Machu Picchu - Oh My!!!

 Thursday, May 2, 2013

A cloudless sky, a hearty breakfast and a 6 am departure from the hotel.  Today was Machu Picchu day and what a day it was!   I had been intrigued to see a llama enclosure just below my bedroom balcony when I opened the curtains this morning.

Llamas at the hotel

The first part of the journey was a 20 minute bus trip further along the Sacred Valley. At Urubamba where we stayed, the valley is wide with farms and small settlements on the river flats, but as we approached the Inca town of Ollyantaytambo the valley narrowed - mountains on each side with only the river, railway track and road running along the valley floor. Luiz pointed out the Inca terraces on the lower slopes which were used to cultivate vegetables and as locations for storehouses where dried foods would be kept.  The terraces were important, and still are today for farming and for keeping the food high and dry in times of flood.  The last devastating flood was in February 2010 and there are still damaged buildings and roads and evidence of bridges being washed away.  The money to make repairs has been slow coming to this part of the country.
As we approached Ollyantaytambo the majestic snow capped peak of Mt Veronica (19,000 ft or 5682 metres) came into view.  It is one of the highest mountains in the Cordillera  - we did later see a 20,574 ft (6271 metre)  mountain named Salcantay a little further up the track.

Mt Veronica

We also caught a glimpse of the Inca ruins at the edge of this town and Luiz told us we would return tomorrow for a better look around.  Today however, it was off the bus here and onto the Peru Rail Vistadome train for the hour and a half  riverside journey to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) which is where the bus leaves for Macho Picchu.  The station was busy with day trippers and street vendors with their colourful wares.

Joe getting the hard sell before we boarded the train at Ollyantaytambo

  There is a gentle descent all the way and the river changes from wide and leisurely to a rushing torrent of white water and rapids as it tumbles down towards the Amazon.  It is certainly is spectacular - a deep river gorge with high mountains on each side and the train track running alongside, but at a safe distance above, the water's edge.

Leaving Ollyantaytambo - view from the train to Mt Veronica.

I hadn't expected the journey to Macho Picchu to be so beautiful - what a surprise and how fantastic!
At first the mountains were brown and treeless, with huge craggy rock faces and the occasional  waterfall.   Huge boulders in the river caused the waters to foam and spill in all directions and at great speed - there is a small hydro-electric power station further down which produces enough electricity for 2 million people.  The view from the train was brilliant on both sides of the track - mesmerising in fact.  Along the way we saw the beginning of the Inca Trail - a six day hike to Machu Picchu and we spotted part of the track high above us from time to time.  There were also some Inca ruins built into the cliffs beside the river in a couple of places. We were served drinks and a snack on board but were reluctant to put down our cameras for an instant.

A spectacular train ride!

About half way through the train trip the landscape changed quite abruptly and we entered the rain forest where thick vegetation covered the mountains, giving way to rocky outcrops at the summits.  Luiz told us we were fortunate to have such a beautiful sunny day as the rainfall in this area is high and the weather can be quite unpredictable.  Still a great view of the river below and we began to see some of the many species of flowering plants that are native to the rainforest. 
Finally we reached Aguas Calientes (Hot Waters?) and left the train to catch the bus on a gravel road that would take us the 1500 metres up a mountain to Machu Picchu.  Aguas Calientes has a huge, touristy market with most stalls selling the same thing - all factory produced souvenirs according to Luiz.  We negotiated the many streets of the market, crossed over the raging river and boarded the bus.  The town appears to be at the bottom of a ravine with sheer cliffs rising up on each side.  It is a very lively place with lots of restaurants, cafes and street musicians.  Well, the ride up the mountain was hair-raising with sharp bends and a driver who only knew "flat out" and "stopped ". In no time at all we had our first glimpse of Machu Picchu and disembarked at the entrance point.  We were required to bring our passports for identification and even had them stamped as we went through the turnstiles.  Although there were heaps of people around the site is huge and it did not seem overcrowded.

Aguas Calientes -  and there is our bus

We came from down there! Out of the bus window and almost at Machu Picchu.

Luiz was our guide and  he was amazing.  His knowledge is extensive and he is able to capture the essence of Machu Picchu in his explanation of everything we saw.  Initially we walked down a set of stone steps to a small group of stone buildings with thatched roofs, with still most of the site hidden from view.

Heading for the hidden entrance to Machu Picchu

 Passing through a narrow alleyway between the buildings we were suddenly confronted with the whole spectacle that is Machu Picchu.  What a sight - we were speechless with awe and delight. It is so hard to describe the beauty, atmosphere and quality of this place - it simply takes your breath away.  Of course it is really a lot of stone terraces and ruins but the geographic setting for these man-made structures gives the whole place a magical air.

Machu Picchu - first view.

  The terraces face east and are very extensive, rising high above the main buildings where people lived and stepping down the slope to a sheer drop to the Urubamba River a thousand or more metres below.  The mountains rise even higher on the opposite side of the river.  Behind the upper terraces the mountain which gave the site its name reaches for the sky.  From high up to the north the Inca Trail descends through the Sun Gate to the centre of the city.  To the west  are the remains of the quarry which provided the stone for the structures and then the land falls steeply away to the river far below.  Looking south one is confronted by the familiar sugar-loaf style mountain which also rises above the site - it is a four hour climb to the top, so not on our agenda (thankfully).  These are some of my favourite photos of Machu Picchu  (of course I took oodles, trying to capture every bit of the place).

Beautifully preserved buildings - only the thatch is gone.

View across the lower terraces to Huayna Picchu

Ancient rainforest tree

View to the llama enclosure

Lower Terraces and Huayna Picchu

The upper terraces,and guard house

We spent ages exploring the site, listening to Luiz and marvelling at the magnificence of it all.  Luiz explained what the various structures were used for and how the whole place was oriented to the sun and the society was based on worship of the sun god.  We saw a garden with the flowers and plants of the area, we saw burial grounds. and rooms of houses and then climbed up a rocky outcrop to view the sundial.  Fascinating!  It is quite hard going in some places and it would be easy to loose one's footing - there is little concession to modern facilities like handrails or fences.  Anyway we all made it safely around the site and then went to the only restaurant at the site (tucked discretely away) for a delicious buffet lunch and some traditional live music.
  What a sumptuous buffet and we were certainly very hungry having had breakfast so early and expended a lot of energy in our exploration of the site.  Peruvian food is "fusion" food - a mixture of traditional dishes with the exotic dishes brought to the country by immigrants from many different places, particularly Asia.  For instance it is common to have rice and potatoes in the same dish.  The potato was first cultivated by the Incas and apparently there are 800 varieties - not all edible, however.  Over lunch Luiz also explained that the Inca civilisation did not last very long - 300 years at the most.  The Incas were a combination of many different Andean people and they took the best knowledge and skills from pre-Inca people and developed them to suit their own purposes.  Of course the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores in the 1500's ended Inca domination of the Andes.  It is still not clear why or how the city of Machu Picchu was deserted and it lay hidden in the rain forest for centuries until rediscovered by the Hawaiian academic, Hiram Bingham in 1911. Although not the most important Inca site it is nevertheless the most awe-inspiring and is of course one of the world's major tourist destinations.  The Peruvian government has placed strict limits on any development around the site and it seems that there are plans to put a daily limit on the number of visitors.  It is certainly very well cared for.

Native orchids, begonias, coca plant - all thrive here

After lunch some of our group took the bus back down to Aguas Calientes so that we could explore a bit before our train departed.

Dirt road climbs 1500ft (450 metres) to Machu Picchu - spot the little bus!

There is a nice plaza in the centre of town but not a lot else to see.

This stream flows through the town to join the Urubamba River

Main Square of Aguas Calientes

A tiny part of the huge market in Aguas Calientes

 At 3.45pm our train departed for Ollyantaytambo and after another spectacular trip through the mountains we arrived back at the hotel in time for dinner. Tonight the dinner was excellent.

Urubamba River and rainforest - view from the train

River and mountains from the train

Mt Veronica - on our way home

Everyone agreed that our visit to Machu Picchu was a highlight of the tour and that we have been so fortunate to have enjoyed good weather all the way, and especially today.  What a special place! To have visited Machu Picchu was a dream come true.

Heading for the Hills (Mountains?).

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Today we began our final leg of the South American Odyssey with a 5 am departure for Santiago Airport and a four and a half hour flight to Lima.  There we connected with  a one hour flight to the city of Cusco, high in the Peruvian Andes - 11,000 feet (3353 metres) to be exact.  I started taking my tablets to prevent altitude sickness yesterday.  Flying into Cusco was rather scary as it seemed that there were only jagged mountain tops to land on.  At the last minute we came upon Cusco Valley and dropped into the airport.  The city of half a million people extends up the brown slopes from the valley floor.
We had spotted a couple of snow-capped peaks from the plane but they were not visible from Cusco Valley. First impressions of Cusco - derelict buildings, many just shells and more flimsy looking structures extending up the steep slopes.   The city has a very brown look as most of the houses are made from adobe brick which is dug from the surrounding hills - also very brown.  The rainy season is over and the sun shone brightly.

Looking down on Cusco -late afternoon

Snow capped peaks behind Cusco

After meeting our guide, Luiz, we drove straight to a nice restaurant called Valentina, on the edge of downtown for lunch.   Luiz recommended the chicken soup and sure enough it was delicious.  Stupidly I managed to leave my jacket on the back of my chair but Luiz said not to worry we will get it on our return to Cusco  - he phoned the restaurant and made arrangements.  The plan today was to visit the ruins of a significant Inca temple, Saksayhuaman, which is on a hill overlooking the city at 12,000 ft (3701 metres) above sea level.  The pronunciation sounds like "Sexy Woman" and caused lots of hilarity amongst our group.  Luiz is obviously used to this and as very patient with our pathetic jokes.  He is a real treasure - of mixed blood with a pure Incan grandmother.  His English is excellent and his sense of humour is the best.

View over Cusco from Saksayhuaman 

Saksayhuaman is a mind-boggling place and it is thought to be one of the most significant Inca temples.  There is a huge grassy courtyard or open area surrounded by massive walls built of huge stone boulders.  These are fitted tightly together without any mortar and there are absolutely no gaps between the stones.  Most of the rock is thought to have come from a quarry about 3 km away.  The largest stone in the structure weighs 120 tons and stands 8.5 metres tall.  Although it is known that Saksayhuaman was completed by the Incas in 1508 and that they supposedly spent 77 years with up to 30,000 workers building the structure, there is some doubt about this.  The Spanish Conquistadors who arrived soon after the completion could find no-one who knew how the massive stones were moved into place, nor was there any trace of the huge workforce.  One theory is that the structure pre dates Inca civilisation and that the Incas only finished the building work using smaller stones that made up the top ten feet (2 metres) of the walls.  These stones were plundered by the Spanish who used them to build the cathedral and other buildings in Cusco.  Evidence of Inca masonry can be seen throughout the centre of Cusco.  It is generally agreed that Saksayhuaman was a temple to the sun god and not, as the Spanish thought, a fortress.   Whatever its history it certainly is imposing and the late afternoon sun showed it off perfectly.   The view over the city of Cusco and the Cusco Valley, with high mountains beyond is pretty stunning too.

Part of the amazing stone work at Saksayhuaman

Our little Globus family beside the largest stone at Saksayhuaman

After an hour or so we boarded the bus for a two hour ride to our hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.  This involved taking a road which climbed up through the outer suburbs of Cusco to even greater heights.  The houses are very ramshackle but there seem to be thriving communities perched precariously on these steep slopes.  Most people have the look of having mixed Inca/Spanish heritage.  Luiz told us that there are not many people left who can claim pure Inca heritage.  Some of the buildings have been abandoned because of mudslides or earthquake damage and some are simply unfinished.  People don't take out mortgages but instead just complete their houses in stages as and when they save enough money.  Also once completed property taxes are levied on buildings - it seems that it is prudent to have an unfinished dwelling! I remember this being the case in Turkey as well.

Typical street in one of the hillside areas of Cusco

As darkness fell we seemed to be climbing more and then finally we descended to the valley - an alarming ride as I could see directly out of the bus window to sheer drops of hundreds of meters without a guard rail in sight.  Just as well it was soon dark.  Ahead, in the failing light we could see some huge mountains - around 20,000 ft (6000 metres) high.  After travelling along one valley for a while we made another hair-raising descent towards the lights of what appeared to be quite a large town.  Indeed this was Urubamba, main centre for the Sacred Valley and the point where we crossed the fabled Urubamba River.  After a few more kilometres heading along the valley, by now in complete darkness we turned off the main road and took a very bumpy but short ride towards the mountains and to our hotel, Casa Andina Private Collection.  The hotel was a collection of two story buildings in a lovely garden setting - it only opened 4 years ago according to Luiz.  We all headed straight for the dining room and we were very tired and hungry.  Dinner was a bit of a disappointment but most of us just wanted to sleep after such an early start this morning and the prospect of yet another very early departure for Machu Picchu.

Approaching Urubamba at nightfall.

Valparaiso and Vina de Mar

Tuesday, 30 April, 2013

Woken up this morning with a loud noise and the bed shaking violently - oh no, an earthquake.   Well the building didn't fall down and after another smaller jolt things settled down and it was business as usual.   Another smoggy, fine day in Santiago and we were on the road at 9 am, heading westwards for the Coastal Range which separates the city from the Pacific coast. Valparaiso, the major sea port of Chile is 112 km from Santiago via Ruta 68, a freeway which tunnels through the mountains that are substantial but not nearly as high as the Andes on the eastern perimeter of the city.  Once through the first tunnel we encountered a thick blanket of fog which obscured much of the landscape - a fertile valley, home to a huge number of market gardens and orchards.  The fog lifted a little to show blue skies as we approached a second line of high hills and another tunnel.  This time we emerged to cloudy skies and another valley which has many vineyards centred around a town called Casablanca. Finally we drove over some lower hills that were thickly forested and began a steep descent into Valparaiso.

Through the Coastal Ranges en route to Valparaiso

Before the Panama Canal opened, Valparaiso was  of major importance to the west coast of South America andwas known as the Pearl of the Pacific. Today it is still a port and a naval centre of 275,000 inhabitants but I fear its jewel like days are long over.  The town is built on 45 separate hills which rise steeply from the harbour and the houses cling precariously to the hillsides looking very flimsy and quite dilapidated.  The narrow streets wind up and down and our bus negotiated the twists and turns as we climbed higher and higher through the neighbourhoods of Cerro Conception and Cerro Alegre.  Every house it seems has a stunning view of the port and the coast.  Earthquakes in this area have been disastrous in the past and I am sure would devastate the town again if one was to eventuate in the future - something that is highly possible.

Valparaiso in the morning fog

Suburbs tumble down the steep hills of Valparaiso

Starting point for our walking tour of Cerro Alegre

At the top of Cerro Alegre we disembarked and walked several blocks downhill.   Roads are steep and narrow and we were very amused to see the wall art imploring citizens to be environmentally friendly and ride bikes - the term "push bike" would be very appropriate on these streets!

"Use the bike!"

Local vegie shop, Cerro Alegre

The houses are made of adobe brick and to stop the brick falling dangerously during earthquakes the bricks are covered with corrugated iron sheeting painted in very bright colours.  The area is of great historical significance and has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site.

Corrugated iron clad houses, Cerro Alegre

More corrugated iron work

Skinny house, Cerro Alegre

The painting of huge abstract murals on walls is also popular and provides colour to a city where the skies are frequently grey and often foggy.

Wall murals typical of the area

Corrugation and colour in Cerro Alegre

 These colourful houses are spread across the hillsides as far as the eye can see and reach great heights above the city.  The citizens of these neighbourhoods must be very fit indeed.   We passed by La Sebastiana, the home of the Nobel Prize winning poet, Pablo Neruda, which has been a museum since his death.  Access to the seafront from these hills  is by a network of ascenors (funiculars).

One of the funicular tracks in the hills

 Our walk terminated in Paseo Yugoslavo where a handsome and very well maintained mansion formerly Barburizza Palace, is now the Museo de Belles Artes.  It has a lovely garden with a gorgeous Datura tree.

Gorgeous datura - Angels' trumpets

The terrace in front of the museum provides excellent views up and down the coast - all the way to the next city, Vino de Mar.

View over Valparaiso

The next excitement for the day was a ride in the El Peral ascensor to the main city plaza.  Despite the rather rickety look of the funicular we made it safely to the bottom of the hill and emerged beside the city cathedral in Plaza Victoria.  From here it was a short walk to Plaza Sotomayor, the main square with its typical once grand public buildings and statues of local heroes. A strange sight was the tall, modern glass building constructed inside the facade of a shorter, old colonial structure. The new building just kind of pops out of the top! The bus collected us here and we drove along the coast to Vino de Mar.   The Valparaiso seafront consists of docks, railway yards and warehouses and the downtown area is full of concrete buildings still showing damage from the last earthquake.  All in all a rather depressing place on this grey day. The reason that the coastal strip of western South America has cloudy, foggy weather for nine months of the year is the cold sea current that sweeps up from Antarctica and mixes with the warm air over the land.

Bizarre building in the main square

Vino de Mar is touted as a glamorous seaside resort and although prettier than Valparaiso it was also a little depressing.   Rows of hi-rise apartments along the seafront with the beach some way below the road.  Half way along the beach an exceptionally ugly iron pier extends out to sea.  This is Vegara Pier, formerly used for loading coal and now a tourist attraction with cafes etc.  It divided the two main beaches, Acapulco and El Sol and looks more of an eyesore than an attraction.  Oh well, it is different.

Vegara Pier, Vina de Mar

We were deposited beside the Casino and went to have a very good lunch in a pretty and cosy restaurant, Fellinis.  Driving through the town we crossed a river - obviously when there is no rain it serves as a car park!

River bed parking lot, Vina de Mar

Nothing much else to do in Vina de Mar except to visit the Fonck Museum and see the Easter Island moai which stands guard outside in the park.  It is large and quite imposing but I suspect that taken out of context it has lost a lot of its impact.

Easter Island moia, Vina de mar

Mauro - always on duty!

So it was back to Santiago to rest a bit and to be ready for a very early departure for the airport in the morning.  Tonight we had a lovely farewell dinner for Mauro our Tour Manager who is returning to Brazil and not coming to Peru with us.  He has been a wonderful help and lots of fun.  We also said goodbye to June who is flying to Easter Island instead of coming to Peru (she has been there before.)

A Day in Santiago

Monday, 29 April, 2013

Today was our first full day  in Santiago and we spent the morning taking a tour of some notable locations around the city with our guide, Ricardo.   Leaving the Providencia area, where our hotel is located, we arrived in the Santiago district (in effect, downtown) and our first stop was the Plaza de la Constitucion with the obligatory government buildings and statues (Allende, amongst them).  On the opposite side of the Plaza is the Palacio de la Moneda, the presidential palace.  It is an imposing building with fountains, water features and a huge paved area in front.  I am not sure whether it was good luck or good management, but no sooner had we gathered in front of the water features than an impressive changing of the guard ceremony began.  The palace is guarded by elite police and a troop of stray dogs.  From across the square came a procession of mounted police leading the new guards who were marching to the music of a band bring up the rear.  They came to a halt in formation outside the main steps into the palace and here the ceremony took place.   Much to the amusement of the huge crowd a couple of the dogs joined in, inspecting the ranks by running up and down the rows of policemen and wagging their tales excitedly.  I am sure the guards are quite accustomed to the canine inspection - it was even suggested by one of our group that the dogs were probably encouraged to perform. They certainly looked healthy and well-fed.

Changing the Guard, Palacio de Moneda

We watched for a bit and then started our walking tour past some grand old buildings and then into a network of covered arcades which were designed in the French style.

Old Congress National Building, Santiago

Street scene, Santiago

  Ricardo explained that they were very useful on rainy days and in the heat of summer.  We stopped in front of a take away place to check out the kind of food that Chileans like to eat on the run, including bottled Cola de Mono (monkey tail) which is made from aguardiente (fire water), coffee, milk, sugar and cinnamon.

Santiago takeaway bar - pisco sour,(bottom left) and cola de mono (top right)

  There were plenty of shops in the arcades and we were introduced to a "café con piernas" (coffee with legs).  We peeked through a crack in the heavy wooden doors of this establishment and through the smoky haze (cigarettes, not smog) saw a whole bunch of businessmen in suits being served their morning coffee by voluptuous young women in tight fitting mini dresses.  Apparently these coffee houses are common in Santiago - harmless perving in the business district but in the poorer areas they are often sleazy fronts for prostitution.  No female clientele of course.

Exiting the arcade we crossed the street and entered Santiago's cathedral via the rear door - very ornate and beautiful.

Silver altar, Santiago Cathedral.

We made our way through the cathedral and out the front door into the main plaza of the city, Plaza de Armas.  This is a huge plaza with trees, a large statue in the middle, and lots of places to sit and enjoy the comings and goings.  A number of artists and copper artisans had set up stalls in one corner and there was a book festival in full swing in another.  All in all a pleasant place to wander about in the middle of the city.

Plaza de Armas, Santiago

Plaza de Armas, main plaza of Santiago

The bus arrived and we  set off through the city once more, past the Mercado (market) and a pretty park, Parque Forestal, before crossing the Mapocho River to arrive in the area called Bellavista.  This is a really funky neighbourhood where artists and students hang out.  The houses are painted bright colours and there are abstract wall murals everywhere along the streets which are lined with lovely shady trees.  It is a shame we didn't have a chance to stop and explore this area.

Typical street view, Bellavista area

Anyway it was on up the Cerro San Cristobal and through the Parque Metropolitano for a birds eye view of the city.   No doubt the view is splendid but unfortunately the haze and smog reduced the clarity of the scene and the more distant mountains had almost disappeared.  It seems that the mountains only stand out sharply against the sky in winter after a rainstorm.

Santiago and the Andes from Cerro San Cristobal - hey smog, nice to see you!

More smog - US Embassy in left foreground

Next stop on the tour was a visit to the Faba Chilean Craft Centre, specialists in Chile's national gemstone, the lapis lazuli.  We had a bit of a look around at the gorgeous jewellery and the handcrafts but everything was hideously expensive so we left empty handed, our tour complete.

Lapis lazuli figurines in the window at Faba

Some of us hopped off the bus at the new shopping mall, Costanera Centre, an indoor emporium which is very flash and has all the usual shops one would find in a similar mall anywhere in the world.  We were intrigued by the lifesize Lego man - not the happiest looking fellow I must say.  Arlene, June and I wandered about window shopping and found our way to the enormous food court on the top floor where we joined the throngs having lunch - again all the usual suspects in fast food plus a few Chilean ones as well.  I had a Dominos Lunchtime pizza and a coke - it was at least recognisable.  As we had tramped about all afternoon we decided to forgo the walk back to the hotel and take a taxi.  Of course the driver spoke no English and my dreadful Spanish had us ending up at the wrong Sheraton (there are 4 in Santiago).  Fortunately it was not far out of our way and we finally arrived at the correct one - all for the princely sum of around $US6.00.

Atrium, Costanera Shopping Mall

Not so jolly Lego man

Today was the beginning of a very full on six days and tonight we all piled into the bus and drove about 30 minutes to a venue called Bali Hut for dinner and a show.  The place was full of tour groups and decorated in what I can only describe as a Chilean interpretation of Polynesian Island style.  Anyway it was kind of funky in a strange way but I am not sure where the erotic statuary fitted into the picture.  Dinner was mediocre but then the show began.   There was a Tahitian band which sang a bit and then provided accompaniment for six very talented dancers who presented a range of dances which represented different ages and cultures of Chilean history.  The costumes were lavish and the dancing beautifully choreographed and executed.  In the middle of the show a middle aged guy came on stage and sang some songs in Italian (Sole Mio etc).   I am not sure what he was supposed to represent, if anything, but he had a lovely voice and the audience joined in enthusiastically.    Finally the show was over so it was back on the bus and I guess we managed to make it to bed about midnight.

Bali Hut, Easter Island dancers