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Machu Picchu Pilgrimage+Manu+Lake Titicaca

By : Molly Quackenbush
Trip Begins September 21, 2011
Trip Ends October 9, 2011

Our idea for this trip started with seeing Machu Picchu, but soon, trekking the Inca Trail became integrally important to the purpose of the trip. Dave & I are in our late 50’s. We hike, just not real fast. We were extremely pleased at how personalized the entire trip was, especially the trek. We're also not much group tour people, but were expecting crowds at such a great attraction. How much of it we amazingly had to ourselves was beyond my best hopes. All of this was thanks to our wonderful guides & Adventure Life.The entire trip was a fabulous experience.
See my photos : Machu Picchu Pilgrimage+Manu+Lake Titicaca

Want to go? Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu Pilgrimage, Manu Biosphere

I went to: Peru, Lima, Manu, Manu Wildlife Center, Cusco, Inca Trail, Inca Trail Day 1: Huayllabamba, Inca Trail Day 2: Pacaymayo, Inca Trail Day 3: Phuyupatamarca, Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu Ruins, Machu Picchu, Puno, Amantani Island, Uros Islands, Amazon, Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge
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September 21, 2011
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Arrival in Lima

Lima, Peru

Our very satisfactory COPA flight arrived in Lima very late at night, so instead of having a few hours of sleep to catch a flight in the morning, we took a day to see Lima. This was the only part of the trip where I requested a specific hotel, the Gran Hotel Bolivar, from that era of grand dame hotels, where Hemingway stayed, etc. Despite some 'old and frayed' comments on Trip Advisor, I found the place to be wonderful and full of character, from the stained glass domed lobby to the quality of the linens on the bed. What a delightful change from the modern luxury chains ! We had a room overlooking the street, which was a little noisy from the constantly honking horns, but we were tired enough to fall asleep anyway, and I would certainly stay in the same room again. Many of the new hotels are located closer to the ocean, Miraflores, etc. We preferred to be closer to the historic downtown.

September 22, 2011
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Exploring Lima

Lima, Peru

We walked down the pedestrian street to go to the Plaza de Armas. On the way, we peeked into the Iglesia Merced, which introduced us to the beautiful ornate style of churches the Spanish built. There was a Mass in progress, and we were blessed to stay. We learned that throughout Peru, the sanctuaries were only open when there was about to be a service. You could tour the treasuries, the monastery gardens, but the sanctuary doors would be locked.

We wanted to see the changing of the guard at the government palace. It was very colorful and entertaining. The band played for a long time. I was interested to watch all of the Peruvians who were there to see their national attraction, including school groups. There was a church between the Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace, which was stunningly beautiful. Then we moved on to the San Francisco Monastery, where there was a tour. The beautifully carved choir was outstanding. Catacombs don't thrill me too much, but it was all still interesting throughout the church. I couldn't help noticing how worn and smooth were the steps and the floors....

We were looking for the Casa Torre Tagle, an 18th century mansion, which is used for a government agency, so couldn't go inside, but the carved stone entry and wooden balcony are gorgeous outstanding examples of those arts. We had a very good lunch at a restaurant across the street. . .(neglected to write the name. . . it wasn't in the guidebooks, but recommended by the security guard outside the federal bank down the street.) The special was 'chaufa', which we discovered was chicken fried rice! With all the well-dressed businessmen in the room, we were surprised they did not accept credit cards.

Later in the afternoon, we took a cab to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum to see that outstanding collection of Peruvian artifacts, reminiscent of the many touring exhibits I've visited at the Smithsonian over the years. The galleries were very well done, with fantastic things to see, but I was especially amazed by the storage rooms! He collected way more than they have room to display, so they leave the storage rooms open: shelf after shelf, floor to ceiling of ceramics from the various periods. Anyplace else, any one of them would be in a showcase. The array was just astounding.

I always enjoy the street scenes, glimpses of how they do life. All the stores of a type are grouped together, a few blocks for stationary, trophies, hardware, 'funeraria', etc. There were lots of street vendors, including whatever someone had to sell today. While we were stuck in traffic (common in Lima), a man was in the street selling his armload of screwdrivers! My favorite was the street vendor near the hotel selling hot fresh potato chips. The sweet potato ones were very tasty.

We had dinner at the hotel. The restaurant wasn't busy at first, but then folks, couples started meeting there in an 'after-work' mode. . .it felt local. The food was fine.

Now you're going to ask here, and throughout, why we often ate in our hotel, especially in Lima with its currently trendy culinary scene. First, that simply wasn't the focus of this trip. With our varied itinerary, and all of the hiking gear we didn't have baggage space for dress clothes. Looking forward to the trek, we were very cautious about what we ate. I couldn't reconcile 'don't eat the lettuce or drink the water' with gourmet dining. The hotel dining rooms were convenient, comfortable, and reasonably priced. The food wasn't the most adventurous, but it was very good, and we never had a bad meal.

September 23, 2011
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To Manu !

Manu Wildlife Center, Manu

We departed early in the morning to fly to Puerto Maldonado, the airport/gateway city for the Madre Dios, Manu Rainforest Area. We would be staying at the Manu Wildlife Center. Getting there was definitely part of the experience. Our guide Enrique picked us up. He was excellent throughout. His degree was in zoology from a British university, so his English was excellent. He had lived in the U.S., had a relatively worldly view of things.

We drove for a few hours down the 'new paved road'. This is the new coast to coast highway that the environmentalists are understandably so concerned about. I share and understand the concern. . . but it's not that easy. Don't the people need and deserve a paved road ? (It was the only one.)

Notes of what I see along the way: cattle in the road; every little community had a school, and many had a health clinic; much effort has been put into giving them electricity; many bikes, motorcycles, and variations thereof. There's a gold mine operation with a 'town' of blue tarp dwellings full of migrant workers. I worry about the social impacts. . .the 'girlie bars' and surely sex trafficking, and the devastating environmental impact.

We leave the good road for a lousy one to get to the first river. We boarded the boat on a 2 x 6 plank. I was pleased that the boat was clean, seemed in good condition, and had life preservers. We cross the river, meet a new transport vehicle. The road is dirt/rocks, and gets worse. They do have electricity which enables a small settlement to have a 'video bar' (and ice cream!) The young women wear spike heels on miserable sidewalks. There are more cows, goats and a pig in the road. Laundry is being done in a creek. More than one shanty has a satellite dish. We see farms, lumbering. It's against the law to cut Brazil nut trees. There are offices of the 'Agriculture Ministry'.

We were very fascinated by the atmosphere at these river ports, the economic activity going on. We thought it was reminiscent of what American ferry points must have been like two hundred years ago, with the exception of the boat engines.

We cross a wide mudflat shore to get to the second boat for 4 hrs going up the Madre de Dios River... as the sun sets, which is quite beautiful. We see a capybara and birds. It feels so remote and then we're out there in the dark ! It's a little scary, as the assistant boatman uses a large flashlight as a 'headlight' to see. I have to assume that the driver 'knows the road'. Enrique assures me that the driver lives across the river from the lodge, so that makes me feel better. (I was wondering why the boat departs so late in the afternoon, and could we have scheduled an earlier one? but Enrique says they're all that way.)

Finally we arrive at the Manu Wildlife Center. Julian, the manager, meets us at the boat. I couldn't see the wet rocks, slip and fall, (which was more embarrassing than painful), but quickly overwhelmed by the exotic, candlelight atmosphere of the facility. The dining room was very appealing and welcoming. Dinner was semolina soup, some kind of meat, with excellent mashed potatoes from scratch (as they were the entire trip). Dessert was trying to be lemon meringue pie. Overall it was very pleasant. . . and wonderfully peaceful.

The cottage was just what I wanted it to be. It was very clean, comfortable, and cozy. I had chosen this jungle option because it was remote, while also having hot water and private facilities (saving the camping for later.). We slept well, before the very early wake up, which we would get used to. (4:30 am wake-up is not usually my idea of vacation)

September 24, 2011
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The Macaws and the Jungle!

Manu Wildlife Center, Manu

Back to the river! It's the beginning of daylight. It felt good to get moving on the nice little walk to the macaw lick. We are in a large covered blind along with a group of serious photographers. It was plenty large enough to accommodate all of us without interference. Everyone is very quiet.

Breakfast is served, as we wait for the birds to gather. There are some monkeys in a distant tree (I should have watched them longer, as that was one of the few views of monkeys we were going to get), but we were there for the birds coming to the salt lick, which looked like a large eroded river bank.

First there were the green parrots on the lick, a few macaws in the trees above. Nature requires a LOT of patience. Gradually the group of macaws increases more and more. Finally one moves to the lick, then another, and another. Eventually there were at least a hundred of the brightly colored macaws in the trees and on the lick...and this was REAL. I kept reminding myself that this was not a zoo/wildlife park or a Disney construction. These birds were in their true habitat. (Before the trip, in an old National Geographic, Jan. 9, I had found an article by Charles Munn, who was the first to extensively research these macaws in the wild. He discovered this macaw lick, and developed the travel facilities around it. He's a true expert in the field. The article was very helpful). Another thing that really helped was that Enrique carried a large, high quality telescope. He knew what he was looking for in the trees, found things for us to see, and enabled us to see everything up close. He also knew how to use it with my little digital camera, so I have close-up pictures of the birds.

Enrique was a fantastic guide. He was truly expert in knowing about what seemed like everything we saw: trees, plants, insects, animals, and he pointed out and explained so many things, that I would have missed. The giant sacropolis, kapok trees, ficus trees ( I had to laugh at something we use for indoor decor, here being a huge tree). My husband, Dave, who builds models, had never seen a balsa wood tree, and he still wouldn't have seen it without Enrique.

Lunch was chicken, rice and beans, a coffee flavored torte. All tasty, though the rice is made with olive oil, which I didn't care for. Enrique was very interesting to talk to, which was good, because it was just the three of us at meals. It was truly a luxury to have this adventure to ourselves, at our pace, focusing on our interests. Thank you Adventure Life for offering this type of opportunity.

After a much needed nap, we explored the grounds. The gardens are beautifully landscaped, but not too much so, with beautiful flowers and plants. We were always hearing birds, especially the oropendolas, which were so distinctive. I had never heard anything like their beautiful call.Then it was off to the jungle again, with another nice little hike to the tapir blind.

The center kept a schedule board for all of the guides, which allowed them to coordinate where they were going, so throughout our stay, we and the other groups there were never in the same place. This was excellent.

Enrique warned us that there was only a 10% chance of seeing the tapirs. (This rather surprised me, given what I had read about Manu). So we get to the blind (which had soft beds with nets, etc. If we had had another night, I would have slept there). And it gets dark....and there's nothing to do to pass the time, with lights out, barely talking at a whisper...and we're waiting for an animal to arrive...and it doesn't. There are some bats... I start to get disappointed....but there are so many SOUNDS ! And Enrique knows them all, from the insects (like cicadas sounding like a piercing dental tool), to the birds (like tiger heron sounding like a truck), to the monkeys, frogs, many owls, etc., etc. I watch and hear darkness overtake the jungle. I've camped out a lot, but there was something different about this because, there was absolutely no distraction, no intrusive sounds or lights. Though obviously not preferred, I can see wild animals at the zoo, but only out here can I truly experience this environment and it's (or its) magic!

We hiked back in the dark, which made worry-wart me a little nervous, but soon the adventure took over, and there was still plenty for Enrique to point out: two large frogs, (one on the ground and one on a branch), and another small one. (How does he find these things?) All day we had noticed different colonies of ants: army, bullet, leaf-chopper. Tonight the leaf choppers were very busy carrying the pieces of leaves in an endless column across the path. Enrique also pointed out an extremely large roach, and a large white arachnid: half spider, half scorpion. We would have overlooked all of it without Enrique.

It was great to have hot water when we got back to the cottage. How romantic, sitting there in the candlelight, in nothing but our towels, eating delicious apples peeled by pocketknife!

September 25, 2011
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High in the Forest

Manu Wildlife Center, Manu

Breakfast was eggs, sunny side up, toast, delicious fruit juices, and very local, ripened ON THE VINE, bananas! (Unlike the ones back home !)

Back on the boat, and then a short hike to the kapok tree observation platform, 140 ft up. Huge tree! What a magnificent span over the rain forest, with no sign of mankind! Camera cannot capture the vastness of the view. Thanks to Enrique and his scope, again we saw lots of birds, including many different tanagers, and the highlight, a toucan! The tree was so big, that even the branches at that height were still wider than Dave!

We could have stayed there longer, but then we were on to the catamaran looking for the otters. The river's course had changed and the lake was not as big as it had been. Enrique says the number of otters has greatly diminished. We didn't see any. Again we did see lots of different birds including the hoatzin, and a type of flying turkey that ruffles its feathers very loudly. We also heard the howler monkeys. On the walk back, Enrique stuck a stick into a hole on the ground, and pulled out a huge tarantula!

All along Enrique continues to show us interesting trees: those related to the chocolate family; palm trees with large needles in the trunk; the strangle fig that lives off other trees; the belly palm tree. Arriving back at the lodge, the muddy little bank is all aflutter with many varieties of butterflies!

Lunch was a very good quiche and the popular beef saltado with rice. Dessert was a cream tart with boysenberry sauce, excellent!

We took a 2 hr siesta, then hiked on the Grid path in the lodge area. We finally saw monkeys: tamarind moving like a squirrel, fairly close, then way up high, the spider monkeys! We could only see their silhouettes, but we could watch them acrobat across the tree branches. It was the climax to what had already been a great day! The rest of the walk was just enjoyable, Enrique pointing out the poison dart frog.

We had wonderful weather the entire time at Manu. It was humid, but no worse than the East Coast in the summertime. Temperatures weren't nearly as hot was we expected, and overall we were quite comfortable.

We relaxed on the lodge porch that afternoon. (A day could easily be spent just lounging around the lodge, hammocks, etc. It as quite appealing. They turned on the generator for a few hours each day so folks could recharge batteries, download photos, etc. There was tea time in the afternoon.) They assured me that they used purified water for ice. That was the only time the entire trip that I had a drink with ice!

With nightfall, before dinner we took a short boat ride to look for caimans. This time the night boat ride was enchanting! Caimans are sought by shining a flashlight along the riverbank, and the light finds their eyes. We saw three. There were fishing bats over the water, and as it got dark where there's no light pollution, the starry heavens were magnificent.

Dinner was a tasty Quinoa soup; the lasagna just okay; the dessert of warm rice pudding was really good. We enjoyed more discussion with Enrique about environmental challenges in Peru. They're making some progress, like they recycle plastic bottles now but it's the ongoing conflict between habitat impact/ destruction and people wanting income. Even a small amount of selective logging impacts the animals.

Time to pack for an early start tomorrow, as we listen to the countless bird songs in the night.

September 26, 2011
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Adios, Manu; Buenos Tardes, Cusco

Cusco, Peru

Before the alarm, we're awakened by a loud roar, like distant machinery. We soon learn they're the howler monkeys! That was awesome! It's still dark as we head to breakfast. There's a little commotion in the garden? It's Vanessa, the local pet tapir. So close!

We had hours to go in the boat to go today, so after a night of Imodium moments, I only ate bread for breakfast.

The morning light on the river was beautiful, and at that time saw many shore birds. Now going farther down the river in the daylight, getting farther away from the Manu reserve, I could see increasing habitat destruction. There might only be a small stack of wood planks next to a small path into the forest, which doesn't look like much, but gradually the forest was not so dense. A forest cleared cattle farm appears to cause drastically more severe shoreline erosion. (We saw plenty of slash and burn along the roads.) At Boca Colorado, we cross the wide mud trek to shore and say good-bye to Enrique and the boat crew. We were handed off to Carlos, a young man our 'transfer agent', which is like a guide in training. He tried very hard to give us good service.

At least the bad roads are straight, and there are plank bridges over the ditches. Back on the 'highway' we stopped at what's developing as what we might call a turnpike stop. They were adding a lane for this, just since we had passed a few days before. The facilities were clean, and the counter girl was very friendly. Throughout our trip, without exception, the people serving us in hotels and restaurants were very pleasant and helpful. They treated us like they were glad to see us. Peru seemed to be trying very hard to look after the tourists. Our experience was that anyplace dealing with tourists, in the large or small town centers, including public bathrooms, were clean. In the cities, there were plenty of security people, and the streets were well lighted. Since it was dark by 5:30, this was important.

At no time did we feel unsafe, except with this next driver to the Puerto Maldonado airport. He drove way too fast, not stopping for anything. Look out, pedestrians! (I know this is common in many foreign countries, but he was an exception to all of the other drivers we had in Peru). At some point, I realized he was about to fall asleep, literally having trouble keeping his eyes open, resting his chin on the steering wheel. (I was riding in the front so I could see this clearly.) Carlos didn't seem to notice, and we weren't communicating well enough for me to explain my concern and ask him to have some kind of conversation with the driver to keep him awake. (And I didn't want to be difficult.) I realize this is something that A-L didn't have any control over. How would Enrique have known that the driver hadn't had enough sleep? We were very relieved to get to the airport.

At the Cusco airport, the transfer agent wasn't holding a sign. Enrique had said his name was Nico. We waited some minutes, then since he worked for Inkanatura, I asked another Inkanatura greeter with such a sign if she knew Nico. Fortunately he happened to be standing next to her, so the connection was made. I had not traveled with this kind of tour before, and had been a bit apprehensive about all of the connections. We had a few minutes of 'where is he?', but this was very minor and there were no other problems meeting up with our guides or transfers.

We arrived at the Taypikala, warmly welcomed by the staff. It was well located and quiet. The room was very comfortable. We knew to take it slow with the altitude, just walked around the nearby Santo Domingo area, and ate light at the hotel restaurant. The food wasn't chic, but it was just fine.

September 27, 2011
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Cusco

Cusco, Peru

I awoke feeling weak and nauseous from the altitude, so stayed in bed until noon. Dave said the breakfast buffet was very good, brought some nice plain rolls. After those and lots of liquid, I felt better, and we went to explore the Plaza de Armas. The cathedral is beautiful, very ornate, with another gorgeous carved cedar choir. We went over to the Plaza Regacijo where there was some kind of campesino sit-in going on. Dave had seen their parade earlier. It was interesting how many people, especially the women, still wear the traditional dress. I wish I could have read their signs. We had lunch at the Cafe/Bar Cusco. The outdoor patio was very pleasant, but the hamburger they served was barely cooked and we had trouble getting them to understand 'well done'. For an area that gets so much tourism, we were frankly surprised at how little English was understood.

The Cathedral of Santo Domingo was built on the Inca Palace and Temple of the Sun. We visited the museum under the plaza, which houses artifacts from the area. It was okay.
At 3:00, we met our new guide, Edwin. Cusco is his city and he's very proud of his Inca heritage and really knows the history and the culture. He took us inside Santo Domingo showing the Inca walls, and explaining the history of Inca religion, and then on to the expansion of the Inca empire in Peru and South America. This meshed with a visit to the Inca Museum, which was excellent, with more interesting artifacts, better now with Edwin's explanations. He pointed out that Incas were the rulers. The regular people were/are the Quechua. He suggested the Inca Grill for dinner, where Dave had very good alpaca. My appetite is lagging, maybe due to altitude.

September 28, 2011
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Cusco Area Ruins

Cusco, Peru

Argh! Woke up sick again, after a very bad night for the digestive system. I decided it was time for the Cipro antibiotic, which we had brought with us. However I took it in the night without reading the instructions to take with plenty of water. This was not a good combination with the altitude, so I woke up very dehydrated, which brought back the altitude nausea from yesterday morning. It was also raining, so Dave stayed in with me. I spent much of the time drinking water, and some of the coca tea which was always available in the lobby. I hate the taste, but lots of sugar helped. By lunchtime, I felt much better. We ate at the hotel. The tomato soup was great, though I only ate a little.

So that afternoon we went to some of the local ruins, which were really neat: Tambomachay, the ceremonial baths; Puka Pukara which may have been a fortress; and Q'enqo with niches and passages carved in to a large piece of limestone, maybe for sacrifices. Very interesting.

On the road to Sachsaywayman, Edwin took us to a very nice shop. It was very geared to Americans, with all of the prices in $$. They gave little presentations on the various products, as to what distinguished good quality. They also had some craftsmen working on the premises. The jewelry and woolen goods are high quality and beautiful, but not cheap. Dave had checked out prices at shops in town and found these to be comparable, so we splurged on hats and scarves. Surprisingly, the shop didn't take plastic!! Nor did they take soles, only US $$, which we weren't carrying. Even more surprising, they let us take our purchases to the hotel, then they came by later to pick up the cash we got from the ATM, which was not that close-by. (Dave was getting a little annoyed over money issues, which he normally handles very well. Tipping recommendations for drivers seemed inconsistent, a shop only accepting $$ instead of soles, and lack of credit card acceptance in such a tourist area kinda threw us off. )

I would add that Edwin caught on quickly that I'm not much of a shopper, and fine jewelry and clothing items were not the objective of the trip for us, so this was the only time he took us to a specific shop. Again, nice to have the tailored tour.

We went on to Sachsaywayman, which was very impressive, and great views of Cusco from the top. It was our first climbing at altitude, which wasn't nearly as bad as we feared, from a breathing standpoint.

We hiked back down to the city. Tired and hungry, we walked around looking at restaurants, and ended up at Ciccolina, which had been in all the guidebooks. Like other restaurants on the Plaza de Armas, it was on the second floor, with window tables offering a nice view of the plaza. It was a little fancier than what we were up for, but the food was excellent, among the best of the trip. I had the alpaca in pepper sauce. The serving was big enough for two people.

September 29, 2011
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A Very Full Day in the Sacred Valley

Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley

Finally the first day I wake up feeling good, which greatly impacted my energy and mood. (It was a very good idea to bring the antibiotic from home. I got better that much faster, and it greatly facilitated treating the illness, without losing a day of vacation tracking down medical care.) This was my first day to make it down to breakfast, which was a good buffet, including European-style choices.

This was a great exploring day, as we went out to the Sacred Valley. All day as we drove, there was lovely scenery, including snow-capped mountains, lots of pastoral scenes of people with animals, working in fields, etc., very deep valleys down to the Urubamba, and interesting towns to see, plus all the sights!

First we stopped at an animal park, which cares for wild animals that have been rescued from illegal trade or mistreatment. Hairless dog, a puma, another wild cat, birds including the condors ! as well as llamas, and a coati that had half his paws cut off ! It was a sad, but very worthy establishment. They accepted donations for entry, which I gladly supported. I appreciated Edwin knowing about the place, and his support of the cause.

Then to the market in Pisac. It was great. I'm as interested to see the day-to-day life shops on the street and the meat and food products serving the locals in the market, as I am in the souvenirs. Everywhere we went, I was very amused at the little children hanging out with their vendor mothers. They had little if anything to play with or amuse them, but they didn't seem fussy or difficult. One little guy just hanging out on the potatoes was among the adorable faces.

To Moray: Inca terraces, thought to be a place they experimented with agriculture in the small differences in light and temperature at the gradual elevations on the concentric circle terraces. It looked like going to the center of the earth. If collapsed all of the rings would just fit inside each other. Very tricky steps down the terraces, as they are just protruding stones, but going down I really got a feel for the place. Dave went all the way to the bottom. Again, it's so nice to be at our own pace.

We returned to the van to find that the driver had set up our tent for a lunch of chicken roll, (which I couldn't eat because it was undercooked), and the pasta salad which was fine, with some veggies, and a pastry dessert. Fabulous view! Eating out doesn't get much better than this!

On the road out, Edwin knew that the children from the fields would recognize our vehicle. He gives them leftover breads and fruit from our lunch!!! These kids aren't barefoot starving poor, but these things are special treats for them. Edwin sees this as preferable to wasting the food. If I had known, I wouldn't have eaten any of it for lunch. So these little faces at the van door, with such anticipation...for apples and breadsticks! ...I was very close to crying.

Then on to the Salineras, the salt pools, which are quite a view down the valley into which the salty water flows from a spring. The water is collected, then evaporates leaving the salt. Quite the panorama, and extremely interesting. A little craft market leading in had some different things.... a child asleep in a DHL box!

We then went to Ollantaytambo. The El Sauce Hotel was very nice, with great character. Great knitted hat collection on the wall. Edwin says color and pattern are peculiar to location. We had great views of the ruins from our room window. Surprisingly, there was noise from large tractor trailers passing by well into the night. I read later that the road is now the access to the natural gas fields being exploited. There is concern about the impact of all those trucks, (which barely fit through the street), on the ruins and Inca buildings. They are in desperate need of a by-pass!

Anyway, we had an excellent dinner at the Blue Puppy (recommended by Edwin). Teriyaki was a nice change, and well prepared. Luckily we beat the two tour groups that came in. Our experience was that the restaurants have small kitchens and everything is cooked to order, prepared on the premises. Sysco hasn't found them, so food service is slower than what we're used to....take a patience pill. The good part is that everywhere we ate, the food was fresh, and wonderfully unprocessed. (When we got home we realized how unsalty their restaurant food was, compared to ours.)

Now after all of these wonderful sights and experiences, the highlight of the day: exiting the restaurant, we see that the town square is full of people, locals not tourists. The streets are blocked off. What's going on??? Well, as explained by the local woman next to me, whose English was surprisingly good (maybe a teacher ?), it's the annual school parade! All of the children from the local school, by class, (their signs indicate not just grade level) are parading around the square in native costumes. There's a little marching band. Then after they've paraded, each group performs a dance from their folklore. This is great to see! They've obviously worked hard and overall are proud of their presentation. However, as they're doing their dances, I can also see that some of them are really into it, while others can't remember their steps. Over to the side, some of the older boys are horsing around....In other words, these kids are just like the ones I watched for years in my kids' schools. Though the surroundings can be very different, some things are the same all over. And, even better than authentic, this was REAL! It wasn't a show for the tourists. It was a glimpse of life in Ollantaytambo! I enjoyed watching it very, very much! What luck!

September 30, 2011
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Camino Inka!

Inca Trail Day 1: Huayllabamba, Inca Trail

We were so excited that today's the day we've been preparing for and looking forward to for so long. Every weekend for 6 mos we took a practice hike of at least 5-6 mi.

Outside our window and from breakfast, we see the vendor women selling breakfast foods to kids on their way to school, and adults going to work. Our breakfast buffet was delicious. Mango Jam was a new one for me, and a treat on the consistently good breakfast breads.

First we visited the Inca ruins there at Ollantaytambo. The town still has a lot of the original village structures. Beside us on a field trip, was a school group from a small town that doesn't get tourists. They asked if they could have their picture taken with us tourists!!! Dave practiced his little Spanish with them. They took pictures with their cameras, too, or I would have gotten their names and address, so I could mail them copies. What fun! This was typical of a situation, which we may not have understood, if Edwin hadn't been there to translate and explain.

So down the road to Km 82 at Piscacucho to start the trail. The staging area was interesting with the various groups, and porters packing...like a large carton of eggs ! in a back pack ??!! Something about the staging area, reminded me of an ancient caravan stop, like we've seen in the Middle East or the Balkans. The air of preparing and anticipation was exciting...or was that just me ?

It was a fairly long wait for the check-in process, with paperwork to clear for us and the porters (must be really bad in peak season.) Also the porters waited in a line to have their packs weighed, as there is a limit on how much they can carry, which is good, and indicates they were likely mistreated in the past.

Finally we cross the bridge and we start the Camino Inka !!!
There was lots of local 'traffic' on the path, as this is how the locals transport the supplies they got in town (including a case of Coke protruding from the donkey load!)

From the start, views were already gorgeous looking down the valley with the swiftly flowing Urubamba, even in dry season. Many small farms, homes with gardens and a few livestock. We stopped for lunch at a lovely site, with the chickens running around! Excellent cream of spinach soup, chicken salad and a flat bread I've never had before. Very good.

We were pleased that the hike was manageable for us, especially since we hadn't recently done a 7 miler due to circumstances at home, and a week now in Peru not doing anything strenuous. ( I know it's going to change tomorrow!) The trail is not nearly crowded as I expected. Mostly porters, who I just let pass, as they're moving much faster. I wish they all had good shoes, instead of the little rubber sandals! There was a little chapel, which I could go inside of and be as inspired by its simplicity as by the grandeur of the cathedrals.

The environment is mostly dry, reminded us of the American southwest. Some areas had a hanging garden effect with profuse succulent plants. We stop at some ruins ( Edwin gives excellent historical narrative) , and look down on others! Awesome view of Patallacta! At some point later, I turned around to look behind me ( don't forget to turn around sometimes)....and Mt Veronica emerged from the clouds ! We're in the Andes!!!

We are very pleased with the camping set-up: our tent, the tea/dining room tent; the potty tent is clean and well situated. (I had read some negative things in a travel magazine article about the conditions at campsites on the trail. This was not our experience at all on the entire trek.) The campsite was lovely, and not crowded, just us in someone's little farm yard. I would have paid money to see inside the little house, which did have electricity and a TV. At some point in the evening, we heard the young resident say a loving good-bye to his visiting sweetheart....again some things are the same all over....
The trout for dinner was among the best I've ever eaten.
Great Day on the Trail!

October 1, 2011
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Dead Woman's Pass and Beyond....Alive!

Inca Trail Day 2: Pacaymayo, Inca Trail

I'm writing this on the 2nd, because after the toughest day on the trail, as it's billed, I was too exhausted to write, but WE MADE IT to Dead Woman's Pass!

To start the day, we were awakened by roosters right outside the door of the tent! After breakfast of French toast, we were eager to get started.

Edwin knew our pace, and knew that I didn't want to be in the way of other faster hikers. He quickly developed a strategy of leaving a little later than the younger faster groups in our vicinity. This was great.

(Note: in the AM, there was some confusion about the guidance we had been given by A/L regarding water. Maybe because the porters are now required to carry propane instead of white gas to cook with?...and let's face it, propane is heavy...whatever, they weren't planning to boil /sterilize as much water as we were expecting (to fill nalgenes morning, noon and night). Edwin told us to purchase water, which was available at the campsite. At least he negotiated down the price they were asking. It was just annoying because that hadn't been the instructions...)

After breakfast, we were formally introduced to the porters, led by head cook Augusto, and his 5 helpers. They gave their names and ages, which ranged from 21 to 47. I asked them how many children they had...17 between them.

Can I just say what a luxury it was to have these porters, beyond their carrying everything. We would arrive at camp tired. The tents were already up, with our bags and sleeping gear inside. Shortly after we got there, (and first thing in the morning), we would have our 'Inca Spa', a bowl of hot water to wash up with, delivered to our tent door. We rented A/L sleeping bags to save on baggage space. I generally don't care for mummy-style bags because they're so darn hard to stuff into the sacks. The porters did it for me! All of the little attention was really great.

Dave said it was the hardest hike he's done...and he's done a lot. I was so pleased with us. We couldn't have done it without the training and the practice. Edwin said we did better than he expected, and the best compliment was that he could tell we had practiced. On all of those very irregular steps, there's more to it than just endurance. And though we certainly didn't see this as a race, we were pleased that we weren't the last ones to make it to the Pass or the campground. No one I saw was hiking fast, recalling a young woman, whom I let pass, who with much stress remarked, 'I'm going so slow, but it's still so hard.'; That pretty well summed it up.

As we climbed, we passed through different micro-ecosystems. Saw a beautiful large bright green hummingbird, right up close. The views were awesome! Beautiful! and waaayyyy down......It was the last we would see agriculture, llamas and sheep.

(I have to say that the path could use a few more toilet facilities. There's very little, if any, cover to go behind, and there are just enough hikers and porters passing.... Up at the pass, Edwin pointed to a 'place around the corner', which was well hidden. It wasn't totally disgusting, but obviously lots of people had to use it, and they leave their paper, and it was smelly. I understand they don't want to mar the landscape, but surely there are options. They need to accept the realities of the users who, due to altitude and exertion, must drink a lot of water!)

At the pass, a little man playing the harmonica was totally precious. I was touched, and enjoyed the sound of his music in that surrounding wide space. I gave him our trail mix, which he said he would take home to share with his wife! I teared up again....

The Pass is indeed the great climax of the day,....but then you realize you're not done yet. Lots of steps down...but the scenery is stunning, including a waterfall. We were way glad to make it to camp. Augusto prepared cheese wontons for tea, which were great....but I was really too tired for dinner, which was semolina soup and chicken (we asked him to hold the curry sauce, which was easy because he was preparing everything on the other side of the tent partition!)

At this campsite, the groups were much closer together, however our crew did an excellent job of situating us, so that we still felt to ourselves. An older couple from one of the other larger groups actually came and looked around our accommodations. I think they were jealous of our Adventure Life arrangements, and probably our small group!

I would also note that Edwin has so much experience as a guide on the trek, that after that first test hike back at the Cusco ruins, he had some idea of how we would do. He felt it was his job to hang back with me hiking slowly, but I don't like someone right behind me, and I'm accustomed to being well behind Dave, so I just told Edwin to go ahead, which he did, and it was great because I often had the trail totally to myself...beyond my wildest dreams for the Inca Trail! Again, thank you Adventure Life for enabling this kind of experience!

October 2, 2011
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The Highest Point !

Inca Trail Day 3: Phuyupatamarca, Inca Trail

The night wasn't as cold as expected. Breakfast was pancakes with elderberry jam!

The day started out rough. I had read so much about Day 2 being the hardest and that it was supposed to be easier after that. I had mentally focused on that goal, and not thought enough about also having what was for me significant climbing to do. The first few hours were on steep, high steps. Of course yesterday the prolonged steepness and the altitude were difficulty factors, but for me the hardest part was all of the steps, up and especially down. This morning, my mind wasn't in the right place for more steps, and for the first time, this wasn't fun. Being socked in the clouds without a view didn't help. I took a lot of pictures of the flowers by the path. But then eventually I reminded myself that I wasn't a refugee or hiker seriously lost....I wanted to be here.

So I was much better by the time we got to the Runkuraqay Pass, and it improved from there. The trek is a mental exercise, as well as a physical one.

Lunch was beef saltado, and it started raining pretty hard. We were a little worried. Yesterday when we were going down all the steps, I had thought how nearly impossible it would be for me if it were raining! Fortunately by the time we were ready to get started, it had lightened up, but still wet enough to try out my not-that-fancy rain gear, which worked out very well. Coming upon ruins in the misty jungle was just really cool!

We decided not to climb up to Sayacmarca. With the clouds, we would not have had a view, and more importantly, I felt I needed to save my aching knees for what wasn't optional. The path was wet, not as bad as feared, though the Inca Tunnel put us on our butts, because the steps were so worn and very slippery. Some of the path was along a ledge, (Dave doesn't like shear faces), but the thick vegetation helped. We spent the entire afternoon in the cloud forest. It was so lush, with such a diversity of plants because of the changing altitude. Gradually the clouds started to clear, come and go......the scenery that peeked (or peaked) through was breathtaking. My camera wasn't enough to capture the vast forest panorama against the misty mountains.

At some point we got a glimpse of Aguas Calientes....way down at the bottom. We had a ways to go.

Literally and figuratively, the absolute high point of the day was arrival at the campsite, which was absolutely spectacular! an overlook point with the snow/glacier capped mountains all around us. It was here that the A/L postcard I've had at my work desk for the past year was taken..and this was even better than that ! There was a rainbow (which Edwin said was unusual). Every direction was gorgeous, awesome scenery! Contrary to previous comments, we were inspired to walk up to a higher point to see it better. I was filled with awe and delight.

Dinner was okay: spaghetti, quinoa soup.

There was a precious moment of appreciation to our porters: Augusto, Christolo, Manuel, Mario, Ronald, Tadeo, as this was our last night with them. They were so great. My tribute to them was that they performed their laboring jobs so well, with pride and dignity and smiles. We couldn't have done this without them.

The universe was before us. Wish I were a better astronomer...; too dark to read the star chart. There were so many stars, so much of the Milky Way and beyond, it was hard to pick out a common constellation like Orion which totally dominates my home sky. It was very cold, but a great night. When I got up in the night, the moonlight was illuminating the glaciers, absolutely breathtaking!

October 3, 2011
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Behold Machu Picchu!

Machu Picchu Ruins, Peru

It was a difficult day, but behold MACHU PICCHU!

Poor Dave got sick in the night. He felt really bad this morning, but we had no choice but to keep going.

Breakfast omelet with bacon!..the first breakfast meat, and in my opinion, the best breakfast of the trek. (Lunch would be a box lunch chicken sandwich).

Dave felt so bad he couldn't eat. He was already dehydrated. The local remedy was celery tea. Edwin also had some electrolyte powder and an extra Gatorade.

The morning was mostly hard down steps, including a spiral staircase. We said adios to the porters as they passed us for the last time. After 3 mi, we stopped at the another campsite at Winay Winay, where there is a closed dining facility. The unused entry platform was a perfect place, out of the way, where Dave could sack out for a while. Edwin had been in touch with Augusto, who came back to the stopping place with a sleeping mat for Dave to lie down on, and he also brought extra water. I thought he showed genuine care, which was appreciated. Having the team to work with was also a credit to using Adventure Life. ( I'm not sure what would have happened if there had been even just two more people with us. Would they have been held up by Dave's illness, or would Edwin have had to leave us ???)

Earlier we had passed the Puyupatamarca ruins , which were very impressive, and I think would be a destination by itself, if MP didn't exist. Views into the valley were quite dramatic. Edwin suggested we take a shortcut from the trail, which bypassed the loop to Intipata, though we could still see it from a distance. We were actually on a path that the porters would use. (They had lots of shortcuts, which avoided steps.) At this point, Dave just needed to get down.

Again we were into the cloud forest the whole way. Begonias geraniums in their natural habitat !! There were also wild strawberries, and I saw a lizard. (We've not seen any wildlife the entire way. )

As we got closer, hearing the train and an airplane felt like a shock after our remoteness. The last steps were hard. We were using our hands to climb, feeling truly like a pilgrimage, and then it's the Sun Gate and we are there ! We marveled, took pictures, rested! It is a farther view of MP, than I expected, but still very dramatic and totally awesome.

So many of the books recommended being there at sunrise (which didn't interest me enough to wake up in the wee hours, and then have to hike in the dark). I think the late afternoon light lent a wonderful quality to the ruins, and it was just great.
The only down point was that Dave felt so sick, it definitely impacted his ability to enjoy the crowning moment of the trek. Nonetheless, we were both SO GLAD we had taken the trail, instead of just the train. We saw and experienced so much more ! It's about the history of the trail, and all of the sights along it, the whole experience! There was a fantastic satisfaction of achievement, the height of anticipation, to the climax moment that lived up to great expectations, and did not disappoint.

It took another hour to go down to the bottom. Being back among the tour groups felt like a shock, as did the nice bus, but the cushions and the a/c sure felt good! The bus down the switchbacks, wasn't nearly the Dramamine moment I had anticipated. Aguas Calientes is certainly entitled to be the tourist place it is.

The El Mapi is a nice hotel, and wow it felt good! Dinner was included, and they specially made chicken soup and toast for Dave, but he couldn't eat much. My excellent meal had a cream of veg soup, and chicken with a fruity sauce I couldn't identify, with another serving of great Peruvian mashed potatoes. The chocolate cake dessert was trying to be a brownie, okay but too sugary.

A shower and a bed!

October 4, 2011
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Machu Picchu !!!!

Machu Picchu, Peru

Best breakfast buffet at El Mapi, great selection.

Dave's feeling better, thank goodness, so he could enjoy the day.

It was raining so Edwin, took us into one of the huts where we could sit covered, with the perfect view overlooking the entire landscape, while he explained all of the history. Then the rain stopped! Some lingering wisps of clouds added to the atmosphere, and Edwin gave us the tour, which was really excellent. There were plenty of people, but not overrun, and we still beat the worst of the crowds. Again, MP lives up to its press! So many people come here, because it is truly a great sight to be seen. Of course it's on everyone's list!

After 2-1/2 hrs. with Edwin, he offered us time to explore on our own, but we felt like we had seen so much, and had had enough. We were tired of climbing, and Dave still was far from 100%. Thanks to Edwin, we didn't think we missed anything. Perhaps if we had added a day to rest at Aguas Calientes, I think then we would have wanted to climb around and explore more on our own, but it wasn't necessary.

Back to town for lunch at the Inca Wasi, another of Edwin's restaurants,which was very nice. We had the steak, which was excellent. After two weeks of too much food in restaurants, we finally figured out to order one plate and split it.

Lots of souvenir markets en route to the train station (where the public facilities were amazingly clean!) We were on the Vistadome train, one class below the Hiram Bingham luxury train. I thought they provided good service, including a snack. Nice views of the mountains from the bottom of the valley this time. Sheer verticals, and formations, reminded us somewhat of a 'younger Glacier Nat'l Park'.

Then to Ollantaytambo to pick up our bags, and a lovely van ride over the hills. In the beautiful clear sky, late afternoon light we still weren't tired of the scenery. Edwin stopped to buy some chicha to take home to his mother! Amazing number of corn varieties hanging inside the house.

Back to the familiar Taypikala, it felt almost like home ! We bid farewell to Edwin. He is a true professional at what he does. We appreciated so much the extent of his experience and depth of knowledge about the Inca history and culture. I don't believe a guide could be any better than Edwin.

As we walked down the Ave del Sol to find dinner, there was some group of adult folk dancers practicing in the parking lot of the Ministry of Justice. Even without costumes, it was great watching them, and again this wasn't just a performance for the tourists, so to me much better.

There were menu hawkers all over the Plaza. The Embardero girl won. The trout was excellent.

October 5, 2011
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A Rest Day in Cusco

Cusco, Peru

I had asked that this day be added to our itinerary, so that we could just rest and recharge. It was a good thing ! Unfortunately the same combination of Cipro and altitude now hit Dave, and he was really sick again. We were glad we had the day off, so he could stay in bed and keep drinking. The coca tea didn't hurt, either.

So I went exploring by myself, which I enjoyed. I went to the MARKET !, which was a great experience, especially past the souvenir stands to the meat aisle, the fruit aisle, the potato aisle, etc., and all the little booths. There was the coffee/chocolate aisle, where I bought souvenirs from a beautiful young woman with a baby on her back. In the clothing aisle, the vendors were at their sewing machines! How did they see in that light ? In the very back were the local equivalent of lunch counters, very busy with locals, including patrons in office wear.

Then I went to the cloisters of La Merced to see the solid gold, jeweled Custodia (which holds Communion wafers), and other beautiful things. The carved wood ceilings, doors, etc. were all marvelous to see. Just junk snacks for lunch was a fun change. Peruvian fritos ! and wandering around taking more pictures of the beautiful colonial buildings and those that incorporated the Inca foundations.

For dinner we ate at the hotel, where the food was fine. Dave came down, but couldn't eat. If he's not better by tomorrow, we may have to drop the last part of the trip, which would be disappointing, but we accomplished the main objective.

October 6, 2011
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Sightseeing on the Road to Puno

Puno, Peru

Thank goodness, Dave is much better today. A day on the bus will not be too taxing. We said 'adios' to the Taypikala, which had served us well. The staff were always friendly and helpful, though note, they offered, and we gave them postage money to mail postcards for us. That was never done.

Jose picked us up, drove through the newer section of Cusco, to the bus station where we would pick up the Inka Express tour bus. The guide on the bus was very good.
It was a long ride, but the stops were interesting. We were more off the beaten path, and stopping in places where they're obviously trying to bring some tourism $$. Much of it is not even mentioned in most of the guidebooks.

First to Andahuaylillas, to see the church. The decoration was not as ornate as we had seen, but the painted front and ceiling to the portico were beautiful. It reminded me of places in Europe. It was being restored. There were large, hedge size geranium bushes in the garden. Then we stopped at Ranqui. Dave went to look at the ruins, while I did a little shopping at the stands in the square. I also enjoyed watching the kids at recess in their school yard, and a herd of sheep that just passed by on the street !

Lunch was interesting and good in Sicuani, at a buffet restaurant designed for the tour buses. It was a very pleasant atmosphere with good food and a band playing music.

Back on the road, we crossed the high pass at Abra La Raya, which was breathtaking. There was one more town to visit, Pukara, where the museum had a good display of pre-Inca monolith statuary. It was also interesting just to sit and watch the action in the main square of the relatively quiet little town. What all gets carried on bicycles and tricycles, and variations thereof. There were local woman crowded around a large truck, which was buying and loading whatever was in their large bundles ??? It looked like straw, but was obviously something more important than that.

Now we were in the ranch land;the shepherds, what a lonely life. Broad expanses of fields, wide open spaces, high plains between the mountain ranges. We see llamas, alpacas, which we've not seen as many of as I expected. There's not much traffic, mostly trucks and buses on this excellent road.

Juliaca and Puno both felt like the wild west. Though dusty, they appear to be thriving, but something in their tax code, says that the property tax isn't paid on a house that isn't finished, so large majority of those outside of the old town centers, even though obviously lived in, are bare bricks with re-bar sticking out the top !!

After the seven hour trip, which was comfortable and went by quickly, we arrived at the bus terminal where we were picked up by sweet Maria, who took us to the Q'elqatani, which was especially charming. It is family owned, and they care about their culture, their history, their business, and their service, which was very warm .This was my favorite hotel of the trip. It was so comfortable, and had so much character. With still some aching knees, the elevator was appreciated, too. (This was the first A/L hotel that had one.)

We decided to not do the family stay on Amantani Island as planned on our itinerary. We were tired, and Dave was still not feeling 100%, so we needed a comfortable room with a bathroom,a good bed, and reliable food preparation. We immediately asked the manager, dear Eduardo, if we could spend the next night there. He wasn't sure, but would check into our options. He also asked for our flight arrangements, so he could work on getting our airport transfer two days later. Tomorrow we'll go to Uros reed islands, and then because of the boat schedule, we'll go to Taquile, which had been scheduled for Saturday, which is now an open day. Eduardo has many suggestions for what we can do.

We had dinner at the hotel : excellent cream of corn soup, trout.

October 7, 2011
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Lake Titicaca

Puno, Peru

Interesting, beautifully scenic day on Lake Titicaca to the islands. The group guide was excellent, energetic. We were the only ones with our own additional guide, Javier, a young man, native of the floating reed Uros Islands. These were so unique and great to experience ! They really are just like the old pictures ! ( I had wanted to see these islands since a picture in my third grade geography book !) Javier gave a good presentation on the lifestyle. We saw them raising fish, ducks, and they even invited us to see inside their homes. There is a school, though by high school, Javier was riding his motor canoe 2 hrs to the mainland. They were proud to show us their culture, and had beautiful crafts for sale. The one anachronism was the solar panel enabling a boom box and a TV.

Then another 2 hours on the boat to Taquile, which was pretty for the views, but frankly a little disappointing (or was I just saturated by now ?) The craft market didn't seem as special as promoted. The highlight was lunch at a family home restaurant: trout, fries, and the best Quinoa soup of the trip. There was also trout drying on a line...trout jerky ?? Javier gave another presentation on their special traditions and customs, which they're holding onto. Both islands have old mores, isolated cultures. I'm guessing it will dwindle quickly. There was not electricity, but a teenager was talking on a cell phone....

It was a long boat ride back. Everyone slept.

Back in town, dinner was excellent pizza at Ukuku.

Thanks to a cancellation, Eduardo did find a room for us to say at the Q'elqatani tonight. Then critically, we're checking with Eduardo for our transfer schedule on Sunday morning, only to find that LAN had canceled our early flight on Sunday, and re-booked us on a later one, which will not get us to Lima in time for our connection ! Why were we not notified of this change ? I had checked my e-mail, where there was nothing. These internal flights had been booked by the Excito Travel Agency for Adventure Life. Wasn't it someone's job to notify us of such changes ? I've been spoiled by Orbitz. Even if I had thought to call LAN, I'm not sure I could have communicated with them. I was sitting there with Eduardo as he was on the phone with them. He kept getting cut off, and was unable to get immediate confirmation of re-booking. They didn't charge for the flight change, which I also credit to Eduardo. Thank goodness we had him to do this for us, still working at 8:00 pm.
Tomorrow we'll be in Lima. Good thing we didn't stay on Amantani, or we would have had no knowledge, and making the necessary changes would not have been possible.

There is a group of schoolgirls in the hotel tonight, noisy in the hallway (only briefly). Even in a language we did not understand, they sounded the same as at home.

October 8, 2011
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Puno and on to Lima

Lima, Peru

We had this morning for some sightseeing, but the Coca Museum was closed for a Peruvian national holiday commemorating a 19th century naval battle with Chile ! (Wasn't on my radar at all.) I did get to light a candle in the Puno Basilique, upgraded by Pope Paul in 1963. At some point, there is a parade around the square, this time of the children's soccer teams, complete with soccer moms! Aren't they cute !

We found excellent empanadas for lunch, which was a good thing because dinner was a long way off. While waiting for our driver, we helped the hotel owner string cans for his about to be married nephew's car!! What a personal sharing! So Eduardo is still working on my Lima arrangements, when he needs to be getting to his cousin's wedding!!

On the way to the airport in Juliaca, about an hour away, we enjoyed beautiful views of the lake and some farewell pictures. Eduardo calls the driver to give me the name of our transfer agent and hotel in Lima. No problems at the airport, though there was no place to eat. We sat for a long time, as the plane was late, though there was live musical entertainment at the departure gate! I've never seen that before!

We flew over beautiful high mountain scenery to a stopover at Arequipa, then 1-1/2 hrs to Lima. No problem finding our transfer, but Miraflores is a long way from the airport. We're told we need to be at the airport 3 hrs in advance tomorrow, so 9:45 pick-up won't leave much time in the morning. Maybe we should have saved time by staying at the airport hotel, though then again, we will be able to see the Pacific!

Eduardo calls the driver to tell him about the crazy cash payment situation at the hotel: they couldn't take our credit card because the Internet wasn't working because of the holiday !!?? Our driver was able to work it out. Again the staff was very friendly. The MiraforesColon Hotel was 4 star hotel, a little fancier than we'd had, but not nearly as charming as the others we had stayed in. It didn't matter, though. We were just feeling very fortunate that Eduardo was able to make these arrangements for us.

It was late, and there weren't restaurants close by, so we just ate there. Unfortunately we were behind a large, loud tour group. As noted earlier, food is cooked to order, and we sat there a long time. The poor waiter was very apologetic, though it wasn't his fault. When we finally got our meal, the chicken was very good.

Long day, exhausted by the concern and logistics of itinerary change .... the bed linens were exceptionally pretty and it was all very comfortable.

October 9, 2011
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A little bit of Lima and Wrap it up.

Lima, Peru

Woke up to Lima's 'garua' grey sky. We walked around the upscale neighborhood, and down to the shore. Even in the fog, the high bluffs along the coast were beautiful scenery. Surfers!

Eduardo called to make sure we were okay, and to confirm the transfer time. God bless him!

So we're in the cab, and there's a local MARATHON going on! Another 'who knew?' which threatened to delay our travel. Good thing the driver knew alternative route. Nice drive along the coast, lengths of little soccer courts, very busy on a Sunday morning.

The airport was a zoo. We needed the 3 hours, but we got through okay. Duty-free pisco, and one last empanada to use up soles.

We are ready to go home... but it's over...boarding soon.

Flight okay. Short connection in Panama City, we had not left the gate area. There was a new, additional system of security at the gate. Maybe because we were going to Washington D.C.??? Who knows, but they were confiscating unopened liquids purchased behind security, including water, and our duty-free bottles purchased in Lima ! I handed them my carry-on to check, but it was a soft-sided bag. I didn't have time to check everything that was in there. (A souvenir got broken!)

It was good to be home, but WHAT A TRIP!!

Thanks to all of the service provided by Adventure Life. Part of their trademark is 'authentic travel'. That is totally accurate, and exactly what we got.

After doing quite a bit of research on various companies, we chose Adventure Life for its overall philosophy, small group size, the pace of itinerary, cost, quality of guides. Also the quality of the staff we were dealing with on the phone, was always very positive, patient, and helpful. They were so flexible accommodating our preferences, which turned out to be an excellent preview for the service we got in Peru. We were very pleased by what they provided. As noted several times, it felt quite luxurious to be traveling just the two of us, with such personalized, quality services.

All of the guides were outstanding. All of the accommodations were very comfortable, clean, and conveniently located. They had excellent friendly service, and great local character, which to me is so much more important than luxury. Machu Picchu had been the original incentive, but the rain forest, Lake Titicaca, and all of the sights, the experience made a fabulous trip, which I'm going to be talking about for a long time.

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