juliaca is one mess of a city - dirty, with piles of stone rubble and incomplete buildings all over the place. Total chaos... I would never stay here - period! The people are into tax evasion, so as long as their buildings are incomplete, they do not have to pay the local taxes.
Drove onto Pucara where we visited an Inca `ruins`museum. The collection was similar to Dreyer`s collection in Puno - just more extensive. We appreciated seeing these works.
Pucara is the town where the pottery bulls which adorn the rooftops of homes are made. These bulls are said to promote prosperity, wealth and good health to the family home. A Christian cross and two vessels, one with food, the other water, can also be found alongside the bulls on the rooftops. Peruvians are covering all bases - they truly seek prosperity for their families.
Driving along we saw huge herds of alpacas and some vicunas. The countryside is getting greener, and the mountains appear less rocky. They actually look as if they have a velvety coat to them. Beautiful!
We reached La Raya, the highest point on our route. We stopped for photos of the snowy mountain ranges and glaciers. Absolutely stunning!
Lunched at Sicuan for an absolutely delicious buffet of Peruvian food! Listened to a musical group playing the flute, and enjoyed the warm mid-day sunshine!
Moved onto Raqushi, visiting the Inca ruins of a walled town, called Wiracocha`s Palace. Mgnificent! We were in awe with the amazing stonework. We just do not know how the Incas managed this fine stone construction.
The landscape is changing considerably. We are descending into the Cusco district and so much greenery now surrounds us. Eucalyptus forests, farming of all sorts, people cutting the wheat by hand, or tossing it, separating the wheat from the chaff. We are seeing an outstanding view of country life in Peru, yet everyone really is dirt-poor.
The Cusco law requires that all homes have tiled rooftops, something that came from the Spanish. No homes are to left unfinished either. This part of our drive gives one the feeling that all is well with the country, peace and good health appear to exist here. This was also the first time that we felt there was prosperity and hope for this land and its people.
We stopped at another little village and visited a Jesuit Church which is beautifully decorated with frescoes painted on the inside walls and ceiling. The church was then taken over by the Dominican order, who placed European copies of religious paintings over the original frescoe art. Such a shame... The altar was magnificent - covered completely in gold leaf, floor to ceiling. Once more, we saw the representation of Inca symbols in the statures, which ensured the people would remain faithful as they converted to Christianity. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Pathamama (Mother Earth) are one and the same. Interesting indeed!
Then onto Cusco. Arrived at a dingy bus depot, and taxied to our hotel - Ninos 2. I was exhausted, so I was not too impressed with the place at first glance, but it did prove to be a jewel of a little hotel - just what we needed! ($44 US per night, and a hot water shower!) The profits from this hotel support three groups of Cusco street children with education, clothing and food. We do like this place. Slept well, and are looking forward to tomorrow, (anxiety is mounting...) our first day in Cusco!
June 3 - Wednesday- Last day in Puno!
Laundry day! Yes, this happens, even on holidays. We need clean clothes to travel in....
Went to All-Ways Travel and they arranged for a cab to take us to the mountain top in Puno, here we saw the huge metallic condor figure, which overlooks this city. This was a special lookout spot, where one could see all of Puno and Lake Titikaka. An awesome sight indeed! Even though the weather is coolish, the skies are a vivid blue in colour - the bluest we have ever seen.
We had to hire a `secure`taxi to take us to this mountain-top lookout spot, as walkers face being robbed along the path. Such a shame, yet Bruce and I realized that it would have taken us a couple of hours to reach this high spot of land... the mountain walk is very steep!
Visited the Carl Dreyer Museum this p.m. This German artist collected many Inca and pre-Inca artifacts. Grave robbers are still active and are so willing to sell their wares. Hence, Dreyer`s extensive collection. Our guide, Johnny, provided us with good historical information and details on all of this. He also confirmed for us the manner in which the Peruvians presently mix Inca and pre-Inca culture with their new-found belief in Christianity.
Ate our last dinner here. Bruce`s antibiotics are starting to kick in, so he is feeling so much better. We are enjoying the tasty Peruvian soups, especially the quinoa mixtures. Absolutely delicious, and something we will definitely try at home.
Heard that another group of students were parading in the square this evening. Lots of noisy firecrackers were going off, and we cannot figure out what the occasion is...
Finished our packing, and are ready for `take-off` tomorrow!
Went to All-Ways Travel and they arranged for a cab to take us to the mountain top in Puno, here we saw the huge metallic condor figure, which overlooks this city. This was a special lookout spot, where one could see all of Puno and Lake Titikaka. An awesome sight indeed! Even though the weather is coolish, the skies are a vivid blue in colour - the bluest we have ever seen.
We had to hire a `secure`taxi to take us to this mountain-top lookout spot, as walkers face being robbed along the path. Such a shame, yet Bruce and I realized that it would have taken us a couple of hours to reach this high spot of land... the mountain walk is very steep!
Visited the Carl Dreyer Museum this p.m. This German artist collected many Inca and pre-Inca artifacts. Grave robbers are still active and are so willing to sell their wares. Hence, Dreyer`s extensive collection. Our guide, Johnny, provided us with good historical information and details on all of this. He also confirmed for us the manner in which the Peruvians presently mix Inca and pre-Inca culture with their new-found belief in Christianity.
Ate our last dinner here. Bruce`s antibiotics are starting to kick in, so he is feeling so much better. We are enjoying the tasty Peruvian soups, especially the quinoa mixtures. Absolutely delicious, and something we will definitely try at home.
Heard that another group of students were parading in the square this evening. Lots of noisy firecrackers were going off, and we cannot figure out what the occasion is...
Finished our packing, and are ready for `take-off` tomorrow!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
June 2, Tuesday - Puno
Forgot to mention this yesterday - Miguel, our guide, who is just 21 years old, wishes to give up his ´city´culture, and marry a girl from Taquile, because he loves what their culture stands for. Imagine... living on an island, leading a very simple life with the one you love. Sounds wonderful, does it not!
Bruce is still feeling poorly, so we are taking it easy today. Accomplished our necessities - laundry, etc. Met an English couple on our walk, father (64 years old) and a very hippy-type daughter (48 years old), who had just completed the Inca Trail and loved it. The father was hoping he was older than Bruce, because he wanted the title of being the oldest man to complete the walk. He was a little shocked to find out that Bruce was 70! We talked for awhile, sharing stories, getting advice from them, and simply enjoying one another´s company.
Walked around a bit, enjoying the warm sunshine, discovering more of this smallish town of Puno. It has quite the folkloric history, dances, songs, etc., but all these celebrations are held in February. Today, another parade - this time to honour Flag Day, and the last battle the Peruvians were involved in. All students, dressed in school uniforms, were in tow in the square, doing the famous military goose step. We felt a little sympathetic towards them, as they waited for more than an hour for their ´turn´ to show their ´stuff´in front of the cathedral. Church and state work hand in hand in Peru, it seems. (This parade is still chaotic, we took photos and found the situation rather humourous - again.)
This afternoon we toured Sillustani Burial Site, famous for its burial tower tombs where the Royals were buried. The Callas (pre-Inca peoples) displayed their dexterity with stone to deter the tomb raiders. The insides of the tombs are shaped like a woman´s womb and the corpses are mummified in fetal positions. The funerary towers are presently being restored by archeologists, who have a lot of work on their hands!
Visited a local family homestead, and were royally treated. This homestead resembled the early Irish homesteads I had visited years ago in Ireland. Thatched roofs, small round and square buildings, all enclosed within a wall. Families keep their own llamas, have a guinea pig enclosure, a dog, and do some farming. The soil surrounding Puno is considered very rich farm land, due to its proximity to the Lake. Such a nice change from our previous arid, desert landscapes. Discovered that guinea pigs have healing powers, so that when one is ill, one is to sleep with a guinea pig on one´s chest. (Must do this for Bruce!)
The family gave us another potato and quinoa demonstrations, serving us warm potatoes, with a sauce made from the clay soil. The clay provides healing powers and adds to the taste of the boiled potato. Potatoes are all very small in size, just like the baby potatoes we purchase at home. The family also served us muni tea and fresh cheese, made that day. Not bad tasting! We thanked our hosts, leaving them with a ´tip´for their effort. The homesteads share the tourist stops, as buses and tourists were seen at other homesteads along the route. We found our host family to be generous, friendly, and extremely welcoming. They were so willing to share their ´home´and customs with us.
Returned to Puno for a quiet evening, eating pasta for dinner, and resting. We counted ourselves very fortunate to be on this adventure.
Bruce is still feeling poorly, so we are taking it easy today. Accomplished our necessities - laundry, etc. Met an English couple on our walk, father (64 years old) and a very hippy-type daughter (48 years old), who had just completed the Inca Trail and loved it. The father was hoping he was older than Bruce, because he wanted the title of being the oldest man to complete the walk. He was a little shocked to find out that Bruce was 70! We talked for awhile, sharing stories, getting advice from them, and simply enjoying one another´s company.
Walked around a bit, enjoying the warm sunshine, discovering more of this smallish town of Puno. It has quite the folkloric history, dances, songs, etc., but all these celebrations are held in February. Today, another parade - this time to honour Flag Day, and the last battle the Peruvians were involved in. All students, dressed in school uniforms, were in tow in the square, doing the famous military goose step. We felt a little sympathetic towards them, as they waited for more than an hour for their ´turn´ to show their ´stuff´in front of the cathedral. Church and state work hand in hand in Peru, it seems. (This parade is still chaotic, we took photos and found the situation rather humourous - again.)
This afternoon we toured Sillustani Burial Site, famous for its burial tower tombs where the Royals were buried. The Callas (pre-Inca peoples) displayed their dexterity with stone to deter the tomb raiders. The insides of the tombs are shaped like a woman´s womb and the corpses are mummified in fetal positions. The funerary towers are presently being restored by archeologists, who have a lot of work on their hands!
Visited a local family homestead, and were royally treated. This homestead resembled the early Irish homesteads I had visited years ago in Ireland. Thatched roofs, small round and square buildings, all enclosed within a wall. Families keep their own llamas, have a guinea pig enclosure, a dog, and do some farming. The soil surrounding Puno is considered very rich farm land, due to its proximity to the Lake. Such a nice change from our previous arid, desert landscapes. Discovered that guinea pigs have healing powers, so that when one is ill, one is to sleep with a guinea pig on one´s chest. (Must do this for Bruce!)
The family gave us another potato and quinoa demonstrations, serving us warm potatoes, with a sauce made from the clay soil. The clay provides healing powers and adds to the taste of the boiled potato. Potatoes are all very small in size, just like the baby potatoes we purchase at home. The family also served us muni tea and fresh cheese, made that day. Not bad tasting! We thanked our hosts, leaving them with a ´tip´for their effort. The homesteads share the tourist stops, as buses and tourists were seen at other homesteads along the route. We found our host family to be generous, friendly, and extremely welcoming. They were so willing to share their ´home´and customs with us.
Returned to Puno for a quiet evening, eating pasta for dinner, and resting. We counted ourselves very fortunate to be on this adventure.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
June 1 - Monday, Puno & Lake Tikikaka
Lake Tikikaka is South America´s second highest lake, and the highest lake of its size in the world. Imagine...
Met our guide, Miguel, at 7:15 a.m., who accompanied us by taxi to the wharf, where we boarded a 20-passenger speedboat. Purchased coloured pencils and pens on the dock beforehand, to hand out to children on the islands. The islanders do no wish tourists to give their children candy, so - coloured pencils and pens it is! (Most of the children were attending school, so I did not get the chance to pass these on!)
Many boats are in dock, as this is low season for tourists. We consider ourselves fortunate to be in Peru at this time, for as of June 15, the real tourist season begins once more. And, apparently, it is usually a busy one! Don´t know what will happen this year, due to the economic crash and the flu scare...
Met our group - 8 tourists in all, 2 guides, and one other couple who hailed from Spain.
We first visited Islas Flotas, the floating islands. This group of islands are nests of tortura reeds, whose roots have broken loose from the bottom of the lake. The people keep the living areas high and dry, by continually adding cut tortura reeds to the top. This has the effect of burying the reed houses, so the inhabitants have to ´lift´their homes, and add reeds underneath them. As these houses are extremely light, (it takes 4 ment to lift them), they are then placed on a new reed platform.
Inhabitants cling to a very traditional way of life. They describe their lives as living between heaven and earth - such a beautiful concept. The people are extremely well organized in a touristic sense. As one enters the islands, tourist boats reach a central point, and are ´sent´to a certain island, for that day. This ensures that all islands have the opportunity to entertain and ´sell´to tourists. The fruits of tourism are evenly distributed throughout the many little villages, each one sitting on a separate little island. Uros, was the name of the island we were sent to, and the people of the Aymara tribe, consider themselves to be the oldest people on earth!
Once we docked, Miguel explained how the islands are built and maintained. He described the Aymara´s culture and the reasons they try to follow the old Inca traditions. Ladies and men presented their wares, mostly textile crafts, which were extremely well designed. Miguel explained the construction of the tortura reed boats, which are very strong, and to me are similar to the gondolas of Venice.
The meeting place houses schools and is supported by the Seventh Day Adventist congregation.
Two women, mother and daughter, invited us into their home and showed us the inside of their reed house. Very small, dry, clean, and all the furniture is made of reeds. They even have a TV... (not made of reeds!), and lighting due to solar energy they produce. Daylight is 12 hours long 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Interesting...
Bruce became claustrophobic, so we managed to get outdoors, then the ´sell´to the tourists was on. I did purchase a small necklace and a small piece of their specialized textile work. (In the meantime, I thought I had lost my wallet, so everyone went on the search. The island people are very honest, no police force is in existance here - ever. I found my wallet - had mistakenly placed it in another pocket. Foolish me - I certainly apologized to everyone. )
Being the oldest tourists in the group, and I will say, the most adventurous, we took the oportunity to visit the next island by riding in a tortura boat. No one else was open to this adventure, which really was extremely safe. The boat is propelled by a single oar at the stern, managed by a boatman. Halfways across, the blade of the oar broke away, so we had very little oar surface. Sailing was slow... we finally met up with our tour passengers on the other island.
This next floating island had a selection of flamingoes, guinea pigs - which have their own little residences, and a trout farm. Note to all future travelers to these islands... do not eat the trout. They are farmed amongst the reeds, and therefore the grassy taste!
We saw island men in the process of building a reed boat, then we sailed for another hour to the next island - Taquile, where the people speak Quechua, the original Inca language. We are now at the highest altitude on the lake. Miguel, our guide, tries to make sure that we are using sunblock, for the sun´s rays are a killer. He prefers to use SPF 100 when he can get it, but finds this stuff very expensive.
The lake is a deep blue in colour, just like the sky. Before landing on Taquile, we took photos of the snow-tipped mountain ranges of Bolivia - we are that close. The senery is spectacular! Half Lake Titikaka belongs to Bolivia.
Docking at Taquile, we walked uphill, observing the terraced lands, learning about the healing properties of plants, and finally made it to our destination. We were breathless! (Initially, Migual did not think that Bruce and I could do this climb, but the Spanish couple assured him we could, as they knew we had walked the Camino to Santiago. It´s interesting what people think of us because of our age!)
Breathless, we reached a family homestead with quite a few huts. We learned about Taquile´s special community-based culture, their strong beliefs in honesty: discovered that marred men were red toques which they knit, and the single men wear white and red hats, the white indicating that their lives are still incomplete. The local custom regarding marriage is that a couple can live together for 3 years before deciding whether or not to marry. In this manner, they get used to one another, and find out whether or not they can stay together for a lifetime. But, if the woman gets pregnant, she has to marry her partner - no choice now!
We were introduced to their farming, potatoes, of all shapes and sizes, dried for winter, and the livestock are llamas, donkeys and cows. All is carried on the backs of these animals, except for the cows of course. We were treated to a meal of quinoa soup and trout, and drank muni tea - then the dancing began, as the men and women demonstrated their traditional dances. I was up dancing with them, and believe me I was breathless! Do not really know how I managed this at all...
The long walk up the rest of the mountain was ahead of us. We saw the main village, simply constructed and designed, the meeting place for the elders, their shops, where they trade goods with other islanders, and admired the beautiful green farm plots below. We then walked down the other side of the island, all 536 steps - Miguel was my ´stick´as we continued to descend. His help was most appreciated. Then to the wharf, meeting fellow tourists, talking about our new learning experiences which opened our eyes to a world we did not know existed.
The boat ride back was long - 1.5 hours. Had a short nap, but the scenery was too beautiful to be missed. This definitely was the best tour we have been on so far.
Once át home´, Bruce had quite the nap. We had to go to the pharmacy to acquire additional altitude pills, as he was suffering, and we did not have a large enough supply of our own.
Visited All-Ways Travel for our tour for the next day, and the bus tour to Cusco - then had a pizza for dinner. So many pizza shops, you would swear we were in Italy! Had a great night´s sleep - again, with the room heater on of course!
Met our guide, Miguel, at 7:15 a.m., who accompanied us by taxi to the wharf, where we boarded a 20-passenger speedboat. Purchased coloured pencils and pens on the dock beforehand, to hand out to children on the islands. The islanders do no wish tourists to give their children candy, so - coloured pencils and pens it is! (Most of the children were attending school, so I did not get the chance to pass these on!)
Many boats are in dock, as this is low season for tourists. We consider ourselves fortunate to be in Peru at this time, for as of June 15, the real tourist season begins once more. And, apparently, it is usually a busy one! Don´t know what will happen this year, due to the economic crash and the flu scare...
Met our group - 8 tourists in all, 2 guides, and one other couple who hailed from Spain.
We first visited Islas Flotas, the floating islands. This group of islands are nests of tortura reeds, whose roots have broken loose from the bottom of the lake. The people keep the living areas high and dry, by continually adding cut tortura reeds to the top. This has the effect of burying the reed houses, so the inhabitants have to ´lift´their homes, and add reeds underneath them. As these houses are extremely light, (it takes 4 ment to lift them), they are then placed on a new reed platform.
Inhabitants cling to a very traditional way of life. They describe their lives as living between heaven and earth - such a beautiful concept. The people are extremely well organized in a touristic sense. As one enters the islands, tourist boats reach a central point, and are ´sent´to a certain island, for that day. This ensures that all islands have the opportunity to entertain and ´sell´to tourists. The fruits of tourism are evenly distributed throughout the many little villages, each one sitting on a separate little island. Uros, was the name of the island we were sent to, and the people of the Aymara tribe, consider themselves to be the oldest people on earth!
Once we docked, Miguel explained how the islands are built and maintained. He described the Aymara´s culture and the reasons they try to follow the old Inca traditions. Ladies and men presented their wares, mostly textile crafts, which were extremely well designed. Miguel explained the construction of the tortura reed boats, which are very strong, and to me are similar to the gondolas of Venice.
The meeting place houses schools and is supported by the Seventh Day Adventist congregation.
Two women, mother and daughter, invited us into their home and showed us the inside of their reed house. Very small, dry, clean, and all the furniture is made of reeds. They even have a TV... (not made of reeds!), and lighting due to solar energy they produce. Daylight is 12 hours long 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Interesting...
Bruce became claustrophobic, so we managed to get outdoors, then the ´sell´to the tourists was on. I did purchase a small necklace and a small piece of their specialized textile work. (In the meantime, I thought I had lost my wallet, so everyone went on the search. The island people are very honest, no police force is in existance here - ever. I found my wallet - had mistakenly placed it in another pocket. Foolish me - I certainly apologized to everyone. )
Being the oldest tourists in the group, and I will say, the most adventurous, we took the oportunity to visit the next island by riding in a tortura boat. No one else was open to this adventure, which really was extremely safe. The boat is propelled by a single oar at the stern, managed by a boatman. Halfways across, the blade of the oar broke away, so we had very little oar surface. Sailing was slow... we finally met up with our tour passengers on the other island.
This next floating island had a selection of flamingoes, guinea pigs - which have their own little residences, and a trout farm. Note to all future travelers to these islands... do not eat the trout. They are farmed amongst the reeds, and therefore the grassy taste!
We saw island men in the process of building a reed boat, then we sailed for another hour to the next island - Taquile, where the people speak Quechua, the original Inca language. We are now at the highest altitude on the lake. Miguel, our guide, tries to make sure that we are using sunblock, for the sun´s rays are a killer. He prefers to use SPF 100 when he can get it, but finds this stuff very expensive.
The lake is a deep blue in colour, just like the sky. Before landing on Taquile, we took photos of the snow-tipped mountain ranges of Bolivia - we are that close. The senery is spectacular! Half Lake Titikaka belongs to Bolivia.
Docking at Taquile, we walked uphill, observing the terraced lands, learning about the healing properties of plants, and finally made it to our destination. We were breathless! (Initially, Migual did not think that Bruce and I could do this climb, but the Spanish couple assured him we could, as they knew we had walked the Camino to Santiago. It´s interesting what people think of us because of our age!)
Breathless, we reached a family homestead with quite a few huts. We learned about Taquile´s special community-based culture, their strong beliefs in honesty: discovered that marred men were red toques which they knit, and the single men wear white and red hats, the white indicating that their lives are still incomplete. The local custom regarding marriage is that a couple can live together for 3 years before deciding whether or not to marry. In this manner, they get used to one another, and find out whether or not they can stay together for a lifetime. But, if the woman gets pregnant, she has to marry her partner - no choice now!
We were introduced to their farming, potatoes, of all shapes and sizes, dried for winter, and the livestock are llamas, donkeys and cows. All is carried on the backs of these animals, except for the cows of course. We were treated to a meal of quinoa soup and trout, and drank muni tea - then the dancing began, as the men and women demonstrated their traditional dances. I was up dancing with them, and believe me I was breathless! Do not really know how I managed this at all...
The long walk up the rest of the mountain was ahead of us. We saw the main village, simply constructed and designed, the meeting place for the elders, their shops, where they trade goods with other islanders, and admired the beautiful green farm plots below. We then walked down the other side of the island, all 536 steps - Miguel was my ´stick´as we continued to descend. His help was most appreciated. Then to the wharf, meeting fellow tourists, talking about our new learning experiences which opened our eyes to a world we did not know existed.
The boat ride back was long - 1.5 hours. Had a short nap, but the scenery was too beautiful to be missed. This definitely was the best tour we have been on so far.
Once át home´, Bruce had quite the nap. We had to go to the pharmacy to acquire additional altitude pills, as he was suffering, and we did not have a large enough supply of our own.
Visited All-Ways Travel for our tour for the next day, and the bus tour to Cusco - then had a pizza for dinner. So many pizza shops, you would swear we were in Italy! Had a great night´s sleep - again, with the room heater on of course!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
May 31 - Sunday, Puno!
After discovering parts of Puno last night, today we decided to seriously get the know this busy little town. Watched a huge ceremony in front of Iglesia de Juan Batista, with Peruvians marchings, school-age children , even young kindergarten children, all marching with their teachers in tow. All students were in school uniforms, and to be honest with you, the parade appreared to be in utter chaos! Parents would rush in from anywhere, just to photograph their child, as they were marching! All students tried their best to keep up, but they just could not manage. We laughed so hard... for us, we had never seen the likes of this. The kindergarten children were the cutest though, for as their parents were photographing them, these same parents had to direct the kiddies as to where to walk, how to keep step, and whom to follow. Bruce and I, along with many other onlookers, thought this was hilarious. We also took many pictures!
We still do not know what the purpose of the feast was, for even though this is Sunday, everything was done in miltary fashion. No one could really explain it to us either...
As Bruce and I walked around, we discovered lovely squares and parks, we window-shopped, and were constantly approached by ´touters´to purchase their wares, Peruvian knits from the market places. Bruce was freezing to death, so I insisted he purchase an alpaca scarf, which he did reluctantly. He´s gotten a cold, and needs to get over this before we begin our Inka Trek! Everyone knows I´m feeding him Vit. C and Cold FX, and much to my surprise, he´s taking it!
We rested this afternoon, as this high altitude is getting to us. It literally is taking the wind from our sails! This evening, we dined on trout, which this lake is famous for. The trout originally came from Canada and the US, and now lives and breeds in the cold waters of Lake Titikaka. This trout had a grassy taste to it, due to the reeds and algae that are a part of the lake. We had to try this local specialty, but we did not care much for it.
Settled in our hotel room for the evening, drinking wine, reading and writing. Due to the cold, we have a heater in our room - thank the Good Lord! The evenings really are frigid here....
An odd thing is happening to us, and we think it is due to the high altitude. Our fingers, all of them, and our toes, sometimes even our hands and feet, are tingling... It really is the strangest feeling.
We still do not know what the purpose of the feast was, for even though this is Sunday, everything was done in miltary fashion. No one could really explain it to us either...
As Bruce and I walked around, we discovered lovely squares and parks, we window-shopped, and were constantly approached by ´touters´to purchase their wares, Peruvian knits from the market places. Bruce was freezing to death, so I insisted he purchase an alpaca scarf, which he did reluctantly. He´s gotten a cold, and needs to get over this before we begin our Inka Trek! Everyone knows I´m feeding him Vit. C and Cold FX, and much to my surprise, he´s taking it!
We rested this afternoon, as this high altitude is getting to us. It literally is taking the wind from our sails! This evening, we dined on trout, which this lake is famous for. The trout originally came from Canada and the US, and now lives and breeds in the cold waters of Lake Titikaka. This trout had a grassy taste to it, due to the reeds and algae that are a part of the lake. We had to try this local specialty, but we did not care much for it.
Settled in our hotel room for the evening, drinking wine, reading and writing. Due to the cold, we have a heater in our room - thank the Good Lord! The evenings really are frigid here....
An odd thing is happening to us, and we think it is due to the high altitude. Our fingers, all of them, and our toes, sometimes even our hands and feet, are tingling... It really is the strangest feeling.
May 30 - Saturday, Arequipa to Puno
We awoke early, ate a delicious breakfast at our hotel, took a taxi to the bus depot and bade our adieux to Arequipa, a beautiful, beautiful colonial city, in the middle of Peru. Sun rises early, and this morning light sheds a lovely pinkish glow on all the city buildings. Leaving Arequipa, feels as if we are leaving a friend behind. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the people we met.
Boarded the Cruz del Sur buslines one more time, sat back and enjoyed the scenery during our five hour journey to Puno. Similar dry, desert landscape, canyons and heights of land; saw many llamas, alpacas and vicunas, just like the ones pictured on our blog. This time though, the herds were much larger. The landscape changed as we drew closer to Puno. Farming was evident and homes were built of rust-brownish coloured bricks (adobes), the same colour as the soil. Homes have proper roofs of them; we figure that Peruvians here have a better quality of life than the ones we saw in the shantytowns outside of Lima and Arequipa.
Puno is situated in the Southern Highlands, very high in the Andes, and is the port city for the villages around Lake Titikaka. Altitude - 12000 ft above sea level. (Yes, we are taking our altitude pills nightly!) Part of Lake Titikaka belongs to Bolivia - we are that close to this other country. Winter is upon us, it is the dry season, daytime high is 14 above, and lows can go down to 4 above. We are definitely dressing in layers for the weather.
The driver from our hotel picked us up at the bus station, and we meandered through the narrow streets of Puno, alongside decrepid shop buildings, finally arriving at our destination - Hotel Qeqatani, a lovely 3 star place, amidst the hubbub of oddly assorted buildings. The staff advised us to take the elevator to our room as this was our first exposure to this higher altitude and they did not want us fainting on the stairwell! Puno is situated at an altitude higher than Mach Picchu.
After resting a wee bit, we made our way to the tourist agency, All-Ways Travel, booking our tour to Lake Titikaka. This agency is highly recommended by the Lonely Planet, and the people did indeed serve us well.
Bruce and I needed to eat - so we returned to our hotel, ate a light dinner, read and went to bed early.
We had walked up the three flights of stairs to our room, and we were completely out of breath. Can you believe it! Slept wonderfully well - thank goodness!
Boarded the Cruz del Sur buslines one more time, sat back and enjoyed the scenery during our five hour journey to Puno. Similar dry, desert landscape, canyons and heights of land; saw many llamas, alpacas and vicunas, just like the ones pictured on our blog. This time though, the herds were much larger. The landscape changed as we drew closer to Puno. Farming was evident and homes were built of rust-brownish coloured bricks (adobes), the same colour as the soil. Homes have proper roofs of them; we figure that Peruvians here have a better quality of life than the ones we saw in the shantytowns outside of Lima and Arequipa.
Puno is situated in the Southern Highlands, very high in the Andes, and is the port city for the villages around Lake Titikaka. Altitude - 12000 ft above sea level. (Yes, we are taking our altitude pills nightly!) Part of Lake Titikaka belongs to Bolivia - we are that close to this other country. Winter is upon us, it is the dry season, daytime high is 14 above, and lows can go down to 4 above. We are definitely dressing in layers for the weather.
The driver from our hotel picked us up at the bus station, and we meandered through the narrow streets of Puno, alongside decrepid shop buildings, finally arriving at our destination - Hotel Qeqatani, a lovely 3 star place, amidst the hubbub of oddly assorted buildings. The staff advised us to take the elevator to our room as this was our first exposure to this higher altitude and they did not want us fainting on the stairwell! Puno is situated at an altitude higher than Mach Picchu.
After resting a wee bit, we made our way to the tourist agency, All-Ways Travel, booking our tour to Lake Titikaka. This agency is highly recommended by the Lonely Planet, and the people did indeed serve us well.
Bruce and I needed to eat - so we returned to our hotel, ate a light dinner, read and went to bed early.
We had walked up the three flights of stairs to our room, and we were completely out of breath. Can you believe it! Slept wonderfully well - thank goodness!
June 23 - Lima
We arrived from the Amazon Jungle, safe and sound, to Cusco, on the 21st.
We just flew into Lima today, and are resting, along with planning out next 5 days in this huge and spread-out city. It so nice to be back at sea level again. We can breathe so much more easily, and I do not feel nauseous! As much as we loved the smallish city of Cusco, being at its high altitude level affected our health just a wee bit.
We are staying at La Posada del Parque in Lima, the same hotel as before. We have access to a computer, so I should be able to continue blogging - perhaps recording a couple of days at a time. Wouldn´t that be wonderful!
Hope all is well with our family and friends. Thank you so much for keeping in touch with us. Touching base with friends is just what we needed!
Take care - Love from us both - Claudette & Bruce
We just flew into Lima today, and are resting, along with planning out next 5 days in this huge and spread-out city. It so nice to be back at sea level again. We can breathe so much more easily, and I do not feel nauseous! As much as we loved the smallish city of Cusco, being at its high altitude level affected our health just a wee bit.
We are staying at La Posada del Parque in Lima, the same hotel as before. We have access to a computer, so I should be able to continue blogging - perhaps recording a couple of days at a time. Wouldn´t that be wonderful!
Hope all is well with our family and friends. Thank you so much for keeping in touch with us. Touching base with friends is just what we needed!
Take care - Love from us both - Claudette & Bruce
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
June 16, Cusco
Bruce & I really appreciated your comments. Such wonderful friends we have! We are so lucky...
We will be leaving the Puerto Maldonado tomorrow morning for a week - June 17 - 21. We will be in the depths of the jungle, so I am almost certain there will be no computer access during this time.
All is well, although we are both experiencing ´slowness´in our movements due to altitude sickness, and we are sleeping a lot. (Could this be age!!!!)
We love Cusco - once we got by the hoards of tourists and were able to look into other things, we really hate to leave this town. The Peruvians continue to be the most friendly, and gentlest people we have met.
Two more weeks to go my friends!
Love, Claudette & Bruce
We will be leaving the Puerto Maldonado tomorrow morning for a week - June 17 - 21. We will be in the depths of the jungle, so I am almost certain there will be no computer access during this time.
All is well, although we are both experiencing ´slowness´in our movements due to altitude sickness, and we are sleeping a lot. (Could this be age!!!!)
We love Cusco - once we got by the hoards of tourists and were able to look into other things, we really hate to leave this town. The Peruvians continue to be the most friendly, and gentlest people we have met.
Two more weeks to go my friends!
Love, Claudette & Bruce
Friday, June 12, 2009
June 12 - Cusco
Safely arrived in Cusco last night around 9:30 p.m. Our trek is complete!
We survived the Inca Trail, and spent yesterday on site at Machu Pichu. Outstanding experience!
The trek was our most difficult ever, yet we were somehow able to complete it on our own. We are so thankful that we had so much group enthusiasm and support. The guides were outstanding, and both Bruce and I could never have completed this challenge without their support, their leadership, and their kind and caring hearts.
The weather has continued to be gorgeous - blue skies, all the way.
¨We have indeed met our match, Matchu Pichu, the mountain, and the Inca Trail!¨
Take care everyone, we will send more info soon.
Lobe - Claudette & Bruce
We survived the Inca Trail, and spent yesterday on site at Machu Pichu. Outstanding experience!
The trek was our most difficult ever, yet we were somehow able to complete it on our own. We are so thankful that we had so much group enthusiasm and support. The guides were outstanding, and both Bruce and I could never have completed this challenge without their support, their leadership, and their kind and caring hearts.
The weather has continued to be gorgeous - blue skies, all the way.
¨We have indeed met our match, Matchu Pichu, the mountain, and the Inca Trail!¨
Take care everyone, we will send more info soon.
Lobe - Claudette & Bruce
Saturday, June 6, 2009
June 6 - Cusco
Sagfely arrived in Cusco , the evening of June 4. No computer access at our hotel Los Ninos, so I am now at an Internet Cafe.
Meeting today at noon, regarding our walk to Machu Pichu tomorrow, Sunday. Leaving at 7 a.m.
Will let everyone know how we make out, after June 11.
Take care - Claudette & Bruce
Meeting today at noon, regarding our walk to Machu Pichu tomorrow, Sunday. Leaving at 7 a.m.
Will let everyone know how we make out, after June 11.
Take care - Claudette & Bruce
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
May 29 - Last day in Arequipa
Purchased goods we needed such as extra altitude pills, as we are staying at this high altitude longer than we originally expected to. We need these now, one pill a day!
Our last visit to the Cathedral, admiring the simplicity of the architecture, the sillar stone construction, the many statues, and the manner in which 'light' enters this church. Walked around the town, searching out a different restaurant for dinner.
After a light lunch, we visited Casa Moral, a beautifully reconstructed colonial mansion, owned through the ages by several different owners - even an American couple, and now owned by the bank. The antique furniture of the different eras and the art were amazing. So many homes had so many religious paintings in them. It's almost sinister, as the paintings are so 'dark', both in colour and interpretation
Returned to our hotel, met with a young waitress, studying in the Tourist Industry, who helped us find a good hotel in Puno - a decent 3 star, family run place. She also provided us with good advice on how to handle the higher altitude of this area - walk slowly, eat lightly the first day or two, etc. Puno is lower than the summit of Mt Robson, but most of the passes we will be traveling through, are higher than the peaks in the Rockies.
Ate an absolutely delicious dinner. Bruce tried the local 'ocopa', a cold potato smothered with green chili sauce - rather tastless, not a good choice. I had Peruvian beef, - filet was to die for!, yellow mashed potatoes, veggies and gravy. Absolutely outstanding! Dessert was the traditional 3 milk cake, another 'to die for' dish.
Paid our bill at La Posada del Monasterio, said our goodbyes, packed and went to bed early.
Our last visit to the Cathedral, admiring the simplicity of the architecture, the sillar stone construction, the many statues, and the manner in which 'light' enters this church. Walked around the town, searching out a different restaurant for dinner.
After a light lunch, we visited Casa Moral, a beautifully reconstructed colonial mansion, owned through the ages by several different owners - even an American couple, and now owned by the bank. The antique furniture of the different eras and the art were amazing. So many homes had so many religious paintings in them. It's almost sinister, as the paintings are so 'dark', both in colour and interpretation
Returned to our hotel, met with a young waitress, studying in the Tourist Industry, who helped us find a good hotel in Puno - a decent 3 star, family run place. She also provided us with good advice on how to handle the higher altitude of this area - walk slowly, eat lightly the first day or two, etc. Puno is lower than the summit of Mt Robson, but most of the passes we will be traveling through, are higher than the peaks in the Rockies.
Ate an absolutely delicious dinner. Bruce tried the local 'ocopa', a cold potato smothered with green chili sauce - rather tastless, not a good choice. I had Peruvian beef, - filet was to die for!, yellow mashed potatoes, veggies and gravy. Absolutely outstanding! Dessert was the traditional 3 milk cake, another 'to die for' dish.
Paid our bill at La Posada del Monasterio, said our goodbyes, packed and went to bed early.
Colca Canyon Tour - May 28
The small town of Chivay, the main one in the Colca Canyon is built similar to small towns in Mexico. The roads are not paved, the buildings are roughly put together, yet the town is 'alive' with people. The people living in the canyon continue to follow the ancient traditional ways of life. Land is beautifully terraced, in a sophisticated manner, using every little bit available. One part up to one part back. We figure the density of the population must have been great to support all this agriculture. I loved the artistic and gorgeous patterns. Yesterday, driving into town, we saw several women and men, threshing and gathering wheat and quinoa, on their small plots of land. Potatoes are planted in the fields also and harvested, all by hand.
We had to be up at 5 a.m. as the tour bus was picking us up t 6 a.m. But, it arrived at 6.45 a.m. picking everyone else up first, so Bruce and I could not sit together. Bruce was quite ill with altitude sickness, but he survived the day.
Colca Canyon is a site to see. It's 100 kms long, and has a depth of 11, 155 ft. The canyon is home to the Cabana and Collagua peoples, who have lived here for 2000 years. We discovered that they devised their system of terracing on the mountainsides, trapping runoff water from the volcanoes. The terracing also prevents erosion of their farm lands. We found them to be ingenious farmers, as the land surrounding them is the dry, arid desert.
The women are colourfully dressed, as we are now noticing in all the towns of Peru. It's so pretty to see...
We stopped to visit another small town in the valley - Yanque. Visited the Cathedral, and women, colourfully dressed, were outside waiting for their photos to be taken. They had hawks on their shoulders and llamas, all dressed up, by their sides. Children were dancing in the square.
Catholic Peruvians absolutely revere the Blessed Virgin Mary. I've never seen soon many churches named after her, or chapels that honour her, with statues elaborating her importance.
We believe it's because the Jesuits, in order to convert the Incas and other peoples in Peru, had to use the 'Mary', a mother, which the Andean peoples believed strongly in the 'mother earth'... so, the connection was made. I've never seen Mary so elaborately dressed - anywhere. Andean people still combine the two beliefs - Christianity and the Inca ways. Mother Earth is revered, as is the sun and the moon. Interesting, indeed.
Today's other highlight was visiting the Cruz del Condor, watching these huge, condors glide, soar and wheel around us before they chose to land on boulders on the mountain sides. We stayed at this sight for an hour, observing them in flight, catching the wind currents. Peruvians still consider them a sacred bird, taken from ancient beliefs.
The Andean moutain ranges and the volcanoes are awsome to see. An Aussie geologist , whom we met, believes they are the most interesting mountains to study and work with. He works in Argentina and Chili, and just loves his job.
Another site was the hanging tombs on the mountainside. Incas or pre-Incas buried their families here. The tombs have since been raided, but the forms are still there to be studied.
Oddity - This is the second time that we have had the comment regarding our age made to us. Younger tourists find it amazing that Bruce and I are willing to forgo the comforts of 5 star hotels, and take rough tours like this. They find it amazing that we are on a tour of our own in Peru - at our age. We find this so cute, and together we all have a good giggle.
The trip back to Arequipa was quite long, and everyone was tired, yet we were so happy to have seen it all. Arriving at the hotel, Bruce took his first altitude sickness pill, and felt much better. We both did. No more headaches, no more nausea. We will now pay more attention to our bodies as we move further up in altitude.
Hope our family and friends are all well. We think of you often, and let's face it, I'm praying for all of you in all the churches I visit!
We had to be up at 5 a.m. as the tour bus was picking us up t 6 a.m. But, it arrived at 6.45 a.m. picking everyone else up first, so Bruce and I could not sit together. Bruce was quite ill with altitude sickness, but he survived the day.
Colca Canyon is a site to see. It's 100 kms long, and has a depth of 11, 155 ft. The canyon is home to the Cabana and Collagua peoples, who have lived here for 2000 years. We discovered that they devised their system of terracing on the mountainsides, trapping runoff water from the volcanoes. The terracing also prevents erosion of their farm lands. We found them to be ingenious farmers, as the land surrounding them is the dry, arid desert.
The women are colourfully dressed, as we are now noticing in all the towns of Peru. It's so pretty to see...
We stopped to visit another small town in the valley - Yanque. Visited the Cathedral, and women, colourfully dressed, were outside waiting for their photos to be taken. They had hawks on their shoulders and llamas, all dressed up, by their sides. Children were dancing in the square.
Catholic Peruvians absolutely revere the Blessed Virgin Mary. I've never seen soon many churches named after her, or chapels that honour her, with statues elaborating her importance.
We believe it's because the Jesuits, in order to convert the Incas and other peoples in Peru, had to use the 'Mary', a mother, which the Andean peoples believed strongly in the 'mother earth'... so, the connection was made. I've never seen Mary so elaborately dressed - anywhere. Andean people still combine the two beliefs - Christianity and the Inca ways. Mother Earth is revered, as is the sun and the moon. Interesting, indeed.
Today's other highlight was visiting the Cruz del Condor, watching these huge, condors glide, soar and wheel around us before they chose to land on boulders on the mountain sides. We stayed at this sight for an hour, observing them in flight, catching the wind currents. Peruvians still consider them a sacred bird, taken from ancient beliefs.
The Andean moutain ranges and the volcanoes are awsome to see. An Aussie geologist , whom we met, believes they are the most interesting mountains to study and work with. He works in Argentina and Chili, and just loves his job.
Another site was the hanging tombs on the mountainside. Incas or pre-Incas buried their families here. The tombs have since been raided, but the forms are still there to be studied.
Oddity - This is the second time that we have had the comment regarding our age made to us. Younger tourists find it amazing that Bruce and I are willing to forgo the comforts of 5 star hotels, and take rough tours like this. They find it amazing that we are on a tour of our own in Peru - at our age. We find this so cute, and together we all have a good giggle.
The trip back to Arequipa was quite long, and everyone was tired, yet we were so happy to have seen it all. Arriving at the hotel, Bruce took his first altitude sickness pill, and felt much better. We both did. No more headaches, no more nausea. We will now pay more attention to our bodies as we move further up in altitude.
Hope our family and friends are all well. We think of you often, and let's face it, I'm praying for all of you in all the churches I visit!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Colca Canyon - May 27
Woke up early for our departure for the Colca Canyon - the world's deepest canyon. Our tour bus was a 30 seater, and we had requested being in a group of 15 max... oh well. After all the tourists were picked up, we finally left town at 9,30 a.m.
Leaving Arequipa, we saw several slum area homes being built on the latest lava flows, and Lord knows that if one of the volcanoes erupts again, all these homes will be gone in a jiffy. We do not think the people will even have the time to run.
The volcanoes surrounding Arequipa are simply stunning. They contrast the arid desert, and frankly, it is a beautiful site. Due to the altitude, we purchased addtional water, and coca candies for the change. I took Ibuprofen and left it at that.
Saw vicunas frolicking in the desert - small alpacas, which resemble our fawns. Their wool is extremely valuable, and vicuna knits are expensive. Saw many alpaca and llama herds. Stunning. Saw different rock formations, the stone forest, created by water, melting on stones. Peruvians are still selling their wares at each bus stop we make.
Arrived at the main town of Chivay, where we had to pay an entrance fee. This is how the town makes money to support the infrastructure it has. Stayed at the Colca Inn, but we had trouble with our room, the toilet was not working, and it was in a backpacker wing. The people did not want us to change rooms, but we insisted, for we had paid for an upgraded room. They said they had no such room. Finally, they gave us what we wanted, in another wing, and apoligized profusely. We could not understand why the fuss was made in the first place...
Visited the Hot Springs, La Colera, and it was so nice to feel the hot water take away all the tensions of the day. Some pools did not work though, so most people were in one pool. Let's just say tha we did not dunk our heads! Peru is still getting used to tourism, and are trying to keep up with the pace. Many places need upkeep and repair, and I'm sure that in a couple of years, all will be ok.
Had a nice dinner, which included Peruvian band music and folk dancing of the area. I was up dancing! The dances are beautiful, yet simple. The costumes are extravagent, and very well done.
We are taking lots of photos but just do not have the time to upload them, and we're not sure if we would know how on the computers that we are working with. We will do this when we arrive back in Alberta, then the story will be complete.
Leaving Arequipa, we saw several slum area homes being built on the latest lava flows, and Lord knows that if one of the volcanoes erupts again, all these homes will be gone in a jiffy. We do not think the people will even have the time to run.
The volcanoes surrounding Arequipa are simply stunning. They contrast the arid desert, and frankly, it is a beautiful site. Due to the altitude, we purchased addtional water, and coca candies for the change. I took Ibuprofen and left it at that.
Saw vicunas frolicking in the desert - small alpacas, which resemble our fawns. Their wool is extremely valuable, and vicuna knits are expensive. Saw many alpaca and llama herds. Stunning. Saw different rock formations, the stone forest, created by water, melting on stones. Peruvians are still selling their wares at each bus stop we make.
Arrived at the main town of Chivay, where we had to pay an entrance fee. This is how the town makes money to support the infrastructure it has. Stayed at the Colca Inn, but we had trouble with our room, the toilet was not working, and it was in a backpacker wing. The people did not want us to change rooms, but we insisted, for we had paid for an upgraded room. They said they had no such room. Finally, they gave us what we wanted, in another wing, and apoligized profusely. We could not understand why the fuss was made in the first place...
Visited the Hot Springs, La Colera, and it was so nice to feel the hot water take away all the tensions of the day. Some pools did not work though, so most people were in one pool. Let's just say tha we did not dunk our heads! Peru is still getting used to tourism, and are trying to keep up with the pace. Many places need upkeep and repair, and I'm sure that in a couple of years, all will be ok.
Had a nice dinner, which included Peruvian band music and folk dancing of the area. I was up dancing! The dances are beautiful, yet simple. The costumes are extravagent, and very well done.
We are taking lots of photos but just do not have the time to upload them, and we're not sure if we would know how on the computers that we are working with. We will do this when we arrive back in Alberta, then the story will be complete.
Monday, June 1, 2009
May 26 - Arequipa
Cannot get enough of the delicious breakfast at our hotel - bread, fruit, scambled eggs, ham and cheese. Honestly, it's a feast. And, of course I'm drinking coca tea because of the high altitude Arequipa is at. Bruce is drinking this also, although he doesn't go through as many cups a day as I do. The locals say it's good for the digestive system, and any other medical condition - who knows. Frankly the taste is similar to chamomile tea. It really has very, very little cocaine in it. We certainly will not get high on it, but we are making sure we do not drink it in the evening. One may not be able to sleep!
Museum day! This morning we visited the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, a huge convent, and spent a couple of hours touring with our own special English guide. The site is extremely well preserved, a small city even existed within these walls in its time. Modern day nuns still live here, although it no longer is a cloistered society. The nuns serve the poor and the community.
English guides recite the required information, but we cannot ask questions, as they do not know the answers, but at least we are getting additional information that the books do not tell us about. We have been very fortunate to meet restaurant and hotel personnel who help us with all other details, and provide us with a great deal of extra information.
After lunching on the Peruvian hamburgesia, we visited the Museum of the Ice Maiden - Juanita. The university supports this museum, and much research was and is being done by archeologists, delving into the history of the Incas. We discovered that many children were sacrificed to the gods during 'bad' years, referring to lack of rain, food, and agriculture. Definitely an interesting perspective, but scary to think about it now.
Tonight we wanted to taste more local food, but the choices we made were not great. I had the recommended Pastel de Papas, which really is reheated scalloped potatoes, and Bruce had pork, which was heavily fatted. Not good, but we will keep trying.
Interesting thing happened today. We withdrew money from a recognized ATM and I had received a counterfeit $50 soles. I discovered this when I went to pay for our dessert and tea at another restaurant, after our unsuccesful main course meal. I thought this particular little bakery did not want to take the bill because it was too large a note, so we left it at that. We then paid our hotel bill with it, but they brought it to our attention, so we knew this was counterfeit for real. I just could not understand how this could ever happen... it was a little 'shocker' for me.
Packed our backpacks, as we will be leaving for the Colca Canyon tomorrow morning for an overnight trip. We're looking forward to this....
Museum day! This morning we visited the Monasterio de Santa Catalina, a huge convent, and spent a couple of hours touring with our own special English guide. The site is extremely well preserved, a small city even existed within these walls in its time. Modern day nuns still live here, although it no longer is a cloistered society. The nuns serve the poor and the community.
English guides recite the required information, but we cannot ask questions, as they do not know the answers, but at least we are getting additional information that the books do not tell us about. We have been very fortunate to meet restaurant and hotel personnel who help us with all other details, and provide us with a great deal of extra information.
After lunching on the Peruvian hamburgesia, we visited the Museum of the Ice Maiden - Juanita. The university supports this museum, and much research was and is being done by archeologists, delving into the history of the Incas. We discovered that many children were sacrificed to the gods during 'bad' years, referring to lack of rain, food, and agriculture. Definitely an interesting perspective, but scary to think about it now.
Tonight we wanted to taste more local food, but the choices we made were not great. I had the recommended Pastel de Papas, which really is reheated scalloped potatoes, and Bruce had pork, which was heavily fatted. Not good, but we will keep trying.
Interesting thing happened today. We withdrew money from a recognized ATM and I had received a counterfeit $50 soles. I discovered this when I went to pay for our dessert and tea at another restaurant, after our unsuccesful main course meal. I thought this particular little bakery did not want to take the bill because it was too large a note, so we left it at that. We then paid our hotel bill with it, but they brought it to our attention, so we knew this was counterfeit for real. I just could not understand how this could ever happen... it was a little 'shocker' for me.
Packed our backpacks, as we will be leaving for the Colca Canyon tomorrow morning for an overnight trip. We're looking forward to this....
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