Manu and Machu Picchu

Manu National Park is located about 10 hours southeast of Cusco and covers about 20 000 sq km. It is an Unesco Natural Heritage Site and forms part of the Amazon Basin with the Rio Manu feeding into the Amazon River. Peru is made up of 60% jungle while 30% is highlands and 10% is coastal. Neither the Inca nor the Spanish actually controlled this jungle and the few settlements cling just on the edges of the park. There are at least 15 different peopls with their own distinct dress, customs, beliefs and langauge including the hostile nomadic hunter-gatherer ¨naked people¨ deep in the jungle who avoid contact and have been known to attack rangers. 

The pleasant white-washed and blue door town of Paucartambo is about 4-5 hours away from Cusco is where the highlands and lowlands meet and was the last Inca outpost. From here the roads turns into a winding gravel road with many sharp blind bends. You have to honk and and listen for other vehicles´ horns as the road is mostly single lanes as you descend into the cloud forest and then into the Amazon Basin. If you are prone to motion sickness, bring Gravol. You will need it.       

I have found that when you go trekking in the mountains, it is about the landscape and views while the jungle, it is about the life around you. Whether it is swimming, flying, walking, climbing, crawling or growing, the jungle is teemng with life, often hidden in the lush vegetation. The jungle becomes even more alive at night and you fall asleep to the sounds birds, frogs and insects. The first night we stayed at a small town of Pilcopata which felt like a village in South East Asia. Change the people and add in some spicy food and I could be in Thailand.  There were even people eating on stools from a bicycle street food stall!

The excusion in Manu Park was very comfortable as we stayed at two lodges with our own bathrooms and good mosquito nets. The food was exceptional and they provided rubber boots for the muddy trails and to cross small rivers. Being in a rainforest, it naturally rained and there were plenty of bugs. I say ¨you take from the jungle and you give to the jungle.¨ In this case, blood and bites for the mosquitos. There were plenty of butterflies, monkeys, and birds to be seen and one of the lodges was upriver. The ride on the long boat felt like Asia. There were also some interesting Pre-Inca funeral towers in Ninamarca on the long drive back to Cusco. 

A day after I got back from the jungle, I went on  the 72 km Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. There were some great mountain views on the first two days as we climbed to 4600 meters to the bottom of Mount Salkantay on a steep switchbacked trail. The trail then drops down to 2500 meters into the edge of the jungle as you follow along a river and where the mosquitoes are waiting. On the other hand, the famous 43 km Inca Trail must be booked months in advance as you walk on ancient Inca steps for four days through lower mountain passes, ruins, wells and fountains. Both treks and the train line end at the overpriced town of Aquas Calientes named after the (overcrowded) hotsprings. The town is chalkful of hostals, hotels, restaurants, bars and gift stores catering to the full range of tourists from the penny-pinching backpacker to the $500 luxury train rider. Most people only stay one or two nights as the small town is just below Machu Picchu and the jumping off point to either walk up or to take the short bus ride to the ancient city. To get to the Machu Picchu gate before it opens at 6 am, you start the 45 minute walk up at 5 am and arrive before the rush of the crowds come.  Machu Picchu gets between 2500 to 4000 visitors a day. There  is something to be said when you are maybe the fifth person to walk into the site and for the briefest of moments, you feel like you are the only one there.

It is speculated that Machu Picchu may have been an important religious site and the buildings, temples and surrounding terraces took over 200 years to build. Apparently the building did not involve slaves but citizens fulfilling their tax obligations. Typical of Inca construction, the buildings, pathways and terraces were made up of cut rocks from a nearby quarry. The roofs, doors, walls and windows were slanted for the occasional earthquake. The rocks were split using wood inserted into cracks in the rocks which were then poured with water (the Incas did not pass beyond the Bronze Age and did not have harder instruments). As the wood expanded, the stones opened up and each stone was individually polished to fit perfectly together. It is estimated 400-500 people lived in Machu Picchu. The ancient city was never actually completed as the inhabitants were called to Cusco by their Inca (king) to defend their capital city from the Spaniards. Incredibly 40% of the site remains underground. Only known to the local Quechua people, the site remained hidden until it was ¨discovered¨ by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

For a higher view of the archeological site, you can climb Wayna Picchu . Only 400 people are allowed to climb this mountain a day so book ahead. After a hour on the steep, stepped pathway, we were unfortunately greeted with grey stormy clouds and sudden heavy rain. Coming down we were completely drenched and my boots, socks, jacket and pants were soaked. Sipping some coffee at the cafe below with most of the tourists catching the bus or walking back to town, I said to myself "you can always be dry but you can't always be in Machu Picchu." I stayed with 6 other people from my trek to wander in the rain. It was probably one of the best decisions I have made in South America because by the late afternoon, the sun came out. It was pure magic. There were very few tourists and because of the rain on the trees and sudden heat from the sun, tiny wisp of white clouds hovered in the surrounding peaks of the nearby mountains. It is truly a beautiful sight and the colours of the green terraced fields and sandy brown stoned buildings really came out. I can understand why it is so famous because the site sits ontop of a mountain and the beauty of the ancient buildings is matched by the surrounding beauty of the scenery with mountains, valleys, sheered cliffs, glaciered peaks and rivers.

After two days of rest in Cusco, I am taking a night bus to the colonial town of Ayacucho, deep in the Andes.

Coming to Cusco (Cuzco)

After taking another night bus, I have arrived in Cusco or in Quechua (Inca) language, Qusqu or Qosqo. Legend has it that the first Inca king, Manco Capac was directed by the sun god, Inti to find qosq'o, "the navel of the earth". After a long search, he found the point and named the city after it. Cusco is the longest, continuously inhabited city in the Americas. The first inhabitants began living in Cusco around 1500 BC and after the Incas arrived there in 1100's AD , they made it their capital.

The Inca believed the world was divided into three planes represented by animals, the condor (upper world where their gods dwelled), the puma (the earth where the Incas and humans lived) and the snake (the underworld). Often these three animals are depicted in Inca carvings, paintings and woven in textiles. The ninth Inca king, Pachacutec diverted the river from the city and then went about urban planning Cusco to be shaped like a puma.

There are still many remants of  Inca walls (some over 500 years old) that dot the city or been built on top by other buildings. Banks, hotels, cafes, and shops all share room with these ancient walls and streets. The original Inca walls were made with perfectly fitted giant polished stones and their weight holds them in place without any motar or cement. The walls were also angled at 13 degrees for stability and to resist the  occasional earthquake. With the coming of the Spanish conquistadors in 1533 marked the end of the Inca rule in Cusco. The Spanish conquered and renamed the city to Cusco the following year, building churches on Inca religious or sacred sites.

The main square (Plaza de Armas) is unique as there are two churches. The catherdral and a grand church built by the Jesuits in competition with the bishop at the time. These were built over an Inca palace and temple.

In this region of Peru, away from the coast the food specialities are cuy al horno (roasted guinea pig) and anticuchos (skewered beef hearts), best taken in my opinion off a street vendor fanning the grill and spashing the barbequed meat and potatoes with some spicy green salsa.

Cusco is also the jumping off point to trek to the once "lost" Inca city of Machu Picchu and the various routes to get there. Easily one of the main reasons people visit South America and the reason why tourism is Peru's second main economy. The popular Inca Trail must be booked 3-6 months ahead as they limit the number of people going on the trail. I have signed on to the cheaper and easier to arrange five-day Salkantay trek, an alternate route to Machu Picchu that goes around and behind the fortress city. But before I leave I also wanted to see a bit of the Amazon, so off to Manu National Park for four days for a view of both high and lowland jungles. Hopefully, the mosquitoes won't be too bad.

The costs for both excursions was very reasonable so I know what that means.... food will likely be inadequate. Off to buy some supplies and a 6:00 am start.

In Arequipa...

Arequipa was one of the last cities founded by Spanish Empire in South America in 1540. Known as a "white city" for the white washed buildings and the Spanish inhabitants. During colonial times, the Indigenous people were not allowed to dwell in the city and lived in the outskirts instead. One distinguishing feature in the city is the expansive Santa Catalina de Siena Convent in the downtown area. The convent was originally built in 1579 and was constantly expanded and renovated due to growth and the damage from earthquakes. The convent is a maze of court yards, cloisters, bedrooms, kitchens, shrines and gardens. Many of the nuns and novices came from wealthy families and they were used to a level of luxury. As a result the interior of the convent is richly decorated with paintings from popular painters, court yard passages full of fresco painted ceilings and English pianos in some of the rooms.

This region in Peru is also known for such culinary dishes as the Chupe de Camarones, a tasty traditional shrimp soup. Gaint whole shrimps simmered in a milky and cheese broth with potatoes, corn, green pepers, rice and egg. Filling and delicious. The other known dish is Rocoto Relleno, a red chili pepper stuffed with meat, peanuts, cheese, onions, and other goodness accompanied with toasted thinly sliced potatoes and cheese, bathed in a creamy milk sauce. Heavy and spicy.

I just came back from a short two day trek into the Colca Canyon,
one of the deepest canyon in the world at 3191 meters (when measured from the peak). Full of dusty, terraced farm lands and a gorge cut by the Majes River and volcanic mountain sides sprinkled with the occasional village. During this time of year, there are plenty of white and black condors flying above the canyon. The actual climb down and up was surprisingly short at about two hours. The route was not deepest and by far the descent down the Grand Canyon is  much longer and warmer but the route into the Colca Canyon ends in a pleasant oasis and our accommodations (with beds, pool and shower). The Colca Canyon trail is a popular hike and it seems practically all the tour companies offer the same route and amenities. Just go with the cheapest tour as there is very little difference between tours but bring some snacks.

The sun has set in Arequipa. Time to get something to eat.

Peruvian Bound

After spending a night in Copacabana and a day of hiking on the mountain hillside and along the coastal villages of Isla De Sol (Island of the Sun), I left Bolivia and entered Peru by night bus into the southern and second most populated city (in Peru) of Arequipa. To my astonishment the bus heater worked and the roads were relatively smooth though the bus driver in Peru side drove like a maniac. If you don't have faith in God, you soon will if travel in South America.

Copacabana is a small town with an impressive Moorish-type church that looked similar to the Islamic art influenced Andalcian churches in Spain and plenty of trucha (lake trout) food stalls that hug the lake shore. True to its name, Isla de Sol was sunny with blue skies and due to the alititude, very little trees

which reminded me of the dry, shrubby landscape of the Greek Islands. I kept expecting to see wandering goats and herdsmen, and to have spanakopita, tzatziki or lamb souvlaki fpr dinner. The lake is immense and feels like a sea minus the salt air. There are even white sand beaches and aqua blue waters, and little towns of red brick housing, cattle and children flying kites. The mountianlike hillside affords views to the distant horizons and some Pre-Inca ruins and only when you start climbing, do you realize how high you are.  

So far in Peru, the internet is much better and Arequipa feels more wealthier. The streets are cleaner, there are more locals in bars, restaurants and stores and the food seems to be more refined and appreciated. I tried my first Cuy Chactado (roasted guinea pig) which reminded me of Chinese roasted pig but slightly leaner and of course smaller. When the waitress asked if I wanted the head on or off and how I would I like to eat it, I responded ¨I like it the way the locals do¨ with the head on and taking apart the fatty and crackling skinned guinea pig with your hands. There is also a sought-after piece of bone in the head that the Peruvians try to find which is supposed to be auspicious. The head is a bit tricky with the hairy ears, tiny teeth and thick skull that I could not get through so no bone for me. A little chilli and plum sauce would have done wonders with this dish but it is nevertheless tasty.

Another city, another market. I always find it comforting to walk throught the food markets in other countries and see the different fruits and vegetables and the day to day life of locals buying and selling, eating at stalls and haggling or gossiping.  Peru boasts an astonishing 4000 varieties of potatoes and often you will see rice, potoatoes and pasta served on the same dish. The chewing of Cocao leaves by locals is absent but cocolate is popular and you can take classes to make it.

There is also local city elections being held in Arequipa but nothing like the ¨cult of personality¨of seeing Bolivia´s incumbent president, Evo Morales´ picture, drawing or slogan plastered everywhere on walls, mountain sides and road side.

Off to get some breakfast and to arrange a Colca Canyon trek to see of one of the deepest canyons in the world.

Huayna Potosi And Last Look At La Paz

My attempt to climb Huayna Potosi at 6088 meters ended in 5250 meters at high camp. Both my physical condition and the high altitude affected my progress as I needed to stop every 20 steps  or so to catch my breathe and suck in some air. The first day was pleasant at the refuge which was surprisingly like a ski lodge. I met seven other travelers from France, Mexico, Germany and Australian who were also going up. The German even remarked it felt like being at home in a chalet in the Alps. I had fun practicing ice climbing on a small glacier and walking up and down with an ice axe. I found going down particularly hard using the crampons and axe and then walking straight down on the ice in a sitting position (as the guide said, like you are using the toilet). I have a new found respect for mountain climbers, especially hauling a full backpack as well.

The time I went up, the weather was not great with fog, lightning and thunder (not good when you are carrying metal objects like your axe and crampons and you are so much higher) and constant snowfall. On the second day, we made our way through the slippery, thick snow to the higher camp and I soon realized it was progressively getting harder going up and I had underestimated the difficulty of the climb. Only about 50% of the tourists who go up make it to the peak and I was not one of them. When we woke up at 2:00 am to ascend, I decided not to go up as I was paired (roped) with the Australian and the guide, and if I had to turn back, he would also have to as well. Unfortunately, the snow conditions and weather were bad and the three that attempted to reach the peak were just short of 100 meters from the top and had to turn back. I felt a little dejected when I returned back to La Paz but have come to realize that if not climbing a mountain is my biggest worry, then my life is pretty good.

La Paz is one of the highest capital cities in the world and unlike most cities where the more affluent neighborhoods tend to be higher for the views, the richer people live in the lower parts as there is more oxygen and a little warmer. You can take a cable car to one of these poorer neighborhoods in the Alto (the city is planning to build seven more cable cars) for the views of the city and mountains. On Sundays, it is particularly busy as the Alto market occurs and you can buy particularly anything including cars. More interesting for me, you can also see Mexican wrestling done Bolivian style with fan favorite "Churitas" (traditionally dressed women) fighting each other or against masked men. It is hilarious way to end the week with bodies flying in and out of the ring, over the top acting and chairs, water bottles and popcorn being thrown around. Great fun.

La Paz also had one of the oddest holidays last Sunday which was to encourage walking and exercise. From 9 am to 5 pm, no motorized vehicles (except police cars) were allowed to run in the whole city. It was really pleasant not hearing the honking cars or the smell of the exhaust fumes as the locals ran, biked, skateboarded, rollerbladed, walked and generally enjoyed themselves on the street and road ways. Food stalls formed and pick up soccer, volleyball and chess games played.

I am off to catch a bus this morning to Lake Titicaca to see the largest high altitude lake (8400 sq km at 3808 meters high) in the world before going into Peru. I have been told the sunsets and sunrises are particularly beautiful there.

Quirky Bolivia

One of the best things you can do in La Paz is go on the ¨Red Cap¨ Free Walking Tour. The tour begins in front of the San Pedro Prison which is located in a former convent and smack right in the city center. The prison was suppose to have only 200 or so prisoners but now houses 1200 people including the wives and children of prisoners. Many of these prisoners are on remand and can wait up to three or four years before their court dates. Bolivian sentences can also be quite stiff (e.g. 8 years prison sentence for being the vacinity of drugs).

Prisons in Bolivia are definitely different from most countries as prisoners have to pay for their living area from prisoners who ¨own¨ property in the prison. For 5000 Bolivianos ($ 787 Cdn) you get a cell with a flat screen TV, a jacuzzi and your own separate entrance. You can also be homeless in the prison and sleep under stairways. There is a little self-sufficient economy and community within the prison walls with restaurants, cafes, barbers, lawyers, etc, making a living. Children leave the prison to go school and wives go to work but must return in the evening. There are eight sections in the prison run by an ëlected¨prisoner and there are only 10 (or as little as 4) policeman who guard the prison. One lucrative activity in the prison is the manufacture and selling of cocaine. The drug dealers in the prison do what they know best and continue their trade by usually tossing cocaine wrapped in diapers over the wall and their workers collect it and sell the drug in the nearby park. An English drug dealer wrote about his experiences in the San Pedro prison which may be depicted in a future film starring Brad Pitt. Crazy.        

The Red Cap tour also wanders through a vegetable and fruit market where many Casaras (women selling produce) have their stands. One thing you notice is that Bolivians love potatoes and there are many varieties (including dehyrated ones that can last for 30 years!) and that each of this women is selling almost the same things.  Apparently, locals only go to their one Casara (meaning ¨special lady¨) in the market and this passes from family generations. The Casara provide advice and neighbour hood gossip.

The tour then took the group to the Witches´ Market where potions and magic dust for love, marriage or revenge, or ingredients like llama feteus can be bought. Bolivians continue to be quite superstitious and ¨tables¨or small offerings of cocoa leaves, alcohol and maize are burnt and the ashes spread around the home. Apparently, shamans will be asked to perform a ceremony prior to building of a home which will include a ritual sacrifice of a baby llama to pacha mama (mother earth). After the ceremony, the workers will drink cases of beer for a week prior to beginning construction. There is a rumour that major buildings like malls require a human sacrifice as the construction workers believe if this is not done, Pacha mama will take one of them. There have been human remains found in older buildings, usually under the cement foundation and the victims tend to be homeless.

One charming thing in Bolivia is the dress of the Indigneous women called Churita who wear bowler hats and skirts of varying length. The bowler hat aparrently became fashionable with the Quechua and Aymara women in 1920´s as they were introduced by British railway and mining workers. Aparrently, the bowler hats were made by an Italian company who made it too small for the men (as the Italian manufacturer thought Bolivians had smaller stature and therefore, smaller heads) but refused to take them back. Stuck with these hats, the English approached some Aymara women and claimed it was fashionable in Europe. It soon caught on and the rest is history. The hat often does not even fit the women and sits there but helps with posture and demonstrates an attractive characteristic for males. The ability to carry things. For the Indigenious men, the sexiest part of the women is the calf area and the women wear skirts that accentuate this feature and if a local girl wants to attract a man, she will pull up her skirt to show her calf. The position of the bowler hat also matters. If it is sitting on top, the woman is married but if it is tilted to one side, she is widow or single.        


Another charming thing I like about this country is that locals like to play fooz ball and you will see table soccer set up in the markets or streets. Occasionally, you will also see        people dressed up in zebra outfits on some busy city streets. This was great initiative by some city mayors for at-risk youths to be paid ´traffic zebras´ to enforce traffic laws to help with their education funding. I see them jumping front of cars or vans to stop them from running red lights and generally making pedestrain walking safer. Well loved by the locals and they all seem to be always cheerful. It´s hillarious seeing them in action and I personally think they seem to have more affect than the traffic police. Zebra power all the way.

Off to three day climb to Huayna Potosi tomorrow.

More Salt, Please !

I am in chilly La Paz after finishing the four day salt flat tour and ending up in the dust bowl town of Uyuni. My first impression of Uyuni was that "I don't want to stay here" and promptly took the bus out that night.Uyuni is made up of non-descript, pale square buildings, dusty roads, a deserted train station and surprising number of pizzerias catering to tourists waiting for their salt flat tours to start.

I don't mind La Paz. I have been getting mixed reviews of Bolivia's capital city from other travellers. Sure there is lots of honking and fume-spewing traffic and plenty of steep hills to climb as the city is built in a valley. But the city is overlooked by the Cordillera Real de Los Andes mountain range including the Huaya Potosi and Illimani 6000+ meter peaks. The city also has some great markets including the Lanka food and flower market where great steak, fried onion and egg breakfast sandwiches are made (and consumed). A steaming cup of coffee and one of these wonderful sandwiches will cost you $1.90 and get started for the day.

The salt flat (Salar De Uyuni) tour is stunningly beautiful and I think a "must do" if you are in Bolivia. Brave the rough teeth-chattering roads, ice cold accommodations and nights and in our case, your truck stuck in the mud for two hours and you will be rewarded with breath-taking and changing scenery. Wide expansive sand dunes, snow capped mountains, red rock canyons, the aqua blue and green Laguna Verde, the red Laguna Colorado full of flamingos, hot springs and geisers under an equally expansive blue sky. At about 4000 - 4600 meters, there are no trees in the landscape and only scrubs and at night, the stars shine brightly and the galaxies swirl above.

Much like Africa, the Toyota Land Cruiser is the most popular and reliable vehicle on most  tours. I recommend you start the tour from Tupiza instead of Uyuni and you will catch the sunrise on the Salar De Uyuni, the largest salt plain in the world at an altitude of 3755 meters on the last day. Formed 25,000 to 50, 000 years ago from a gaint interior sea, the salt flats receives less than 300 cm of rain in a year. The hardened salt forms a particular pattern on the ground, much like a hexigon jigsaw pieces as you stare out into the distance. It is a stark, beautiful place as the salt plains blends into the horizon. Did I also mentioned there are llamas roaming around or in one of the villager`s homes. Who doesn´t like llamas?