Peruvian Altiplano
Cusco, Peru

We arrived late in Lima on Monday, and didn't get to meet the rest of our group till the following morning. Mind you, since nine of us travelled together from the Galapagos, we only had 3 new people to meet. It was an exciting morning as we met our tour leader Raquel, and said hello to our new travelmates from England.

We had a midday flight to Juliaca, near Lake Titicaca. Our plane stopped for a few minutes first in Arequipa in Southern Peru. It was interesting to see the very desert like landscape outside our plane window. We did not pick up any passengers here though many did deplane. A short very turbulent 35 minutes later, we arrived at our destination. There we boarded a private minibus and headed south to Puno, on the edge of Lake Titicaca.

It was interesting driving through the town of Juliaca. The road was mostly dirt, there were many motorcycle rickshaws there, with tiny shop houses made of adobe. It was a contrast to modern Quito, and definitely urban sprawl Lima. The landscape was very interesting along the way. We did not actually get to see the lake till we got to Puno, but we did see beautiful mountain cliffs, blue skies, farmland, mud houses, etc.

We had been warned that it might be below zero overnight in Lake Titicaca. Well, it was. We arrived late in the afternoon, and spent a few minutes at a viewpoint up high. Though it was sunny, it was also very cold. Lake Titicaca is situated above 3,800m (11,400ft). Brr.

Puno is very much a hillside town. Most houses look mud-brown, and we saw the same phenomenon we saw in Cairo; unfinished buildings. In both cities, the government taxes the homeowner/construction company a tax once the building is completed. Thus, it was cheaper to leave the upper levels unfinished. So the skyline was dominated by pieces of rebar sticking up all over the place.

The next day, we went on our Lake Titicaca excursion. First, we were picked up by rickshaws and biked over to the harbour. There we all bought food for our host families for the evening. A 3 hour boat ride brought us first to Tequile Island. The water on the lake is beautiful. A deep blue, with sparkling diamond like glares from the reflection of the sun. We had a very nice walk around the island, passing by Inca terraces, farm houses and many locals. It is interesting to see men knitting here; they knit their own hats all the time. Married men wear red hats with lots of decorations, while single men wear a half white/half red hat. It is thus very easy to spot who's married or not.

We enjoyed the walk though it was a bit hard with the altitude. It was a good eye opener for those doing the inca trail to feel how it is like to walk in high altitude. We had lunch at the top of this island, before making our way back to the wharf, several hundred steps below. An hour cruise later, we arrived at Amantani Island. Here we were all split up and taken away by a host family. We stayed with a lovely woman named Vilma; unfortunately neither Winston nor I speak much Spanish. It would have been a much greater experience if we could have communicated better with her and her family. The ladies on this island are constantly knitting; whether they are sitting down or walking, their fingers are clicking non-stop as they knit woolen hats.

All of us met up to go hiking up to the top of the island. There is an amazing ruin up here, and at 4200m, it truly was a good test for the Inca Trail. The path up wasn't actually too steep, but it was challenging getting used to breathing very shallowly. At the top, we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset, that seems to last forever, sillouetting smaller islands on the lake. We were also lucky enough to watch the moon rise on the other side of the island. Wow, it was breathtakingly BIG (we were there during full moon) and bright.

In fact, on our way down we hardly had to use any flashlights even though the sun was already long gone. By the way, it was freezing cold up there! That evening after dinner, our host families all dressed us up as locals. I got to wear a white woolen shirt, with 2 layers of very thick woolen skirts. What I don't understand is why I had to have the skirts all the way up above my waist! It sure was slightly uncomfortable since they were so bulky. On my head, I wore a woolen black shawl.

Winston just got to wear a poncho and a wooly hat. We all met up again at their community center, and enjoyed an evening of dancing. Most of us were pretty tired from the two walks of the day, and after staying for 5 dances, excused ourselves and went to bed. There is no electricity in these homes. Well, I take that back. They have electricity but since it cost a lot to run them, most of the locals just stick with using candles. Needless to say, it was below freezing that night, and luckily we had tons of blankets to use.

We left early the next morning, after a pleasant stay on the island. On the way back to Puno, we stopped at a couple of floating reed islands. These islands are really interesting; they are made stricky out of reeds, all bundled together, tied and anchored to the bottom of the lake. Because the reeds are biodegradable, they have to add new reeds on the surface every month. It sure was interesting to walk around; it's like walking on a cushion, because everything is floating.

We got to go on a short ride in a traditional reed boat (these lasts 7 months and then they have to build a new one). Most of the men are fishermen, while the women sell handicrafts to tourists. They sure make beautiful embroidered wall hangings.

Back in Puno, we said goodbye to Scott and Winston, who left for Cusco a day earlier than the rest of the group, to deliver a Companion Flag presentation at Ollantaytambo (read Winston's previous blog). The rest of us went on a local tour to the town of Sillustani (45mins away). This site was the cemetery of important Incas. Each grave was built up like a chimney, with giant sized volcanic stones. Each body was mummified, wrapped in a fetal position, then lowered to the inner chamber of the chimney. As with most archeological sites, the grave robbers had taken many evidences away though some mummies have made it to the museums in Lima.

We had a lovely walk around, watching the lakes below, alpacas and llamas and just seeing how nature had taken over the old burial site. On the way back to Puno, we were treated to a stop at a homestead. The farmer had several lovely animals, including llamas, alpacas and a guanaco, and we got to taste a few of the 2000+ species of potatoes found in Peru. The farmer also dressed up in his stuffed condor outfit which he wears during ceremonies. What was very interesting was the guinea pig house. Peruvians eat guinea pigs (no cholesterol) but they build them 2 storey homes. It was a big mud house with a ramp, windows and doors.

Back in Puno, we watched several groups of girls parade around the town square, in costumes and carrying lanterns they had made. There were also young girls dancing the at the end of the parade, followed by a band. It was neat to see.

We had a travel day on Friday. A six hour bus ride brought us from Puno to Cusco. The scenery along the way was amazing; blue sky, glacier peaks, inca terraces, farmland and houses along the road, and animals all over the place. We got to Cuzco and met up with the boys. It was a late night as there was a long briefing for the Inca trail.

Yesterday morning, we drove along the sacred valley. It is very beautiful here. Cuzco is at 3400m, so just a bit lower than Puno, but enough to be much warmer during the day. Of course, once the sun goes away, it's cold again. On the way to the Sacred Valley, we passed by several old ruins and beautiful small communities (towns of fewer than 500 inhabitants).

We visited a farm where there were the 2 kinds of alpacas (shorter than llamas), llamas, and vicunas. The last animal is considered very endangered, but with the softest wool. Apparently it is quite expensive to own a sweater with that material. They look a bit like a deer, with a long slender neck, and small head. One appeared quite tame, so we all tried to pet it. Eventually I guess I must have gotten too close, or it didn't like the cough candy I was chewing, and I got head butted a few times. It was quite amusing to the others, and since I wasn't too treatened, me too. I think Winston has several funny pictures from that encounter.

Next we went to the ruins at Pisac. It was amazing to be there. Firstly, the Incas were great architects. Thus everything they built were precise, and fit well. The terraces here were considered the widest in the empire. About 2-3m high, edged with stones, then layered with river stones, soil and animal manure, the Incas really knew how to work on their agriculture. In the Andes, you can see these terraces up high in the mountain sides. There were 3 reasons why the Incas built these terraces: to prevent erosion, for agriculture, and as a decoration.

We got to walk along the terraces, and visited what used to be houses. The most impressive thing about the Inca ruins were their stones. Not only were they sanded down smoothly, they also fitted with the adjoining stones beautifully. You just see a clean line between the two; no soil or gaps or anything else in between. What was even more amazing is when we see 6m 50ton stones made with the same precision.

We enjoyed the walk, and then went for lunch in the town of Pisac. This place is known for their handicrafts, so of course we all went on a shopping spree. The fact that they had very good prices only encouraged us even more. In the late afternoon, we drove to Ollantaytambo (where the boys were the day before), and went to visit the ruins here. These terraces were gigantic. When you look up the hillside from the town, all you see is the stone walls, from the bottom of the hill to the top.

We climbed up and got a beautiful view from the top. It was very windy though. By the time we were on our way down, the sun was long gone and it had already gotten very dark. A few more minutes and we probably would not have been able to see at all. We spent the night at a cozy hostal, but not before the guys set off to buy walking sticks, coca leaves and snacks for the 4 day hike.

This morning, we set off early to KM 82, the beginning of the Inca trail for most group. Everyone was bustling with excitement for what promised to be a beautiful but challenging hike. The day was gorgeous, with fine blue skies and sights of snow capped mountains in the distance. I am sure they will have a great time, though they will definitely be quite tired today, since they are supposed to walk for 18km, with an elevation gain of 1000m (it will definitely be below zero tonight- brrr).

After checking in for our trail pass, we said goodbye to the group, and Rochelle, Raquel and I headed back to Ollantaytambo. A short shopping trip later, we hired a taxi and headed back for Cusco. We went out for lunch, and by chance encountered a religious festival. The Feast of the Lord of "Qoyllurriti", only those who belong to this denomination celebrates this event. We saw many dancers at the square, wearing a variety of costumes. Many of the performers had masks on their faces. A large wooden structure with statues of the lord was paraded/supported by MANY men. It sure looked very heavy. Here is the description of the parade: By the Ausangate snow-caped mountain slope (6,362 m above sea level) thousands of pilgrims climb the mountain. The men "Q'eros" and the pilgrims carry huge ice blocks to their lands."

The three of us went shopping for more handicrafts, and here we are now at the Internet cafe. Cuzco is a beautiful colonical town. While there is definitely a spread on four sides of the original city, the old area is certainly stunning. Cobblestone streets line all the lanes, domes of churches appear in the skyline, while the uniform brown tiled roofs of all the buildings all slope towards the main square. Full of beautiful structures, it is very pleasing to the eye, especially looking up at a beautiful blue sky, with the hillside homes and churches. There are also beautiful squares, with benches, fountains and flowers.

At this point, we are thinking about heading back to this part of Peru after saying goodbye to Scott and Rochelle, perhaps in time to catch their big festival on the 24th (the Inti Raymi). We'll have to see what happens. Rochelle and I are here for 2 nights, then we take the train to Agua Calientes (at the base of Machu Picchu) where we will spend a night, then wake up early the next morning and hike up above the ruins to meet the rest of the gang coming down.

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