Arequipa, Peru

Mark and I took a bus from Copacabana Bolivia to the white city of Arequipa, Peru. The company that sold us the ticket was a little deceptive, and the ride was a little bumpier and longer than we expected. We arrived around 10 p.m., found a hostel, and a great Italian restaurant. The following day, while I was looking for information on the Colca Canyon, we ran into a couple of guys who had been robbed at gun point. Hardly a comforting story, but I ran into these guys later on my trip to the Colca Canyon, and let's just say one of them was screaming "tourist". While presumbably he had at least some book smarts given that he was in graduate school, his vocabulary didn't consist of much more than, "awesome dude", and "man, that´s sooo cool".

Mark and I visited the Santa Catalina Monastery, which began in 1579, forty years after the city was founded. The monastery was covers a good sized city block and is literally a city within a city. At one time over 400 nuns resided within the community, closed off from the city by high walls. As with most of Arequipa, the monastery is built with sillar, which is a white volcanic rock.

We also visited Juanita the Ice Princess at the Museo Santuariou Andinos. Juanita was discovered in the 1990´s by anthropologist Dr. Johan Reinhard on a climbing expedition and is the best preserved pre-Colombian mummy in S.A. Dr. Reinhard found Juanita only because the ice on Mt. Ampato briefly melted due to the eruption of the adjacent Sabancaya volcano. She was 14 years old when she was sacrificed and was essentially frozen by the frigid conditions on the summit. The Incas worshipped mountain gods and believed it was necessary to make human sacrifices to appease the gods. Now over 20 mummies have been discovered in South America. During the Inca era you were best off being ugly or disfigured as they typically sacrificed only perfect, beautiful children.

Mark left that evening to meet his girlfriend in Brazil, and I left the following day for the Colca Canyon.

Copacobana, Bolivia

Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake at 12,500 ft above sea level, in the Andes Mountains, astride the border between Peru and Bolivia. It is also the second largest lake of South America.

My new friend Mark had already left for Bolivia when I returned from the Inca Trail because he was on a tight schedule to make to Brazil to meet up with his girlfriend. I figured it was doubtful that we would be able to find each other in Copacabana given that he had a head start but figured I would give it a shot anyway since I was was headed that direction. I took a bus to Puno, which is the city on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. I asked the woman at the tourist office if I could make it to Copacabana - the city on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca - and she gave me a strange look. But she pointed me in the direction of another bus station to take a small local bus to the border town of Yunguyo, where I could transfer buses to Copacabana. I was the only tourist on the bus and had the pleasure of sitting next to a very rancid smelling man. I spent the next 2 1/2 hours with my head half out the window so that I could breathe. I was cutting it very close and wasn't sure I would make it to the border before the immigration office closed. I was even more nervous when the saw the town of Yunguyo, because it didn't appear to have much in terms of accommodations. The bus dropped us off in this middle of nowhere town, but there wasn't any bus to transfer to. All that was there were bicycle taxis - not seeing too many options and having no clue where I was, I took one to the border, where I walked across and took a regular taxi to Copacabana.

Copacabana is a small, quaint, hippie-like town, and it appears that more than one tourist enjoyed it enough to stay permanently. Shortly after I arrived in Copacabana, I ran into Mark and Stu. Mark and Stu had experienced some frustrations of travel together when their bus got a flat, and it resulted in a rather long journey to Bolivia. We went for a drink and then later went for dinner at a great restaurant. The owner was from Bolivia but lived in the U.S. for a number of years before tiring of the fast-paced American life and returning to Copacabana. He chatted with us about his family and the people in Bolivia. He was so incredibly happy and in love, it was difficult not to be just a little envious of the simplicity of his life.

The following day the three of us went to one of the islands on Lake Titicaca, Isla del Sol, otherwise known as "Island of the Sun". It is a mountainous island dotted with small villages and doesn't have much in terms of accommodations other than a few hostels and simple restaurants. When eating at these restaurants, we felt like we were walking into a family's dining room and asking for dinner. We spent the night, and hiked from the North part of the island the following day. There were some good trails, but we choose a more adventurous route and made our own "path" over the mountainous terrain.

Stu left for Cusco, and Mark and I stayed one more night in Copacabana before heading to Arequipa, Peru. We returned to our favorite restaurant with another friend (Julian) that we had met the first night, and this time the owner of the restaurant gave us free shots of common Bolivian liquor. Already feeling the effects of his generosity, we headed to another popular watering hole after dinner. We met a couple from England and hung out with them for the rest of the night. The woman was in her early twenties; her energy and ability to drink provided a good reminder of the fact that I am no longer in my twenties. We stayed out until the wee hours of the morning, did some shopping, and then hopped on a bus for Arequipa.

Cusco and the Inca Trail

The day before my departure for the Inca Trail I visited a few sites in Cusco: Sacsayhuamán (pronounced "sexy woman"), which is famous for its enormous carved rocks; the cathedral; and one of the museums. I also ran into a guy (Mark) wearing a Brit's Pub t-shirt - it turned out that he wasn't from MN but used to spend a lot of time in Minneapolis. I met up with him and another guy (Stu) from CA after my Inca Trail trip.

There were 14 people in my group for the Inca Trail and we set out for the first day at 6 a.m. It was a fun group, with a lot of people from Australia and England. I opted to carry my own pack rather than hire a porter but was rather envious of all the people who chose to get a porter on the second day. The first day was relatively moderate. But we made up for it on the second day with "Dead Woman's Pass", which is a 2 hour ascent and the highest point of the trek. There was a train strike so the guides suggested we go past the regular stopping point on day two and hike for an additional 3 hours so that we could make it to Machu Picchu early if necessary. We hiked almost 10 hours on day 2 and we were all pretty exhausted by the time we made it to our campsite. It rained for a good portion of the trip, which made the rocks quite slippery. As a result, the steep downhills were the most challenging part of the trek. Not only was it knee jarring, but the weight of my pack added a bit of momentum making it challenging to stay upright on the slippery steps. There wasn't much room for error, and I couldn't help but wonder how many tourists had gone gone over the side of the mountain. Our guide later confirmed that it happens relatively often. We found out on the third day that the trains were running so we had some extra time to explore a couple spots along the trail that most groups don't make it to. It was relatively easy day, and there were showers and beer for us to enjoy at the 3rd campsite. We got up at 4am on the 4th day and hiked in the pouring rain through the cloud forest in order to make it to the Sun Gate around sunrise for our first glimpse of Machu Picchu. Our timing couldn't have been better. It rained during the entire hike to the Sun Gate and we figured there was no way we would be able to see Machu Picchu. But the clouds cleared for about 10 minutes right as we arrived at the Sun Gate. From the Sun Gate we hiked down about another hour to the stunning Muchu Picchu. We spent a couple hours exploring and enjoying the views before hiking down to a town to called Aguas Calientes for lunch and the train ride back to Cusco. Our guides were absolutely amazing, and I have never eaten better on a camping trip. They even served us tea or coffee in our tents every morning.

We got back late Sunday night, and a few of us celebrated a successful trip over a few drinks at Mama Africa's, a popular tourist spot on the Plaza. I left Cusco early the following morning to meet up with Mark and Stu in Bolivia.

Attn. Brad and Renata

I said hello to Fiore's family for you, and they said hello as well. Nick is looking for your e-mail address. His e-mail is: xtasis007@hotmail.com

I hope that all is well!

Angie

Huancyo to Peru

I grew quite attached to my host family in Huancayo, and saying good-bye was difficult. Their kindness and hospitality has been absolutely incredible. The family gave me more going away gifts than I could carry. A box of chocolate and other goodies, a bag with Huancayo embroidered on it, a ceramic statue from Cusco, a key chain with my name on it from Laguna de Paca, and figurine of a typical Peruvian wedding. One of Fiore's sisters gave us a 1/2 hour lecture in Spanish about being careful, all the thieves in Peru, and all the tricks they use. I thought her concern was just do to the fact that thought we were just "naive tourists", until she told us my host family´s house had been robbed 5 times.

We took a bus from Huancayo to Lima, and then from Lima to Cusco. The total travel time was about 30 hours, with an 8 hour wait in Lima. Fiore´s sister´s family lives in Lima and they picked us up from the bus station at 6am, let us sleep for a few hours, fed us breakfast and lunch, and showed us around Lima. Yet another example of Peruvian hospitality. They also offered to let me stay when I return to Lima on my way out of South America. I got sick during the last couple of hours of the bus ride, and the porcelain gods were my best friend the rest of the day. Something in the breakfast they served us on the bus was bad - nothing like being nauseous on a bus ride through the mountains. It was short-lived though, and I was feeling fine by Sunday. We went to some famous Sunday markets in Pisac - a town about 1 hour out of Cusco - and to some less touristy ruins.

Cusco is drastically different than Huancayo, and despite the fact that it is the low season for travel here, there are tourists everywhere. I am really glad that I was able to spend the month in Huancayo and see a more accurate depiction of Peruvian life. But I am really enjoying Cusco as well and am meeting travelers from all over the world. The food here is fantastic and such a nice change from my diet of bread, beans, rice and eggs. I have heard a few rather disconcerting stories from other travelers. One guy I overheard talking had been kidnapped by a taxi in Arequipa - one of my destinations - and was held for a day at some house in the middle of nowhere. They finally let him go, after withdrawing over $1000 with his cash card. Another couple saw someone rob a tourist in Lima at knife point in the middle of the day when there a bunch of people around. And there was a girl here who was attacked by 5 guys when coming back to her place on night, and it's just a 5 minute walk down the street from where I am staying. In general, I have felt pretty safe, but all the stories do make me think twice about venturing too far off the gringo trail alone. Tomorrow I am headed to the Inca Trail for 4 days, and I am sure I will have much to report when I return.

Weekend exploring Mantaro Valley

Last Saturday our host family took us to see some of the sights around Huancayo. We started at the Museo de Sitio de Wariwillka with a Spanish speaking curator. I understood some of what she was saying but missed a lot. We also toured some of the ruins behind the museum. Afterwards we went hiking at Torre Torre, which is just outside of Huancayo and has some impressive sandstone towers. It started pouring when we were close to finishing our hike, so we had to race back to the car. Some of the trails looked like they would become rivers pretty quickly with any substantial amount of rain.

A day at the lake in Mataro valley is a bit different than what I'm used to. While it had stopped raining, it was a cool, overcast day, and we didn't leave until 3pm - the lake was well over an hour away. We piled about 12 people into one Toyota pick-up truck. Not exactly comfortable but I was happy that I was at least inside the truck. There are random speed bumps on the freeway, and it is rare for any Peruvian to slow down for them; Freddy was no exception. So, every time we hit one, everyone in the cab of the truck ended up airborne. The lake was called Laguna de Paca and was in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. There was a restaurant, with some outdoor seating, and a grassy area dotted with some obnoxious lawn ornaments. The lake was pretty small, probably not much bigger than a few miles in circumference. One of the workers took all of us out on an antiquated, metal row boat. It took an incredible amount of effort for him to row us to the middle of the lake and back. Afterwards, Elin and I played futbol with all the guys. I don't think that many women here play futbol; if anything, I think they play volleyball. Either way, they all seemed shocked that we knew how to play. Much fun was had by all, and by the time we left, we were all exhausted and covered in mud.

I thought I was going to get lucky and escape Huancayo without getting sick......until I woke up Sunday morning and wasn't able to make it out of bed for most of the day. The family was great as usual and brought me lunch in bed. But being sick in another country certainly exaggerates any communication challenges. I got up at about 7pm to go downstairs to the bathroom and walked into a family gathering ; they were decorating the Christmas tree. They asked me if I wanted food, coffee, tea, medicine etc. Not wanting to offend them and not quite sure how to say, "if I don't go back to bed right now, I just might pass out", I agreed to sit down with them and have tea. My stomach was so upset that I couldn't even drink it fast to shorten my misery. And my Spanish, while not good even when I am feeling good, was not even close to comprehensible, so I'm sure the family was entertained. Fortunately I was feeling much better by Monday afternoon and I was able to avoid testing out Huancayo's health system.

This is my last week in Huancayo, and I can't believe it has already been a month. I will miss my host family and all the children we worked with here. It has been an amazing experience despite of the frustrations that we have experienced with the volunteer organization. My next stop is Cusco to hike the Inca Trail.

This one is for you Raebel...and everyone else curious about Thanksgiving in Peru.

Thanksgiving in Huancayo and answers to other important questions:

We returned to Huancayo from the jungle at 5am in the morning, so the first order of business was a Thanksgiving Day nap. And after the nap, I took a much needed shower. I don't think anyone here knew that it was a U.S. holiday, so no "I can't believe it's not Macaw" for me. It was just the standard Peruvian fare, which would be a nightmare for any of you Atkins fans out there. We have rice at least once a day, and we have it for both lunch and dinner more often than not; beans and eggs are served almost as frequently. I can't imagine how challenging it would be for someone who doesn't like beans, rice, and eggs. I like all of them but after only 3 weeks, I don't think I will want to eat another plate of rice for at least 6 months after I return to the U.S. Breakfast is almost always bread and marmalade, with fresh squeezed juice. My host family knows that I am a vegetarian and teases me about it, but they still serve me meat. If it's not too obvious, I don't eat it. But, sometimes it is too difficult, or I am worried about offending them, so I end up just eating it. There are all kinds of street vendors in Huancayo selling fruit and juice, but the volunteer organization told us not to eat anything from them. I am tempted, if nothing else but for a little variety, but so far I haven't chanced it. I am the only volunteer who hasn't been sick though, so the warnings might be valid. The hygiene of some of the poorer people is relatively non-existent, which is probably the biggest reason that eating from the street vendors can be a bit risky. I'm guessing and hoping that some of the more touristy areas are a little safer in that regard.

I have been working in one of the outreach programs teaching poor children in an area just outside of Huancayo. We use a small room that is used for a restaurant in the afternoons. It is pretty apparent that they don't get much attention elsewhere as they are very clingy. Yesterday I also went to the orphanage and helped there. I was shocked by the number of babies under the age of 6 months - there must have been at least 20, many of which appeared to be very sickly. I also figured out the bus system in Huancayo this week. The buses are more like vans, and I was introduced to them by a non-English speaking teacher. Her introduction didn't include how to know which bus to get on, how to tell them when I want to get off, or how to tell then where I want to go. But fortunately I haven't had any major mishaps despite the lack of any bus maps or schedules.

Huancayo is also home to hundreds, if not thousands of dogs. All of which bark in unison all night long. No one has leashes for the dogs, and they wander the streets. Most of them look a bit straggly. I am shocked that more of them aren't hit by cars. It is far more challenging being a pedestrian here than it was in NYC, and the cars, taxis, and buses don't stop for anything, or anyone.

That's all the news I have from Huancayo for now. I hope everyone in MN is staying warm; It sounds like MN winter is getting an early start.