Preface/Disclaimer: Big Announcement- HUGE: After a month of traveling in Central and South America…. I now speak fluent Spanglish! This is great news as it’s the first foreign (okay, semi-foreign) language I’ve ever been fluent in!! Great news aside, the point of this Preface/Disclaimer is to ask you to bear with me as you read this blog post. My brain is in Spanglish mode so the words just come out and I can’t help it sometimes but, lucky for you, the number of Spanish words in my vocabulary are limited. So, I doubt you will have any problemas. (See how easy that is to translate??)
No longer the Preface/Disclaimer but just my normal blog: If you’ve been dutifully following my blogs, you’ve noticed that I’ve been on mucho tours with a muy bien company called Flash Pack. And, as a thank you for my loyal patronage, the Flash Pack co-founders (and amazing husband and wife duo) Lee and Rahda, offered me my tenth trip, to Peru, for FREE!! (Sans dinero? Sin dinero? You get the gist!) This gesture was SO, SO, SO nice of them and I’m SO, SO, SO grateful!! This was especially meaningful as the Peru trip was one of their first (and is one of the most frequently run) and I’d seen and heard many accounts of the trip’s amazingness, so I was very excited as I left Mexico and headed to Lima.
Our group met in the country’s capital city, where we would be spending a few days exploring with our local guide, Ricardo. This was a unique group as it was the smallest of any of my previous tours and there were only six of us. The groups usually have 10-14 and for some reason this one was smaller. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect with a smaller group. I mean, what if we got sick of each other?? But, my concerns were unfounded and it ended up being a different and also really good experience.
Everything was so much easier with only six of us to keep track of at any given time, and I actually forgot how it worked with the larger groups! We also had a great mix of people in the group- my roommate Archie from London (who also quit her job and is traveling South America for a few months!), Zoe from London, Gemma from Manchester, Menard from Philly, and Lorena from the Philippines (but she’s currently working in the U.S. for a year).
Ricardo started our introduction to the city at a local food market, where we learned from vendors about all the different types of fruits and vegetables native to Peru. They have such variety and even upwards of 3,000 types of potato. No joke! Pretty much every size, shape, and color that you can imagine. We later learned from a local that Peruvians like the imperfect food or vegetable in the group as opposed to the shiny, perfect looking apple. More desirable is the potato with a worm in at (after cutting out the worm!), as it’s likely more tasty. I mean, if the worm liked it…
We also got a tutorial in local seafood, which Lima is also known for (especially fish in the form of ceviche) and we learned that the city has put itself on the map as a gastronomy capital where food is a big draw to tourists. We experienced this first hand when our next stop was a delicious restaurant where we were given lessons on making two Peruvian staples: a pisco sour and ceviche. I had always imagined that the whipped top layer of a pisco sour was made with egg whites after the rest of the drink, but in fact it’s all shaken together and separates naturally when poured (so looks harder to make than it is- love that!).
We also whipped up some delish ceviche that we enjoyed as a first course of a scrumptious lunch. As a seafood fan I was very happy! We then toured through the downtown area of Lima that surprised me with its grandeur and charm. I guess because I’d never heard anything about downtown Lima, I’d assumed there wasn’t much there but it was very cool with several huge fountains and cathedrals and large picturesque squares (the Plaza del Armas is the main square and it’s very cool to see).
We then spun through the Miraflores neighborhood, which is an affluent waterfront neighborhood with several parks and loads of shopping. Of course the Brits in the group had to track down a Paddington Bear statue (apparently Paddington is actually from Peru- I’d forgotten that part of the book). We returned to our hotel still satiated from lunch and happily tired from a full day in Lima- a cool city worth a visit.
It was an early bell the next morning as we headed to the airport and hopped a flight to…the Amazon! Our Amazon accommodations were very cool in a rustic-chic kinda way (if that makes sense) and were most definitely remote, requiring a bus ride and then a boat ride down a river to reach. We slept in huts with thatched roofs and enjoyed meals that were mostly made with ingredients they grow or source locally (think lots of plantains, trout, nuts, and the most delicious fruits).
We were also taken on various excursions throughout the day and night to appreciate the nature of the area from various perspectives. This included a nighttime river cruise where we spotted a few of the caimen animal (like an alligator and crocodile but neither) and also a capybara on the shore (this was described as a giant guinea pig and that is exactly what it looked like).
We also went on an early morning hike followed by a canoe ride on a beautiful lake, where we spotted a few more caimen (you could just see their eyes, peeking out of the water- it was kind of creepy) and tracked down a friendly otter who gave us a show as he enjoyed his freshly caught fish lunch.
That afternoon we were off again, for an adventure in the trees of the Amazon, where we enjoyed scampering across a series of suspension bridges hung high up in the trees. Once we crossed the first couple bridges we were were more at ease and could enjoy the spectacular views.
On the boat ride back to our accommodations I started to feel tired and then the onset of a familiar chill that I’d experienced the week prior when I’d come down with a fever and stomach bug when in Mexico. While the symptoms had been lingering, I’d been feeling better each day, until now. I got off the boat and made my way to my hut where I promptly got into bed and wrapped myself in a blanket, shivering. Well, lucky for me, Gemma is a nurse and when she came to check on me, she took one look at the situation and proceeded to whip the blanket off of me and made me promise to keep it off when she left. Well, at one point, after much self-contemplation, I was about to give in and grab the blanket back, then just as I was reaching for the blanket, I heard footsteps on the porch of my hut…it was Gemma! I quickly dropped the blanket and from then on was scared to touch it again. It was like she knew! In the end, despite having maybe called her Nurse Ratched a few times, I was grateful for Gemma’s medical advice, and it worked as my fever was gone by morning! While I’d been infirmed the rest of the group enjoyed another night walk where the guide spotted a huge tarantula hole and lured it out for the group to see. I saw the pictures and that thing was HUGE (even bigger than the one in the Brady Bunch Hawaii episode) and I’m really okay with not having seen it in person.
The next morning we bid farewell to our friends from the resort (a great international crowd that we’d made friends from New Zealand and Germany) and took the boat back to the bus back to the airport (with a brief stop at a butterfly farm). We then headed to Cusco, which would be our landing pad for the next week as we embarked on various adventures including a hike up Rainbow mountain and seeing the infamous Machu Picchu.
Cusco is known for being a high-elevation city but I didn’t realize quite how high until we got there. (The meters to feet conversion is something I haven’t mastered quite yet and 3,300 meters didn’t mean a whole lot… I quickly realized we’re talking over 11,000 feet!!!) Now, I’ve done some high altitude climbing before and know that I’m one of those lucky people who has not been negatively impacted by elevation. And, yes, I realize how lucky I am as it’s something you really can’t control (not even with fitness) and it can make or break an experience. But, this was about to be unchartered territory for me! In fact, when checking into our hotel in Cusco, we were told that they have oxygen tanks and it’s no biggie to call the desk in the night and ask for a hit of oxygen. They just roll it up to your room, I guess (thankfully, nobody in our group needed it). We also met our guide for the remainder of the trip, a Cusco local named Pabel, who I liked right away. He’s been doing this for a long time and clearly knows his stuff but has a quiet confidence about him. I conferred with Pabel about my own sickness (that did not seem to be getting better) and he arranged for a doctor to come to my room. It was like room service but with a doctor! She was originally from the Lima area and my first introduction to the beliefs and faith of the people of Cusco was from her. She said many local people believe that if something bad happens to you when in Custco (such as if you get sick) that it’s a sign from the spirits that Cusco doesn’t want you there and you should leave. I believe she was telling me that story as an anecdote and not as a hint, plus I’d gotten whatever I had while in Mexico, not Cusco so surely this couldn’t be applicable to me (this was how I rationalized it in my head at the time). Anyways, she did an exam and said I had gotten a parasite of some sort when in Mexico (likely from food or drink) and gave me a strong antibiotic that worked it’s magic quickly. Phew! Traveling while sick is not my favorite thing and I was so glad to be back to 100%!
The next day, Pabel led us on a tour of Cusco’s main attractions in the town and its surrounding mountains as he told us more about the incredible city.
First of all, Cusco is super-old and was the capital of the Inca empires until those pesky Spanish invaded in the 16th century. Most Peruvians are Catholic but the nuances of the religion are different in Cusco than many other areas in Peru. In Cusco the strong native cultural traditions from the Inca times are blended with the tenets of traditional Roman Catholicism brought by the Spanish, such as revering the inti (sun) and the Pachi Mama (Mother Earth) and passing along biblical tales through dramatic, colorful reenactments at churches or festivals. This blended spirituality is manifested by doing things like spiritual offerings to Pachi Mama when eating or drinking something (like if you open a soda, you’d dump a little on the ground as an initial offering to PM before you drink the rest). We saw this done by locals many times throughout our journey and even started doing it ourselves (when we remembered, which for me wasn’t very often, but at one point I gave her almost a whole beer to make up for it so I think she’s cool with me). While we made the offerings seemingly in partial jest, I think we all figured it couldn’t hurt to have PM on our side as we immersed ourselves in the natural wonders in the area (and especially as we embarked on a strenuous two-day hike up Rainbow mountain).
After enjoying the many sites (think 360 degree mountain views, vibrant squares, massive churches) and sounds (music is everywhere!) of Cusco we packed a smaller bag which we took on a bus ride the next morning, our destination being a gorgeous lodge nestled in the mountains and positioning us better for our Rainbow mountain hike. This lodge was also rustic-chic and I didn’t realize until the end of the trip that it was part of the same hotel chain as the rustic-chic place in the Amazon- the Inka Terra hotel group (which I highly recommend, btw, and a Peruvian hotel chain so not related to SPG or anything like that). View from my room:
On our way we stopped to embark on an amazing mountain bike ride through the mountains (probably the coolest mountain biking adventure I’ve ever had – the views were so stunning that they almost looked fake) and then, while still exhilarated we stopped a few hours later to see the coolest salt flats.
While there had been a mention of salt flats in the itinerary, I don’t think any of us were prepared for how cool they were. Of course they were Inca construction and those Inca’s did not fool around with this sort of thing. I’m in absolute awe thinking about the fascinating feats of engineering that they developed during their time. At the flats we learned about the different type of salts harvested on the flats and got an up close and personal tour. It’s amazing how much salt is created from just a small water source!
Our last stop was another Incan archeological site called Moray that included an elaborate irrigation system allowing them to test different methods of farming. Yes, they had their act together enough to create a farming testing system, no problemo.
We wound down from all the Inca excitement at the most relaxing mountain lodge imaginable and prepared for our big Rainbow mountain adventure the next day. This place was epic and we enjoyed a complimentary pisco sour in big cushy leather chairs, around the crackling fire. It had almost a ski lodge atmosphere. Our evening entertainment was a game created by Zoe, that involved creating trivia questions about the trip thus far. It seemed that the teams were pre-ordained (by Zoe) and it was Team GB vs. Team No-Stars (which consisted of the non-Brits in the group- Menard, Lorena and myself. We happily accepted our designated name, despite the not-so-veiled insult where No-Stars is a mockery of the American term, All-Stars. Gotta love that British humor!) Menard and I quipped that we are most comfortable as the underdog – cue the Revolutionary war (which I might add is a conflict one Brit in the group had NO IDEA had ever happened. I will not name names, but just sayin’….). It was a heated battle (down to one point!) and I will tell you those Brits are both competitive and rules-bound… didn’t Paul Revere say something similar? Anyways, I’m happy to say that despite our best efforts, Team GB was the victor! I’m happy because with a true collectivist mentality, I’m going to say that in the end the trip was more harmonious for all of us because they won. And I’m also optimistic that Team GB’s national pride from the victory is maybe enough to take the edge off all of their losses in the next Winter Olympics, maybe. [Menard and Lorena- am I framing this well or what?!]
Trivia grudges behind us, we embarked on our trip up Rainbow Mountain the next day as a united front! The first day’s hiking was not too strenuous and we enjoyed meeting families who live along the way, in extremely modest shack-like structures, if that. One even invited us to warm around their fire and then started playing music and taught us their traditional dance!
I will say that everything, even dancing, is more difficult when you’re at high altitude. And our altitude had reached the ridiculously high proportions. I’m talking at camping at 14,000 feet and the summit of Rainbow Mountain is a full 17,000 feet! This is my highest altitude ever and I was curious how I would respond physically, but other than being out of breath easily, I felt pretty good. At times I even felt a little bit giddy, like when I was a little kid and would occasionally suck the air out of a helium balloon to make my voice sound funny. A few in our group weren’t so lucky and battled the annoying negative impacts of the altitude but all were troopers and we were happy to reunite at the summit. Our victory pose:
Rainbow Mountain really is that beautiful and it’s awe-inspiriting to be seeing the multi-colored layers, which are the result of mineral deposits over millions of years.
Of course we added a lot more color to Rainbow Mountain, especially with my Lucha Libre face masks I’d brought from Mexico (they were also a great face warmer!).
The trek down was a piece of cake, as the weather was perfect and we were scampering past throngs of people headed to the summit at a much later point in the day. It turns out that most folk do this hike as a day trip and leave Cusco at 2 a.m., ride several hours in a bus to a trail head (taking a shorter and less scenic route than us), reach the summit (all at the same time, so it’s a royal cluster) and then all trudge down at the same time and return to Cusco at 7 p.m. I will say our method was BY FAR more preferable as it felt like we were the only ones on the magical mountain at times and we got to appreciate it in a much more authentic way.
We enjoyed the same pre-hike mountain Inka Tera property the night after the hike, and were even treated to massages. It felt like the most perfect time to get a massage ever (and I’ve had my fair share of massages). None of us recovered from the massage-induced veil of relaxation enough to stay awake too long (definitely not enough energy for Trivia round 2) and we all retired pretty early. I think I slept for 10 solid hours that night and it was perfect. The next day it was off to our next site… a not too shabby one called Machu Picchu. This required a bus to a cute little town with amazing Inca ruins that we explored before boarding a train.
Okay, I’m not going to lie, it was a the best train ever. It had adorable, colorful placements at each seat, gorgeous window views and even little skylights so you could see an aerial view during the beautiful ride through the Andes. And, to top it off, there was a guy walking up and down the aisle with a drink shaker, which had the double effect of creating percussion background noise and making pisco sours!
We all happily enjoyed a pisco sour as we cruised into Machu Picchu central- a cute little community bustling with hotels and many restaurants trying to lure you in, and offering things such as 2×1 happy hour pisco sours and jenga (twist my arm!). We had a delish dinner and hit the hay early, which I’d like to say was because we knew had an early morning but to be honest (for me at least) was more a result of the altitude + pisco sour combo deal. It worked out well, though, as we were all awake and fairly lucid at 5 a.m., when we headed to the line for the buses to the top of Machu Picchu (about a 15 minute ride). There’s a huge line at that hour and apparently tourism has been on a continuous incline over the past 8 years of so.
I will say that the country of Peru does seem to have it figured out in terms of tourism, almost in a “if you build it they will come” fashion in determining the main attractions they promote to tourists (out of Peru’s many man-made and natural options). I will say at Machu Picchu they do a nice job of regulating the number of onlookers there at one time, so while I’d heard tales of the spot being overrun with tourists, I never felt like it was ridiculously packed. When we arrived, we first stood in awe, just staring at the wonder of the world and only remembering to take pictures when Pabel suggested it.
It’s just unbelievable to think that this was created by human beings that long ago and built in less than 30 years! We then climbed Machu Pinchu mountain, which is actually part of the Inca trail and is a stone path with more than 2,500 steps taking you to an elevation of a mere 10,100 feet- the top of the mountain overlooking the ruins.
Of course the Incas made the trail so it’s still in pretty good shape. (As a side note, I also didn’t realize that the entire 26 mile Inca trail is a stone path of made of Inca paving stones!) After making our way down the mountain, we had an up close and personal tour of the ruins and as we walked through Pabel explained the many amazing design features of the city- including brick and mortarless construction with irregularly shaped rocks that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, so during the many earthquakes over the years the stones allegedly “dance” and move apart easily but then fit back together in their original formation. Genius!
I have to tell you that the views from that spot are out of this world. It’s really a shame that after all that work the city was only inhabited for about 80 years before it was abandoned in 1572. It was then buried and nobody knew it was there until 1911, when it was finally discovered. It’s such an incredible place full of incredible stories and I fully support the wonder of the world designation (in case the wonder of the world committee was interested in my thoughts).
Following a delicious lunch we boarded the train back to Cusco, less exuberant this time following our 4 a.m. wake-up call and exciting morning. Back in Cusco we rallied to go out, as it was our final night together! How was the trip already over? All my trips have gone by quickly but this one really flew. We enjoyed a few more pisco sours and looked for salsa dancing but ended up at a regular dance place and that worked just fine. Good-byes were hard, per the ushe, and I was staying for two more nights so had a staggered process of bidding farewell to folks. It’s almost easier if you’re the first to leave! I spent my next few days taking in more of Cusco, including a typical Sunday that includes parades all over the main square- celebrating graduations, religious observations and some things that I have no idea what they are but involve lots of music and costumes.
It appears that everyone in the town is in the parades and the only onlookers are smattering of tourists. But it’s not something they are doing for tourists. It’s just that their idea of the point of a parade is being IN the parade not WATCHING the parade. I love that! I also took a “colectivo” bus (you pay $1.50 and get in a van with a bunch of people going to the same place) to a neighboring town where I explored the markets and some more stunning ruins on the mountain top.
There is a village behind the ruins and I learned that every day the children walk down the mountain to school in the village (a 90 minute trek) and then climb up the mountain for two hours to get home! I can’t imagine doing that everyday in normal conditions, never mind their harsh rainy season.
As I rode to the airport, I thought about how Peru had managed to surpass even my high expectations. Yes, tourism has been on the rise there, but there’s a reason for that. It’s such a beautiful country with incredibly kind and welcoming people (Peruvians are even a little shy by nature!) and the history is palpable and absolutely fascinating. Oh and I now have a little Inca obsession and am on the hunt for a good nonfiction book on them…let me know if you have any recommendations.
Despite my sadness to be leaving Peru, on the bright side I looked forward to being back at sea level for a spell (my lips had a permanent tint of blue for a while due to the altitude).