Peru

Puno isn’t too exciting, but it’s definitely a good departure point to explore the islands of the Lake Titicaca and its surrounding. We decided to visit the floating islands and Sillustani from here (see next reports). Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the more remote islands, like Isla Taquile or Isla Amantaní, where you can meet Quechua-speaking islanders living a life largely untrammelled by the modernities of the mainland. Anyway, we enjoyed the tours we did (see next reports). Probably the most spectacular thing that happened in Puno was that Fredrik tried a real Peruvian specialty, crispy grilled guinea pig (cuy). Hmmmmm!!!! He wasn’t too happy while he was eating it because that cute little thing was peering at him all the time. The meet was ok though; even I tried a tiny bit as a vegetarian. Fredrik forced me. However, I think it was a one time experience for both of us that doesn’t need to be repeated.

Lots of love,

Sabrina and Fredrik

In Cuzco haben wir einen Doppeldeckerbus nach Puno erwischt. Wir haben uns die besten Plätze ergattert, ganz oben und ganz vorne, wo wir die beste Aussicht hatten. Nach ein, zwei Stunden Fahrt verwandelte sich die Landschaft langsam von spitzen, hoch hinausragenden Bergen zu flachen, abgerundeten Gebirgszügen bewachsen mit dem typischen Andengrasbüscheln. Vereinzelt sahen wir kleine aus Lehm gebaute Häuschen in denen die Landbevölkerung wohnt. Etwas später stand die Sonne tief im Horizont und warf einen wunderschönen Schimmer über die weitreichende Landschaft. Herrlich!!!

Liebe Grüsse,

Sabrina und Fredrik

What can we say? Machu Picchu is amazing and a definite must see for every Peru visitor. It’s spectacular and awe-inspiring location, makes the Inca city so unique. It was never discovered by the Spanish conquistadors but many years later, 1911, by an American historian, Hiram Bingham, who actually was looking for another lost Inca city. The site was initially overgrown with thick vegetation and they had to work hard to clear the thick forest. Many archaeologists came to undertake studies but up and until now the knowledge of Machu Picchu remains sketchy. Some believe that the citadel was founded in the waning years of the last Incas as an attempt to preserve Inca culture or rekindle their predominance, while others think it may have already become an uninhabited, forgotten city at the time of the Spanish conquest. Recent suggestions hold that the site was a royal retreat or country palace that was abandoned when the Spanish invasion took hold of Cuzco. All coincided though that it must have been an important ceremonial centre.

As you can imagine this magical place attracts many tourists so in order to see the site with less people then 500 at a time, you have to be there early in the morning. We spent the night at Aguas Calientes and got up early at 4:30, had breakfast at 5:00 and were at the bus station at 5:15. There were already about 25 people standing in line waiting for the bus. Within 15 minutes there came about 100 more people just to give you an idea about the flow of tourists. We were lucky and got on the second bus and at 6:00 we were at the Inca city. It was still a bit dark but we could already see the shapes and contours of the ruins. The site was covered with a beautiful ghastly morning mist which disappeared after an hour or two. After having taking the first pictures of the mighty city, we went for a short scenic walk (20 minutes) through some cloud forest vegetation to see the Inca drawbridge which lies on the other side of the ruins. The passage of the bridge was prohibited though since some years ago someone fell of the bridge to his death.

We went back to the ruins, crossed the site, took more photos and headed for the registration booth for the Huayna Picchu ascent.

Huayna Picchu is a steep mountain at the back of the Machu Picchu ruins from where you have a spectacular view of the Inca city. The ascent is quite exhausting, but if you go at your own pace it is not a problem to get up there. And, the views are breathtaking! See for yourself….

At 11.00 we were back in Aguas Calientes ready for a big lunch. We spent another night in the Machu Picchu Pueblo and left by train the next morning at 5:45 heading for Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo we took a bus to Cuzco and from Cuzco we took another bus to Puno, at Lake Titicaca, where we are right now.

Bye for now, amigos.

Love,

Sabrina and Fredrik

On our way to Aguas Calientes, where we spent the night for our Machu Picchu visit, we traveled through the Sacred Valley and we visited two Inca sites, Pisac and Ollantaytambo. See yourself, how it was...

Pisac:

Ollantaytambo:

Lots of love,

Sabrina and Fredrik

Yesterday we arrived in Cuzco, the heart of the once-mighty Inca-Empire, after an extremely long journey of about 36 hours. The first part from Huaráz to Lima took us 8 hours by bus. In Lima we had to wait 8 hours for the next bus from Lima to Cuzco. Taking advantage of the hours in between, we went to the Larcomar Shopping Mall in Miraflores, a nice area in Lima. The Shopping Mall lies directly at the Pacific coast and has lots of fancy stores and restaurants. That was the right thing for us after three days of base camp and living in a tent in the mountains. We went to “Mangos” where they had a delicious breakfast buffet for us. They had everything from fruits and waffles, over egg and meat dishes, to delicious desserts such as strawberries covered with chocolate and little pastries!!! After breakfast we strolled through the stores and from the mall’s balcony we watched the surfers in the Pacific Ocean trying to master the braking waves. The climate was so-so but quite typical for the season as we found out in our travelers bible, Lonely Planet. It says, from April to December, a melancholy coastal fog (garúa as the Peruvians say) blankets the city’s skyline and so it was.

At 14:00 we carried on our journey toward Cuzco. 20 hours later we arrived somewhat exhausted but not too bad thanks to the “Cruz del Sur” busses, luxury class, with padded, leather seats, blankets, DVDs and airplane type food.

Yesterday we spent some time in the afternoon to get our visit to Machu Picchu, the world-famous “Lost City of the Inca”, sorted out. Of course, you can do the Inca Trail to get there but you have to book the trail months in advance (depending on the season) to make it happen. Since we didn’t book anything in advance (we like to stay flexible), there is no chance to do the Inca Trail. Sincerely, after the Pisco climb we were not too interested in doing it anyway and we got quite discouraged hearing what a touristy thing it is to do. So, we asked around what would be the easiest and cheapest way to get to the Lost-Inca-City. It didn’t take too long before we knew what to do. We bought the train return ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and the entrance ticket to Machu Picchu the same afternoon in Cuzco. To Ollantaytambo we will take a bus from Cuzco. On our way there we will visit some Inca-Sites of the Sacred Valley or “El Valle Sagrado”, such as Pisac and Ollantaytambo itself. Tomorrow morning we will set off and will be in Aguas Calientes at night. The morning after we will take the earliest bus (5.30) to Machu Picchu to get there before all the masses of tourist groups will do. We’ll see if we succeed.

Some words about Cuzco. It is definitely touristy but ok if you can bear hearing people offering you pizza, Mexican food, any food, pisco sour, tours to Machu Picchu, any other tours, postcards, watercolor paintings, massages, pedicure, manicure, cocaine, mate de coca etc ALL THE TIME. It is also quite expensive in particular the entrances to the historical sites, churches, Inca sites etc.

We have decided not to spend too much time in Cuzco since we prefer less touristy places. But Machu Picchu is a must see and can’t be missed on a Peru visit.

You’ll hear more from us and the Inca site visits including Machu Picchu in a few days.

Lots of love,

Sabrina and Fredrik