Lockdown Armchair Travel – Peru – Lima, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Puno – September 2011

Posted on December 3, 2020 by therealchrisparkle

Still stuck in our tier systems (and likely to be for some time) let’s have another lockdown armchair travel trip, and P is for a number of places, but first, Peru. We spent a week there in September 2011 at the start of our South American tour. So, what do you think of, when you think of Peru? Quite possibly this place:

But more of that shortly. Our week started off in the capital Lima, a thriving and attractive place, full of striking architecture.

You see that yellow and black combination all round the Plaza Mayor and the city centre. The ornate enclosed balconies can be breathtakingly beautiful.

And the Plaza Mayor is definitely the centre of attention.

But there’s also a bustling market

In the Miraflores district, you can meet dinosaurs at Kennedy Park

We also visited the charming Casa de Aliaga, the city’s oldest colonial mansion

Went here

For two of these

The Pisco Sour. It tastes much nicer than it sounds. We kept out of the way of this lot:

And also had a very enjoyable stroll around Miraflores, which is upmarket and delightful – and a great coastline. You don’t tend to think of the sea when it comes to Peru, but it’s not to be missed.

From Lima we flew to Cuzco, and, in order to acclimatise to the altitude, immediately headed for the Sacred Valley, which is at a much lower level – then you slowly begin to climb during the next few days. The Sacred Valley is quite touristy, so you see plenty of these:

And these

This gentleman shows us the traditional art of spinning. So much more refined when you do it without an exercise bike. In Pisac, we visited another market

But the highlight of the Sacred Valley is Ollantaytambo, famous for its Inca ruins, as it was once the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti.

The next day we started to make our way towards Machu Picchu. To do this we took the train to Aguas Calientes.

A picturesque journey – we reckoned these people were doing the Inca Trail.

Until it finally reaches Aguas Calientes.

And once you’re there, you can’t wait to get to Machu Picchu!

We got up early the next morning to see dawn rise over the site

A misty experience!

From there we walked up Waynu Picchu, which is the mountain opposite Machu Picchu, to get the great view. Wow, what an experience!

It’s high. It’s tiring. But so worth it! And what comes up, must go down….

And it’s quite a challenge! Reaching Machu Picchu again gave us a chance for another walk around.

From there, it was back on the train and heading for Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, and, despite our best efforts, the place where altitude sickness finally got us. Nevertheless we still enjoyed it.

The Plaza de Armas is the focus of the city centre, an expansive and beautiful town square.

and, surprise, surprise….

The police get about on segways – makes it much easier for them!

This is the beautiful Santo Domingo Convent

And a local school

The next day we took a tour to Pikillacta and Sacsayhuaman. At Pikillacta, you see an archaelogical site of the Wari people

But it was Sacsayhuaman that I was really interested to see.

The construction is amazing, as there is no mortar between those stones

From the top you get a great view of Cusco

We also visited the amazing holy site of Qenko.

And I spent the next day in bed with Altitude Sickness! After Cusco, it was time to get on another train

The Andean Explorer, which would take us to the border city of Puno, travelling through beautiful but totally empty scenery.

Puno is a city with many thousands of students, and they were having an evening parade. We were warned not to go into Puno at night, because it wasn’t safe. But we couldn’t resist.

Felt perfectly safe to us! So I’ll leave you with a few typically Peruvian scenes and vibes.

Thanks for reading! Stay safe!

South America – Peru – from Cusco to Puno

Posted on October 20, 2011 by therealchrisparkle

It was with some trepidation that I faced the prospect of the ten hour train journey to Puno. Having felt really lousy the night before I gingerly crept my way out of the hotel towards the coach for the short trip to the railway station. Fortunately, the Andean Explorer train across the Altiplano is comfort personified. I’ve not been on the Orient Express but this is the nearest thing to it I’ve experienced. Elegant surroundings, comfortable chairs, top quality yet friendly service – it was lovely.

I was also very appreciative of the two Diamox tablets one of our intrepid co-travellers gave me. Our GP hadn’t said anything about the possibility of taking tablets, but several of our group had been given them before leaving home. I took half a tablet that morning, the other half in the evening, and then the same dose the next day, and it relieved me of all my symptoms apart from the breathlessness, which is easily coped with. So I would definitely recommend investigating these little beauties if you’re susceptible to the old altitude sickness. Not that I’m used to accepting drugs off strangers; don’t do this at home.

I feared the journey might be boring, but instead it was exhilarating. Fantastic views of Peru’s Canyon Country pass before your eyes as the train inexorably chugs its way towards Lake Titicaca. Big picture windows in the carriages help you to enjoy the view, but there is also a delightful observation carriage at the back of the train with more glass and an open air section which really allows you to become at one with your environment.

At La Raya, the highest point of the journey (4313 metres above sea level) the train makes a brief stop so you can get some air and visit the little market which sets up alongside the railway line. Unsurprisingly the stallholders are pretty desperate to sell you something and occasionally the interaction between traders and customers got a bit aerated. Nevertheless it’s a pleasant little stop.

Being a Peruvian train, naturally there was a fashion show – which we missed – and a folk music and dance troupe, which we saw. They were very good, but no match for the CDs of Andean music I already possess. They were also asking a ridiculously expensive price for their CDs – can’t remember exactly but it was way out of proportion – and unsurprisingly I don’t think anyone bought one.

And then there are the Pisco Sours, which were well worth the imbibing, the splendid lunch, and the afternoon tea (which was perhaps a trifle underwhelming.) Mrs Chrisparkle and I sat opposite intrepid co-travellers John and Vicky and spent most of the day putting the world to rights, drinking, laughing, eating and drinking again, to the extent that when we got out of the train at the end, people were walking past us saying things like “you enjoyed that, didn’t you” and “we’ll forgive you”. Oops. Were we noisy?

As you approach Puno, for the last half an hour or so the track follows alongside local roads which intersect a few small towns, so it’s almost like being on a luxury bus; it’s a good opportunity to see how the locals live and go about their daily business. When we finally arrived in Puno, on the banks of Lake Titicaca, it was 6pm and already nearly dark. But we were not prepared for the welcome. It was the anniversary (50th I believe) of the local university and the students were using it as an excuse for a folkloric party and parade. It seemed as though hundreds and thousands of people were on the streets. Our guide who met us said it had started earlier in the day and would finish shortly. Shame, we thought.

Our hotel for the night was the Casa Andina Private Collection, which was very comfortable and had large bedrooms; good breakfasts and a cosy bar. It did however also contain a rather grumpy receptionist. It has a most picturesque location nestling alongside the lake. With just a couple of hours to spend, we decided to skip an evening meal (again) and take a taxi into the centre of town to see what could be seen.

The parades were still in very full swing. We found the Plaza de Armas, (every town in Peru seems to have one), and it was packed with locals watching the parade – and indeed with all the parading students too. There seemed no end to the extravagance of the costumes – a mixture of folklore, fantasy, tradition and glamour. An incredible carnival atmosphere everywhere, all captured by TV Lima. The side streets were equally busy, as this is where paraders were gathering before joining the procession. Although I think we were almost the only tourists in evidence, I have to say the whole place felt very safe and very welcoming. However, it was difficult to gauge how attractive or otherwise Puno is, as all the spectacle detracted from the town itself.

After a couple of hours, and with no sign of the celebrations coming to a halt, we followed the advice of the hotel and made our way to another Casa Andina hotel in the town centre and got them to ring us a taxi to get back. They were more than happy to do so, which I thought was excellent service. Safely ensconced back in our hotel we set about packing our cases as the next day we would be leaving Peru for Bolivia.

South America – Peru – Pikillacta and Sacsayhuaman

Posted on October 19, 2011 by therealchrisparkle

Grateful for a good night’s sleep we awoke refreshed and ready to see more of the Inca Heartland around Cusco. Today was the day for the “optional tours”. The choices were to see Tipon, Pikillacta and “The Sistine Chapel of the Andes” in the morning, or to visit Sacsayhuaman in the afternoon. Or both. We had avowed to fit as much in as we possibly could, so “both” was our obvious default position; especially as our guide had recommended the morning one, and I had already decided I definitely wanted to see Sacsayhuaman.

On the way out of town, we saw loads of schoolkids waiting patiently at the side of the street for a procession to pass by. Anywhere in the world, children love a parade; Peru is no different. In the end it seemed to be a land rover bearing a religious icon that had arrested their interest; not sure that would have been so captivating back in Northampton.

Also en route we stopped to see a bread shop. Yes, I kid you not. This is because they bake very large circular flat loaves, and they are apparently the talk of the valley. Mrs C can’t do bread, so it was of limited fascination to us. But if you like your loaves, check out the Pan Chuta in Oropesa.

The Sistine Chapel of the Andes is so called because of its incredibly ornate interior. God knows it as the parish church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas. The building is undergoing some restoration and there were many talented artisans working on bringing the interior up to its former glory; unfortunately we weren’t able to take any photos. The three crosses outside the church are rather outstanding in a stark sort of way, and it was a peaceful place to observe the locals with their children selling their wares.

Heading back towards Cusco, our next stop was Pikillacta. This is (was) a pre-Inca city and the ruins are still in pretty astonishing condition. You can only imagine how imposing it must have been in its heyday. Mindful of not overexerting ourselves, so as not to exacerbate the altitude sickness, we spent a very pleasant half hour gently wandering around. Ours was the only tourist coach there – you can imagine Pikillacta spends many winter days rather deserted. One felt sorry for an elderly couple trying to sell basic tourist rubbish from their groundsheets to the occasional tourist; a hard way to make a living.

We were due to visit Tipon on the way back. Described as a picturesque set of stone canals, terraces and stairways that are thought to be part of a royal hacienda, it sounds lovely. Unfortunately workmen had taken the road up and there was no way for a coach to get to the site. Never mind, it’s always good to have a reason to return.

After a brief lunch we were all ready for our afternoon trip to Sacsayhuaman. The site covers a large area and its main feature, the mound of three large terraces that zigzag over each other, is outstandingly impressive. The huge chunks of granite that form the ramparts take your breath away (literally, at 3600m above sea level) and you can only imagine (in fact you can’t imagine) how they managed to get the granite into place. The stones all interlock, which is why the construction has stood so strongly over the years. The stones also all take on different shapes and sizes – it’s like a pre-Incan vertical version of crazy paving.

When you climb to the top you get a magnificent view over Cusco below. While we were there, a group of traditionally dressed Peruvians descended on the viewpoint with gusto and huge delight to see the view. Presumably they were tourists in their own country. They were as excited as little kids who have just heard the ice-cream van.

Our entrance ticket to Sacsayhuaman also let us into several other smaller sites. Tambomachay is a series of platforms and fountains and is meant to be in honour of the water deity. My memory of our brief visit was watching a very formally dressed father virtually abusing his very formally dressed son by making him pose for endless very formal looking photographs in front of the ruins whilst the wife/mother uncomfortably looked on. Every sulk and scowl from the boy was counteracted by an even more vicious sounding vocal diatribe from the father. Most odd.

Then we visited Puka Pukara, which means “Red Fort” and is a rest stop complex of rooms, plazas, aqueducts and look outs. Finally we saw Qenko, Quechuan for “labyrinth” which was a site where sacrifices took place. All very interesting – and hilly. Too late I remembered the advice about not overdoing it if you want to avoid altitude sickness. By the time I got back to the hotel I sank into an oblivion of headache and nausea. And tomorrow – oh joy – we would be undertaking a journey that would climb up to over 3800m high.

South America – Peru – Cusco

Posted on October 18, 2011 by therealchrisparkle

After the entertainment of the train trip from Machu Picchu back to Ollantaytambo, the coach connection on to Cusco was rather boring and tiring in comparison. So it was that, along with our fellow intrepid co-travellers, we arrived in Cusco in the late afternoon for three nights at our hotel, the Casa Andina Private Collection. Having stayed at their hotels in Lima and Urubamba, we had high hopes; but this hotel is a conversion of an old manor house and not purpose-built like the others. This means that although it has more character, it also offers less comfort.

On the good side, the staff are friendly and helpful, the location is excellent, breakfasts were fine and it has the most welcoming bar, complete with a roaring fire which you really need for late winter/early spring in Cusco. On the other hand, our meal in the restaurant on the first night wasn’t cooked very well and was cold – considering the menu was 95% the same as the restaurant in Urubamba which was top quality – the food just didn’t taste that nice. Also our bedroom only has one window, which looks out into the central corridor. So the room is dark, claustrophobic and airless – which doesn’t help when you’re trying to combat altitude sickness, as you need as much oxygen as possible! Also the soundproofing is virtually non-existent, so it’s important to keep your bedroom activities as silent as possible when you’re on a group tour.

Mrs C had altitude sickness on the first night which surfaced as a severe stomach upset; and I had it on the last night in the form of nausea, headache, extreme tiredness and lack of appetite. I found breathing was very difficult on that last night so we asked for some oxygen to be sent to the room. Very helpfully they brought it as soon as possible; but the cylinder they supplied was virtually empty. I puffed on it for about ten minutes till it gave up the ghost.

Fortunately, on day two, Mrs C had recovered and I wasn’t affected yet, so we managed to have a good day in the town. An organised tour was arranged for the afternoon, so in the morning we took our little map and went on a general wander round the backstreets and into the squares, trying not to see too much of the sights we had been promised for later. Cusco is a very picturesque city, with charming Peruvian architecture – the classic colourful balconies that we saw in Lima are here in abundance, as are grand doors on the streets that imply the presence of untold beauty inside. Gargoyle-type faces stare out at you, daring you to rap at the door with their elegant knockers; this is all very imposing stuff.

At the heart of the city is the Plaza de Armas. Lined on four sides by balconied shops and restaurants as well as the Cathedral, this is where Pizarro claimed Cusco for Spain. It’s delightfully green, has an elegant fountain, and is an obvious meeting place for friends, colleagues and lovers. It’s also quite expansively large; Cusco’s other streets and squares seem cosy and bijou in comparison. We observed the daily activities of the ordinary people of Cusco town: the children in their smart bright blue uniforms played in the school playground; an old car lolloped along a bumpy road and then went up in a fizz of steam as its radiator burst, its driver getting out, his head in his hands in despair; we saw the municipal police getting about the place at speed on their little scooter jobs with two chunky tyres; and we saw dozens of people patiently lining up outside a government building, we suspect to receive some kind of benefit payment.

We stopped for an early lunch at the Bar Cusco, in Plaza de Regocijo. We only wanted something light and easy to digest – and everything we ordered turned out to be a massive portion. I can recommend it for a very good value, very tasty lunch; friendly staff, clean toilets and a spectacular Coca Tea.

Our gentle wander round the town had been in pleasant sunshine, and whilst not really warm, it was good enough to consider ourselves “lucky with the weather”. Come the afternoon, as we left the hotel on our organised tour, the heavens opened, the temperatures plummeted and we dashed to the Santo Domingo convent as quickly as we could.

It’s a really interesting place as it’s a church and convent built on top of an Inca shrine. A lot of the original Incan architecture is still plain to see, and it makes a fascinating contrast with more modern Spanish colonial designs. There’s a lovely central courtyard with cloisters all around, and everywhere there are notices saying no photos allowed – but everyone was ignoring those notices so I thought I wouldn’t be the only one not to take the opportunity. As I was photographing the courtyard, the rain struck up a gear and turned to hail. Completely underdressed for the afternoon, we couldn’t believe how freezing cold we were.

We also spent a good time in the Cathedral, which is very beautiful; has an extremely ornate reredos; a couple of black Christs on the Crosses, and Zapata’s splendid painting of the Last Supper, Cusco style, where the main course consists of roast Guinea Pig, they’re drinking Corn Beer and Judas’s face resembles Pizarro. We took the short coach journey to the San Blas district to visit the San Blas church, which has a wonderful ornate pulpit that is an homage to Baroque woodcarving. And as a payback for all that religious sightseeing, we ended up at a llama/alpaca clothes outfitters, where most of our travel companions found themselves in gift shopping heaven, and we picked up a couple of pairs of cheap gloves as it was proper perishing.

Back to the hotel for a much needed power nap. Then it was dinnertime. Feeling distinctly once bitten twice shy, we saw no reason to give the hotel restaurant a second chance, so decided to forage on the streets in the hope of finding a decent eatery. And we did. It didn’t take us long to chance upon Sara, The Organic Café Bistro at Santa Catalina Ancha, 370. Service and food were both excellent, and the wine list looked yummy but we were still being good and not having any. It was only a few minutes’ walk from the hotel, so we got back, not too late, with contented tummies and sleepy heads.

South America – Peru – Machu Picchu

Posted on October 13, 2011 by therealchrisparkle

I 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.

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). The 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.

It 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.

You 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 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. 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.

I 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.

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. “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.

But 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.

It 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.

The 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. 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. All 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.

Back 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.

Then 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

Posted on October 12, 2011 by therealchrisparkle

The 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.

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. 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.

After 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), going 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; the 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.

After 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.

The 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.

After 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.

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!

The 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

Posted on October 4, 2011 by therealchrisparkle

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!

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, but 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.

We 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.

Then 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. 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. We 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”!

Just 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.

By 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.

That 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. As 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.

After 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, 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. I’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. We 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!