A Brief Post on Our Method of Transportation to Cusco

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Now with pictures!!!

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(Post by Mike)

Hi all! I know it has been a while since I last posted. We have been in some locations with dodgy or non-existent Internet connections, and also doing a bit of trekking which by design is sans Wi-Fi. But now that Jess and I are comfortable in Cusco for the next couple of days, I am going to try to get some posts in highlighting some of the most memorable components of our trip.

After some incredible experiences in Bolivia - salt flats, silver mines, watching a city festival in Sucre, relaxing in a beautiful little home facing the beach in Copacabana - it was time to cross the border over to our 2nd country, Peru. Our bus stopped at the border and left us to walk over after a brief chat with customs officials. Even that short walk reminded me of one of the few things I will NOT miss about Bolivia... the cold nights!

We stayed the night in Puno in Peru, a city whose name seems to summarize well its touristic appeal. But at least our hotel was cozy and friendly. Early in the morning the next day, we awoke and went over to the train station for one of our few 'luxury' splurges of our trip - the famed PeruRail "Andean Explorer" train from Puno to Cusco.

Why write a blog post about a train ride? Well, VIA Rail could learn a bit from how this train was operated. Our seats were comfy upholstered armchairs, and the whole car had wood paneling and decorations (e.g. a fresh rose on our table) that, together, reminded me a bit of a blend of Indiana Jones and Martha Stewart. But most important was the view! Peru seems to be a country of epic mountains, and this train weaves its way through them.

Interestingly, many small villages seem to be built on the railway line, even to the point that some shopkeepers had to quickly pack up some of their wares to get them out of the way of our incoming train that went through their store! The whole time, children and adults ran to their windows to wave at the train, as if it was the first they had ever seen. One of the very few times in my life where I have felt like a celebrity.

To entertain us further during the 9.5 hour trip, there were some scheduled events run by the train staff in the bar car (my favorite train car). One of these was a bartending class where we were to be taught how to make a Pisco Sour, a popular cocktail in Peru. Of course, when it came time to call a volunteer, we know whose hand went immediately up. Jess did a great job in front of the assembled crowd in mixing ice, simple syrup, Pisco (a potent grape brandy), lime juice, and egg whites to create her own Pisco Sour. Her shaking skills, however, could be improved for future bartending stints.

Jess should post some photos of our picturesque train ride in the coming days. And I'll write more about Peru (Cusco, our 4-day Jungle trek to Machu Picchu) in some upcoming posts.

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Photos

Bartending Class
Pay no attention to Mike´s assertion of my lack of skills - clearly I was getting the job done!

Dance Party
Where? The bar car of course!