Sunday, June 27, 2010
6/26 - Fly Lima to Home
6 hour flight back from Lima to Miami, then 2-hour drive back to Naples. Our own bed after staying in 6 hotels in 11 days!
Peruvian Food
Our travel guide sent us a DVD about Peruvian food. They say it is unique, and could become a global item...like Italian or Japanese or Chinese have done.
I ate alpaco tenderloin one evening. It was very good. It tasted different from anything. It was like a regular steak, but had a different texture and different flavor. Hard to put my figure on how to characterize it. I will say that it definitely was the best alpaco that I ever ate.
Our other favorite was ceviche. This is cubes of seafood not cooked, but marinated in some sort of acid-based liquid...lemon/lime/orange marinade. This was light and refreshing everywhere we tried it.
I ate alpaco tenderloin one evening. It was very good. It tasted different from anything. It was like a regular steak, but had a different texture and different flavor. Hard to put my figure on how to characterize it. I will say that it definitely was the best alpaco that I ever ate.
Our other favorite was ceviche. This is cubes of seafood not cooked, but marinated in some sort of acid-based liquid...lemon/lime/orange marinade. This was light and refreshing everywhere we tried it.
Inti Raymi Photos 3
1) The Inca removes a llama heart as a sacrifice. (They say this was faked.)
2) Dave and Kathleen.
3) Rick and Phyllis near the characters.
6/24 - Inti Raymi Festival
Inti Raymi is a celebration of the winter soltice. The significance is that from here onward the sun will visit the earth longer each day. The Incas used this as a celebration that also enabled them to have the tribes from the 4-corners to report into the Inca on their status.
The Inti Raym celebration has three parts, all in different locations. The 3rd part is at Scsayhuaman. We paid to have reserved bleacher seat and a guide. Our guide, Valentin, was able to get us a great spot for observing the start of the party representing the Sun. This was on the grounds of the temple of the Sun (Korikancha). Here they began the greeting of the sun with music and dancing.
You could just attend the 3rd part and get the total experience. The 3rd part took about 2 hours. There is lots of dancing, music and costumes.
The Inti Raym celebration has three parts, all in different locations. The 3rd part is at Scsayhuaman. We paid to have reserved bleacher seat and a guide. Our guide, Valentin, was able to get us a great spot for observing the start of the party representing the Sun. This was on the grounds of the temple of the Sun (Korikancha). Here they began the greeting of the sun with music and dancing.
You could just attend the 3rd part and get the total experience. The 3rd part took about 2 hours. There is lots of dancing, music and costumes.
6/23 - Cusco
We slept in and had a half day tour in Cusco.
We went to an area where the Inti Raymi fesstival would be held the next day, called Sacsayhuaman. (This sounds like "sexy woman" when spoken.)
This area was a gathering area. The stone work was amazing. It is sad that much of the stonework was removed by the Spanish to build their churches.
We went to an area where the Inti Raymi fesstival would be held the next day, called Sacsayhuaman. (This sounds like "sexy woman" when spoken.)
This area was a gathering area. The stone work was amazing. It is sad that much of the stonework was removed by the Spanish to build their churches.
The "Incas"
The people who we refer to as the Incas were known in their language (Quechua) as the Tawantinsuyo. Most of Peruvians speak Spanish, but the mountain people still speak Quechua as their main language, but they learn Spanish as a second language. Our guide had Quechua as his native language.
It is strange that we call this empire the Inca Empire. Inca is a translation of their word for king or ruler, not for the Tawantinsuyo people. So that would be like us calling the British Empire the "King Empire." However, the name Inca has stuck.
Further the Incas were only the 5th part of 5 different evolving cultures. The Incas lasted only about 100 years from 1420 or so to 1520 or so. It was the 4 previous versions that enabled them to be so advanced.
It is strange that we call this empire the Inca Empire. Inca is a translation of their word for king or ruler, not for the Tawantinsuyo people. So that would be like us calling the British Empire the "King Empire." However, the name Inca has stuck.
Further the Incas were only the 5th part of 5 different evolving cultures. The Incas lasted only about 100 years from 1420 or so to 1520 or so. It was the 4 previous versions that enabled them to be so advanced.
6/22 Photos
1) Kathleen, Phyllis and Elaine at Sun Gate, with Machu Picchu in valley below.
2) Phyllis with our guide.
6/22 - Second Day in Machu Picchu
This was a free day where we could chose to revisit Machu Picchu. Kathleen and Phyllis and Elaine decided to go back up to Machu Picchu to take one of the Inca trails up to the "Sun Gate." In order to do this, they had to catch the bus at about 4:00 am...the 3rd of these early wake-ups of the trip.
Rick and I decided to sleep in. We went up later on the bus, then walked down the trail to the valley. The valley is at 2000 meters (6600 feet) and Machu Picchu is at 2400 meters (7800 feet), so we went down 1200 feet. I suspect that was about 200o steps. Wisdom that comes with age says that you decide to walk down instead of up.
Kathleen and her friends saw the sun rise. She says it was spectacular, with rays radiating outward in steps as it became more and more intense. She only took the small camera, so we do not have great pictures of it. The others may have some better pictures of it that we'll post later.
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We then had a train ride back that evening from Agua Calientes to Lima. Normally that would have been a 4-hour train ride. However, because of the floods, we had to leave the train after 2 hours and take mini buses for the last half. This was miserable. Half of the ride was on bumpy dirt roads. And we were going up 50% in altitude. Rick and I both either had air within our bodies or something that made us question whether or not we would arrive without an unfortunate problem. Bed and our own room were quite welcome that evening as we got in about midnight.
Rick and I decided to sleep in. We went up later on the bus, then walked down the trail to the valley. The valley is at 2000 meters (6600 feet) and Machu Picchu is at 2400 meters (7800 feet), so we went down 1200 feet. I suspect that was about 200o steps. Wisdom that comes with age says that you decide to walk down instead of up.
Kathleen and her friends saw the sun rise. She says it was spectacular, with rays radiating outward in steps as it became more and more intense. She only took the small camera, so we do not have great pictures of it. The others may have some better pictures of it that we'll post later.
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We then had a train ride back that evening from Agua Calientes to Lima. Normally that would have been a 4-hour train ride. However, because of the floods, we had to leave the train after 2 hours and take mini buses for the last half. This was miserable. Half of the ride was on bumpy dirt roads. And we were going up 50% in altitude. Rick and I both either had air within our bodies or something that made us question whether or not we would arrive without an unfortunate problem. Bed and our own room were quite welcome that evening as we got in about midnight.
Machu Picchu Photos 3
1) Kathleen
2 & 3) Kathleen and Dave
4) The "three windows"
5) A room with the roof restored
Machu Picchu Photos 2
1) Interesting peaks in the area
2) Dave over Machu Picchu
3) Amazing how they fit the big stones together so tightly
4) Dave and Rick
Machu Picchu Photos 1
1) Kathleen and Dave
2) Machu Picchu
3) Kathleen and Dave again
4) Main entry gate to Machu Pichhu
6/21 - Machu Picchu
For the second time on this trip, we had to be up and ready to go at 4:00 am! We had to pack limited luggage (like a carry-on for an airplane) for the next two days, with the rest sent back to Lima.
We were to have a 2-hour train ride to Agua Calientes. However, the floods that happened in this area 2 to 4 months ago have left their mark. There are still 19 places along the railroad tracks between Cusco and Agua Calientes that are washed out. So what was to have been a simple walk to the train station for a 2-hour train ride, ended up being a bus ride to a collection point. Then we got onto a caravan of mini buses to "ride" to the next train station along the track. This ride took about 45 minutes. On part of it, the buses drove on the railroad tacks! This was a bit bumpy. And a few times the line of buses would stop without explanation. I don't know if a bus fell into a ditch or what happened. Finally reached the train station for about a train trip of about 1 1/2 hours.
So we left our bags at the new hotel (we stayed in 6 different hotels in 11 nights on the total trip!) and took a 25-minute bus ride up the switch-back road up from Agua Calientes to Machu Picchu.
We had about 3-1/2 hours guided tour of Machu Picchu. Lots of pictures above.
There is a nice video available (as on Netflix) called "the ghosts of Machu Picchu" that show the site, the hidden construction and the history that is worthwhile to watch.
We were to have a 2-hour train ride to Agua Calientes. However, the floods that happened in this area 2 to 4 months ago have left their mark. There are still 19 places along the railroad tracks between Cusco and Agua Calientes that are washed out. So what was to have been a simple walk to the train station for a 2-hour train ride, ended up being a bus ride to a collection point. Then we got onto a caravan of mini buses to "ride" to the next train station along the track. This ride took about 45 minutes. On part of it, the buses drove on the railroad tacks! This was a bit bumpy. And a few times the line of buses would stop without explanation. I don't know if a bus fell into a ditch or what happened. Finally reached the train station for about a train trip of about 1 1/2 hours.
So we left our bags at the new hotel (we stayed in 6 different hotels in 11 nights on the total trip!) and took a 25-minute bus ride up the switch-back road up from Agua Calientes to Machu Picchu.
We had about 3-1/2 hours guided tour of Machu Picchu. Lots of pictures above.
There is a nice video available (as on Netflix) called "the ghosts of Machu Picchu" that show the site, the hidden construction and the history that is worthwhile to watch.
6/20 - Fly Lima to Cusco
We had a morning flight from Lima to Cusco...about an hour flight. Cusco has a population of about 400,000. The altitude is about 3,600 meters (about 11,000 feet). This is higher than Machu Picchu.
Some of our group had taken altitude medicine. We did not. We did okay without. You just walk slowly and rest often. We did get out of breath easily, and perhaps have slight head aches, but is was not too bad as long as we were careful. The people who took the meds experienced some palsy-like shaking of their hands. Net, I favor the "without meds" approach.
We stopped in the Sacred Valley along the way. There was a local "farmers market" in the indian village of Pisac. Lots of interesting local outfits on folks who came in from the area to sell their goods or purchase local produce.
It is about 4 hours from Cusco to Agua Calientes...the town in the valley besides Machu Picchu. We overnighted in a town about halfway in between called Ollantavtambo. .
Some of our group had taken altitude medicine. We did not. We did okay without. You just walk slowly and rest often. We did get out of breath easily, and perhaps have slight head aches, but is was not too bad as long as we were careful. The people who took the meds experienced some palsy-like shaking of their hands. Net, I favor the "without meds" approach.
We stopped in the Sacred Valley along the way. There was a local "farmers market" in the indian village of Pisac. Lots of interesting local outfits on folks who came in from the area to sell their goods or purchase local produce.
It is about 4 hours from Cusco to Agua Calientes...the town in the valley besides Machu Picchu. We overnighted in a town about halfway in between called Ollantavtambo. .
6/19 - Drive Back from Nasca to Lima
This time we made it in about 7 hours on the road. We stopped at Regional Archaeolog Museum in Ica. Back in Miaflores we had dinner at a traditional Peruvian restaurant with local dancers.
Burial Sites
Looking at the mummies at the Chauchilla Cemetery. Yes, these are real bodies. They are in sitting position, and wrapped in heavy in layers of cloth. The sun bleaches out the bones.
Nasca Lines Photos
1) Kathleen and Dave in the airplane.
2) Kathleen standing beside the airplane.
3) One of the lines: the monkey. (The photos did not show up particularly well.)
4) An alpaca (I think). I supposed to know the difference vs a llama, but I'm not that confident.
6/18 - Nasca Lines
Today we had an overflight of the Nasca lines. These figures in the sand can be as big as the size of a football field. The mystery is how they did these and also why they made them, since (they say) the figures are only visible from the air.
We had about a half hour in a two passenger airplane. Kathleen was pleased that she could overcome her apprehensions about flying in general, and small planes in particlar, to have this experience.
What is interesting is that these figures have lasted so long. The trick seems to be that the sand is very dense, so it does not want to move. Further, the winds are strong and change direction daily, so any deposits in the line are blown out. Finally, this area of the world has the least rain. So no water problem moves the sand.
Later in the day we visited the Chauchilla Cemetery. Since the area is so dry, the bodies can be preserved easily. Many of the graves have been dug up for the treasures, so the sites were highly disturbed. Bodies were buried in a sitting position and notice the hair. Before going back to the hotel we visited the Aqueducts of Cantayoe.
Photos above.
We had about a half hour in a two passenger airplane. Kathleen was pleased that she could overcome her apprehensions about flying in general, and small planes in particlar, to have this experience.
What is interesting is that these figures have lasted so long. The trick seems to be that the sand is very dense, so it does not want to move. Further, the winds are strong and change direction daily, so any deposits in the line are blown out. Finally, this area of the world has the least rain. So no water problem moves the sand.
Later in the day we visited the Chauchilla Cemetery. Since the area is so dry, the bodies can be preserved easily. Many of the graves have been dug up for the treasures, so the sites were highly disturbed. Bodies were buried in a sitting position and notice the hair. Before going back to the hotel we visited the Aqueducts of Cantayoe.
Photos above.
Photos
4) Kathleen with local flowers in Lima
3) Birds on Ballestas Island
3) Birds on Ballestas Island
2) Sea lion on Ballestas Island
1) Dave and Kathleen at oasis
6/17 - Drive to Nasca
This day started way too early. We had to be up and packed and ready to hop on a bus at 4:00 am. We did have a full-size bus for the 7 of us, and there was a toilet, so that part was good. We had what was claimed to be 7 hours of total road time to get to Nasca, with several stops along the way.
About 2 hours into the trip, we got a flat tire. Since the bus had double tires, we were able to continue until we reached a place to get the tire fixed. So it was still dark, we were parked in a hard dirt area near a gas station while several locals crawled under the bus to remove the tire. The removal technique involved lots of metal tools and banging on items.
The delay meant that we were about an hour late for a boat ride, with about 25 other people waiting for us on the boat. (We felt a little guilty that we made them wait.)
This boat trip was to the Ballestas Islands, that they referred to as the "poor man's Gilapagos." That was a bit of overbilling. The island had some sea lions, but about 1 million birds. The bird poop for fetilizer. They only collect it once every 5 years. Any more frequently and it might cause the birds to leave. So the smell, even from a boat, was a bit pungent.
The next stop was at a winery. This was a nice stop. They let us sample wines and buy some. One interesting product that they have is called "pisco." It is a distilled wine with about 45% alcohol content. You can drink it straight, but the most popular form is in pisco sours. This is available in almost all Peruvian restaurants.
Our third stop was at the Huacachina Oasis. This was a lake in the middle of a desert. The Nasca area is the driest area in the world. Once it had only 5 minutes during a 3 year period.
We finally arrived at our hotel at about 8:00 pm. So we had been "engaged" for 16 hours, and the 7-hour ride took over 9 hours on the road.
About 2 hours into the trip, we got a flat tire. Since the bus had double tires, we were able to continue until we reached a place to get the tire fixed. So it was still dark, we were parked in a hard dirt area near a gas station while several locals crawled under the bus to remove the tire. The removal technique involved lots of metal tools and banging on items.
The delay meant that we were about an hour late for a boat ride, with about 25 other people waiting for us on the boat. (We felt a little guilty that we made them wait.)
This boat trip was to the Ballestas Islands, that they referred to as the "poor man's Gilapagos." That was a bit of overbilling. The island had some sea lions, but about 1 million birds. The bird poop for fetilizer. They only collect it once every 5 years. Any more frequently and it might cause the birds to leave. So the smell, even from a boat, was a bit pungent.
The next stop was at a winery. This was a nice stop. They let us sample wines and buy some. One interesting product that they have is called "pisco." It is a distilled wine with about 45% alcohol content. You can drink it straight, but the most popular form is in pisco sours. This is available in almost all Peruvian restaurants.
Our third stop was at the Huacachina Oasis. This was a lake in the middle of a desert. The Nasca area is the driest area in the world. Once it had only 5 minutes during a 3 year period.
We finally arrived at our hotel at about 8:00 pm. So we had been "engaged" for 16 hours, and the 7-hour ride took over 9 hours on the road.
6/16 - Lima
Given our late arrival, we had allowed ourselves this as a "free day" to recover...especially since our schedule has us being ready to start a bus trip the next day at 4:00 am.
We hired a tour guide to show us some highlights of Lima.
We had a group of 7 for our total tour. This included us (Dave and Kathleen), my brother and sister-in-law (Rick and Phyllis), two friends of ours from Naples (and ex P&G), and one friend of theirs.
This 7th person had a flight delay that allowed her to chat with someone who knew Lima, and who recommended that we visit a private collector's exhibit, so we adjusted our tour this day to add this exhibit.
The collection is called the "Poli Museum." This was put together by an individual, Enrico Poli. The collection is impressive, occupying about 7 rooms of their house...essentually the whole downstairs.
I suggest that you google the term "Poli Museum." What is interesting are the ratings from visitors. They are either "5's" or "1's." The people who give the place the highest ratings have comments saying "if you can only see one museum in Peru, have it be this one." The people who give the place the lowest ratings say, "this is not a museum, but a private collection obtained by buying items from looters...Poli has thus taken treasures that rightfully should belong to the Peruvian people."
Both of these viewpoints are valid, so you have to decide for yourself whether or not to support this "museum" by visiting it. For example, one room has a collection that includes about 55% of the items collected from one tomb, so this collection has more from this site than all the other museums put together. National Geographics had a multi-page spread concerning this finding, with all of the photos coming from the Poli collection.
We were not allowed to take any photos in the museum.
We hired a tour guide to show us some highlights of Lima.
We had a group of 7 for our total tour. This included us (Dave and Kathleen), my brother and sister-in-law (Rick and Phyllis), two friends of ours from Naples (and ex P&G), and one friend of theirs.
This 7th person had a flight delay that allowed her to chat with someone who knew Lima, and who recommended that we visit a private collector's exhibit, so we adjusted our tour this day to add this exhibit.
The collection is called the "Poli Museum." This was put together by an individual, Enrico Poli. The collection is impressive, occupying about 7 rooms of their house...essentually the whole downstairs.
I suggest that you google the term "Poli Museum." What is interesting are the ratings from visitors. They are either "5's" or "1's." The people who give the place the highest ratings have comments saying "if you can only see one museum in Peru, have it be this one." The people who give the place the lowest ratings say, "this is not a museum, but a private collection obtained by buying items from looters...Poli has thus taken treasures that rightfully should belong to the Peruvian people."
Both of these viewpoints are valid, so you have to decide for yourself whether or not to support this "museum" by visiting it. For example, one room has a collection that includes about 55% of the items collected from one tomb, so this collection has more from this site than all the other museums put together. National Geographics had a multi-page spread concerning this finding, with all of the photos coming from the Poli collection.
We were not allowed to take any photos in the museum.
6/15 - Flight to Peru
We had a 5-1/2 hour flight from Miami to Lima, getting into Lima a little after midnight. We got into the hotel at about 1:30 am.
Peru Trip - June, 2010
We just got back from a 12-day trip to Peru to see Machu Picchu, the Nasca Lines, and the Inti Raymi festival. We had to skip Machu Picchu when we were on the World Cruise in 2009 because we had to pick either Galapagos Islands or Machu Picchu. Doing both was not an option. Since there is a tour agent near Naples who specializes in Peru trips, we decided that we could do Machu Picchu later...that is now.
So, I'll continue our blog with the Peru trip now.
So, I'll continue our blog with the Peru trip now.
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