Hi there,
We have been in Arequipa for the last few days. We arrived on a longer-than-expected bus from Puno. The trip was rather uneventful. Arequipa is the second largest city in Peru, so, it's been nice to see and to use some familiar conveniences. The city is called "la ciudad blanca" because many of the buildings - especially an enormous church in the main square - were constructed using white stone. The stone comes from the surrounding mountains that are volcanic. This city is a bit closer to the coast and at a lower altitude, so, the temps have been a bit warmer.
We visited the nearby Colca Canyon for the last two days. It was a bit anticlimactic and too much car time. The tour was a lot less exciting because it is rainy season and the views were always obstructed by a thick fog. We went with a tour that involved a lot of sitting in the tour van and viewing what should have been spectacular views of volcanoes, terraced countryside, and amazing wildlife. Too bad. But, you can't change the weather and it was interesting to see another part of the country.
Today, we went to a museum that showcased the local archelogical findings that included artifacts - even a mummy, Sarita, that they display in a glass, freezer-box! - found near the tall volcanoes we were supposed to have seen in the Colca Valley. The museum was interesting and amazing as we were able to see really old items that were in really remarkable shape because they were frozen on the top of the peaks for so long. Then, we went to an old Dominican convent that was turned into a museum after 391 years of seclusion in 1970. The art work and architecture was very impressive. The convent takes up a huge city block and it is like a small city within this big city.
We hope you are all doing well. We are hoping that the posted comment we got from some anonymous person was just a kidding around thing. We were just making jokes in our last post about "the highest lakes" and we don't mean to offend. Hopefully, we haven't!
Take good care!
xo,
K & P
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Highest Lake
Whoa, this coca tea must be working because the Lake's are high here in Puno, Peru! Actually, we are really high as we've been staying close to Lake Titicaca since we arrived here on Sunday. The lake is located at 12,000 feet so it's no fooling that it is high. When you look at the lake it is so enormous it looks more like the ocean or something more vast. The altitude hasn't effected us too much as we had plenty of time to acclimate ourselves while hiking to Macchu Picchu and living in Cusco which is located at 10,000 feet or so.
Our bus ride to Puno really cemented the fact that we have embarked upon the "Gringo Trail" as it is known here in Peru. Some refer to it as the "Yankee Trail" but since I hate the Yankee's I'll settle for being a gringo. All the foreigners here are on the same circuit that includes: Macchu Picchu, Cusco, Lima, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Nazca. Maybe not in that order, but, those are the hot spots to hit apparently. The bus ride here was long but it was broken up by lots of stops at a variety of tourist haunts which included a few churches, good views, and a pre-Inca museum. We arrived here in Puno in the evening and settled into our hostel.
We left early the next morning to get our boat to visit Uros Islands and Amantani Island in the large lake. After a short ride, we arrived at one of the reed islands. It was amazing to learn about how the islands were developed and constructed. An extended family lived on the island we visited. After a short informational shebang by the guide, we were instructed to visit the homes of the islanders and to shop at their stalls. Then, we took a short ride on a reed boad to another island that had a few restaraunts, a mini-market, and small huts to spend the night in. It was an amazing experience as I'd only seen photos of this way of life. However, the islands of the Uros area are INCREDIBLY touristy that it was also a bit unsettling to visit.
After a longer trip, we arrived at Amantani, which is another, larger island in the lake. The trip was pretty uneventful and I've got a cold, so, I just slept most of the way. When we arrived on the island, we were met by 10 women dressed traditionally. They were either knitting or spinning thread while we were doled out to their care. The women on this island dress in 3 or 4 calf length skirts, elaborately embroidered white, collared shirts (embroidered by their husbands), sandals made of tire tread, and long, black, embroidered head shawls. It was quite a scene to see these women perched on the cliff above the beautiful shore waiting to invite a bunch of strangers into their families for the evening. Well, we were given to Clara and her family. She was nice and welcoming. After a heafty hike up the hill, with many stops to rest along the way, we arrived at her home. We met her sons, Mario and Jimmy, and helped peel potatoes for lunch. After lunch, we met up with the tour group for a walk further up the hill to see the Inca Temple called Patchatata. It was impressive as were the views. The island is comprised of 8 communities that live by the credo: "I help you today and you help me tomorrow." It is a system that seems to work as the people trade goods and help one another out. However, most of the men and boys work off-island to make ends meet.
After the walk, we went back to Clara's and her sister, Nancy, fixed us dinner. Then, it was time for the traditional dance and fiesta! As you can imagine, Peter and I have had enough dancing for the year - our wedding and the salsa class! But, we donned the traditional dress that was pressed upon us - the tight belt that Nancy strapped me in was pressing on my rib cage and it was hard to breathe! - and we were off for the community center. A group of talented adolescent boys provided beautiful musical accompaniment as we were taught the traditional steps. Luckily, they were easier than salsa. The twirling skirt moves reminded me of being a kid. It was fun. We were tired after a short while and headed home with Nancy for a sleep.
The next day, we were off for the smaller, more isolated isle of Taquille. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that we'd ever get there, folks. The boat ride from Amantani to Taquille was quite a gut churner. The morning was windy, rainy and the waves were about 2 feet high. I know this sounds kind of ninny, but, the boat wasn't the Titanic. It was slow, low to the water, and semi-seaworthy, at best. But, our captain was confident and off we went. Did I mention I had a cold? Did I tell you that I was under the effects of Nyquil? Let's just say this ride was pretty rough. We kept churning over the waves. Every so often, one big one would crash over the bow of the boat and splash the windshield. That was so very confidence building. The trip was supposed to take an hour. After about 10 minutes, I was ready to swim. At least 8 of the 25 folks on board left the comfort of their seats for the refreshing, open-air seating on the back of the boat. Apparently, a pre-req for that seating was a ghostly white face and a fist clenching a plastic bag. Delightful. After the last sorry soul headed for the puke deck, I decided the only way I could endure the trip was to close my eyes. I figured it'd make me puke or calm my nerves from looking out to the churning lake. Thankfully, it calmed me down. It gave me fertile space to pray. My prayers became more intense as I could hear the motor working away. Along with the sorry excuse for the motor (think lower octave lawn mower!) I could hear a metallic banging every so often. I didn't waste time worrying about what that noise could be as I was distracted by the creaking and cranking of the wooden walls of the vessel. Needless to say, we arrived on Terra Firma safely and if it weren't raining heavily, I would have kissed the ground. Peter's only comment was: "Boy, if we had to stay on that boat any longer, I probably would have been sick."
After a rainy, but delightfully stable, walk around the island we arrived at the main plaza. There was a photo gallery and a small cooperative of artensial crafts. This island is more isolated and the people maintain their traditional dress. The men wear stocking-like hats. If the hats are half white, that means the man is single. If they are all red, the man is married. Single men do not carry the small pouch for coca leaves. The men also wear embroidered belts, short pants and little vests. The women of the island wear clothes similar to the ladies on Amantani. The men and women of this island only marry folks on the island and there is less off-island contact. It was an interesting trip. I don't think I've ever been happier to be anywhere given the trip we had to get there. Our trip back to Puno was long but the scenery was pretty. We were tempted to sit on the deck above the main cabin but the sun is so intense here, we opted to stay inside.
We arrived back in Puno to meet our Travel helper, Roxanne. She gave us our tickets for the bus ride to Copacabana, Bolivia and the Islas del Sol y Luna. We inquired if the rumors we heard from a New Zealander on our Lake trip were true about the $100 fee for Americans to cross the border to Bolivia. Her face fell and she said, "You are Americans?" We told her we were and she said that it would cost us $200 for the two of us to spend the night in Bolivia. We said no thanks. That's an awful lot of dinero to fork over for one night. So, we changed our plans to a privately guided tour of the sites south of Puno instead. Yesterday, we were treated to a tour of 3 churches and an Incan Fertility Temple. Very interesting. One of the churches has been neglected for the past 400 years (sadly) but it had no roof. So, tall grass was growing on the floor of the church. It was beautiful. It was like the natural sacred was melding with the humanly constructed sacred space.
Well, we are off for Arequipa tomorrow morning. It is the second largest city in Peru. There have been strikes in that town for the past few days and the roads have been blocked off. However, we were told that the farmers have resolved their problems with the powers that be so we should be good to go tomorrow morning. I hope so. Puno was nice but not our favorite. We are also ready to be at a more reasonable altitude and warmer, less extreme temperatures.
Hope you enjoyed reading. Hope all is well.
Love,
K & P
Our bus ride to Puno really cemented the fact that we have embarked upon the "Gringo Trail" as it is known here in Peru. Some refer to it as the "Yankee Trail" but since I hate the Yankee's I'll settle for being a gringo. All the foreigners here are on the same circuit that includes: Macchu Picchu, Cusco, Lima, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Nazca. Maybe not in that order, but, those are the hot spots to hit apparently. The bus ride here was long but it was broken up by lots of stops at a variety of tourist haunts which included a few churches, good views, and a pre-Inca museum. We arrived here in Puno in the evening and settled into our hostel.
We left early the next morning to get our boat to visit Uros Islands and Amantani Island in the large lake. After a short ride, we arrived at one of the reed islands. It was amazing to learn about how the islands were developed and constructed. An extended family lived on the island we visited. After a short informational shebang by the guide, we were instructed to visit the homes of the islanders and to shop at their stalls. Then, we took a short ride on a reed boad to another island that had a few restaraunts, a mini-market, and small huts to spend the night in. It was an amazing experience as I'd only seen photos of this way of life. However, the islands of the Uros area are INCREDIBLY touristy that it was also a bit unsettling to visit.
After a longer trip, we arrived at Amantani, which is another, larger island in the lake. The trip was pretty uneventful and I've got a cold, so, I just slept most of the way. When we arrived on the island, we were met by 10 women dressed traditionally. They were either knitting or spinning thread while we were doled out to their care. The women on this island dress in 3 or 4 calf length skirts, elaborately embroidered white, collared shirts (embroidered by their husbands), sandals made of tire tread, and long, black, embroidered head shawls. It was quite a scene to see these women perched on the cliff above the beautiful shore waiting to invite a bunch of strangers into their families for the evening. Well, we were given to Clara and her family. She was nice and welcoming. After a heafty hike up the hill, with many stops to rest along the way, we arrived at her home. We met her sons, Mario and Jimmy, and helped peel potatoes for lunch. After lunch, we met up with the tour group for a walk further up the hill to see the Inca Temple called Patchatata. It was impressive as were the views. The island is comprised of 8 communities that live by the credo: "I help you today and you help me tomorrow." It is a system that seems to work as the people trade goods and help one another out. However, most of the men and boys work off-island to make ends meet.
After the walk, we went back to Clara's and her sister, Nancy, fixed us dinner. Then, it was time for the traditional dance and fiesta! As you can imagine, Peter and I have had enough dancing for the year - our wedding and the salsa class! But, we donned the traditional dress that was pressed upon us - the tight belt that Nancy strapped me in was pressing on my rib cage and it was hard to breathe! - and we were off for the community center. A group of talented adolescent boys provided beautiful musical accompaniment as we were taught the traditional steps. Luckily, they were easier than salsa. The twirling skirt moves reminded me of being a kid. It was fun. We were tired after a short while and headed home with Nancy for a sleep.
The next day, we were off for the smaller, more isolated isle of Taquille. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that we'd ever get there, folks. The boat ride from Amantani to Taquille was quite a gut churner. The morning was windy, rainy and the waves were about 2 feet high. I know this sounds kind of ninny, but, the boat wasn't the Titanic. It was slow, low to the water, and semi-seaworthy, at best. But, our captain was confident and off we went. Did I mention I had a cold? Did I tell you that I was under the effects of Nyquil? Let's just say this ride was pretty rough. We kept churning over the waves. Every so often, one big one would crash over the bow of the boat and splash the windshield. That was so very confidence building. The trip was supposed to take an hour. After about 10 minutes, I was ready to swim. At least 8 of the 25 folks on board left the comfort of their seats for the refreshing, open-air seating on the back of the boat. Apparently, a pre-req for that seating was a ghostly white face and a fist clenching a plastic bag. Delightful. After the last sorry soul headed for the puke deck, I decided the only way I could endure the trip was to close my eyes. I figured it'd make me puke or calm my nerves from looking out to the churning lake. Thankfully, it calmed me down. It gave me fertile space to pray. My prayers became more intense as I could hear the motor working away. Along with the sorry excuse for the motor (think lower octave lawn mower!) I could hear a metallic banging every so often. I didn't waste time worrying about what that noise could be as I was distracted by the creaking and cranking of the wooden walls of the vessel. Needless to say, we arrived on Terra Firma safely and if it weren't raining heavily, I would have kissed the ground. Peter's only comment was: "Boy, if we had to stay on that boat any longer, I probably would have been sick."
After a rainy, but delightfully stable, walk around the island we arrived at the main plaza. There was a photo gallery and a small cooperative of artensial crafts. This island is more isolated and the people maintain their traditional dress. The men wear stocking-like hats. If the hats are half white, that means the man is single. If they are all red, the man is married. Single men do not carry the small pouch for coca leaves. The men also wear embroidered belts, short pants and little vests. The women of the island wear clothes similar to the ladies on Amantani. The men and women of this island only marry folks on the island and there is less off-island contact. It was an interesting trip. I don't think I've ever been happier to be anywhere given the trip we had to get there. Our trip back to Puno was long but the scenery was pretty. We were tempted to sit on the deck above the main cabin but the sun is so intense here, we opted to stay inside.
We arrived back in Puno to meet our Travel helper, Roxanne. She gave us our tickets for the bus ride to Copacabana, Bolivia and the Islas del Sol y Luna. We inquired if the rumors we heard from a New Zealander on our Lake trip were true about the $100 fee for Americans to cross the border to Bolivia. Her face fell and she said, "You are Americans?" We told her we were and she said that it would cost us $200 for the two of us to spend the night in Bolivia. We said no thanks. That's an awful lot of dinero to fork over for one night. So, we changed our plans to a privately guided tour of the sites south of Puno instead. Yesterday, we were treated to a tour of 3 churches and an Incan Fertility Temple. Very interesting. One of the churches has been neglected for the past 400 years (sadly) but it had no roof. So, tall grass was growing on the floor of the church. It was beautiful. It was like the natural sacred was melding with the humanly constructed sacred space.
Well, we are off for Arequipa tomorrow morning. It is the second largest city in Peru. There have been strikes in that town for the past few days and the roads have been blocked off. However, we were told that the farmers have resolved their problems with the powers that be so we should be good to go tomorrow morning. I hope so. Puno was nice but not our favorite. We are also ready to be at a more reasonable altitude and warmer, less extreme temperatures.
Hope you enjoyed reading. Hope all is well.
Love,
K & P
Friday, February 15, 2008
¡Ciao, Ciao, Cusco!
Greetings All!
This is our last entry from the beautiful city of Cusco, Peru. We will have our last Spanish class this afternoon where we are expected to give a short speech in our non-native tongue. I have already written mine out and I intend to rely heavily on the notecard, i.e. I'll probably read it word-for-word! I will try to look up once or twice, but, there ain't no way I'm going to improvise or go without said card!
We are leaving for Puno early tomorrow morning by bus. This city is a jumping off point for exploring the Lake Titicaca area. Our Travel Agent set up an itinerary that will take us all around the Lake, Areiquipa, and the Nazca Lines for the next two weeks. It was easier and probably a bit cheaper to do it this way rather than work things out for ourselves every step of the way. We are glad to have things set and now we can just sit back and relax into our role of "Uber Tourists" for the next two weeks.
We have enjoyed our time here in Cusco and especially in the Sacred Valley. There's no surprise to me that this area contains one of the Great Wonders of the World - the natural beauty is astounding. Additionally, our host family has been fantastically kind and welcoming every day. Not to mention patient with our Spanish. We will miss them. However, we are both ready for some non-city time! We've been living the city life since we arrived in Mexico in January and I think we're both ready for some fresh air. The cars in both cities aren't really held to any emisson standards as far as we can see and it gets a bit tiresome. Another funny thing about living here in Cusco is the cry of "llamada! llamada!" that follows you wherever you go. The shouts are attached people with cell phones standing on every street corner. They are selling calls on their phones. They time your call and then charge you accordingly. There are two amusing aspects of these transactions. First, people making calls usually are looking up the number they wish to call on their own cell phones. Also, each vendor of "llamadas!" really individualizes their advertisements. Some choose a highly repetitive, rapid-fire method while others go for the surprise attack. It hasn't ceased to amuse me!
Yesterday, Peter was lucky enough to score 2 tickets to the Peru/Uraguay Soccer game. He attended with our host father and they had a BLAST! Peru won the game 2 -1 and Peter was full of details when he arrived home after the game.
Anyway, hope this finds you all doing well. Maybe winter is closing down in the Northeast? We've heard reports of "springlike" conditions in Hood River, so, maybe it's just a matter of time!
Love,
Kerry & Peter
This is our last entry from the beautiful city of Cusco, Peru. We will have our last Spanish class this afternoon where we are expected to give a short speech in our non-native tongue. I have already written mine out and I intend to rely heavily on the notecard, i.e. I'll probably read it word-for-word! I will try to look up once or twice, but, there ain't no way I'm going to improvise or go without said card!
We are leaving for Puno early tomorrow morning by bus. This city is a jumping off point for exploring the Lake Titicaca area. Our Travel Agent set up an itinerary that will take us all around the Lake, Areiquipa, and the Nazca Lines for the next two weeks. It was easier and probably a bit cheaper to do it this way rather than work things out for ourselves every step of the way. We are glad to have things set and now we can just sit back and relax into our role of "Uber Tourists" for the next two weeks.
We have enjoyed our time here in Cusco and especially in the Sacred Valley. There's no surprise to me that this area contains one of the Great Wonders of the World - the natural beauty is astounding. Additionally, our host family has been fantastically kind and welcoming every day. Not to mention patient with our Spanish. We will miss them. However, we are both ready for some non-city time! We've been living the city life since we arrived in Mexico in January and I think we're both ready for some fresh air. The cars in both cities aren't really held to any emisson standards as far as we can see and it gets a bit tiresome. Another funny thing about living here in Cusco is the cry of "llamada! llamada!" that follows you wherever you go. The shouts are attached people with cell phones standing on every street corner. They are selling calls on their phones. They time your call and then charge you accordingly. There are two amusing aspects of these transactions. First, people making calls usually are looking up the number they wish to call on their own cell phones. Also, each vendor of "llamadas!" really individualizes their advertisements. Some choose a highly repetitive, rapid-fire method while others go for the surprise attack. It hasn't ceased to amuse me!
Yesterday, Peter was lucky enough to score 2 tickets to the Peru/Uraguay Soccer game. He attended with our host father and they had a BLAST! Peru won the game 2 -1 and Peter was full of details when he arrived home after the game.
Anyway, hope this finds you all doing well. Maybe winter is closing down in the Northeast? We've heard reports of "springlike" conditions in Hood River, so, maybe it's just a matter of time!
Love,
Kerry & Peter
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Ebbs and Flows...
I guess it's natural to have ebbs and flows of emotion in any situation. At the end of last week, I was in a serious ebb. I just wanted to go home. I am not sure why. I guess I just got to the point where I wanted things to be easy and convenient. I wanted to be in a familiar space in a familiar setting with familiar faces. I also spoke with my parents and that probably exacerbated my feeling of disconnect.
At the same time, I had a rotten time at school last week - in all actuality, it wasn't that bad. But given the aforementioned conditions, sitting on a rattan chaise lounge being fanned by hulking hunks and fed grapes by my darling husband by the shimmery blue sea would have been a horrible fate, too. The only thing I can point to as a downer in my class experience was the teacher. In my role as a student again, I am offered a unique insight into the role and the effect teachers can have on the climate of the classroom. While I try to keep my role in the classroom fluid, i.e. I am teaching/orchestrating the learning of 25 individuals in one group while trying to maintain an open heart and mind to the teaching the children offer each day. Last week, I learned that this may be more of an exception than a rule in the education world. I feel lucky to have had a yucky teacher-student experience last week. While that may sound strange, it really reminded me about how powerful the teacher is in the life, development and self-esteem building (or wreaking) of the children in their charge.
At first, my teacher, whose name ironically was Luz (light), came across as hip to our small group of 30-somethings. The week started off pretty innocuously with the usual introductions and niceties so Luz could size up our Oral Spanish Skills. I am proud to say that I was the most verbal of the crew. After a few sentences, Luz began to correct my comments incessantly, rather than offering me the time I needed to correct myself. Perhaps this was a clash of teaching styles, but I was bothered by her approach. I was annoyed mostly because her corrections were accompanied by quizzical, judgemental-feeling glances over her nose-tip resting spectacles. Ouch. I felt a lot discouraged after The first day but I tried to keep an open mind, and attributed the sour taste in my mouth to new group blues. I was sure that the rest of the week was going to be full of positive, upbeat, fun learning. Sadly, the taste got worse and thankfully inspired this diatribe!
Luz continued to reprimand our stabs at grammatical concepts with "nyet!" noises and more over-glasses staring alternately paired by raised eyebrows and widened eyes. As you may have guessed, I didn't really learn a lot of Spanish last week. My response to Luz's style was pretty close to a complete, albeit polite, shutdown. I rarely offered answeres or asked questions. I was full of nervous energy whenever it was my turn to share or to apply skills. I really shut down. At first, I tried to use my comfort default of humor to diffuse the situation (which was rather challenging in a second, very wobbly, second language!) and to break apart Luz's iciness. But, that lasted about a millisecond becuase obviously my jokes were another chance to correct my stabs at Spanish. Suffice it to say, the classroom wasn't a place to take risks, make mistakes and cement true learning.
The whole experience reminds me of the incredible influence and power we wield as teachers on the children in our charge. I felt that intimately last week. It gave me a chance to reflect upon my approach to teaching. I consider myself an upbeat, supportive, positive, excited and fun educator. Each day is a joy of learning and teaching for me. However, I´m sure I've had moments of "Luz" where a quick, thoughtless, response/command/suggestion caused a young child consternation and defeat. We are human and even teachers make mistakes. However, after last week's experiences, I hope my "Luz" moments have been few and far between. Every micromovement, glance, and word effects our students. I have been meaningfully reminded of the delicacy of the teacher-student relationship. However, rather than agonize over misjudgements, I'd rather reflect on my humaness as a teacher and push forward to a teaching style and classroom environment truly full of hope, caring, peace and LIGHT!
P.S. As an aside to this, I learned this week that Luz is a teacher because she couldn't find a position in Cusco to use her Advanced Degree in Biology. That's a story for another blog entry...
Hope all is well.
kerry
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
¡Hola!
Greetings, All!
We are still plugging away at Language School here in Cusco. Things are going well with school and we continue to practice our Spanish at home with our Cusqueñan family. The family is endlessly hospitable and generous. Peter and Victor (the dad) have made a nice connection over the universal language of soccer and Alli (the mother) and I talk knitting or politics. It has been very interesting and educational to live with families in each country. The experiences have offered insight and connections that we will carry forever. We have encountered unbridled kindness in all of our homestay experiences. I am sure that we have made lifelong friends. How great is that?!
The pace of school here is a bit slow but we are hoping this time-intensive practice will only cement what we're learning. We've met folks from around the world at school. In fact, in my small class of four students, Denmark, Norway, Peru and the US are represented. It is an interesting scenario. Whenever the Dutch/Norweigan contingency is trying to puzzle out a vocabulary word or concept the obviously speak in their native tongue (the woman from Norway speaks Dutch). The teacher and I look on as they work it out. I haven't a clue what they're saying and the language sounds like nothing I have ever heard. However, I can "read" their faces and their gestures as they talk. At first, it was annoying that I wasn't part of their conversation. Now however, I appreciate it. It is really neat to identify and to appreciate the universality of body language, facial cues and signals. That kind of communication reaches across different idiomas and provides understanding where words fail.
Last weekend, we went on two tours with our school. The first tour was to the Valle Del Sur. This valley is well known for a few reasons. First, we visited a small archelogical site called Tipon. It was made by the Incas high up in the hills in the southern valley along one of the many Inca Trails to Cusco City. This site was developed by the Incan people as a laboratory of sorts. They constructed elaborate irrigation systems that originated at an even higher point on the mountain. They also construced terraces or leveled fields to test and to acclimate different types of plants. Each terrace exists at a different temperature and this allowed the Incas to experiement with important crops for future planting in the valley or at other elevations. This site was very tranquil and offered incredible views of the surrounding hills and valleys. As we have mentioned before the sheer construction of these sites is astounding. They have been forged out of what seems to be unusable land. Additionally, the craftsmanship that went into shaping and placing the rocks to make walls, structures and "plumbing", is unparalleled.
Next, we visited another site called Pikillacta. This site dates back to Pre-Inca times. The walls of this village were not angled like those of the Incan sites. The angled construction was supposed to avoid great damage during frequent earthquakes. Additionally, at this pre-Incan site, the roads that navigated the village were cobbled and straight. The layout of the village resembled a more Colonial town. Finally, archelogists found subterranian rooms and homes with two or three stories throughout the village. Very intersesting and the entire village was surrounded by a high rock wall to thwart invaders.
Lastly, we visited (or tried to) a church with elaborately frescoed walls. When we arrived, the local folks told us that the church was being restored and thus was closed until 2:00. Since it was only 12:00 when we arrived, we opted for a spin through the teeny Coca Museum instead. The museum was rather shabby but highlighted Incan rituals involving offerings of Coca to Pachamama (mother earth) as well as agricultural triumphs in the Andes. There are hundreds of types of potatoes and corn cultivated here in the Andean Region and these crops have been part of life and culture of this area for centuries.
When we arrived back to Cusco, we went off for lunch with our housemate, Julie who is from Toulouse, France. We were just in time as the city was drenched in a pouring, soaking, thundering rain. When we looked to the hills across from our restaraunt in the Plaza de Armas, we saw what appeared to be snow! I think it was just a lot of hail, but, it was impressive nonetheless. We have heard that the weather and the women of Cusco share the same temperment - changeable at the drop of a hat and strong!
On Sunday, we went on a tour of The Sacred Valley. The trip began with a stop at an enormous market in Pisac. There was anything and everything for sale. The market definately caters to the tourists that show up by the busload on Sundays especially. There were lots of products to browse and we ended up buying a Peru soccer jersey for Pedro and a few treats for the Jac Pac crew in Vermont! We also bought some delicious, fresh from the oven, empenadas. Yum. It was interesting to see some Guinea Pig castles in the market as well. The "cuy" or Guinea Pig is considered a regional delicacy here just as ceviche is in coastal towns of Peru. Usually, it is marinated and then roasted in a tandoori-style oven. I can't say that I am itching to try it but I believe it is good. I feel about trying Guinea Pig like I felt about trying Oaxacan chapulines (roasted grasshoppers), no thanks. That way, there's more for the locals to eat!
After Pisac, we went for a HUGE lunch buffet that was beyond what we were expecting. Next, we hiked up another Incan ruin called Oyantatambo. It was a massive site that included hiking a lot of stairs which wasn't my first choice after gorging myself on the buffet lunch! However, I'm sure it worked off the four! tiny tastes of dessert that I NEEDED to sample. This site highlighted the building process of the Incas. One of the buildings was in the process of construction at the time the Incas abandoned it. It was amazing to see huge, heavy, polished stones heafted on to ramps made of other rocks to find their final spot in the building. Additionally, this site had a huge altar/temple area facing the east and some of the constructions worked seamlessly into the exisiting natural rock faces of the landscape. Finally, we visited a church in a quaint town called Chinchero. The church was an interesting mix of Incan and Catholic Traditions. The walls and altar were elaborately decorated with fine metals and detailed paintings. Very impressive.
Another highlight of last week was that Peter is feeling better. Thank goodness. It is no fun to be sick in the first place, but it is REALLY no fun to be sick in a different place than your own home. He was feeling so good that he actually agreed to go to the Salsa Class offered by our school. Suffice it to say that he is a good sport and we really aren't cut out to be dancers! It was good fun but I think there was a clear reason my Mom didn't push me to continue my Tap, Jazz, Ballet Class days with Mrs. Shirley (I think that was her name?). However, what we lacked in talent, we made up for in attitude and effort. We had a great laugh and Peter finally got to lead!
That's all from here. We are off to meet with our Travel Agent, Madeline. She is supposed to have scheduled our travels for the next two weeks starting on Saturday as our stint at Language School in Cusco comes to an end. We've got the next two weeks to travel here in Peru before we set out for Costa Rica on the 1st of March. We are hoping to visit Lake Titicaca, Puno, Arequipa, Nazca and mabye get in some beach time north of Lima to whet our whistles for Costa Rica.
Happy Valentine's Day! Love to you all!
Love,
Kerry & Peter
We are still plugging away at Language School here in Cusco. Things are going well with school and we continue to practice our Spanish at home with our Cusqueñan family. The family is endlessly hospitable and generous. Peter and Victor (the dad) have made a nice connection over the universal language of soccer and Alli (the mother) and I talk knitting or politics. It has been very interesting and educational to live with families in each country. The experiences have offered insight and connections that we will carry forever. We have encountered unbridled kindness in all of our homestay experiences. I am sure that we have made lifelong friends. How great is that?!
The pace of school here is a bit slow but we are hoping this time-intensive practice will only cement what we're learning. We've met folks from around the world at school. In fact, in my small class of four students, Denmark, Norway, Peru and the US are represented. It is an interesting scenario. Whenever the Dutch/Norweigan contingency is trying to puzzle out a vocabulary word or concept the obviously speak in their native tongue (the woman from Norway speaks Dutch). The teacher and I look on as they work it out. I haven't a clue what they're saying and the language sounds like nothing I have ever heard. However, I can "read" their faces and their gestures as they talk. At first, it was annoying that I wasn't part of their conversation. Now however, I appreciate it. It is really neat to identify and to appreciate the universality of body language, facial cues and signals. That kind of communication reaches across different idiomas and provides understanding where words fail.
Last weekend, we went on two tours with our school. The first tour was to the Valle Del Sur. This valley is well known for a few reasons. First, we visited a small archelogical site called Tipon. It was made by the Incas high up in the hills in the southern valley along one of the many Inca Trails to Cusco City. This site was developed by the Incan people as a laboratory of sorts. They constructed elaborate irrigation systems that originated at an even higher point on the mountain. They also construced terraces or leveled fields to test and to acclimate different types of plants. Each terrace exists at a different temperature and this allowed the Incas to experiement with important crops for future planting in the valley or at other elevations. This site was very tranquil and offered incredible views of the surrounding hills and valleys. As we have mentioned before the sheer construction of these sites is astounding. They have been forged out of what seems to be unusable land. Additionally, the craftsmanship that went into shaping and placing the rocks to make walls, structures and "plumbing", is unparalleled.
Next, we visited another site called Pikillacta. This site dates back to Pre-Inca times. The walls of this village were not angled like those of the Incan sites. The angled construction was supposed to avoid great damage during frequent earthquakes. Additionally, at this pre-Incan site, the roads that navigated the village were cobbled and straight. The layout of the village resembled a more Colonial town. Finally, archelogists found subterranian rooms and homes with two or three stories throughout the village. Very intersesting and the entire village was surrounded by a high rock wall to thwart invaders.
Lastly, we visited (or tried to) a church with elaborately frescoed walls. When we arrived, the local folks told us that the church was being restored and thus was closed until 2:00. Since it was only 12:00 when we arrived, we opted for a spin through the teeny Coca Museum instead. The museum was rather shabby but highlighted Incan rituals involving offerings of Coca to Pachamama (mother earth) as well as agricultural triumphs in the Andes. There are hundreds of types of potatoes and corn cultivated here in the Andean Region and these crops have been part of life and culture of this area for centuries.
When we arrived back to Cusco, we went off for lunch with our housemate, Julie who is from Toulouse, France. We were just in time as the city was drenched in a pouring, soaking, thundering rain. When we looked to the hills across from our restaraunt in the Plaza de Armas, we saw what appeared to be snow! I think it was just a lot of hail, but, it was impressive nonetheless. We have heard that the weather and the women of Cusco share the same temperment - changeable at the drop of a hat and strong!
On Sunday, we went on a tour of The Sacred Valley. The trip began with a stop at an enormous market in Pisac. There was anything and everything for sale. The market definately caters to the tourists that show up by the busload on Sundays especially. There were lots of products to browse and we ended up buying a Peru soccer jersey for Pedro and a few treats for the Jac Pac crew in Vermont! We also bought some delicious, fresh from the oven, empenadas. Yum. It was interesting to see some Guinea Pig castles in the market as well. The "cuy" or Guinea Pig is considered a regional delicacy here just as ceviche is in coastal towns of Peru. Usually, it is marinated and then roasted in a tandoori-style oven. I can't say that I am itching to try it but I believe it is good. I feel about trying Guinea Pig like I felt about trying Oaxacan chapulines (roasted grasshoppers), no thanks. That way, there's more for the locals to eat!
After Pisac, we went for a HUGE lunch buffet that was beyond what we were expecting. Next, we hiked up another Incan ruin called Oyantatambo. It was a massive site that included hiking a lot of stairs which wasn't my first choice after gorging myself on the buffet lunch! However, I'm sure it worked off the four! tiny tastes of dessert that I NEEDED to sample. This site highlighted the building process of the Incas. One of the buildings was in the process of construction at the time the Incas abandoned it. It was amazing to see huge, heavy, polished stones heafted on to ramps made of other rocks to find their final spot in the building. Additionally, this site had a huge altar/temple area facing the east and some of the constructions worked seamlessly into the exisiting natural rock faces of the landscape. Finally, we visited a church in a quaint town called Chinchero. The church was an interesting mix of Incan and Catholic Traditions. The walls and altar were elaborately decorated with fine metals and detailed paintings. Very impressive.
Another highlight of last week was that Peter is feeling better. Thank goodness. It is no fun to be sick in the first place, but it is REALLY no fun to be sick in a different place than your own home. He was feeling so good that he actually agreed to go to the Salsa Class offered by our school. Suffice it to say that he is a good sport and we really aren't cut out to be dancers! It was good fun but I think there was a clear reason my Mom didn't push me to continue my Tap, Jazz, Ballet Class days with Mrs. Shirley (I think that was her name?). However, what we lacked in talent, we made up for in attitude and effort. We had a great laugh and Peter finally got to lead!
That's all from here. We are off to meet with our Travel Agent, Madeline. She is supposed to have scheduled our travels for the next two weeks starting on Saturday as our stint at Language School in Cusco comes to an end. We've got the next two weeks to travel here in Peru before we set out for Costa Rica on the 1st of March. We are hoping to visit Lake Titicaca, Puno, Arequipa, Nazca and mabye get in some beach time north of Lima to whet our whistles for Costa Rica.
Happy Valentine's Day! Love to you all!
Love,
Kerry & Peter
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Go Giants!
I can't believe that I have been able to cheer on my two favorite teams to victory this year in remote areas of the globe! We were so psyched to watch the Giants soundly defeat the patriots on Sunday! It was a good cultural exchange as well since we got to test our skills as football afficianados as we explained to our host father, Victor, what the heck was going on! We learned a lot about American Football vocabulary in Spanish. The entire game was in Spanish and we were trying to explain (sometimes effectively) the rules and strategy involved in the game. It isn't especially easy in English, so, Spanish translation was an intellectual exercise for sure. An unfortunate "side effect" of watching the game on Fox Sports Latinoamerica was that there weren't any commercials from the US! That's half the fun of the game, right?! However, we got to watch the same ads for upcoming soccer matches between Chile and Argentina! What a great night and what a superb victory!
On Monday, our first day of school, Peter woke up with a bad stomach. It probably came from all the excitement of the Giants game, mixed with some anxiety about our placement test, or probably was the result of some bad food. Anyway, after the morning orientation at school, he was down for the day. Today, the malaise has turned into a pretty fierce cold but he rallied like a champ and made it to school for class anyway. The school seems pretty good so far. It is a lot more institutionalized and has less of a community feel from what I've sensed to date. However, the classes are small and our teachers are quite good. Again, we are in seperate classes and Peter has been moved out of his class into his own class because it was too easy. That reminds me of when my brother had his own reading group in 1st grade because he was able to read and to comprehend the New York Times! Maybe Peter should name his group "The Zebras" just like Patrick did! My class is okay. I am happy to report that it is kind of easy for me! I know a lot more vocabulary than when I started and I feel a whole lot more comfortable talking now. I am going to see how things go tomorrow and then decide if I need to be challenged a bit more. I'd rather be a little bit challenged than bored.
Our host family is fantastic. They are so nice, patient, kind, and accepting. We were supposed to be staying with another family, but, it was changed at the last minute and I'm glad that it was switched. They have been nothing but accomodating, warm and welcoming. I can't get over how lucky we have been with our living situations. It is kind of a leap of faith and we have gone into each culture and situation with open hearts and minds. I am sure that the folks who have opened their homes to us will be friends for life.
I hope you are all doing well and having fun. We miss you a lot and think of you often!
Love,
kerry & peter
On Monday, our first day of school, Peter woke up with a bad stomach. It probably came from all the excitement of the Giants game, mixed with some anxiety about our placement test, or probably was the result of some bad food. Anyway, after the morning orientation at school, he was down for the day. Today, the malaise has turned into a pretty fierce cold but he rallied like a champ and made it to school for class anyway. The school seems pretty good so far. It is a lot more institutionalized and has less of a community feel from what I've sensed to date. However, the classes are small and our teachers are quite good. Again, we are in seperate classes and Peter has been moved out of his class into his own class because it was too easy. That reminds me of when my brother had his own reading group in 1st grade because he was able to read and to comprehend the New York Times! Maybe Peter should name his group "The Zebras" just like Patrick did! My class is okay. I am happy to report that it is kind of easy for me! I know a lot more vocabulary than when I started and I feel a whole lot more comfortable talking now. I am going to see how things go tomorrow and then decide if I need to be challenged a bit more. I'd rather be a little bit challenged than bored.
Our host family is fantastic. They are so nice, patient, kind, and accepting. We were supposed to be staying with another family, but, it was changed at the last minute and I'm glad that it was switched. They have been nothing but accomodating, warm and welcoming. I can't get over how lucky we have been with our living situations. It is kind of a leap of faith and we have gone into each culture and situation with open hearts and minds. I am sure that the folks who have opened their homes to us will be friends for life.
I hope you are all doing well and having fun. We miss you a lot and think of you often!
Love,
kerry & peter
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Camina Inca
Greetings all. You may notice a few more mistakes in this update and a different voice. That´s because although each entry so far has been signed off Kerry and Peter, Kerry has been doing all the writing.
After we arrived in Cusco and realized that it is the rainy season and the chances of having rain all four days of our hike on the Inca Trail was likely, it took a little convincing on my part to make Kerry believe that this was a good idea.
We went to the informational meeting the night before our departure. We met our guide Aldo and he filled us in on how our next 4 days would progress. He also stated that the last trek he went on it rained day and night for the entire 4 days, and that we should be prepared for the same. We also recieved our sleeping pads and sleeping bags. Which made Kerry and I both wish we had brought our own as the rentals were HEAVY!
The next morning we meet in a square in town at 5:45am in a light rain. We boarded our bus for a two and half hour drive to the begining of the trail. Once we arrived, we were descended upon by 30 women trying to sell us everything and anything we needed for the next four days. Broom handles (aka walking sticks) water, gum, chocolate and of course indivdual cigarettes. We began the trail in brillant sunshine. The trail at the begining was Andean flat. Which means to everyone else in the world uphill. We proceeded for about 2 hours at a slow steady climb to a small village where we took a break. Here they were also selling gatorade, water, beer, soda and chocolate. They also had a ¨bar¨ selling corn beer or checha. Which none of the tourists took part in but each of our 11 porters quickly slammed a beer, still with 20 Kg of weight on their backs, before continuing their sprint up the mountain. After this short break it began to drizzle as we continued up with an occasional down, but never flat.
We arrived at another town about an hour later and stopped for lunch. We were entertained at lunch by some chickens. We also came to relaize that were weren´t going to be recieving typical camping food. Gido, our cook, put out 6 different family style plates. Soup, rice, salad, beef stew, and vegetables. Of course there was mate de coca. Basically Coca leaves in hot water. Yep the same leaves used to make cocaine. They are legal in this region of Peru. They are said to keep you happy, motivated and prevents altitude sickness. (Our guide later said the only reason the Inca Trail and MachuPichu exsist is that the Incas chewed a lot of coca leaves.)
After a break we began our uphill climb again. This time we were entertained by pack horses coming both up and down the trail. At one point, Kerry and I were stuck in a horse traffic jam with neither the horses going up or down wanted to pass us. Kerry was very excited, ¨she loves horses¨. After a short steady climb we arrived at ¨the test¨, which was a 1km long hill which was very steep. Kerry and I flew right up the hill. I may have forgotten to mention that everyone on our trip except Kerry, myself and an 19 year old guy from Hungary got a porter for their personal gear. Which meant Kerry and I were carrying backpacks which were 10 and 14 kilograms respectively. (about 20 and 28 pounds) . We then proceeded to wait for about 35 minutes for the last member of our group. At least it was a beautiful vista.
As we continued up the trail we arrived at the first Inca ruins. LLactapampa was a small circular building that was used to over look farming terraces below. The site had been reconstructed just the year before. The farming terraces below seemed much more impressive.
After another hour of climbing up hill we reached our campsite. When we arrived the porters had already erected our tents for us. As well as the kitchen tent and the dining tent. After settling in our tents we were proded out for happy hour. Which consisted of tea (more coca tea!) and popcorn. Just as we finished our popcorn we were brought a typical ¨tea¨ which was apples, mint and rum. It was quite tasty. No sooner did we finnish our tea and it was time for dinner. Another 5 course meal! Well fed and well hydrated we turned into bed at the late hour of 8pm.
That night as well as the rest of the nights it rained all night long. We were awaken the next morning at 5:30am by our guide Aldo who quickly passed in two cups of tea into the tent. After packing our bags we enjoyed pancakes and quinua porage for breakfast. Once we finished eating we hit the trail for what was going to be the longest day. After we left the porters did our dishes, packed the tents and packed their own bags.
The second day was an up and down day! We began by going up steadily for 1.5 hours before we reached the last village on the trail. We sat at the village watching the lamas graze and the locals set up shop, selling gatorade, water and food. For what I thought was a fair price considernig they had to carry all the goods up the trail for a day! We waited there for nearly 2 hours waiting for the rest of our group to catch up. Then it was off to Dead Womens pass. It is the highest point on the Inca trail at nearly 14,000 feet. Kerry and I set off at a slow but steady pace. We found that we could go a steady pace without stopping but if we pushed ourselves for even one or two steps it took our wind and we had to stop and rest. After nearly two hours of slogging up hill we reached the summit of the pass. We pulled on some warm clothes and began to wait for the rest of the group. After about an hour which we were entertained by a crazy Argentinian who wore a pirates hat had a balloon sword and screamed MachuPicchu alot. It began to rain quite hard. We slipped on our new 5 dollar ponchos and began the the brutle descent. We both quickly decided we would rather be going up hill. There were thousands of rock steps that descened quite steeply. Not only did we learn quickly that we didn´t like going down hill we also learned that our new ponchos weren´t waterproof. We arrived at lunch in what seemed like 12 hours drenched, tired and with quivering legs. After waiting, and nearly starving to death another two hours for the rest of the group to arrive we were served lunch. Again a 5 course affair. Quickly after lunch we began another 2 hour climb, and after quick descent we arrived at our second campsite.
We quickly ate our dinner and all were in bed by 7pm. We awoke some 12 hours later and had a short 4 hour hike to the final campsite. The hike was easy going and quite enjoyable. The rain had subsided a bit, but we were still veiled in a cloud for most of the day. We reached a fork in the trail which was about 20 minutes from the campsite. We choose to go the long way which took us to an amazing ruin. It was a huge terraced area that was literally built into the side of the mountain. Each terrace was about 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. They were used for farmnig. The terraces themselves were amazing, not to mention the stairs to access them. Our guide also told us that each terrace is composed of three layers. The top layer is top soil which the incas carried up from the river valleys, some 3,500 feet below. Then below the top soil is a layer of sand and clay. The final layer is made from fine stones and rocks. All built in order to create proper drainage and moister levels for the crops. Amazing!!! Oh yea the terraces were also angled in a way to capture the most sunlight throughout the year. The incas were smart!
We arrived at the final campsite. Which wasn´t really a campsite. There was a disco, hot showers, bar and a museum. Nearly all the people who hike the inca trail stay here the final night. So in the rainy season, which it is now, there are nearly 200 tourists plus nearly 200 porters who support them at the campsite. Needless to say we didn´t get much sleep. Especially because of some Argentinian that kept yelling Machupichu!
We awoke our final morning at 4am with a view of the moon and a few stars. Our first sightings of the trip. We quickly ate breakfast and packed our bags. We hit the trail about 4:45 and walked all of 5 minutes to a check point. Here we waited in line until 5:30 when the checked our tickets and let us onto the final 1.5 hours of the trail. The sunrise was amazing and gave us a glimpse of some of the mountains that we hadn´t been able to see the day before. It was quite spectacular. The trail really was realitively flat for the first 40 minutes. We were the second group to hit the trail so we had 200 people stomping on our heals, so the pace was quite fast. The last 20 minutes of the hike was a good climb. The final 100 yards was nearly verticle. Once we arrived at the top we were at the sun gate! Which gives you the first glimpse of Machupichu. We had a spectacular view with the sun just starting to hit the mountains behind the lost city. After waiting a short time for the rest of the group we began the descent to MachuPichu. We arrived in the farming terrace portion of the city. It was only about 7am and there were very few people at the sight. Just to see where the city is located is very impressive. Imagine the steepest run you have ever skied, or a cliff and then imagine people building a city at the top of it 500 years ago. It is really amazing!. Then as you enter the city you become even more amazed. Each building is perfectly built using stones. The stones are all shaped and placed together to fit perfectly, without any gaps or spaces. The sun temple was the most impressive of all as each stone was cut into perfect squares. The two windows of the sun temple are also placed so that on the winter solsitce, June 21st here, the sun passes directly through one window onto the center of the room. Then on the summer solstice December 21 the sun passes directly through the other. There are also so stones carved into the floors that point to the four cardinal directions. The city was amazing. No words fully justify how impressive it is. Just when you think you couldn´t be more impressed it is pointed out that the entire city is shaped like a condor. With farming terraces used for flowers forming the head and then the main farming terraces and the city, or as our guide called it downtown forming the wings. The incas believed that the condor is the gateway to a new life.
All in all the trip was amazing. The lost city of MachuPichu was beyond comprehension as to how it was built and survived for the last 500 years. It is definitely one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Kerry and I have now settled in with our family that we are staying with here in Cusco. We begin our second round of Spanish classes tomorrow.
Here is a link to a few of the 200 pictures we took on the trail.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1Fcs2LRqxdq
Go Giants!
Peter & Kerry
Peter
After we arrived in Cusco and realized that it is the rainy season and the chances of having rain all four days of our hike on the Inca Trail was likely, it took a little convincing on my part to make Kerry believe that this was a good idea.
We went to the informational meeting the night before our departure. We met our guide Aldo and he filled us in on how our next 4 days would progress. He also stated that the last trek he went on it rained day and night for the entire 4 days, and that we should be prepared for the same. We also recieved our sleeping pads and sleeping bags. Which made Kerry and I both wish we had brought our own as the rentals were HEAVY!
The next morning we meet in a square in town at 5:45am in a light rain. We boarded our bus for a two and half hour drive to the begining of the trail. Once we arrived, we were descended upon by 30 women trying to sell us everything and anything we needed for the next four days. Broom handles (aka walking sticks) water, gum, chocolate and of course indivdual cigarettes. We began the trail in brillant sunshine. The trail at the begining was Andean flat. Which means to everyone else in the world uphill. We proceeded for about 2 hours at a slow steady climb to a small village where we took a break. Here they were also selling gatorade, water, beer, soda and chocolate. They also had a ¨bar¨ selling corn beer or checha. Which none of the tourists took part in but each of our 11 porters quickly slammed a beer, still with 20 Kg of weight on their backs, before continuing their sprint up the mountain. After this short break it began to drizzle as we continued up with an occasional down, but never flat.
We arrived at another town about an hour later and stopped for lunch. We were entertained at lunch by some chickens. We also came to relaize that were weren´t going to be recieving typical camping food. Gido, our cook, put out 6 different family style plates. Soup, rice, salad, beef stew, and vegetables. Of course there was mate de coca. Basically Coca leaves in hot water. Yep the same leaves used to make cocaine. They are legal in this region of Peru. They are said to keep you happy, motivated and prevents altitude sickness. (Our guide later said the only reason the Inca Trail and MachuPichu exsist is that the Incas chewed a lot of coca leaves.)
After a break we began our uphill climb again. This time we were entertained by pack horses coming both up and down the trail. At one point, Kerry and I were stuck in a horse traffic jam with neither the horses going up or down wanted to pass us. Kerry was very excited, ¨she loves horses¨. After a short steady climb we arrived at ¨the test¨, which was a 1km long hill which was very steep. Kerry and I flew right up the hill. I may have forgotten to mention that everyone on our trip except Kerry, myself and an 19 year old guy from Hungary got a porter for their personal gear. Which meant Kerry and I were carrying backpacks which were 10 and 14 kilograms respectively. (about 20 and 28 pounds) . We then proceeded to wait for about 35 minutes for the last member of our group. At least it was a beautiful vista.
As we continued up the trail we arrived at the first Inca ruins. LLactapampa was a small circular building that was used to over look farming terraces below. The site had been reconstructed just the year before. The farming terraces below seemed much more impressive.
After another hour of climbing up hill we reached our campsite. When we arrived the porters had already erected our tents for us. As well as the kitchen tent and the dining tent. After settling in our tents we were proded out for happy hour. Which consisted of tea (more coca tea!) and popcorn. Just as we finished our popcorn we were brought a typical ¨tea¨ which was apples, mint and rum. It was quite tasty. No sooner did we finnish our tea and it was time for dinner. Another 5 course meal! Well fed and well hydrated we turned into bed at the late hour of 8pm.
That night as well as the rest of the nights it rained all night long. We were awaken the next morning at 5:30am by our guide Aldo who quickly passed in two cups of tea into the tent. After packing our bags we enjoyed pancakes and quinua porage for breakfast. Once we finished eating we hit the trail for what was going to be the longest day. After we left the porters did our dishes, packed the tents and packed their own bags.
The second day was an up and down day! We began by going up steadily for 1.5 hours before we reached the last village on the trail. We sat at the village watching the lamas graze and the locals set up shop, selling gatorade, water and food. For what I thought was a fair price considernig they had to carry all the goods up the trail for a day! We waited there for nearly 2 hours waiting for the rest of our group to catch up. Then it was off to Dead Womens pass. It is the highest point on the Inca trail at nearly 14,000 feet. Kerry and I set off at a slow but steady pace. We found that we could go a steady pace without stopping but if we pushed ourselves for even one or two steps it took our wind and we had to stop and rest. After nearly two hours of slogging up hill we reached the summit of the pass. We pulled on some warm clothes and began to wait for the rest of the group. After about an hour which we were entertained by a crazy Argentinian who wore a pirates hat had a balloon sword and screamed MachuPicchu alot. It began to rain quite hard. We slipped on our new 5 dollar ponchos and began the the brutle descent. We both quickly decided we would rather be going up hill. There were thousands of rock steps that descened quite steeply. Not only did we learn quickly that we didn´t like going down hill we also learned that our new ponchos weren´t waterproof. We arrived at lunch in what seemed like 12 hours drenched, tired and with quivering legs. After waiting, and nearly starving to death another two hours for the rest of the group to arrive we were served lunch. Again a 5 course affair. Quickly after lunch we began another 2 hour climb, and after quick descent we arrived at our second campsite.
We quickly ate our dinner and all were in bed by 7pm. We awoke some 12 hours later and had a short 4 hour hike to the final campsite. The hike was easy going and quite enjoyable. The rain had subsided a bit, but we were still veiled in a cloud for most of the day. We reached a fork in the trail which was about 20 minutes from the campsite. We choose to go the long way which took us to an amazing ruin. It was a huge terraced area that was literally built into the side of the mountain. Each terrace was about 6 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide. They were used for farmnig. The terraces themselves were amazing, not to mention the stairs to access them. Our guide also told us that each terrace is composed of three layers. The top layer is top soil which the incas carried up from the river valleys, some 3,500 feet below. Then below the top soil is a layer of sand and clay. The final layer is made from fine stones and rocks. All built in order to create proper drainage and moister levels for the crops. Amazing!!! Oh yea the terraces were also angled in a way to capture the most sunlight throughout the year. The incas were smart!
We arrived at the final campsite. Which wasn´t really a campsite. There was a disco, hot showers, bar and a museum. Nearly all the people who hike the inca trail stay here the final night. So in the rainy season, which it is now, there are nearly 200 tourists plus nearly 200 porters who support them at the campsite. Needless to say we didn´t get much sleep. Especially because of some Argentinian that kept yelling Machupichu!
We awoke our final morning at 4am with a view of the moon and a few stars. Our first sightings of the trip. We quickly ate breakfast and packed our bags. We hit the trail about 4:45 and walked all of 5 minutes to a check point. Here we waited in line until 5:30 when the checked our tickets and let us onto the final 1.5 hours of the trail. The sunrise was amazing and gave us a glimpse of some of the mountains that we hadn´t been able to see the day before. It was quite spectacular. The trail really was realitively flat for the first 40 minutes. We were the second group to hit the trail so we had 200 people stomping on our heals, so the pace was quite fast. The last 20 minutes of the hike was a good climb. The final 100 yards was nearly verticle. Once we arrived at the top we were at the sun gate! Which gives you the first glimpse of Machupichu. We had a spectacular view with the sun just starting to hit the mountains behind the lost city. After waiting a short time for the rest of the group we began the descent to MachuPichu. We arrived in the farming terrace portion of the city. It was only about 7am and there were very few people at the sight. Just to see where the city is located is very impressive. Imagine the steepest run you have ever skied, or a cliff and then imagine people building a city at the top of it 500 years ago. It is really amazing!. Then as you enter the city you become even more amazed. Each building is perfectly built using stones. The stones are all shaped and placed together to fit perfectly, without any gaps or spaces. The sun temple was the most impressive of all as each stone was cut into perfect squares. The two windows of the sun temple are also placed so that on the winter solsitce, June 21st here, the sun passes directly through one window onto the center of the room. Then on the summer solstice December 21 the sun passes directly through the other. There are also so stones carved into the floors that point to the four cardinal directions. The city was amazing. No words fully justify how impressive it is. Just when you think you couldn´t be more impressed it is pointed out that the entire city is shaped like a condor. With farming terraces used for flowers forming the head and then the main farming terraces and the city, or as our guide called it downtown forming the wings. The incas believed that the condor is the gateway to a new life.
All in all the trip was amazing. The lost city of MachuPichu was beyond comprehension as to how it was built and survived for the last 500 years. It is definitely one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Kerry and I have now settled in with our family that we are staying with here in Cusco. We begin our second round of Spanish classes tomorrow.
Here is a link to a few of the 200 pictures we took on the trail.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1Fcs2LRqxdq
Go Giants!
Peter & Kerry
Peter
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