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Published: November 16th 2009
Another long and enjoyable day.........
Im in my comfortable room in the Casa Andina Puno sending you my last blog for a few days.
I was up at 5am this morning and bade my sad farewell to Cuzco in the cold and damp rain I have really enjoyed the hopitality of this town. The bus that I was on was the very plush Inka Express. It was to be a 10 hour journey so I wasnt really looking forward to it, but we stopped in 5 different locations which broke the journey up nicely. I would recommend this company to anyone wishing to do a similar trip.There was a plentiful supply of coffee,tea or coca tea ( which I am getting a real taste for......unfortunately its illegal anywhere else on the planet, except Bolivia I think ) and a superb buffet lunch somewhere on the Altiplano was included in the price of the ticket.
We visited Andahuaylillas, with a church known as the Andean Sistine Chapel......I was well impressed, and Im not usually where churches are concerned ( no photography allowed!!!!). Then on to Raqchi....massive Inca temple-
still cant understand how the Incas were defeated by a bunch of woosie
Spaniards....I mean even the Brits kicked the sh..... out of them.
Then we stopped for lunch.............then onto La Raya, the highest pass on the route at 4335mt or 14218 feet...now thats high
that was followed by a visit to a pre-Incan ceremonial site.....they sacrificed humans to the sun god ( there are a few I could recommend.....initials GB and he has one eye ) at Pucara.
We then made our way into Juliaca....what a dump...unmade mud roads unfinished houses and factories....I was told it was the pollution, oh and by the way its the contraband capital of Peru.....it comes over the border from Bolivia apparently.
We arrived in Puno 45 minutes later and I was begining to have my doubts, but after checking in then going out I could smell it before I saw it. A restaurant spit roasting chicken over coals. I quickly saw that it was packed full of locals and no tourists....so I ordered chicken and chips and salad, washed down with a huge cusquena beer....the best I have had!!!!
I then heard music and soon found out that there was a fiesta going on.....and wow what a knees up.....they may be poor people but they know
how to enjoy themselves........made the Madrid fiesta look like a damp squid!
I am going to prepare myself for the visit with the home family on Lake Titicaca.....wish me luck!
speak soon....enjoy the images
ciao
Mario
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Carlo
non-member comment
Hail !
Great photos again, love the party dresses....you've been gone away a week now, and must have seen and experienced a lot, but for me, the time has just flown by. Hope Lake Titicaca is just as enjoyable as the rest and let us know when you are back in the internet world. Take care !