August 5, 2008 at 11:00 pm (Lima, Peru 2008)
We got up at 05:00 to go up to Machu Picchu but unforuntately Ben was not allowed in because his lense was too professional. Mum had exactly the same lense but it was hidden in a bag. The sunrise that we were hoping to see would not have been any good as it was very misty so nothing lost really.
We returned to the hotel and went to see spectacle bears (Paddingtons) which were huge, about 6ft tall !!! We also went on a nature walk and saw loads of hummingbirds which were absolutely fascinating. Mum also saw a few butterflies and naturally went completely mad over them.
We had lunch and then caught the train to Ollayantaytambo where we caught the bus back to Cusco.
At Cusco we boarded an internal flight bound for Lima.
We remained at Lima airport for a few hours before joining the flight to Schiphol. This time we were prepared the long walk to the other gate. After nearly boarding the wrong flight we finally ended up at a gate, only to be told that the gate had changed after about 30 mins !!!
We finally boarded the flight for London, homeward bound, thinking about the magnificent experience that was Peru !!!
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August 5, 2008 at 10:23 pm (Machu Picchu, Peru 2008)
Went by bus to Ollantaytambo where we saw an Inca site with dramatic terracing. From there we caught the train to Machu Picchu which was an impressive journey with many impressive high peaks.
We were parallel to the Inca trail and started our journey into the semi-tropical rain forest.
On the train there were some tourists from the northern part of this continent with huge lenses and motor drives taking thousands of photos of trees !!! They did not seem to really know what they were taking. Perhaps they could learn a thing or two from Mum and I. We are only amateurs but they seem to have all the gear and no idea !!!
The railway passed straight through the hotel grounds before reaching the station.
We left our bags at our hotel, the Inkaterra and went on a scary bus trip up the valley toward Machu Picchu.
We had lunch at the Sanctuary lodge or as Ben likes to call it McDonalds. This was disappointing in every way. We had expected white cotton sheets, superb service and a luxurious ambiance as this is a Orient Express hotel. Instead we were greeted with an overcrowded, loud buffet.
We walked up about quarter of a mile to get to Machu Picchu and the ruins seemed hidden until you turned the last corner. Then they appeared before you just like you see the postcards.
We saw two main building styles. The common people lived in smaller stone bricked houses with mortor and the more ornate buildings used larger stones which were cut and laid without mortar.
There were temples to the gods of sun and moon.
There were many artifacts such as gold, mummies, textiles and ceramic. These are not currently in Peru as they were taken by the founder, Hyram Bingham, back to Yale university for research. The Peruvian government hopes that they will be returned very soon.
We then went back to the hotel for happy hour and booked tours for the next day. We had one round of various sours and then tried to go to see a film. This was not available so we used the time to have some more sours and then went back. The film was not a film but a series of picture on Orchids around the hotel. This was very interesting.
Then we had dinner in the restaurant. It was quite odd because you are right next to the trains so these were quite off putting during the dinner.
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July 12, 2008 at 4:12 am (Cusco, Peru 2008, Sacred Valley)
After breakfast we walked to the Temple of the Sun, which was one of the only partially remaing temple as all the other ones were destroyed by the Spanish.
The tour was a real insight into the Inca building skills and technology.
Then on to Cusco cathedral. It was huge and although OTT it was the most impressive that we had seen. We saw the famous silver altar and last supper picture.
We drove into the sacred valley and on the way stopped at another Inca site. They built incredible structure which withstood earthquakes and without using the wheel.
Our next stop was a marvellous project to preserve the skills of local communities in maintaining their crafts and to encourage them to stay in that region rather than going to work in Cusco. We fed lamas and alpacas.
Before lunch we visited a wonderful market at Pisac at the start of the Sacred Valley.
The scenery was so much more dramatic, greener and ferile.
We reached our hotel for lunch at 3pm !!! We are getting used to this now !!
In the evening we studied the stars in an observatory and planetarium in the hotel.
Tomorrow is the culmination of our journey Machu Picchu !!!!
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July 12, 2008 at 4:00 am (Cusco, Peru 2008)
The British Empire days are back. Well not really but we were travelling Inca First class on the Orient Express so it felt like it !!!
The train was run specially for our group and was a unique experience. You sat in armchair like seats with a viewing carriage and bar in the last two carriages then our carriage followed by the chefs carriage, the luggage car and then the engine !!!!
The train loo was quite something. A mahogany seat and marble ish basin.
We started the entertainment with a Pisco sour followed by a fashion show.
We were then served our 3 course lunch as you do !!
Lunch or perhaps I should say luncheon was followed by a demonstration of how to make the perfect Pisco Sour. This was swiftly followed by the 2 for 1 happy hour.
Then afternoon tea which was cinnamon flavoured. The only disappointment was the lack of cucumber sandwiches.
We descended through a spectacular gorge into Cusco about 6pm. We thanked the staff afterwards, who were immaculately dressed throughout the whole trip, for their professional and courteous conduct.
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July 9, 2008 at 7:55 pm (Lake Titicaca, Peru 2008)
Bad news today there is a national strike !!!
This morning we had a ceremony to clean our spirits by a Shamen. We floated a flower in the lake in memory of David.
Late afternoon we were taken by multiple vehicles over a very bumpy road dodging the rocks on the road from the strike to a lagoon. We saw Inca and Pre-Inca tombs. The Inca tombs in particular were very interesting. The largest one was 12m high.
In the evening the company put on a dinner with a band and dancers. The band was really excellent and consisted of guitars, pan pipes, wonderful tenor voices, drums and an Andean recorder.
On the Orient Express tomorrow strike permitting !!!
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July 9, 2008 at 7:55 pm (Lake Titicaca, Peru 2008)
We left early by bus for a journey on a boat touring round the lake.
In Winter the temperature of the lake is 3 degrees centigrade. The lake is 120 miles long and 50 miles at its widest point. It is the largest navicable lake in the world.
At 3800m high the lake supports so much life unlike other parts of the world at this height. The lake does this by acting as a temperature guage for the region.
60% of the lake is in Bolivia and 40% in Peru.
We visited the floating reed islands and the people were so warm and welcoming. They invited us into their houses and danced and sang.
Then went on to one of the large islands Torquile and the people were shy. The women wore veils over their heads and the men brightly coloured hats.
Then on to the Yavari, a steam ship built in the UK, carried across the Andes in pieces. It had been visited by Michael Palin in one of his TV programmes.
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July 8, 2008 at 1:23 am (Lake Titicaca, Peru 2008)
We left early again !!!
On our way we visited a food market which was very interesting and contained lots of tiny Rickshaw taxis and different produce from meat to vegetables and fruit.
We drove over high passes and one was at an altitude of 4910m. We both started to feel a little jaded by the whole height thing. We had a picnic lunch in front of a lagoon where there were flamingos and ate chocolate. This really helped with the altitude situation.
It took us 6 hours to reach lake Titicaca and we are in a brand new hotel on the lakeside.
Tomorrow we go for a trip on the lake !!
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July 8, 2008 at 1:19 am (Colca Canyon, Peru 2008)
We got up very early and drove about two hours to the top of the Colca canyon. It is one of the deepest in the world and twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
We were thrilled to see Condors.
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July 8, 2008 at 1:16 am (Colca Canyon, Peru 2008)
Before leaving Arequipa we went to the Santa Catalina convent where many wealthy girls were there with there servants but in 1870 that all changed when the pope put a stop to the luxury.
It was like a village with named street and all painted in blue and terracotta.
We left Arequipa to the Colca Canyon and reached a height 4950m at one stage of our journey which took 10 hours.
When we arrived at the lodge it was bitterly cold.
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July 4, 2008 at 11:03 pm (Arequipa, Peru 2008)
Today visited Arequipa which is south of Lima and Peru´s second largest city.
To be honest we were not really expecting that much but this place has a lot more to it than you read in the guide books.
The first thing you notice is how prosperous it is. This is directly related to the fact the city has mines of gold, silver and copper.
It is surrounded by 3 active volcanoes and they have suffered earthquake damage in the past. This particularly affects the older building as most of the modern ones have some form of anti seismic foundations.
It has a strong Spanish influence and many of the building are made of white volcanic rock, although you would not know it as most of them are painted !!!
We visited the ice maiden musemum which contains Juanita. She is a young girl sacrificed 500 years ago after drinking a sedative before being bashed over the head !!! She had fallen into the volcanic crater and was discovered in 1995. She is retained at the same temprature that she was found in to preserve her -27 degrees celsius.
During the day it is t-shirt weather although it got cold at lunchtime in the shade. Our tour leader decided to have guinea pig which did not seem too bad until someone pointed out that you could still see its top and bottom teeth !!!!
Tonight we are on the town in search of a Pisco Sour, the traditional Peruvian alcoholic drink !!!!
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