Adiós Ecuador, Hóla Peru: from Quito to Cuzco

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Our last photos taken in Ecuador were of the three volcanoes, Tungurahua (5,023 m) and Cotopaxi (5,897m), both taken on the bus journey to Quito and Pichincha (4,784m), taken from the plane. For our four day stay in Baños, Tungurahua had been cloud-bound, then as we drove away on Saturday morning, the cloud cleared and we got a final photo of this huge active volcano, which dominates the whole valley and beneath which we slept peacefully for four nights (check out the smoke coming from the crater). Cotopaxi looked stunning, and most majestic, covered with a crown of snow all year around.



Yesterday, Monday 15^th December, was my brother´s 70^th Birthday. “Happy Birthday Stephen!”



We made an early start on Monday morning, leaving the hostel at 5.30 a.m. for the airport and our journey to Cuzco in Peru. The sun was shining, and as the plane flew out of the valley, we could see Pichincha in all its glory. Quito wraps around the eastern slopes of this mountain, and we could easily see its two highest peaks, Wawa Pichincha, with snow on top and Roku Pichincha with dark smoke pouring from its crater. Quito residents and visitors sleep peacefully beneath the Pichincha too! The last small eruption was in 2004. Experts say that a big one would be devastating for Quito´s two million inhabitants, since evacuation would be nigh on impossible. Flying from Quito on a clear day must be one of the best aerial views in the Andes. One can see why this region is called the Volcano Alley, because for half an hour we flew over so many peaks and craters that we lost count. Then the cloud surrounded us and we committed these awesome vistas to memory.



The first leg of our journey took us to Lima, which looked as drab and polluted as the guide books say. A two hour stopover there, then we got our flight to Cuzco. Flying into Cuzco is quite an experience, because it is nestled between mountain peaks, in a smaller valley than Quito is, so the pilot had to do some pretty nifty manoeuvring, with the wing tip on a sharp turn rather low over jagged peaks, to line up for the runway (which is right in the middle of the city)! Cuzco sits up in the Andes 3,400 metres above sea level, so as soon as we arrived at our hotel we were given some coca tea, to help with the altitude. Actually, we didn’t feel too bad, having come from Quito. Some people obviously suffer greatly, because oxygen is kept in reception for altitude sickness sufferers. We are in a small hotel in an alley off the main plaza, the Plaza de Armas and part of the walls are Inca. Some of the bedrooms have Inca walls, but they were all taken; bit disappointed about that.



Cuzco is spectacular; the architecture is stunning. Compared to Quito, it is prettier and cleaner. On the downside, unlike Quito, it is full of tourists and hassle from street vendors, as well as restaurant owners who chase people down the street waving their menus. In comparison, on Sunday, our last day in Quito, we strolled around the park, where local indigenous Indian men were exercising horses and women were selling hand-made goods from little stalls; nobody hassled us, we were free to look at everything in peace and with pleasure. We never had any hassle of this kind at all anywhere in Ecuador. Ecuadorians, despite being loud, noisy and the world’s craziest drivers, are very respectful of one’s personal space. Not so in Peru. It is almost as bad here as in Indonesia. It is impossible to leave the hotel and walk down the street without being hassled to buy, even from children. One boy, no more than eight, waved some goods right in our faces last night, and when we said “No” replied rather aggressively, “Why no! Why no!” and tried to stand in front of us to stop us crossing the road. His mother looked on approvingly. We have no idea what he was selling. We never look and we never stop. Silly people, who probably might get a sale if they didn’t hassle us. These people who crowd the city centre with their hassle are not particularly hard-up either; most of them have smart phones!



Tuesday 16^th December 2014



Today we have spent exploring the city. Cuzco was the capital city of the Incas, at the heart of their empire, from the twelfth century until 1533 when the Spanish arrived. The Spanish conquistadores were quickly followed by settlers who started to build great cathedrals and colonial buildings on top of Inca foundations. Throughout the city, one can see buildings where the bottom of the walls are Inca, with Spanish stonework above. The hotel where we are staying is one such building, once used to house virgins awaiting their turn to take part in Inca sacrificial ceremonies; that sun god liked his young fresh offerings!



There was a huge demonstration in the city today. People from the small town of Calca in the hills outside the city, in the Cuzco District, all marched to the city, arriving around 11 a.m. They walked in a slow and dignified manner, many with babies strapped on their backs, to protest about some major changes to the boundaries of their lands. The Plaza de Armas was lined with riot police, armed with guns, tear gas; the works. We asked a policeman what the demo was about and he actually replied most sympathetically, “Ellos tienen muchas problemas con sus terreno!” “They have a lot of problems with their land”. The government wants to steal a load of it for a new road and other development. They had banners saying “Calca no se vende”, “Calca is not for sale”. Thankfully, the riot police never had to do anything nasty and the demo went ahead smoothly. Whether the poor people have gained anything by their efforts, who knows? Let us hope so; many of them are very poor in these outlying little towns, and the land is their livelihood.



Apart from walking around this beautiful city today, we also made our way to the main bus station to buy our tickets for Saturday, when we shall be leaving Cuzco and heading to Puno on Lake Titicaca. The buses either leave at 8.30 a.m. for the seven hour journey, or at 10 p.m. We didn´t want a night bus, we don´t mind long journeys, we like to see the scenery not sleep through it, so decided to get the tickets today in case the day ones were sold out. So, we got the tickets, just 50 soles each, which is about $19 on a first class coach with two loos, fully-reclining seats (called cama sillas, bed seats) and snacks and drinks provided. It is most odd in Peru, because there are two money systems, one can either pay in US dollars or Peruvian soles for a lot of things, tours, bus and train tickets, hotels, purchases in shops etc. Market stalls, cafes and small restaurants want just soles whilst other people, like most hoteliers, only want dollars. So one has to carry two purses, with the two different currencies in them.



Tonight we are going to try to go to sleep early, although it is pretty noisy in the city centre here, so it might not be possible, because tomorrow we have to set off early for a trip to Machu Picchu. It costs a lot to get there, so we hope it lives up to expectations.

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Photos

Pichincha 4784m
Taken from the plane at Quito airport

Another Pichincha crater
Please stay asleep!

Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas
Demonstrators from Calca

Viv and riot police watching the demo
"Are they coming this way?"

University building, La Compania de Jesus
...with a fringe of police on guard

Demonstratos on their sit-in in the plaza
Don´t need riot police for these lovely ladies!

Back to the hills!
They marched in, they sat in, then marched away with dignity, chanting their protests.

Statue of the Inca Warrior King Pachacuteq
...and a thirsty street dog.