Loving and Leaving Lima

I've spent three days exploring three districts of Lima, only 27 more to go.  Lima is huge.  The main city spreads over 300 miles, without the suburbs.  Over one-third of Peru's population lives here.  When I arrived on May 1 our group explored the historic city center with museums and churches. I'm now hanging out in the coastal upscale neighborhoods for some local flavor.

Miraflores -- My hostel is in this lovely area.  Located on cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, Miraflores has a very Southern California feel.  The architecture is contemporary and beachy, bougainvillea everywhere, the best restaurants in the city, great surfing, posh stores and a generally relaxed vibe.  If I moved to Peru, this is where I'd live.  My favorite place is the Lovers Park overlooking the Pacific.  There is a very Gaudi-esque decor and a floral garden to rival Disney World.

Barranco -- This is the nightlife capital and supposedly the bohemian area.  More of the artisan class live in the area, but well to do young Lima comes here to party.  The churches and momuments are lit at night and you can see the Pacific.  It's a goregous area to explore at night!  And by explore I mean sample the endless ways to drink Pisco.

San Isidro --This is the "Upper East Side" of Lima.  Madison Avenue quality shopping, a central park filled with pram pushing Moms, and perfectly manicured streets.  The people watching was superb. Right on the border with Miraflores is a pre-Columbian temple site.  Huaca Pucllana is a restored adobe ceremonial center that dates back to 400 AD. It was incredible to learn about all the rituals and human sacrifices while seeing the plush surrounding.

In my opinion, Lima has it all.  Fabulous food, gorgeous views, an abundance of spas, great style and a true coastal feel make these areas of Lima a beautiful place to live. I've decided not to head to the beaches in Peru.  The coastal May gray weather and off season feel make Pensacola sound like a much better beach destination.  So, tomorrow I'm off for home.

Amazon Queen

Three days ago I floated off on the Amazon with my guide Freddy to tame the wilderness, or at least see a little bit of it.  Our small boat also carried two travelers from Sweden and Columbia in search of adventure.  We were able to find a slough, macau, parrot and several monkeys, which boarded our boat to play.  We also went by a village house where a boy rowed out in a canoe with an Anaconda for the obligitory photo. The other travelers took a swim in the Amazon, but I passed on the opportunity after having seen what went into it as we made the three hour journey down river from Iquitos.

After an evening in the Dolphin lodge, where we had only three ours of electricity, I was ready to explore the jungle.  Freddy used a machete to blaze a new trail.  I learned about trees that cure everything from ovarian cancer to goiters. Trees that make beautiful white floors and those that make dark parquet patterns.  I stopped counting the mushroom types.  I enjoyed the "decorative" things like the bird of paradise.  However, Freddy clearly favored termite mounds, ant colonies, spider holes, bascially anything insect related.  Did mention that we were knee high in mud the entire time? I was thankful for the rubber boots, but regretted my decision to only bring one pair of pants to the jungle.

We passed one afternoon fishing for piranhas.  Our boat captain caught a white one and showed me the strong teeth.  It was only a baby so we tossed him back.  My biggest Amazon moment was seeing the pink dolphins.  It took several tries, but we found them! They are shy and beautiful.  The natives think they are bewitched.  I just think they are amazing!

It was an exciting three day jungle adventure.  I can live without electricity when surrounded with beauty, but it was time to come back to civiliazation when they ran out of coffee!

Now in Iquitos

 Who knew how much I would enjoy my group travel experience?  My roommate, Diane, and I laughed for 10 days straight while we learned a great deal about the history of this fascinating country.  The nice hotels, excellent tour guides and jammed sightseeing schedule were all worth a few touristy shops and buffet meals.  All in all I would do another Odysseys Unlimited tour in a heart beat.

I was sad to say goodbye to my traveling friends and strike out on my own. But the Amazon awaits!  I made it to Iquitos and the Camiri Floating hostel/bar just fine.  The humid, hot air and mass of tuk-tuks make this area feel a bit like Asia in the summer.  Quite a bit to take in after the cool Andes climate.

I literally walked the planks to my thatched roof hostel only to find my room still under construction. They had a great spin--I will be the first one to sleep in it.  Actually I´ve been reading about all the flooding and damage in the Amazon region this year.  Highest river levels in 40 years.  I´m lucky that there is a floating hostel at all.  I jumped in a hammock, cold beer in hand, and made friends with the travelers.  My room was finished in no time.  I´ve gone from five stars to a bunk with a mosquito net ($13 a night) in a matter of hours.

My roommates, two girls from Yale med school, arrived a bit later and together with a boy from Oz (isn´t there always an Aussie in the picture?) we ventured into town for dinner and a look-see.  We found a great little restaurant and enjoyed the perfect first night in the Amazonas.  A few more beers and an Ambien helped me get through the warm, still night without a bite!

Floating on Lake Titicaca

Last night after a grueling 10 hour bus ride through The Altiplano (high plain), which is the widest part of the Andes and the largest high plateau on earth, we reached our destination of Puno.  It felt like we traveled the entire 4,300 mile length of the Andes!  There seems to be more poverty in the region of Puno than in beautiful Cusco, and it´s much colder too.  Our hotel does not disappoint.  The Libertador has guarded gates and breathtaking views of Lake Titicaca from all windows. You just have to smile when you say Lake Titicaca, I don´t care how old you are!

View from our hotel room

This morning we boarded a boat, docked right in from of our swanky hotel, for a day on the lake. Lake Titicaca, which roughly means Puma Rock, is shared by Peru and Bolivia.  At 12,500 ft it is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world.  By volume it´s also the largest lake in South America.

First stop was the Floating Islands of Los Uros.  A small tribe live on "islands" made out of reeds in the shallows of the late.  They make everything, homes, kitchens, boats, watch towers, out of reeds.  They were bright native dress and were the friendliest people on earth! We saw a kindergarden class and fell madly in love.  Of course they rely heavily on the tourist trade and want to sell you textiles and take you on boat rides, but they were curisous and kind.  No one begged for change or asked for money for photos, as is common practice here.  I thoroughly enjoyed this visit!

Our next stop was Isla Taquile.  This World Heritage Sight is beautiful.  About 2,000 people live on the island and support themselves by farming and textiles.  Their textiles are said to be some of the finest traditional clothes in Peru.  The men dress like Spanish Madadors, but add floppy hats that loop down like night caps.  It´s a sight to see.  The people are shy and reminded me of the Amish.

Given a choice, I would much rather hang out with the Uros!

Eating in the Andes

Victor, our tour director, thwarted my plan to have ceviche every day in Peru.  He has a long list of what we are to avoid.  So, I’m exploring the Andean cuisine with gusto.  The food has been great.  You have to love an area that has over 3,000 types of potatoes and almost 1,000 varieties of corn!  It’s a meat lover’s paradise.  The pork, beef, alpaca are all very tasty.  But the local staple that is hard to understand is guinea pig.  Like Americans, families here keep many guinea pigs around the house, but they don’t name them -- they’re for dinner!

We had a lovely Sunday lunch with a family in Cusco and got to try many local specialties including the dreaded guinea pig.  We had seen them in the open air markets for sale and they didn’t look appetizing at all.  But when sliced as an appetizer I was game.  They were alright, but full of small bones which reminded me of the cute little furry pets.  I just ate more potatoes and tried to forget…

Made it to Machu Picchu

Filled with excitement, we trekked the Inca Rail (luxury VisaDome train) and took the 30 minute bus ride to the Lost City of the Incas. Arriving in the cloud forest was magical. The sun broke though and Machu Picchu looked heavenly as we hiked up the stone steps.  It's simply wonderful when a destination lives up to the hype.  Even now with tourist milling about, you can feel the mystical pull.  Our guide Sergio truly brought the Inca architecture and customs to life for us. We saw Llamas and Chinchilla's roaming about and were free to explore for two days.

For those who aren't familiar with Machu Picchu, it was begun in 1450 and finished by the Incas in 1520.  God only knows how they got those huge stones up to the top of a mountain.  Actually I heard all about it and still can't believe it.  It served as the summer retreat for the Incan king and was abandoned in 1532 when the Spanish ripped through Peru. The jungle took over and Machu Picchu was "discovered" again by Hiram Bingham in 1911.  Hiram was searching for fame and fortune and hit the jackpot.  Last year was the 100 year anniversary of the discovery.

From the moment I set eyes on the Lost City of the Incas all I wanted to do was run up and down the grass terraces. It is simply irresistible.  Finally, I found a place out of the guard's eye sight where I could take off. I managed several lengths and did not get caught.  My mission here is complete!

Time to head back to our spa hotel and hot springs, Incaterra.  Between the thatched roofs and the zen flowers I could stay here a while.  But more of Peru to experience!

Secrets from The Sacred Valley

 

A crack of dawn flight brought us to the Sacred Valley of the Incas for our first taste of the ruins. In Cuzco we visited Qorikancha, or the Golden Courtyard, where we saw some of the finest Inca architecture.  The trapezoid stones were cut perfectly, no mortar necessary.  The way the openings lined up from room to room created a dramatic effect.  OK, it’s not Versailles, but it is very cool!

One of my favorite stops was Ollantaytambo, an extremely interesting fortress and temple. Most importantly it has high steep terraces that were lush after the rainy season. I´ve always been fascinated by the “terraces” of the ruins, but I never fully understood their practical importance for agriculture in the area.  Amazing! We also went to Moray near the village of Maras, which was all about terracing.  The Incas turned three huge deep holes in the earth into concentric circles of terraces for agricultural experiments.  Each terrace has a different micro-climate.  Brilliant people.

 

Alright enough about the cool Incans. Our group is made up of 22 people—20 retirees, a 14 year old traveling with her grand parents, and moi.  Everyone is a hoot and they are amazing travelers.  They’ve been everywhere!  The support for our strategic invasion of Peru takes a cast of thousands.  Our tour director, Victor, who lives in Lima, will be with us our entire journey. We also have city guides for each area and countless drivers and logistics coordinators.  Apparently it takes a village.  We stay in lavish hotels and eat fabulous meals with precision timing.  Victor has already noticed my passion for wine, and is beginning to make fun of me.  Our guide Sergio is emphatic that alcohol is a major part of Andean celebrations. So far, so good in the Sacred Valley!

Peruvian Perceptions

It feels good to be on the trail again, albeit a little differently.  As you know I am an independent traveler. But not for my first 10 days in Peru.  I´m on an Odysseys Unlimited group trip with my friend Diane. I know I could see a lot more on my own, but staying in the lap of luxury, having someone else sort out all the details and spoon feed me Inca history has definite advantages! Now I´m worried what my last couple of weeks of roughing it in the Amazon will be like...

We began with an overview of Lima enjoying Pisco Sours (Peru´s national drink) at a lovely lunch at the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum. Perfect way to start a vacation-tipsy on a guided tour of Incan pottery depicting sex practices. The museum was surrounded by amazing gardens and housed a comprehensive overview of Peruvian culture. I´m starting to think I should have been an Inca. They were a very open culture who knew how to work the system!

The next stop was Lima´s charming main square.  It reminded me of a little Buenos Aires.  There are 29 million people in Peru and 9 million live in Lima.  It´s a sprawling crowded place and we happened to be there on Labor Day, so everyone was buzzing about.  Before heading back to our swanky Mira Flores district, we visited a Franciscan church to tour the catacombs.  Nothing like piles of bones to get you in the mood for a fabulous dinner. Diane and I managed to have dinner at the top restaurant on my list, Astrid & Gaston. What an experience.  And no, I did not try the guinea pig-yet.