Puno

We started the morning a little more leisurely as Romulo had organised to meet us at 10:30 am.  This gave us time to eat breadkfast and get our blog up to date.

Romulo and the driver were at the hotel as arranged.  We started our journey with a little drizzle but by the time we got to the jetty it had cleared.  The jetty was well constructed and nice.  Romulo explained that because of the rain, the water level is a little higher than normal.


We got on a boat to take us to the Uros Islands - we had quite a large boat to ourselves.  The boat had to travel quite slowly.  This part of Lake Titikaka is quite shallow but Romulo said that at the deepest point, it is more that 200m deep.  Romulo said that Titikaka means 'Grey Puma' in Aymara.  The lake is up to 174 km long and up to 64 km wide and is shared between Peru and Bolivia.  It would be interesting to get an aerial view of the lake.  Romulo explained that there used to be 8 native species of fishes in the lake but introduced species such as trout and king fish has reduced the number of native species to 4 types and of that 2 species are endangered.

Along the way to one of the islands we were going to visit, we saw a pig on one of the reed 'land' and a herd of cows.

There are approximately 900 people living on the islands.  We went to an island with about 25 people.  On this island we got an explanation on how they made the island.  To make an island they must first cut blocks of reed roots and tie them together.  They then place layers of reed on top of the root base.  They need to anchor the island with rocks.  The main diet here is fish, birds, eggs, guinea pigs, potatoes and kiwinua.  With the money they make from selling their handicraft, they can buy other goods such as solar panels, television, radio, batteries and things they need.  One of the island inhabitants Maria kindly showed us her house.  It had a reed bed with blankets, a bed head, small shelves, a small TV and few belongings.  Her hut had a solar cell giving her family the luxury of a TV.  She embroiders and sells them to get cash.  She told us her husband and their 2 children live in the hut.

Life on these islands are certainly very tough.  It takes up to 6 months to create an island and twice a year the inhabitants must top up the reeds on their island.  When cooking they have to be careful especially during the dry season as it could burn the island down if there were to be uncontrolled spread of fire.

Romulo said that the children do go to schools built for the islands.  There are 2 private schools and the teachers are paid with craft, which they sell.  There is even a Seventh Day Adventise Church and school here!  There are some islands with accommodation for tourists and restaurants and bars.

We got back to land around 1:20pm.  Romulo told us about a local cafe Kallosuyo where there is a set menu for 6 sol @ person.  He took us there and we had a nice lunch of soup and fish.  Very nice and cheap.

Then we went to Casa del Corregidor cafe for a really great cup of coffee.  This is local Puno coffee.  The cafe had a nice court yard where we sat and enjoyed the delicious coffee.  For 5.5 sol a cup, it was worth it. Beside the cafe was a shop selling crafts.  Meryl bought a beautiful necklace with humming birds from Arequipa.

Then we went to Museo Carlos Dreyer.  Carlos Dreyer was a German artist and collector who had quite a good collection of local artefacts.  The museum was small but had a reasonable collection of pre-inca artefacts and religious items.  The most interesting exhibition were 3 mummies from Sillustani.  Well worth a visit for 15 sol each.

We were so lucky because when we came out from the museum, we noticed that the doors to the main catheral was open so we went in.  It had very high ceilings.  The building was made from stone, on the outside it had very delicate stone work.  It was very beautiful artwork.

Then we walked to the main mall to have another look at the local craft shops.  Meryl found a pair of 'lucky' bulls in one of the shops.  On our way back to the hotel, we bought a few little things from the street vendors.  We were merely helping the local economy.

Cuzco to Puno

Rene and Hector came to pick us up from Casa Andina and take us to the railway station for long anticipated Andean Explorer train ride to Puno.  There was even a local group of musicians performing traditional music in the waiting room to entertain passengers.  We boarded the luxury train with wonderful wood paneling and old style charm.  Then 8:00am came when we were suppose to depart and nothing happened.  At 8:20 am we were told that it would be another 30 minutes.  Then we were told that there was a land slide about 30 minutes from Cuzco and it would be another hour.  Finally at 10:00 am we were told that it would take another 5 hours to clear the line so the train ride was cancelled.  The next train to Puno is Wednesday.  We were told that Perurail would refund our money. 

We had to contact Tambo Treks to let them know that we were still in Cuzco and would need an alternative solution to get to Puno.  Tambo Treks office staff were very good.  They told us to wait at the station and came to collect us.  In the end they organised for Hector to drive us to Puno.  They also included Mary one of the office staff to come along as Hector did not speak English.  Mary was not that confident with her English so she convinced Rene to come along.  Talk about a change of plans for everyone.  Finally at 11:00 am we left Cuzco.  We were told that the drive would take 6 hours.  This was for a 380km trip.

In some way this was a bit of bonus as we got more explanation about interesting sacred places along the way.  Rene certainly knew a lot about the significance of the sacred places.

Our road trip pretty much ran along side the railway track so we saw the same view as if we were on the train.  Travelling along the valley we saw many glacial valleys and mountains on both sides.  There were many farms along the way.  Majority of the farm dwellings are made of mud with stone wall fences.  One could almost mistaken that this was Scotland.

Up until the highest point at La Raya, the landscape was green and had trees but as soon as we were on the other side of the mountain, it looked drier, more rocky and no trees (looked like Snowy mountain area).  We saw many herds of llama, alpacas, cows and sheep.  The locals here are very tough as it was cold and windy outside and yet they were out there looking after their herds.

Along the way, we saw a puma-shaped rock which Rene explained is a sacred pre-inca site.  He also pointed a very small volcano and hot spring.

We stopped for a late lunch at Ayaviri. It was at a small cafe which specialised in baked potatoes and lamb.  The owner had the cooked potatoes and lamb wrapped in paper and a blanket.  Each serving was 3 potatoes and 2 pieces of roast lamb.  It was simple and very delicious.  After eating lunch Rene told us the best way to help digest the food was a drink of aniseed liquor, najar.  Meryl gave it a go and said it was nice (like ouzo). Rene took the leftovers of our lunch which he later threw out of the window along way to feed stray dogs waiting along side of the road to be fed by passing vehicles.  There are so many stray dogs in Peru.

We drove through a stretch of the road which was full of potholes.  Hector did his best but with the number of potholes it was impossible to miss every one.  At the time it was unclear if Hector and the others were going to drive back to Cuzco that night.  Let's hope that they were allowed to stay the night.

The trip took us through Juliaca.  Rene said that Juliaca is a town where the cocaine trade is florishing and you can pretty much buy any car, computer and any goods.  The town is chaotic, dusty and the roads were just simply awful, full of potholes and lakes of water hiding massive potholes.  What an eyesore of a town.  Unfortunately for us, we need to come back here to fly to Lima.

When we go got to the outskirts of Puno our van was stopped by the local police.  There were other vehicles stopped by the local police.  It was normal practice for the police to stop vehicles with registraion number plates from other areas.  Vehicles are required to pay some 'special tax' to the police.  The 'special tax' supplements their normal salary.

The rest of the drive to our hotel (another Casa Andina) was unevetful.  Rene hopped off at the main square as he was not suppose to be there.  Mary introduced us to Jorge at the hotel and handed us over to our contacts in Puno.

Puno is certainly a more charming town than Juliaca (which was not hard).  After checking in and organising ourselves, we went looking for a light dinner.  We found a cafe which is also a pastry shop.  Dinner was quite nice.

Then we went for a walk around the mall and popped into a few shops to check out souvenirs.  Nothing caught our eye.  Then it was back to our hotel to rest.

Cuzco and Chincero

We were collected by Rene and Hector at 8am to drive to Chinchero, famous for its dying, spinning and weaving of sheep and llama wool. The village has decided to continue to wear traditional clothes and this makes the Sunday markets popular with tourists.  The village itself is of traditional style with stone bases for houses and the upper levels finished with mud bricks. 

Chinchero is above a beautiful valley and on one side of the 17th C church is the second largest Inca settlement at the time of the Spanish invasion.  We walked down to the terraces and to one of the sacred rocks which had a narrow tunnel cut through it as well as various alters cut into the surface of the rock.  Rene said he intended to get married at another sacred rock in the deep valley bbelow the terraces.  The Inca Trail used to follow the valley through to the Sacred Valley.

We went to a cottage industry cum home where we were shown the steps to dye and spin wool and also to knit and weave on various types of looms.  Dyes included local leaves for green, sulpher for moderating greens to yellows and dried and ground cochineal beetles for reds. 

The rain started as a number of additional tourists began to turn up.  We went through the open market which included food stalls, fruit and vegetables as well as the vendors of weaving.  Meryl bought a piece of weaving from an older lady sitting by the side of the market.  There is a lot of work in it - maybe more than 3 months of weaving not considering the spinning and dying of the wool.  It is made from sheeps wool and natural dyes have been used.  It cost the equivalent of $70 AUD.  Also bought some knitted binis and Siew-Gim got a nice bag and a scarf knitted by the master craftsman who had learded his skills from his father.  This family knits special hats with patterns specific to Chinchero one of which Rene has and another of which he is ordering for learning the traditions of his people.

Went into the colonial church when the 11am serv ice started.  The ceilings are covered in paintings and there were some grim reminders of the subjugation of the native population by the Spanish in the paintings on the walls and over the entrance.

We went a gallery where weavers are working where there are products for sale.  I did get a nice bag there made from woven cloth and coloured by natural dyes.

We went up two towers today: one at the colonial church at Chinchero where we sneaked up the bell tower; then in the main square where a guard charged us to pop onto the roof of one of the central churches and from which there was a great view of the cathedral. 

      

Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

After a night at Ollantaytambo Tika Wasi Valley Hotel, we boarded the Perurail tourist train to Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Clientes). The train through the valley and along side the very full Urubamba River was very picturesque. There were lots of valleys along the side carved out by glaciers. The water in the Urubamba River was certainly roaring away and looking pretty angry. We could see the remnants of last year's major mud slides. Most of the damage caused had been fixed but there is still a lot of work being done by Perurail. Rene told us that it only took them 4 months to resume services after the major floods. The whole area gets a lot of rain so the vegetation is very lush.

Of course it was raining when we got to Machu Picchu Pueblo. We had to walk uphill to our hotel for the night. This time we stayed at the Inti Inn. The room was basic but comfortable enough. From our window we could see a house very precariously built on a slope. It was just clinging on.

Given it was still rather wet, Rene suggested we eat an early lunch and then catch the bus to Machu Picchu. It was the right decision. We ate lunch at a nice cafe near the bus station. Meryl and I had a soup each and shared a main course. The beef fillet was very nice.

The special bus service to Machu Picchu was very efficient. Each bus would go as soon as it was full or every 10 minutes. This was suppose to be the low season and yet there were many tourist. I would hate to be here during the high tourist season. The ride up to Machu Picchu was interesting as we zigzagged our way up.

At the entrance of Machu Picchu we had to show our tickets and passport. The place has developed tremendously since Peter and I were last here.

By the time we got there, the weather had improved. Rene took us up to the place where the Incas pilgrims used to carry stones from Pisac to drop here. One of the Inca astrologers foretold the end of the Inca Empire. Machu Picchu was constructed for their gateway to the next world. We saw numerous temples and altars, there are many theories about how they were used. The layout is the place is in the shape of a condor. The terraces make up the collar of a bird. Machu Picchu means Old Bird. The small mountain nearby it called Huayna Picchu which means Young Bird. The Incas believed that you go to the next world after death on the condor's wings. There were lots of places there were 3 steps cut into rocks depicting part of the Andean cross.

The most moving part is the altar where people come to make their peace before death.

The Condor Temple was impressive with the head of a condor craved on a rock and the natural forming the wings of the condor. Beside it was a small tunnel where we walked through. The whole idea of walking through the tunnel was to remind one about being humble and humility.

We visited the Temple of the Sun in the shape of a 'P' which equals fire. Underneath that there was a very interesting temple-like cave with the reverse 3 steps depicting the 3 levels of life. This was the first thing that Hiram Bingham saw when he was taken there by a young Indian boy.

The day ended at the sundial. We had to be shooed out by the guard. It was lovely to get the place to ourselves. I tried to get a photo of myself sitting on the seat in front of the sundial but the guard was too vigilant.

For dinner that evening we just walked across the lane to a pizzaria for pizza. It was pretty nice.

 

The next morning we went back to Machu Picchu. This time we show the complex 16 water fountains flowing down along the terraces. Rene explained that the water came from an underground spring. We revisited the temple of the Condor and the temple of the Sun. Then we walked to the Inca bridge. It was great to walk a small part of the trek used by the Incas. Along the way we saw some birds – humming birds, fly catchers. We also saw several interesting plants. The rain held off until we were nearly finished with our walk.

Machu Picchu appeared more mysterious with cloud and mist hanging around.

Despite being the low season, there were lots of tourist.

Then it was back to Machu Picchu Pueblo to catch the train back to Ollantaytambo. During the train ride we were entertained by the Perurail staff with a local festival dance. The person wore an interesting costume and had a tiger like mask on. After that there was a fashion show where they paraded some very nice woollen tops. Of course, they were for sale. Luckily the Japanese tourist kept them occupied and bought a lot of the outfits.

Hector was waiting for us at Ollantaytambo to take us back to Cuzco. We invited 3 Koreans to join us on the ride back. This was to give Hector an opportunity to earn a little extra cash. It was 10 sol for each of them. We returned using an alternate route. It was the route we would be using when we go to Chincero. There were some lovely farms along the way and of course very picturesque. We stopped to take some photos and of course there were a few stalls selling souvenirs.

Then it was back at Cuzco and familiar Casa Andina.

Sacred Valley - Pisac and Ollantaytambo

Pisac

The first place in the Sacred Valley we visited was Pisac. At Pisac we went to see the Inca ruins.  Opposite the ruins, Rene pointed to the caves on the other side of the valley where he said were graves for over 50,000 burials.  Some of the bodies were mummified but not all.  Here too was a system of aquaducts which probably were used for cleansing.  There seemed to be a fair bit of ancestor worship going on.  The Incas were also very concern about their transition to the spiritual world after death.

 

After visting the Inca ruins we headed to Pisac market.  We went the bakery below and ate the most delicious empanas.  They were baked in the wood fried oven in the photo below.  The man is the baker.  He also roast guinea pigs in the oven (as shown in the photo).  We also tried a drink made from purple maize juice and egg white - very nice.

From Pisac we drove to Urubamba and had a nice buffet lunch there.  It was 30 sol per person.

Ollantaytambo
We got to Ollantaytambo at around 3:00pm.  We checked into Tika Wasi Valley Hotel before going for our walk to the Ollantaytambo ruins.  Ollantaytambo whilst quite small relative to Cuzco, is still a charming town with the characteristics mud brick houses, narrow lane ways and nice friendly people.

Rene told us that Ollantay is the name of a Spanish general who fell in love with an Inca princess and tambo means storehouse.  The town is designed in the shape of a corn cob and the niblets are each block.  From the top of the hill, it certainly did look like a corn cob.

Ollantaytambo is very impressive with very fine Inca constructions and massive terracing.  Here we saw the wall of the six monoliths and other intricate water features.  Rene told us that the rocks for this construction came from the mountain on the opposite side of the valley.

He also told us about the image of the god of the Andes, Wiracocha craved on one of the cliffs.  Wiracocha is the great creator. He said that these beliefs are still very strong.  Currently, Rene is learning a lot about traditional medicines and practices from his Master.

Around Cuzco

Rene took us for a very special city tour.  He asked if we were interested in seeing the 'real' Cuzco.  Of course!  He suggested that we go to the local San Pedro market.  We walked from Casa Andina to the market.  Along the way, we saw a lot of unemployed men standing in several queues trying to get some work for the day.  They could be paid as low as 15 sols for 8 hours work.  This is really quite sad.  Unemployment is a problem for Peru.  The people here are very hardworking and will pretty much do anything.

Unemployed men waiting to get some work for the day

The San Pedro market is divided into different areas: the flowers, fresh meat, dried goods, fruit & vegetables.  Just outside the market there were local Indians selling fresh herbs and plants for medicinal purposes.  Rene pointed out the things there were unique to Cuzco and at a shop where you could buy items needed for traditional offerings to the gods, he pointed out a dried baby llama carcus.

It was just fascinating to see all the different vegetables and herbs being sold.  Local markets are great places to get a better insight of the inhabitants of each region.

After the market Rene suggested we go to the southern end of Cuzco to see the new most exclusive suburb of Cuzco.  Here there were many half built mansions, poor roads, rubbish and junk everywhere.  This area used to be covered with trees and was very beautiful but as a result of greed of some and those who want to live in an exclusive area, you have this disaster.  There was an area which was protected by an armed guard to stop 'poor' people from entering.  Honestly, it was just ugly.  However, it was interesting to walk around and see what is going on.

Then we walked down to the private university which Rene attended 8 years ago.
We caught the local bus back into the city.  It was 0.60 sol per person.  The local bus is a van with a conductor sitting in the back yelling out the bus route and collecting fares.  The conductor must have good memory as he/she has to remember who has paid and who not.  It was an interesting experience.  We did get to see quite a bit of the real city.

We had a late lunch at the main plaza.  Rene said that it was one of the oldest tourist restaurants.  The food was very good.  The prices were for tourist but still reasonable.

Trout with mushroom sauce

It was raining so we took our time with lunch.  Then we walked to the Temple of the Sun or Qorincancha.  The temple has been incorporated into a Dominican monestary called Santo Domingo.  We saw great examples of Inca architecture and cosmic symbols.  Rene explained the Inca constellations in the Milky Way and how it included condor, llama, puma, plaedies, snake, toad and other constellations.  All this symbols also appear in their sacred practices.  The inca construction here is an excellent example of fantastic stone masonry.  It was a pity that the Spaniards built their church on top of the Inca building.

Cuzco and Saqsayhuaman

Approaching Cuzco

We flew into Cuzco and managed to see small parts of the Andes through the clouds.  Rene our guide for Cuzco and the Sacred Valley met us at the airport.  Cuzco has certainly grown since Peter and I were here back in 1984.

Rene is very passionate and knowledgeable about the history, culture and way of life of the Andean people.  It is good to have him give us another perspective to all the things we are seeing.  Given that most of the books we read were written from a western perspective, we only have one view.

Cuzco's altitude is approximately 3400m so it is quite cool, with the wet weather it can get rather cold.

One way from the airport we drove past the fountain which is the boundary for 'old Cuzco' and the rest of Cuzco.  Everywhere you look, you can see the remains of Inca buildings.  Unfortunately most of them became foundations for the colonial buildings during Spanish occupation.  It is a charming city with the centre being the Plaza de Armas.

Catheral at Plaza de Armas

There are several churches just within a stone's throw of each other in the city.  The local Indians whilst heavily influenced by Christianity will also continue to worship their traditional deities and festivals. This combination makes it so much more interesting.

Many local Indians still wear their traditional costumes and many can be seen around Cuzco.  There are a lot of vendors in the city as there are many tourists.  Here is a photo of an Indian lady with her baby llama.  Their traditional outfits are so colourful.

 Many of the buildings here have nice wooden doors and beautifully carved balconies.

The narrow lane ways and cobbled stone streets add to the charm of the place.

Day 2 at Cuzco, we headed to Saqsayhuaman.  Our first stop was at Tambomachay. It is believed that the Incas have used this complex for religious ceremonies either directly dedicated to the water's worshipping or for other rituals that included the use of flowing water. The Tambomachay site is composed of a liturgical fountain and 3 terraces. The structure has 3 levels and, as it was common among Inca buildings, this one too had been built with perfectly fitting-together unequal-shaped bricks without the usage of mortar. Even after many centuries, the stones look well-polished and strongly stick to one another. At Tambomachay there are 2 fountains that constantly function, at any time of the year. The crystal-clear water is sometimes drunk by tourists who come here, but locals also use it for drinking and washing as well. Rene said that the water is high in magnesium and has healing qualities. Rene explained that this is also known as the Temple of Water.  This area is used for 'cleansing'. According to Rene, the Incas do not really have the Western structure of royalty and commoners.  They have community leaders.  Kind of analogous to aboriginal elders.  These were the people who had lots of knowledge and were considered wise.  They were highly respected and commanded a lot of authority.  They provided leadership and guidance to members of the community.

Tambomachay

The next place we visited was Qenko.  Qenko is a large limestone outcrop.  This great stone, carved with a complex pattern of steps, seats, geometric reliefs and puma designs, illustrates the way the Incas had used the natural patterns of the rocks to depict their cosmological beliefs. The name is derived from the Quechua word quenqo, meaning "labyrinth" or "zigzag", and refers to the patterns laboriously carved into the upper, edge of the stone. Here we walked through a short dark tunnel.  Rene said that walking through in the dark is about overcoming fear.  He took us to another cave where we saw a slab of stone which he said could have been used for medical purposes. We touched the slab and it was certainly cool.  Rene explained how the Incas had  used another rock covered with silver and with the light of the moon, it lit up the cave.

Qenko

Finally we arrived at Saqsayhuaman.  Sacsayhuamán is usually described as a fortress because it is practically enclosed by three slopes. However, the fact that the Incas constructed a fortress in that place is unusual, since at the moment of its construction they did not face major threats. Its shape and location would have responded to other principles, such as the harmony between architecture and landscape. According the zigzag  pattern depict lightning and the 3 tiered of terraces is about lightning, thunder and rain.  The place is about 'enlightenment'.

Saqsayhuaman