CHILE - IQUIQUE

As I said -time to leave Peru. Everybody wants a share of whatever money you have in your pocket. So it is that Friday morning, 23rd July I left per bus for Chile - a trip from Arequipa to Tacna, the southern most town in Peru and about 12 km from the border post. The road from Arequipa to Tacna travels through the desert region and although now and then there were some spectacular scenes, it mostly look like this.

After 6 hours travelling, we reached Tacna. Approached by a runner for a collectivo (collectivos are like taxis carrying a max of 5 passengers), we left for the border.Peru side was a breeze, with the Chile side quite a long queue. Another 30 minute drive and we arrived in Arica on the Pacific coast. First time I have seen the Pacific ocean. However the town looked like a dog's breakfast to me and I went looking for a bus to take me somewhere else. Saw a place called Iquique on the travel schedule and bought a ticket.It then was about 2.30 pm and bus was only leaving 5.30 pm. Three hours to kill. Went upstairs to the terminal restaurant and ordered a local beer.Halfway through my quart, I got my Lonely Planet guide out to check out accommodation in Iquique.Saw a place called Iquique Backpackers that was in my price range, marked the page for the taxi driver to show when I got there and read some more about the town.Then I got to a page stating that Chile is 2 hours ahead of Peru. Instead of 3 hours to kill, it was only one hour. I surely would have missed that bus had I not picked this up. Why do these tour bus operators not tell you this?

Left 5.30 pm and arrived in Iquique around 11 pm. Got a taxi and booked in at the hostel. Lucky me - got a bed without a resevation. Was told that the previous night it was so full, people slept on the floors.

Really cool place with lots of lounge and entertainment area and 50 meters from the beach.

Saturday night barbecue night and we partied until 2 am. Sunday I slept the whole day and night to the sound of sea waves- dog tired from all the bus rides.So the weather not that fantastic - around 19 degrees and overcast. But it is fine. I need to chill out.Today is Monday.Probably should make plans to move on.

Some scenes from the town.

PERU - AREQUIPA

Peru's second biggest city, Arequipa is also known as the White City as most of its old buildings were constructed from volcanic rock known as sillar.See picture below.

The city itself is very flat in the sense that there are no high rise buildings and most of the streets still retain their cobblestone origin. Highlights for me here in the city were maybe the volcanoes on the edge of the city, Santa Catalina Monastery and The Ice Maiden.Of the last two mentioned I was not allowed to take pictures inside, so here are links to them and more info.

the Ice Maiden

Santa Catalina

 Picture of the volcano. There are three, but this one is more prominent.

The view from the hostel I was staying.

The view from a bridge further down.

Oh yes, and the Plaza de Armas.Remember every town and city has one. While strolling around the Plaza taking pictures of pigeons in the fountain,this flock of birds arrived. So I poked my lens in there too.Nice, heh?

In case you do not believe me about the pigeons....

However, the real tourist attraction ( can't believe I am saying that) lies a further 4 hours drive away - called Colca Canyons, it is the second deepest in Peru and deeper than the Grand Canyons in the United States.It is also the nesting place of the Condor, of which there are an estimated 600 left.Yeah, I wanna see Condors!

So Wednesday,21st July hit the road with a little tour group.The next lot of photos are a short record of the trip.

Called vicunas,they are smaller than the llama and alpaca. Not domesticated, they are physically herded into a kraal where they are sheared.

They  reminded me of our Springbok.

Next we met the Alpaca's in their natural environment. Although these were confined, the area is big and they can freely roam around. Also used for their coat and meat, these are domesticated like the Llama.

Two pictures below to show the arid and desert like terrain of Southern Peru

Then came across this place,above where people stop and stack stones on top of each other.You make a wish while stacking them stones and then travel forth, wishing your wish will come true.

We finally arrived in a small village where we were going to overnight and enjoy some local dinner and folkilore dancing.It was cold when we got there. And then the guide mentioned the warm water springs. Changed clothes and went down there. It was great - water temperature 35 degrees - outside 17 degrees.

Then 2 hours later dinner and tourist entertainment.

Next morning up at 6am for trip to Condor Tower to view the Condors and scenery of the Colca Canyon.Trip was on gravel road and I nearly choked on all the dust About two hours later we reached the viewing spot.

A small section of hopeful Condor watchers.

Alas, only saw one Condor and I also was not able to get a good shot and to make it worse, out of focus. So I had to do some Photoshop, but you will get the idea of a Condor gliding below you.

We could only stay for about an hour and a half (you know, tour group schedules) , so whether there were more later I would not know.But it really was a great seeing this big bird.

A view of the canyon.

And then another stop for a group photo

and then the long drive back to Arequipa.Arrived there dirty and dusty and decided it is time to leave Peru.

PERU -SACRED VALLEY AND MACHU PICCHU

Sunday morning,18th July in Cusco.Been a bit exhausted travelling up and down to Machu Picchu, but a good nights rest solved it. OK Cusco is the main city en route to Machu Picchu. This place is swarming with tourists with the center attraction being The Plaza de Armes, lined with restaurants,bars and shops. Originally known as Qosq'o, it was the capital city of the Incas. The Spanish destroyed it and build their own city on top of it. Shit, everywhere I have been the Spanish destroyed everything Inca. Missed Machu Picchu though.
Again cathedrals major attraction here in Cusco.

And a gringo pub called Norton's Bar.Our flag up there too - a little small though.

Thursday, 16th July left at 8 am for the Sacred Valley, once a major agricultural hub for the Incas. Also here two major archeological sites Pisac and Ollantaytambo.

A view of the Sacred Valley.Produce mainly corn and potatoes. Incas had a vast knowledge of agriculture and is known to have experimented with different crops at different altitudes.As you will see later, making their habitation up in the mountains, this was necessary.Today South America produces 3 000 different types of potatoes First stop was Pisac. I was happy to see that there were more stones than the other site I have been to.Did not have to stretch the imagination.

Everywhere you go to see Inca, you climb stairs and come down stairs. I have never climbed so many stairs in my life!These guys must have legs like tree stumps!

See what I mean living up at more than 3 000 meters above sea level.

These steppes, a feature of virtually every hill and mountain in Peru,are the farming area for the different produces.Soil is a mixture of soil from the mountain and soil from the Sacred Valley. The steppes also served as a water filtration system.

All construction here in Pisac consists of rock and a clay mix and all walls constructed to lean inwards. This was done in order to withstand earthquakes.

After that we left for Uramba, a town on the way to Ollytantambo, and had a buffet lunch. Guinea pig topped the meat list. Tasty! Yes, guinea pig is a big part of the diet here in Peru.

After lunch, back into bus and off to Ollytantambo.Below pictures from Ollytantambo.

More stairs! View of the farming steppes from below.

View of the mountain from the steppes.See the constructions on the right and middle of the mountain. Next to the construction in the middle( left), one can distinguish a face feature carved out of the mountain rock. I have enlarged the image in the photo below. Can imagine the guys below shouting - more to the left. Now more to the right. Ok, a little up now.

Awesome hey?

Partial completed wall of what was supposed to have been a Sun Temple. Work was apparently stopped as a result of the Spanish invasion. But looked at how they have shaped these rocks to fit on top of each other. Truly amazing.Also this was hard work. Stone were transported from a quarry 6 km away up the mountain side using a zig zag path. Popular theory is that it was pulled and pushed up using logs as rollers.

The ceremonial fountain in the courtyard.

Cute local girl

That completed the tour here and I was left behind to catch the train to Agua Calientes. With 3 hours to kill, I booked myself into the first floor of a restaurant overlooking the town square and drinking my favourite local beer, watched with amusement the traffic horror below. They were re paving the square and that meant only one small avenue in and out. Buses with tourists stuck for 45 minutes at a time with the sun going down and they still had to get to the site! One entrepreneurial women started selling kebabs to the stuck passengers.After 2 liters of beer, it was time to walk the 10 minute walk to the station. Met with a fairly long queue, but half an hour later, on the train and a 2 hour journey ahead. Arrived at Agua Calientes later than expected as a result of various train stops to allow the returning trains to pass.Met at station by my hostel delegate and another 5 minute walk I was home.Passing through the town square (yes every town and city in South America has a square) , there was dancing and music of a cultural nature.Very festive! Learned later that it was a celebration in honour of The Virgen Of Carmen, a festival that lasted from the 15th - 17th July annually. Check this link for more info. www.livinginperu.com/blogs/travel/283

Some photos from the festival

Agua Calientes is the overnight stay for Machu Picchu which is 25 minutes away via bus. a village really consisting of hostels and restaurants and a rip off. Also the ATM's ran out of money that afternoon.Luckily remembered a 100 dollars bill I stashed away for a rainy day which I could exchange for the local currency.That solved, it started raining and all I could think of - am I going to see anything of Machu Picchu? Went to bed at about 12 am and  up at 4 am the next day to catch the bus to Machu Picchu.When I got to the terminal the queu was probably 500 people long. And still raining! Eventually us drenched souls got on to the buses and travelled up a wet gravel road. As we went further, the rain diminished and when we got to the entrance, only mist swirled around the peaks and valleys. Yippee. Here are the pictures - my original motivation to come to South America.

See how far you have to climb?

Ceremonial rock used in mummifying the dead.

Sacred rock

And then of course my Llama friends

Until later