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South America » Peru » Ica » Nazca » Nazca Lines October 24th 2005

Note for the ignorants:The Nazca lines are drawings on the ground made by some ancient civilisation. They are best viewed from the sky. We managed to get a plane tour for 35$ and it was definetly worth it. Not because of the lines, but beacause of the flight. The pilot seemed to be more worried about us seeing the drawings than actually keeping us alive. He spent most of the time flying the plane almost upside down with one hand and pointing at the lines with the other. However we survived and our stomachs did too (only just). Pictures should be available soon!! The computer keeps crashing everytime I try to put them online. Avis aux centraliens qui ne comprennent pas l´anglais: Pierre (Nugs) fait aussi un site, donc demandez lui le lien s´il vous a ... read more
The Astronaut

South America » Peru » Ica » Nazca » Nazca Lines October 24th 2005

Our Huacachina hostel owner turned out to be a regular tourist baron. He had fingers in all sorts of pies and was able to arrange a trip straight to Nazca, another 2hours south by bus, with a night in a hostel followed by a light aircraft flight over the ´Nazca Lines´. There are all sorts of theories about who and why these lines were created, and we were shown a video before our flight (twice!) about some of them. The main idea, was that these huge images of a Condor, a Monkey, a Humming bird and various others etched into the landscape were designed and made by the Incas, and were intended to be ´processed´around by the people playing instruments and singing to worship their gods. We had been warned not to eat breakfast before the ... read more
Nazca Flight

South America » Peru » Cusco » Cusco October 24th 2005

After yet another long bus journey on unmade roads we arrived in Cusco, which is a really lovely City, if a bit crammed full of gringos. It is an odd mix, with colonial buildings sprouting out of Inca foundations, and llamas on street corners with brightly coloured tassels in their ears. After a few days of exploring nearby Inca ruins in the rain (finally our luck with the weather broke..), we started on the Inca Trail. After being a little undecided on whether to book or not (you have to do it with a tour company as part of a group, and it is expensive - hugely so in Peruvian terms), it was a fantastic four days and well worth it. You start off in valleys surrounded by snow covered peaks, and end up in cloud ... read more
Highest Point of the Inca Trail
Machu Picchu Clearing
Machu Picchu

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca October 24th 2005

We arrived in Puno, which is a bit grim, late at night and just after a huge amount of rainfall - litter and huge puddles everywhere. We then checked into a hostal which was as I imagine a prison cell to be, so our first impressions were less than good! The next day the weather was beautiful, and Pun is right on the shores of the lake, so it picked up fairly rapidly. We did a two day boat trip to the islands on the lake, starting with the floating Uros islands. They are incredibly beautiful - the colours seem very vivid on the lake, I don´t know if that is as a result of the thin atmosphere or just the huge body of water. Rhuemastism is unsurprisingly a bit of a problem there, living on ... read more
Uros
Scott & Friends
Sunset

South America » Peru » Puno October 24th 2005

After our unexpected long stay in Cusco we were eventually leaving! Although Cusco is a beautiful place with lots to see around the area, the constant hassle from touts and children selling postcards and finger puppets gets too much! As a treat with some of our wedding present we decided to book first class on the train journey from Cusco to Puno which is on the shores of Lake Titikaka in Southern Peru. We awoke with pleanty of time to get checked out of our hostel and down to the train station, but after having to wait for 15 minutes to get our change as the hostel had not got any we were starting to stress! We stood outside the hostel loaded up ready with our backpacks waiting for the girl to come back with our ... read more
The observation lounge
Our journey being blessed
Locals Ploughing the fields

South America » Peru » Ayacucho October 24th 2005

Hola mes amigos!! Was planning a nice quiet Monday after my hectic day yesterday. That was not to be!! It´s so true when they say that children are unpredictable!! Was at Wawa Wasi today. Still no sign of Alberto, and Ernesto and Maria didn´t show either!! Went equipped today with balloons, paper plates, cardboard and some special clips. Soon after I arrived, we had a new arrival. A baby boy called William. Not quite sure of his age as he´s quite small, but he can walk and has teeth. I reckon just under a year (I´m such an expert with kids I hear you all say...........!!). William cried from the moment his mama left, and there was absolutely no consoling him!! When you put him down, he wanted a cuddle and when you gave him a ... read more
Karina
Giovani with his balloon
Peek a boo with Rufina

South America » Peru » Ayacucho October 23rd 2005

Hi all, Above title is very deceptive. Relaxing is not how I would describe my day, but it was great!! Had a fabulous hot shower in the morning. Was so hot I had to turn on the cold tap - absolute luxury!! After that I headed into town to explore some of the Churches which were holding masses. The first Church was St Agustin (1637), the second was the Cathedral in the main square. Next was Campania de Jesus (1605), followed by Santa Clara (not sure when it was built). The last one on out tour was San Franciso de Asis (1552). The majority of the Churches in Ayacucho were built by the Spanish. Again, all of the Churches were very lavish inside. Lots of gold evident and lots of statues. They are wonderful to see, ... read more
Church Tour
Church Tour
Church Tour

South America » Peru » Cusco » Machu Picchu October 23rd 2005

I can happily confirm thatr, having seen many differant spellings of this on signs, it doesnt really matter how its spelled. So no dissent!! We have finally managed to go on the Inca Trail, three months after booking it, and can tell you a few things. 1. Its not very difficult 2. noone should be able to cook food that good in a tent 3. the ruins are, indeed, breathtaking 4. gringo toilets are disgusting our group was fantastic, our guides were more than competent, and (unlike in Bolivia) we never had to sit for hours waiting for our stuff to turn up. Instead of mules, we had dauntless local fellas charging around at high speed carrying our stuff. When we got to the ruins, however, we were amazed to see a pair of American tourists ... read more
MACCHU PICCU IN ALL ITS MAJESTY
thats more like it
more ruins

South America » Peru » Cusco » Cusco October 23rd 2005

Well we got back to Cusco last night after a train back from Machu Picchu and what a beautiful train ride, it really is a gorgeous valley. We showered (finally!!!!YAY!) and went to get some food. We were pretty buggered but we wanted to try guinea pig (cuy) and alpaca and so we arranged to meet Rob, Jason, Maryke & Pascal. Maryke & Pascal could not make it (passed out) so the four of us went. We found a nice restaurant and Rob & I ordered alpaca, while Jason & Matt got guinea pig. mmm not sure if the cuy was a good idea. It came out grilled and whole. Head in tact in fact Jason´s was perfect, the ears, jaw intact with a little claw reaching out... Now Jason did try but I thing the ... read more
with guinea pig

South America » Peru » Cusco » Cusco October 23rd 2005

The Lemon Meringue Pie The last time we left you we were on our way to Cusco and having been on a bit of a whirl wind tour of Peru so far, we decided when we arrived in Cusco we´d just take a few days to chill and aclimatise to the altitude and sus out the tours and sights we wanted to see. We also went along and checked out the local markets which were quite interesting to say the least everything is set out in trades, rows of fruit and veg, then rows of stalls selling chocolate, then flowers then the ceramics, rugs and clothes followed by mini restaurants then the meat section which had brians and intestines hanging over the counter along with live frogs in buckets, Sue couldn´t handle this section but my ... read more
At the local Markets
Volcanic rock slides at Sacsayhauman
Impressive Inca walling




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