My aim is to live a life with no regrets. Yet after college graduation, when Ana last invited me to join them on their trip to Peru – I declined – and I’ve always regretted that missed opportunity. So I let them know that next time they visited Peru – I’d love to join them.
Then next thing I know, I hear they’re going to Peru in January – I’m so very excited. Ana’s been my best friend since 5th grade so to goto Peru with Ana was such a privilege and honor as I’d get the “local” perspective. This was important to me as I’d just had two mediocre “Highlight City Tour” experiences. And I should mention that I didn’t speak more than a few words of Spanish.
Wed. Jan. 4
The morning after I arrive, we have breakfast at a café around the corner – where I have the largest fruit juice shake you can possibly imagine – I’m heading back to the Lima airport to catch a flight to Cusco. This is my first experience with “Peruvian time” – the airplane gate changes not once, but three times! And what will become a pattern for us this trip - when we travel Peruvian Airlines – the flight is delayed.
Finally we arrived in Cusco (about a 1 hour flight) and collected our baggage and headed out of the airport. We were surprise to see our tour guide representative waiting for us outside with “Linda Masako” on the sign she was holding up. I say “surprised” because I had absolutely nothing to do with making any of the arrangements of our trip to Cusco/Machu Picchu. Ana booked everything, I was just along for the ride - yet the sign at the airport (and every other time we met a tour greeter) says “Linda Masako” – go figure.
While it became a running joke – this is my official big call out and THANK YOU to Ana for making all of the arrangements for our trip.
I wasn’t long in Cusco before I had this immense pressure filled headache. It didn’t hurt like a “splitting headache”, it felt more like a tremendously stuffy head on the verge of becoming a pounding headache. Cusco, I’m told, is even higher in altitude than Machu Picchu so I’d been told to expect altitude sickness and that’s why we were here a day early to acclimate to the higher altitude. Relief came in the form of cocoa leaves, drops and tea. I had cocoa tea every opportunity I could get and I tried chewing the leaves directly but found it too bitter. Note: I don’t know how, but using some chemical process I’m told that cocoa leaves become cocaine. That’s why when we exited the area we were checked for cocoa leaves as you’re only allowed to bring a small stack of it out of the area at any one time.
Once we checked into the El Porte Hostel we headed into the plaza in search of a backpack, rain poncho and a few other things for the day trekking.
As you’ll see from these photos, what’s most remarkable is the incredibly blue skies of Cusco. I’ve never seen such startling blue skies! We walked up and down many steep hills and stairs as we explored the town and went into various shops. It was very, very tiring – I couldn’t tell if it was the altitude or jet lag or both but I was getting winded very easily, my heart was racing and I was getting very sleepy. There's an embarrassing photo of me taking a nap on a wall high up on a hill as I was waiting for them to take several panoramic city shots and FlipVideos.
We had dinner at a restaurant that serves the special corn and then we meandered back to the hostel to meet the private guide who was going to hike with us to Machu Picchu – Jose.
Thurs. Jan. 5
I woke up with a pressure-filled headache again, but after an Advil I felt immediately better. On the van ride toward Ollanbambo, we rode on these winding roads higher and higher. As it was rainy and overcast we got on our mountain bikes a bit lower (elevation 3900 meters down to 1700 meters). Jose, our fantastic travel guide, set us up with helmets and gloves and down we went. I was the slowest of the group and Jose was wonderful about staying behind with me. The van also followed us the whole way so that was comforting.
While this mountain bike ride was the closest I’ll ever come to a “Tour de France” and what I’ll always think of as my “Tour de Peru”, I’ll always remember how I didn't bring my sunglasses because chances were bleak that the sun would come out. So of course I left them in the van.
Why is this important? Well, the mountain bikes we rode didn’t have a splash guard on the front tire so the rain literally flew right into my eyes!!! If I wasn’t rapidly blinking and wiping my eyes and trying to duck, swerve and avoid this single stream of rain water from going into my eyes (I had no sunglasses to protect my eyes and I was worried my contact lenses were going to fall out) so I could see where I was biking as I sped down the hill – it would have been comedic.
The road was slick with water and there were several times when we had to bike through water run off at a diagonal with our rain ponchos flying behind us. There was also a bit of off-roading at the end where they were still building the road. This got our pants and shoes totally wet so that at the end of our two-hour ride we were covered with mud and needed to be hosed down.
After our bike ride, we had lunch in Santa Maria where I had a soup starter, fried fish, french fries and rice. Having french fries AND rice or even rice AND yucca (Peruvian potatoes) with a meal would become a pattern in Peru. So many starches to fill you up! The guys were often the beneficiary of my second starch ☺
After lunch we headed on a perilous taxi ride from Santa Maria to Santa Theresa. This ride was even scarier than a drive about this time last year (Note: In January 2011, Shell and I were driving to the Jenolan Caves in the fog and I remember driving very nervously along winding roads very high up in the mountains).
It was scarier because it wasn’t a paved road, it was a dirt road high in the mountains, no guard rails, very bumpy and only one car wide. There were also no road mirrors, only the honking of horns to denote another car was coming from the opposite direction.
Once we arrived in Santa Theresa, we checked into our hostel. It was nice and had a garden courtyard. We quickly changed into our swimsuits and headed to the natural hot springs with beautiful vista views of the mountains. The water was warm/hot and I had to sit along the rocks a few times as I was getting a bit overheated.
Dinner was at the same place that we would have brekkie the next day. It was pitch black dark as we walked to dinner as we were in such a small village so I got to use my new head lamp which Ana and Scott had given me for Christmas for the first time.
Friday, Jan. 6
After breakfast we started hiking through the Sacred Valley, Urubamba Valley, towards Machu Picchu. It started off – literally – like an Indiana Jones movie. We had to cross this roped bridge that had a few missing planks so you had to place your feet deliberately to avoid falling into the raging river.
While two obnoxious jerks were bouncing on the bridge and shaking it, I let them pass and used the opportunity to take a few photos.
Ana thought it was me making all the racket and turned around and glared (expecting it to be me) and ended up giving the evil eye to the other hikers ;)
We walked along the base of the valley in what could have been a rock quarry. Along the way we saw this man randomly digging a hole in this rock quarry, no wheelbarrow or truck to indicate he was doing something other than digging his own grave. Later we learned that he was digging for dirt to fill up sandbags as there was flooding expected.
Finally we came to the point where we had to cross another part of the river to make it across to the other side of the valley. And would you believe that it was even more meager than the rope bridge we crossed. We were basically going across in a flat wooden orange crate held by a few metal rings onto a rope!
Jose and Scott went across first so that when it was our turn they were already on the other side and could pull us is as momentum would only take us halfway across the river.
Once on the other side, we saw many fruits, coffee/red bean and coca leaves (bright colored leaves). Hiking wasn’t so difficult as thankfully the sky was overcast and fortunately not raining or hot. In fact it was rather cool and comfortable. Along the way we ate “God’s Snack” which is like Peruvian popcorn.
Lunch was, no surprise, soup, more lomolindo beef and ice cream for dessert.
Note: We had lomo saltado (beef with minimal veges) so many times and it was always served along with some combination of two of the following: rice, yucca and French fries. I just don’t get why there’s a need for two starches! Way too much yucca!
After lunch we headed off walking along these railroad tracks that Jose informed us were abandoned but train did surprise us (evidently only a portion of the tracks were abandoned). The train we were hiking is the original Inca trail and relatively flat.
After about 5+ hours of hiking we finally saw the terraces that indicated Machu Picchu was not far ahead. It was amazing to turn the corner and see Machu Picchu high in the distance!
As we neared the town of Aqua Caliente, Ana and I stopped to eat a fruit called Granada (“pop” with the palm of your hand to open it).
As it was still misty from raining, we arrived to see a beautiful rainbow across the valley.
The town of Aqua Caliente itself is a lot more modernized than when Ana and Scott were last there. We saw where all of the shirpa’s are awaiting their next assignments when we neared our hostel – they are very hefty strong and short.
After checking into our hostel, I walked around for about 2 hours, checking out the town market (purchased a stuffed alpaca toy for Bachan), saw some 5 star hotels at 600 soles a night and very up scale restaurants.
Sat. Jan. 7, 2012
We woke up very early to catch a 5:30 a.m. bus to Machu Picchu. When we reached Machu Picchu it was 6:30 a.m. we were among the very first tourists. The plan was to watch the sunrise but it was so rainy and overcast and covered with clouds at times we barely saw Machu Picchu.
I’m amazed at how high we are – level with the clouds – and how widespread the “town home” of the 9th Inca King is. The “village” where people live is also very, very vast. It’s amazing to think how they built it without cement, with so many rocks so high up!
From Machu Picchu, looking at the hiking path we took the day prior:
How the Inca cut the rocks they used to build Machu Picchu
Mystic Machu Picchu in the clouds:
The Inca garden at Machu Picchu
More Machu Picchu
Holy Plaza at Machu Picchu
Archaeologists map the Model of Machu Picchu
As Jose’s telling us the history, Machu Picchu disappears in the clouds. It gives Machu Picchu a very mystic quality. I’m most impressed with the puma that at the summer solstice lights the eye of the puma.
Inca Pyramid
Homes in Machu Picchu
Astronomers at Machu Picchu
By far my favorite (and Jose’s as well) is the condor! By taking advantage of the condo-wing like shapes in the rocks that are colored black, the Inca created a condor shaped rock on the ground with white around its collar.
One of the cool tricks that the Inca built in were these amazing echos – you’ll see this one of Ana.
Ana was most impressed with the Inca water system. Ironically, the modern water system at the Machu Picchu Visitor Centre was broken so after exploring the area for several hours I appreciated the Inca water system.
Manchu Picchu Ruins Part 1
Manchu Picchu Ruins Part 2
Part 3
We finally met up with Jose for a final lunch and a drink (pisco sour with fruit) after which I was so totally toasted and took a nap so I didn’t appreciate the tourist train ride back to Ollantamba much.
There again at the train station among all the tuk tuk (cab) drivers and our driver was the little man holding the “Miss Linda Masako” sign indicating he was our ride back to Cusco and the El Portal Hostel.
Along the drive back we saw a few other Inca sites and family of pig/cattle/sheep herders as we were stopped for construction workers to let us through on the main road. I’ll always remember this grandmother who was overseeing her kids, herding all these animals, while knitting and hiking through the mountains. The ultimate multi-tasker!
Dinner is at a fantastic German restaurant in Cusco.
Sun. Jan. 8, 2012
We wake up early and head to the airport. Again Peruvian Airlines is delayed. We quickly repack (this time I bring my suitcase and backpack) and head to a regional restaurant and I love the Chica Morada purple drink! And the peaches and ice cream for dessert were yummy! And the ceviche was amazingly fresh and tasty!
Then we head to the bus depot where we embarked on our 20 hour (yes, you read correctly 20 hours) bus ride to Tumbes which is the Northern-most province of Peru. We departed at 4 p.m. and arrived at noon on Jan. 9.
We paid extra so we were on the top level of the bus and had seats that reclined 180 degrees and movies (mainly in Spanish, but I finally found one with English subtitles) and 1 toilet for everyone on the bus (both top and bottom levels). Bizarrely they bus company only provisioned 2 rolls of toilet paper for the bus and 1 packed of sink towels for the duration of the trip.
Oh, and the meals were awful! Worse than plane food, totally unedible!
Mon. Jan. 9, 2012
It’s total chaos upon arrival at the Tumbes bus depot!!
Finally it’s decided that we’ll go with Piru in the smallest car possible (think Mini Cooper) with all of our luggage, the 4 of us, Piru and the driver. Piru takes us to a hostel he knows (sister, of an Aunt or something like that) and I help check it out for cleanliness and determine it’s fine. We check I and shortly hop back into the “mini cooper” like car with Piru riding in the back to goto the Mangroves.
Along the way through, we head to Piru’s Aunt’s house to drop off our laundry. We’d tried to drop if off at a proper laundry mat but they wouldn’t get it done in time. So Piru volunteered his Auntie. I must admit to being a bit shocked at the state of their home – it had cement walls, sheets were used as curtains to divide the rooms, there was a corrugated tin roof and it was very barren outside with dirt, no sidewalks or lawn. Inside was the most basic of furniture and what stood out the most for me – a satellite TV with Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington’s “The Bone Collector” movie playing in the background. They had the most humble of homes yet they had cable TV! Yet they offered us warm hospitality with a glass of juice as the Auntie counted each piece of our smelly dirty laundry from hiking Machu Picchu at 3 soles an item. Let’s just say I never had my socks or my underwear ironed before!
When we reached the Mangroves, we had lunch of blue clams that are reputably an aphrodisiac and mixed ceviche (I’m just loving the ceviche in Peru). Then we go for a boat tour through the mangroves to Bird Island. There is no land and thus none of the natural predators of birds, so thousands of birds live in the mangroves on bird island and it definitely has the accompanying bird stench.
Then we head to the crocodile farm. As we wait in town for our Mini cooper car ride back to the hotel (it’s a long wait as his car had a flat tire) we treat ourselves to a lucuma ono frido ice cream.
When we return to the hotel, I walk around Tumos which has “the bissou” kissing couple statue so we take a photo of that and check out the Tumbes market which is very crowded and packed with items more suited for a flea market that a food market.
For dinner we head out to Edouardo’s Brouha (Edward’s Witchdoctor) for one of the best meals I had in Peru! It was this lovely cream sauce with shrimp, fish and calamari. On our walk back, we walk through the night markets of Tumbes, it’s amazing how late on a Monday night it’s so bright with lights and there are tons of vendors out selling DVDs, socks and other random things.
Tues. Jan. 10
Breakfast is near the Tumbes Central Square. As Tumbes didn’t really impress us, we decided to head South for better beaches. The same driver took us first to one hostel that Piru recommended but it was (surpringly) booked so we went back to a very nice resort we’d passed along the way called “Mango” in Zorritos which is a popular beach destination. I love the resort as it was the most upscale since I’d arrived in Peru, it had a great pool and even better cozy beach with hammocks, beds, chairs and umbrellas as well as an onsite restaurant. We checked in and hung out by the beach and enjoyed our Blue Moon welcome drinks.
Lunch was at another Brouha where we sat on the second level looking over the beach with a beautiful view. I ordered Albon digas de Cangrejo which are like crab hush puppies which were very tasty and quick to eat.
We walked back to the hotel along the beach and as we were so full from lunch we decided that instead of dinner we’d enjoy a nice dessert. The original plan was to goto Ivan’s hut for dessert but it was closed so we took the tuk tuk to the centre of town. There we had lucuma ice cream. Strangely for such a deserted town there were 5 cops walking around. We must have looked dangerous or suspicious.
We took the tuk tuk back to the hotel and had more substantial desserts and a Chilean bottle of red wine – we would have preferred Chilean.
Wed. Jan. 11, 2012
We had breakfast at the hotel and then relaxed on the beach. For dessert we checked out Ivan’s place for homemade Peruvian dessert. I had this wonderful dessert called “Torta Helada” that was a firm jelly with pineapple on top, some cream filling and then a cake. I had this concentrated espresso with hot water and milk to dilute. I poured half and added hot water for three small cups of coffee … it was very strong!
That coffee (or the milk), I speculate, was my downfall. That night I was so wired and wide awake that I was watched the movie “Watchmen” with intermittent commercials and trips to the bathroom.
Thurs. Jan. 12
After a leisurely morning at the beache after our final breakfast at the hotel, we relax at the beach until check out at 10:30 a.m.
This shuttle van picks us up at 11 a.m. and takes us on a 4 hour drive from Zorritos South to Piura. I’m in the row right behind the driver trying to sleep as much of the way as possible and just praying I didn’t need to use the bathroom. The driver was a real fan of the 1980s music – so imagine trying to sleep, watching desolate towns speed by and listening to Purple Rain.
Finally we arrived in Piura and got a nice referral to a very well air conditioned restaurant where I had a steamed fish fillet which really hit the spot.We tried a dessert which was sauce and cheese then we walked around Piura – checked out a sweet shop – then got a cab to the Piura Airport. This cab, seriously looked like it was going to fall apart – you could feel every bump on the road to the airport.
Continuing a trend, again we took Peruvian Airlines and again it was delayed. Our flight was meant to depart Piura at 7 p.m. but didn’t depart until 8 p.m. and arrive in Lima an hour later.
Friday, Jan. 13
For breakfast we had epanada which is like a meat pie from a local store. Then we took a commuter “bus” for 1.5 sole (about US$.050) for about 50 blocks to the city centre. As there are many, many of these buses driving the locals to work and they’re each trying to make as much money as possible:
• They barely stop to let you on board (there’s a lady at the side door who’s yelling out the stops like as fast as an auctioneer and takes your money so the driver can drive on, sometimes the doors just closing and he’s already pulled away)
• The drive speeds through red lights
• The bus doesn’t pull to the side of the road to let off passengers, they’ll let entire families with kids off in the middle of the street so the family has to wind through traffic to make it to the curb themselves)
• And periodically they’ll get an “update” from monitors along the road who’ll tell them how many buses are ahead of them so the driver knows how to pace himself (and the lady tips the monitor).
When we arrived in the centre of the city, we went to Qantas so I could ask if it was possible to change to leave on the same flight as Ana and Scott back to LA only to learn my only option was to go standby.
That afternoon was our shopping day as we visited several local Inca markets. Silver jewelry, Alpaca gloves and scarves, paintings and wood instruments were popular items.
In the afternoon I visited some of Ana's family and then we duck out for a very late lunch at a restaurant that is Japanese-Peruvian. Berfore we head back I quickly goto a local grocery store to purchase some pisco sour omiyage.
Then we worry we’ll be late for a Peruvian Cultural Dance and Dinner Show with a 10 p.m. start time. We arrive at 10:40 p.m. and everyone is dancing. It turns out that there’s a cultural performance, then guests dance to the local band then there’s more cultural dancing… this went on until 2 a.m.
By the end of the evening we all got out on the dance floor to dance.
Dancing Part 1
Dancing Part 2
We returned and spent an hour packing!
Sat. Jan. 14
Quickly we grabbed a sweet roll for brekkie and then arrived at the airport at 9 a.m. so I’m 1st on the stand-by list. At 11:30 a.m. I return to find that I can get out on the same flight as Ana and Scott – yeah!
I’m in row 12 which is the first row in economy so have a bit of room to stretch out. It’s an 8 hour flight to LAX.
Mom, Papa and Uncle Eugene were in LA’s Japantown earlier that day so they had a wonderful spread of Japanese sake, susi and sashimi for us back in the hotel room so we could all just eat, drink, relax and enjoy everyone’s company after a long day of travelling.
Sun. Jan. 15
We enjoy a buffet breakfast at the Embassy Suites North with Uncle Eugene. It’s wonderful to see Uncle Eugene as he’s gotten his weight down considerably to 170 lbs and his numbers are lower in terms of the insulin he needs to take to the point that his doctor may soon move him to a children’s dosage (vs. adult dosage) which is fantastic news!
In June 2012, Uncle Eugene will be fully vested which means that probably in 2013 he’ll retire and I hope he’ll come visit me in Australia!
Mom, Papa and I take American Airlines from LAX to Narita Airport in Tokyo (reminder NOT to take American Airlines again as the movies start at specific times, only 6 choices, and you cannot pause/rewind the movie which makes you feel held hostage in your seat). I’d finished reading the book Moneyball while on the beach in Zorritos, Persu so watch the movie which paled in comparison to the book.
