Puno to Cuzco

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Since I last wrote I spent few more days in Copacabana before moving on across the border to Puno in Peru. That didn't go quite as smoothly as it might have done.

I got my exit stamp from Bolivia and walked the 300 yards or so to Peru. Queued for ten minutes or so before presenting my passport to the official who pointed out that it was stamped the 7th and today was the 9th!! Not good. Took the walk back to Bolivia and managed to find the numbskull with his wonky date stamp and pointed out his mistake. He looked a bit sheepish and tried to put the right stamp over the top of the old one which just ended up looking a mess so he put a new one underneath. Walked back to Peru and joined the now very long queue. Got to the desk with a different official this time who wanted to know why I had two exit stamps (one looking very dodgy) and only one entry stamp. My Spanish just wasn't up to explaining so there then followed lots of arm waving until the original official turned up and I was in. Had visions for a while of spending the night in a Peruvian chokey.

First stop in Peru was the port town of Puno (still on Lake Titicaca). My main reason for gong there was to see the Yavari. It's a steam ship (or was now has a diesel engine) that was built in England in kit form and then shipped round the horn to Arica in Chile, stuck on a train and finally pack muled over the Andes to Puno where it was then stuck back together again. That only took a mere six years and she was ready to go. After decades of service it was decommissioned and left to rot until the 1980s when an English woman brought it and started renovation. Its in good nick now but not working the Lake yet.

Puno was a nice enough place. Tried some of the local delicacies while I was there. Had some roast Guinea Pig (Cuy) for lunch. Wasn't really sure hat to expect but it was very nice - quite a sweet meat. Mind you you only want to have it for a light lunch as you don't get a lot of meat on a Guinea pig. Had some Alpaca steak which was also very nice but to be honest i couldn't really tell the difference between that and Llama and Vicuna - sort of a gamy beef.

I have now moved on from Puno to Cuzco. Took a slow bus here that stopped at various places on interest. First stop Pukara a small village with a museum and some pre Inca archaeological sites. Second stop La Raya the highest point on the road to Cuzco at 4338 metres not a lot of oxygen up there. Third stop was Raqchi where there are more Inca bits and bob including a half fallen down temple to the Inca god Wiracocha. Last stop was Andahuaylillas where there is a Spanish colonial church known as the Americas Sistine chapel I wouldn't go that far but it was very ornate.

Got into Cuzco last night in the middle of a thunder storm. Will be off to explore as soon as this is done and will tell you all about it next time.

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