Peru Part II: Inca Mania!
Sitting at a 3-star restaurant steps from rocky, oceanside cliffs, we watch paragliders dive and twist above the all-glass four story luxury mall cut into the mountain. The sun shines on dozens of well dressed couples and joggers enjoying the breeze blowing onto the coastal boardwalk from the Pacific. A sunny California afternoon? No – it´s Lima! Peru surprises us yet again as we head South into its beating, modern heart. From Lima, we head to the ancient capital of Cuzco, and the unmissable Machu Picchu, before concluding our Peruvian adventure in Puno on the grand Lago Titicaca.
Our unfortunate welcome to Lima gives way to four positively civilized days in the comfortable suburb of Miraflores and the historic center of the city. We partake of national Pisco Sour day (Pisco is a grape brandy that, when mixed with lemon and sugar, is the Peruvian national drink), explore world class museums, and relax in leafy plazas sipping espresso. Lima was the shining jewel in Spain´s colonial conquest, and the old center is dazzling – full of ancient churches, catacombs, and imposing colonial government buildings. Glitzy Miraflores is equally satisfying to these road weary travelers, with gourmet supermarkets and pedestrian walks filled with English pubs and ice cream stores.
After several days, we take the third flight of our trip (unable to bear the thought of crossing the Andes by bus again!) and find ourselves in the majestic high altitude city of Cuzco. The one-time capital of the Inca empire and gateway to the sacred cities of the Andes is now the tourist capital of Peru, with more touts than ancient sites. Yet, despite 80% of the economy being based on tourism and more international tourists in Bermuda shorts than Alcatraz in June, Cuzco is still a joy to explore. Past its touristy main square are colonial buildings built with Incan stones and cobblestone streets that twist and turn up hillsides, hiding coca leaf candy makers and excellent artisans. With the Inca trail being closed for its annual cleaning, we are forced to take an overpriced train to reach the key destination in this part of our trip – Machu Picchu. Indisputably one of the man-made wonders of the world, the site is expensive to reach, but worth every penny the moment we glimpse our first view of the great city. Although significantly newer than most of the ruins we have visited, there is no questioning the impressiveness of this crumbling city, perched on the razor´s edge of the Andes, above hundreds of perfectly constructed agricultural terraces. Unfortunately for us, the city where all visitors must stay – Aguas Calientes – is a touristy, modern frontier town, full of shockingly overpriced restaurants and moldering cement hotels.
From Cuzco, we head to our final Peruvian destination – giant Lago Titicaca. This lake is practically a sea, dropped at high alltitude into the middle of the Andean mountain range. Without our knowledge, our arrival in the dreary lakeside town of Puno coincides perfectly with the region´s largest festival of the year – the Fiesta de la Virgen de Candeleria – an all-out party centered around endless (i.e. 7 am – 5 am for three days straight!) parades of elaborately costumed devils, monkeys, and slaves (see photos) that shut down the downtown and turn it into a raucous celebration of drinking, drumming, and dancing. One visible highlight are the children who run wild through the streets, spraying each other (and all unknowing tourists) with ample canned foam. We escape the parade for one day and head into the lake, leaving the chilly Puno behind and entering a Mediterranean microclimate, where tranquil isles filled with indigenous tribes live as they have for centuries. We visit the incredible floating islands – where hundreds live on islands built of squishy reeds – constantly replenished as the bottom reeds rot away – and sunny Isla Taquille, where the men are expert knitters and the women only speak when spoken to. We eat lunch in the patio of a mud brick house and then walk through the warm potato fields of this idyllic isle, chewing coca leaves to help with the high altitude (it really helps!) When we return to Puno, the party has reached full debauchery, with revelers reeling into parade dancers in the streets and foam shooting in all directions.
The next day we make our way by crowded local bus, then tricycle taxi, and finally by foot to reach the quiet Bolivian border on the southern edge of Lago Titicaca. Three busy weeks in the great ancient world of Peru and we have only hit the highlights, yet we are ready to move on. Peru has been tough – on our spirits and our wallets – and we are ready for a new challenge… Bolivia here we come!
Best moments:
1) Watching the Superbowl in a smoky, dark, off-track betting bar in the Miraflores district of Lima, where the buffalo wings are spicy and the fans from around Lima (and the world) are all rooting for the Bears… The owner is determined to find us a space in his overpacked bar, filled with dozens of flat screen TVs, heavy wood tables, and barstools. He takes us through the main bar and back into a hidden area, where a rowdy mix of foreigners and older Peruvian men sit, chain-smoking, drinking, and yelling at the large screens. He finds us a spot in a corner, sharing a table with some pierced local teens, where we drink beer and eat American snack food for hours.
2) Our picture-perfect view of Machu Picchu from the “Watchman´s House” following a pre-dawn hike straight up the great mountain. The rainy clouds part and we see a complete view of the ruins – straight from a Peruvian tourism poster – the verdant green terraces stretching for as far as the eye can see. We arrive soon after dawn, and have several hours to enjoy the ruins before the hordes (literally hordes) of tour package travelers from around the world descend on the site, creating a slow plodding line of tourists stretching like ants, moving from viewpoint to viewpoint. We leave them behind to trek to the “Sun Gate”, the classic entrance to Machu Picchu when arriving via the Inca trail. We walk along the ancient cobbled path, arriving at the gate just in time to see the distant view of the ruins disappear behind cloud. Moments later, torrential rains arrive and soak us to our skin, and we begin a long hike back to the entrance, squishing in our boots.
3) Experiencing an unexpected Carneval in Puno on Lago Titicaca. We heard rumors that there was a party happening on the northern edge of Lago Titicaca at around the time of our arrival, but we never imagined the huge celebration that shut down every major street in the downtown area. As our taxi approaches downtown Puno, we begin to see women in platform, knee high boots, crinnolined mini skirts, halter tops and feathered bowler hats – their costumes made from fluorescent-colored satin, velvet, and lace. They shimmy down the streets accompanied by giant brass bands, playing rhythms reminiscent of high school fight songs. They are followed by legions of dancing men, wearing elaborate devil masks and many-layered costumes, covered in shiny rivets and garish appliqués. The parades stretch in an endless line down the street as the whole town dances and drinks, watching the scene go by. The water balloons we began to see in Ecuador have morphed into cans of fake foam that every kid under 14 is carrying. Besides harassing the opposite sex, the kids especially love to spray the visiting gringos. After receiving a couple of small sprays from the crowd, Nelson decides to join the fun and buys a can. Standing and watching the parade, we spy several 7 year-old boys chasing and spraying each other nearby. One turns his back and Nelson unleashes a flurry of foam, covering the boy´s head. The boy spins, confused, wondering where the foam has come from? Nelson stands erect, innocently facing the other direction, and the little boy begins to suspect the teenage girl standing next to us. As the boy sneaks up behind her, Nelson spins and gets the little boy again – this time squarely in the face. The boy is shocked and screams out “Gringooo!?!” as he backs away, returning fire, and laughing wildly with his retreating friends.
Most unfortunate adventure: We arrive at the Bolivian border a bit wary. Supposedly, Bolivian president Evo Morales has instituted a new visa policy for US citizens that will be enacted any day now. Will they give us trouble, we wonder? Will we need to offer a bribe? As we approach the border, two policeman on the Peruvian side say that before crossing into Bolivia, we must stop at the Peruvian police station: there have been reports of drugs crossing at this border point. Fine, we think, better to be checked by the Peruvians. One of the policeman takes Nelson into a separate room and peppers him continuously with questions about our trip while thoroughly searching through our daypack. Next, Jamaica goes in and the policeman does a cursory scan of her purse. We leave feeling a bit violated – that was quite a thorough search for leaving a country. We scan our possessions and realize the policeman has palmed US$20 with a quick move while questioning Nelson! We are infuriated; for the first time we have been bamboozled at the border! However, the officer has taken a bill with a small tear in the corner, the very same bill the currency exchanger had just refused due to the damage! We hope it rots in his pocket forever… We then enter Bolivia with no problem, just a friendly ¨Bienvenidos.¨
Best meal: Many fabulous meals during this week and a half….
1) 4 star dinner in Miraflores, Lima at Raphael (thanks for the recommendation Jen!) We feel like our old selves for a night as we splurge in a big way at this first class spot, where the Pisco Sours are suberb, the sauces divine, and the service impeccable.
2) Delectable ceviche, the national dish of Peru, at Segundo Muelle – a sparse modern dining room overlooking the Pacific. Fresh, tasty, and a nice upscale contrast to the ceviche we had on the north coast.
3) Bibim bop and ramen at an authentic Korean restaurant, run by Korean immigrants, in Cuzco! What a surprise to find this Korean hole-in-the-wall hidden inside a colonial courtyard in Cuzco. Spicy kim chee and other tasty pickles and super fresh vegetables are a wonderful change from the cuy (guinea pig – very bony and greasy) and llama meat (fatty, without much taste) on most menus in Cuzco.
Most malnutritious meal: Our $20 hotel in Cuzco is one our favorite things about our time in Cuzco. La Piccola Locanda is an Italian-run hotel in a beautifully-restored colonial building, up a cobblestone staircase, with a commanding view of much of Cuzco. The rooms are gorgeous, with vaulted wood ceilings, skylights, and perhaps the most comfortable beds of our trip. However, the included breakfast, while tasty, is not a good way to start the day… It consists of a selection of about a dozen different types of Italian cookies, all excellent, but a bit rich at 8 am! After four days of “cookie breakfast,” we experience a severe sugar withdrawal on the first morning without our daily dose of cookies.
Our favorite person: Andreas, our favorite German mountain goat! In Cuzco we reunite with Andreas, whom we first met hiking in Huaraz, and travel with him to Machu Picchu. Just like in Huaraz, Andreas keeps us moving when we feel ready to turn around. The day we arrive to Aguas Calientes, Andreas suggests we climb up Pintinku, a steep mountain with an impressive view of Machu Picchu and the mountain it sits on. Although quite drizzly, we agree. The hike, consisting of approximately 1400 vertical feet of wooden ladders, with several kilometers of steep trail, is quite a challenge. As we begin our trek, the rain starts to fall. The first couple scrambles up the steep ladders has us ready to turn around, but Andreas urges us on. After several more precarious ladders and a steep stretch or two, we are rewarded with our first view of Machu Picchu from across the valley – definitely worth the climb! After we part ways, we learn that Andreas caught a nasty bug in Bolivia and had to cut his trip short. Andreas, we hope you are feeling better! Visit us in SF soon!
