Huancayo is a big city in the heart of the Peruvian Andes. What it lacks in ruins and visual history, it more than makes up for in the amount of buses. I have never seen so many buses in my life. Riding the buses here are an adventure all to themselves. They are actually mini-buses - Toyota minivans that are gutted and modified to maximize the amount of passengers. Within the city they cost $0.17 and between cities, like Vancouver to Burnaby, costs $0.35 - $0.40. While a longer trek (1 1/2 - 2 hours), like Vancouver to Abbotsford or Chilliwak costs $1.00. Sometimes, no matter how cheap the bus is, it just isn´t worth it.
For starters, the buses, like everything else in Peru, is made for, well, Peruvians. Which means I don´t fit. If I get a seat, I have to put my legs up to my chest. If I don´t get a seat I have to stand, which means I have to bend over at my waist. Not the most comfortable, especially when it´s the 30-45 min bus rides to go volunteer. It´s actually worse for everybody else as my butt is right up against their face. I am sure I am not making any friends that way. Luckily for me, most people will actually offer their seat to me. I don´t know if they are expecting payment for it, but I think they just want to show this gringo how amiable they are and make sure I enjoy their city.
A lot of the people on the bus, especially in the morning, are on their way to the market. So, with them is various foods, like potato sacks full of beans and corn and potatoes which get shoved in my face. Or 5 gallon buckets of milk which spill on my clothes and bag. But, my favourite is the buckets of raw meat and chopped up animal parts which I love to smell and look at first thing in the morning. It´s all part of the experience, right??
Getting on and off the bus is the adventure part. As soon as you have one foot on (or off), the bus starts to take off. Sometimes it won´t even stop and you have to jump on, making sure your timing is good. There is no such thing as a full bus here. No matter how many people are crammed in there, it will never be full. A Toyota minivan will have 17 small seats, but will hold 25-30 people - in a minivan!!!!!
The other fun part is you actually never know where the bus is really going. The sign on the bus will tell you the neighborhood it is going to. But the route it takes and where it goes once it reaches the neigbourhood is totally up to the driver. Sometimes the driver wants to stop off at his house for a minute, or pick up some food. But, no matter where you are, there is always a bus coming down the road and they will stop whereever you flag them down or ask them to let you off.
Despite all my complaints, I will still flag a bus down tomorrow morning and enjoy the crazy bus experience here.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Trek to Macchu Pichu
As part of my job as Environmental Advisor, I had to go on treks and assess the impact the group had on the environment and come up with recommendations for the company to lessen that impact. This is a pressing issue as more and more tourists travel to Cuzco to go to Macchu Pichu and other sites in the area and are causing an ever increasing impact on the environment.
The most heavily hiked trail to Macchu Pichu is the Inca Trail. My first trek was an alternative route to the Inca Trail, called Salkantay, which refers to the towering glacier that is passed en route to Macchu Pichu. The Inca Trail is tightly regulated, with a set number of permits per day and these permits sell out months in advance. In fact, no permits are available until the end of September right now. So, these alternative routes are gaining in popularity as they currently do not have any regulations at all. And that´s where I come in. As more and more people are unable to get a permit for the Inca Trail, they choose an alternate trek to get to Macchu Pichu. But, these routes are sustaining damage and it´s just a matter of time before they become tightly regulated as well. So, I am here to help address the environmental concerns before it´s too late.
The night before my trek I was excited at this amazing trek (ranked in the top 25 treks in the world by National Geographic), but also nervous as I was really weak from my intestinal illness and hadn´t been able to eat for the previous 3 days. But, there was no stopping me from doing this. Plus, I didn´t want to risk losing the job position I was lucky enough to get.
The first day we drove a few hours out of Cuzco and had lunch in this small town which appeared out of nowhere. They showed us their cooking house, complete with live guinea pigs (a Peruvian delicacy) and a beautiful garden with flowers I had never seen before. We then drove another couple of hours before the road stopped and our hike began.
We started the trek by hiking up to a glacial lake. The water was a shade of tourquoise I had never seen before. It was the kind of magical place where you get goosebumps just being there. We stayed there long enough to make an offering to Pachamamma (mother earth) and make wishes. Offerings consist of coca leaves and food and anything else you think is necessary. My wish was to survive the trek...and it came true.
The day was all uphill, and in the thin mountain air was a tough, tough hike. It makes you feel like you are grossly out-of-shape, but at these altitudes there is only 1/3 the amount of oxygen. This is where chewing coca leaves comes in handy. It´s like having a few cups of coffee without any kind of jitters or other adverse effects. Coca leaves are a staple among the Highland people and helps them work hard in these high altitudes. Back in the Incan empire, coca leaves were especially prized and theorized why they built their empire so rapidly.
We set up camp at the base of the Salkantay glacier at an altitude of 3850 m. It was cooold! Getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom isn´t an option, so one must plan accordingly.
The next morning we hiked between two glaciers and reached the summit, 4600m. This was special place #2. The summit of the trek was nestled between 4 large mountains, or apus. An apu is a mountain god. So, this place was a place that the local Indigenous people have been coming to pray or worship and give offerings and make requests for hundreds and hundreds of years. It definitely felt special to me and I could see why the Incas and pre-Incas believed it to be spiritual. We made another offering here, this time to the apus, and then made a side-trip to a massive cave in the glacier. We didn´t quite make it there as the terrain was possibly suitable only for a mountain goat. So, we sat down and took in the amazing scenery, felt the chill from the glaciers and absorbed the amazing feeling of being there. As my thoughts wander, I would be taken back to reality by the thunderous sound of the glacier cracking. It would echo off the other mountains and cause a very humbling feeling within me. The peak of the Salkantay glacier is 6300m (over 20 000 ft), the largest in the area. The other mountains were all about this height as well.
From this point, the rest of the trek was all downhill, literally. Machhu Pichu sits roughly at 2500m, so over the next day and a half there is a lot of downhill hiking. About 35 km to be exact. As we descend, the flora changes dramatically. At the high altitudes, the vegetation is sparse with little variety, mainly low growing plants. As we descend, there is an increase in variety and size. A tangible increase in temperature and humidity also occurs. Furthermore, insects start becoming apparent, such as butterflies. More and more birds are also seen. From a biologist´s point of view, it now starts to get interesting!
It´s incredible how fast the ecosystems change. In a few hours, we go from desolate glaciers to jungle! The high jungle definitely captivated me. I was mesmerized by the amount of birds and vegetation, flowers of all colours and sizes. My favourite part was going through a hummingbird forest. The group went ahead of me and I stayed behind with my binoculars to observe all the birds. Paradise!!! This was special place #3. I had hummingbirds hover above me, checking me out. I could have easily spent days in that one spot, looking at all the different birds and plants and flowers and butterflies that I had never seen before. I felt like I was in a mix of Jurassic Park and Fern Gully.
We reached camp in the dark, had lomo saltado (a Peruvian beef stir-fry) and called it an early night. After all, we put on over 20km that day. An early night was definitely needed.
The next morning we were up early and continued our descent through groves of banana and coffee trees. A river snaked its way through the vegetation as it heads its way to the Amazon. We follow a road, but it has become washed out. The Cuzco region suffered torrential rains in January which caused massive flooding and landslides. It destroyed roads and parts of villages. The destruction was immense and to see the aftermath is really sad and unbelievable. Because the road was washed out, a family erected a home-made zipline with a small box for equipment and gear. It´s big enough for 2 people to cross the river in order to walk on the road on the other side. They are a very entrepreneurial family as they charged 1.50 Soles/per person to cross. Our guide, Mayra, is Peruvian and was scared as she didn´t trust the homemade device. But, there was no other choice but to go on the Flying Fox. I probably should have been scared to, but it was actually really fun. The death factor always makes things more fun.
We walk for a couple of more hours and in the intense heat of the equatorial sun, we reach the train station to take us up to Aguas Calientes, Macchu Pichu town, where we will spend the night in order to get a head start on all the tourists in the morning.
As we wait for the train, I ask Mayra if there is any place that is safe to go for a swim. She takes me and one other member of the group to a waterfall where we cool down. This was also a very amazing place, as no one else was around and the cool water felt so good after 3 days of intense hiking. Not to mention the scenery was gorgeous as well.
We spend the evening wandering the streets of Aguas Calientes and drinking passionfruit sours. I will definitely miss the abundance of amazing fresh fruit that gets used in everything. Aguas Calientes is definitely touristy, but it also is literally set in mountain jungle. I liked it a lot.
The morning comes early and we catch a bus that snakes it´s way up the mountain, eventually arriving at Macchu Pichu. I am wondering how I will react to Macchu Pichu, as there isn´t a more hyped up place in the world and I have all these expectations and have seen so many pictures of it. One of the most amazing things about Macchu Pichu is that you can´t see it from anywhere below. You literally stumble upon this civilization once you reach the top of the mountain. My first glimpse is rather surreal. My brain is trying to wrap itself around the idea that this actually is Macchu Pichu and I actually am here looking at it.
We spend the morning getting guided around it and learning about the famous citadel. It really is spectacular, but there are a lot of tourists which was taking away from the experience for me. So, I decided to walk to a remote part where I can try to picture what daily life was like. I succeed and spend a couple of hours in that one place just taking it all in. That´s when Macchu Pichu reached my lofty expectations.
I hiked up the facing mountain, which was actually really challenging, and dangerous, to get the view of Macchu Pichu from above. Unfortunately, the clouds rolled in and I couldn´t see a thing, expect for the rain now pelting me. But, I am at Macchu Pichu and the rain isn´t that cold.
For me the most impressive thing about Macchu Pichu is it´s location. Surounded by mountains, perched high on a pedestal, and completely hidden from anybody below. All Inca ruins have amazing water technology and solar and lunar calenders and observatories. During the solstices, sun rays enter through a precise hole in the wall of the observatory and land upon the sun dial. Sort of like in Indiana Jones. In fact, the explorer who found Macchu Pichu was the model for Indiana Jones.
It´s now late in the afternoon and my body is aching beyond belief. 4 days of intense hiking has taken it´s toll on my body and it is crying out for rest. I am ready to catch the train back to Cuzco and rest. But, life in Peru rarely goes as planned...
The most heavily hiked trail to Macchu Pichu is the Inca Trail. My first trek was an alternative route to the Inca Trail, called Salkantay, which refers to the towering glacier that is passed en route to Macchu Pichu. The Inca Trail is tightly regulated, with a set number of permits per day and these permits sell out months in advance. In fact, no permits are available until the end of September right now. So, these alternative routes are gaining in popularity as they currently do not have any regulations at all. And that´s where I come in. As more and more people are unable to get a permit for the Inca Trail, they choose an alternate trek to get to Macchu Pichu. But, these routes are sustaining damage and it´s just a matter of time before they become tightly regulated as well. So, I am here to help address the environmental concerns before it´s too late.
The night before my trek I was excited at this amazing trek (ranked in the top 25 treks in the world by National Geographic), but also nervous as I was really weak from my intestinal illness and hadn´t been able to eat for the previous 3 days. But, there was no stopping me from doing this. Plus, I didn´t want to risk losing the job position I was lucky enough to get.
The first day we drove a few hours out of Cuzco and had lunch in this small town which appeared out of nowhere. They showed us their cooking house, complete with live guinea pigs (a Peruvian delicacy) and a beautiful garden with flowers I had never seen before. We then drove another couple of hours before the road stopped and our hike began.
We started the trek by hiking up to a glacial lake. The water was a shade of tourquoise I had never seen before. It was the kind of magical place where you get goosebumps just being there. We stayed there long enough to make an offering to Pachamamma (mother earth) and make wishes. Offerings consist of coca leaves and food and anything else you think is necessary. My wish was to survive the trek...and it came true.
The day was all uphill, and in the thin mountain air was a tough, tough hike. It makes you feel like you are grossly out-of-shape, but at these altitudes there is only 1/3 the amount of oxygen. This is where chewing coca leaves comes in handy. It´s like having a few cups of coffee without any kind of jitters or other adverse effects. Coca leaves are a staple among the Highland people and helps them work hard in these high altitudes. Back in the Incan empire, coca leaves were especially prized and theorized why they built their empire so rapidly.
We set up camp at the base of the Salkantay glacier at an altitude of 3850 m. It was cooold! Getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom isn´t an option, so one must plan accordingly.
The next morning we hiked between two glaciers and reached the summit, 4600m. This was special place #2. The summit of the trek was nestled between 4 large mountains, or apus. An apu is a mountain god. So, this place was a place that the local Indigenous people have been coming to pray or worship and give offerings and make requests for hundreds and hundreds of years. It definitely felt special to me and I could see why the Incas and pre-Incas believed it to be spiritual. We made another offering here, this time to the apus, and then made a side-trip to a massive cave in the glacier. We didn´t quite make it there as the terrain was possibly suitable only for a mountain goat. So, we sat down and took in the amazing scenery, felt the chill from the glaciers and absorbed the amazing feeling of being there. As my thoughts wander, I would be taken back to reality by the thunderous sound of the glacier cracking. It would echo off the other mountains and cause a very humbling feeling within me. The peak of the Salkantay glacier is 6300m (over 20 000 ft), the largest in the area. The other mountains were all about this height as well.
From this point, the rest of the trek was all downhill, literally. Machhu Pichu sits roughly at 2500m, so over the next day and a half there is a lot of downhill hiking. About 35 km to be exact. As we descend, the flora changes dramatically. At the high altitudes, the vegetation is sparse with little variety, mainly low growing plants. As we descend, there is an increase in variety and size. A tangible increase in temperature and humidity also occurs. Furthermore, insects start becoming apparent, such as butterflies. More and more birds are also seen. From a biologist´s point of view, it now starts to get interesting!
It´s incredible how fast the ecosystems change. In a few hours, we go from desolate glaciers to jungle! The high jungle definitely captivated me. I was mesmerized by the amount of birds and vegetation, flowers of all colours and sizes. My favourite part was going through a hummingbird forest. The group went ahead of me and I stayed behind with my binoculars to observe all the birds. Paradise!!! This was special place #3. I had hummingbirds hover above me, checking me out. I could have easily spent days in that one spot, looking at all the different birds and plants and flowers and butterflies that I had never seen before. I felt like I was in a mix of Jurassic Park and Fern Gully.
We reached camp in the dark, had lomo saltado (a Peruvian beef stir-fry) and called it an early night. After all, we put on over 20km that day. An early night was definitely needed.
The next morning we were up early and continued our descent through groves of banana and coffee trees. A river snaked its way through the vegetation as it heads its way to the Amazon. We follow a road, but it has become washed out. The Cuzco region suffered torrential rains in January which caused massive flooding and landslides. It destroyed roads and parts of villages. The destruction was immense and to see the aftermath is really sad and unbelievable. Because the road was washed out, a family erected a home-made zipline with a small box for equipment and gear. It´s big enough for 2 people to cross the river in order to walk on the road on the other side. They are a very entrepreneurial family as they charged 1.50 Soles/per person to cross. Our guide, Mayra, is Peruvian and was scared as she didn´t trust the homemade device. But, there was no other choice but to go on the Flying Fox. I probably should have been scared to, but it was actually really fun. The death factor always makes things more fun.
We walk for a couple of more hours and in the intense heat of the equatorial sun, we reach the train station to take us up to Aguas Calientes, Macchu Pichu town, where we will spend the night in order to get a head start on all the tourists in the morning.
As we wait for the train, I ask Mayra if there is any place that is safe to go for a swim. She takes me and one other member of the group to a waterfall where we cool down. This was also a very amazing place, as no one else was around and the cool water felt so good after 3 days of intense hiking. Not to mention the scenery was gorgeous as well.
We spend the evening wandering the streets of Aguas Calientes and drinking passionfruit sours. I will definitely miss the abundance of amazing fresh fruit that gets used in everything. Aguas Calientes is definitely touristy, but it also is literally set in mountain jungle. I liked it a lot.
The morning comes early and we catch a bus that snakes it´s way up the mountain, eventually arriving at Macchu Pichu. I am wondering how I will react to Macchu Pichu, as there isn´t a more hyped up place in the world and I have all these expectations and have seen so many pictures of it. One of the most amazing things about Macchu Pichu is that you can´t see it from anywhere below. You literally stumble upon this civilization once you reach the top of the mountain. My first glimpse is rather surreal. My brain is trying to wrap itself around the idea that this actually is Macchu Pichu and I actually am here looking at it.
We spend the morning getting guided around it and learning about the famous citadel. It really is spectacular, but there are a lot of tourists which was taking away from the experience for me. So, I decided to walk to a remote part where I can try to picture what daily life was like. I succeed and spend a couple of hours in that one place just taking it all in. That´s when Macchu Pichu reached my lofty expectations.
I hiked up the facing mountain, which was actually really challenging, and dangerous, to get the view of Macchu Pichu from above. Unfortunately, the clouds rolled in and I couldn´t see a thing, expect for the rain now pelting me. But, I am at Macchu Pichu and the rain isn´t that cold.
For me the most impressive thing about Macchu Pichu is it´s location. Surounded by mountains, perched high on a pedestal, and completely hidden from anybody below. All Inca ruins have amazing water technology and solar and lunar calenders and observatories. During the solstices, sun rays enter through a precise hole in the wall of the observatory and land upon the sun dial. Sort of like in Indiana Jones. In fact, the explorer who found Macchu Pichu was the model for Indiana Jones.
It´s now late in the afternoon and my body is aching beyond belief. 4 days of intense hiking has taken it´s toll on my body and it is crying out for rest. I am ready to catch the train back to Cuzco and rest. But, life in Peru rarely goes as planned...
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Out of Cuzco
Keeping a blog is tougher than I thought. Or I guess, I have been busier than I thought I would be, which is a good thing. Either way, I am skipping ahead a bit here. I will fill in the blanks soon.
I have now left Cuzco after spending over a month there. Cuzco was such a crazy experience, it will take some time to process everything. Cuzco covered every emotion I am capable of, which is surprisingly a lot! Cuzco is beautiful with steep, narrow cobblestone streets, grand plazas, elaborate buildings, friendly people, genuinity and uniqueness, dripping with world history, warm sunny days, unlimited things to do and see and fantastic food at cheap prices. Cuzco is also littered with garbage, has a constant smell and feel of grime, has cold nights, is expensive, obnoxious, exhausting, and the people are in your face trying to get your money anyway that is possible. It´s all of these things, sometimes at once, sometimes intermittantly. Cuzco seems to be different every time I would go away and come back. It´s a place that I always had to leave to stay balanced, but always came back to. It feels like a sell-out as everything revolves around the tourist and Macchu Pichu. I would have loved to come here 30 years ago or so.
But, it also was the capital of the Inca Empire which spread the entire length of South America. It was one of the richest cities in the world. There is no doubt in my mind about this as I wander through the grandiose Cathedral in the main centre, still full of gold and grand statues and paintings. It used to be surrounded by Inca palaces before the Spanish destroyed them. You can feel how life was like here 500 years ago. Sometimes, away from the tourists and the vendors, you can still see it. Some of the museums and ruins are really amazing. Getting to know this history firsthand is a powerful experience. Each Inca (the emperor or king) had his own palace and numerous servants and concubines. After his death, the Inca would be mummified and remain in his palace with all of his servants and concubines. So, the next Inca would have to build a new palace. Also, during festivals, all the Incas (mummified) would be paraded around and sit in on all the dinners. A very unique culture that really only existed for 100 years before the Spanish conquered them. It´s amazing how the Inca took over such a huge empire in such a short timeframe. A big key to their success was that they incorporated the skills and technology from all of the different cultures they conquered, and then improved upon them.
I didn´t do half the things in Cuzco and area that I wanted to. But, I also did many other things I never planned on. Boarding the plane to go back to Lima was surreal, like it was ok because I am going back to Cuzco, sooner than I ever thought.
2 days in Lima was spent recovering from my stomach bug and getting things ready for the next part of my adventure: Huancayo -by train.
I have now left Cuzco after spending over a month there. Cuzco was such a crazy experience, it will take some time to process everything. Cuzco covered every emotion I am capable of, which is surprisingly a lot! Cuzco is beautiful with steep, narrow cobblestone streets, grand plazas, elaborate buildings, friendly people, genuinity and uniqueness, dripping with world history, warm sunny days, unlimited things to do and see and fantastic food at cheap prices. Cuzco is also littered with garbage, has a constant smell and feel of grime, has cold nights, is expensive, obnoxious, exhausting, and the people are in your face trying to get your money anyway that is possible. It´s all of these things, sometimes at once, sometimes intermittantly. Cuzco seems to be different every time I would go away and come back. It´s a place that I always had to leave to stay balanced, but always came back to. It feels like a sell-out as everything revolves around the tourist and Macchu Pichu. I would have loved to come here 30 years ago or so.
But, it also was the capital of the Inca Empire which spread the entire length of South America. It was one of the richest cities in the world. There is no doubt in my mind about this as I wander through the grandiose Cathedral in the main centre, still full of gold and grand statues and paintings. It used to be surrounded by Inca palaces before the Spanish destroyed them. You can feel how life was like here 500 years ago. Sometimes, away from the tourists and the vendors, you can still see it. Some of the museums and ruins are really amazing. Getting to know this history firsthand is a powerful experience. Each Inca (the emperor or king) had his own palace and numerous servants and concubines. After his death, the Inca would be mummified and remain in his palace with all of his servants and concubines. So, the next Inca would have to build a new palace. Also, during festivals, all the Incas (mummified) would be paraded around and sit in on all the dinners. A very unique culture that really only existed for 100 years before the Spanish conquered them. It´s amazing how the Inca took over such a huge empire in such a short timeframe. A big key to their success was that they incorporated the skills and technology from all of the different cultures they conquered, and then improved upon them.
I didn´t do half the things in Cuzco and area that I wanted to. But, I also did many other things I never planned on. Boarding the plane to go back to Lima was surreal, like it was ok because I am going back to Cuzco, sooner than I ever thought.
2 days in Lima was spent recovering from my stomach bug and getting things ready for the next part of my adventure: Huancayo -by train.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Riding the Bike
Arriving back in Cuzco, it sinks in that Cuzco will be my home for at least a month. To make it feel like a home and not living out of a backpack, I figure it would be good to make some sort of routine. I get up early around 7am, and walk about 15 min. to the mercado (big market) for supplies. There are rows of juice ladies, so I decide to give one a try. For $1 I get 1L of fresh juice. I choose a mix of mango, aloe, carrot, pineapple and papaya. It tastes sooo fresh and good. This is definitely a routine I am going to get into.
I attend a movie about the Andean farmers and how their way of life is changing as many of them are abandoning their family farms to move into the city for work or education or to work as porters or cooks on the Inca trail. This is a perfect background for the work I will be doing as the Environmental Advisor for treks going to Macchu Pichu.
The movie is really interesting, but I am struggling with a stomach that all of a sudden feels like it has turned into a washing machine. I fight the feeling as long as I can, but am forced to make a run for the washroom. I spend the rest of the movie in the bathroom. What a horrible feeling. What´s even a worse feeling is knowing that public bathrooms in Peru don´t have soap or toilet paper. Luckily I keep toilet paper in every pocket of every pair of pants or shorts and avoid making a horrible situation into a complete disaster.
For the next few days I don´t leave my hostal room unless it´s a run for the toilet. The Peruvians are very polite and I was told not to call it diarrhea, but rather ¨riding the bicycyle.¨ This refers to pedalling very fast to get where you need to go in a hurry (the toilet). I don´t know what exactly got me sick. It could be the juice (hopefully not), a $1 3 course meal with fish the night before, salads, etc. I don´t know, but it´s a good reminder to make safer food choices.
What´s worse is that my trek of a lifetime - 4 days culminating at Macchu Pichu- is right around the corner. Why is this happening now? Will I have to cancel on the trip and possibly my position? I´ll wear diapers if I have to. There´s no way I am missing out on this.
I had gone down to the mercado with Adam the day before and we got some herbs for his similar condition. So, him and Allison took on the role of Mom and made me herbal teas and brought me soup and juice. I was so thankful that they were there to take care of me. But, in that time, I really missed my home: my mom, my family, the comforts of home. Little things like going to the fridge and having a nibble on something I feel like or drinking water from the tap. The list goes on. For the first time, I start to dislike Peru and wish I was home. I hope this feeling goes away when I get better...
What´s worse is that my trek of a lifetime - 4 days culminating at Macchu Pichu- is right around the corner. Why is this happening now? Will I have to cancel on the trip and possibly my position? I´ll wear diapers if I have to. There´s no way I am missing out on this.
I had gone down to the mercado with Adam the day before and we got some herbs for his similar condition. So, him and Allison took on the role of Mom and made me herbal teas and brought me soup and juice. I was so thankful that they were there to take care of me. But, in that time, I really missed my home: my mom, my family, the comforts of home. Little things like going to the fridge and having a nibble on something I feel like or drinking water from the tap. The list goes on. For the first time, I start to dislike Peru and wish I was home. I hope this feeling goes away when I get better...
Monday, May 3, 2010
Pisac
Pisac is a one hour bus ride ($.75) from Cuzco - Translink take note of the price. The bus companies have a habit of overselling seats, but I was fortunate to get a seat. The ride to Pisac (start of the Sacred Valley) is a beautifully scenic drive. The Andes on both sides are lush and bold, right in your face. The horendous mudslides of a few months ago have definitely left their mark, with sections of the road still washed out and many homes and stores destroyed and left in disrepair. Very sad that such destruction happened to so many people around here. It makes me appreciate all the blessings in my life and ponder what volunteer work I can do to best help the people here. Also, it makes me assess how my travelling here affects the people, both in positive and negative ways.
We have come to Pisac on Sunday for 2 reasons: the ruins and the famous market.
We start out in the market and after hours of walking around, I understand why this market is so famous. We have only covered a portion of this massively sprawling market, although many vendors sell the same thing: Andean toques, mittens, sweaters and trinkets. These are the best salespeople I think I have ever seen. They use every trick in the book and even tricks I have never seen before to get you to buy things. There is so much competition, however, that bargaining is expected and most of the fun. I was looking for a baby alpaca sweater (the most prized of all wearable goods) and found one that grabbed my eye. The lady assured me it was pure baby alpaca and the tag verified this - or did it? In these markets, one never knows for sure. But, it was the softest sweater I have ever felt and it fit good, so it was time to bargain. In total, it was about a 15 min bargaining specatacle. I got the vendor down from 70 soles to 40 soles, or about $14. We both felt like we won. I later found out, it was baby alpaca mixed with some synthetics, but for that price I assumed so.
Pisac is a wonderful town that enjoys a much slower pace than Cuzco. I know I will return to spend some more time here.
After a nap and lunch (beef tongue, chicha morrada - purple corn drink, and quinoa soup for $2.50) we made our way to the ruins, high above the city. After walking around these marvelous structures that still stand after earthquakes and time, Adam and I came across this structure perched high on the mountain with a panoramic view. Utterly spectacular. It felt special here. We stayed here taking it all in, chewed coca leaves and made an offering to PachaMamma - mother earth, as is Incan custom. As the sun set, the light reflected off the mountains in magical ways that seemed to change by the minute. We found out that this was where bodies were prepared for burial or mummification.
As precious little daylight remained, we reluctantly left to make our way back down to Pisac. On our way we passed many more structures which we could idenify as temples, nobility or residential housing or storage buildings based on the architecture. The aquiducts are another marvel. They are made of stone and pass underground to various baths or collecting reservoirs.
This place was enormous and the architecture is even more precise than that of Macchu Pichu. Luckily we brought our headlamps because now it is pitch dark out and we have no idea where we are going. We wander around the ruins in the dark and down trails that lead to dead ends. By this time, the altitude is getting to me and I am quite tired and have a headache and slightly lightheaded. So, I take a break and start chewing more coca leaves. I am seriously pondering about staying the night in the ruins, although it is starting to get quite chilly at this altitude. We push on for awhile and come across some ruins with grass roofs. With no exit in sight, my mind is made up, this is where I am going to sleep for the night.
Just as I am figuring out how to best make this as comfortable as possible, we hear a man coming. It is a guard. He escorts us down the mountain and back to Pisac where we have earned our dinner and much needed sleep.
We have come to Pisac on Sunday for 2 reasons: the ruins and the famous market.
We start out in the market and after hours of walking around, I understand why this market is so famous. We have only covered a portion of this massively sprawling market, although many vendors sell the same thing: Andean toques, mittens, sweaters and trinkets. These are the best salespeople I think I have ever seen. They use every trick in the book and even tricks I have never seen before to get you to buy things. There is so much competition, however, that bargaining is expected and most of the fun. I was looking for a baby alpaca sweater (the most prized of all wearable goods) and found one that grabbed my eye. The lady assured me it was pure baby alpaca and the tag verified this - or did it? In these markets, one never knows for sure. But, it was the softest sweater I have ever felt and it fit good, so it was time to bargain. In total, it was about a 15 min bargaining specatacle. I got the vendor down from 70 soles to 40 soles, or about $14. We both felt like we won. I later found out, it was baby alpaca mixed with some synthetics, but for that price I assumed so.
Pisac is a wonderful town that enjoys a much slower pace than Cuzco. I know I will return to spend some more time here.
After a nap and lunch (beef tongue, chicha morrada - purple corn drink, and quinoa soup for $2.50) we made our way to the ruins, high above the city. After walking around these marvelous structures that still stand after earthquakes and time, Adam and I came across this structure perched high on the mountain with a panoramic view. Utterly spectacular. It felt special here. We stayed here taking it all in, chewed coca leaves and made an offering to PachaMamma - mother earth, as is Incan custom. As the sun set, the light reflected off the mountains in magical ways that seemed to change by the minute. We found out that this was where bodies were prepared for burial or mummification.
As precious little daylight remained, we reluctantly left to make our way back down to Pisac. On our way we passed many more structures which we could idenify as temples, nobility or residential housing or storage buildings based on the architecture. The aquiducts are another marvel. They are made of stone and pass underground to various baths or collecting reservoirs.
This place was enormous and the architecture is even more precise than that of Macchu Pichu. Luckily we brought our headlamps because now it is pitch dark out and we have no idea where we are going. We wander around the ruins in the dark and down trails that lead to dead ends. By this time, the altitude is getting to me and I am quite tired and have a headache and slightly lightheaded. So, I take a break and start chewing more coca leaves. I am seriously pondering about staying the night in the ruins, although it is starting to get quite chilly at this altitude. We push on for awhile and come across some ruins with grass roofs. With no exit in sight, my mind is made up, this is where I am going to sleep for the night.
Just as I am figuring out how to best make this as comfortable as possible, we hear a man coming. It is a guard. He escorts us down the mountain and back to Pisac where we have earned our dinner and much needed sleep.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Cuzco
After one of the best meals of my life - a deluxe seafood spread so large that I barely finished it($20) - I hung out with a bunch of my new friends, but had to leave early to catch a few hours of sleep before my taxi came at 3am to take me to the airport. The cab driver didn´t speak a word of English, but when Money For Nothing by the Dire Straits came on the radio he belted out that song word for word. He had no idea what the lyrics meant, but I have never seen someone so excited by a song before.
To greet me at the Cuzco airport was Adam, a good friend from Olympia. He and his wife will be in the Cuzco area for the entire time I am here, which will be a really good thing since he is fluent in Spanish. He´s like my personal translator. Him and Allison are also a load of fun and I am stoked that we get to travel around here together.
I noticed the altitude immediately. Walking up two steps I was panting and light-headed and the sun felt so intense. I went up the to the rooftop of the hostal for a cup of Mate de Coca (Coca leaf tea) which has been used by locals for thousands of years to help with the altitude and to give energy for the harsher climate. Time will tell if it works...
In the afternoon, I met with the contact for Apus Peru Travel, the company that I am the Environmental Advisor for. My job is to go on various treks with the company, observe, assess and analyze their environmental impact, come up with recommendations and create a training guide for the employees to follow to decrease the impact their tours have on the environment. Other companies will benefit from this and hopefully will integrate this into their practices in order to prevent the government from shutting down the trails to Macchu Pichu to prevent irreversible degradation to the trails, communities and the ruins. After our talk, I am really excited to work for this company and feel that I will be making a tangible difference here.
It was to bed early as Adam and I were off to Pisac early in the morning. Cuzco is very different from Lima, but I like Cuzco thus far and am really excited to explore this city and the rest of the Sacred Valley.
To greet me at the Cuzco airport was Adam, a good friend from Olympia. He and his wife will be in the Cuzco area for the entire time I am here, which will be a really good thing since he is fluent in Spanish. He´s like my personal translator. Him and Allison are also a load of fun and I am stoked that we get to travel around here together.
I noticed the altitude immediately. Walking up two steps I was panting and light-headed and the sun felt so intense. I went up the to the rooftop of the hostal for a cup of Mate de Coca (Coca leaf tea) which has been used by locals for thousands of years to help with the altitude and to give energy for the harsher climate. Time will tell if it works...
In the afternoon, I met with the contact for Apus Peru Travel, the company that I am the Environmental Advisor for. My job is to go on various treks with the company, observe, assess and analyze their environmental impact, come up with recommendations and create a training guide for the employees to follow to decrease the impact their tours have on the environment. Other companies will benefit from this and hopefully will integrate this into their practices in order to prevent the government from shutting down the trails to Macchu Pichu to prevent irreversible degradation to the trails, communities and the ruins. After our talk, I am really excited to work for this company and feel that I will be making a tangible difference here.
It was to bed early as Adam and I were off to Pisac early in the morning. Cuzco is very different from Lima, but I like Cuzco thus far and am really excited to explore this city and the rest of the Sacred Valley.
Lima Recap
I spent 3 amazing days in Lima. Despite what almost all travel books and other travelers say, I loved Lima and look forward to going back in about 3 weeks. The weather was perfect, the beaches are beautiful and seem to go on forever, the food is, well rated in the top of the world for good reason. And the people are amazingly helpful and friendly.
I had just come back to my hostal from breakfast and this well-dressed lady came up to me and asked if my beard would grow a little bit more. Not sure what her angle was, I cautiously answered yes. She exclaimed, ¨Perfecto!¨ She was a film director and wanted me in her next commercial for Peruvian cell phones. Thoughts of stardom and celebrity status quickly vanished when I realized I was leaving the next morning for Cuzco. I guess Lima just wasn´t ready for me to be a celebrity.
That morning I hailed a cab and headed for El Centro, the historic main square of Lima. WOW!!!! Beautiful! I went through the Cathedral which is spectacular to the max. I also took a tour of the Church of San Francisco, which has catacombs underneath it. For 200 years, everyone who died in Lima was buried there. What an eerie place, but definitely worth the visit.
After that I was sitting on a bench and a middle aged Peruvian man sat down beside me and started speaking fairly good English to me. He wanted to improve his English for job prospects and in return would teach me Spanish while he showed me the highlights of his city. Sounded like a good deal to me. We saw many neat non-touristy places, including Chinatown, even though I didn´t see any Chinese people there. After about 2 hours of practicing language and learning about Lima, we went for a snack and a refreshment. He sat next to me and put his hand on mine. I looked up immediately and he said it´s Peruvian custom. I read Peruvians don´t have the same sense of space that we do, but I never read about this custom. He was telling me about his family, when out of the blue he tried to kiss me in the restaurant. He again tried to tell me it´s a Peruvian custom, but I didn´t buy it this time.
I returned to Miraflores and saw some people I met earlier. We went out and met some Peruvian girls who took us dancing. Nothing like dancing with Latinas to make me feel reaaallly humble about my dancing! Whether it´s attempting to speak Spanish, or dance Salsa, or try their food and drinks, Peruvians are excited and happy that we just make the effort. And what better way to learn a new culture than to just go ahead and try.
I had just come back to my hostal from breakfast and this well-dressed lady came up to me and asked if my beard would grow a little bit more. Not sure what her angle was, I cautiously answered yes. She exclaimed, ¨Perfecto!¨ She was a film director and wanted me in her next commercial for Peruvian cell phones. Thoughts of stardom and celebrity status quickly vanished when I realized I was leaving the next morning for Cuzco. I guess Lima just wasn´t ready for me to be a celebrity.
That morning I hailed a cab and headed for El Centro, the historic main square of Lima. WOW!!!! Beautiful! I went through the Cathedral which is spectacular to the max. I also took a tour of the Church of San Francisco, which has catacombs underneath it. For 200 years, everyone who died in Lima was buried there. What an eerie place, but definitely worth the visit.
After that I was sitting on a bench and a middle aged Peruvian man sat down beside me and started speaking fairly good English to me. He wanted to improve his English for job prospects and in return would teach me Spanish while he showed me the highlights of his city. Sounded like a good deal to me. We saw many neat non-touristy places, including Chinatown, even though I didn´t see any Chinese people there. After about 2 hours of practicing language and learning about Lima, we went for a snack and a refreshment. He sat next to me and put his hand on mine. I looked up immediately and he said it´s Peruvian custom. I read Peruvians don´t have the same sense of space that we do, but I never read about this custom. He was telling me about his family, when out of the blue he tried to kiss me in the restaurant. He again tried to tell me it´s a Peruvian custom, but I didn´t buy it this time.
I returned to Miraflores and saw some people I met earlier. We went out and met some Peruvian girls who took us dancing. Nothing like dancing with Latinas to make me feel reaaallly humble about my dancing! Whether it´s attempting to speak Spanish, or dance Salsa, or try their food and drinks, Peruvians are excited and happy that we just make the effort. And what better way to learn a new culture than to just go ahead and try.
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