There are soooo many things that I cant or havent put into this blog. I still need time to digest some of the experiences I have had, some things a best left unsaid and other things I wont include out of respect for those of us involved!!
The poverty in Bolivia was eye opening. The people in general have all been very friendly and fun. the food is awesome. The museums were great and of course the ruins are breathtaking. The beaches are sweet and the mountain are awe-inspiring.
I have met many awesome people from all around the globe - over 30 countries!! Some I hope will be friends for life. I've also met a few bad apples and had a few challenging situations but I was able to go with the flow and ride out the storms!
My perspective of the world, and the influence the US has on it all, has changed profoundly. I've realized that I dont need all of those things that I always thought I needed - its just stuff. I'm sure I will change more as time goes on. . . .
Some things I will never take for granted again-
Food
water
a house
family
friends
ice
warm showers
toilet paper
toilets, for that matter
napkins
sharp knives
clean air - La Paz was rather polluted
I am States bound tonight. More thought and pics after I make it through the huge snowstorms back to Durango.
I hope you have enjoyed following along with my adventures.
Scott
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Back to Peru and Lima
The next morning I set out to make my way back to Cusco. Carnival was still going on so the airport was closed and most of the bus companies were closed. I was lucky to get one of the last seats on a bus to Puno, Peru. It was a great ride thru the mountains with slow , steep hills to climb and tight turns to negotiate. We were just about to the border, I was deep into a book I am reading when I hear a thunderous schreeching noise and our bus shimmy side to side. I look out the window to see that a semi truck had hit us with its trailer goig around a tight curve. No one got hurt and we were on our way about 4 hours later.
I missed my planned bus connection to Cusco as a result of the accident but was able to catch an overnighter and arrived at Cusco about 5am. I went to Loki to collect some belongings I had left there. did a bit of gift shopping and went tot the airport. Tough choice- either a 24 hour bus ride to Lima for $55 or a one hour flight to Lima for $95. I landed in Lima about 1pm, checked into Loki, met some friends from earlier in the trip and hit the beach! We all went out clubbin later and a good time saying goodbye.
Another Day in Lima doing some gift shopping and hittin the beach again. Weather is in the mid 80's and its nice and sunny out. The surf was up and the beach was a bit crowded. Nice and releaxing way to end my trip. Going back to CO with a tan!!!
A local club in Barranco, another nice neighborhood next to Miraflores, hosted a Bob Marley tribute concert. The Band was really tight and mostly played originals. Pretty good reggae for sure - better than what we get in Durango. The place was packed with the cream of the crop from Lima - must have been the "thing" to do that night. There was was a TV crew filming and doing interviews. They said I would be on TV the next day but I didn't bother trying to watch. The show was great and there were only two other gringos in the whole place so it felt pretty authentic.
My last night in Peru was excellent!!!
I missed my planned bus connection to Cusco as a result of the accident but was able to catch an overnighter and arrived at Cusco about 5am. I went to Loki to collect some belongings I had left there. did a bit of gift shopping and went tot the airport. Tough choice- either a 24 hour bus ride to Lima for $55 or a one hour flight to Lima for $95. I landed in Lima about 1pm, checked into Loki, met some friends from earlier in the trip and hit the beach! We all went out clubbin later and a good time saying goodbye.
Another Day in Lima doing some gift shopping and hittin the beach again. Weather is in the mid 80's and its nice and sunny out. The surf was up and the beach was a bit crowded. Nice and releaxing way to end my trip. Going back to CO with a tan!!!
A local club in Barranco, another nice neighborhood next to Miraflores, hosted a Bob Marley tribute concert. The Band was really tight and mostly played originals. Pretty good reggae for sure - better than what we get in Durango. The place was packed with the cream of the crop from Lima - must have been the "thing" to do that night. There was was a TV crew filming and doing interviews. They said I would be on TV the next day but I didn't bother trying to watch. The show was great and there were only two other gringos in the whole place so it felt pretty authentic.
My last night in Peru was excellent!!!
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The Death Road
I signed up to mountain bike the Death Road today. The tour group picked me up about 7 :30 and we had some breakfast and headed up to the top of the pass around 4300 meters high. It was cold and snowing lightly when we arrived. They passed out some decent pants, jackets, gloves and helemts to each of us. I think we had 7 in our group. The bikes were fairly new Trek models with decent front shocks and the extra fate wheels & tires.
The first 13km were on pavement down a winding, slippery road due to the snow and rain. Speeds were fast but I was unwilling to take turns to sharply. I stayed right on the guides butt while the rest of the group lagged about 10 minutes back. We stopped several times to marvel at the waterfalls and amazing peaks as they peeked thru the clouds & fog.
We finally hit the dirt for the remainder of the 45kms and I started to feel more comfortable on the bike. The road is wide but the drop offs are definitely scary, over 1000 feet in many places. It started to get warmer as we dropped in elevation. Still right behind the guide, he & I kicked it into high gear and hauled ass down the road thru huge mud pits and loose gravel. Kind felt like riding up on Kennebec.
Soon we decended into the jungle with thick vegetation, ferns the size of cars and vines dropping from the cliffs above. The road became more rocky and i got my first flat. The rest of the group caught up to us while under repair and then 5 minutes later I got another flat. Then two more flats!!!! I was really being aggressive but no more than any core durango biker would be. Just hitting every rock, stump, jump and tranny I could find:)
The rain let up but the waterfalls we gushing and impresive. We stopped for many photo opps and water breaks. At one stop the guide told us that there were several ledges coming up and that we should walk the bikes over them. Well I followed him closely and he bunny hopped right over them so I followed suit and on the third ledge, BAM!!! I completely tacoed my rear wheel- bent way beyond repair! The middle guide gave me his bike while he had to radio the van for help.
There were several section where recent landslides had covered the road over 20 feet high. The first few were older and firm, I could walk right over them. Then we came to one that was about 300 fet wide and I made my first step into it and sunk to my knee. the whole thing started moving downhill towards they cliff and I got pretty nervous. the guide quickly grabbed me and helped pull me out of the muck. It took about 1 hour to get the entire group across that slide. -
We turned a corner and i could see the river at the valley floor down below. I was energized and kicked it up`a nothch and then BAM! A rock flew up and broke my rear disc brake. I think I was having too much fun:) The clean up guide gave me his bike to finish the trail with and then right at the end I somehow busted the rear deraileur. Luckily I was able to coast to the bottom of the road thru about 2 miles of coca fields and farmers without any more hitches.
We ended the ride at about 1250 meters high in a lush valley filled with coca fields. They took us to a sweet little resort with a restaurant, swimming pool, hot showers and a killer flower garden. there were several local families there enjoying their Sunday, kids swimming and parents lounging. I noticed that all the vehicles in the parking lot were very nice for Bolivia and suspect that each of those families are making a living in the coca industry one way or another. they seemed very friendly and just like families from anywhere else. I had a big water fight with a few of the kids in the pool!
The rid back to La Paz was slow and I was beat. I got back to Loki, told some war stories and crashed out. This ride, scenery and experience was killer and worth way more than the $36 I pàid for it. Yea. . . . .
The first 13km were on pavement down a winding, slippery road due to the snow and rain. Speeds were fast but I was unwilling to take turns to sharply. I stayed right on the guides butt while the rest of the group lagged about 10 minutes back. We stopped several times to marvel at the waterfalls and amazing peaks as they peeked thru the clouds & fog.
We finally hit the dirt for the remainder of the 45kms and I started to feel more comfortable on the bike. The road is wide but the drop offs are definitely scary, over 1000 feet in many places. It started to get warmer as we dropped in elevation. Still right behind the guide, he & I kicked it into high gear and hauled ass down the road thru huge mud pits and loose gravel. Kind felt like riding up on Kennebec.
Soon we decended into the jungle with thick vegetation, ferns the size of cars and vines dropping from the cliffs above. The road became more rocky and i got my first flat. The rest of the group caught up to us while under repair and then 5 minutes later I got another flat. Then two more flats!!!! I was really being aggressive but no more than any core durango biker would be. Just hitting every rock, stump, jump and tranny I could find:)
The rain let up but the waterfalls we gushing and impresive. We stopped for many photo opps and water breaks. At one stop the guide told us that there were several ledges coming up and that we should walk the bikes over them. Well I followed him closely and he bunny hopped right over them so I followed suit and on the third ledge, BAM!!! I completely tacoed my rear wheel- bent way beyond repair! The middle guide gave me his bike while he had to radio the van for help.
There were several section where recent landslides had covered the road over 20 feet high. The first few were older and firm, I could walk right over them. Then we came to one that was about 300 fet wide and I made my first step into it and sunk to my knee. the whole thing started moving downhill towards they cliff and I got pretty nervous. the guide quickly grabbed me and helped pull me out of the muck. It took about 1 hour to get the entire group across that slide. -
We turned a corner and i could see the river at the valley floor down below. I was energized and kicked it up`a nothch and then BAM! A rock flew up and broke my rear disc brake. I think I was having too much fun:) The clean up guide gave me his bike to finish the trail with and then right at the end I somehow busted the rear deraileur. Luckily I was able to coast to the bottom of the road thru about 2 miles of coca fields and farmers without any more hitches.
We ended the ride at about 1250 meters high in a lush valley filled with coca fields. They took us to a sweet little resort with a restaurant, swimming pool, hot showers and a killer flower garden. there were several local families there enjoying their Sunday, kids swimming and parents lounging. I noticed that all the vehicles in the parking lot were very nice for Bolivia and suspect that each of those families are making a living in the coca industry one way or another. they seemed very friendly and just like families from anywhere else. I had a big water fight with a few of the kids in the pool!
The rid back to La Paz was slow and I was beat. I got back to Loki, told some war stories and crashed out. This ride, scenery and experience was killer and worth way more than the $36 I pàid for it. Yea. . . . .
CARNIVAL in La Paz
Finally a good nights rest. I had a big breakfast and met up with Bel, Carla, Rai and Mi. WE split into two groups as the some needed to do some shopping and Bel took me to the museums. Unfortunately for me, Carnival is a national Holiday and almost everything was closed. I did my best to protect Bel from all the water balloons but a few made it thru and by the time we made it to the main square we were both soaked and foamy head to toe. So much fun. Everyone dressed in costumes and singing and dancing. I had to say goodbye to Bel as she had an appointment in the early afternoon with a Brasilian diplomat. Bel, Pedro, Carla and Mi were all able to stay in the Brasilian Embassy as guests of the Amabssador!! Bel's grandfather was a diplomat and her family is tight with the current ambassador in La Paz so they were all HOOKED UP and got to end their trip sleeping and eating in a Palace!!
I was able to check out the Coca museum which documented the history of coca use, production, illegality and just about everything to do with coca and cocaine. It was very well researched and informative. I was surprised to learn that there are currently over 30 countries that can legally produce cocaine - with the US being the first on the list, of course!
I met up with Carla and Mi for a short time for some last minute shopping and had a very hard time saying goodbye to them. I will miss you all very much and hope to see you again very soon - big hugs and kisses!!!! I headed back to Loki admist the Carnival and got completely soaked again by a huge group of kids. Boy, Camille sure would love this!!!!!
Pedro showed up to Loki around 10 with plans to stay up all night as he needed to be at the airport around 5am. We gathered up a couple of British friends I made at Loki and headed out to a few clubs for one last night of merryment. Traffic and Mongos were both fun clubs and we met some great locals including a kid that has dual citizenship in the US and Bolivia. He spends most of his time in La Paz and some in NYC.
We were all spent around 3am and it was time to say farewell to Pedro. I'll miss you Bro!!! Cant wait to see you again soon. Holy crap!! I have to be up in just 4 hours to go mountain bike the Death Road - the most deadly road in all the world, suposedly. . . . . .
I was able to check out the Coca museum which documented the history of coca use, production, illegality and just about everything to do with coca and cocaine. It was very well researched and informative. I was surprised to learn that there are currently over 30 countries that can legally produce cocaine - with the US being the first on the list, of course!
I met up with Carla and Mi for a short time for some last minute shopping and had a very hard time saying goodbye to them. I will miss you all very much and hope to see you again very soon - big hugs and kisses!!!! I headed back to Loki admist the Carnival and got completely soaked again by a huge group of kids. Boy, Camille sure would love this!!!!!
Pedro showed up to Loki around 10 with plans to stay up all night as he needed to be at the airport around 5am. We gathered up a couple of British friends I made at Loki and headed out to a few clubs for one last night of merryment. Traffic and Mongos were both fun clubs and we met some great locals including a kid that has dual citizenship in the US and Bolivia. He spends most of his time in La Paz and some in NYC.
We were all spent around 3am and it was time to say farewell to Pedro. I'll miss you Bro!!! Cant wait to see you again soon. Holy crap!! I have to be up in just 4 hours to go mountain bike the Death Road - the most deadly road in all the world, suposedly. . . . . .
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Copacabana and La Paz
The bus left early from Puno for the Bolivian border and Copacabana. I sat next to a cool Japanese kid, Taka, who was also traveling alone. He lives in Canada and was taking a few weeks vacation in South America. He is a skater and snowboarder so we had plenty to talk about. I was the only US citizen on the bus and when we arrived at the border I was singled out and taken to the front of the line. I had all of my paperwork in order and paid the $100 for the visa and BAM! I was in Bolivia. I had heard from several other US citizens who had been denied entry so I was a bit worried.
Shortly after the border we arrived in Copacabana. A very quaint town on the shores of Titicaca. We had about three hours to explore town and chill out. Not quite the old Barry Manilow song but still a sweet spot to hang out.
We switched busses and headed South another 4 hours to La Paz. I cant even begin to describe the level of poverty I saw as we drove thru the "towns" towards La Paz. I will truly take nothing for granted any more!!!! As we reached the outskirts of La Paz the mountains were very impressive, towering over 20,000 feet high and snow capped. The bus was slow as the highway was potholed, where it was asphalt, and full of muddy ruts where it was dirt - yes, the main highway!
La Paz is built in a natural bowl surrounded by tall mountains and my first glimpes gave me the feeling of, "why the hell did I come here". But at second glance the city was beautiful with all of the high rises and luxury homes down in the bottom of the bowl surrounded by shanty towns and the Andeas Mountains. The pollution was pretty bad but no worse than any city of 2 million or so. La Paz sits around 13,000 feet high so even walking up stairs takes your breath away! The Loki Hostel is killer. Built from an old 1920's hotel and sleeps about 150 folks. It is across the street from a national police barracks so the area is very safe, even late at night.
I immediately ran into a group of 5 Irish lads that I had met in Cusco and we decided to head out for dinner to an Argentinian Steakhouse. They import the beef direct from Argentina and man was it great! I split a 2.2kg slab of beef with Mike - all the fixins and a beer for about $10 each (less for him because he has euros). I literally cut the steak with a spoon!!!! Best beef I have ever had - cant wait to go to Argentina next trip.
We went a bit crazy later that night at a true speakeazy called Route 36. I finally made it back to the hostel around 5AM. Nuff said!
I woke up at 8 to meet my friends from Brasil and go on a tour. So happy to see them again,except Machi and Rafaella- they went to Buenas Aires to see Gabriel. We took a bus high above La Paz to Chacaltaya mountain. The bus stopped because of snow and 5 of us from the group of 15 hiked up to the top in knee deep snow. 5400 meters! Hard to breath up that high but it was soooooo worth it - even on two hours of sleep. I could see Lake Titicaca and the mountain in Peru off to the North and other snow capped peaks all around until the clouds rolled in. There was a ski resort there built in the late 30's so their are a few buldings and the old lift towers left. The guide said global warming led to reduced snowfall and the resort closed in the late 40's. There was enough snow to link up about 2000 vert if I had my board with me!!!
We hiked back down to the bus where all the Brasilian girls had made a huge snowman! Snow is a real novelty for them and all had a great time but were freeeeezing! The bus then took back down all the way thru central La Paz includig the financial district and the luxurious neighborhoods to Valle de Luna. This is a nice little park of crazy looking eroded mounds and spires of dirt - some 60 feet high - that is near the south end of the city. Reminded me a lot of Goblin Valley UT, or Bisti Badlands NM and several other areas in the desert SW of the States.
After the tour we all went to eat at a place called Brasso's. It was great food with a crazy atmosphere. A kind of mix of a McDonalds, Dennys and a retro 60's bar. Retro furniture and colors, a kids playland, picture menus, a full bar and even a small stage for a band to play! Nothing like that back in the States for sure. Walking around was a real adventure as Carnival was under full swing and the girls were popular targets for the water balloons, squit guns and cans of foam. We were all beat and I headed back to the hostel for a much needed nap.
Pedro woke me up around 11 ready to go out and hit the town with the rest of the crew. We went out to see a local legend, Pepe Morillo. He is a traditional Bolivian folk singer that has been performing for more than 30 years. The crowd was great, dancing and clapping and singing along to all the songs. It was full audience participation - there were only two of us from the US in the whole place. It was a ton of fun and a truly authentic Bolivian experience - not touristy at all!!!! Loved it. Pepe's show ended around 1am and we all headed to club Orange for some big city clubbin' till 4am! It was off to bed again with a plan to meet around noon to check out some museums on their last day before heading back to Rio.
Shortly after the border we arrived in Copacabana. A very quaint town on the shores of Titicaca. We had about three hours to explore town and chill out. Not quite the old Barry Manilow song but still a sweet spot to hang out.
We switched busses and headed South another 4 hours to La Paz. I cant even begin to describe the level of poverty I saw as we drove thru the "towns" towards La Paz. I will truly take nothing for granted any more!!!! As we reached the outskirts of La Paz the mountains were very impressive, towering over 20,000 feet high and snow capped. The bus was slow as the highway was potholed, where it was asphalt, and full of muddy ruts where it was dirt - yes, the main highway!
La Paz is built in a natural bowl surrounded by tall mountains and my first glimpes gave me the feeling of, "why the hell did I come here". But at second glance the city was beautiful with all of the high rises and luxury homes down in the bottom of the bowl surrounded by shanty towns and the Andeas Mountains. The pollution was pretty bad but no worse than any city of 2 million or so. La Paz sits around 13,000 feet high so even walking up stairs takes your breath away! The Loki Hostel is killer. Built from an old 1920's hotel and sleeps about 150 folks. It is across the street from a national police barracks so the area is very safe, even late at night.
I immediately ran into a group of 5 Irish lads that I had met in Cusco and we decided to head out for dinner to an Argentinian Steakhouse. They import the beef direct from Argentina and man was it great! I split a 2.2kg slab of beef with Mike - all the fixins and a beer for about $10 each (less for him because he has euros). I literally cut the steak with a spoon!!!! Best beef I have ever had - cant wait to go to Argentina next trip.
We went a bit crazy later that night at a true speakeazy called Route 36. I finally made it back to the hostel around 5AM. Nuff said!
I woke up at 8 to meet my friends from Brasil and go on a tour. So happy to see them again,except Machi and Rafaella- they went to Buenas Aires to see Gabriel. We took a bus high above La Paz to Chacaltaya mountain. The bus stopped because of snow and 5 of us from the group of 15 hiked up to the top in knee deep snow. 5400 meters! Hard to breath up that high but it was soooooo worth it - even on two hours of sleep. I could see Lake Titicaca and the mountain in Peru off to the North and other snow capped peaks all around until the clouds rolled in. There was a ski resort there built in the late 30's so their are a few buldings and the old lift towers left. The guide said global warming led to reduced snowfall and the resort closed in the late 40's. There was enough snow to link up about 2000 vert if I had my board with me!!!
We hiked back down to the bus where all the Brasilian girls had made a huge snowman! Snow is a real novelty for them and all had a great time but were freeeeezing! The bus then took back down all the way thru central La Paz includig the financial district and the luxurious neighborhoods to Valle de Luna. This is a nice little park of crazy looking eroded mounds and spires of dirt - some 60 feet high - that is near the south end of the city. Reminded me a lot of Goblin Valley UT, or Bisti Badlands NM and several other areas in the desert SW of the States.
After the tour we all went to eat at a place called Brasso's. It was great food with a crazy atmosphere. A kind of mix of a McDonalds, Dennys and a retro 60's bar. Retro furniture and colors, a kids playland, picture menus, a full bar and even a small stage for a band to play! Nothing like that back in the States for sure. Walking around was a real adventure as Carnival was under full swing and the girls were popular targets for the water balloons, squit guns and cans of foam. We were all beat and I headed back to the hostel for a much needed nap.
Pedro woke me up around 11 ready to go out and hit the town with the rest of the crew. We went out to see a local legend, Pepe Morillo. He is a traditional Bolivian folk singer that has been performing for more than 30 years. The crowd was great, dancing and clapping and singing along to all the songs. It was full audience participation - there were only two of us from the US in the whole place. It was a ton of fun and a truly authentic Bolivian experience - not touristy at all!!!! Loved it. Pepe's show ended around 1am and we all headed to club Orange for some big city clubbin' till 4am! It was off to bed again with a plan to meet around noon to check out some museums on their last day before heading back to Rio.
Lake Titicaca
So my small group of 12 got dropped off on Atamani Island in Lake Titicaca to stay the night with various families. Two nice German girls and I stayed with Juana and her family of seven. She has a very nice home with views to die for. We enjoyed a traditional lunch of veggie soup and potatoes. She showed us her kitchen-no electricity but a light bulb! The food and company were great. One of her sons is into Bruce Lee and had posters all over his room and kept asking me if I knew karate. Other members of the group stayed with other families and had a similar experience.
We all hiked up to the top of the island to check out the ruins there. The entire island is terraced into small planting fields that each family works several of with different crops in each terrace. The terracing and the ruins are all pre-Inka culture and continue to be used! The views from the top of the island were stunning. It looks more like an ocean than a lake! We had a great dinner cooked by Juana and got to know her town a bit better. The school is in dire need of computers so I may try to collect some old machines and bring them down here in the future. Overall the people on this island were very friendly, glad to see tourists and had smiles on thier faces. The kids played in the field with the pigs, ducks and chickens. I even saw a few horses too.
A touristy party was planned for the evening but a big storm rolled in and dumped about two inches of hail on us canceling the party. No worries, I needed a good night of sleep.
The next morning we awoke to a heavy rain storm and a delicious breakfast from Juana - similar to grits with fresh bread and tea. We walked down to the harbor to catch our boat to another island before returning to Puno. The swells were 3-4 feet and it was an exciting boat ride to the other island, Oruni. We hiked again to the top of the island to see some more ruins. |The ruins were not that impressive and the people didnt seem very welcoming. Our guide said it was because of the rain, but I wonder. . . .
We boarded the boat around 2pm for the 3 hour trip back to Puno. The waters had calmed and we were cruising nicely for about 45 minutes when the boats motor died on us. There we were, adrift on Lake Titicaca for about two hours - totally Gilligans Island style. Several of the other passengers got scared and angry - I had no worries. Two other tour boats stopped to pick up passengers but there was no room for the two German girls and me. We hung out another hour playing cards, drinking pisco and laughing for another hour until another boat came for us. What a great time we had!
Needless to say I got back to Puno too late to cross the border into Bolivia so I stayed at a nice Hostel and checked out the town. There was a great pizza joint -wood fired, stone oven - and a fun reggae bar where I met a few locals and knocked back a few beers. Then it was too bed and off to Copacabana the next morning!
We all hiked up to the top of the island to check out the ruins there. The entire island is terraced into small planting fields that each family works several of with different crops in each terrace. The terracing and the ruins are all pre-Inka culture and continue to be used! The views from the top of the island were stunning. It looks more like an ocean than a lake! We had a great dinner cooked by Juana and got to know her town a bit better. The school is in dire need of computers so I may try to collect some old machines and bring them down here in the future. Overall the people on this island were very friendly, glad to see tourists and had smiles on thier faces. The kids played in the field with the pigs, ducks and chickens. I even saw a few horses too.
A touristy party was planned for the evening but a big storm rolled in and dumped about two inches of hail on us canceling the party. No worries, I needed a good night of sleep.
The next morning we awoke to a heavy rain storm and a delicious breakfast from Juana - similar to grits with fresh bread and tea. We walked down to the harbor to catch our boat to another island before returning to Puno. The swells were 3-4 feet and it was an exciting boat ride to the other island, Oruni. We hiked again to the top of the island to see some more ruins. |The ruins were not that impressive and the people didnt seem very welcoming. Our guide said it was because of the rain, but I wonder. . . .
We boarded the boat around 2pm for the 3 hour trip back to Puno. The waters had calmed and we were cruising nicely for about 45 minutes when the boats motor died on us. There we were, adrift on Lake Titicaca for about two hours - totally Gilligans Island style. Several of the other passengers got scared and angry - I had no worries. Two other tour boats stopped to pick up passengers but there was no room for the two German girls and me. We hung out another hour playing cards, drinking pisco and laughing for another hour until another boat came for us. What a great time we had!
Needless to say I got back to Puno too late to cross the border into Bolivia so I stayed at a nice Hostel and checked out the town. There was a great pizza joint -wood fired, stone oven - and a fun reggae bar where I met a few locals and knocked back a few beers. Then it was too bed and off to Copacabana the next morning!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Puno & Lake Titicaca
I took a night bus to Puno and arrived around 5AM. A guide was waiting for me and took my to his hostel for a few hours sleep. Hooked up with a killer Chliean couple and we all got a few zzz´s. At 8 we took a bus down to the marina and got stunning views of the lake. We boarded a real junkett with a group of 10 others and set out to the Uros Islands.
The Uros island are floating islands made from blocks of peat tied together and then layers of reeds piled on top. They anchor the islands with large stones so they dont float off into the lake. There are many islands with 3 to 12 families living on each one. Their homes, kitchens, beds, everything is made from the reeds. They showed us hopw they make things with the reeds and we even got to eat some! pretty bland! I took a ride on a traditional reed boat to one of the other islands where there is a small hotel of reed rooms for rent! There was even a phone on this island.
We got back on our boat and headed to a real island to stay the night with a local family.
I´ll finish this blog later . . . . . . . . . . got to sleep before headinbg to Copacabana, Bolivia!
The Uros island are floating islands made from blocks of peat tied together and then layers of reeds piled on top. They anchor the islands with large stones so they dont float off into the lake. There are many islands with 3 to 12 families living on each one. Their homes, kitchens, beds, everything is made from the reeds. They showed us hopw they make things with the reeds and we even got to eat some! pretty bland! I took a ride on a traditional reed boat to one of the other islands where there is a small hotel of reed rooms for rent! There was even a phone on this island.
We got back on our boat and headed to a real island to stay the night with a local family.
I´ll finish this blog later . . . . . . . . . . got to sleep before headinbg to Copacabana, Bolivia!
Cusco Again
The next day I slept in & had a hearty breakfast. Chilled with some folk from Norway, Chile and South Africa. We hit the market for more yummy juice and took in a few musuems. Very chill day.
The next day I rented a street legal dirt bike, XR400, and rode all the way thru the Sacred Valley checking out all the ruins, towns, markets and view points. I even got lost up above Pisaq! Luckily a friendly coca farmer pointed me in the right direction! I got back to Cusco and started plannin my trip to Lake Titicaca.
The next day I rented a street legal dirt bike, XR400, and rode all the way thru the Sacred Valley checking out all the ruins, towns, markets and view points. I even got lost up above Pisaq! Luckily a friendly coca farmer pointed me in the right direction! I got back to Cusco and started plannin my trip to Lake Titicaca.
Inka Trail days 3 & 4
The full moon last night was inspiring and I awoke with a ton of energy & ready to hike. It was pouring rain but we still had great views fo the ruins & mountains. Parts of the trail were like waterfalls because it was raining so hard. Another long climb this morning up to an beautiful cirque with a deep blue lake in the center. I made a traditional offering to the mountain god at the top and started my way across the ridgeline to the most impressive ruins yet.
These crazy people built a large city on a knife ridge with the sole pùrpose of blessing the water from the mountain. At the summit of this peak they built an aquaduct several hundred meters down to a large ceremonial room and 6 ornate fountains. Here theh priests would bless the water before it was transported via more aquaducts to fields and other villages. the ruins had amazing, tall round building and the stonework was execptional. The trail goes right past the fountain and down a very long and steep section of stairs. Down, down, down into the Inka Jungle. The trail passes thru many natural, small caves. I saw a snake, several large lizards, a gigantic spider and a mosquito the size of my outstreched hand! I hiked along with Veronica and her friends from Argentina for most of the day.
The clouds cleared in the early afternoon and the views were indescribable. These valleys are so steep and lush. There I was standing in the jungle and could see glaciers at the top of the peaks across the valley!! This may have been my favorite day on the trail because we hiked thru several climate zones and I saw so much wildlife and cool plants. There were huge vines, trees with all types of fruits growing on them and hillsides filled with bamboo. Down at the bottom of the valley the river was raging and I could see large electric lines coming from the hydro-electric station.
Down & down I hiked until I reached camp 3. What an unexpected camp - a restaraunt & bar, a hot shower and a cool museum showing all the types of flora & fauna around Machu Picchu(MP). All of the groups had dinner in the restaurant, prepared by our porters. A grand feast of steak, bbq chicken, pizza and pasta followed by a yummy chocolate pudding treat. We had a small ceremony to thank our porters for their hard work and present tehm with a gift (cash tip). Most of the group hit the sack while I shared stories and a few beers with the girls from Argentina. Lights out at 11 as we all get up at 4am to make our way to the Sun Gate above MP around dawn.
4Am comes quick, even after popping a few valium tabs:) We woke to a light rain shower but that had cleared by the time breakfast was done. A quick trip thru the final checkpoint and it was up, up, up again to the Sun Gate. Some sections of stairs were so steep I needed to use handholds to make it up. We were one of the first groups to arrive at the Sun Gate and , of course, clouds filled the valley and we couldnt see a thing. In Cusco a local shaman that I had done a Ahyausca ceromony with gave me some San Pedro and told me to take it at the Sun Gate. I drank the foul tasting liquid and waited for the effects to begin. We waited for about 30 minutes while other groups decided to head down the trail to MP. I vomited from the San Pedro and began to feel the twinges & first effects. Just then the clouds parted and our group and two others got to see the majesty of MP from the Sun Gate!!!
From this point on I still dont have the words to describe what I experienced. An amazing hike down to MP. Stopping at the high alter and making an offering of coca leaves and then stopping at a buriel site of one of the highest Inka Priests. Down & down into the terraces of MP. We started passing tourists that took the train & bus up. We made it down to the maingate and checked our backpacks into storage and began our tour of MP. The San Pedro was in full effect and I truly felt the energy the MP holds. The tour was very informative and we were all in awe. From teh high priests living quarters to the sacrificial alters to the Three Windows time keeping ruins it just kept getting better and better. The compass rock that marks a true N, S, E, W and the energy rock were outstanding. The tour lasted about 2 hours and we had free time to explore.
My orignal goal was to climb Huayanu Pichhu, the peak you see in all the photos, because there are cool ruins up there too - but there was a freight train of people going up and down the trail. That didnt seem fun and the San Pedro directed me to a smaller peak right next to it. I signed in at a checkpoint to climb the smaller peak and headed up the trail. The trail was very, very steep and in some places only 18" wide with a 500 foot drop down. I had to shimmy along a narrow ledge where a thick rope with knots in it appeared dngling off a rock. I climbed up the rope about 15 feet to continue on the trail to the summit. I saw a chinchilla, another snake, and a huge beetle on my way to the top. I reached the summit and realized I had the entire mountain to myself. I sat and meditated, had a smoke and finished off a small bottle of rum I had been carrying. A little for for and a little for Pachimama -Mother Earth- I made some prayers, for lack of a better term. Pure Magic is the only way I can describe this. So much more to say but I am not sure how to.
I climbed back down and headed to the main gate to catch my bus down to Aguas Calientes. The switchback road offered some killer views and AC is a really cool town. It sits at teh bottom of a very steep valley and there are Flash Flood Escape route signs everywhere. Locals told me about 20 people die each year in floods. I saw a group of 6 kids trying to play soccer in front of their parents stores with a wadded up ball of paper. They were having a great time. I stopped and pulled out soime cheap plastic rings i brought from the states for the girls and then popped out a flexible frisbee and tossed it to them. They were all so stoked and started screaming and shouting as they threw the frisbee around. Two of the parents were in tears thanking me for the gifts. Brought tears to my eyes.
I hiked up to check out the natural hot springs. they were far from natural, just concrete pools filled with tourists so I made my way back down to town where I found a 6 for 1 happy hour!!!! Cant beat that as I had a few hours before catching a train back to Ollyantambu. The guys at teh bar were cool and cranking heavy metal so it kinda felt like home! After my 6 beers and a pizza I headed to the train station to discover that rockslides had made all the trains late. Luckily I managed to hop on one leaving just then and made it back to Ollyantambu and then a bus back to Cusco. A hot shower at the hostel and crashed hard.
So much more I want to say but, geez.
These crazy people built a large city on a knife ridge with the sole pùrpose of blessing the water from the mountain. At the summit of this peak they built an aquaduct several hundred meters down to a large ceremonial room and 6 ornate fountains. Here theh priests would bless the water before it was transported via more aquaducts to fields and other villages. the ruins had amazing, tall round building and the stonework was execptional. The trail goes right past the fountain and down a very long and steep section of stairs. Down, down, down into the Inka Jungle. The trail passes thru many natural, small caves. I saw a snake, several large lizards, a gigantic spider and a mosquito the size of my outstreched hand! I hiked along with Veronica and her friends from Argentina for most of the day.
The clouds cleared in the early afternoon and the views were indescribable. These valleys are so steep and lush. There I was standing in the jungle and could see glaciers at the top of the peaks across the valley!! This may have been my favorite day on the trail because we hiked thru several climate zones and I saw so much wildlife and cool plants. There were huge vines, trees with all types of fruits growing on them and hillsides filled with bamboo. Down at the bottom of the valley the river was raging and I could see large electric lines coming from the hydro-electric station.
Down & down I hiked until I reached camp 3. What an unexpected camp - a restaraunt & bar, a hot shower and a cool museum showing all the types of flora & fauna around Machu Picchu(MP). All of the groups had dinner in the restaurant, prepared by our porters. A grand feast of steak, bbq chicken, pizza and pasta followed by a yummy chocolate pudding treat. We had a small ceremony to thank our porters for their hard work and present tehm with a gift (cash tip). Most of the group hit the sack while I shared stories and a few beers with the girls from Argentina. Lights out at 11 as we all get up at 4am to make our way to the Sun Gate above MP around dawn.
4Am comes quick, even after popping a few valium tabs:) We woke to a light rain shower but that had cleared by the time breakfast was done. A quick trip thru the final checkpoint and it was up, up, up again to the Sun Gate. Some sections of stairs were so steep I needed to use handholds to make it up. We were one of the first groups to arrive at the Sun Gate and , of course, clouds filled the valley and we couldnt see a thing. In Cusco a local shaman that I had done a Ahyausca ceromony with gave me some San Pedro and told me to take it at the Sun Gate. I drank the foul tasting liquid and waited for the effects to begin. We waited for about 30 minutes while other groups decided to head down the trail to MP. I vomited from the San Pedro and began to feel the twinges & first effects. Just then the clouds parted and our group and two others got to see the majesty of MP from the Sun Gate!!!
From this point on I still dont have the words to describe what I experienced. An amazing hike down to MP. Stopping at the high alter and making an offering of coca leaves and then stopping at a buriel site of one of the highest Inka Priests. Down & down into the terraces of MP. We started passing tourists that took the train & bus up. We made it down to the maingate and checked our backpacks into storage and began our tour of MP. The San Pedro was in full effect and I truly felt the energy the MP holds. The tour was very informative and we were all in awe. From teh high priests living quarters to the sacrificial alters to the Three Windows time keeping ruins it just kept getting better and better. The compass rock that marks a true N, S, E, W and the energy rock were outstanding. The tour lasted about 2 hours and we had free time to explore.
My orignal goal was to climb Huayanu Pichhu, the peak you see in all the photos, because there are cool ruins up there too - but there was a freight train of people going up and down the trail. That didnt seem fun and the San Pedro directed me to a smaller peak right next to it. I signed in at a checkpoint to climb the smaller peak and headed up the trail. The trail was very, very steep and in some places only 18" wide with a 500 foot drop down. I had to shimmy along a narrow ledge where a thick rope with knots in it appeared dngling off a rock. I climbed up the rope about 15 feet to continue on the trail to the summit. I saw a chinchilla, another snake, and a huge beetle on my way to the top. I reached the summit and realized I had the entire mountain to myself. I sat and meditated, had a smoke and finished off a small bottle of rum I had been carrying. A little for for and a little for Pachimama -Mother Earth- I made some prayers, for lack of a better term. Pure Magic is the only way I can describe this. So much more to say but I am not sure how to.
I climbed back down and headed to the main gate to catch my bus down to Aguas Calientes. The switchback road offered some killer views and AC is a really cool town. It sits at teh bottom of a very steep valley and there are Flash Flood Escape route signs everywhere. Locals told me about 20 people die each year in floods. I saw a group of 6 kids trying to play soccer in front of their parents stores with a wadded up ball of paper. They were having a great time. I stopped and pulled out soime cheap plastic rings i brought from the states for the girls and then popped out a flexible frisbee and tossed it to them. They were all so stoked and started screaming and shouting as they threw the frisbee around. Two of the parents were in tears thanking me for the gifts. Brought tears to my eyes.
I hiked up to check out the natural hot springs. they were far from natural, just concrete pools filled with tourists so I made my way back down to town where I found a 6 for 1 happy hour!!!! Cant beat that as I had a few hours before catching a train back to Ollyantambu. The guys at teh bar were cool and cranking heavy metal so it kinda felt like home! After my 6 beers and a pizza I headed to the train station to discover that rockslides had made all the trains late. Luckily I managed to hop on one leaving just then and made it back to Ollyantambu and then a bus back to Cusco. A hot shower at the hostel and crashed hard.
So much more I want to say but, geez.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Inka Trial day 1 & 2
My departure date for the complete four day Inka Trail trek to Machu Picchu was Monday the 21st. Several others from my hostel were leaving the same day but with different groups. We all ended up having a mellow night and resting up for the trek. There are a total of 400 people permitted to start the trail each day. The permits sell out well in advance as this is one of the most famous treks in the world.
I was picked up by my guide service at 6:30am and we made a few more stops to pick up the others in my group. It took until about 8:30 for everyone to be onboard & all things organized. We had a total group of 21: 11 clients, 7 porters, 1 cook, the head guide Jimy and the assistant guide David. We took the mini-bus about two hours into the Sacred Valley along the Urabamba river to a small village called Ollyantambu. The valley was gorgeous and lush with small farms and the river was raging as it is the rainy season. We had about 30 minutes at Ollyantambu to grab some food and various supplies. I bought a few chocolate bars, an extra bag of coca leaves and a small bottle of rum for the journey. Then it was back on the bus and and down river to the official starting point of the Inka Trail.
Our group consisted of myself, a retired French-Canadian couple(Richard & Madeline), a retired Argentine (Eduardo, 60 years young), a young couple from the US (Jake & Caroline), an Argentine couple (Gustavo & Laura), a young Brasilian lady (Racheal) and newly weds Nathan (USA) and Marlena(Peruvian) who just left the states to move to Lima.
The Andeas are so impressive & spectacular! Sorry to use the same superlatives over & over but there just arent words in a thesaurus to describe this experience! The jagged peaks peering through the mist, the gigantic rapids in the river and century plants shooting 30 feet high welcomed us to the Inka Trail. Day one was easy hiking as we did not climb much altitude and stopped several times to observe the fantastic ruins that practically litter the valley. Some of the largest ruins were not discovered by white people until a few years after Hiram Bingham found Machu Picchu. The sites are well preserved and awe inspiring in their construction and locations. The weather cleared for most of our first day, lunch was great and with only a small climb of about 1200 feet to our camp site I felt inspired to take on the challenge of day two. We passed several families homesteads that have been farming and raising llamas or sheep for 100s of years. All of the groups camp in similar locations and the fresh trout we had for dinner was tasty.
Day 2 invloved a 1250 meter (3,750ft) climb over Dead Woman Pass (13,450ft) and back down another 2000 feet to camp. There was a light rain most of the day and I passed some very unhappy looking people along the climb. Nearly all the trekkers hire additional porters to carry thier belongings, but not me. I had about 30 pounds of gear, food & water on my back the entire trek. The forest went from arid conditions to lush ferns and moss covered trees until about 12,000 feet where it was mostly scrubby plants. Step by step I made my way up the pass with several Argentine girls from another group - they though I was completely nuts for carry such a big load and keeping pace with them! I must say that their smiles kept me inspired:) I was the third in my group to make it to the top of the pass where Jimy was waiting (David followed along with the slowest memeber). I still felt full of energy so I dropped my pack off with Jimy and climbed another 1200 ft to a summit above the pass. Definitely the highest I have ever been. Jimy couldnt believe I had the energy to make that summit and rewarded my with a bit of "Inka Medicine" (rum) when I returned to get my pack.
Dropping down the rock stairs was grueling on my broken leg but I took it slow and easy, still arriving into camp before 5 others. The waterfalls were amazing and there purple flowers glowed like neon. Another great meal for dinner and we all prepared to watch the full moon rise over the mountain. A very impressive scene as the clouds cleared and revealed 19,000 ft peaks and Veronica glacier under the moonlight!!! Everyone was very tired and we crawled into our tents early for a good nights rest.
I cant say enough about the porters. These guys run up & down the mountains in sandals with 23 kilos of gear strapped to them. Not in backpacks but just wrapped up in blankets and bags. Unbelievable!!!!
There is so much more I want to say but still have not been able to digest it all. . . .
I was picked up by my guide service at 6:30am and we made a few more stops to pick up the others in my group. It took until about 8:30 for everyone to be onboard & all things organized. We had a total group of 21: 11 clients, 7 porters, 1 cook, the head guide Jimy and the assistant guide David. We took the mini-bus about two hours into the Sacred Valley along the Urabamba river to a small village called Ollyantambu. The valley was gorgeous and lush with small farms and the river was raging as it is the rainy season. We had about 30 minutes at Ollyantambu to grab some food and various supplies. I bought a few chocolate bars, an extra bag of coca leaves and a small bottle of rum for the journey. Then it was back on the bus and and down river to the official starting point of the Inka Trail.
Our group consisted of myself, a retired French-Canadian couple(Richard & Madeline), a retired Argentine (Eduardo, 60 years young), a young couple from the US (Jake & Caroline), an Argentine couple (Gustavo & Laura), a young Brasilian lady (Racheal) and newly weds Nathan (USA) and Marlena(Peruvian) who just left the states to move to Lima.
The Andeas are so impressive & spectacular! Sorry to use the same superlatives over & over but there just arent words in a thesaurus to describe this experience! The jagged peaks peering through the mist, the gigantic rapids in the river and century plants shooting 30 feet high welcomed us to the Inka Trail. Day one was easy hiking as we did not climb much altitude and stopped several times to observe the fantastic ruins that practically litter the valley. Some of the largest ruins were not discovered by white people until a few years after Hiram Bingham found Machu Picchu. The sites are well preserved and awe inspiring in their construction and locations. The weather cleared for most of our first day, lunch was great and with only a small climb of about 1200 feet to our camp site I felt inspired to take on the challenge of day two. We passed several families homesteads that have been farming and raising llamas or sheep for 100s of years. All of the groups camp in similar locations and the fresh trout we had for dinner was tasty.
Day 2 invloved a 1250 meter (3,750ft) climb over Dead Woman Pass (13,450ft) and back down another 2000 feet to camp. There was a light rain most of the day and I passed some very unhappy looking people along the climb. Nearly all the trekkers hire additional porters to carry thier belongings, but not me. I had about 30 pounds of gear, food & water on my back the entire trek. The forest went from arid conditions to lush ferns and moss covered trees until about 12,000 feet where it was mostly scrubby plants. Step by step I made my way up the pass with several Argentine girls from another group - they though I was completely nuts for carry such a big load and keeping pace with them! I must say that their smiles kept me inspired:) I was the third in my group to make it to the top of the pass where Jimy was waiting (David followed along with the slowest memeber). I still felt full of energy so I dropped my pack off with Jimy and climbed another 1200 ft to a summit above the pass. Definitely the highest I have ever been. Jimy couldnt believe I had the energy to make that summit and rewarded my with a bit of "Inka Medicine" (rum) when I returned to get my pack.
Dropping down the rock stairs was grueling on my broken leg but I took it slow and easy, still arriving into camp before 5 others. The waterfalls were amazing and there purple flowers glowed like neon. Another great meal for dinner and we all prepared to watch the full moon rise over the mountain. A very impressive scene as the clouds cleared and revealed 19,000 ft peaks and Veronica glacier under the moonlight!!! Everyone was very tired and we crawled into our tents early for a good nights rest.
I cant say enough about the porters. These guys run up & down the mountains in sandals with 23 kilos of gear strapped to them. Not in backpacks but just wrapped up in blankets and bags. Unbelievable!!!!
There is so much more I want to say but still have not been able to digest it all. . . .
Cusco! The cradle of the Inka culture
I arrived in Cusco very early in the morning and tired as I was not able to sleep well on the bus - even after popping a few valium pills. Cusco in an amazingly beautiful city built in an amazingly beautiful valley. The city is much larger than I expected and more touristy than I had hoped but, WOW!! All of the red tile roofs, cobblestone streets, colonial buildings built on top of the ancient Inka foundations and the ornate cathedrals are increadible. Tiny alley ways are filled with shops and restaurants catering to tourists and the Plaza de Armas is killer. Mimes, marching bands and other street performers are always around putting on a show.
The Loki Hostel here is amazing. It is a restored 450 year old building that used to be the mayors house and a wannabe governers mansion. The hostel sits high up a hill above the Plaza de Armas making for a good workout each time you walk back up. Cusco sits at about 11,000 feet so the air is thin and many people have issues with altitude sickness. Luckily I have had no problems. The hostel is huge with over 250 beds total. They issue each of us armbands so the security gaurds no who to let in. My room only has 8 beds so it is cozy with a killer view of Cusco below.
I rented a mountain bike and did a few trails, rented a horse for $5 and took it up to the Sacsayhuaman ruins, and checked out the local food market where all the cow & pig hearts, intestines, brains, heads, etc. are on display and for sale. Each morning I go to the market for a juice smoothie made with fresh bananas, apples, papaya, pineapple, beets, mangos and a few other unidentified fruits. I go to the same lady and get three full glasses for about 66 cents!!!!
The arts and craft for sale here are mostly handmade and very affordable. Alpaca sweaters for $7, killer jewelry is dirt cheap and there are thousands of unique items to choose from. I have not started buying things yet as I do not want to carry them around for the rest of my trip. The food here can be as expensive as in the states (around the Plaza de Armas) or you can get a great meal for $5 just a few block away. The preffered beer is Cusquena (similar to Harp) but I like the Cuscena Negra, their dark beer. The most popular soda is Inca Cola - much more poular than Coca Cola. It tastes like cream soda with bubble gum flavor added to it. I dont care for it much. The local moonshine is called Cunasco and I'm sure I could run my truck on it!
The street vendors here are pushy, especially the 8 year olds out trying to sell gum & candy at 2AM. Every street corner has a person yelling "llamadas!" selling individual calls on cell phones. The police keep better control of traffic here and it is much safer to cross the streets than in Lima.
My first night here I fell victim to a scam. I was pretty blitzed in a disco when an extremly beautiful Peruvian girl came up to me running her hands through my hair, telling me how sexy I was and grinding on me on the dance floor. I thought it was too good to be true - and it was. She was in cahoots with the bartender, the taxi driver, the doorman & bartender at another bar. Luckily I escaped any harm and was only out about $80 before I realized she was pumping me for cash for sex. I made my way back to the hostel and the security gaurd knew i had been scammed and had a good laugh at my expense. Another lesson learned....
I have met travelers from over 30 countries. I have spent a lot of time with several cool Canadian kids I met in Lima and a group of girls from Argetina and nice lady from Iceland. I really like this Hostel style of traveling as opposed to regular hotels. It is much easier to meet people when you have to share bedrooms and bathrooms every day.
Next step in my adventure is the four day Inka Trail trek to Machu Picchu. Pics and more blog coming soon. I'ts almost 5AM and time for me to sleep. . . .
Stay tuned
The Loki Hostel here is amazing. It is a restored 450 year old building that used to be the mayors house and a wannabe governers mansion. The hostel sits high up a hill above the Plaza de Armas making for a good workout each time you walk back up. Cusco sits at about 11,000 feet so the air is thin and many people have issues with altitude sickness. Luckily I have had no problems. The hostel is huge with over 250 beds total. They issue each of us armbands so the security gaurds no who to let in. My room only has 8 beds so it is cozy with a killer view of Cusco below.
I rented a mountain bike and did a few trails, rented a horse for $5 and took it up to the Sacsayhuaman ruins, and checked out the local food market where all the cow & pig hearts, intestines, brains, heads, etc. are on display and for sale. Each morning I go to the market for a juice smoothie made with fresh bananas, apples, papaya, pineapple, beets, mangos and a few other unidentified fruits. I go to the same lady and get three full glasses for about 66 cents!!!!
The arts and craft for sale here are mostly handmade and very affordable. Alpaca sweaters for $7, killer jewelry is dirt cheap and there are thousands of unique items to choose from. I have not started buying things yet as I do not want to carry them around for the rest of my trip. The food here can be as expensive as in the states (around the Plaza de Armas) or you can get a great meal for $5 just a few block away. The preffered beer is Cusquena (similar to Harp) but I like the Cuscena Negra, their dark beer. The most popular soda is Inca Cola - much more poular than Coca Cola. It tastes like cream soda with bubble gum flavor added to it. I dont care for it much. The local moonshine is called Cunasco and I'm sure I could run my truck on it!
The street vendors here are pushy, especially the 8 year olds out trying to sell gum & candy at 2AM. Every street corner has a person yelling "llamadas!" selling individual calls on cell phones. The police keep better control of traffic here and it is much safer to cross the streets than in Lima.
My first night here I fell victim to a scam. I was pretty blitzed in a disco when an extremly beautiful Peruvian girl came up to me running her hands through my hair, telling me how sexy I was and grinding on me on the dance floor. I thought it was too good to be true - and it was. She was in cahoots with the bartender, the taxi driver, the doorman & bartender at another bar. Luckily I escaped any harm and was only out about $80 before I realized she was pumping me for cash for sex. I made my way back to the hostel and the security gaurd knew i had been scammed and had a good laugh at my expense. Another lesson learned....
I have met travelers from over 30 countries. I have spent a lot of time with several cool Canadian kids I met in Lima and a group of girls from Argetina and nice lady from Iceland. I really like this Hostel style of traveling as opposed to regular hotels. It is much easier to meet people when you have to share bedrooms and bathrooms every day.
Next step in my adventure is the four day Inka Trail trek to Machu Picchu. Pics and more blog coming soon. I'ts almost 5AM and time for me to sleep. . . .
Stay tuned
Arequipa...The days are starting to blur. . . .
Arequipa is a very beautiful city, the second largest city in Peru with just over 1 million people. Most of the buildings in the center of town are all built from natural white volcanic sillar stone and are very impressive. There are two large volcanos next to the city but El Misti dominates all the views. Unfortunately it was raining and cloudy the entire time we were there so we never got to see the postcard views. I tried to arrange a trek to the summit of El Misti but the guides said there was too much snow above 5000 meters so I could not go. I also asked about the Colca Canyon tour but was told the clouds had settled into the canyon and there were no views and the condors were hiding in the cliffs so I passed on that tour as well.
We all decided to visit a famous monestary that was built almost 500 years ago and has continuously been added on to. All the different architectural styles over the centuries are represented and the entire complex is a real maze of corridors, rooms and kitchens. Some places felt like a live M.C. Escher design with stairs and corridors that lead to nowhere! What an amazing place to play hide and seek all day long! The artworks and cathedral were very impressive. There are still many nuns living in the convent maintaining their vows of silence. The flower gardens were spectacular as was the ornate tile work and details on the newer buildings. A very cool place to check out.
The night life in Arequipa was a bit slow but our group of 6 Brazilians, an Argentine and myself managed to turn the dial up a few notches. The city seemed very safe even late at night and we only experienced a minor incedent in one of the discos.
The Hostel we stayed at was family owned and very clean. The only issue was that their hot water heater was solar powered. The sun did not shine the entire time we were there so a quick cold shower was best way to wake up each morning. The family was very nice and their pet parrot was more than happy to sit on my shoulder squawking HOLA! He didn't seem to like Carla so much and would start to nip at her as he climbed up her arm.
The food was great, the city was nice, Carla's cousin and friend were a lot of fun but we were all dissapointed that we didnt get to see El Misti. Gabriel left for Cusco on the second night as his vacation time was running short and he need to see Machu Picchu. After three night in Arequipa it was time to part ways with my new Brasilian friends. They were all headed to Chile while I was set to go see Machu Picchu near Cusco. It was very sad saying goodbye and I miss you all very much. I hope to meet up with you all in La Paz, Bolivia at the end of January. BIG HUGS & KISSES to Carla, Bel, Machi, Rafaela, Mi and even to you Pedro!!!
I booked an overnight bus to Cusco, said my goodbyes and continued my adventure. . .
We all decided to visit a famous monestary that was built almost 500 years ago and has continuously been added on to. All the different architectural styles over the centuries are represented and the entire complex is a real maze of corridors, rooms and kitchens. Some places felt like a live M.C. Escher design with stairs and corridors that lead to nowhere! What an amazing place to play hide and seek all day long! The artworks and cathedral were very impressive. There are still many nuns living in the convent maintaining their vows of silence. The flower gardens were spectacular as was the ornate tile work and details on the newer buildings. A very cool place to check out.
The night life in Arequipa was a bit slow but our group of 6 Brazilians, an Argentine and myself managed to turn the dial up a few notches. The city seemed very safe even late at night and we only experienced a minor incedent in one of the discos.
The Hostel we stayed at was family owned and very clean. The only issue was that their hot water heater was solar powered. The sun did not shine the entire time we were there so a quick cold shower was best way to wake up each morning. The family was very nice and their pet parrot was more than happy to sit on my shoulder squawking HOLA! He didn't seem to like Carla so much and would start to nip at her as he climbed up her arm.
The food was great, the city was nice, Carla's cousin and friend were a lot of fun but we were all dissapointed that we didnt get to see El Misti. Gabriel left for Cusco on the second night as his vacation time was running short and he need to see Machu Picchu. After three night in Arequipa it was time to part ways with my new Brasilian friends. They were all headed to Chile while I was set to go see Machu Picchu near Cusco. It was very sad saying goodbye and I miss you all very much. I hope to meet up with you all in La Paz, Bolivia at the end of January. BIG HUGS & KISSES to Carla, Bel, Machi, Rafaela, Mi and even to you Pedro!!!
I booked an overnight bus to Cusco, said my goodbyes and continued my adventure. . .
Monday, January 14, 2008
Day 8
The long bus ride went well. The seats were comfy and reclined for sleeping. The dinner & breakfast were weak but not as bad as the Steven Seagall movie they showed:) The best part of the trip was at the begining & end when the bus attendand came over the loud speaker - she referred to the drivers as pilots and our trip as a flight, all the while a recorded jet engine sound in the background. So ridiculous.
We(still with my Brasilian friends) arrived in Arequipa mid morning, made it to a nice hostel and went out for lunch in the main square - every city here calls it Plaza de Armas. I enjoyed my Alpaca steak - not as yummy as beef but pretty good. The others were not impressed with their pasta dishes, but $3 lunches are hard to beat. I will try Cuy tomorrow (guinea pig) a local delicacy.
We then hit a museum to see an Incan mummy that has been frozen for over 500 years. She was a young girl sacrificed to the mountain god and was only discovered as the snow cap melted off of the 16,000 foot peak. She is kept at -20 celcius and in very good condition. Her hair looks better than mine:) I didn´t expect to see a mummy in Peru!
Tonight may be wild as we are meeting up with a cousin of Carla and his friends. A day or two here trekking in Colca Canyon (the deepest in the world) or climbing El Misti volcano-not sure yet. Then off to Cusco & Machu Picchu!
We(still with my Brasilian friends) arrived in Arequipa mid morning, made it to a nice hostel and went out for lunch in the main square - every city here calls it Plaza de Armas. I enjoyed my Alpaca steak - not as yummy as beef but pretty good. The others were not impressed with their pasta dishes, but $3 lunches are hard to beat. I will try Cuy tomorrow (guinea pig) a local delicacy.
We then hit a museum to see an Incan mummy that has been frozen for over 500 years. She was a young girl sacrificed to the mountain god and was only discovered as the snow cap melted off of the 16,000 foot peak. She is kept at -20 celcius and in very good condition. Her hair looks better than mine:) I didn´t expect to see a mummy in Peru!
Tonight may be wild as we are meeting up with a cousin of Carla and his friends. A day or two here trekking in Colca Canyon (the deepest in the world) or climbing El Misti volcano-not sure yet. Then off to Cusco & Machu Picchu!
Day 5 & 6\7
This morning nine of us took a bus to a true locals surfing beach we heard about called Cerro Azul. It is about 3 hours south of Lima, maybe 1000 residents and was hit hard by the major earthquake back in August. Many building were still in rubble, the town had been without water for two months after the quake but the people were so friendly and happy to see us. We asked if it was safe to walk around at night and everyone said, "absolutely" but when we asked about nightime bus service to& from a nearby town called Asia we were told that they dont come at night because it was too dangerous! Go figure.
We arrived in the late afternoon so decided to stay mellow and have an early dinner. The ceviche (raw white fish marinated in lime juice) was increadibly tasty. The clams, shrimp and mussels were also great. There is something about watching your food come right out of the water and onto your plate. I´ll eat more fish on this trip than I have in all my life combined!!
The hostel we chose was also very clean & comfortable-and only US$7 each. The best part was the instant hot shower head with exposed wires - yeah, I got zapped a few times:) At least we had hot water - many places there still did not.
We woke up the next morning and went straight to the beach. The sand was hot but the water was cool. I caught a few good waves body surfing and all of caught a good sunburn. The equatorial sun is intense. More ceviche and other seafood and then is was tim e to head about 20 minutes North to an area called.
We took a public bus to Asia and when I arrived I felt like I was in an entirely different world. Picture a gigantic open air, luxury shopping mall. Rotating billboards, car dealerships, fancy clothing stores, high end restaurants, the best night clubs, etc. We were greated with free drinks, free food (sushi, brie, caviar) free internet, free this & that. This place was built for the wealthiest people of Lima to shop & play at. It is too far from Lima for the poorer people to get there. Mercedes, Lexus and Audis filled the parking lots.
There was a surf & skate expo going on so we saw some great skating, a popular Peruvian rap group and was given free T-shirts from the sponsors. We had a great meal and hit the clubs when they opened, around 10pm. The clubs were packed with beatiful people wearing glamorous clothes - I felt pretty out of place:) We left around 6am and the clubs were more crowded than earlier in the night! Not just a few but all 25 clubs were still raging! I dont think LA goes off this hard!!!
Another short nite of sleep followed by a swin in the ocean and then we all headed back to Lima to catch an overnight, 14 hour bus to Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru.
This morning nine of us took a bus to a true locals surfing beach we heard about called Cerro Azul. It is about 3 hours south of Lima, maybe 1000 residents and was hit hard by the major earthquake back in August. Many building were still in rubble, the town had been without water for two months after the quake but the people were so friendly and happy to see us. We asked if it was safe to walk around at night and everyone said, "absolutely" but when we asked about nightime bus service to& from a nearby town called Asia we were told that they dont come at night because it was too dangerous! Go figure.
We arrived in the late afternoon so decided to stay mellow and have an early dinner. The ceviche (raw white fish marinated in lime juice) was increadibly tasty. The clams, shrimp and mussels were also great. There is something about watching your food come right out of the water and onto your plate. I´ll eat more fish on this trip than I have in all my life combined!!
The hostel we chose was also very clean & comfortable-and only US$7 each. The best part was the instant hot shower head with exposed wires - yeah, I got zapped a few times:) At least we had hot water - many places there still did not.
We woke up the next morning and went straight to the beach. The sand was hot but the water was cool. I caught a few good waves body surfing and all of caught a good sunburn. The equatorial sun is intense. More ceviche and other seafood and then is was tim e to head about 20 minutes North to an area called.
We took a public bus to Asia and when I arrived I felt like I was in an entirely different world. Picture a gigantic open air, luxury shopping mall. Rotating billboards, car dealerships, fancy clothing stores, high end restaurants, the best night clubs, etc. We were greated with free drinks, free food (sushi, brie, caviar) free internet, free this & that. This place was built for the wealthiest people of Lima to shop & play at. It is too far from Lima for the poorer people to get there. Mercedes, Lexus and Audis filled the parking lots.
There was a surf & skate expo going on so we saw some great skating, a popular Peruvian rap group and was given free T-shirts from the sponsors. We had a great meal and hit the clubs when they opened, around 10pm. The clubs were packed with beatiful people wearing glamorous clothes - I felt pretty out of place:) We left around 6am and the clubs were more crowded than earlier in the night! Not just a few but all 25 clubs were still raging! I dont think LA goes off this hard!!!
Another short nite of sleep followed by a swin in the ocean and then we all headed back to Lima to catch an overnight, 14 hour bus to Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru.
Day 4
I only had a few short hours of sleep before I met the Brasilian kids again for a tour fo the Archeology Musuem. The weavings, metal works and pottery were amazing. They had an Incan Chiefs´ solid gold headress, earings and chest plate on display that was really impressive. I spent the remainder of the day finalizing travel plans, reading and taking a much needed nap. Later we all ended up going to an American style rock & roll club with at least half of the people staying at the Hostel. Yep, we all saw the sunrise again.
I only had a few short hours of sleep before I met the Brasilian kids again for a tour fo the Archeology Musuem. The weavings, metal works and pottery were amazing. They had an Incan Chiefs´ solid gold headress, earings and chest plate on display that was really impressive. I spent the remainder of the day finalizing travel plans, reading and taking a much needed nap. Later we all ended up going to an American style rock & roll club with at least half of the people staying at the Hostel. Yep, we all saw the sunrise again.
Day 3
I was able to sleep in a bit and awoke without a hangover:) I joined 4 of my Brasilian friends on a trip to the Historic center of Lima to see the Plaza de Armas & the gigantic shopping aveneues. We took public buses there, or tried to, and ended up getting off in the "wrong" part of downtown. A short taxi ride and we were back on track. The architecture is very impressive-Colonial style, and all the building are in remarkable condition. The locals are very friendly and even the police were helpful answering questions from their armored vehicles with .50 caliber machine guns mounted on them. The street vendors here are the most aggressive I have ever encountered-wish I could hire some of them to work for me.
We went to the National Art Museum afterwards to see works from famous Peruvian artists. I was most impressed with some of the sculptures that stood more than 30 feet high! The art museum building & grounds were beautiful with all of the fountains and flowers blooming. There were street performers and artists all around. I was very impressed with Lima as all my research indicated that it was a dirty city full of petty thieves & rapists. I doubt it is no worse than Newark, NJ:)
Though walking around with 4 beautiful girls even I got sick of all the cat calls and jeerz from all the men. Really glad I dont ever have to put up with that!
We grabbed a cab and headed back to the beach in Miraflores near the Hostel. Miraflores is a swank district with nice places to eat & drink, trendy shopping and yes, all the fast food chains from the US-yuk! The district sits atop large cliffs overlooking the ocean- very nice 1500sf condos sell for about US$45,000. Pretty tempting:)
Another night of clubbing till dawn ensued- luckily the US$ goes a long way here and most things are much more affordable here.
I was able to sleep in a bit and awoke without a hangover:) I joined 4 of my Brasilian friends on a trip to the Historic center of Lima to see the Plaza de Armas & the gigantic shopping aveneues. We took public buses there, or tried to, and ended up getting off in the "wrong" part of downtown. A short taxi ride and we were back on track. The architecture is very impressive-Colonial style, and all the building are in remarkable condition. The locals are very friendly and even the police were helpful answering questions from their armored vehicles with .50 caliber machine guns mounted on them. The street vendors here are the most aggressive I have ever encountered-wish I could hire some of them to work for me.
We went to the National Art Museum afterwards to see works from famous Peruvian artists. I was most impressed with some of the sculptures that stood more than 30 feet high! The art museum building & grounds were beautiful with all of the fountains and flowers blooming. There were street performers and artists all around. I was very impressed with Lima as all my research indicated that it was a dirty city full of petty thieves & rapists. I doubt it is no worse than Newark, NJ:)
Though walking around with 4 beautiful girls even I got sick of all the cat calls and jeerz from all the men. Really glad I dont ever have to put up with that!
We grabbed a cab and headed back to the beach in Miraflores near the Hostel. Miraflores is a swank district with nice places to eat & drink, trendy shopping and yes, all the fast food chains from the US-yuk! The district sits atop large cliffs overlooking the ocean- very nice 1500sf condos sell for about US$45,000. Pretty tempting:)
Another night of clubbing till dawn ensued- luckily the US$ goes a long way here and most things are much more affordable here.
Day 1 & 2
Hi all!Sorry for the mass email but I have not had time to set up my blog page yet.
My adventure started on Sunday the 6th trying to drive from Durango toDenver during a major winter storm. 3-4 feet of wet, heavy snow fellacross the San Juans closing every pass out of Durango. The onlyoptions were to drive thru Moab, UT or Santa Fe/Albuquerque (which I took] to get to Denver. The roads were treacherous, vehicles littered the highways and after an 11 hour drive I finally arrived in Denver. The weather was fine in Denver on Monday and my flight to Houston then Lima went fine. I blazed thru customs but the taxi ride to my hostel was insane! Every single one of the 10 million residents here drive with complete disregard to signals, signs, lanes and other vehicles -each trip in a taxi is an exciting & scary proposition.
The Loki Lima hostel is really nice & clean, for a hostel. The showers are hot, the beds are comfy and the bar/rec area is sweet. It is located next to the central park in the Miraflores district, amodern & very beautiful part of Lima. I arrived around 1AM to a large party in the bar and quickly made friends with others from Brasil,Argentina, Ireland, New Zealand and the US. Today, four of us walked down an old cobblestone road a few blocks to the beach. The sun was hot and the water was cold with strong currents. It was great to swim in the ocean in January! We met four lovely local girls that took us to their favorite spots for ceviche,the national dish, and pisco sours, the national drink. We hung out with them for the amazing sunset and an early dinner. After a shortnap and shower I went out with a group of seven beautiful Brazilian girls and two other guys to a trendy techno dance club where we danced our butts off until we were dripping with sweat.
I have barely been here 30 hours and my Spanish skills have tripled.I'm starting to remember lessons from all those classes in college. I think I will stay in Lima for another two days as I am having a great time, meeting exceptional people and enjoying being in a huge city. I will try to set up the blog and post pictures tomorrow- I will send you all the links when ready.
Hasta luego,
Scott
Hi all!Sorry for the mass email but I have not had time to set up my blog page yet.
My adventure started on Sunday the 6th trying to drive from Durango toDenver during a major winter storm. 3-4 feet of wet, heavy snow fellacross the San Juans closing every pass out of Durango. The onlyoptions were to drive thru Moab, UT or Santa Fe/Albuquerque (which I took] to get to Denver. The roads were treacherous, vehicles littered the highways and after an 11 hour drive I finally arrived in Denver. The weather was fine in Denver on Monday and my flight to Houston then Lima went fine. I blazed thru customs but the taxi ride to my hostel was insane! Every single one of the 10 million residents here drive with complete disregard to signals, signs, lanes and other vehicles -each trip in a taxi is an exciting & scary proposition.
The Loki Lima hostel is really nice & clean, for a hostel. The showers are hot, the beds are comfy and the bar/rec area is sweet. It is located next to the central park in the Miraflores district, amodern & very beautiful part of Lima. I arrived around 1AM to a large party in the bar and quickly made friends with others from Brasil,Argentina, Ireland, New Zealand and the US. Today, four of us walked down an old cobblestone road a few blocks to the beach. The sun was hot and the water was cold with strong currents. It was great to swim in the ocean in January! We met four lovely local girls that took us to their favorite spots for ceviche,the national dish, and pisco sours, the national drink. We hung out with them for the amazing sunset and an early dinner. After a shortnap and shower I went out with a group of seven beautiful Brazilian girls and two other guys to a trendy techno dance club where we danced our butts off until we were dripping with sweat.
I have barely been here 30 hours and my Spanish skills have tripled.I'm starting to remember lessons from all those classes in college. I think I will stay in Lima for another two days as I am having a great time, meeting exceptional people and enjoying being in a huge city. I will try to set up the blog and post pictures tomorrow- I will send you all the links when ready.
Hasta luego,
Scott
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