Campingmat

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

After breakfast, and full of anticipation, we boarded the boat that would take us to the Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca. An excursion that did not disappoint. Although the inhabitants of these islands still can be said to live in fairly primitive conditions, they have become savvy enough to have a very good organization of how to distribute the tourists around their community. The individual islands' construction and maintenance are the concern and responsibility of all who live on that island, so I can see how they have used the same principles to divide what must be a big source of income amongst the entire community. Upon officially entering the Uros District, our boat captain was instructed about which island we could visit. It turned out to be the "Beautiful Rainbow" Island, home to four families. ... read more

Our second day in the Colca Canyon region was dedicated to exploring the valley and some of the towns founded in colonial Spanish times. Our first mission was to arrive at the Cruz del Condor Mirador early enough to catch the condors gliding with the help of thermal winds, so we set out early in the morning as the viewing site was some distance from the lodge. On the way, we did take some time to stop at the nearby village of Yanque, to watch some of the children dancing in the square, a morning tradition. Along the way, we passed other settlements that dot the valley. I was constantly surprised by the small size of a lot of the houses we passed. They seemed more like Hobbit holes than real houses. Also amazing was the ... read more