Our very last day in Peru! What mixed feelings we have.... should we stay or should we go?
Bruce & I have had such a fascinating trip to this country. Each day of this trip presented itself with new adventures and learning - the places, the people, the politics, the culture, the history, the geography and the climate. Our heads of full of 'Peru"!
Packed up our belongings securely this morning, then tipped the staff at La Posada who were so kind and caring to us during our long stay. Most Peruvians's salaries are so low even though they work such long hours. The staff were always so pleasant to us.
Our desk clerk informed us that today was a religious holiday in Lima - it's Pope's Day, so many businesses remain closed, along with some museums. Unfortunately, because of this holiday, we are unable to say 'goodbye' to our friendly cook at the corner restaurant - someone who helped us so much during our time here!
We taxied to the Historical Centre of Lima again, where we wanted to spend our last few tourist hours. We visited the Cathedral, which was open due to a special Mass being held in honour of this day. The cathedral was packed. I thought I could show Bruce the fascinating statues and small chapels, but these were all closed up during the the Mass. We stayed for awhile, seeingl the bishops, and perhaps even the cardinal, sharing Mass at the altar in the front.
Then we wandered - stopping for coffee at a favourite little restaurant where we had gotten to know the staff, especially the 'touter' who coaxed visitors into his restaurant. He was a young fellow, with such an engaging smile, and to him, his job appeared to be just plain 'fun'. Most of the time, tourists and visitors did choose his restaurant, simply because this young man was enthusiastic, friendly and did an outstanding job of flirting with the ladies! Bruce and I often watched him performing, and we knew the people would return. How good is that!
Our friend Barry is a stamp collector, so we tried to visit the Philetelic Museum, but unfortunately, it was also closed due to the holiday. We tried to purchase stamps for him at another place, but no such luck. So, onward we went, looking at new spots, doing some people-watching, eating our last delicous Peruvian meal, visiting another church, with a remarkable altar and statues, admiring their Pachamama Mary once more!
Stopped for a coke break, then returned to our hotel to wait for our our taxi to the airport, (6:30 p.m.) and say our final goodbyes to the staff. We sat back and enjoyed our last drive through the city.
Bruce & I had no challenges at the airport whatsoever - we had thought our luggage would be well over the weight allowed, but it all went through - 4 heavy suitcases! Browsed around the airport for awhile, for I find these places fascinating! Stopped to eat, purchased a bottle of Pisco, Peru's national drink, at the Duty-Free, then boarded our plane at 9:45 p.m. Take-off for Toronto - 10:10 p.m.
Bruce & I were now happily on our way home. No more mixed feelings about leaving Peru - just so very glad that we had chosen to visit this country, seeing and doing all the interesting things that filled our lives for six wonderful weeks. Our memories of this country, the adventures we experienced, the wonderful people, and the friends we made along the way, will be with us forever!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
June 28 - Sunday - Lima
Treated ourselves to an easy, quiet day. It's Sunday, and the choice really is not in our hands, as most businesses are closed today. Sunday is a 'family day' in Peru. How nice this is, for most Peruvians work long, long hours during the week. There is no such thing as an official work week in this country!
Bruce and I ventured off to the private Gold & Arms Museum, located in an area quite a distance from our hotel. This museum has one of the best Inca gold collections we've seen so far. The displays included Inca tools and weapons, which we had not seen in any other museum.
Bruce browsed through the Arms Museum, housed on the main floor, while I just relaxed on a bench outside, and enjoyed the scenery.
A few house later, we taxied to Miraflores for our last lunch in this lovely, touristy suburb. We wandered, browsing all the time, then returned to La Posada.
Even the local restaurants close on Sundays! We had difficulty finding a restaurant open for a light dinner tonight, so after checking Rovegno's and the Clifford Hotel, Bruce & I decided to share a dish of Chicken Fried Rice - at the Chifa (Peruvian Chines Reastaurant) around the corner. Thank goodness it was open, otherwise, it was 'energy bars' for supper tonight!
Spent our last night in Peru reading, writing, and thinking about packing the next morning. This is it - we fly home tomorrow night at 10 p.m.!
Bruce and I ventured off to the private Gold & Arms Museum, located in an area quite a distance from our hotel. This museum has one of the best Inca gold collections we've seen so far. The displays included Inca tools and weapons, which we had not seen in any other museum.
Bruce browsed through the Arms Museum, housed on the main floor, while I just relaxed on a bench outside, and enjoyed the scenery.
A few house later, we taxied to Miraflores for our last lunch in this lovely, touristy suburb. We wandered, browsing all the time, then returned to La Posada.
Even the local restaurants close on Sundays! We had difficulty finding a restaurant open for a light dinner tonight, so after checking Rovegno's and the Clifford Hotel, Bruce & I decided to share a dish of Chicken Fried Rice - at the Chifa (Peruvian Chines Reastaurant) around the corner. Thank goodness it was open, otherwise, it was 'energy bars' for supper tonight!
Spent our last night in Peru reading, writing, and thinking about packing the next morning. This is it - we fly home tomorrow night at 10 p.m.!
Friday, July 17, 2009
June 27 - Saturday - Lima
Left our temporary 'overnight hotel' this morning. Bruce and I decided we needed a decent breakfast for a change, which means a North American one! So, we stopped at the Clifford Hotel, just a few doors down in our cul-de-sac, and ate! Fruit - bananas, pineapple, papaya, eggs, toast and real coffee! Our tummies were in heaven at last, as were our taste buds! Delicious - need I say more. We would have liked to stay at the Clifford, but over time, it was just a little too expensive. Next time, maybe?
As we were eating, seated at the next table beside us, was a professor from Charleston, S.C.
He chatted up a storm; we both enjoyed sharing our stories. He had just disembarked from the 'Samba', a small ship, touring the Galapagos Islands. What stories he had - what a marvelous experience! He certainly sold us on this trip... Bruce & I will get there soon! (Add this to our Bucket List!) The professor was then off to Cusco, so we were able to share some of our 'wonders' with him too.
Checked into La Posada once more, and this time, we were given a lovely, large room. Two more nights, and then we leave.... I'm anxious to get home, yet somewhat saddened to leave Peru. This has been a fabulous vacation - one of our best yet!
We went wandering again... touring the Museum de la Nacion. I would not recommend this visit even though the artifacts are interesting. The information provided by the guide was minimal, sort of a rote delivery in English. We could not ask questions because he appeared to not know the answers, or, perhaps his English was poor, and he could not respond to the question in our language. (We need to learn more Spanish, for I'm sure this would have helped us considerably - throughout the trip!) Still, we would have been dismayed had we not visited this Museum, as it came highly rated in the Lonely Planet Guide.
Taxied downtown (we taxi everywhere!) and enjoyed a nice lunch. We came upon a religious parade on the Plaza d'Armas. The main feature was a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary, lit with candles, carried like a coffin by 14 men, 7 placed on each side, older ladies shaking incense bells at the head of the parade, and a male band playing at the rear. A reception committee, women & men wearing colourful cloaks, was waiting for them in front of the cathedral.
Taxied back to La Posada & spent time catching up with our e-mails. Then, we returned to the fabulous water fountain display, Parque de la Reserva, enjoying the art of the various waterfall fountains. Delightful! We really enjoyed this diversion, and are thankful that the Peruvians have this right at their doorstep to enjoy. Families, teenagers, and tourists love it here!
Our weather in Lima is similar to Vancouver's weather in October. Grey, misty & cool. It is winter in Peru, and we dress accordingly. Still, we're thankful that it's nothing like the cold winters of Edmonton! We do get short sunny breaks though, especially when we travel inland a bit, even in this big city of Lima. It's quite warm during these times, so we take advantage of the heat by sitting outside, enjoying a coffee, tea or a glass of Peruvian beer - which is great!
As we were eating, seated at the next table beside us, was a professor from Charleston, S.C.
He chatted up a storm; we both enjoyed sharing our stories. He had just disembarked from the 'Samba', a small ship, touring the Galapagos Islands. What stories he had - what a marvelous experience! He certainly sold us on this trip... Bruce & I will get there soon! (Add this to our Bucket List!) The professor was then off to Cusco, so we were able to share some of our 'wonders' with him too.
Checked into La Posada once more, and this time, we were given a lovely, large room. Two more nights, and then we leave.... I'm anxious to get home, yet somewhat saddened to leave Peru. This has been a fabulous vacation - one of our best yet!
We went wandering again... touring the Museum de la Nacion. I would not recommend this visit even though the artifacts are interesting. The information provided by the guide was minimal, sort of a rote delivery in English. We could not ask questions because he appeared to not know the answers, or, perhaps his English was poor, and he could not respond to the question in our language. (We need to learn more Spanish, for I'm sure this would have helped us considerably - throughout the trip!) Still, we would have been dismayed had we not visited this Museum, as it came highly rated in the Lonely Planet Guide.
Taxied downtown (we taxi everywhere!) and enjoyed a nice lunch. We came upon a religious parade on the Plaza d'Armas. The main feature was a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary, lit with candles, carried like a coffin by 14 men, 7 placed on each side, older ladies shaking incense bells at the head of the parade, and a male band playing at the rear. A reception committee, women & men wearing colourful cloaks, was waiting for them in front of the cathedral.
Taxied back to La Posada & spent time catching up with our e-mails. Then, we returned to the fabulous water fountain display, Parque de la Reserva, enjoying the art of the various waterfall fountains. Delightful! We really enjoyed this diversion, and are thankful that the Peruvians have this right at their doorstep to enjoy. Families, teenagers, and tourists love it here!
Our weather in Lima is similar to Vancouver's weather in October. Grey, misty & cool. It is winter in Peru, and we dress accordingly. Still, we're thankful that it's nothing like the cold winters of Edmonton! We do get short sunny breaks though, especially when we travel inland a bit, even in this big city of Lima. It's quite warm during these times, so we take advantage of the heat by sitting outside, enjoying a coffee, tea or a glass of Peruvian beer - which is great!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
June 26 - Friday - Lima
Enjoyed breakfast again - coffee, rolls, jam! Thank goodness I can still eat, for I do want to keep on trying Peruvian foods while we are in this country!
With a hotel employee, I checked out our new room for the night. We have to leave La Posada, as they could not accommodate us, for this evening only. They have arranged for us to be staying at a 'pension' within the same little cul de sac.
Taxied to the Historical Center of Lima one more time, visiting the Central Bank Museum which houses an interesting collection of (more!) Inca and pre-Inca pottery, artifacts, stunning gold pieces, textiles, and some early tools. Visiting all these museums, is definitely helping us gain a deeper understanding of every day Peruvian culture, for all this information is so intertwined and intermixed. Peruvian history is so complex, much more so than our early North Americal historywith our native cultures.
Devoured a delicious lunch (again!), and of course, my tummy did talk to me about this. Too bad - so sad! We return to Canada, to 'normal' food, on the 29th - our last day in Peru.
Visited the San Francisco Church (Franciscan Order). The interior decor was white and rust coloured Moorish wall curlique designs, domes and ceilings; very different, yet attractive. We liked the Moorish artistic effect. Statues & altars are beautifully carved cedar, with the altars being floor to ceiling in height.
Returned to our new 'pension', which was a little larger than our room at La Posada.
Went out for a light dinner, read, wrote, and went to bed early. We need lots of energy for our touring tomorrow!
With a hotel employee, I checked out our new room for the night. We have to leave La Posada, as they could not accommodate us, for this evening only. They have arranged for us to be staying at a 'pension' within the same little cul de sac.
Taxied to the Historical Center of Lima one more time, visiting the Central Bank Museum which houses an interesting collection of (more!) Inca and pre-Inca pottery, artifacts, stunning gold pieces, textiles, and some early tools. Visiting all these museums, is definitely helping us gain a deeper understanding of every day Peruvian culture, for all this information is so intertwined and intermixed. Peruvian history is so complex, much more so than our early North Americal historywith our native cultures.
Devoured a delicious lunch (again!), and of course, my tummy did talk to me about this. Too bad - so sad! We return to Canada, to 'normal' food, on the 29th - our last day in Peru.
Visited the San Francisco Church (Franciscan Order). The interior decor was white and rust coloured Moorish wall curlique designs, domes and ceilings; very different, yet attractive. We liked the Moorish artistic effect. Statues & altars are beautifully carved cedar, with the altars being floor to ceiling in height.
Returned to our new 'pension', which was a little larger than our room at La Posada.
Went out for a light dinner, read, wrote, and went to bed early. We need lots of energy for our touring tomorrow!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
June 25 - Thursday - Lima
Slept in this morning as we had no tours booked for the day! After showering, we visited a quaint little restaurant, just around the corner from our hotel, for breakfast. It's run by local nuns - but unfortunately, the breakfast was not much better than the one we're served at the hotel. Bread, jam, coffee & juice. Although... we had the most delicious fresh papaya juice, just blended up at a moment's notice. What a treat!
We took a taxi to visit the Archeological/Anthropological Museum in San Isidro - made a mistake giving the name of the museum to the taxi driver, so we ended up at a different museum, which was a newer one. This museum depicted the peoples of Peru through the pottery that was discovered in ruins or burial sites. The pottery dated back to the years 'Before Christ', through the various Inca reigns. It was very rich is shapes, designs, details and drawings. Very finely done indeed! Through the guide's explanations, we learned a great deal about the original peoples who inhabited Peru through the ages, up to the time of the Spanish conquest (1531AD). This museum, with its varied and vast selection of artifacts, captured a lot of what we have seen & learned since our arrival in Peru. The 2-hr tour was impressive!
Then, we taxied to Chinatown, seeing once more a chaotic mixture of colour, open & closed markets of all sorts, great restaurants, and people galore. As 'white' tourists, Bruce and I stood out like a sore thumb! We ate at the restaurant recommended by our taxi driver, and devoured a delicous won-ton soup, with some very oily spring rolls. My tummy did not enjoy this one bit, but the scenery and the food was worth the trip.
Browsed around for a bit, then returned to the hotel for a quiet evening.
(Lima will long be remembered for the heavy deisel fumes we have to breathe in on a daily basis, and the world's craziest drivers!)
We took a taxi to visit the Archeological/Anthropological Museum in San Isidro - made a mistake giving the name of the museum to the taxi driver, so we ended up at a different museum, which was a newer one. This museum depicted the peoples of Peru through the pottery that was discovered in ruins or burial sites. The pottery dated back to the years 'Before Christ', through the various Inca reigns. It was very rich is shapes, designs, details and drawings. Very finely done indeed! Through the guide's explanations, we learned a great deal about the original peoples who inhabited Peru through the ages, up to the time of the Spanish conquest (1531AD). This museum, with its varied and vast selection of artifacts, captured a lot of what we have seen & learned since our arrival in Peru. The 2-hr tour was impressive!
Then, we taxied to Chinatown, seeing once more a chaotic mixture of colour, open & closed markets of all sorts, great restaurants, and people galore. As 'white' tourists, Bruce and I stood out like a sore thumb! We ate at the restaurant recommended by our taxi driver, and devoured a delicous won-ton soup, with some very oily spring rolls. My tummy did not enjoy this one bit, but the scenery and the food was worth the trip.
Browsed around for a bit, then returned to the hotel for a quiet evening.
(Lima will long be remembered for the heavy deisel fumes we have to breathe in on a daily basis, and the world's craziest drivers!)
Sunday, July 12, 2009
June 24 - Wednesday - Lima
Simple breakfasts again - white rolls, jam, juice & coffee. Because we are now in 'high' season tourist-speaking, breakfast comes with the price of the room. Thank goodness!
Made arrangements to go on a Lima City Tour. We were picked up by a Lima-Vision van, and driven to Miraflores, a posh area of Lima. 30 of us were on the tour, in a large bus. (Bruce & I hate this sort of tour, but we will persevere!)
Drove briefly through the Miraflores and the San Isidro areas - both posh suburb areas, considered the upper middle class areas of Lima. We were instructed to observe the attractive Spanish-style homes. Frankly, there was not much else to see.
Miraflores is the 'hotel' district of Lima, so it also has restaurant and shops for tourists, unlike the area we are staying in. As most districts of Lima are considered working class or poor, these posh neighbourhoods are the highlights of city tours. Shanty-towns exist on the outskirts of the city, in all directions. We've seen these shanty-towns before, on our bus trip toParacas; Bruce and I were shocked at the living conditions of the people. Nothing but mud-adobe brick walled rooms, 8x10 perhaps, oftentimes without roof-tops, with no plumbing or electricity to speak of. Terrible...
Our tour took is to the centre of Lima, through areas that we are already familiar with. The cedar balconies of the main buildings and the colonial architecture were emphasized.
Visited an Inca art museum, which exhibited some exquisite pieces of art, and also the catacombs beneath the Iglesia San Francisco. Yuk!!! Bruce and I will return on our own to revist the art museum, as today's visit was just a run through.
Before dropping us off in Miraflores, we toured the cliffs where paragliders were enjoying their adventures. Saw Lovers' Park and the main attraction, a sculpture of lovers kissing. Every Feb. 14, a kissing contest is held here, and the winning couple holds this kissing position for as long as they can. The record so far is 50 minutes.
After the tour, Bruce & I browsed Miraflores on our own, again. Returned to our hotel, rested up, then went out for dinner, enjoying a 'chifa', Chinese-Peruvian food.
The pollution in Lima is high. We have to hold our breath sometimes to get away from the deisel fumes of vehicles. Crossing city streets in Lima is much like any other city in Peru - we take our life in our hands. God help us if we tripped!
Weather-wise in Lima, skies are overcast, the air is misty, the humidity is high. June - It's winter in Lima. Fortunately, the temperature is not that low, so sightseeing is a pleasant activity. We're now looking forward to going home...
Made arrangements to go on a Lima City Tour. We were picked up by a Lima-Vision van, and driven to Miraflores, a posh area of Lima. 30 of us were on the tour, in a large bus. (Bruce & I hate this sort of tour, but we will persevere!)
Drove briefly through the Miraflores and the San Isidro areas - both posh suburb areas, considered the upper middle class areas of Lima. We were instructed to observe the attractive Spanish-style homes. Frankly, there was not much else to see.
Miraflores is the 'hotel' district of Lima, so it also has restaurant and shops for tourists, unlike the area we are staying in. As most districts of Lima are considered working class or poor, these posh neighbourhoods are the highlights of city tours. Shanty-towns exist on the outskirts of the city, in all directions. We've seen these shanty-towns before, on our bus trip toParacas; Bruce and I were shocked at the living conditions of the people. Nothing but mud-adobe brick walled rooms, 8x10 perhaps, oftentimes without roof-tops, with no plumbing or electricity to speak of. Terrible...
Our tour took is to the centre of Lima, through areas that we are already familiar with. The cedar balconies of the main buildings and the colonial architecture were emphasized.
Visited an Inca art museum, which exhibited some exquisite pieces of art, and also the catacombs beneath the Iglesia San Francisco. Yuk!!! Bruce and I will return on our own to revist the art museum, as today's visit was just a run through.
Before dropping us off in Miraflores, we toured the cliffs where paragliders were enjoying their adventures. Saw Lovers' Park and the main attraction, a sculpture of lovers kissing. Every Feb. 14, a kissing contest is held here, and the winning couple holds this kissing position for as long as they can. The record so far is 50 minutes.
After the tour, Bruce & I browsed Miraflores on our own, again. Returned to our hotel, rested up, then went out for dinner, enjoying a 'chifa', Chinese-Peruvian food.
The pollution in Lima is high. We have to hold our breath sometimes to get away from the deisel fumes of vehicles. Crossing city streets in Lima is much like any other city in Peru - we take our life in our hands. God help us if we tripped!
Weather-wise in Lima, skies are overcast, the air is misty, the humidity is high. June - It's winter in Lima. Fortunately, the temperature is not that low, so sightseeing is a pleasant activity. We're now looking forward to going home...
June 23 - Monday - Cusco to Lima
Went through all the 'departure' routines, bading our adieux to the wonderful staff of Ninos Hotel, taking a taxi to the airport, and as we drove along, observed Cusco "starting a new day".
Our taxi had some diffuculty getting to the hotel on time, for the town centre was blocked again due to all the university groups' dancing competitions, which are still going on! On our ride, we skirted the town, giving us a chance to see the 'other' side of Cusco, where we saw piles of rock & stone rubble, everywhere. New construction was going on, but lordy, we cannot begin to understand the methods of their madness. Such choas, yet life is busy & active, street markets are everywhere, selling mountains of fruits, veggies, breads and clothing. Peruvian ladies & their goods, are sprawled out onto the streets, sitting on tarps or stools, bargaining & dealing. And life goes on...
Traffic is heavy as no real transit systems exists - in any city of Peru. It appears that all the anti-pollution devices have been removed from most vehicles, for they spew black & smelly fumes everywhere. We continue to wonder how the Peruvian's lungs survive this everyday onslaught.
Arrived at Cusco airport, checked into LAN; had to pay an additional $47 US for our extra luggage - all our hiking gear! Met fellow travellers we knew from our "Amazon" travels, who were now traveling to Puno by air. All this, because the roads to Puno were blocked, as the Peruvians were demonstrating - with a 'sit-in'. We believe it has to do with the issue of Lake Titikaka's water. Bolivia & Chili desperately need water and the people of Puno do not wish to sell it to these countries, as it would mean damming the lake, resituating the tribes who have been here 'longer than God", before the Incas. Frankly, we feel for them. Poverty exists in Peru, as in every developing country, so foreign dollars might just help relieve this situation.
On the other hand, as we traveled this area, we were very much aware of the sheer importance of the ancient tribal customs, the people's pride in their history and their desire to keep their simple way of life, in a changing world - which has not quite reached them yet. Their world is simple, & magical; we learned so much about their meaning of life. What a conundrum this must be for the people & their politicians.
Arrived in Lima, and La Posada's taxi was their to greet us. This time, driving through the streets of Lima, we see the city as clean, tidy, organized, and lacking in vehicles which pollute as much as the ones we've been accustomed to in small towns around the country. We could not believe the difference in our attitudes after leaving Lima in late May. No rubble anywhere! Hardly any garbage to be seen and no dogs are wandering the streets - interesting!
Even though the taxi from the hotel picked us up at the airport, the hotel did not have us registered properly, so we went through the hastle of getting a room for 6 nights. We previously had received 6 e-mails confirming our reservations, two weeks prior to today, and the only information the staff had was our name and arrival date. It appears that technology is not widely used in the hotel industry. Very simple paper charts and cards are what rules the day. All was resolved, eventually ... so, we were happy, but, it was confusing and tricky for the hotel staff. We still needed to pay for our accommodations in advance.
By this time, we were exhausted - so we rested a bit, then went walking, visiting our corner restaurant, spending time with the Peruvian owner whom we had connected with before. She remembered us well, so we shared our travel stories over tea and cake - (Tres Leche, Three Milke Cake, which was delicious!)
She told us about her life during the past few weeks, and let us know that the people of Puno & Lake Titikaka were really suffering from the cold weather. Apparently, the temperature had dropped to -15 degrees, which is unusually cold for this area. People from Lima were sending blankets and clothing to Puno to help the people. We know travellers who are visiting the area at this time, and we hope all is well with everyone. We're so glad we chose to visit Puno at an earlier date!
Walked around, had dinner at Rovengno's, an Italian-Peruvian restaurant, highly touted by the Hotel. Food is just okay - we're not so sure about the cleaninless of the place.
It's feels good to be back in Lima - now to plan our next five days!
Our taxi had some diffuculty getting to the hotel on time, for the town centre was blocked again due to all the university groups' dancing competitions, which are still going on! On our ride, we skirted the town, giving us a chance to see the 'other' side of Cusco, where we saw piles of rock & stone rubble, everywhere. New construction was going on, but lordy, we cannot begin to understand the methods of their madness. Such choas, yet life is busy & active, street markets are everywhere, selling mountains of fruits, veggies, breads and clothing. Peruvian ladies & their goods, are sprawled out onto the streets, sitting on tarps or stools, bargaining & dealing. And life goes on...
Traffic is heavy as no real transit systems exists - in any city of Peru. It appears that all the anti-pollution devices have been removed from most vehicles, for they spew black & smelly fumes everywhere. We continue to wonder how the Peruvian's lungs survive this everyday onslaught.
Arrived at Cusco airport, checked into LAN; had to pay an additional $47 US for our extra luggage - all our hiking gear! Met fellow travellers we knew from our "Amazon" travels, who were now traveling to Puno by air. All this, because the roads to Puno were blocked, as the Peruvians were demonstrating - with a 'sit-in'. We believe it has to do with the issue of Lake Titikaka's water. Bolivia & Chili desperately need water and the people of Puno do not wish to sell it to these countries, as it would mean damming the lake, resituating the tribes who have been here 'longer than God", before the Incas. Frankly, we feel for them. Poverty exists in Peru, as in every developing country, so foreign dollars might just help relieve this situation.
On the other hand, as we traveled this area, we were very much aware of the sheer importance of the ancient tribal customs, the people's pride in their history and their desire to keep their simple way of life, in a changing world - which has not quite reached them yet. Their world is simple, & magical; we learned so much about their meaning of life. What a conundrum this must be for the people & their politicians.
Arrived in Lima, and La Posada's taxi was their to greet us. This time, driving through the streets of Lima, we see the city as clean, tidy, organized, and lacking in vehicles which pollute as much as the ones we've been accustomed to in small towns around the country. We could not believe the difference in our attitudes after leaving Lima in late May. No rubble anywhere! Hardly any garbage to be seen and no dogs are wandering the streets - interesting!
Even though the taxi from the hotel picked us up at the airport, the hotel did not have us registered properly, so we went through the hastle of getting a room for 6 nights. We previously had received 6 e-mails confirming our reservations, two weeks prior to today, and the only information the staff had was our name and arrival date. It appears that technology is not widely used in the hotel industry. Very simple paper charts and cards are what rules the day. All was resolved, eventually ... so, we were happy, but, it was confusing and tricky for the hotel staff. We still needed to pay for our accommodations in advance.
By this time, we were exhausted - so we rested a bit, then went walking, visiting our corner restaurant, spending time with the Peruvian owner whom we had connected with before. She remembered us well, so we shared our travel stories over tea and cake - (Tres Leche, Three Milke Cake, which was delicious!)
She told us about her life during the past few weeks, and let us know that the people of Puno & Lake Titikaka were really suffering from the cold weather. Apparently, the temperature had dropped to -15 degrees, which is unusually cold for this area. People from Lima were sending blankets and clothing to Puno to help the people. We know travellers who are visiting the area at this time, and we hope all is well with everyone. We're so glad we chose to visit Puno at an earlier date!
Walked around, had dinner at Rovengno's, an Italian-Peruvian restaurant, highly touted by the Hotel. Food is just okay - we're not so sure about the cleaninless of the place.
It's feels good to be back in Lima - now to plan our next five days!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
June 22 - Monday - Last day in Cusco
What a full day we had - complete with sightseeing, shopping, eating, and more Inka Celebrations!
Left Ninos Hotel this morning, and walked to the Plaza d'Armas via different streets, which led us to the local Andean Street Market and Market Hall, across from the Rail Station. We browsed and gazed at the wonder of it all - odors and aromas that would take your breath away, one way or another! Peruvians, both ladies & men, were selling drinks, jellos in clear plastic drinking cups (which they just love!), desserts, piles of fruit, clothing of all types, and women were sewing on machines, set up in the darkest corners of the Hall Market, creating a variety of clothing pieces for sale! We continue to be amazed at the 'ways' of Peru. If we lived here, we would try all their foods, feasting on at least one new thing, weekly.
Spent time in the fabric and wools shops across the street from the marketplace. Every shop is so jammed tight with goods. I had to ask shopkeepers for items I was looking for, because I certainly could not locate them in these small, packed spaces.
As we walked towards the Plaza, we were caught up with yet, another parade of dancers. Today, the local university students were performing their native dances. We were impressed by the diversity of the dances and costumes. This competition continued until 4:30 p.m. Another memory card was quickly filled up on the camera!
Lunched, then ventured out to shop for souvenirs, discovering new streets and alleyways - we peeked into all the artsy & art shops along the route - so intriguing!
Ran out of money, so we hiked back to our hotel, rested, went out for dinner, then packed all our bags, as we leave for Lima tomorrow. We hate the idea of leaving Cusco, for this town is a delightful place to be - Cusco is chock-a-block full of character! Unfortunately, the high altitude does not work well with our health, but we did love it here.
We missed visiting the main cathedral, as we were so caught up in the festivities today. Late June is definitely the best time to visit Cusco, especially if one wishes to see the local customs come alive!
Left Ninos Hotel this morning, and walked to the Plaza d'Armas via different streets, which led us to the local Andean Street Market and Market Hall, across from the Rail Station. We browsed and gazed at the wonder of it all - odors and aromas that would take your breath away, one way or another! Peruvians, both ladies & men, were selling drinks, jellos in clear plastic drinking cups (which they just love!), desserts, piles of fruit, clothing of all types, and women were sewing on machines, set up in the darkest corners of the Hall Market, creating a variety of clothing pieces for sale! We continue to be amazed at the 'ways' of Peru. If we lived here, we would try all their foods, feasting on at least one new thing, weekly.
Spent time in the fabric and wools shops across the street from the marketplace. Every shop is so jammed tight with goods. I had to ask shopkeepers for items I was looking for, because I certainly could not locate them in these small, packed spaces.
As we walked towards the Plaza, we were caught up with yet, another parade of dancers. Today, the local university students were performing their native dances. We were impressed by the diversity of the dances and costumes. This competition continued until 4:30 p.m. Another memory card was quickly filled up on the camera!
Lunched, then ventured out to shop for souvenirs, discovering new streets and alleyways - we peeked into all the artsy & art shops along the route - so intriguing!
Ran out of money, so we hiked back to our hotel, rested, went out for dinner, then packed all our bags, as we leave for Lima tomorrow. We hate the idea of leaving Cusco, for this town is a delightful place to be - Cusco is chock-a-block full of character! Unfortunately, the high altitude does not work well with our health, but we did love it here.
We missed visiting the main cathedral, as we were so caught up in the festivities today. Late June is definitely the best time to visit Cusco, especially if one wishes to see the local customs come alive!
June 21 - Sunday - Eco-Amazonia Lodge - Puerto Maldonado - Cusco!
We're on our way! We woke up early, by habit, and readied ourselves for our day of travel. Enjoyed the delicious fresh fruit breakfast, (mangoes, papayas, pineapple) took our last photos and embarked upon our 1.5 hour 'upcurrent' boat trip to Puerto Maldonaldo - which was so pleasant, as the sun was shining, and the weather was great!
Arrived on time, boarded a bus to the Lodge's office, and marveled once more at the rawness of this town. I swear it reminds me of one of the Clint Eastwood frontier cowboy towns - it appears 'lawless'!
Our bus broke down, so we waited for another one to take us to the airport, just outside of town. Checked in, had a tea break, and boarded our LAN flight to Cusco at 1210 p.m.
Arrived in Cusco at 1:30 p.m. I tried to spot Machu Picchu from our window as we were flying in, but no such luck. Saw other Andes mountain ranges, snow-capped and barren. This land truly is uninhabitable - it's a wonderPeruvians can make a living or a life here.
Checked into our Nino Hotel, again... We have a much nicer room this time, for the same price, $44 US. Walked down to the Plaza, enjoyed a pizza, and observed a demonstration & sit-in by some local workers on the Square. Police were surrounding the place, but everything was peaceful.
Checked out the shops, which were so quiet. It's Sunday, and some shops were closed.
Homes are being given a fresh coat of paint for the upcoming feast on June 24th - celebrating the Inca Sun God. Everything must be cleaned up for that day, and homes must fly the Cuscanean rainbow coloured flag - it's the law!
Photographed quite a few parade floats which were parked off another square. We can tell that the people are really getting ready to party!
The high altitude is affecting us once more. We're lacking the energy we had in the Amazonian Basin, but, there are no mosquitoes here in Cusco!
Ate dinner at a lovely restaurant, the Inka Cafe. Ended with a quiet evening...
Arrived on time, boarded a bus to the Lodge's office, and marveled once more at the rawness of this town. I swear it reminds me of one of the Clint Eastwood frontier cowboy towns - it appears 'lawless'!
Our bus broke down, so we waited for another one to take us to the airport, just outside of town. Checked in, had a tea break, and boarded our LAN flight to Cusco at 1210 p.m.
Arrived in Cusco at 1:30 p.m. I tried to spot Machu Picchu from our window as we were flying in, but no such luck. Saw other Andes mountain ranges, snow-capped and barren. This land truly is uninhabitable - it's a wonderPeruvians can make a living or a life here.
Checked into our Nino Hotel, again... We have a much nicer room this time, for the same price, $44 US. Walked down to the Plaza, enjoyed a pizza, and observed a demonstration & sit-in by some local workers on the Square. Police were surrounding the place, but everything was peaceful.
Checked out the shops, which were so quiet. It's Sunday, and some shops were closed.
Homes are being given a fresh coat of paint for the upcoming feast on June 24th - celebrating the Inca Sun God. Everything must be cleaned up for that day, and homes must fly the Cuscanean rainbow coloured flag - it's the law!
Photographed quite a few parade floats which were parked off another square. We can tell that the people are really getting ready to party!
The high altitude is affecting us once more. We're lacking the energy we had in the Amazonian Basin, but, there are no mosquitoes here in Cusco!
Ate dinner at a lovely restaurant, the Inka Cafe. Ended with a quiet evening...
June 20 - Saturday - Eco-Amazonia Lodge -
Our last day in the jungle!
Another early wake-up call - 6:00 a.m., then onto the trail to Lake Apuvictor at 7 a.m. This time we were in a group with 3 Spanish-speaking tourists. (Our other group departed this morning for Lima; their tour was finished - we will miss them!)
Our tour was now a bilingual one. Bruce and I understand some Spanish, so we did not have too much difficulty, and the Spanish people understood some English, which was delightful.
Our trek was similar to yesterday's trek, just much, much shorter. Thank goodness! We climbed another tower, walked the 'plank' pathways, came upon army ants busily crossing our path, moving to a new home. We also saw a little mahogany tree, and learned about the history of the mahogany devastation in the past with logging companies in the jungle. This jungle area is now a protected reserve, logging is no longer allowed.
We toured Lake Apuvictor in a skiff, but saw little wildlife, just a few birds which are so well camouflaged! We returned to the Lodge via a rougher track. I'm still feeling claustrophobic in the deep jungle environment. Interesting, as I thought I would love it!
Bruce and I cleaned up, enjoyed a delicous lunch (again!), rested, wrote, and watched life go by on the river from our second story library viewpoint. Had a lovely dinner with our new group and spent time talking to Ronal our guide, finishing the evening with special Peruvian drinks - a Toucan for me, and a Pisco Sour for Bruce! Delightful ending to a great 5-day adventure!
Another early wake-up call - 6:00 a.m., then onto the trail to Lake Apuvictor at 7 a.m. This time we were in a group with 3 Spanish-speaking tourists. (Our other group departed this morning for Lima; their tour was finished - we will miss them!)
Our tour was now a bilingual one. Bruce and I understand some Spanish, so we did not have too much difficulty, and the Spanish people understood some English, which was delightful.
Our trek was similar to yesterday's trek, just much, much shorter. Thank goodness! We climbed another tower, walked the 'plank' pathways, came upon army ants busily crossing our path, moving to a new home. We also saw a little mahogany tree, and learned about the history of the mahogany devastation in the past with logging companies in the jungle. This jungle area is now a protected reserve, logging is no longer allowed.
We toured Lake Apuvictor in a skiff, but saw little wildlife, just a few birds which are so well camouflaged! We returned to the Lodge via a rougher track. I'm still feeling claustrophobic in the deep jungle environment. Interesting, as I thought I would love it!
Bruce and I cleaned up, enjoyed a delicous lunch (again!), rested, wrote, and watched life go by on the river from our second story library viewpoint. Had a lovely dinner with our new group and spent time talking to Ronal our guide, finishing the evening with special Peruvian drinks - a Toucan for me, and a Pisco Sour for Bruce! Delightful ending to a great 5-day adventure!
Friday, July 10, 2009
June 19 - Friday - In the jungle, the mighty jungle...
Ugh! Wake-up call - 5:a.m.; Breakfast - 5:30 a.m;
6:00 a.m. - We're on board our pekis-pekis, motoring over to another place, where we followed the path for our lengthy trek today!
So many interesting highlights! Firstly, we slowed our walk to a decent pace! Now, we were all able to actually 'see and take in' the different plants and treed areas surrounding us in the jungle. Stopped at the massive 'iron' tree, a hardwood, which actually is known to prevent fires in the jungle. The iron tree acts like a lightening rod, a conduit. So, when it is hit by lightening, the lightening bolt goes through the tree to the ground, and nothing in area surrounding it gets 'hit'.
The iron tree is also known to be a healing tree. People derive 'energy' from it. Shamans apparently can 'cure' people's illnesses, using the energy waves of the tree - We all hugged the tree to feel its power - amazing, isn't it!
Walking on, we stopped at the slim 'justice' tree - where poisonous fire ants thrive inside. The 'tale' is that promiscuous people or criminals were tied to the tree for punishment. Then, another person would hit the tree with a stick, and the ants, once disturbed, would appear on the outside of the tree. They then bit the intruder, the tied-up person, who would eventually die from the bites, within a 24 hour period. Lordy!
The promiscuous spouse was bitten, and left tied to the tree just long enough to pass out from the fever. Then the spouse was untied, hopefully lived, and as the story goes... never to be promiscuous again. Hmmm... (I don't know many women who would stay with this guy!!!)
Saw the massive kapok tree, of which I had heard so much about. It needs to grow away from the water's edge, due to its root system. The kapok tree/ the communication tree, which, when banged on with a large stick, mades a thundering noise in the jungle. When a person is lost in the jungle, one keeps banging on the tree trunk with a stick until they are found by others. Magic!
Walked high up a tall tower lookout - 4 sets of 30 steep stairs, where we admired the view from above, overlooking the palm-treed jungle canopy. Magnificent! Such a beautiful day - such a glorious view! Bruce & I are once more counting our blessing....
And the walk continues....
Saw many termite nests, attached to tree trunks, built high up the tree, for survival purposes. During the wet, flooded seasons, the termites survive as the rivers rise several meters during this wet season each year.
Walked on pathways, through clay mud and on boarded walkways over swamps. One such boarded walk was 700 meters long!) They are constructed with wooden planks - 2x8's, & 2x10's. Some are wobbly, some rotted, some are safe. Lordy, but I sometimes wonder what we have gotten ourselves into!!! Safety really is not #1, but it's pretty good, as long as one is aware of one's surroundings.
(Upkeep and repairs are going on daily at the Lodge - which is a good thing!)
Found a little lagoon, boarded a small skiff, and Ronal rowed us around as we silently observed the wildlife - mostly turtles nesting in the sun. Peaceful, beautiful, serene & restful!
Retraced our steps, walking further on to Cocha Perdida (Lost Lake). Boarded another skiff and the guys had to paddle 2 or 3 kms, at least 1.5 hours, down this meandering swamp river to our next stop, which really tired them out! Bruce thought his arms were going to fall off! I relieved him every now and then, but not enough to make a difference. It was a long meandering swampy river...
Our next stop was just a short walk to the main river where another pekis awaited us. Ronal thankfully motored us back to the Lodge.
It was a great jungle trip, even though we were all dead tired! Quickly returned to our huts, showered, (in cold water!), enjoyed our delicious lunch, and rested for a couple of hours, during the hottest part of the day.
4 p.m. - Visited the Lodge's Botannical Gardens which consisted of medicinal plants from the jungle, along with starfruit and lemon grass. Many plants' healing powers addressed the sexual anatomies of both males & females - interesting! To see this work effectively, one must truly believe in Patchamama and Shamanism. Ronal our guide, certainly does!
Ended the day, enjoying the company of our new-found friends, Ingred, Bernard from Germany & Marie & hubby, from Denmark. Went for dinner, had our group photo taken, and bade our adieux! Together, young & old, we were a great group - sharing our stories was just so much fun!
6:00 a.m. - We're on board our pekis-pekis, motoring over to another place, where we followed the path for our lengthy trek today!
So many interesting highlights! Firstly, we slowed our walk to a decent pace! Now, we were all able to actually 'see and take in' the different plants and treed areas surrounding us in the jungle. Stopped at the massive 'iron' tree, a hardwood, which actually is known to prevent fires in the jungle. The iron tree acts like a lightening rod, a conduit. So, when it is hit by lightening, the lightening bolt goes through the tree to the ground, and nothing in area surrounding it gets 'hit'.
The iron tree is also known to be a healing tree. People derive 'energy' from it. Shamans apparently can 'cure' people's illnesses, using the energy waves of the tree - We all hugged the tree to feel its power - amazing, isn't it!
Walking on, we stopped at the slim 'justice' tree - where poisonous fire ants thrive inside. The 'tale' is that promiscuous people or criminals were tied to the tree for punishment. Then, another person would hit the tree with a stick, and the ants, once disturbed, would appear on the outside of the tree. They then bit the intruder, the tied-up person, who would eventually die from the bites, within a 24 hour period. Lordy!
The promiscuous spouse was bitten, and left tied to the tree just long enough to pass out from the fever. Then the spouse was untied, hopefully lived, and as the story goes... never to be promiscuous again. Hmmm... (I don't know many women who would stay with this guy!!!)
Saw the massive kapok tree, of which I had heard so much about. It needs to grow away from the water's edge, due to its root system. The kapok tree/ the communication tree, which, when banged on with a large stick, mades a thundering noise in the jungle. When a person is lost in the jungle, one keeps banging on the tree trunk with a stick until they are found by others. Magic!
Walked high up a tall tower lookout - 4 sets of 30 steep stairs, where we admired the view from above, overlooking the palm-treed jungle canopy. Magnificent! Such a beautiful day - such a glorious view! Bruce & I are once more counting our blessing....
And the walk continues....
Saw many termite nests, attached to tree trunks, built high up the tree, for survival purposes. During the wet, flooded seasons, the termites survive as the rivers rise several meters during this wet season each year.
Walked on pathways, through clay mud and on boarded walkways over swamps. One such boarded walk was 700 meters long!) They are constructed with wooden planks - 2x8's, & 2x10's. Some are wobbly, some rotted, some are safe. Lordy, but I sometimes wonder what we have gotten ourselves into!!! Safety really is not #1, but it's pretty good, as long as one is aware of one's surroundings.
(Upkeep and repairs are going on daily at the Lodge - which is a good thing!)
Found a little lagoon, boarded a small skiff, and Ronal rowed us around as we silently observed the wildlife - mostly turtles nesting in the sun. Peaceful, beautiful, serene & restful!
Retraced our steps, walking further on to Cocha Perdida (Lost Lake). Boarded another skiff and the guys had to paddle 2 or 3 kms, at least 1.5 hours, down this meandering swamp river to our next stop, which really tired them out! Bruce thought his arms were going to fall off! I relieved him every now and then, but not enough to make a difference. It was a long meandering swampy river...
Our next stop was just a short walk to the main river where another pekis awaited us. Ronal thankfully motored us back to the Lodge.
It was a great jungle trip, even though we were all dead tired! Quickly returned to our huts, showered, (in cold water!), enjoyed our delicious lunch, and rested for a couple of hours, during the hottest part of the day.
4 p.m. - Visited the Lodge's Botannical Gardens which consisted of medicinal plants from the jungle, along with starfruit and lemon grass. Many plants' healing powers addressed the sexual anatomies of both males & females - interesting! To see this work effectively, one must truly believe in Patchamama and Shamanism. Ronal our guide, certainly does!
Ended the day, enjoying the company of our new-found friends, Ingred, Bernard from Germany & Marie & hubby, from Denmark. Went for dinner, had our group photo taken, and bade our adieux! Together, young & old, we were a great group - sharing our stories was just so much fun!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
June 18 - Thursday, In the jungle - Eco-Amazonian Lodge
Gorgeous red and blue "makaw" parrots are living in the tree outside our dining area. We just stand and gaze at their activities. Their songs are more like squawks, but they are such beautiful birds - and to see them in the wild is just amazing!
Bruce and I both slept well last night, and are feeling so very much better today. We've just devoured a delicious breakfast - tropical fruits, sliced meats, eggs, rolls with coffee/juice. Yummy!
Embarked on our upriver trip via the Rio Briolo for an hour's fishing, travelling in the very small pekis-pekis. No lifejackets this time. Saw many small alligators (caymans) on the banks along the way, along with little greyish turtles sunning themselves on logs which were stuck or floating in the river.
Motored up a narrow river stream, passing and missing all sizes of logs in the waters. Slightly treacherous, but we made it. Our motorman is an accomplished sailor indeed! Trees and branches overhang the clay mud banks, birds fly overhead, and vivid white, black & blue butterflies dot the landscape, sometimes in large numbers. It's beautiful & peaceful!
Met other water boats like ours, some with families, some loaded with goods, all with putt-utt motors - the major way of travel for all peoples in this jungle area.
We moored our boat on a bank, then were given a straight 'old' stick, with a line & hook to fish with. Very, very basic indeed. A few folks caught very small catfish.
An hour later, we travelled to our swimming hole. Unbeknowst to all of us, our motor propeller had broken. It was replaced, but then broke once more. The boatman, and Ronal, our guide, were ingenious enough to fix it. I guess that's what they do in these parts...
Peru reminds me very much of Cuba. everything is very basic and old machinery, if available, is still in use. Most of the time though, there is no machinery or technology around - manual labor is still the only way to go.
At our swimming hole, just off the river bank, most men eagerly, or hesitantly jumped into these mucky, murky waters. One brave woman did so too! A couple of men then covered their bodies in clay mud, climbed up the bank to find a rope tied to a tree - well, you know what happened next! They did their "Tarzan" thing, grabbing onto the rope, running, then jumping into the water to clean the mud off their bodies. Quite the sight - and it looked like fun! (But, I still was too chicken to try it...)
The river current was strong, and even though the water looked dirty, it wasn't. Bruce jumped in, finding it rather refreshing, although he, and all the others were surprised by the strength of the current in this little off-shoot of a river.
Then, motoring off, we ran into a mud bank as we were rounding a curve in the river. (These rivers meander a lot, oftentimes changing their courses in a year, due to the heavy flow of the waters.) Our men disembarked and pushd the boat, freeing it from the mud bank - what a wild adventure! Not something one would experience on a 5* Cruiseship!
Under clear blue skies, we motored peacefully back to the Lodge, sighting our caymans and turles once more.
At our lodge, we rested a wee bit, walked around the grounds taking in our 'jungle' environment, took photos, ate a delicious lunch, wrote and just relaxed during the hottest part of the afternoon. And, we have heat!!!
Our generator for electricity comes on between 5:30 - 10 p.m. Then it's total darkness! Frankly, the light that is emitted from the generator is very low powered indeed - Bruce and I still have to search around our room to find things! If I wish to read, I do so using my flashlight.
2:30 p.m. - Ronal has us grouped together, for his 'march' in the jungle! I don't think he realizes how fast he walks! I know he's used to the heat, but lordy, are we sweating, just to keep up to him. One doesn't want to get lost on a path here - who knows if the resident jaquar if eyeing us for prey!
Arrived at our wooden platform, situated above a fairly large lagoon, and just sat for an hour, as still and quiet as can be. We observed the wildlife, mostly caymans, which were not that big, and moved very little in the waters. Saw sume beautiful birds - which we attempted to photograph, when we could catch them in our viewfinders. Not a lot of action around us, but the jungle canopy surrounding the lagoon in the late afternoon light was magical!
Returned to our lodge, "marching" all the way. Bruce & I quickly took a cold shower - anything would feel good right now! We still 'yelped' as the cold water hit us, but at least, we were clean, again!
Had drinks with our group - then to bed at 8:30 p.m.
Members of our group agreed that we needed to get our guide Ronal to slow down on our excursions. They were all feeling the effects of the 'sweat run', and wanted, like us, to enjoy the journey to the destinations, not just the destination. I was voted in as the person to do this for tomorrow. Hummm!
Our supportive and delightful group members are -
a couple in their 50's from Copenhagen, (who had previously climbed Kilimanjero, the highest mountain in Africa! They also thought this should be the McLeans our next excursion!!!)
Ingrid & Bernard, mid 40's, from Frankfurt, Chris from Devon, England - mid 20's - meeting his girlfriend in Cusco at the end of the week, Sarah - Washington DC - mid 20's, Bennett from Toronto, 30ish, & Carol & hubby from Paris (mid-20's).
Despite the difference in ages, we all got along so well!
Bruce and I both slept well last night, and are feeling so very much better today. We've just devoured a delicious breakfast - tropical fruits, sliced meats, eggs, rolls with coffee/juice. Yummy!
Embarked on our upriver trip via the Rio Briolo for an hour's fishing, travelling in the very small pekis-pekis. No lifejackets this time. Saw many small alligators (caymans) on the banks along the way, along with little greyish turtles sunning themselves on logs which were stuck or floating in the river.
Motored up a narrow river stream, passing and missing all sizes of logs in the waters. Slightly treacherous, but we made it. Our motorman is an accomplished sailor indeed! Trees and branches overhang the clay mud banks, birds fly overhead, and vivid white, black & blue butterflies dot the landscape, sometimes in large numbers. It's beautiful & peaceful!
Met other water boats like ours, some with families, some loaded with goods, all with putt-utt motors - the major way of travel for all peoples in this jungle area.
We moored our boat on a bank, then were given a straight 'old' stick, with a line & hook to fish with. Very, very basic indeed. A few folks caught very small catfish.
An hour later, we travelled to our swimming hole. Unbeknowst to all of us, our motor propeller had broken. It was replaced, but then broke once more. The boatman, and Ronal, our guide, were ingenious enough to fix it. I guess that's what they do in these parts...
Peru reminds me very much of Cuba. everything is very basic and old machinery, if available, is still in use. Most of the time though, there is no machinery or technology around - manual labor is still the only way to go.
At our swimming hole, just off the river bank, most men eagerly, or hesitantly jumped into these mucky, murky waters. One brave woman did so too! A couple of men then covered their bodies in clay mud, climbed up the bank to find a rope tied to a tree - well, you know what happened next! They did their "Tarzan" thing, grabbing onto the rope, running, then jumping into the water to clean the mud off their bodies. Quite the sight - and it looked like fun! (But, I still was too chicken to try it...)
The river current was strong, and even though the water looked dirty, it wasn't. Bruce jumped in, finding it rather refreshing, although he, and all the others were surprised by the strength of the current in this little off-shoot of a river.
Then, motoring off, we ran into a mud bank as we were rounding a curve in the river. (These rivers meander a lot, oftentimes changing their courses in a year, due to the heavy flow of the waters.) Our men disembarked and pushd the boat, freeing it from the mud bank - what a wild adventure! Not something one would experience on a 5* Cruiseship!
Under clear blue skies, we motored peacefully back to the Lodge, sighting our caymans and turles once more.
At our lodge, we rested a wee bit, walked around the grounds taking in our 'jungle' environment, took photos, ate a delicious lunch, wrote and just relaxed during the hottest part of the afternoon. And, we have heat!!!
Our generator for electricity comes on between 5:30 - 10 p.m. Then it's total darkness! Frankly, the light that is emitted from the generator is very low powered indeed - Bruce and I still have to search around our room to find things! If I wish to read, I do so using my flashlight.
2:30 p.m. - Ronal has us grouped together, for his 'march' in the jungle! I don't think he realizes how fast he walks! I know he's used to the heat, but lordy, are we sweating, just to keep up to him. One doesn't want to get lost on a path here - who knows if the resident jaquar if eyeing us for prey!
Arrived at our wooden platform, situated above a fairly large lagoon, and just sat for an hour, as still and quiet as can be. We observed the wildlife, mostly caymans, which were not that big, and moved very little in the waters. Saw sume beautiful birds - which we attempted to photograph, when we could catch them in our viewfinders. Not a lot of action around us, but the jungle canopy surrounding the lagoon in the late afternoon light was magical!
Returned to our lodge, "marching" all the way. Bruce & I quickly took a cold shower - anything would feel good right now! We still 'yelped' as the cold water hit us, but at least, we were clean, again!
Had drinks with our group - then to bed at 8:30 p.m.
Members of our group agreed that we needed to get our guide Ronal to slow down on our excursions. They were all feeling the effects of the 'sweat run', and wanted, like us, to enjoy the journey to the destinations, not just the destination. I was voted in as the person to do this for tomorrow. Hummm!
Our supportive and delightful group members are -
a couple in their 50's from Copenhagen, (who had previously climbed Kilimanjero, the highest mountain in Africa! They also thought this should be the McLeans our next excursion!!!)
Ingrid & Bernard, mid 40's, from Frankfurt, Chris from Devon, England - mid 20's - meeting his girlfriend in Cusco at the end of the week, Sarah - Washington DC - mid 20's, Bennett from Toronto, 30ish, & Carol & hubby from Paris (mid-20's).
Despite the difference in ages, we all got along so well!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
June 17 - Wednesday, Cusco to Puerto Maldonado
The Jungle... here we come!
Did our early morning routine, and arrived at the airport, with an hour's wait for our flight to Puerto Maldonado. LAN flight was only 40 minutes long; we encountered cloudy skies - have not seen this since we landed in Peru in mid-May.
We had booked our jungle tour with the tour company, Eco Amazonia, and the tour operator & bus met us at the airport, then droveus into the 'town' of Puerto Maldonado. It lived up to its description from the Lonely Planet - a dusty, one-horse, frontier town. Motorcycles appear to be the mode of travel for almost everyone, with 3 - 4 people on one bike at a time, no helmets to speak of, & moto-taxies, (bikes that taxi people). We visited the very colourful, local market place, purchasing snacks (cookies & water) for our days at our lodge.
Then, our group, all 15 of us, embarked upon a 1.5 hour boat ride, in an oversized, motorized, dug-out canoe, with a broad 'roof' canopy, called pekis-pekis. Rather tippy - so we all sat very still, but we did wear life-jackets. The sky was still overcast, so we were cool while on the long river trip. The Madre de Dios river was muddy, murky & silty - Bruce says it's trying to transport the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean! River was extremely low, about 20 meters lower than it would be during the rainy season, yet the current was very rapid.
Arrived at Eco Amazonian Lodge, climbing a steep set of tippy, cemented stairs that were uneven and very challenging, to say the least. My knees were 'talking' to me, no doubt about it!
Our group was served lunch - steamed rice and chicken cooked within a banana leaf, which was quite good. We then made our way to our "Hut" room, and settled in. The place is not quite what we expected, and we have 5 days here! Yikes! (I'm just over-tired right now - I'm sure things will look rosier tomorrow.)
After a short rest, we went on our first excursion -Money Island. We boarded a smaller pekis-pekis to get there. We landed on what we considered a rather treacherous sandbar, and the guide "macheteed" steps for us to climb on. We began our walk through the jungle, and "jungle" this is, with a wide, green canopy of leaves and ropes overhead. Even though it's only 4 p.m., we're having some difficulties seeing our path as it's dark, due to the overcast skies.
At last - we see the monkeys! They come visit this space because our guide feeds them bananas, then teaches us about the monkey population on this small island. We saw two types of cappuci monkeys and the black spider monkey. They were all quite playful, jumping and swinging from tree to tree - squawking away, greedily grabbing the pieces of bananas our guide lay out on the ledge for them. We all stood quite still, observing their behaviour, as our guide did not want any of us to be 'attacked'.
Ronal, our guide, explained that Monkey Island was officially 10 years old. This is when Eco Amazonia first imported different types of monkeys to live here. Bruce photographed all of this activity.
I found the jumgle atmostphere to be rather cloying & claustrophobic. I could hardly wait to walk to the clearing. This was probably die to the lack of sunlight...
Returned to our main island, via a short boat trip. Conquered those stairs again! Bruce & I rested a bit, then tried the shower - cold water only! Yikes.. washed ourselves down, then went to the bar, and dinner. We chose not to go on the alligator excursion that evening, for my legs simply could not tackle those stairs one more time. (Hearing from the others, they said we did not miss much as far as the alligators were concerned, but we did miss seeing the stars overhead - apparently the clouds had cleared off, and the night sky was quite the sight to see.)
Weather is warmish - thank goodness! We so longed for this! Now, we're looking forward to our 5 days, enjoying our time here, in the wilds of Peru!
Did our early morning routine, and arrived at the airport, with an hour's wait for our flight to Puerto Maldonado. LAN flight was only 40 minutes long; we encountered cloudy skies - have not seen this since we landed in Peru in mid-May.
We had booked our jungle tour with the tour company, Eco Amazonia, and the tour operator & bus met us at the airport, then droveus into the 'town' of Puerto Maldonado. It lived up to its description from the Lonely Planet - a dusty, one-horse, frontier town. Motorcycles appear to be the mode of travel for almost everyone, with 3 - 4 people on one bike at a time, no helmets to speak of, & moto-taxies, (bikes that taxi people). We visited the very colourful, local market place, purchasing snacks (cookies & water) for our days at our lodge.
Then, our group, all 15 of us, embarked upon a 1.5 hour boat ride, in an oversized, motorized, dug-out canoe, with a broad 'roof' canopy, called pekis-pekis. Rather tippy - so we all sat very still, but we did wear life-jackets. The sky was still overcast, so we were cool while on the long river trip. The Madre de Dios river was muddy, murky & silty - Bruce says it's trying to transport the Andes to the Atlantic Ocean! River was extremely low, about 20 meters lower than it would be during the rainy season, yet the current was very rapid.
Arrived at Eco Amazonian Lodge, climbing a steep set of tippy, cemented stairs that were uneven and very challenging, to say the least. My knees were 'talking' to me, no doubt about it!
Our group was served lunch - steamed rice and chicken cooked within a banana leaf, which was quite good. We then made our way to our "Hut" room, and settled in. The place is not quite what we expected, and we have 5 days here! Yikes! (I'm just over-tired right now - I'm sure things will look rosier tomorrow.)
After a short rest, we went on our first excursion -Money Island. We boarded a smaller pekis-pekis to get there. We landed on what we considered a rather treacherous sandbar, and the guide "macheteed" steps for us to climb on. We began our walk through the jungle, and "jungle" this is, with a wide, green canopy of leaves and ropes overhead. Even though it's only 4 p.m., we're having some difficulties seeing our path as it's dark, due to the overcast skies.
At last - we see the monkeys! They come visit this space because our guide feeds them bananas, then teaches us about the monkey population on this small island. We saw two types of cappuci monkeys and the black spider monkey. They were all quite playful, jumping and swinging from tree to tree - squawking away, greedily grabbing the pieces of bananas our guide lay out on the ledge for them. We all stood quite still, observing their behaviour, as our guide did not want any of us to be 'attacked'.
Ronal, our guide, explained that Monkey Island was officially 10 years old. This is when Eco Amazonia first imported different types of monkeys to live here. Bruce photographed all of this activity.
I found the jumgle atmostphere to be rather cloying & claustrophobic. I could hardly wait to walk to the clearing. This was probably die to the lack of sunlight...
Returned to our main island, via a short boat trip. Conquered those stairs again! Bruce & I rested a bit, then tried the shower - cold water only! Yikes.. washed ourselves down, then went to the bar, and dinner. We chose not to go on the alligator excursion that evening, for my legs simply could not tackle those stairs one more time. (Hearing from the others, they said we did not miss much as far as the alligators were concerned, but we did miss seeing the stars overhead - apparently the clouds had cleared off, and the night sky was quite the sight to see.)
Weather is warmish - thank goodness! We so longed for this! Now, we're looking forward to our 5 days, enjoying our time here, in the wilds of Peru!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
June 16, Tuesday - Cusco
Spent today resting (honestly!) and getting organized for our trip to the jungle tomorrow. We're still feeling the effects of living at this high altitude, and right now, we can hardly wait to get ourselves down to sea level again - where we can breathe easily, eat normally, and have lots of energy to spare!
As always, we "walked the town" again. Just cannot sit still!
Photographed Kindergarten children, all dressed up in their various Andean costumes, as they performed in the Winter Solstice dancing competitions in the Plaza d'Armas. The Andean dances chosen were rather simple, yet pleasing, as the children wove themselves to and fro to the music. Bruce and I are really enjoying these precious glimpses into the Peruvian culture, and are pleased that we are in Cusco at this time of the year.
Ate lightly at dinner. Bruce and I started taking our Malarone tablets for malaria protection, and went to bed early - dreaming about tomorrow!
As always, we "walked the town" again. Just cannot sit still!
Photographed Kindergarten children, all dressed up in their various Andean costumes, as they performed in the Winter Solstice dancing competitions in the Plaza d'Armas. The Andean dances chosen were rather simple, yet pleasing, as the children wove themselves to and fro to the music. Bruce and I are really enjoying these precious glimpses into the Peruvian culture, and are pleased that we are in Cusco at this time of the year.
Ate lightly at dinner. Bruce and I started taking our Malarone tablets for malaria protection, and went to bed early - dreaming about tomorrow!
June 15 - Monday, Still Touring Cusco!
Enjoyed the Peruvian food a bit too much yesterday, so my tummy needs tea and bread this morning. Ah, the price one pays for enjoying the tastes & goodies of another culture!
Once again, we were picked up by our guide & driver, for the Cusco City Tour, which turned out to be fantastic! (This time, we were wise - we chose a 9 a.m. pick-up!)
Koriancha & Santo Domingo were our first stops. This beautiful building, constructed of basset rock, was the 'golden enclosure' built to honour the famous Inca Sun God. The Spanish church and convent of Santo Domingo were built over (on top of) the Inca structure, something the Spanish did quite frequently, in order to destroy the pagan relics of the Inca culture, and establish a strong Christian following. We've seen this in many cities so far. The devastation of the massive and beautifully constructed Inca temples by the Spanish & Dominican Order makes one weep.
During Peru's many earthquakes for instance, the perfectly engineered stones of the Inca structures have remained intact. Whereas, the Spanish structures (usually added walls on top of the Inca stones), were totally destroyed. On one building such as this, there was sign on the Inca wall saying "The Competents". On the Spanish constructed wall above it, another sign read "The Incompetents". Very interesting, and approriate!?
Our guide's immense knowledge of Andean and Inca culture meant that Bruce & I learned to respect and appreciate the history of these peoples.
Next stop - Saqusaywoman -and immense site of granite rock ruins, significant both as a military and religious site. This is the site where the Spanish Conquistadors captured the last Inca king & tribe. It remains the major site of the June 24 yearly Inca celebrations, honouring the past Inca cultures. (And, celebrate, they do! People come from all over the world to see this.)
The block stones of these ruins are the largest we have every seen, one stone weighing 300 tons, with a height of 17 feet. Archeologists are still finding new ruins and Inca terracing in this area. They are busy at work, with these work areas being roped off for tourist protection. It was very interesting to see the archeologists and their team o this work.
The smooth black stones fitted so perfectly together, that not even the finest blade of a knife could penetrate through the join. Fascinating, totally fascinating. As we walked the site, we continued to be in awe with the fine work of the Incas - our jaws were continually opened! (I know I've said this many times before, but each time we visit a ruin, Bruce & I are in awe, with the worksmanship & its history!)
From this vantage point of Saqusaywoman, one can see the entire city of Cusco below. School dancing competitions are still going on at the Plaza d'Armas - so colourful, even from our high viewpoint!) The rust-coloured clay rooftops of Cusco resemble a tiled floor from here, as the homes are built so closely together.
Next stop - a camelid farm reserve, with alpacas, llamas, & vicunas; where we saw the different breeds of these animals. We became aware of the variety of the uses of each animal and its history within Peru. The long-haired suri alpaca for instance only has enough wool for two sweaters per year! Quite the education! We really enjoyed this visit, as so many of our questions regarding the history of these animals were answered.
Onto another ruin - The Water Temple, where we saw how the water channel structures and aquaducts were devised by the Incas - so that each piece of land had water. So interesting - such fine engineers they were!
From this vantage point, we were able to photograph the stone structure of Puca Puccara, the ancient gateway to Cusco, once the city for Inca Royalty only. People had to pass through this gateway, in order to visit the king and his royal court. Not everyone was allowed to enter. What a civilization - class structures existed even then!
Onto Tambomachay, a series of platforms & caves renowned for its sacrifices and a place where "mummies" were mummified, due to the varied levels of humidity in the different caves. We've seen many of these mummies which were taken from gravesites and are now housed in museums.
The Inca culture was indeed a complex one. Such history - such traditions - such customs. All of this was so clearly explained to us. We were thankful to have such excellent guides touring with us. "Andean Treks" deserves much credit for this.
We were supposed to visit the Cathedral, but by this time, 2:00 p.m., we were all exhausted, and hungry - so we thanked our guides, and went on to have lunch, browze a bit more around Cusco, then hiked back to Ninos Hotel for a well-deserved rest!
Will Bruce and I ever just settle down for a day of rest - I don't think so! Too much to see, admire & do!
Once again, we were picked up by our guide & driver, for the Cusco City Tour, which turned out to be fantastic! (This time, we were wise - we chose a 9 a.m. pick-up!)
Koriancha & Santo Domingo were our first stops. This beautiful building, constructed of basset rock, was the 'golden enclosure' built to honour the famous Inca Sun God. The Spanish church and convent of Santo Domingo were built over (on top of) the Inca structure, something the Spanish did quite frequently, in order to destroy the pagan relics of the Inca culture, and establish a strong Christian following. We've seen this in many cities so far. The devastation of the massive and beautifully constructed Inca temples by the Spanish & Dominican Order makes one weep.
During Peru's many earthquakes for instance, the perfectly engineered stones of the Inca structures have remained intact. Whereas, the Spanish structures (usually added walls on top of the Inca stones), were totally destroyed. On one building such as this, there was sign on the Inca wall saying "The Competents". On the Spanish constructed wall above it, another sign read "The Incompetents". Very interesting, and approriate!?
Our guide's immense knowledge of Andean and Inca culture meant that Bruce & I learned to respect and appreciate the history of these peoples.
Next stop - Saqusaywoman -and immense site of granite rock ruins, significant both as a military and religious site. This is the site where the Spanish Conquistadors captured the last Inca king & tribe. It remains the major site of the June 24 yearly Inca celebrations, honouring the past Inca cultures. (And, celebrate, they do! People come from all over the world to see this.)
The block stones of these ruins are the largest we have every seen, one stone weighing 300 tons, with a height of 17 feet. Archeologists are still finding new ruins and Inca terracing in this area. They are busy at work, with these work areas being roped off for tourist protection. It was very interesting to see the archeologists and their team o this work.
The smooth black stones fitted so perfectly together, that not even the finest blade of a knife could penetrate through the join. Fascinating, totally fascinating. As we walked the site, we continued to be in awe with the fine work of the Incas - our jaws were continually opened! (I know I've said this many times before, but each time we visit a ruin, Bruce & I are in awe, with the worksmanship & its history!)
From this vantage point of Saqusaywoman, one can see the entire city of Cusco below. School dancing competitions are still going on at the Plaza d'Armas - so colourful, even from our high viewpoint!) The rust-coloured clay rooftops of Cusco resemble a tiled floor from here, as the homes are built so closely together.
Next stop - a camelid farm reserve, with alpacas, llamas, & vicunas; where we saw the different breeds of these animals. We became aware of the variety of the uses of each animal and its history within Peru. The long-haired suri alpaca for instance only has enough wool for two sweaters per year! Quite the education! We really enjoyed this visit, as so many of our questions regarding the history of these animals were answered.
Onto another ruin - The Water Temple, where we saw how the water channel structures and aquaducts were devised by the Incas - so that each piece of land had water. So interesting - such fine engineers they were!
From this vantage point, we were able to photograph the stone structure of Puca Puccara, the ancient gateway to Cusco, once the city for Inca Royalty only. People had to pass through this gateway, in order to visit the king and his royal court. Not everyone was allowed to enter. What a civilization - class structures existed even then!
Onto Tambomachay, a series of platforms & caves renowned for its sacrifices and a place where "mummies" were mummified, due to the varied levels of humidity in the different caves. We've seen many of these mummies which were taken from gravesites and are now housed in museums.
The Inca culture was indeed a complex one. Such history - such traditions - such customs. All of this was so clearly explained to us. We were thankful to have such excellent guides touring with us. "Andean Treks" deserves much credit for this.
We were supposed to visit the Cathedral, but by this time, 2:00 p.m., we were all exhausted, and hungry - so we thanked our guides, and went on to have lunch, browze a bit more around Cusco, then hiked back to Ninos Hotel for a well-deserved rest!
Will Bruce and I ever just settle down for a day of rest - I don't think so! Too much to see, admire & do!
Monday, July 6, 2009
June 14 - Sunday - Touring Day around Cusco!
Tell me now - just why would "McLean Tours" arrange for an early 8 a.m. pick-up when we could have had our choice of times???? This is beyond comprehension, so we promised not to do this to ourselves, ever again!
6:00 a.m. - Wake up call - we showered quickly, and went down for breakfast, enjoying a fruit bowl with Peruvian ripe bananas, papayas & pineapple, along with delicious bread, Peruvian Elderberry jam, and tea. A great little start to the morning!
Our tour guide dutifully picked us up at 8:00 a.m., and we walked up the hill, to the wider road to meet our touring car. The narrow cobblestone street that our hotel is on, Calle Fiero, only has space for one car traveling up the street, so if a vehicle wishes to stop and wait for passengers, it has to go to the top of the hill. So, we hiked uphill to a wider cobblestone street! Great energetic start to the day!
We drove through Cusco to the little town of Moray, through a rich farming countryside. Manual labour drives the farming here. Donkeys and cows assist the families. As we drove by, people were waiting on the roadside to be picked up by a truck and driven to the Sunday market, probably in Pisac or Chinchero, the birthplace of the rainbow. The markets are "bartering ones" only. The 'selling' gooes on all morning, and then the drinking starts, along with the dancing and partying. Market day - Sunday, is the only day of the week farmers can meet their neighbours and everyone looks forward to it. We can imagine! We would have love to have seen it, but could not get this added to our tour - darn! (Better planning next time!)
Our first destination was Moray, 50 km from Cusco. The circular terracing land resembles a Greek Amphitheatre, but archeologists believe it to be a crop laboratory used by the Incas to find the best conditions for growing crops in the area. We walked all the way down, and around, and were impressed with the restorations going on - manually of course. Very slow work indeed!
Our next stop was on my wish list - Salinas de Marais, salt mines, or pans, operated by families in the area, each working their own little 'salt pan' or two. Such an impressive sight! We walked down alongside the salt pans, observing families working the salt out of their small space. My camera battery died - first thing, so hopefully, I will be able to get postcards depicting this complex family operation.
Driving back to Cusco, we enjoyed the rich farming countryside Seeing the big town of Cusco from a distance, admiring 'its planning system' and the all the red clay rooftops, is quite the sight.
We 'crashed' for awhile then ventured out because we were hungry. Peruvian soups are rating high on our list of favourites, so we had this, and papas fritas. After satisfying our appetite, we wandered again - this time to the open family Sunday market, which is a mess - things & activities, with smells of all sorts hitting us! Bruce and I loved seeing the huge mountains of oranges and limes piled up for sale. Huge 100 kg bags of Peruvian popcorn, (quite tasty!), bloodied oxen heads, long sticks of sugar cane, with people sucking on these, potatoes of all sizes, and fruits that we had never seen before. Amazing!
Coming up - is June 24 - Cusco Day, celebrating the Inca feast, Temple of the Sun. Cusconeans are painting their homes and really sprucing the place up. Unfortunately, we will be in Lima at the time, but it is interesting to hear about their pride and traditions of their Andean past, and how they work these customs into the Winter Solstice celebrations.
Another local site which never ceases to amaze us is watching the local buses, over-loaded and filled to the brim, people packed in like sardines, as they are being transported home at the end of the day - between 6 & 8 p.m. People are even hanging onto the sides of the buses as they travel uphill, through the bumpy streets, hanging on for dear life! And, this goes on all over Peru! Such amazing sights - such wonderful learning experiences!
6:00 a.m. - Wake up call - we showered quickly, and went down for breakfast, enjoying a fruit bowl with Peruvian ripe bananas, papayas & pineapple, along with delicious bread, Peruvian Elderberry jam, and tea. A great little start to the morning!
Our tour guide dutifully picked us up at 8:00 a.m., and we walked up the hill, to the wider road to meet our touring car. The narrow cobblestone street that our hotel is on, Calle Fiero, only has space for one car traveling up the street, so if a vehicle wishes to stop and wait for passengers, it has to go to the top of the hill. So, we hiked uphill to a wider cobblestone street! Great energetic start to the day!
We drove through Cusco to the little town of Moray, through a rich farming countryside. Manual labour drives the farming here. Donkeys and cows assist the families. As we drove by, people were waiting on the roadside to be picked up by a truck and driven to the Sunday market, probably in Pisac or Chinchero, the birthplace of the rainbow. The markets are "bartering ones" only. The 'selling' gooes on all morning, and then the drinking starts, along with the dancing and partying. Market day - Sunday, is the only day of the week farmers can meet their neighbours and everyone looks forward to it. We can imagine! We would have love to have seen it, but could not get this added to our tour - darn! (Better planning next time!)
Our first destination was Moray, 50 km from Cusco. The circular terracing land resembles a Greek Amphitheatre, but archeologists believe it to be a crop laboratory used by the Incas to find the best conditions for growing crops in the area. We walked all the way down, and around, and were impressed with the restorations going on - manually of course. Very slow work indeed!
Our next stop was on my wish list - Salinas de Marais, salt mines, or pans, operated by families in the area, each working their own little 'salt pan' or two. Such an impressive sight! We walked down alongside the salt pans, observing families working the salt out of their small space. My camera battery died - first thing, so hopefully, I will be able to get postcards depicting this complex family operation.
Driving back to Cusco, we enjoyed the rich farming countryside Seeing the big town of Cusco from a distance, admiring 'its planning system' and the all the red clay rooftops, is quite the sight.
We 'crashed' for awhile then ventured out because we were hungry. Peruvian soups are rating high on our list of favourites, so we had this, and papas fritas. After satisfying our appetite, we wandered again - this time to the open family Sunday market, which is a mess - things & activities, with smells of all sorts hitting us! Bruce and I loved seeing the huge mountains of oranges and limes piled up for sale. Huge 100 kg bags of Peruvian popcorn, (quite tasty!), bloodied oxen heads, long sticks of sugar cane, with people sucking on these, potatoes of all sizes, and fruits that we had never seen before. Amazing!
Coming up - is June 24 - Cusco Day, celebrating the Inca feast, Temple of the Sun. Cusconeans are painting their homes and really sprucing the place up. Unfortunately, we will be in Lima at the time, but it is interesting to hear about their pride and traditions of their Andean past, and how they work these customs into the Winter Solstice celebrations.
Another local site which never ceases to amaze us is watching the local buses, over-loaded and filled to the brim, people packed in like sardines, as they are being transported home at the end of the day - between 6 & 8 p.m. People are even hanging onto the sides of the buses as they travel uphill, through the bumpy streets, hanging on for dear life! And, this goes on all over Peru! Such amazing sights - such wonderful learning experiences!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
June 13 - Saturday - Cusco - Our first 'rest' day!
We're a titch tired from our trek ~ Bruce still has some difficulties with altitude sickness, fluid on the lungs. There's really nothing for us to be concerned about, as we are taking our Diamox meds daily, while we are traveling and living at this high altitude.
And, my tummy is a titch upset, so I'm not eating as 'creatively' as I would like to these days. (A real 'downer' for me!) Both of us want to be relatively healthy for our next adventure, our 5-day trip into the jungle via Puerto Maldonado.
So, after resting this morning, we went touring Cusco on our own, again! Cusco is quite a beautiful little town, situated in a mountainside valley, with hills surrounding it all. It has narrow, cobblestone streets and walkways, so one takes care. Tons of vehicles are one the streets, and as there are no pollution control devices on these vehicles, the fumes and pollution do get to us. This is the 'dry' season in Peru, with brown dust and dirt everywhere, but the people do their best to keep the walkways and tourist centre clean.
Ninos Hotel is a 10 minute walk from the main square - Place d'Armas. On our walks we pass by many small businesses, restaurants, convenience stores, tailors, internet cafes, etc., housed in rooms that are 8x10 ft, or 8x12ft. We wonder how these people make a living!
Wandering down to one square, we saw children and adults dressed up in local costumes for another parade. Bruce was able to catch a few good photos of children, once we received permission from their parents. One Mom asked for a million dollars in return - I invited her to visit us in Canada instead, and she laughingly agreed!
We checked our e-mail, then walked down to the airline office, LAN, and purchased our tickets for our return to Lima on June 23. Venturing into other areas of town is interesting! (We were unable to return to Lima via Ayacucho, as the road from that town to the next was washed out during the last wet season, so unfortunately we will miss this part of the Central Highlands, which Bruce wanted so much to visit.)
Visited Andean Treks office and made arrangements for two additional tours - the country-side ruins and Salt Pans for tomorrow, then a city tour and other sacred sites for Monday.
All this planning takes time - so at 2 p.m. we stopped for lunch, returning to the Place d'Armas, eating pizza and cokes. (Very Peruvian - what can I say!) We still do not understand why there are so many Italian restaurants around - every restaurant (almost) serves both Italian and Andean cuisine - interesting!
Wandered down Avenida El Sol, searching for 'the' Saturday street market. It was not what we expected - an inside mall with tons of Peruvian tourist goods, none of a quality we would want to purchase.
Back to the hotel! My knees are now 'talking' to me again, so we had to take a 'tea' break along the way. Rested at the hotel for a bit, then ventured out for dinner. We ate at a lovely restaurant on the square - there are so many to choose from!
Bruce's meds were found by Cesar, our guide, and returned to the hotel. All is now well with the world!
Weather is still gorgeous. We had our first cloudy morning today, but it soon cleared up, with the blue skies and strong rays of sunshine making it quite warm and enjoyable to be outdoors. Evenings are coolish, always, so we dress in layers.
As we settled in for the night, Bruce & I talked about how lucky and thankful we were to be able to do this trip, see Peru, and have our eyes opened up to a world of new experiences, new people - just delightful!
And, my tummy is a titch upset, so I'm not eating as 'creatively' as I would like to these days. (A real 'downer' for me!) Both of us want to be relatively healthy for our next adventure, our 5-day trip into the jungle via Puerto Maldonado.
So, after resting this morning, we went touring Cusco on our own, again! Cusco is quite a beautiful little town, situated in a mountainside valley, with hills surrounding it all. It has narrow, cobblestone streets and walkways, so one takes care. Tons of vehicles are one the streets, and as there are no pollution control devices on these vehicles, the fumes and pollution do get to us. This is the 'dry' season in Peru, with brown dust and dirt everywhere, but the people do their best to keep the walkways and tourist centre clean.
Ninos Hotel is a 10 minute walk from the main square - Place d'Armas. On our walks we pass by many small businesses, restaurants, convenience stores, tailors, internet cafes, etc., housed in rooms that are 8x10 ft, or 8x12ft. We wonder how these people make a living!
Wandering down to one square, we saw children and adults dressed up in local costumes for another parade. Bruce was able to catch a few good photos of children, once we received permission from their parents. One Mom asked for a million dollars in return - I invited her to visit us in Canada instead, and she laughingly agreed!
We checked our e-mail, then walked down to the airline office, LAN, and purchased our tickets for our return to Lima on June 23. Venturing into other areas of town is interesting! (We were unable to return to Lima via Ayacucho, as the road from that town to the next was washed out during the last wet season, so unfortunately we will miss this part of the Central Highlands, which Bruce wanted so much to visit.)
Visited Andean Treks office and made arrangements for two additional tours - the country-side ruins and Salt Pans for tomorrow, then a city tour and other sacred sites for Monday.
All this planning takes time - so at 2 p.m. we stopped for lunch, returning to the Place d'Armas, eating pizza and cokes. (Very Peruvian - what can I say!) We still do not understand why there are so many Italian restaurants around - every restaurant (almost) serves both Italian and Andean cuisine - interesting!
Wandered down Avenida El Sol, searching for 'the' Saturday street market. It was not what we expected - an inside mall with tons of Peruvian tourist goods, none of a quality we would want to purchase.
Back to the hotel! My knees are now 'talking' to me again, so we had to take a 'tea' break along the way. Rested at the hotel for a bit, then ventured out for dinner. We ate at a lovely restaurant on the square - there are so many to choose from!
Bruce's meds were found by Cesar, our guide, and returned to the hotel. All is now well with the world!
Weather is still gorgeous. We had our first cloudy morning today, but it soon cleared up, with the blue skies and strong rays of sunshine making it quite warm and enjoyable to be outdoors. Evenings are coolish, always, so we dress in layers.
As we settled in for the night, Bruce & I talked about how lucky and thankful we were to be able to do this trip, see Peru, and have our eyes opened up to a world of new experiences, new people - just delightful!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
June 11 - Our Day at the Lost City - Machu Picchu!
Bruce and I finally have met our match! It was Machu Picchu, the Mountain and the Inca Trail!
We were awakened at 5:30 a.m., as promised, looking forward to seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu. (We just barely made it, for the red tape surrounding thechecking of passports and the acquisition of tickets for the site, made us just a few minutes late - but we were certainly there, early enough to capture and feel the magic of the moment.)
We waited at campsite road for our early bus, driving us up this 30 minutes steep, switchback trail to the base of the mountain. I've learned to relax and let the bus drivers do their thing - I no longer drive for them! (As if my doing this every made a difference before!) Frankly, I'm just too exhausted to think, and I have learned the value of 'trust' as we ventured on all these excursions throughout Peru.
Our campsite, a 20 minute walk outside Aquas Calientes, was set on the flattest piece of ground we have seen so far. Green and grassy land, and right beside a river. Bathrooms were in a fixed cemented building, and were the filthiest we have ever encountered. Yuk! Our visits were FAST!
Our last breakfast of pancakes was as delicious, as always. This morning, we bade our farewells to the cook and the assistant cook, also leaving them with a healthy tip from the group. These two young men provided us with exceptional meals, under conditions of duress, from our point of view, and we were extremely thankful for these gourmet meals that nourished us on the trek.
Entered Machu Picchu gates and we immediately felt the sacredness of this World Heritage site. We began the walk upwards, weaving through the Inca steps, overlooking the many terraces. Cesar provided us with a 2.5 hour historical tour, taking us to all the important, meaningful and 'no so well-known' places,where we admired the exquisite Inca construction of the walls, the buildings, the statues, and the grassy terraces. We were all in awe of Machu Picchu - its history, its vastness and its beauty. What a gift we have been given - just to be here!
Stopped for coffee with other group members, then returned to explore more of MP. I'm now smitten - I need to read more about the history, customs and traditions of Peru.
At 2 p.m., we boarded the bus returning us to Aquas Calientes, relaxing on our drive, admiring the different flowers and plants along the way. Stopped for lunch at El Toldo, and had a wonderful surprise - Cesar joined us.
Then we did the touristy thing, exploring the town, which is completely tourist centered. Visited the small church, stopping to give thanks for our safe journey, then walked around the town square and visited with group members that we met along the way. We took photos, shared our enthusiastic stories, and we were all ever so grateful that we had arrived at our destination, safe and sound, living to tell about our experiences along the way. Imagine, we still had energy to do all of this - after 4 days of hard trekking!
4 p.m. Our group met at El Toldo restaurant, and we walked together to the train station, with 2 Peruvians, wheeling our camp bags of a make-shift cart, uphill all the way, (such a funny sight!) through an interesting and colourful marketplace (which I had missed altogether!).
Boarded the train for Cusco at 5 p.m. We all enjoyed the 3.5 hours of sitting - no moving whatsoever! Rails were rickety, and the train bobbled back & forth, just like the old Western trains of years gone by. We continued to share our stories and connect with one another - one last time.
Boarded the bus, taking us into Cusco, at 8:30 p.m. Arrived in town one hour later. Bruce and I reluctantly bade our adieux to this wonderful people who supported us so completed during this trek. Even though we were tired and sore, we feel completely fulfilled because 'we made it' - on our own steam, with encouragement and support from our 'friends' and guides. We consider ourselves fortunate to have met them, and have been a part of their lives for 5 long days. Bruce and I thanked them from the bottom of our hearts, for their patience and kindness towards us - the elders!
Hotel Ninos opened their doors to us once more! Our little haven in Cusco... Ninos Hotel.
We were awakened at 5:30 a.m., as promised, looking forward to seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu. (We just barely made it, for the red tape surrounding thechecking of passports and the acquisition of tickets for the site, made us just a few minutes late - but we were certainly there, early enough to capture and feel the magic of the moment.)
We waited at campsite road for our early bus, driving us up this 30 minutes steep, switchback trail to the base of the mountain. I've learned to relax and let the bus drivers do their thing - I no longer drive for them! (As if my doing this every made a difference before!) Frankly, I'm just too exhausted to think, and I have learned the value of 'trust' as we ventured on all these excursions throughout Peru.
Our campsite, a 20 minute walk outside Aquas Calientes, was set on the flattest piece of ground we have seen so far. Green and grassy land, and right beside a river. Bathrooms were in a fixed cemented building, and were the filthiest we have ever encountered. Yuk! Our visits were FAST!
Our last breakfast of pancakes was as delicious, as always. This morning, we bade our farewells to the cook and the assistant cook, also leaving them with a healthy tip from the group. These two young men provided us with exceptional meals, under conditions of duress, from our point of view, and we were extremely thankful for these gourmet meals that nourished us on the trek.
Entered Machu Picchu gates and we immediately felt the sacredness of this World Heritage site. We began the walk upwards, weaving through the Inca steps, overlooking the many terraces. Cesar provided us with a 2.5 hour historical tour, taking us to all the important, meaningful and 'no so well-known' places,where we admired the exquisite Inca construction of the walls, the buildings, the statues, and the grassy terraces. We were all in awe of Machu Picchu - its history, its vastness and its beauty. What a gift we have been given - just to be here!
Stopped for coffee with other group members, then returned to explore more of MP. I'm now smitten - I need to read more about the history, customs and traditions of Peru.
At 2 p.m., we boarded the bus returning us to Aquas Calientes, relaxing on our drive, admiring the different flowers and plants along the way. Stopped for lunch at El Toldo, and had a wonderful surprise - Cesar joined us.
Then we did the touristy thing, exploring the town, which is completely tourist centered. Visited the small church, stopping to give thanks for our safe journey, then walked around the town square and visited with group members that we met along the way. We took photos, shared our enthusiastic stories, and we were all ever so grateful that we had arrived at our destination, safe and sound, living to tell about our experiences along the way. Imagine, we still had energy to do all of this - after 4 days of hard trekking!
4 p.m. Our group met at El Toldo restaurant, and we walked together to the train station, with 2 Peruvians, wheeling our camp bags of a make-shift cart, uphill all the way, (such a funny sight!) through an interesting and colourful marketplace (which I had missed altogether!).
Boarded the train for Cusco at 5 p.m. We all enjoyed the 3.5 hours of sitting - no moving whatsoever! Rails were rickety, and the train bobbled back & forth, just like the old Western trains of years gone by. We continued to share our stories and connect with one another - one last time.
Boarded the bus, taking us into Cusco, at 8:30 p.m. Arrived in town one hour later. Bruce and I reluctantly bade our adieux to this wonderful people who supported us so completed during this trek. Even though we were tired and sore, we feel completely fulfilled because 'we made it' - on our own steam, with encouragement and support from our 'friends' and guides. We consider ourselves fortunate to have met them, and have been a part of their lives for 5 long days. Bruce and I thanked them from the bottom of our hearts, for their patience and kindness towards us - the elders!
Hotel Ninos opened their doors to us once more! Our little haven in Cusco... Ninos Hotel.
Friday, July 3, 2009
June 10 - Morning Sunrise, High, High Up on the Mountain~
Oh my God! What a glorious sunrise we awoke to at 'the top of the world'! The air is still cool, but oh, so clean, the sky is blue, & yes, we are still a titch oxygen deprived!. But we are WIDE awake and looking forward to our day's climb. The cooks decided to remove the tent cover over our dining table, as we devoured the delicious crepes high up on this mountain ledge. These sights continue to inspire us, leaving us with a feeling of awe, as we all view the rough mountain peaks, as well as the snow-covered ones of the Andes.
This was the last day we would see our porters, who carried most of our loads for us, so we gave them a thankful farewell, with a group photo, a speech and a healthy tip. These porters can outrun any of us, any day! They are local farmers, who are hired for treks, so they are strong, and willing to work hard. (I hope my photos turn out, for seeing them with the heavy loads on their backs, running up the trail, was amazing!)
Today's journey was my most difficult, and Bruce's easiest, as it was mostly downhill. These creaky knees of mine are certainly working in slow-motion, but they are working! I was fortunate enough to have the tail-end guide with me at all times, telling me to 'go slowly Senores, go slowly'! As a walker, I'm still being extremely focused, watching each step, and so very thankful for Celebrex as a pain reliever! Bruce was able to keep up with the group, enjoying their company, even though he was still working hard.
We descended the mountain, following the Inca Royal Highway to the Winya, Wayna ruins. Cesar, our head guide, is so knowledgeable about his own Inca history and background, that we realized we are just 'tasting' the Inca culture and want to learn more. We are fascinated with its history and details.
Bruce was walking so confidently, enjoying the scenery, and then - WHAM! He tripped over something and had a terrible tumble, which shook him up considerably. As he describes it, while he was trying to right himself, using his walking stick, he was peering over a cliff, and hoping to God, he would not topple over! He called it 'his appointment with the condors, knowing they would appreciate the fresh meat at the bottom of the cliff'! Fortunately, he saved himself, and was able to tell his story, providing us all with a good laugh for the day!
(Caesar was quite concerned though, and checked Bruce over thoroughly, just to make sure that all bones were in place and he was not injured.)
We then encountered our 'wall', extremely steep, thin steps, about 20 metres high. Bruce had walked up these ahead of me, using his sticks, and was applauded by a group of Australians - saying 'good work, Mate!' when he arrived at the top. I then came upon these, and wondered how in the world I was going to manage the climb, for not only were the steps steep and thin, they were also deep, some 18 inches to 2 ft in height. So, Caesar, our accomplished guide, told me that I had to listen to his instructions - and I did. He took away my walking sticks and made me climb this wall, hand over hand, just like a baby, until I reached the top. The climb was grueling and scary, but I was so focused, I just did it. (Bruce had found it equally scary, which assured me I wasn't such a useless twit after all!)
Once I had reached the top, Caesar returned my poles to me, then took my backpack. He was still being my 'profesor', so I listened, did what he said, and he loved it! Frankly, he deserved the title and the honour.
A very short walking distance later, under clear blue skies, we reached the famous Gate of the Sun, seeing our first view of Machu Picchu, and The Lost City. The view was so spectacular, so breath-taking, so awe-inspiring and just simply beautiful. I was speechless; tears welled up in my eyes, my chest tightened, and I was extremely thankful that I did not have to talk to anyone. Bruce and I just sat together admiring the view, enjoying the realization that 'we' had made it - two old, exhausted fogies, sitting in silence, together. We discovered that all our group members experienced the same feelings.
Once again, we descend - my knees are now screaming, but this is the last days' walk, so onward we go to Aquas Calientes, taking a shuttle bus at the bottom of the mountain to the touristy town.
Bruce and I opt into trying the Hot Springs, because at the end of the day, we are now so hot and sweaty, dusty and dirty, having not bathed in four days - except for a little hand-washing. Don't know if this was a stupid idea or not, for we had quite the hill to climb in the town, just to get to the Hot Springs. It was a slow, steady and steep walk - but well worth it once we hit the pool. What a relief to feel the warm sulfur water around us, and to enjoy jostling about with some of our group members.
Then, it was the downhill trek - which everyone knows by now, just how good I am at this! We arrived at our restaurant, El Toldo, and most of us could not even drink the wine with our meal - we were that exhausted! Dinner was great, the conversation was lively, even though we were all tired, but we all knew we had accomplished something 'new & challenging' in our lives, and we would never be the same.
After dinner, God helping us all the way, we walked for 20 minutes to our campsite outside of town. Now, it was 9 p.m., and there was no 'word' left that we could use to describe our level of fatigue. (We had been up since 6 a.m., so this day was more than a long one!)
The 'sisters from Chigago' wanted to see Machu Picchu at sunrise, getting us all up at 5 a.m. There wasn't too much enthusiasm within the group, as we were probably all thinking of our hours of sleep. This was one night we could have slept until 8 a.m., I am sure! Caesar, bless his soul, made the decision that our wake-up call would be 5:30 a.m. We all went to our tents, unpacked and were asleep by 9:45 p.m.
Walking hard, 7 to 8 hours per day, at high altitudes, in thin air, is 'work'. Most young people can do this in a heartbeat! The Andes Mountains are steep, with many switchbacks, but the climb is hard, and the descent even more difficult of some of us. The forest, an abundant jungle-like canopy is absolutely glorious - greenery everywhere! I definitely was in my favourite environment.
Tired, exhausted and thankful we were - for each day we successfully walked this trek. Our fantastic guides and our group's enthusiasm and support made all the difference in the world. Their funny stories, their gift of laughter, and their willingness to include Bruce & I in everything was marvelous. We still thank the Good Lord for our good fortune!
This was the last day we would see our porters, who carried most of our loads for us, so we gave them a thankful farewell, with a group photo, a speech and a healthy tip. These porters can outrun any of us, any day! They are local farmers, who are hired for treks, so they are strong, and willing to work hard. (I hope my photos turn out, for seeing them with the heavy loads on their backs, running up the trail, was amazing!)
Today's journey was my most difficult, and Bruce's easiest, as it was mostly downhill. These creaky knees of mine are certainly working in slow-motion, but they are working! I was fortunate enough to have the tail-end guide with me at all times, telling me to 'go slowly Senores, go slowly'! As a walker, I'm still being extremely focused, watching each step, and so very thankful for Celebrex as a pain reliever! Bruce was able to keep up with the group, enjoying their company, even though he was still working hard.
We descended the mountain, following the Inca Royal Highway to the Winya, Wayna ruins. Cesar, our head guide, is so knowledgeable about his own Inca history and background, that we realized we are just 'tasting' the Inca culture and want to learn more. We are fascinated with its history and details.
Bruce was walking so confidently, enjoying the scenery, and then - WHAM! He tripped over something and had a terrible tumble, which shook him up considerably. As he describes it, while he was trying to right himself, using his walking stick, he was peering over a cliff, and hoping to God, he would not topple over! He called it 'his appointment with the condors, knowing they would appreciate the fresh meat at the bottom of the cliff'! Fortunately, he saved himself, and was able to tell his story, providing us all with a good laugh for the day!
(Caesar was quite concerned though, and checked Bruce over thoroughly, just to make sure that all bones were in place and he was not injured.)
We then encountered our 'wall', extremely steep, thin steps, about 20 metres high. Bruce had walked up these ahead of me, using his sticks, and was applauded by a group of Australians - saying 'good work, Mate!' when he arrived at the top. I then came upon these, and wondered how in the world I was going to manage the climb, for not only were the steps steep and thin, they were also deep, some 18 inches to 2 ft in height. So, Caesar, our accomplished guide, told me that I had to listen to his instructions - and I did. He took away my walking sticks and made me climb this wall, hand over hand, just like a baby, until I reached the top. The climb was grueling and scary, but I was so focused, I just did it. (Bruce had found it equally scary, which assured me I wasn't such a useless twit after all!)
Once I had reached the top, Caesar returned my poles to me, then took my backpack. He was still being my 'profesor', so I listened, did what he said, and he loved it! Frankly, he deserved the title and the honour.
A very short walking distance later, under clear blue skies, we reached the famous Gate of the Sun, seeing our first view of Machu Picchu, and The Lost City. The view was so spectacular, so breath-taking, so awe-inspiring and just simply beautiful. I was speechless; tears welled up in my eyes, my chest tightened, and I was extremely thankful that I did not have to talk to anyone. Bruce and I just sat together admiring the view, enjoying the realization that 'we' had made it - two old, exhausted fogies, sitting in silence, together. We discovered that all our group members experienced the same feelings.
Once again, we descend - my knees are now screaming, but this is the last days' walk, so onward we go to Aquas Calientes, taking a shuttle bus at the bottom of the mountain to the touristy town.
Bruce and I opt into trying the Hot Springs, because at the end of the day, we are now so hot and sweaty, dusty and dirty, having not bathed in four days - except for a little hand-washing. Don't know if this was a stupid idea or not, for we had quite the hill to climb in the town, just to get to the Hot Springs. It was a slow, steady and steep walk - but well worth it once we hit the pool. What a relief to feel the warm sulfur water around us, and to enjoy jostling about with some of our group members.
Then, it was the downhill trek - which everyone knows by now, just how good I am at this! We arrived at our restaurant, El Toldo, and most of us could not even drink the wine with our meal - we were that exhausted! Dinner was great, the conversation was lively, even though we were all tired, but we all knew we had accomplished something 'new & challenging' in our lives, and we would never be the same.
After dinner, God helping us all the way, we walked for 20 minutes to our campsite outside of town. Now, it was 9 p.m., and there was no 'word' left that we could use to describe our level of fatigue. (We had been up since 6 a.m., so this day was more than a long one!)
The 'sisters from Chigago' wanted to see Machu Picchu at sunrise, getting us all up at 5 a.m. There wasn't too much enthusiasm within the group, as we were probably all thinking of our hours of sleep. This was one night we could have slept until 8 a.m., I am sure! Caesar, bless his soul, made the decision that our wake-up call would be 5:30 a.m. We all went to our tents, unpacked and were asleep by 9:45 p.m.
Walking hard, 7 to 8 hours per day, at high altitudes, in thin air, is 'work'. Most young people can do this in a heartbeat! The Andes Mountains are steep, with many switchbacks, but the climb is hard, and the descent even more difficult of some of us. The forest, an abundant jungle-like canopy is absolutely glorious - greenery everywhere! I definitely was in my favourite environment.
Tired, exhausted and thankful we were - for each day we successfully walked this trek. Our fantastic guides and our group's enthusiasm and support made all the difference in the world. Their funny stories, their gift of laughter, and their willingness to include Bruce & I in everything was marvelous. We still thank the Good Lord for our good fortune!
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