This morning at 5am I am meeting a guide to bus to Colca Canyon, which, until recently, was considered the deepest canyon in the world. It is now considered the second deepest canyon next to it`s neighbor a few kilometers over that is about 160 meters deeper. Either way, it`s deep. And I am going to hike down into it. This will keep me busy until Thursday when I am told I will be dropped off at a police station in the middle of no where to catch a bus going the opposite direction to Puno. And then I go to Lake Titicaca before attempting to cross the border into Bolivia. Wish me luck on all three accounts. I will make an attenmpt to post again Thursday night if I do, indeed, make it out of that police station. Hopefully you all will have a conclusion to Cusco before Christmas.
Can`t promise the Inca Trail tales though.
Hasta Luego
Monday, December 17, 2007
Ignoring the Altitude
Cusco, the once mighty capitol of the Inca empire, is now the center of the archeological universe in the Americas and the hopping off point for the thousands of tourists who come to Peru each year to see Machu Picchu. It is also at an elevation of 3360m (over 10,000 feet ASL) which can quickly knock out any tourist who has just arrived and is not used to the altitude. People are warned to take it easy their first day and abstain from smoking and drinking.
I was up at 6am to grab a taxi to the airport in Lima. My taxi was a little odd to say the least. I asked him how long it would take to arrive - he said 15 minutes. I knew it would take about 30. He went down not one, but two one-way streets the wrong way. And he stopped at a gas station to fill up along the way, hopping out without turning off the car and filling up. He looked surprised when I stepped out of the car until he was finished. Closing in on the airport, he asked me a question. He looked quite serious but I had no idea what he was saying. I told him I didn`t understand. He repeated himself, louder. It didn`t help and I told him as much. He started pointing at signs and talking faster. I had no idea what he wanted. So I pointed at one of the signs. 30 seconds later we pulled up to a toll booth. He wanted to know if I wanted to pay 50 cents for the express lane. Ah. Sure, here`s 50 cents. I was dropped off, on time, and thanked him.
The flight was full of gringos. Everyone goes to Cusco after flying into Lima. I slept half the time, the other half spent admiring the mountain range we were flying over. When we arrived, the airport was much smaller than I expected, and a bit like a circus. Little costumed music bands played flute music. People were all over me suggesting hotels and hostels. Two women offered their services in finding a taxi. I politely declined. 20 minutes later I arrived at my hostel and found I had been completely ripped off by my taxi. Mental note: The airport staff aren`t trying to rip you off.
My hostal was on a hill looking out over Cusco. According to Lonely Planet, expats restored this 450 year old national monument of a building from near ruin and turned it into a ridiculously huge party hostal. But with hot water and free internet. During my stay I am sure I saw several people who never left the compound. This was the first time I was staying in a full dorm. I would be sharing a room with 9 other people. These were not quiet people. Nor did doing lines in front of me seem to bother them very much. But hey, for $7 a night, what could I say. Maybe, "Dan, don`t be so cheap". This was not the best idea I had, especially before hiking the Inca tail - arguably the one time I needed a full night`s rest.
But I was here. I unloaded my pack and decided to walk the city. It was beautiful. Cusco`s economy is built primarily on tourism. 70% of it derives from tourism annually. And they seem to want to keep it booming. The city is clean, it`s pretty, it`s friendly. There were kids every where selling postcards, "original" paintings, bracelets, everything. And they were persistant. But I had a nice stroll.
After being asked for the seventh time if I wanted to massage, I decided to dart into a restaurant for an early dinner and watch some soccer. When it started to get dark, I made my way back to my hostal. In an attempt to meet people, I went to the hostal bar for a drink before going to bed early and acclimatizing. People were clustered in groups. I sat at the bar. Figure skating was on. I was suddenly very lonely in a room full of people. I don`t think I have ever had a beer and watched figure skating. This trip is full of firsts.
Finally I bucked up and started talking to an Austrailian two chairs down from me. He was on a four month round-the-world trip and had just flown in from the States. Good, something in common. Actually, Austailians are about the easiest people to talk to any where. Almost as friendy as the Irish. And we chatted for a while. Eventually, after two grande beers, a Swiss guy entered the conversation. Another grande beer later, an Irish gal, who was also a designer, entered the conversation. Gin & tonics were passed around. Shots were ordered. A suggestion was made that we all go to the dance club in the main plaza. I made a feeble attempt to abstain, citing the need to rest and and get used to the altitude first. This was refuted as just silly. They had been here two days and were fine. Shoot, I had no argument. I went with them.
There was more drinking. There were tall tales from other countries. Brits dominated the group and one should never try to keep up with a Brit while drinking. I remembered this much. But it was already too late. By the time I switched to ordering bottles of water, the damage had long since been done. I looked at my watch: it was 6:30am. I mumbled something about needing to leave. And out in the bright streets I went. When did morning come?
Friday, the day that I was going to go all out - after a day of acclimatizing - was spent mostly in bed. I drank enough water to keep me steadily running to the bathroom. And from my bed, after my second day, I finally felt like I had acclimatized to Cusco.
To see pics of my time in Cusco, follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15233918@N00/sets/72157603475125371/
I was up at 6am to grab a taxi to the airport in Lima. My taxi was a little odd to say the least. I asked him how long it would take to arrive - he said 15 minutes. I knew it would take about 30. He went down not one, but two one-way streets the wrong way. And he stopped at a gas station to fill up along the way, hopping out without turning off the car and filling up. He looked surprised when I stepped out of the car until he was finished. Closing in on the airport, he asked me a question. He looked quite serious but I had no idea what he was saying. I told him I didn`t understand. He repeated himself, louder. It didn`t help and I told him as much. He started pointing at signs and talking faster. I had no idea what he wanted. So I pointed at one of the signs. 30 seconds later we pulled up to a toll booth. He wanted to know if I wanted to pay 50 cents for the express lane. Ah. Sure, here`s 50 cents. I was dropped off, on time, and thanked him.
The flight was full of gringos. Everyone goes to Cusco after flying into Lima. I slept half the time, the other half spent admiring the mountain range we were flying over. When we arrived, the airport was much smaller than I expected, and a bit like a circus. Little costumed music bands played flute music. People were all over me suggesting hotels and hostels. Two women offered their services in finding a taxi. I politely declined. 20 minutes later I arrived at my hostel and found I had been completely ripped off by my taxi. Mental note: The airport staff aren`t trying to rip you off.
My hostal was on a hill looking out over Cusco. According to Lonely Planet, expats restored this 450 year old national monument of a building from near ruin and turned it into a ridiculously huge party hostal. But with hot water and free internet. During my stay I am sure I saw several people who never left the compound. This was the first time I was staying in a full dorm. I would be sharing a room with 9 other people. These were not quiet people. Nor did doing lines in front of me seem to bother them very much. But hey, for $7 a night, what could I say. Maybe, "Dan, don`t be so cheap". This was not the best idea I had, especially before hiking the Inca tail - arguably the one time I needed a full night`s rest.
But I was here. I unloaded my pack and decided to walk the city. It was beautiful. Cusco`s economy is built primarily on tourism. 70% of it derives from tourism annually. And they seem to want to keep it booming. The city is clean, it`s pretty, it`s friendly. There were kids every where selling postcards, "original" paintings, bracelets, everything. And they were persistant. But I had a nice stroll.
After being asked for the seventh time if I wanted to massage, I decided to dart into a restaurant for an early dinner and watch some soccer. When it started to get dark, I made my way back to my hostal. In an attempt to meet people, I went to the hostal bar for a drink before going to bed early and acclimatizing. People were clustered in groups. I sat at the bar. Figure skating was on. I was suddenly very lonely in a room full of people. I don`t think I have ever had a beer and watched figure skating. This trip is full of firsts.
Finally I bucked up and started talking to an Austrailian two chairs down from me. He was on a four month round-the-world trip and had just flown in from the States. Good, something in common. Actually, Austailians are about the easiest people to talk to any where. Almost as friendy as the Irish. And we chatted for a while. Eventually, after two grande beers, a Swiss guy entered the conversation. Another grande beer later, an Irish gal, who was also a designer, entered the conversation. Gin & tonics were passed around. Shots were ordered. A suggestion was made that we all go to the dance club in the main plaza. I made a feeble attempt to abstain, citing the need to rest and and get used to the altitude first. This was refuted as just silly. They had been here two days and were fine. Shoot, I had no argument. I went with them.
There was more drinking. There were tall tales from other countries. Brits dominated the group and one should never try to keep up with a Brit while drinking. I remembered this much. But it was already too late. By the time I switched to ordering bottles of water, the damage had long since been done. I looked at my watch: it was 6:30am. I mumbled something about needing to leave. And out in the bright streets I went. When did morning come?
Friday, the day that I was going to go all out - after a day of acclimatizing - was spent mostly in bed. I drank enough water to keep me steadily running to the bathroom. And from my bed, after my second day, I finally felt like I had acclimatized to Cusco.
To see pics of my time in Cusco, follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15233918@N00/sets/72157603475125371/
Park Life & Papa John`s Silliness
My last full day in Lima I received a text from my coworker telling me there may be issues getting my visa for Bolivia. Just before I left, Bolivia announced plans to require all U.S. citizens to have a visa for entering the country. This was reciprocal for the U.S.`s requirement of Bolivians entering the U.S. I ranted about this in one of my first posts. When in the States, I was told I could just get it at the border; they didn`t have the paper work for it at the embassy yet.
Now I was being told I should get it before I got to the border. So the mission of the day: find the Bolivian embassy in Lima and get my visa. It was 12:30. We hopped in a taxi. We asked if he knew how to get there. He said yes. He didn`t.
Our driver stopped no fewer than five times to ask directions to the embassy. It was after 1pm when a traffic cop finally gave us directions to a building that should have taken fewer than 10 mins to get to. When we arrived it was 1:15. The embassy was closed. The man behind the dark window by the gate was slightly sympathetic to my cause and suggested I try obtaining a visa in Puno. Since it was my last day in Lima, there was no way I could get it now. I thanked him, decided there was nothing more I could do, and suggested we go see more ruins. My travel buddy, who was staying another day, was going to try and return the next day to get hers.
And off to the ruins we went. This time to Huaca Pucallana. These were within walking distance of our hostal. Very similar to the first, they were built about 100 years prior by a people who worshipped the sea. They built their pyramids high enough to view it. Why not just closer, not sure. They sacrificed women. They had advanced pottery. They were also long forgotten when the current city of Lima was built. For years kids played soccer on top of the mountain of dirt seemingly rising out of nothing in the middle of their city. People thought nothing of this mountain of dirt for years. And then archelogists decided to question why this huge mound of dirt was there. Lo and behold, there was a pyramid there! And excavation & reconstruction began. To hold our attention, they had guinea pigs, rabbits, and alapaca on site in cages (to show what the people ate back in the day). This got our group snap happy. Ancient adobe bricks piled 8 stories high? Eh. Rodents in a cage squeeling? Grab the camera! There was a restaurant on site for the wealthy to view the ruins while they ate. We decided a trip to the market would make better use of our money.
After stocking up on cheeses, breads, and fruits, we hit the main park. People lined the benches and strolled the walkways. But no one sat in the grass. It was up to us to set a trend. We plopped down in the grass and immediately startled several homeless cats hanging out in the flowers beside us. Then we checked for cat poo around us. What we didn`t see couldn`t hurt us. The afternoon was spent chowing down on our goods and people watching. And enjoying the city. It was decided Lima was very livable. Maybe in the future significant others would be asked to relocate.
When the food ran out, we walked. There was a large book fair in the park, and we partook. The park was rather lively for a Wednesday afternoon and the bookfair was full. Regina looked for books to read. I flipped thru books on design. I need pictures. Then it was on to the small crafts market set up in the park. Interesting items, but better kept on the tables.
A chill had began to fill the air, and my bladder had been full for some time, so it was time to seek refuge. Coffee? Great idea. Where? Um, I see a Starbucks. Anything else? Okay, just this once. And for just one quick coffee. 2.5 hours, 2 drinks, 3 chapters, and 6 card games later, our short trip to Starbucks was complete. Feeling utterly ashamed, we decided to hide in a cyber cafe and pretend Starbucks never happened. Nothing like emailing the folks back home to make you forget you were just at a U.S. chain.
When we got back to the hostal at 10:30 we realized we were hungry again. Thirty minutes passed with us going back and forth over where we could eat this late. Finally we just decided to go out and look for beers and snacks and chill at the hostal. But on the way out, the hostal clerk told us nothing would be open. BS. We knew something had to be open. Nothing was. Every direction we walked had closed shop after closed shop. The hunger began to make us goofy. Jokes were told and were laughed at, despite not being funny. We continued to wander. We continued to become goofier. And then, at 11:50pm, we saw the bright green and red glow of a Papa Johns pizza place up ahead on the corner. It was open!! We bounced in. Could we still order? Yes, but only for take out. I think we scared the patrons. We ordered a large with two sprites and waited. More jokes were told: "A side fish of ham", "ding, fries are done", "stupid is as stupid...uh, could, uh...". I have never seen pizza cooks work so quickly to get a pizza done. Just ten minutes later we were hurried out of Papa Johns and off we strolled back to the hostal.
The silliness wore off. We were fed and tired. And I still had to pack for my flight to Cusco in the morning. I set my alarm to go off in six short hours and passed out.
Now I was being told I should get it before I got to the border. So the mission of the day: find the Bolivian embassy in Lima and get my visa. It was 12:30. We hopped in a taxi. We asked if he knew how to get there. He said yes. He didn`t.
Our driver stopped no fewer than five times to ask directions to the embassy. It was after 1pm when a traffic cop finally gave us directions to a building that should have taken fewer than 10 mins to get to. When we arrived it was 1:15. The embassy was closed. The man behind the dark window by the gate was slightly sympathetic to my cause and suggested I try obtaining a visa in Puno. Since it was my last day in Lima, there was no way I could get it now. I thanked him, decided there was nothing more I could do, and suggested we go see more ruins. My travel buddy, who was staying another day, was going to try and return the next day to get hers.
And off to the ruins we went. This time to Huaca Pucallana. These were within walking distance of our hostal. Very similar to the first, they were built about 100 years prior by a people who worshipped the sea. They built their pyramids high enough to view it. Why not just closer, not sure. They sacrificed women. They had advanced pottery. They were also long forgotten when the current city of Lima was built. For years kids played soccer on top of the mountain of dirt seemingly rising out of nothing in the middle of their city. People thought nothing of this mountain of dirt for years. And then archelogists decided to question why this huge mound of dirt was there. Lo and behold, there was a pyramid there! And excavation & reconstruction began. To hold our attention, they had guinea pigs, rabbits, and alapaca on site in cages (to show what the people ate back in the day). This got our group snap happy. Ancient adobe bricks piled 8 stories high? Eh. Rodents in a cage squeeling? Grab the camera! There was a restaurant on site for the wealthy to view the ruins while they ate. We decided a trip to the market would make better use of our money.
After stocking up on cheeses, breads, and fruits, we hit the main park. People lined the benches and strolled the walkways. But no one sat in the grass. It was up to us to set a trend. We plopped down in the grass and immediately startled several homeless cats hanging out in the flowers beside us. Then we checked for cat poo around us. What we didn`t see couldn`t hurt us. The afternoon was spent chowing down on our goods and people watching. And enjoying the city. It was decided Lima was very livable. Maybe in the future significant others would be asked to relocate.
When the food ran out, we walked. There was a large book fair in the park, and we partook. The park was rather lively for a Wednesday afternoon and the bookfair was full. Regina looked for books to read. I flipped thru books on design. I need pictures. Then it was on to the small crafts market set up in the park. Interesting items, but better kept on the tables.
A chill had began to fill the air, and my bladder had been full for some time, so it was time to seek refuge. Coffee? Great idea. Where? Um, I see a Starbucks. Anything else? Okay, just this once. And for just one quick coffee. 2.5 hours, 2 drinks, 3 chapters, and 6 card games later, our short trip to Starbucks was complete. Feeling utterly ashamed, we decided to hide in a cyber cafe and pretend Starbucks never happened. Nothing like emailing the folks back home to make you forget you were just at a U.S. chain.
When we got back to the hostal at 10:30 we realized we were hungry again. Thirty minutes passed with us going back and forth over where we could eat this late. Finally we just decided to go out and look for beers and snacks and chill at the hostal. But on the way out, the hostal clerk told us nothing would be open. BS. We knew something had to be open. Nothing was. Every direction we walked had closed shop after closed shop. The hunger began to make us goofy. Jokes were told and were laughed at, despite not being funny. We continued to wander. We continued to become goofier. And then, at 11:50pm, we saw the bright green and red glow of a Papa Johns pizza place up ahead on the corner. It was open!! We bounced in. Could we still order? Yes, but only for take out. I think we scared the patrons. We ordered a large with two sprites and waited. More jokes were told: "A side fish of ham", "ding, fries are done", "stupid is as stupid...uh, could, uh...". I have never seen pizza cooks work so quickly to get a pizza done. Just ten minutes later we were hurried out of Papa Johns and off we strolled back to the hostal.
The silliness wore off. We were fed and tired. And I still had to pack for my flight to Cusco in the morning. I set my alarm to go off in six short hours and passed out.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Going Back In Time
After a day of modern life in Miraflores, it was time to explore the older side of Lima. First stop: Huaca Huallamarca, a highly restored Maranga adobe pyramid, dating from around 400 or 500 AD, in the middle of the city. The site includes a ceremonial platform visitors can walk up providing a great view of the surrounding city. There was also a small artifacts museum with skeletons and vases found on site. The skeletons were found with their burial clothes and their hair still entact. These provided Regina much more material for photography than the rest of the site. Poses pretending to kiss skeletons out-numbered poses on the actual site.
The site quickly grew hot and I missed my sunglasses. So I pouted until it was agreed we could go back to the hostel so I could change clothes. Then we hailed a taxi for the city center. And what is always in the center of Latin American cities, class? Bingo: the Plaza de Armas. Getting to the Plaza took some time, as Lima is a big city and traffic occures at all hours in the big city.
Once we arrived we were almost overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Where to begin? My choice was La Catedral de Lima. I just finished reading three books on the history of Peru in which Francisco Pizarro plays a lead role (before these books I knew pretty close to nothing about S America). Pizarro was the conquerer of the Incas. With just over a hundred men, he managed to knock down an entire civilization that had grown to be the largest in the Americas in only two centuries. Okay, he didn`t do it with just men. He also had guns, the smoke from these guns, and germs. What does all this have to do with the Catedral de Lima? Pizarro is buried there. This I wanted to see. And a magnificant burial it was. Fit for a, well, conquerer.
Funny thing is he wasn`t the one orinally placed in this grand coffin. The remains of an unknown church official were in there. This was discovered after a body was found in the crypt with numerous stab wounds and a disembodied head. Pizarro was assinated, harshly. Thus these bones must be his. Scientists agreed. The bones were moved to the coffin baring his name. No word what happened to the body of the unknown church official.
The rest of the church was pretty darn amazing as well. We spent almost two hours scouting it out. Each alter, into the crypt, even studying the ornate choir chairs. Creepy statues watched over us as we explored the religious art museum. And then my stomach growled. Break for lunch.
Aftrwards it was on to the Monasterio de San Francisco. This site was chosen because Lonely Planet mentioned it had catacombs with over 70,000 bones. AND we could walk through them. But we couldn`t take pictures. It was still interesting. For some reason, the catacombs had been dug up and the bones had been organized according to type. So people were no longer whole skeletons. They were a thigh bone here, a skull there. Whatever, I still felt like Indiana Jones. We went next door to the second church where we found tackiness to the third degree. Madonna was wearing black lace (the real Madonna), there was a picture of baby Jesus behind a frame, there were candles with little florescent bulbs. And people were praying to all of them. It was the busiest church I had been in to that point. I felt bad chuckling at the ridiculousness of the decor.
Not sure if this was a test, but as I was preparing to leave the Vegas temple, a bum walked up to me and started a conversation about the church. He reaked. He got to the point: could I spare some money. I only had large bills. Sorry. And then Jesus walked away. Was it him? Did I just commit a sin by not helping the poor INSIDE A CHURCH? I asked Regina. She said no, don`t be stupid. I felt better.
To celebrate our history tour we decided to try the drink of Peru: the Pisco Sour. Hotel Boliviar is said to make the best in the city. That`s where we headed. This was my first Pisco Sour. I was not impressed. I was, however, quite buzzed off of just one. Our bartender told us all about Piscos in Spanish. The booze didn`t help me translate what he said. It made me sleepy. And thus I declared an end to our trip back in time. Plus my stomach was rumbling something awful and it declared the need to be close to a bathroom. I obliged it and back to the future we went...
For pics of my time in Lima, follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15233918@N00/sets/72157603403921726/
The site quickly grew hot and I missed my sunglasses. So I pouted until it was agreed we could go back to the hostel so I could change clothes. Then we hailed a taxi for the city center. And what is always in the center of Latin American cities, class? Bingo: the Plaza de Armas. Getting to the Plaza took some time, as Lima is a big city and traffic occures at all hours in the big city.
Once we arrived we were almost overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all. Where to begin? My choice was La Catedral de Lima. I just finished reading three books on the history of Peru in which Francisco Pizarro plays a lead role (before these books I knew pretty close to nothing about S America). Pizarro was the conquerer of the Incas. With just over a hundred men, he managed to knock down an entire civilization that had grown to be the largest in the Americas in only two centuries. Okay, he didn`t do it with just men. He also had guns, the smoke from these guns, and germs. What does all this have to do with the Catedral de Lima? Pizarro is buried there. This I wanted to see. And a magnificant burial it was. Fit for a, well, conquerer.
Funny thing is he wasn`t the one orinally placed in this grand coffin. The remains of an unknown church official were in there. This was discovered after a body was found in the crypt with numerous stab wounds and a disembodied head. Pizarro was assinated, harshly. Thus these bones must be his. Scientists agreed. The bones were moved to the coffin baring his name. No word what happened to the body of the unknown church official.
The rest of the church was pretty darn amazing as well. We spent almost two hours scouting it out. Each alter, into the crypt, even studying the ornate choir chairs. Creepy statues watched over us as we explored the religious art museum. And then my stomach growled. Break for lunch.
Aftrwards it was on to the Monasterio de San Francisco. This site was chosen because Lonely Planet mentioned it had catacombs with over 70,000 bones. AND we could walk through them. But we couldn`t take pictures. It was still interesting. For some reason, the catacombs had been dug up and the bones had been organized according to type. So people were no longer whole skeletons. They were a thigh bone here, a skull there. Whatever, I still felt like Indiana Jones. We went next door to the second church where we found tackiness to the third degree. Madonna was wearing black lace (the real Madonna), there was a picture of baby Jesus behind a frame, there were candles with little florescent bulbs. And people were praying to all of them. It was the busiest church I had been in to that point. I felt bad chuckling at the ridiculousness of the decor.
Not sure if this was a test, but as I was preparing to leave the Vegas temple, a bum walked up to me and started a conversation about the church. He reaked. He got to the point: could I spare some money. I only had large bills. Sorry. And then Jesus walked away. Was it him? Did I just commit a sin by not helping the poor INSIDE A CHURCH? I asked Regina. She said no, don`t be stupid. I felt better.
To celebrate our history tour we decided to try the drink of Peru: the Pisco Sour. Hotel Boliviar is said to make the best in the city. That`s where we headed. This was my first Pisco Sour. I was not impressed. I was, however, quite buzzed off of just one. Our bartender told us all about Piscos in Spanish. The booze didn`t help me translate what he said. It made me sleepy. And thus I declared an end to our trip back in time. Plus my stomach was rumbling something awful and it declared the need to be close to a bathroom. I obliged it and back to the future we went...
For pics of my time in Lima, follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15233918@N00/sets/72157603403921726/
Nostalgia in Lima, Peru
Airline tickets across country borders are expensive. Our plan was to cross the Ecuador border by bus and get a cheaper flight to Lima, Peru, from Piura. After our night with Winnie the Pool, we woke up early to catch a cab to the Piura airport and see about buying a ticket. Our plan worked: We found tickets for $80 each instead of the $280 from Guayaquil or Cuenca.
But, as proper scouts should be, we were prepared for the worst and arrived more than 2.5 hours early. Since there was no one in line when we arrived, and we had no problems getting the tickets, there was much time to kill in a tiny airport with nothing to do. Okay, one of us had a bad case of the runs (hint: their name doesn`t start with a D), so that person had plenty to do during that time. The other half of us looked through our guide book to see what there was to do in Lima and where to stay. He hit on the upscale neighborhood of Miraflores just outside the city center.
Lima is one of the world`s largest cities with 7.6 million people. Francisco Pizzaro founded it in 1535 and the city retains much of that colonial history. In fact, Mr. Pizarro, conqueror of the Incas, is burried right in the city center. Large archelogical sites, dating over a thousand years old, dot the city landscape. But its sky scrapers and hurried business elite remind you it is very much a modern city.
A modern city with problems. Apparently the shanty towns, full of Lima`s impoverished, are quite large. And crime is rampant. This has given Lima a misleading reputation as a dangerous city, and unfortunately many tourists skip the city in favor of Cusco. But we were ready to see what Lima had to offer. At least from the safety of its more upscale neighborhood.
When we arrived at Lima`s airport and gathered our luggage, I tried to book a later flight to Cusco. But every airline`s systems were down and so we just walked out to the parking lot in search of a cab. Our cab driver doubled as a tour guide as he pointed out this landmark and that ocean on our way to the hostal; at one point even stopping the car on a cliff looking out over the ocean and getting out of the car - we both clutched our bags ready to sprint for it, just to discover he was simply proud of his city. The metal cage around his driver-side seat didn`t add much comfort.
The early afternoon was spent dropping off laundry, getting a quick bite to eat at what appeared to be a local favorite restaurant (not one of our favorites though), and then my travel buddy, Regina, taking a much needed nap while I went off in search of an airline office to buy a ticket to Cusco (attempt numero dos). Ticket in hand for three days later, I decided to explore the neighborhood. The neighborhood was very affluent. Reminding me of many parts of U.S. and European cities. There were restaurants galore, coffee houses (even a Starbucks, of course), high-end bookstores, public parks with art, and people crowding the streets with shopping bags in hand. I had to share this with Regina. And so I went and woke her up. She didn`t hurt me for doing so.
We decided to see Miraflores from above. Paragliding was offered on a cliff by the ocean, and for $40 we were game. We suited up, both a little anxious at the thought of sailing off the cliff with a freeway below it. But once each of us were in the air with our "pilot" strapped to our back, the anxiety ceased and enthusiasm ruled. My pilot couldn`t speak spanish, but there was little to say once airborne, aside from "mas alto" and "a la derecha"! We sailed over the Pacific. We sailed over the open air mall. We sailed over the parks. We sailed passed the windows of penthouses in the numerous aptartment highrises. One of us was told about the many nude sightings in those windows. And 15 minutes later we each sailed back to the ground. It seemed short, but it was great! (see the video clip below).
Now knowing the layout of the land, we decided to get a snack from the local market. The local high-end market. It was similar to Whole Foods in the States. Too similar. I was starting to feel nostalgic. Then I heard the Christmas tunes playing overhead. It was all too much. I needed to get back outside and remind myself I was in Peru. And yet the neighborhood feel didn`t help.
We walked to a cafe for coffee and some food. We watched the people of Miraflores stroll by. All eerily familiar. Next we decided to walk down to the open-air mall by the ocean. Full of little shops and trendy looking people buying things from them. And there in the corner was a Hooters. Maybe not so European, but definitely felt like the States. With the feel of nostalgia already overwhelming us, we decided to see a movie. After confirming "Lions for Lambs" was in English, we bought our tickets, our popcorn, our big soda and sat with the rest of the young movie-goers.
Two hours later when the movie ended and I walked into the restroom, I had completely forgotten I was not in the States. The spanish being spoken in the restroom was the only thing that snapped me back to reality (though that is surprising for those of you who know DC). It was time to walk back to the hostal. The site of my backback would snap my brain back into the present.
And it did. But then I met a British fellow there at the hostal and ended up talking about his time in the States until well into the night. I decided then that the next day would be spent exploring Lima`s colonial past.
For pics of my time in Lima, follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15233918@N00/sets/72157603403921726/
For my paragliding fun...
But, as proper scouts should be, we were prepared for the worst and arrived more than 2.5 hours early. Since there was no one in line when we arrived, and we had no problems getting the tickets, there was much time to kill in a tiny airport with nothing to do. Okay, one of us had a bad case of the runs (hint: their name doesn`t start with a D), so that person had plenty to do during that time. The other half of us looked through our guide book to see what there was to do in Lima and where to stay. He hit on the upscale neighborhood of Miraflores just outside the city center.
Lima is one of the world`s largest cities with 7.6 million people. Francisco Pizzaro founded it in 1535 and the city retains much of that colonial history. In fact, Mr. Pizarro, conqueror of the Incas, is burried right in the city center. Large archelogical sites, dating over a thousand years old, dot the city landscape. But its sky scrapers and hurried business elite remind you it is very much a modern city.
A modern city with problems. Apparently the shanty towns, full of Lima`s impoverished, are quite large. And crime is rampant. This has given Lima a misleading reputation as a dangerous city, and unfortunately many tourists skip the city in favor of Cusco. But we were ready to see what Lima had to offer. At least from the safety of its more upscale neighborhood.
When we arrived at Lima`s airport and gathered our luggage, I tried to book a later flight to Cusco. But every airline`s systems were down and so we just walked out to the parking lot in search of a cab. Our cab driver doubled as a tour guide as he pointed out this landmark and that ocean on our way to the hostal; at one point even stopping the car on a cliff looking out over the ocean and getting out of the car - we both clutched our bags ready to sprint for it, just to discover he was simply proud of his city. The metal cage around his driver-side seat didn`t add much comfort.
The early afternoon was spent dropping off laundry, getting a quick bite to eat at what appeared to be a local favorite restaurant (not one of our favorites though), and then my travel buddy, Regina, taking a much needed nap while I went off in search of an airline office to buy a ticket to Cusco (attempt numero dos). Ticket in hand for three days later, I decided to explore the neighborhood. The neighborhood was very affluent. Reminding me of many parts of U.S. and European cities. There were restaurants galore, coffee houses (even a Starbucks, of course), high-end bookstores, public parks with art, and people crowding the streets with shopping bags in hand. I had to share this with Regina. And so I went and woke her up. She didn`t hurt me for doing so.
We decided to see Miraflores from above. Paragliding was offered on a cliff by the ocean, and for $40 we were game. We suited up, both a little anxious at the thought of sailing off the cliff with a freeway below it. But once each of us were in the air with our "pilot" strapped to our back, the anxiety ceased and enthusiasm ruled. My pilot couldn`t speak spanish, but there was little to say once airborne, aside from "mas alto" and "a la derecha"! We sailed over the Pacific. We sailed over the open air mall. We sailed over the parks. We sailed passed the windows of penthouses in the numerous aptartment highrises. One of us was told about the many nude sightings in those windows. And 15 minutes later we each sailed back to the ground. It seemed short, but it was great! (see the video clip below).
Now knowing the layout of the land, we decided to get a snack from the local market. The local high-end market. It was similar to Whole Foods in the States. Too similar. I was starting to feel nostalgic. Then I heard the Christmas tunes playing overhead. It was all too much. I needed to get back outside and remind myself I was in Peru. And yet the neighborhood feel didn`t help.
We walked to a cafe for coffee and some food. We watched the people of Miraflores stroll by. All eerily familiar. Next we decided to walk down to the open-air mall by the ocean. Full of little shops and trendy looking people buying things from them. And there in the corner was a Hooters. Maybe not so European, but definitely felt like the States. With the feel of nostalgia already overwhelming us, we decided to see a movie. After confirming "Lions for Lambs" was in English, we bought our tickets, our popcorn, our big soda and sat with the rest of the young movie-goers.
Two hours later when the movie ended and I walked into the restroom, I had completely forgotten I was not in the States. The spanish being spoken in the restroom was the only thing that snapped me back to reality (though that is surprising for those of you who know DC). It was time to walk back to the hostal. The site of my backback would snap my brain back into the present.
And it did. But then I met a British fellow there at the hostal and ended up talking about his time in the States until well into the night. I decided then that the next day would be spent exploring Lima`s colonial past.
For pics of my time in Lima, follow this link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15233918@N00/sets/72157603403921726/
For my paragliding fun...
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Inca Kola vs Coca Cola
Inca Cola is the local soda in Peru. It looks a bit like Mountain Dew, but tastes like bubble gum. It's awful. Coke tried for years to break into the soda market here, but could never beat Inca Kola's sales.
So it bought Inca Kola.
I am making no effort to support Coke through Inca Kola purchases. It really is bad.
Thought of the day.
On to Arequipa tomorrow where I will try and catch the blog up and upload loads of pics.
So it bought Inca Kola.
I am making no effort to support Coke through Inca Kola purchases. It really is bad.
Thought of the day.
On to Arequipa tomorrow where I will try and catch the blog up and upload loads of pics.
Friday, December 14, 2007
That`s What I Was Thinking
Wow. Seriously, wow. That was an amazing trip. The hike was tough, and the altitude almost knocked me out of the hike the first day because of severe headaches. But aftewr popping some extra strength Advil, I was practically skipping the rest of the 42 kms. Okay, skipping is a stretch. But I did the hike with heart. And lots of drugs. The views were surreal. Standing on the side of one mountain staring at a series of others that looked more like a Hollywood backdrop, was absolutely surreal. And the destination was more grand and impressive than I expected. Some people said after four days of hiking, seeing Machu Picchu wasn`t all that exciting. My mouth was left gaping. I also heard the Inca trail is over-hyped. I thought each day was better than the previous and worth the sweat exherted.
And when I returned to Cusco, I found a new hostal with a single room and the most comfortable bed I have slept in yet (all for $18), and passed out. I slept better than I have in weeks. This morning I had a huge, delicious breakfast, turned in my laundry, and spent the day stretching my calves looking for gifts for the folks back home. I miss hiking the Andes. So I am doing a Sacred Valley tour tour tomorrow. I am a suckah for ruins and gloriously high mountains.
I am so glad I did that hike. If you`re thinking of doing it, go for it. Just don`t do it during the rainy season. The grand view from the "sun gate" when we arrived to the site was of a sea of clouds and fog. Fortunately, the clouds lifted when we made it down to the ruins.
Stories of Lima and Cusco to come...
And when I returned to Cusco, I found a new hostal with a single room and the most comfortable bed I have slept in yet (all for $18), and passed out. I slept better than I have in weeks. This morning I had a huge, delicious breakfast, turned in my laundry, and spent the day stretching my calves looking for gifts for the folks back home. I miss hiking the Andes. So I am doing a Sacred Valley tour tour tomorrow. I am a suckah for ruins and gloriously high mountains.
I am so glad I did that hike. If you`re thinking of doing it, go for it. Just don`t do it during the rainy season. The grand view from the "sun gate" when we arrived to the site was of a sea of clouds and fog. Fortunately, the clouds lifted when we made it down to the ruins.
Stories of Lima and Cusco to come...
Sunday, December 9, 2007
What Was I Thinking?
Tomorrow morning at 5:30 I leave for my Inca trail hike to Machu Picchu. I have been in Cuzco now for four days and am still having problems breathing when I walk up a few steps. Cuzco`s elevation is over 2200 meters. I thought four days here would be enough to acclimate to the elevation. I thought wrong. And now I am going to hike for four days, at one point reaching 4200 meters? Why did I think I could do this? There is a train that takes tourists up there. Why didn`t I buy a ticket for that?
I am really nervous about this. My heart pounds every time I take a set of stairs. Ugh.
Anyway, I will be away from the blog until Friday when (if) I return to Cuzco for a day before heading south. I will catch the blog up to my time in Lima and Cuzco when (if) I return.
Hasta
I am really nervous about this. My heart pounds every time I take a set of stairs. Ugh.
Anyway, I will be away from the blog until Friday when (if) I return to Cuzco for a day before heading south. I will catch the blog up to my time in Lima and Cuzco when (if) I return.
Hasta
Friday, December 7, 2007
Welcomed to Peru by Winnie the Pool (sic)
After five weeks it was finally time to say goodbye to Ecuador. We woke at 6am to catch our 7am bus across the border to Piura, Peru. There we would catch a flight to Lima. But first we had an eight hour bus ride. Surprisingly, the eight hours didn`t seem so long. I got a lot of reading done, slept a bit, and, during our breakfast stop, tried tree tomato juice. I didn`t like it.
I had read that the border crossing closer to the coast was a real pain, with lots of hassles from people trying to take advantage of the confusion of a border crossing three kilometers from the actual border. Mark had gone that route and said he felt like a target. An Austrian on our bus said she had done it a few months earlier and the whole process took her more than three hours. This is why we chose to cross further inland. I`m glad we did. Both sides of the border crossing were easy. We (the six foreigners on the bus) finished the whole process in less than 30 minutes. But I did get a small customs form that I was told I needed to hold on to until I leave the country. That`ll be a challenge. How many things have I lost so far?
We arrived in the busy city of Piura around 3ish. Bus stations in Ecuador were centralized with each company operating from one main building. Peru is different: each bus company has it`s own building. And they don`t have all the services the big stations have. So we couldn`t immediately get Peruvian soles from an ATM to pay a taxi. Fortunately the only taxi at the station offered to drive us for a dollar (U.S.). Driving through the city I was reminded of my time in Kenya. Taxis were much smaller and several were motorbikes with a carriage attached. We noticed a large, dusty outdoor market that looked similar to one in Mombassa. People were walking every where and there was a lot of trash as well. We left all of this behind when we turned into the posher neighborhood where our hostal was.
The hostal was really nice. We got a large, sun-lit room with two beds and cable TV. The bathroom was big too. And spotless! All for $9 each. After settling in and putting on clean clothes for the first time in three days, we went out in search of an airline office to buy our Lima tickets and find a phone shop to get new cards for the new country. The airline offices were closed. The large mall, quite open. And packed well into the night. We asked the clerk at the phone stall if the next day was a holiday. At 10pm, the central plaza, mall, and streets were busy with families checking out this and that. She said people just take advantage of their day off.
Dinner options here were limited. We found a place that advertised ceviche and ordered a large plate of it. It was made of soy. Almost everything on the menu was. I finished it anyway. Then we walked next door for some coffee. The central plaza was our view and it was hopping. There was even a man dressed in a Winnie the Pooh costume posing for pics and handing out toys. But wait, his red shirt didn`t say Pooh. It said Pool. Huh? And he wasn`t wearing the torso part of the costume. This made his butt look way out of proportion. And was that an indigenous handbag around his shoulder? It`s ethnic Pooh! Where was Chanchito and Tigre?? We rushed our coffee so we could go out and get a picture with Pool. But by the time we got out there, Pool had moved on and was replaced by Barry, a Barney look-a-like. Not the same effect.
We made our way back to the hostal where we had the receptionist get our phones working (we couldn`t understand the spanish instructions) and finished the night with Talladega Nights on HBO. Certainly not as funny as Pool.
I had read that the border crossing closer to the coast was a real pain, with lots of hassles from people trying to take advantage of the confusion of a border crossing three kilometers from the actual border. Mark had gone that route and said he felt like a target. An Austrian on our bus said she had done it a few months earlier and the whole process took her more than three hours. This is why we chose to cross further inland. I`m glad we did. Both sides of the border crossing were easy. We (the six foreigners on the bus) finished the whole process in less than 30 minutes. But I did get a small customs form that I was told I needed to hold on to until I leave the country. That`ll be a challenge. How many things have I lost so far?
We arrived in the busy city of Piura around 3ish. Bus stations in Ecuador were centralized with each company operating from one main building. Peru is different: each bus company has it`s own building. And they don`t have all the services the big stations have. So we couldn`t immediately get Peruvian soles from an ATM to pay a taxi. Fortunately the only taxi at the station offered to drive us for a dollar (U.S.). Driving through the city I was reminded of my time in Kenya. Taxis were much smaller and several were motorbikes with a carriage attached. We noticed a large, dusty outdoor market that looked similar to one in Mombassa. People were walking every where and there was a lot of trash as well. We left all of this behind when we turned into the posher neighborhood where our hostal was.
The hostal was really nice. We got a large, sun-lit room with two beds and cable TV. The bathroom was big too. And spotless! All for $9 each. After settling in and putting on clean clothes for the first time in three days, we went out in search of an airline office to buy our Lima tickets and find a phone shop to get new cards for the new country. The airline offices were closed. The large mall, quite open. And packed well into the night. We asked the clerk at the phone stall if the next day was a holiday. At 10pm, the central plaza, mall, and streets were busy with families checking out this and that. She said people just take advantage of their day off.
Dinner options here were limited. We found a place that advertised ceviche and ordered a large plate of it. It was made of soy. Almost everything on the menu was. I finished it anyway. Then we walked next door for some coffee. The central plaza was our view and it was hopping. There was even a man dressed in a Winnie the Pooh costume posing for pics and handing out toys. But wait, his red shirt didn`t say Pooh. It said Pool. Huh? And he wasn`t wearing the torso part of the costume. This made his butt look way out of proportion. And was that an indigenous handbag around his shoulder? It`s ethnic Pooh! Where was Chanchito and Tigre?? We rushed our coffee so we could go out and get a picture with Pool. But by the time we got out there, Pool had moved on and was replaced by Barry, a Barney look-a-like. Not the same effect.
We made our way back to the hostal where we had the receptionist get our phones working (we couldn`t understand the spanish instructions) and finished the night with Talladega Nights on HBO. Certainly not as funny as Pool.
A Short Time With Long-Lived People
The plan for Saturday was to bus an hour and a half south to the town of Vilcabamba. The town is known for its many residents who live ripe, old lives. It is thought the residents live so long because of the slow pace of the city and the beautiful, natural surroundings. We wanted to hike around those beautiful, natural surroundÃngs. And maybe see a really old person or two. With nothing else to do in Loja, this was our plan for the day.
Except we got a late start. I went off in search of a cyper cafe early because I couldn`t sleep in. When I returned, my travel buddy was no where to be found. So I walked around a bit and returned 45 minutes later to find a note saying she was at another cyber cafe. After eating breakfast and getting a shower, it was already after 11:30am. So we packed up a few things in a bag and jumped in a cab to the bus station. There was a bus leaving for Vilcabamba in 10 minutes. Well, more like a short bus. Or a big van. We hopped on to the crowded bus/van and off we went. Continually stopping to pick up people along the way.
When we arrived in Vilcabamba it was already 2pm. Not really enough time to go for a hike. We also immediately realized we had no map of the city and no real plan - other than to come here. The first problem was solved by walking one block over and seeing the town was tiny. The second problem; well, the town was tiny. What do we do now? Aside from feeling a bit absurd. From the central plaza we spotted a restaurant with outdoor seating and decided to have a beer and watch for old people. We ordered fajitas and a large beer to split and started watching. There were three gringas sitting beside us and I asked them what there was to do in town. One answered hammocking. Right. They also said there had been several muggings along the hiking trails. Scratch that too.
Lunch took an hour. We saw one old person. And a teenage boy hanging out with his friends while holding a rooster. That was about it. We decided to shift our perspective a bit and move to a park bench in the central plaza (maybe 30 yards away). There we saw another old man. And a guy who looked (and dressed) like Ralph Macchio in the Karate Kid. And a large German girl playing a harmonica. This killed another hour. It was decided we needed to plan trips better. And that it was time to catch a bus/van back. We found one immediately and headed back to Loja. A road trip for lunch. That was our day.
Except we got a late start. I went off in search of a cyper cafe early because I couldn`t sleep in. When I returned, my travel buddy was no where to be found. So I walked around a bit and returned 45 minutes later to find a note saying she was at another cyber cafe. After eating breakfast and getting a shower, it was already after 11:30am. So we packed up a few things in a bag and jumped in a cab to the bus station. There was a bus leaving for Vilcabamba in 10 minutes. Well, more like a short bus. Or a big van. We hopped on to the crowded bus/van and off we went. Continually stopping to pick up people along the way.
When we arrived in Vilcabamba it was already 2pm. Not really enough time to go for a hike. We also immediately realized we had no map of the city and no real plan - other than to come here. The first problem was solved by walking one block over and seeing the town was tiny. The second problem; well, the town was tiny. What do we do now? Aside from feeling a bit absurd. From the central plaza we spotted a restaurant with outdoor seating and decided to have a beer and watch for old people. We ordered fajitas and a large beer to split and started watching. There were three gringas sitting beside us and I asked them what there was to do in town. One answered hammocking. Right. They also said there had been several muggings along the hiking trails. Scratch that too.
Lunch took an hour. We saw one old person. And a teenage boy hanging out with his friends while holding a rooster. That was about it. We decided to shift our perspective a bit and move to a park bench in the central plaza (maybe 30 yards away). There we saw another old man. And a guy who looked (and dressed) like Ralph Macchio in the Karate Kid. And a large German girl playing a harmonica. This killed another hour. It was decided we needed to plan trips better. And that it was time to catch a bus/van back. We found one immediately and headed back to Loja. A road trip for lunch. That was our day.
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