On to Lima, via a one and half hour flight. We were whisked away in a bus to the Miraflores district for lunch and visit in the Larco Herrara Museum, which is housed in a vice-royal mansion built over a 7thC pyramid. The collection of pre-Columbian pottery and art was absolutely mind boggling in its size and quality. Then on to a quick city tour including the Plaza de Armas, Government Palace, and Cathedral, where Francisco Pizarro is entombed. Our farewell dinner was at the renowned Huaca Pucilana with views of a 1,500 year old pyramid site.
Category Archives: Peru
Day 10 – Cuzco
Before leaving the hotel we were treated to a “session” with a Shaman from Chinchera. He brought a bundle of offerings including coca leaves, which he distributed among us. After making his offerings and surrounding them with a piece of string and our coca leaves, he then wrapped up the bundle (for later burial on a mountain top) and blessed each one of us by touching it to our heads and doing a type of body scan with it!
Afterwards we drove out of town a little way to visit the Sacsayhuaman fortress, constructed of massive blocks of limestone (incan) with the largest weighing over 110lbs. Evidently, from the air, the complex resembles the head of a puma – one of the sacred animals (puma, condor, snake).
After our tour of the fortress we were entertained by a quartet of musicians who played their unique music whilst we stood in a fragrant eucalyptus grove. Preceding lunch, we had a demonstration on how to make the appetizer causa, which we later ate.
Day 9 – Cuzco
Cusco – what a beautiful city (of approx. 400,000) – colonial in appearance with the red-tiled roofs, but when one looks closely at the foundations, you see Incan handiwork. We spent three days in the lovely Novetel (close to the Plaza de Armas). The name Novotel puts one in the mind of a modern high-rise, but this was in a narrow street and a former typical, courtyard-styled residence where the hotel installed a glass dome over the courtyard for restaurant purposes. Ingenious! We visited the beautiful cathedral of Cuzco which has an amazing collection of colonial art; Quricancha (Golden Temple) where in Incan times the floors and walls were adorned with gold. In the evening we were invited by a local family to join them for dinner! we had a pleasant exchange and a delicious meal.
Day 8 – Machu Picchu (ancient mountain)
Nothing can quite prepare you for the beauty and majesty of the mountains, or the ingenuity and precision of the structures that were part of this Incan place of worship and residence.
Day 7 – part II
Rene really packed the day full of activities! On our way back to Ollantaytambo we also stopped at a potter’s workshop where he explained how he creates his work, where the clay comes from, etc. and then we stopped at a Chichaeria – a local pub type place where they sell their home-brewed chicha – made from corn. Needless to say we got to sample it – it was OK, but nothing I’d want a lot of! In the courtyard was a table game where one tosses bronze discs in an attempt to get it through one of the small holes or, ultimately, into the frog’s mouth!! We had a friendly game between two teams – the Pumas and the Condors – and way to go, my team, Condors – who won mightily!!!
Day 7 – Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo and Chinchera)
Our hotel (Casa Andina Private Collection) in Urubamba was a big surprise! Set in lush and beautiful gardens at the foot of a mountain constructed in chalet style with tile roof – beautiful!
We set off in the morning, in our first drizzle, for the ruins of an Incan Emporer at Ollantaytambo. What a magnificent site! We were some of the first tourists there and gradually climbed the steep stone steps ,to the sun temple and with fantastic views over the entire site. The intricacy, precision and fine work of those Incan engineers is absolutely mind-boggling – and all without the use of machinery, metal blades, cranes, etc. Our mascot dog (named Trooper by Nicole) stayed with us the entire time.
From there we headed into the hills to Chinchero where our first stop was at a small village school. The children were adorable and ranged in ages from 2-8 (it also serves as a day care). They sang for us and kindly let us take their photos. The school is supported, in part, by Gate 1 Travel who give a percentage of our tour price.
Then on to a weaving cooperative where we were also served a delicious lunch followed by a demonstration of the washing, dyeing, spinning, and weaving process. The host ladies were extremely gracious and the setting was lovely. Oh! And did I mention that Guinea Pig can frequently be found on the menu?
Day 6 – to the Sacred Valley
Rene, our guide told us the evening before our departure for the Sacred Valley that there was social unrest with strikers blocking the roads at the junction town of Juliaca. He was most distressed to tell us that we needed to get up at 2.30 a.m. And get on the road at 3.30 in convoy with some other buses to by-pass the town, and also before the strikers were up and about and able to stop us! What excitement. The route we took to circumvent Juliaca was on farm roads, across bridges that I’m sure weren’t build to carry the weight of our bus, down narrow village streets, etc. what an adventure! all went well, but it ended up being a very long day on the road as we didn’t arrive at our hotel in Urubamba until late afternoon. We did, however, make a stop at Raqchi, a holy Incan site with remarkable ruins.
Day 5 – land and water around Lake Titikaka
An amazing day seeing the way the people of this Lake Titikaka area live. Our first stop alongside the road, on our way from Puno to the lake, was to watch a woman braiding rope from the tortura reeds which grow in the lake. Apart from the rope, she also makes mattresses from the reeds which are used by everyone on their stone beds – the reed mattress is covered with a layer of wool, and then blankets. Evidently she can make about six of these a day and each one sells for 15 soles ($5.50 or so).
we continued on using winding, country roads seeing the farmers preparing their fields with oxen and ploughs, bending over to manually weed and work getting ready to plant. We ended up at the delightful village of Liquina where we walked down from the road, through the village to our lunch host, the village mayor/elder/shaman who sees the benefit of tourism and has started a small B&B! A table was set up for us overlooking the lake and we were served the typical quinoa soup, lake trout and a variety of potatoes cooked by his daughter. Afterwards, he and his son played some music and we had a Q&A session that was both fun and informative.
After lunch we strolled to the lakeside for a boat ride back to Puno via the floating Uros villages Where the entire floating village is built from the tortura reeds. Amazing!
Day 4 – Colca Canyon to Puno
Another beautiful drive through the mountains and valleys to the Puno region. We made numerous small photo stops along the way before picking up our local guide. We then visited Sillustani – pre-Incan burial towers, and visited a typical rural Ayamari family compound.
Day 3 – Colca Canyon and valley
A shockingly early morning call at 3 a.m. To be on e road by 4 so we can drive to the Colca Canyon and see condors! The canyon at 13,000 feet depth, is much deeper than the Grand Canyon. However, after sunrise and seeing the stunning scenery of terraced mountain sides, llamas and alpaca herds, wild vicunyas, desolate villages – the early morning start was long forgotten. We passed the highest point of 16,000 feet without stopping on the way, but stopped on our way back to see the views of the surrounding snow-covered volcanoes and the hillside filled with stacked stone offerings to the Gods.
we were successful in seeing quite a few condors soaring overhead:)
our drive through the the canyon ended up at our hotel for the nIght (Colca Lodge and Spa) with hot spring fed spas right down next to the river. Delicious!
Day 2 – Arequipa
After a good dinner and night’s sleep we were running on fully charged batteries for our tour today, which took us to San Carmelo market, the cathedral and Plaza des Armes, and the gorgeous Santa Catalina monestary.
Day one – Arequipa
Exhausting trip with long layovers, red-eye flights, etc. but we are here and ready to start our Peru adventure.
Arequipa at 7600 ft should acclimatize us for Colca Valley and Puno at >12,000!
Great guide – Rene, and nice group of fellow travelers.
