Category Archives: Travel

South America – Peru – Machu Picchu

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Ollantaytambo StationI hope you’re keeping up with our tales of adventure from South America. I’ve already told you about our day in Lima, and how we travelled through the Sacred Valley to Urubamba in preparation for our trip to Machu Picchu. To get to this amazing place, first you must reach the little town of Aguas Calientes nestling at its foothills, and you do that by taking a train, either from Cuzco, or as we did, from Ollantaytambo.

Vistadome Skylights The Vistadome train is a rather splendid affair. It has big picture windows so you can see Peru flying past, and also some windows in the ceiling so you can appreciate the splendour of the peaks. It’s exceptionally comfortable too. Lovely big upholstered seats, similar to travelling first class in a jumbo jet (or so I would presume). En route to Aguas CalientesThe train track largely follows the course of the river, and amongst the sights are little villages, farming communities, old Inca terraces, waterfalls, and the like; most notable though is the general progression from arid infertile land to lush jungle. By the time you get to Aguas Calientes, everything is very green and dewy.

Aguas CalientesIt was lunchtime when we got off the train, and although Mrs Chrisparkle and I were itching to get up that mountain, first we had to break for lunch. I can’t remember the name of the restaurant but it was well located, with a nice looking garden and obviously set up for large groups of tourists. Once again we had Causa and Lomo Saltado, working on the theory that we generally liked it and that it should be gluten-free. It was very pleasant, but with a rather slow service so that when lunch was over, I was completely desperate for my Machu Picchu experience!

The next stage of the journey is to get one of the myriads of buses that weave their way up and down the mountain making their way to the entrance. This can take some time if you have to queue at the bus stop, but our group had already played our “Don’t You Know Who We Are?” card and a bus had been specially reserved for us. Eventually we reached the entrance turnstiles. Just so that you know, you have to show your passport to get in. Bizarre, as it’s still in Peru. Still, it does mean you can flash a souvenir Machu Picchu stamp in your passport on future travels.

Machu PicchuYou go through the entrance, along a little path, till you come to a fork. You can go straight on for instant access to the ruins, or take the left path up the hill to get the Classic View, which of course we did. And even though you’ve seen that picture hundreds of times before, nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you gaze down upon Machu Picchu itself. Absolutely fabulous, as the saying goes. The terraces appear to perch on the side of the hill, and you are amazed at how green the whole place is. And as a backdrop, you have the dramatic sight of Waynu Picchu mountain, which we had pre-booked to climb the following morning. You stand there, drinking it all in slowly. Of course, you’re not alone. There are dozens of people all jostling for that same iconic piccy. But you can ignore them.

The path goes up The path continues upwards and does a nice little circular track, with stunning views of the mountains and valleys. From there you can go on to the Sun Gate (Intipunko), which we didn’t have time to do. Or you can continue down and back into the ruins (which we did.) You can just generally wander around at your own pace, dodging the llamas who act like they own the place, and try to imagine what the original buildings might have looked like; or you can listen intently to your guide and become very learned on the whole Inca history thing. Machu Picchu ruins I attempted to do the latter, but sometimes one’s concentration lapses. Anyway, we definitely saw the Temple of the Sun, the only round building on the site, and the Intihuatana, the stone used to show the position of the sun during solstices; the Temple of the Condor, the Temple of the Three Windows, and many other fascinating ruins. The overwhelming feelings are of grandeur, history and the total privilege to be able to see it.

Temple of the SunI would imagine no two days visiting Machu Picchu are ever the same. The weather changes rapidly and frequently. Some of the time you are in sunshine, then cloud, then rain, then wind. There’s no point wishing that the weather might be better – in fact by seeing it in all conditions you get a more comprehensive experience. By the time our tour was nearing its end it was almost 6pm, which is well past chucking-out time. The fact that so few people were about gave it an additionally eerie atmosphere; the ghosts of the city were virtually palpable.

Intihuatana Clutching our little certificates that proved we had visited the site in its centenary year – Hiram Bingham rediscovered Machu Picchu in 1911 – it was back down the mountain and on to our hotel for the night, the Sumaq Machu Picchu. What a splendid place this is. Elegant common areas, massive and well equipped rooms, a charming dining room, and even a little museum display of the Machu Picchu area over the years. We broke our no-alcohol rule with just the teensiest Pisco Sour and it was well worth it. The set dinner was exquisite; nouvelle cuisine flavours with vieille cuisine portions.

Four of us had agreed to get up really early so that we could see the sunrise over Machu Picchu – Mrs C and I, and our intrepid co-travellers, John and Vicky. A really valuable service that the hotel provides is that they will arrange for one of the buses going up the mountain to stop at the hotel and let you on without having to trudge up the road and stake your place in the bus queue. We thought that we’d believe it when we saw it; but no, the bus arrived almost to the appointed second and it was completely full apart from the four seats reserved for us. “How the hell did you manage that?” asked a young Aussie backpacker. 5.50 am “We couldn’t believe it when the bus left with four seats not taken – you should have seen the queues back there.” One day many years into the future, young man, when you are staying in luxury hotels and not backpacking, you will find out.

Still, even at 5.50am, the queues actually to get into the site are pretty enormous. It doesn’t open till 6, and then it’s a bit of a free-for-all. Suffice it to say that by about 6.45 we’d managed to stake our place at the top path near the Iconic Viewpoint, to see the sunrise.

SunriseBut it was completely cloudy. You could barely see the ruins, yet alone a celestial body 93 million miles away. Fighting disappointment, we clung on to the hope that it would clear. And then something magical happened. Around 7am little bits of sun suddenly started to streak over the horizon. Almost every fifteen seconds, the light and cloud changed to give a different perspective of the emerging sunrise. It was stunningly beautiful, but not how you imagine a classic sunrise to look. It was more mysterious, more subtle – well worth the getting up early to witness.

Queueing for Waynu PicchuIt was with some trepidation that we headed towards Waynu Picchu for our pre-booked ascent. We’d read so many scare stories online about how perilous it is; people were saying “if it wasn’t for the ropes and handrails, I’d be dead” and “it was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done in my life”. We very nearly decided against it – but then thought, sod it, we’ve come all this way, we’ve got to give it a try; as indeed had two hundred other people in front of us in the queue. We eventually got to the check-in booth at about 7.55am. We had no water with us (doh!) so it was with some relief that I saw they had bottles for sale. But I only had a large denomination note, and they refused to accept it. Would they take dollars? “Yes, sure”. OK, how many dollars for these two 2-sol bottles? (About 46p each). “Three”. I gave them three dollars. “No – four”. Four, ok, I gave them one more. We were walking away in preparation for our ascent, when one of the guys came running up to me. “One more dollar”. I almost suggested I should shove the dollar where the Incas don’t worship, but I thought I might need all the help I can get, so politely offered the additional note.

Climbing upThe hike up Waynu Picchu is sensational. At times a bit scary, whether it be through height or unevenness of the steps or the narrowness of the rock formations you have to squeeze through, but always exhilarating and with views to die for, especially when you look back on Machu Picchu behind you and get the reverse version of the Classic View. Looking back at Machu Picchu Naturally, there are plenty of places for great photo opportunities; and the chance to create an environment of oneness with your fellow mountaineer. We met a very nice Swiss gentleman, well into his retirement, who took our photo several times, and with whom we gave and received mutual encouragement on the way up and down. There were also some rather gorgeous French ladies, who coped with all the rigours of the summit whilst still appearing fresh as a daisy like Chanel models. Walking downAll in all it took us two hours ten minutes to go up and down, and my recommendation is that if you think you’re fit enough to give the climb a go, then definitely you should do it. There were plenty of older and less fit-looking people making plucky attempts. Don’t be put off. Yes, maybe if it weren’t for the ropes and handrails, you’d die, but the fact is, there ARE ropes and handrails, so you DON’T die.

More Machu PicchuBack down among the ruins, we had about an hour free time to cavort about and play at being Incas. It’s great just to wander around by yourself and do the place at your own pace. By the time we left, we felt we had thoroughly “done” Machu Picchu, and considered it one of the most stimulating places we’ve ever seen.

Perurail Fashion ShowThen it was back to Aguas Calientes and the return train to Cuzco; a train full of satisfied adventurers, sturdy of heart and snap-happy of camera. One odd thing – and this wasn’t the only time we’d experience this in Peru – they seem to enjoy holding fashion shows on board trains. Halfway through the journey, the good looking young steward and stewardess nipped out to the toilets and came back wearing an assortment of llama and alpaca jumpers, ponchos, jackets and coats that you could (of course) buy if you wish. It was all very good natured and entertaining – but a thoroughly odd experience nonetheless.

South America – Peru – The Sacred Valley

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Llamas and AlpacasThe early morning flight from Lima to Cuzco only takes about an hour, but what a difference those sixty minutes can make. Almost as soon as you’re off the plane, long before you reach the baggage carousel, you start to feel a buzzy sensation in your chest. Well I did at least, as did some of our companions. This was to be the early (very minor) signs of altitude sickness. Fortunately our route was downhill from Cuzco for the next few days so it quickly wore off and never became a problem – at least at this stage of our trip! But I reckon if you were to fly to Cuzco and stay there straight away, you’d really suffer.

Weaving We drove from Cuzco along the valley of the Urubamba River. The first place we stopped at, and I regret I don’t know its name, was a little commune where you could see llamas and alpacas, and watch local people continuing to practise the age-old skills of weaving, dyeing wool, spinning, and so on. Spinning You feel like you are stepping back centuries; and then you find an elegantly stocked and furnished gift emporium at the back that accepts all credit cards. So much for the romantic notion of yesteryear. Still, we got a couple of nice souvenirs.

Urubamba ValleyAfter a stop at a very dangerous looking corner on the mountain pass, but which offered fabulous views of the Urubamba valley, we headed on to the little town of Pisac. Pisac is famous for two things – its ruins and its market. If you go here independently, you’ll probably spend more time at the ruins. If you go on a tour as we did, you miss the ruins and spend all your time at the market. Regrettably, some of the market is full of tourist trash, with items about as authentic as the stuff you’d pick up at the Cuzco Cash’n’Carry. However, the food stalls are splendid. Here you will find local people, genuinely wearing the traditional garments (we were surprised how prevalent they were, and not at all just put on for the tourists), Pisac Marketgoing about their daily business of buying and selling, eating and drinking, chatting, telling off their children, snoozing and generally passing the time of day. Every type of potato, corn, grain, spice, fruit and vegetable is available, all very colourful and fresh. We saw the local bread being baked in the traditional ovens; the communal water-taps; Traditional roof idolsthe guinea-pig pens (they are a local speciality, the equivalent of our Christmas Turkey); and the funny old model bulls that sit on the roofs of the houses to ward off evil. It’s a feast for the senses and it was great to just wander around and let it all sink in.

ParrotsAfter that it was time for lunch and we forgathered at a ranch-type place in the middle of nowhere but which was clearly on the tourist run as it was full of coaches. It offered a pleasant buffet and an opportunity to relax in the sunshine whilst the local parrots (definitely pets as opposed to wild) kept us amused.

Casa Andina hotel at UrubambaThe original plan was to go on to Ollantaytambo to see the ruins there, but our guide suspected it would be full of tourists and recommended that we went there the following morning before continuing on to Machu Picchu. So we took his advice and instead headed off to our hotel, the Casa Andina Private Collection at Urubamba. It’s a beautiful luxury hotel, with large comfortable rooms, splendid gardens, an attractive looking bar, first class restaurant and a poncey spa.

Local neighbourhoodAfter we checked in we thought we’d go for a short walk in the neighbourhood, and the contrast is stark. You come out of this luxury compound and go straight into what looks like pretty desperate poverty to me. There are some very rundown houses, the type you’d think were uninhabited, with just gaps where the windows should be, no sign of electricity, the walls outside heavily graffiti’d, the area generally littered with rubble and rubbish. But the houses are indeed inhabited, and you can see that there are some substantially sized families out the back doing their washing, caring for their kids and so on. If it were me, I would consider the tourists at the hotel as Capitalist Scum. However, we passed a number of groups walking down the road – families, young men, children, all sorts, and without fail they wished us a very polite “Buenas Tardes” or “Hola”. The graffiti on the walls is fascinating, by the way. It’s everywhere in Peru, and it eventually dawned on me that it is the equivalent of putting a political poster on your window – they’re all endorsing different candidates at elections.

We decided to heed the advice for dealing with altitude sickness by avoiding alcohol, dammit. So we skipped the attractive looking sunken bar, and headed for the hotel restaurant – there isn’t really anywhere else one can go for a meal after all. I have to say it was an extremely pleasant experience: comfortable, welcoming, great service and terrific food. We both ate from the “local specialities” section of the menu – as translated by their good selves – the “native potato soup from the community of Pampallacta, rocoto oil and asparagus curdled” to start and the “sautéed tenderloin smoked flavored, accompanied with rice and fried potatoes” (in other words the Lomo Saltado) to follow. They were both excellent.

Hotel at night The area is known for its wonderful night sky and thus the hotel has its own planetarium and observatory. For a piffling ten dollars you can stare at the night sky with their very own astronomer. Mrs C and I decided we would have a go, and so, along with intrepid co-traveller Vicky, we headed out into the darkness in the company of the astronomer lady, who had a rather unfortunate resemblance to Harry Potter’s Professor Trelawney. It wasn’t that bright a night but nevertheless she took us up to the observatory to see what could be seen. There ensued a lot of positive talk about constellations. “Look! Can you see!” she enthused, peering down the lens. “It forms the shape of the wings of an upside-down butterfly!” We took our turns to check out this winged creature. “ Oh yes!” said Vicky. “Gosh how beautiful” said Mrs C. “That’s amazing” said I. Privately we all confessed a few days later we had no idea what she was going on about. Then she confided to us that she has had many nights up there in conversation with aliens who she knows one day will call to collect her and transport her to a galaxy far, far away. “I’ve already said my goodbyes to my family and friends” she admitted, “as when it happens it will be completely unexpected”. Our buttocks clenched slightly nervously. We encouraged her to return to the telescope. We got to see some excellent images of the moon, full frontal and side profile, so you could see its jagged mountains. “Is that the crater Tycho?” I asked, modestly, knowing it was. “Is it what?” she replied, confused, clearly having never heard of Tycho before. Charlatan, I thought. We saw a double star, and a few other heavenly bodies, can’t remember what now. When she was bored with all that she took us down to the “planetarium” for another mini-lecture on constellations. It’s amazing what you can project on a round wall with a revolving lampshade bearing pin-prick holes. I had to nudge Mrs C to keep her awake, whilst Vicky continued with plenty of “Really?” “Goodness!” and “I didn’t know that”’s, I think probably because she thought someone ought to.

We were just about leaving when the astronomer lady looked up at the sky and said “My God! Jupiter! It’s Jupiter! Look! Look!” So we all bounded back up to the observatory and did indeed see Jupiter through the telescope and it was a genuinely amazing sight. “It looks just like an aspirin” she said, and she’s right – it resembles a little pharmaceutical disc with a groove across its middle. And we saw its moons. So although it was a completely barmy experience, it was certainly memorable – we did enjoy it and would have to recommend it if you stay at this hotel!

OllantaytamboThe next morning we finished our trip to the Sacred Valley with the aforementioned delayed trip to Ollantaytambo. And what a good idea it was, to come the following morning, as it was deserted, so you got the feeling of being rather daring explorers. It has a wonderful hillside fortress, built by the Incas some 700 years ago, comprising temples, baths, walls and terraces, plus a device for calculating the path of the sun. It makes for a delicious starter before the main course of Machu Picchu which was to follow.

South America – Peru – Lima

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The reason why I haven’t done much blogging for the past few weeks was because Mrs Chrisparkle and I took our long awaited trip to South America last month. We visited Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil, and it was a great personal ambition for me to go to those places, especially Machu Picchu and Buenos Aires, which were two locations, the prospect of which had enthralled me since I were a wee lad. So I’m going to let you in on some of our experiences, and if you find it useful in case you’re planning a trip to South America, well I’m very pleased to be of some assistance!

Casa Andina Private Collection Our hotel was the Casa Andina Private Collection in the Miraflores district of the city. It’s well positioned for local parks and eateries and is in a relatively safe touristy area. It’s clean and comfortable if a little soulless. The hotels and the tourist agencies aren’t keen on your wandering off on your own after dark or in certain parts of the city, Kennedy Parkbut it didn’t stifle our natural wanderlust so on the first morning we discovered the Central Park and Kennedy Park which is amusingly stuffed full of dinosaur replicas, which can make for jolly photo opportunities. The area round the park has many useful shops too if you forget your toiletries or need some souvenirs.

Lima MarketWe had an organised city tour that morning. We started off in the local market. A real market – fruit and veg, fish and meat, spices and all things edible; colourful and fascinating, it’s a place to see local people doing normal things. You can also become acquainted with some of the more unusual ingredients you’ll be eating later on.

Plaza MayorThen we arrived at the Plaza Mayor. It’s Lima’s grandest place – a large open, airy, bright square, surrounded by attractive buildings – including those great ornate balconies that yearn to be photographed. The four sides of the square contain the Cathedral, the Town Hall, the Government Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace. Riot police You can protest anywhere you want in Lima apart from the Plaza Mayor, and to enforce this there are riot police just hanging about on every corner. Looks a little bizarre, but they are happy to pose for photographs. SchoolkidsWe also met a crocodile of schoolchildren being marched through the centre of the Plaza, always an enjoyable excuse for waves, hellos, holas and “where you froms”!

Casa de AliagaJust off the Plaza Mayor is the Casa de Aliaga. It’s a beautiful old house, the oldest inhabited building in the city. You can go around it and admire the furnishings. It’s still in the same family for 17 generations apparently. An oasis of peace in an otherwise pretty lively area.

Pisco SourBy then it was lunchtime so we were taken to the Bar Cordano for a couple of Pisco Sours and an introduction to Peruvian food. Pisco Sours are great! Really tasty, and, regrettably, the stronger they are the better they taste! It’s a cocktail made from a local liqueur wine and it’s well worth the indulgence. We also tried the staple local starter, a causa. It looks a bit like a trifle without the cream, but what you first think is custard is in fact mashed potato and it usually comes with meat or fish fillings. It’s gorgeous – and coeliac heaven, as Mrs C was delighted to discover.

Huaca PucllanaThat was the end of our organised tour. But we weren’t going to end the day there. Along with a couple of our intrepid co-travellers, Dhru and Kannen, we made our way to Huaca Pucllana. It’s described as a Pre-Incan administrative and colonial centre and is still only partly unearthed. It’s quite an awe-inspiring sight, as it covers a pretty sizeable area, and the grey drabness of the original bricks, although not attractive in itself, makes a stunning overall impression. Pre-IncansAs a tourist attraction, it suffers a little from having a small menagerie of local animals and garden of Inca type crops, which seem a bit artificial in comparison. But it’s definitely worth a visit, and you can pose for daft photos with models of the original pre-Incans working on the construction.

Paragliders on the ClifftopsAfter that we took a leisurely walk along the Clifftops and saw modern Lima at its best. The place is popular with paragliders, which makes for an exhilarating and colourful scene. You see the well-heeled locals taking their children out for games and walks, the courting couples in the Love Park, very exclusive looking apartments,Love Park and a big seafront entertainment and shopping centre called Larcomar. It all makes a very striking contrast with some of the poorer districts on the outskirts of the city. LarcomarI’d definitely recommend a trip to the Clifftops to get a different perspective on Lima.

In the evening we braved the Central Park and discovered El Tigre restaurant. Sitting outside as though it were the Champs Elysées, I had a Cerveza and Mrs C another Pisco Sour. We then had a bottle of local red wine, which was very nice and reasonably priced. We must have had something to eat as well…. It’s gone from my memory now but I know it was good. Lima by nightWe strolled back to the hotel through the park and all the night-time art sellers and food stalls. It was an excellent end to a very enjoyable day in Lima. If you’re going to Peru, you’ll probably start your trip here. Enjoy the comfort of being at sea-level while it lasts, as the rest of Peru is definitely uphill!