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Monday, May 25, 2009

If you want to see the pics in high res 8 meg pixel go to the end and click on the links there are over 5,500 of them, Enjoy the flowers as they make great screensavers,
Thank You
Robert & Margaret



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Our 15-day Peruvian Adventure
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
At 10 AM we left Englewood for Miami. We were both over the top with anticipation for this trip. We had been dreaming about it forever and seriously planning for it since January when we enrolled in a Spanish class at the library. Just outside Miami Bob spied something that he thought was "art" alongside the highway. After two u-turns, we slowed to examine it. At 60 MPH it appeared to be a statue, the remnants of a travel trailer, plus assorted junk. When the statue moved, we realized it was the home of a tall, thin black man. I told Bob he needed to get new glasses as I had two weeks ago! By 12:30 we were ravenous; a stop at Pollo Tropical assuaged our hunger. It's fast food with a Cuban twist-wraps, soups and chicken a hundred ways. Good food. After leaving the car at the off-site parking lot ($112 for 15 days), we arrived at the airport. As I studied the signs in Spanish, I felt like a little child just learning to read. The plane loaded late (medical emergency), and took off late (waiting for pillows), but we finally were in the air and arrived at the Lima airport at 10:30. A most accommodating cabby, Jose Casanova, was waiting to take us to Hotel Antigua Miraflores.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Our hotel turned out to be a good choice; it is a charming colonial mansion with hand-carved furniture, local art, free internet,WI FI, a cozy black-and-white tiled breakfast room, and beautiful grounds. We had booked it on the web and picked a room with a rooftop patio; it couldn't have been more perfect. The breakfast was filling and afterward we set out to see Miraflores. There was a demonstration going on in the park with several hundred young people peacefully gathered with drums and flutes. There was also plenty of police presence so we crossed the street to the cathedral. We admired the interior with its beautiful stained glass windows and stations of the cross. Later we went on a ceviche quest; Bob's favorite! We finally arrived at the marketplace ("pigtown" according to the locals) where you can buy every kind of fresh item from octopus to lamb, from apricots to watermelons. A kind meat vendor led us to the ceviche stand. If you are uninitiated, ceviche is raw fish, calamar, scallops, mussels, snails that are "cooked" in lime juice. I had a fried fish dish preceded by a rather salty potato soup. Then we left to peruse the outdoor vendors. I found a great dessert of rice con leche. A woman was sitting on the ground nearby selling tablecloths, two for 20 soles ($7). Of course, I bought two before we walked further to the Mercado de Artesanos where we bought a few more souvenirs. After a short nap for me and computer time for Bob, we walked along the Pacific through several parks with dramatic drops to the ocean below. Lovers' Park has a huge statue of embracing lovers and curved, tiled walls covered with sentiments of amour. Then we went back to the hotel to get ready for our early (5 AM!) flight to Cuzco. There was a group of young women from Minneapolis who asked for a picture and, of course, we obliged.

Thursday, April 23, 2009
We were told to be at the airport EARLY-like 2 hours early. Not so as there wasn't even an agent at the Taca desk for an hour after we got there! So much for sleep. We also found out that a departure tax is charged every time you fly here, not only when you leave the country. When we landed in Cuzco, we were met by our guide, Percy Salas, whom we had hired on the internet. Percy drove us through Cuzco, a large city of 400,000, where he lives. Then we headed out of town, through mountains and valleys, past young boys leading barley-laiden alpacas, Andean women in their colorful costumes selling handmade woven items, small towns like Chinchero 3,800 meters above sea level. I began to feel the altitude, green and dizzy. After all, we live at 9 feet above sea level!
When we arrived at our destination, Ollantaytambo, we were amazed. The cobblestone streets, surrounding mountains, ruins second only to Machu Picchu, and a wonderful hotel-Pakaritampu-awaited us. The hotel is a collection of tiled-roof , modern Spanish buildings with 37 rooms. The grounds are filled with stunning, beautiful flowers and water running through channels everywhere. After depositing the luggage in our comfortable room, we had our first of many 3-wheeled motorcycle rides for two soles (less than $1) . Percy had recommended a wonderful restaurant where we both decided on alpaca; it is very lean and very good. Back at the hotel, we enjoyed long, luxurious baths before bed.







Friday, April 24, 2009
Today would have been my father's 87th birthday. How he would have loved this trip! Bob couldn't contain himself and was up by 5:30! The high, dry air was a challenge for us; more for me than him, and I began to feel my age-66 in July-ugh!! We told ourselves we should have done this sooner, but better later than never. Breakfast was sumptuous: chicken, eggs, oranges, apples, plums, rolls, toast, assorted juices and hot drinks. I especially loved the elderberry jam. After breakfast we looked out our window to see the three resident alpacas munching grass on the lawn not 20 feet away! They have thick, thick coats to protect them from the 40 degree night air, one white, one beige, one black. We felt like we'd just seen Santa's reindeer!



Then we walked less than a block to the train station where the locals hawked their wares: food, drinks, hats, shawls, etc. I had had a "senior moment" when I packed and Bob arrived with only cool weather shirts. After 30 years I should have known what he would wear, but he seemed to be handling the cool weather better than I was (he's from Texas, I'm from Minnesota, go figure). So we bought him T-shirts, also coca candies and leaves. We continued to drink the coca tea the hotel provided the whole time we were there; it helped with the altitude. There was a young girl in a beautiful long shawl and Bob remembered the toys he had brought for the children. We raced back to the room, returned with one stuffed dog, and soon learned that one would not be enough!
So, relieved of several dogs, dolls, and balls later, we met Percy and drove the short distance to the ruins. Of course, there were souvenir stalls there, too, and word had already reached the mothers who were waiting for me. Manana was all I could say!

The hike to the ruins was hard, especially for me; thank goodness Percy turned out to be as much a coach as a guide, allowing me to rest when I needed it. He is a real find, a fount of knowledge, always pointing out formations that we would have missed, continually offering his suppositions as to what, why, how these stones ended up here. After we finished the tour, we were back in Percy's car to travel to Pisaq which is about 40 miles away, passing verdant valleys, terraced crops halfway up the mountains, workers harvesting corn, barley, potatoes, wheat, quinua. When we arrived at Pisaq, we went through the market but didn't purchase much. Andean women and children and a regally dressed Indian caught our attention, so many pictures were taken. For lunch, Percy and I had trout and Bob tried alpaca once again. All the food was good! I also had my first of many Inca Kolas-a yellowish drink with a very unique taste, kind of reminiscent of ginger ale. Next Percy drove us halfway up the mountain to the Pisaq ruins. I doubted I would be able to climb that high-14.000 feet! But climb it we all did. The quiet beauty left us awestruck; Percy said it is his favorite place and we understood when we got to the top. Bob and I agreed this was a marvelous day and if we died tomorrow, we'd already seen heaven. Saturday, April 25, 2009
After another great breakfast, we made a dash for the stalls by the train station because we had promised las madres the last of our gifts. Our load was lightened of dolls, pens, gloves and our pockets of $15 more (we were easily persuaded to buy yet another souvenir!). Percy was waiting to take us to Chinchero to see another wonderful church. Once again, the base of the church is evident from Inca times and the remainder from Spanish colonial times. Unfortunately the paintings and décor are so fragile that no pictures are allowed. Percy explained all the details of the paintings: which artists painted hands, which the faces, which the flowers. He told us about the Cuzco School of Painting and I realized that I needed to learn more.
The flowers decorating the altar, gladiolus and calla lilies, stood out as much as the statues. Outside we inspected the ancient walls. Of course, we had to investigate the small market, buy a few woven items and stop for some quinua, a kind of grain that our oldest daughter, Kirsten, uses in cooking.

Next, Percy drove us to the Moray Experimental Terraces. His driving skills became very evident as we wound round and round the precipitous curves through the mountains, even backing up at times for oncoming vehicles. I tried not to look out the window! The Terraces have been excavated to reveal huge circles that go down probably 200 feet; it reminded us of a coliseum. Bob climbed all the way to the bottom to get the "energy" but I was satisfied to venture only about one-third of the way down. There are two other areas still being excavated. Next we traveled to the Maras Salt Pans, once again on narrow, dangerous roads. But it was definitely a sight to see! From the opposing mountain, over 5000 separate plots appear, mostly salty white, some brown waiting to be cleaned. Each family can own 1, 2 or 3 plots; most of owners farm in the wet season and work the pans in the dry season. Soon it was time for a lunch break in Urubamba. Bob had a pork dish, Percy chicken, and I decided on another trucha (trout). During all of our drives, I had noticed poles extended from buildings with red plastic bags attached to the pole. Percy told us that this was the "sign" for chicha, the local beer.




He stopped at a home/business where we could sample some. The downstairs rooms in this home are devoted to raising guinea pigs in one room and making and serving chicha in the other. The process involves using corn that is sprouted, ground up and fermented. The chicha is white but can be colored pink by adding strawberries. Bob tried the white and I opted for the pink; it was surprisingly good! The proprietress' young daughter was wearing an apron with the PUBLIX logo on it. Of course, we were amazed to see the local Florida grocer displayed so far from home and had to explain what was so astonishing to Percy and the family. We drove back to Ollantaytambo once more and Percy walked us to an area where we could see real Inca homes, quite like they have been for hundreds of years. The buildings are made of mud bricks, the guinea pigs are munching on long, green rye, the corn is hanging up to dry, and the ancient skulls of ancestors are prominently displayed to protect the family. Tomorrow's agenda: what 9 out of 10 people travel to Peru to see-MACHU PICCHU!





Sunday, April 26, 2009
After our final breakfast at Hotel Pakaritampu, we said a sad goodbye and walked the short route to the train station. We had been assigned seats on the right side and, luckily, we were able to switch to the left as the ride began. The view is better on the left. Wow! The Urubamba River courses along the whole route, rocky, rambling, roaring. And the mountains, including snow-capped Veronica-are ever-present. Upon our arrival in Aguas Calientes, we were met by a woman who led us through a maze of marketplace activity, across a bridge and to Hotel Inti Puku, where we stored our bag (we had left four bags at Pakaritampu). We went back to the bus station, sat on a bench and noticed a small girl whose mother was working there. She was playing with a doll and a stuffed rabbit and soon she had relieved us of our last Twix bar. Then we were on the bus for the winding route to the "old mountain." Once at the gate, we were met by Miguel Gutierrez, the guide Percy had hired for our tour of Machu Picchu. He had a strong Quechan accent (Quecha is the native tongue used before Spanish) that was difficult to understand at times. But he was courteous and his steady grip was a godsend when I needed assistance over the thousands of stones we climbed! Miguel's tour took us to all the special places: the Torreon (tower), the fountains, the Temple of the Condor, the royal enclosures, the Three Doorways, the Ceremonial Rock, the main square, the Intiwatana (sun temple), the Three Windows, the agricultural zone, the main gate. Two and a half hours later, Miguel bid us farewell, we ate a sandwich, and watched a llama being born! Next we headed for the guardhouse. I doubted that I could reach it-it's the point from which 95 percent of all the photos of MP are taken-I call it the "money shot." But, with Bob's strong, steady arms, I did, and was it worth it! From there, we could survey the whole compound. We traded picture-taking with several tourists and felt like we were at the United Nations: Scotland, Switzerland, Holland, Canada, Puerto Rico-so many visitors, mostly young people. After six magical hours, it was time to leave. There are no words to describe this place: incredulous, surreal, magnificent. I was left with the feeling that I had just dreamed it all, but Bob's pictures told me I really had been there. All I can say is GO! Back at our hotel in AC (under construction), we finally got hot water (after all, Aguas Calientes means "warm water")! Then it was time for dinner which Bob found us at Loco Pollo. The highlight of the meal was our enjoyment of the antics of two four-year-olds, Rosalinda, & Raquel, who danced and smiled and laughed for us.





Monday, April 27, 2009
After a downpour last night and rain still falling at daybreak, we decided against a return trip to MP. And Bob woke with a bad tummy (too much coca tea), so the day consisted of a walk around the small city. AC didn't exist before MP was discovered and promoted as a tourist destination. It's a very poor town with constant construction. All supplies have to be brought by train, as well as all the tourists. Everyone appears busy running restaurants, selling trinkets in the market, digging sand in the river (it separates the town), building yet another floor to a hotel. We finally located the post office and mailed our cards. The stamps are beautiful; two different ones are required per card to the US. As we walked up a hill, we noticed shops selling bathing suits and renting toallas (towels). We discovered the hot springs and the name made sense. For lunch we tried some soup(Bueno) and pizza (Thumbs Down)(this is sold everywhere!). Bob didn't eat much, but as we sat at our sidewalk table, we enjoyed watching the children coming home from school in their uniforms. Next we searched for a farmacia because Bob was still not much better. Even though we only asked for Pepto-Bismol, Bob had to see a medicina (doctor) to receive it and two pills. Soon it was time to get back on the train. En route we were treated to a fashion show featuring the latest in baby alpaca sweaters. Our Florida temps precluded buying any, but it was fun. Percy was waiting at the train station, we collected our stored luggage and soon we were deposited at the Hotel Samay in Cuzco.







Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Hard to believe we've been in Peru only a week! We've seen and done so much and we have a week left. After a great breakfast, we set off on foot to find a bank where we could use our ATM card. We had tried to use it over the weekend to no avail. Finally we located GlobelNet and had success! Keep that one in mind for the next trip. Percy met us back at the hotel, we finished paying him and he explained the remainder of the trip. Next he took us to Plastico 2000. And why, you ask, do we need to go there? Well, the complete supply of toys intended for our stay on Isla Amantani had been depleted. So, naturally Santa (Bob) had to replenish it! Several soccer balls, dolls, trucks, small balls and only $15 later, we were on our way back to the hotel to store such. We decided to walk to Coricancha where we visited a small museum of ancient Inca artifacts-tools, ceramics, woven fabrics and mummies! Next, we investigated the church, once again built on an Inca foundation with Spanish colonial architecture. The interior is brilliant with carved wooden statues everywhere, including one of Christ in a glass/wooden casket. All of the figures are draped in gold, gold and more gold. Next we headed for the Plaza de Armas where there was a demonstration by the tour guides in progress. Then we sought out lunch; At SUMAQ on the square Bob ordered fettucini alfredo which he sent back, and I found a piece of plastic (looked like a fork tine) in my native dish.(THUMBS DOWN) The Museo Historico Regional (historical museum) was our next stop. There we found many religious paintings from the 17th century, a few pieces of furniture, and an outdoor photo exhibit of Peruvian ruins. Next we attempted to see the Arte Popular (modern art museum) but it was closed. However, the courtyard was full of vendors and, naturally, we bought another 50 soles ($17) worth of souvenirs. We made a stop at the hotel and then headed for the Centro Cusqo de Arte Nativo, a show of dancing and live music with native costumes. It was a most colorful and fun way to end the day!





Wednesday, April 29, 2009
After breakfast and hotel checkout, (we stored four bags until our return on Saturday), Percy picked us up and drove us to the Inka Express bus station. Our final destination was Puno, but there were four stops along the way. The first was Andahuaylillas, the site of a gorgeous church.
After arriving home, I read the June 2009 issue of Town & Country which has an article about the seven endangered wonders travelers should see, and this church is one of them! The Church of San Pedro Apostol, built in 1606, is called the "Sistine Chapel of America." And rightly so-the entire altar, floor to ceiling, is covered in gold as are the frames of all the enormous paintings. Next stop was Raqchi where we viewed the remains of the temple of Wiracocha, a magnificent example of a temple that is three stories high and as long as a football field. It is located at the base of Quimsachata, a volcano, and much of the shorter ruins were made of this black volcanic rock. There are 200 round stone houses that were used to store food.
We stopped to feed alpacas next, and then lunch. La Raya, the scenic high point, let us experience 14,017 feet.
Needless to say, we were breathless! Our last stop before Puno was Pucara where we saw remnants of an early culture, 300 B.C.-300 A.D. The surviving stones showed clear links to the practice of human sacrifice. Across the street is Iglesia Pinon de Pucara, an exquisite colonial church. We encountered a sad boy, probably 13 or 14, whom we had seen at the stones earlier. He was obviously a leper, already missing fingers and with a misshapen nose. Bob placed money in his filthy rag-wrapped hands each time we saw him. We were amazed that everyone else ignored him; it was as if they didn't want to face him.
Next we drove through Juliaca, a teeming, growing town with an airport.
Finally, after a long day on the road, we ended at Puno where Hermogenes (hired by Percy) met us and whisked us to the Casona Plaza Hotel.
We found a great hamburguesa around the corner at Fina Estampa. Tomorrow: Lake Titicaca.





Thursday, April 30, 2009
Today after breakfast, we left for the boat dock and set out on a 20-passenger small boat. Extremely slow, about 6 knts I guess .The highest lake in the world was calm for us, cold, clear, incredibly huge. Our first stop was the Uros Islands, flooding sanctuaries made from the reeds that grow in the lake! The inhabitants are descendants of an ancient civilization who either fled from the Spanish or other tribes hundreds of years ago. They harvest the reeds and create an island upon which they build their homes.
The chief invited us into his home; it was very basic with a soft blanket for him and his wife, high cubbies for the children. He gave me and Bob small reed boats on strings and tied them around our necks. The other men brought out a net and a deflated ball to play with and Bob couldn't resist-one of the soccer balls was thrown their way. Then he opened the small balls and gave them to the children. The delight on their faces was marvelous.
Next we all took a 5-sole ride on a huge reed boat to another island. Bob found out there were five children here so when our boat arrived to pick us up, out came more balls! One mother came to our boat with waving arms to thank us. Later we passed a small fishing boat with a whole family in it; naturally Bob threw them a ball which they promptly retrieved from the icy waters. More smiles and waves.

We arrived at our final desination, Isla Amantani. Each group (2 or 3) was assigned a family.
But before we could leave with our family member, we asked where the school was located. Luckily, it was right close to the dock, and Bob talked briefly to the young female teacher who invited us into the school courtyard. There we were met by 50 smiling faces, all elementary age pupils, and the other young male teacher. The children were told we had brought them soccer balls, dolls, trucks, small balls, magnets, and light sticks. They sang us three songs and suddenly rushed forward to shake our hands each shouting "Thank you!" Needless to say, all I could do was smile even though the tears were coursing down my cheeks!
Soon Estefa, our hostess, arrived and we began the long, arduous walk up the hill to her home.
We had been told to bring a piece of fruit as a gift for her; Bob had bought a small watermelon in Cuzco and lugged it all this way! I felt grateful he was carrying it because all I could carry was myself. When we arrived, we were introduced to the family: a teenaged boy and girl and an 8-yr.-old girl who arrived home from the school we had just visited. Estefa's husband had left her several years before. We thought we would have difficulty communicating with her because we had read that the islanders only spoke Quecha, but not so. Spanish was their language and thankfully, we had learned enough to be understood (thank you, Profesor Dan!). Estefa's home had living quarters for the family downstairs and three upstairs rooms for guests. Ours was roomy and comfortable with three twin beds and a small table. The view of the lake from our window was very picturesque.
After an hour, Estefa called us for lunch. Her small kitchen is very basic: a wood-burning clay stove, a table with a bench, several wall shelves holding a few dishes and supplies, a short stool for her to sit and cook. No electricity, no running water. She used mostly eucalyptus leaves to cook which gave off an odor not unlike creosote. Despite the primitive nature of this whole place, she managed to feed us soup, potatoes, rice and tea.
After lunch, we walked up the hill (yes, we weren't at the top yet!) to the soccer stadium. This is about 14,000 feet and Estefa helped me by picking a plant along the way; she showed me how to roll it in my hands and sniff it. Miraculously, it aided my breathing; I have asthma so anything I could do or take was a godsend. A bigger miracle, however, is the soccer stadium at the top of this island! It took three years to build and Bob & I could not even imagine the manpower required to haul all the materials up there.
When we walked back, it was time for supper: white tube-like vegetables resembling carrots, more potatoes, a sort of hash brown (yummy). Potato storage involves drying and then soaking in water to reconstitute them. After dinner, it was time for our party. Bob and I were dressed in native costume: a poncho and hat for him and a skirt, blouse, sash and shawl for me. It was cool so I put all this on over my slacks and shirt. Then we walked to the community center by flashlight. This building had one lightbulb and one short fluorescent tube powered by battery.
There were about 50 visitors and 50 family members plus two different groups of band members playing flutes, mandolins, guitars, and drums. Most dances started with couples and soon everyone would join hands to make a huge circle. The music would become frenetic and so would the dancers. Later we took group photos and, by 9:30, we went home to bed.





Friday, May 1, 2009
For breakfast today, we were served tamales with a little tube of caramel and puff pastry. It was very tasty. We kept telling Estefa "un poco" so we wouldn't waste her food if we couldn't eat it all, but she always fed us generously. We left her 150 soles ($50), two cigarette lighters (she loved those for starting her cooking fire), two flashlights (one was coveted by the 8-yr-old because it made colors look neon-like), 10 small rolls of toilet paper, two rain ponchos. Estefa's older daughter was learning to knit and I bought a small hat for our granddaughter, Ava. Estefa accompanied us to the dock, constantly knitting, a bag of yard tied to her waist, three needles in motion.
More pictures, more hugs and kisses, then on to Taquile. This island is so very different from Amantani; here the men do the knitting and tourism is a real business. There are solar panels and most of the inhabitants seem focused on milking the tourist dollar as much as possible. Our day consisted of a trek around the island, just when I hoped I wouldn't see another stair or another stone! The altitude almost killed us, but our wonderful guide, Walter, helped us with the same plant Estefa had found for us. There was some kind of celebration going on and we got pictures of many residents in brilliant costumes. Finally we stopped at the top of the island for lunch. We had some delicious omelettes, made friends with a couple from Belgium who were headed for Bolivia (we could see the snow-capped mountains from the boat). Bob admired their camera, (ours was falling apart), and I knew what we'd be buying when we returned home. We started down before everyone else because Walter had warned us about the more than 500 steps we would have to climb straight down (the climb up was winding). I prayed my knees would hold out; we ended at the boat last but still five minutes early.
Back in Puno, I collapsed while Bob searched for supper. Then it was time for long, hot baths, many pain pills and bed by 7:30!







Saturday, May 2, 2009
Today after breakfast, it was back on the bus (another debarkation tax!) and back to Cuzco. It was a ho-hum day because we had seen the same sights and stops on Wednesday. In Pukara, we bought some darling clay birds for Ava that literally chirp like a real bird when filled with water. All you have to do is blow into them!





There is a town square in front of the church with a fountain devoid of all its former splendor. We thought what a shame it was that so many of these public places were in such disrepair. In the US, a working fountain quickly fills with coins. And I longed to purchase guidebooks of the many churches we visited where no pictures were allowed. In our five trips to the UK (we call it the castles and cathedrals tour), it was always possible to buy guidebooks, souvenirs, remembrances of these places. How much sense would it make to provide that here, something to buy other than the same souvenirs that all the market vendors were selling? Our La Raya stop was different: snow had fallen! The driver, Daniel the guide, and the stewardess built a small snowman and a snowball fight ensured.

Next was a stop at Sicuani where we enjoyed a buffet lunch at a different restaurant. The food was better than the first stop; we finally tried flan, sort of like butterscotch pudding.
While we were waiting for the others to finish, we stood outside the gate, next to the bus. A little girl walked up, smiled and sat on the step next to us. We were able to exchange a few words: her name was Melia, she was five years old, she liked school and she had two brothers. When the bus opened for us, Bob got out a Twix bar and the dried corn we had left. Melia had gone into the courtyard and I ran to find her. Her bright brown eyes lit up as I put the bar and corn into her hand; she whispered "Gracias." We got on the bus and as we looked out the window, there she was, waving good-bye. At Raqchi, we looked at the vendors one last time. We wanted a tile to incorporate into our kitchen as we had done with one we had brought back from Curacao several years ago. Our supply of soles was almost gone (Bob had bought an alpaca hat for our granddaughter, Lauren) and only a torn $5 was left of the small bills. Peruvians do NOT like to take torn or worn bills of any kind.







One woman finally decided that our $5 was better than nothing, so a deal was struck! We watched her little girl play with a ball, great fun and great pics. Now back to Cuzco for one last day.





Sunday, May 3, 2009
Percy picked us up after breakfast at 9 AM and drove us to Plaza de Armas where we watched the processions of the army and probably 30 different groups of dancers in splendid costumes. The masks were the best: the Spaniards allowed the natives to mock them one day a year wearing white knitted masks and papier-mâché masks that sported big noses and mustaches. Bob had bought three of these masks in Ollantaytambo and I was glad he had when I saw the dancers. Music filled the street; drums, accordions, flutes, dancing-the merriment dominated the whole plaza.





















Next Percy drove us to Saqsayhuman, ruins of a hilltop fortress, 300 yards long, with the largest stones nearly 26 feet fall and weighing 361 tons! Then we toured Q'engo, a large limestone outcrop. It is suspected there were ceremonial rituals conducted here and perhaps mummies of lesser nobility may have been kept here in the series of caves below the rock.











Puca Pucara (red fort in Quecha) was next, thought to be a lodge rather than a fort. The last stop was Tambomachay, called the Incas Bath, located on a natural spring. The Incas channeled the water through three waterfalls which still work today. Bob tried the water and said it was very good; the Incas worshipped water as a vital life element. The fine Inca wall above has several ceremonial niches in it.













We ended our day with lunch at El Meson de Don Tomas restaurant. Bob finally tried guinea pig, shared some with me and we chalked it up to experience. If you want to know what it tastes like-well-it tastes like guinea pig!




Not on our repeat list, but, hey, we tried it! Percy's wife and younger daughter joined us and it was great to meet his family. Then it was back to Hotel Samay and off to Lima tomorrow.

Monday, May 4, 2009
Today we checked out of Hotel Samay and Percy drove us to the Cuzco Airport. It was rather sad to leave him; he is a truly accomplished guide, dependable, courteous, accommodating, knowledgeable and just plain comfortable to spend several days with. Unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for the next 7 hours. Lima experiences a lot of fog in May which delayed our flight that long. So we spent that time people watching, eating junk food and just plain trying to be patient! Happily, our great cabby, Jose Casanova, was waiting at the Lima Airport. We made plans for him to give us the grand tour of Lima tomorrow as our plane doesn't leave until 11:20 PM. Then we dumped our luggage at the Hotel Antigua Miraflores once again and headed out for food! We found some great Chinese food at Chifa Tau Tau on the corner of Grau & Berlin, just a few minutes from the hotel.







Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Cinco de Mayo and our last Peruvian day! After breakfast, Jose picked us up at 10 AM. First he drove us to the Barranco area where we could see the "bohemians" as he called them: the homes of the artists, painters, sculptors, writers, etc. We walked along the seashore and admired the beautiful flowers.







When we got back in the car, Jose drove us to a spot on a cliff where there is a restaurant called Salto del Fraile. Here there is diver dressed as a monk who dives off the cliffs into the rocky, frigid water below. Supposedly, this started when a monk needed to raise money for an orphanage, but it is a sight to see! We were parked several hundred feet on the other side to view this spectacle and it was unbelievable. After the plunge, the diver climbed up the slippery rocks, ran all the way to where we were parked, and collected his money (a pittance for what he had done!).









Then Jose drove us to the Plaza Mayor to see the Catedral. It contains the carved wooden sepulcher of Francisco Pizarro. There are five chapels with ornate wood carvings. At the back of the cathedral is a large collection of liturgical and ornamental objects from private donors. I liked the barguenos (decorated Spanish cabinets) best; there are also several ivory Christs. It was a great tour and we were able to photograph throughout, albeit without flash. Next we toured the church of San Francisco, a 16th century Moorish-influenced building with perfect puzzle pieces of Nicaraguan mahogany in its décor. The most fascinating part, though, lies beneath all this in the catacombs. Until 1821, the poor were buried here in a series of wells, some 20 meters deep. After the bodies decomposed, the bones were stacked elsewhere and stacked and stacked and stacked! It was creepy to say the least.























Then hunger came over us, so we walked through a huge market, like pigtown, only on a much larger scale. When we finally arrived in Chinatown at Wa Lok; we ate the best meal of the whole trip. For less than $27, we were served three huge dishes and drinks. There was so much food that we talked Jose into taking the leftovers home. Bob loved the seaweed and mushrooms and the quail eggs were outstanding. My fried noodles were so yummy! Delicioso!















After lunch, Bob had told Jose he wanted to see the port of Callao and I was curious, too. So that was our next stop. The Punta (point) is a gorgeous area resplendent with huge palms, vibrant flowers and charming gazebos. The naval academy is located here and the myriad of boats made us feel right at home. Jose wanted us to see a wonderful lighted fountain display (he had shown us the brochure), but it was closed.

















So next we drove to the neighborhood of San Isidro where we saw the Huaca Huallamarca, a completely restored, stepped pyramid that was once a temple. San Isidro's variety of architecture, some of it almost looking like it belonged in the Alps, was most interesting-strange for Peru, yet almost pastoral and natural in this setting. Jose drove until 7 PM, bless his heart, and showed us as much of this fascinating metropolis of eight million people as he could. But soon it was time to collect our luggage and drive off to the Jorge Chavez International Airport and Miami. Our dream was realized; all I can add is a big thank you to the kind people of Peru for sharing their splendid country with us!

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