Blogs from Peru, South America - page 3

Tuesday 6th December to Friday 9th December Four days in Cuzco The first time I woke on the night bus to find it stopped, I figured it was just a driver break. The second time I woke to find it stopped, felt a little more suspicious, especially when Paul pointed out that 6hours in and, according to google maps, we were barely away from Arequipa. Trying to see out into the blackness more, we realised everything was covered in snow! Whaaaaat?! No information given, but no panic with no one seeming bothered, we continued to sleep on and off for the next several hours, following on google to see we were going a different route then expected, until, after a 10hour journey became a 17hour one, we finally reached Cuzco. Uber, Hostal, Cafe, and, feeling real ... read more

Wednesday 30th November - Monday 5th December 2022 Leaving Lima, our next big stop was going to be Cuzco, but, this would mean a very, very long time on a bus, and missing out on some very picturesque parts of Peru. Huacachina, a mere 4.5hour bus from Lima to Ica, followed by a short taxi ride (haggled from 20 to 12 soles thanks to having the knowledge from a helpful local on the bus), is a popular Oasis town in the middle of a desert. Small, touristy, full of hostels, restaurants and tour groups wanting you to use them, but with such an amazing backdrop, we had heard this beautiful and hot little lagoon is worth checking out for a night. Which is what we did. Checked into our hostel, we eagerly accepted their offer of ... read more

On our last day in Peru, we had another early morning start. We had to ride from Urubamba to Cuzco for a morning flight to Lima. But that meant we had some additional time to do some exploring around Lima. Our hotel in the Miraflores area was the same hotel we'd had before and we were treated to the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean on our drive along the Malecon. After checking in, we decided to explore the Parque Kennedy area this time. The avenue where the park is located was a typical business center type street lined with shops and businesses for the most part but, at one end of it, we came across El Parquetito, a cute Café with outdoor sitting where we decided to have lunch. The essential Pisco Sour accompanied a ... read more

Another day of travel was ahead of us, leaving Cusco behind to transfer to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. We had two stops ahead of us: Chinchero and Ollantaytambo. Our first stop was Chinchero, known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow. This typical Andean village is a town well known for preserving ancient Inca customs and for making beautiful weavings with natural dyes. It is home to the Interpretation Center of Andean Textiles. Women in traditional costume will demonstrate how they produce the different colors for the wool they spin and weave. Unfortunately, construction is progressing on an airport clearly visible from the old callejones, the alley like streets from ancient times. No doubt it will influence and change the current rustic charm of this ancient village. Chinchero was built in the late ... read more

After the delicious buffet style breakfast offered by the hotel, we set out to explore the nearby Plaza Mayor of Cusco. At an elevation of 11,200 feet, most of the streets seem to involve climbing to some extent which I had deemed my enemy, but I absolutely loved the look and feel of the ones that seemed no more than narrow alleyways, mostly ending in small plazas surrounded by colonial architecture. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th century until 1532. In 1983, Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by The Constitution of Peru. Many believe that the city was planned in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal. Buildings constructed after the Spanish invasion often have a mixture ... read more