The Original plan was to go to visit the city of Pisaq (interesting ruins again), but since we passed last night by Enigma Tour, the tour operator for our excursion to Machu Picchu, we realized that we had some things to take care of... Not mentioning the panic last night when we wanted to verify our reservation and we realized that we should have paid the remaining balance before 11am yesterday morning... Of course we couldn´t get through to them on the phone, so we jumped into a taxi and rushed over... Finally everything turned out to be ok (they are better organized than us!), and we got the equipment list, so today became a Preparation Day.
One of the most important and most difficult missions of the day was to find a super market. Minimarkets and street vendors are all over the city, but a real super market... Especially since the one mentioned in our guide book had been closed down... So we asked around and got plenty of directions and walked for few hours... so we combined the second mission of the day; to find a hotel for return from Machu. And we saw some interesting ones... When we finally found the super market and got all we needed it was lunch time. And just after the lunch we found a hotel too, right in the main square, with an elevator! (the first one we have seen in Peru...)
Other difficult mission of the day was to get the required rubber tips for our walking poles. Steph was ok, the first pair fit just fine, but Jo´s poles were too thin. So we had to go back to the shop with the poles and finally the only solution was good old scotch tape... So, at this moment we thought that we had everything that was needed. Time for group briefing.
The group is going to be 12 people with 2 guides. In our briefing were 1*mother and daughter and 1*father and son and us (this group had all hired a porter). All the info was basic hiking info until we got to the point of sleeping bags and mattresses. We of course thought that the price included the hiring, but apparently not... So for a moment we looked like real blonds when they said that we didn´t have bags or mattresses... (another little panic moment) but it´s all arranged, the power of dollar!! So, now we think that we have everything that is required for tommorrow morning! Ready to go to see the magical Machu Picchu, the next news will posted when we get back, around the 30.03.2008. Wish us luck hiking through the Inka Trail, where the highest point is 4200m, the daily distances are between 9-15km, and the temperature goes below 0C during the night in some camps.
24.03.08 Walk through some inka ruins
Cusco being the capital of the ancient inka empire, some of the famous inka ruins are situated in a walking distance of the city. We decided to visit a little part of the Sacred Valley, the walk to the first site, Sacsayhuaman, took about 40min and it went up!! It is famous for the three massive zig zag walls, aligned one in front of the other, in three different levels. Some of the stones weigh more than 100 tones, and again the stones are arranged in such a way that a single piece of paper will not fit between many of the stones. The second site is called Q´enko, this was a ceremonial site, where they have found two mommies and it is also known for sacrificial rites. We hired a local student as a guide and he was very excited to explain to us everything he knew about the site and the inka culture. And we listened to all that in spanish!!
After getting lost on the hills we finally arrived to the third site, Puca Pucara, a good hour later. Not much to see there, but since we were up in 3800m the view towards Cusco was amazing. Just next to it, there is the Tambomachay (Temple of Water), our last visit of the day. Here again we hired a guide, this time an official one (the price was the same, 2.5€) and again in spanish! She was very good, we learned a lot about inkas and washed our faces in the "Fountain of Youth" (wait till you see us!!)
For the return to Cusco we took a Collectivo, the famous little local bus, got standing places and almost fell in every turn. Once in Cusco, a little rest and we went to pay our excursion to Machu Picchu and headed for dinner. The dinner was one of the most expensive one, but definetely not the best one! (Resto Parilla Andina)
After getting lost on the hills we finally arrived to the third site, Puca Pucara, a good hour later. Not much to see there, but since we were up in 3800m the view towards Cusco was amazing. Just next to it, there is the Tambomachay (Temple of Water), our last visit of the day. Here again we hired a guide, this time an official one (the price was the same, 2.5€) and again in spanish! She was very good, we learned a lot about inkas and washed our faces in the "Fountain of Youth" (wait till you see us!!)
For the return to Cusco we took a Collectivo, the famous little local bus, got standing places and almost fell in every turn. Once in Cusco, a little rest and we went to pay our excursion to Machu Picchu and headed for dinner. The dinner was one of the most expensive one, but definetely not the best one! (Resto Parilla Andina)
23.03.2008 Cusco 3400m (city tour on our own)
A new day, a new city!
This time our hotel is called Hostal Pascana, situated 10min walk from the center, 28€ / night, including breakfast and heating, but without a TV. It is correct, but not exceptionnal. After eating our breakfast alone (since we were the last ones), we decided to go for a tour around the city. Equipped by a guide book and a map we started to walk the streets of the capital of the ancient inka Empire. We headed to the Plaza de Armas, which is the main square in most of the Peruvian cities. Like always, it is very impressive, this one surrounded by a jesuites church, the main Cathedral and colonial buildings. And behind you could see green mountains, we decided to call the colour "the peruvian green" since it has it´s special shade. We found a nice little cafe on the second floor of a colonnial building with a beautiful view over Plaza de Armas, and a real cappuccino!!! From there we continued to the San Blas neighbourhood, which is known to be one of the most beautiful parts of the city. It is situated a little bit up hill (we lost our breath while going up the stairs), and it is filled with narrow allies and roads, buildings mostly white with blue shutters and doors. From some parts of San Blas you can see the red roofs of the city of Cusco below you.
After a lunch in a little cafe we continued to visit the Santo Domingo convent. Yes, we went to the convent, ok it is situated on the ancient inka ruins of Koricancha. The way the inkas have built the walls is very impressive! All the stones have been formed the way that they stay perfectly together, it is not possible to push a needle between two stones. In the Santo Domingo we saw a interesting painting that explained how the sacred sites of inkas are situated around Cusco. Cusco is the center and form there 42 lines are drawn as sunrays and along the sunrays there are more than 300 sites, one for each day of the inka calendar.
In the evening we took it easy, just passed by a shop that makes shoes by measure (25€), you can choose the color, the model, and the figure you want on your shoes. So of course we ordered inka shoes!! And headed for dinner in a very nice little (trendy) bar in San Blas. We came to a conclusion, that the bar was run by a local basket ball team, since all the staff measured at least 190cm! The food was excellent and cost us less than the drinks (no, we didn´t have that many drinks!!).
This time our hotel is called Hostal Pascana, situated 10min walk from the center, 28€ / night, including breakfast and heating, but without a TV. It is correct, but not exceptionnal. After eating our breakfast alone (since we were the last ones), we decided to go for a tour around the city. Equipped by a guide book and a map we started to walk the streets of the capital of the ancient inka Empire. We headed to the Plaza de Armas, which is the main square in most of the Peruvian cities. Like always, it is very impressive, this one surrounded by a jesuites church, the main Cathedral and colonial buildings. And behind you could see green mountains, we decided to call the colour "the peruvian green" since it has it´s special shade. We found a nice little cafe on the second floor of a colonnial building with a beautiful view over Plaza de Armas, and a real cappuccino!!! From there we continued to the San Blas neighbourhood, which is known to be one of the most beautiful parts of the city. It is situated a little bit up hill (we lost our breath while going up the stairs), and it is filled with narrow allies and roads, buildings mostly white with blue shutters and doors. From some parts of San Blas you can see the red roofs of the city of Cusco below you.
After a lunch in a little cafe we continued to visit the Santo Domingo convent. Yes, we went to the convent, ok it is situated on the ancient inka ruins of Koricancha. The way the inkas have built the walls is very impressive! All the stones have been formed the way that they stay perfectly together, it is not possible to push a needle between two stones. In the Santo Domingo we saw a interesting painting that explained how the sacred sites of inkas are situated around Cusco. Cusco is the center and form there 42 lines are drawn as sunrays and along the sunrays there are more than 300 sites, one for each day of the inka calendar.
In the evening we took it easy, just passed by a shop that makes shoes by measure (25€), you can choose the color, the model, and the figure you want on your shoes. So of course we ordered inka shoes!! And headed for dinner in a very nice little (trendy) bar in San Blas. We came to a conclusion, that the bar was run by a local basket ball team, since all the staff measured at least 190cm! The food was excellent and cost us less than the drinks (no, we didn´t have that many drinks!!).
21.03.2008 Los Uros / Lago Titicaca
"Lake Titicaca is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. The origin of the name Titicaca is unknown. It has been translated as "Rock Puma", allegedly because of its resemblance to the shape of a puma hunting a rabbit, combining words from the local languages Quechua and Aymara, and as well as translated as "Crag of Lead." Titicaca is notable for a population of people who live on the Uros, a group of 42 or so artificial islands made of floating reeds (totora, a reed that abounds in the shallows of the lake). "
Full article of Wikipedia
Our excurcion to these islands started in the afternoon. We took a boat with a guide to visit two of the islands, the boat ride from Puno took about 30min. On the boat the guide explained about the every day life on the islands and on the islands he explained how they were made. We arrived in the late afternoon sunlight, the view was absolutely stunning, combination of the colorful traditional inka costumes and the dry reed color against the blue sky. To go to the second island we used a boat made of totora, that of course we volunteered to row. Not as easy as it looks like, especially at 3850m... On the second island we looked around the handcrafts they sell and finally took a boat to the island, Khantati, where we were going to stay for the night.
Once on our island we met Julian and Melina and their daughter Natalia (4 years), one of the six families living on this island. They showed us our hut, large one room made of totora (like all the buildings on the islands) filled with inka covers. In the evening we had a delicious dinner prepared by Melina, rice, potatoes, trout and of course mate (tea) with coca leaves. We had a good intention to offer a bottle of wine to share at the dinner, but unfortunately Julian had ulcer and Melina´s christian sisterhood forbid her from alcohol... That´s ok, we drunk the bottle anyway. There were practically no lights on the island, we had our frontals with us, but as soon as the sun was gone everybody went to bed. As we had planned, it was a full moon surrounded by plenty of stars and giving us light. We did our max to stay awake as late as possible, but the wine and the calm atmosphere were stronger, we were in bed by 21h... The night went fine, except the mattress was a lot higher at the sides, so we kept rolling in the middle, also the wild birds don´t sleep during the night...
The family woke up around 4h00 am, we managed to sleep until 6h30... Surprise of the day was that Jo got to wear the traditional inka dress (wait till you get the photos!!). After a delicious and huge breakfast the tourist circus started! The Uros mostly live from tourism, they sell their handcraft and row the tourists from one island to the other. On Khantati there was a tourist boat every hour. While the adults took care of the tourists, we made friends with Natalia and Janina, the two little girls of the island. They loved throwing reed balls... and wanted us to make them non stop... At midday we took a boat back to Puno, bringing back with us excellent memories and hundreds of photos. Now we are waiting for the bus to Cusco, where we are going to spent four days before taking off to Machu Picchu.
Full article of Wikipedia
Our excurcion to these islands started in the afternoon. We took a boat with a guide to visit two of the islands, the boat ride from Puno took about 30min. On the boat the guide explained about the every day life on the islands and on the islands he explained how they were made. We arrived in the late afternoon sunlight, the view was absolutely stunning, combination of the colorful traditional inka costumes and the dry reed color against the blue sky. To go to the second island we used a boat made of totora, that of course we volunteered to row. Not as easy as it looks like, especially at 3850m... On the second island we looked around the handcrafts they sell and finally took a boat to the island, Khantati, where we were going to stay for the night.
Once on our island we met Julian and Melina and their daughter Natalia (4 years), one of the six families living on this island. They showed us our hut, large one room made of totora (like all the buildings on the islands) filled with inka covers. In the evening we had a delicious dinner prepared by Melina, rice, potatoes, trout and of course mate (tea) with coca leaves. We had a good intention to offer a bottle of wine to share at the dinner, but unfortunately Julian had ulcer and Melina´s christian sisterhood forbid her from alcohol... That´s ok, we drunk the bottle anyway. There were practically no lights on the island, we had our frontals with us, but as soon as the sun was gone everybody went to bed. As we had planned, it was a full moon surrounded by plenty of stars and giving us light. We did our max to stay awake as late as possible, but the wine and the calm atmosphere were stronger, we were in bed by 21h... The night went fine, except the mattress was a lot higher at the sides, so we kept rolling in the middle, also the wild birds don´t sleep during the night...
The family woke up around 4h00 am, we managed to sleep until 6h30... Surprise of the day was that Jo got to wear the traditional inka dress (wait till you get the photos!!). After a delicious and huge breakfast the tourist circus started! The Uros mostly live from tourism, they sell their handcraft and row the tourists from one island to the other. On Khantati there was a tourist boat every hour. While the adults took care of the tourists, we made friends with Natalia and Janina, the two little girls of the island. They loved throwing reed balls... and wanted us to make them non stop... At midday we took a boat back to Puno, bringing back with us excellent memories and hundreds of photos. Now we are waiting for the bus to Cusco, where we are going to spent four days before taking off to Machu Picchu.
20.03.2008 Puno, Lake Titicaca
Early morning departure, the same hassle as usual at the Terminal terrestre (bus terminal) after queueing to pay the departure tax, we got outside to register our bags and to wait for the bus. This time we had chosen company San Cristobal, the trip lasted about 5h30 and cost 25 soles (6.25€). We were expecting to be the only tourists in the bus, but we were completely wrong! The moment of the departure about 25 norwegians showed up and got into the bus! It was a school class visiting Peru for three weeks... During the trip the bus stopped once and all the girls run to the nature for pipi and the guys used the "toilets" (disgusting hole on the ground). Once we got a bit higher we started to see llamas and alpacas, some wild and some in a herd with a shepherd. The norwegians left the bus in Juliaca, about an hour before Puno, and after that it was only us and 3 peruvians in the bus.
Arriving in Puno (3850m) early afternoon, this time in the city center(!), we got a taxi to our hotel Manco Capac Inn, got a nice very large room with three beds for 92 soles / night, including heating, which was very much needed and breakfast (23€ for the two of us). We started to feel the altitude while carrying our bags up the stairs to our room... In the afternoon we booked a excursion to the floating islands, including one night sleeping with some local Uros family for the next day. After that we continued to the colorful handcraft market to buy some peruvian hats (9 soles = 2€ instead of the 100 $ in Lima!!!) and had a wondeful lunch by the lake Titicaca.
For once we were in a city with a lot of people in the streets in the evening and plenty of bars, but unfortunately Steph had a little stomach problem and Jo had a horrible flu, so at 23h we were asleep... Hoping to feel better for next day´s excursion!
Arriving in Puno (3850m) early afternoon, this time in the city center(!), we got a taxi to our hotel Manco Capac Inn, got a nice very large room with three beds for 92 soles / night, including heating, which was very much needed and breakfast (23€ for the two of us). We started to feel the altitude while carrying our bags up the stairs to our room... In the afternoon we booked a excursion to the floating islands, including one night sleeping with some local Uros family for the next day. After that we continued to the colorful handcraft market to buy some peruvian hats (9 soles = 2€ instead of the 100 $ in Lima!!!) and had a wondeful lunch by the lake Titicaca.
For once we were in a city with a lot of people in the streets in the evening and plenty of bars, but unfortunately Steph had a little stomach problem and Jo had a horrible flu, so at 23h we were asleep... Hoping to feel better for next day´s excursion!
19.03.2008 Mollendo (beach experience)
Mollendo is a beach resort situated at the Pacific coast, that attracts mainly national tourists. And us. After all, during the whole time we were there, we did see about 3 other occidental tourists... The first evening was a little bit disappointing, our hotel was nice, VERY calm, abuela (grandmother) welcoming us to El Hostelito, 3 min walking from the town center and the beach. And the price was correct, 60 soles / night (15€ for the two of us). According some guide books Mollendo is a lively town with an active night life... We never found any of that... In the evening we wanted to go for a dinner and a drink, the drink we never found and at the dinner we felt a bit lonely... But we did see the Virgin Mary and the Christ procession again... With the leader of the group singing in a megaphone in the streets... So we decided to modify our plan and stay only for one night.
The following morning we went to the beach. We rented a parasol and two beach chairs for less than 2€, the beach was beautiful with huge waves and very cold water. It is true that our geography knowledge on cold currents is a bit lacking.. we actually thought that we could swim in the Pacific down here... The day on the beach was relaxing, sunbathing and drinking some local beer, Arequipeña. It was a better integrating day, all kinds of locals came to talk to us... Let´s say that they were a bit surprised to see "white" tourists...
In the evening we took the lovely local bus back to Arequipa and went directly for an excellent meal, meat for two, including ostrich, alpaca, lamb and beef, with four delicious sauces and a bottle of Argentinian wine. The resaurant is called Zig Zag and the owner is swiss, all this cost us 20€. For the night we went back to the Casa Tintin and in the early morning we took the bus to Puno.
The following morning we went to the beach. We rented a parasol and two beach chairs for less than 2€, the beach was beautiful with huge waves and very cold water. It is true that our geography knowledge on cold currents is a bit lacking.. we actually thought that we could swim in the Pacific down here... The day on the beach was relaxing, sunbathing and drinking some local beer, Arequipeña. It was a better integrating day, all kinds of locals came to talk to us... Let´s say that they were a bit surprised to see "white" tourists...
In the evening we took the lovely local bus back to Arequipa and went directly for an excellent meal, meat for two, including ostrich, alpaca, lamb and beef, with four delicious sauces and a bottle of Argentinian wine. The resaurant is called Zig Zag and the owner is swiss, all this cost us 20€. For the night we went back to the Casa Tintin and in the early morning we took the bus to Puno.
18.03.2008 Yura (Integration day)
Today we really tried to integrate and mix with the local people. But the success of the day.... We started off with a local bus "collectivo" a large minivan that smokes, makes a lot of noise, max speed 30km /h, and doesn´t smell very pleasant... A trip of 45min (read 1h20) to the Thermal center of Yura.. What an idea!! The bus filled up and we even got a guy singing and playing banjo and a pan flute during a part of the trip. After passing many shack villages (bidonville) we made it to the Thermal center... or in the middle of nowhere... One of the two buildings was the Thermal, with four mini pools (1.2m * 1.4m) filled with therapeutical water from the volcanoes. We tried three of the four pools and we are still waiting for the healing effects.... While waiting for the bus for return we had lunch with mosquitoes, we were wearing shorts so our ankles are filled with huge itching red bites... Once in Arequipa we picked up our bags and took a bus to Mollendo, again hot, stinky and full of people, but bigger than the first bus. Our bags were very well accompanied by huge bags of potatoes and other agricultural products. During the bus ride we had the pleasure to enjoy Peru-Pop music videos from the early 90´s with a broken sound. And a really bad movie in very loud spanish... After 2h30 travelling through the deserted mountains we finally arrived, as usual, in the middle of nowhere... But right next to the Pacific Ocean!!!
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