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Background: Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of corruption.




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By John from Totnes
November 1st 2009
Sunday in Cusco South America » Peru » Cusco » Cusco
The Sunday Parade
The Sunday Parade
Picture of the parade in front of the Cathedral in the main square
All Saints Day and the locals celebrated with a civic and military parade around the main square known as Plaza de Armas. All the local worthies were settled in a canopy placed outside the Cathedral and the march pass began. It consisted of amongst others the army , police, government workers , schoolchildren and even the road cleaners (they came last with their brooms and shovels). Very colourful and very stirring with the army band in full pelt especially the one with the big bass drum. Well as it was Sunday I decided to do the religious tour which included a [View Full Entry]

John from Totnes - John Birch | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
277 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 2 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 2nd 2009 | 48 Views | [diary=450052]

The Army on the move

Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Upon entering the site you wend your way up a track and upon reaching the top this is the view. Stunning
It has been called one of the Wonders of the World and I can understand the reason why, but the problemis that there are many others who think the same. We arrived at 10.30am and it appeared that all the other tourists in Peru were there as well. Although there are restrictions on numbers walking the Inca Trail leading to Machu Picchu there is no restriction on the number of people entering this wonderful site. The authorities need to address this problem as the sheer number of visitors detracts from the beauty and special atsmosphere of this abandoned Inca settlement Fortunately [View Full Entry]

John from Totnes - John Birch | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
466 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 2 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 1st 2009 | 70 Views | [diary=449816]

John and the Inca Stonework

This "little" stretch of the journey was the toughest thus far. It came as quite a disappointment to us that the roads were not roads, but dusty tracks which really put our bikes to the test. We soon arrived at a small town called Chincheros, where we attracted a fair bit of attention mainly from the youth of the town who were once again, mesmerised by the rugby ball. Unfortunately this meant that we had a relatively substantial audience for yet another inner tube fix. Due to the pressure from the prying local eyes, a swift and precise execution of the [View Full Entry]

Over the Andes the Hard Way - Ross Bland | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1107 Words | 3 Comment(s) | 42 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 2nd 2009 | 105 Views | [diary=449982]

Rustic market
Presher is on for a quick fix
A pair of Andean scamps

The Mission........ Trek to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail and raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care Mission status COMPLETE The history bit......"Machu Picchu ("Old Peak" is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,430 metres (8,000 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 50 miles northwest of Cuzco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Often referred to as "The Lost City of the [View Full Entry]

The Strachs - The Strachs | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
716 Words | 3 Comment(s) | 39 Photo(s) | 1 Video(s)
Published: October 31st 2009 | 113 Views | [diary=449031]

The International Group.....
Ready to go
Rio Urubamba

By codemonkey
October 31st 2009
31st October South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca
Landing at the Uros islands
Landing at the Uros islands
The sight that greeted us when landing at the Uros islands.
Lago Titicaca, The Uros islands, 10am. Standing on a floating manmade island made solely out of reeds, somewhere within the world’s highest navigable lake, it’s an odd feeling. Lago Titicaca is big, really big, so big it spans across two countries. On our way here our guide pointed into the distance and said that Bolivia was in that direction. Even standing on top of the roof of the boat, all I could see right up to the horizon was water - Titicaca is that big. Lago Titicaca is also very sacred around here. It is the heart of the Aymara people’s [View Full Entry]

codemonkey - Robert Baker | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
875 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 4 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 4th 2009 | 54 Views | [diary=449778]

Woman of the Uros islands
Me, Jess and my new girlfriend
Chief!

By codemonkey
October 30th 2009
30th October South America » Peru » Puno » Puno
Leaving Cusco behind us, we now travel south very close to the border with Bolivia, to a place called Puno on the shores of Lago Titicaca. We have tried to use trains in South America wherever possible, but your choices are slim. In Ecuador, just two or three short routes that were nowhere near the destinations that we visited. In Peru, just two routes. The first from Cusco to Machu Picchu, which we took and turned out to be a great ride. The second from Cusco to Puno, which we haven’t. The reason why? The $334 price tag. The bus which [View Full Entry]

codemonkey - Robert Baker | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
760 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 4 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 4th 2009 | 47 Views | [diary=450707]

South to Puno
Inca Kola
Puno by night

26th-30th October 2009 The big day finally came, I had spend so long counting down the days and then suddenly it felt like it came so quickly. I barely slept thenight before my first flight, but the hours awake were well spent spooning aiden!I tried my hardest to prepare myself for the moment that I had to say goodbye but nothing could prepare me for how hard it actually was. The realisation of just how much I was going to miss Aiden hit me like a tone of bricks the night before, saying goodbye at the airport was emotional to say [View Full Entry]

Wendels21 - Wendy Anne Grace | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
894 Words | 5 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: October 30th 2009 | 65 Views | [diary=449511]


By A Travel Story
October 30th 2009
Machu Picchu South America » Peru » Cusco » Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu We are on the airplane flying from Peru to Salvador, Brazil. We were in Machu Picchu yesterday. Tomorrow is Halloween at home in the USA. Halloween has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. Kim and I both love dressing up and staying in character for the evening. One of my first memories was dressing up as the Riddler, one of Batman's enemies. I think I was in the first grade. My mom made the costume and I wore it to school. The costume was all green spandex with a large question mark on the [View Full Entry]

A Travel Story - Dan Bell and Kim Gibson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
398 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 26 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 1st 2009 | 77 Views | [diary=449890]

Photo 19
Photo 2
Photo 3

By timandsue
October 29th 2009
The Preparation South America » Peru » Cusco » Cusco » Cusco
We don't need telling
We don't need telling
The circum-navigation begins...
Off to Cuzco And so our real circumnavigation of the globe begins. We're off to Cuzco in Peru to spend a few days acclimatizing before we begin our slightly unconventional trek through the Andes. It's a very early start. We're all packed up again, minus some of the things we needed specifically for Africa and while this is the biggest excursion away from home during this trip it's also our third so we feel confident that we've got exactly what we'll need as we zoom through the deserted streets of London towards Heathrow. At the airport we chance upon the business [View Full Entry]

timandsue - Tim and Sue | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1072 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 5 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 7th 2009 | 42 Views | [diary=451188]

We've made it to Cuzco
Alpaca!
Salkantay peak from the Cuzco rooftops

Inca Trail Map
Inca Trail Map
Inca Trail laid out
The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu Oct 21 - 24, 2009 Castmembers: The Hikers: Kristy, Kirstin, Alan, Rainuka, Byron, Helen, Susan, Asif, Kelvin, Janet, Lisa, Cathy, David, Alona and Dave (me!) The Guides: Raul and Rolando The Porters: Too many to name Oct 21, 2009 - Day 1 After individual briefings on Oct 20, our intrepid group of South American explorers were picked up by bus in Cusco starting at 6:00am. By 6:30 we were loaded and ready to go. From Cusco we headed Northwest for our first destination, Ollantayambo. On the way we p [View Full Entry]

kuta2001 - Dave | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
2587 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 156 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: October 30th 2009 | 99 Views | [diary=449048]

Close up from bus
Ollantayambo
Dog ignoring me