I like to travel and experience the world like a local. I am usually happier looking for the local restaurants where the natives go rather than the stuffy places that cater to tourists. Funny to start this blog with a group tour.
I have always dreamed of visiting Peru and Machu Picchu. When my friend Ylan (Ylan@saexperts.com), a native Peruvian who organizes tours to Peru decided to arrange a tour for friends I jumped at the opportunity. 8 nights in Peru with time spent visiting the capital city Lima and the Inca empire, Cusco, Urubamba in the sacred valley of the Inca and most importantly Machu Piccchu, the secret city of the Inca. The trip was scheduled for the middle of April, right at the end of the rainy season and the end of the south American summer.
I work out of state and came back home on Friday the 13th, after spending 2 weeks in Massachusetts. 24 hours at home, barely enough time to do laundry, file and pay my taxes, pack and head to the Miami airport for the trip to Lima.
Sunday.
430AM, we land in Lima after a very smooth 5 hour flight. I clear immigration and customs without any problem and meet Pablo right outside. He was sent by Lima Tours (www.limatours.com.pe) to get me to the hotel. We head to the parking lot where we meet the taxi driver and off we are. Pablo is a very nice young man, proud of his country and of his english language skills. He makes sure the driver takes me to the hotel via the "scenic" route. Unfortunately it is still dark and the city is enshrouded in the usual thick fog. I can't see much but I feel right at home. The fog brings back memories of my days in San Francisco.
I check in at the hotel. We are staying at Casa Andina Private Collection in Miraflores (www.casa-andina.com). I settle in, take a nap, freshen up and decide to walk around. By now the fog has burned off. The streets and the parks are full of people strolling and enjoying the day. Cafes and restaurants are packed. The smell of grilled meat is everywhere. I am hungry. I love meat but decide on ceviche as it is one of Peru's national dishes.
After lunch, I spend a few hours exploring Miraflores before returning to the hotel. I decide to call it a night as I need to rest before the busy week ahead. I am happy. I love what I have experienced so far. I know this is going to be a fantastic week.
Monday.
We start our visit in Lima with a trip to the wholesale fish market, Villa Maria. The Peruvians are huge consumers of fish and it is fitting to try to understand their love of food. The place is bustling with activity. Fish and other seafood is sold by auction. The best chefs are here trying to secure the best catch for their restaurants.
We then head to the local produce market where we continue to learn about Peruvian food culture. We samples several exotic fruit from the Amazonian jungle before we drive to colonial downtown.
First a quick stop at one of the oldest bars for a beer and a sample of local cuisine. We share papas a la huancayina, chicken causa and fish escabeche. Full of energy we walk to the Plaza de Armas and start our visit at the Lima cathedral. Built in the 16th century, it is rich in history. Pizarro, the conquistador of the incas, is buried there. He apparently died of the same death he inflicted on the last Inca. According to the locals, he is resting in pieces but not in peace.
We get out of the cathedral, cross the Plaza de Armas and reach the Casa de Aliaga. This amazingly well preserved house has been continuously lived in by the same family for 16 generations.
Back on our bus, we head for the Larco museum. After a delicious lunch in the garden of the museum cafe, we visit their extensive collection of inca pottery, tapestry,jewelry and also erotic art.
Tuesday.
3 AM wake up call. We leave the hotel at 4 and head to the airport for our flight to Cusco. Planes typically leave early in the morning for Cusco due to the very difficult landing in Cusco and frequent bad weather. Our 540 flight is delayed but once the Cusco airport reopens, we are the first to depart. The one hour flight on Taca is a real pleasure. Friendly flight attendants and a warm breakfast. What a difference a few thousand miles south makes.
Cusco is at almost 12000 feet and most tourist have a hard time adjusting to the altitude. To avoid any potential problem, we are immediately taken to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
First stop is the archeological site of Moray. The Incas experimented with crops more than five hundred years ago and built 3 circular terraces for new crop development.
We then drive to the nearby village of Maras where we visit the church of St Francis Assisi built in the 16th century. The locals give us a wonderful musical show on the antique organ.
Outside the church, the ladies wait for us for a donkey ride. We are taken through town to a local house where we watch the ladies making chica de jora, the local corn beer.
After a 2 hour ride through some of the most beautiful scenery, we arrive at Sol y Luna (www.hotelsolyluna.com) in Urubamba at 9000 feet. Lunch is at their extraordinary restaurant, Wayra Ranch (www.wayrasacredvalley.com) where we are served a fabulous barbecue meal. From there, we make our way to the casitas walking through an enchanted garden enjoying the warm sun. By this time we are all exhausted.
Wednesday.
I wake up refreshed and energized. Breakfast at the hotel is another amazing experience. Variety of fresh exotic fruits, home baked breads, pastries. Fresh herbal infusions, home made jams. What a way to start the morning!
Rena, Andrea and I have signed up for a 3 hour mountain bike tour. Our guide drives us up from the valley to the high plateau, back at 12000 feet. The scenery is exhilarating but every pedal stroke is an effort. We bike past friendly villagers harvesting potatoes. We head to the Maras salt mines and eventually make our way back to the hotel, exhausted but ready for the afternoon events.
Thursday.
Today we leave for Machu Picchu. First on the agenda is the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo. Located about 30 minutes north of Urubamba, the town is one of the few stops on the train to Machu Picchu. Located strategically at the end of the valley, the town is still surrounded by Inca walls and can only be accessed by one road. We make our way to the old fortress and get off the bus in awe. A massive complex of ruins stands right in front of us, high on the side of a mountain. It takes 3 stops to make our way to the top. Steep, narrow steps and the high altitude make the ascent very challenging. But once we finally make it to the top, the spectacular view if worth every bit of effort. We learn about the Inca resistance to the Spanish conquest before making our way down to town.
There, we drive to the train station for the hour and a half train ride to Aguascalientes. The train if packed with tourists of all ages. Older retirerees, young backpackers and middle age yuppies all share in the excitement. The ride itself takes us through the beautiful valley surrounded by snow caped mountains alongside the river Urubamba. We go from 9000 feet to 7000 feet, from a relatively dry valley to a lush tropical jungle in an hour and a half. Finally, Aguascalientes. This small town is a bustling tourist trap in the middle of nowhere. We get off the train, walk past hordes of women peddling souvenirs and make it to our hotel, Inkaterra.
Inkaterra Hotel (www.inkaterra.com) is an oasis of peace and relaxation at the edge of town. Rustic casitas are tucked in on the side of the mountain in a lush tropical garden. Orchids, ferns, heliconias fight for a piece of soil to grow. The hotel grows its own tea and herbs that are harvested and processed for afternoon tea. We settle in simply decorated rooms just in time before a tropical downpour. The rains stops quickly but the air remains moist and heavy. The sun quickly sets behind the mountains. Time for tea. The hotel lobby is a large hacienda. Several rooms are furnished with plush sofas arranged around few fireplaces. Sipping tea by the fire, I feel lucky to be here.
Friday.
It rained all night long. I barely slept, filled with anticipation over our visit to Machu Picchu. We have decided to start the day early before the crowds make it to the sanctuary. After a light breakfast, we make our way through the village to the bus station. It is a 30 minute ride up a very steep mountain, on a very narrow road with hairpin turns where oncoming traffic gives new meaning to good driving. The hills are covered with brightly colored wildflowers and orchids. The air is moist and heavily perfumed by the flowers and wild herbs. We finally make it to the entrance and realize that the sanctuary is enshrouded in thick fog. We cannot see anything.
Disappointed but resigned we start a 2 hour hike to the sun gate. This was the main entrance to the village during Inca times. It is at the end of a 4 day trek from Ollantaytambo on the Inca trail. It overlooks Machu Picchu and when the weather is clear, provides a birds eye perspective of the whole sanctuary. The climb is moderately hard. The Inca trail was well built and remains in excellent condition. The path is steep, but stairs carved out of the bedrock help the ascent. Wildflowers line the path and the thick fog continues to hide the deep ravines and perilous drop alongside the trail. We pass exhausted but exhilarated hikers who chose to get to Machu Picchu on foot. We make it to the Sun Gate and rest for several minutes hoping for the sky to clear. No luck. The fog remains thick.
Heading back is a lot easier. We take time to appreciate our surroundings as we go down a thousand feet. We walk alongside the ravines, through thick tunnels of vegetation and patches of fragrant orchids. Suddenly as we go around a curve in the trail, there it is. As if by magic, the fog has lifted and Machu Picchu is in front of us serene and magical. Words and pictures cannot truly convey the awe that we feel. The group breaks up and we each find a spot where we sit and just contemplate.
The site is located at around 8000 feet, on the side of a mountain. The terrain is very steep and surrounded by even steeper mountains still enveloped by clouds. It sits a the foot of the majestic Wayna Picchu. Having never been found by the Spanish, it remains very well preserved. Well built houses and temples lay on the terraced mountain. Made entirely of perfectly cut and stacked stone without any mortar it has survived several earthquakes along the centuries. Steep streets of stairs join the living quarters and wide public spaces. Water fountains and canals continue to carry spring water through the village down toward the narrow valley floor. The genius of the Inca is everywhere.
We spend most of the day wondering though the sanctuary and learning about the Inca history from our very proud and well informed guide Lourdes before we head back to Aguascalientes. After and exhausting day we make the four hour train ride back to Cusco. When we finally check in at the Hotel Aranwa (www.aranwahotels.com), we all head for bed. We were supposed to have adapted to the high altitude by now but despite the coca tea one cannot help but feel short of breath by the least effort. The oxygenated hotel room and comfy bed is a welcome relief.
Saturday.
I get up early. After a night in the oxygenated hotel room, I feel invigorated. I sneak out of the hotel. It is glorious outside. The streets are mostly empty. The air is crisp, the sky is deep blue, the sun is shining. I have decided to skip the hotel breakfast and I head to the San Pedro market.
First stop, the juice stalls. I came looking to sample the special juice at the recommendation of our bike guide. I sit at the counter, order and watch the old lady make the special: carrots, papaya, orange, celery, quinoa, carob, malt beer, an egg and some milk. All goes into the blender and comes out smooth and delicious (despite my doubts).
The rest of the market is amazing. Life everywhere. Fruit merchants, vegetable suppliers, cheeses, breads, flowers, herbs. You find it all. I have also come to sample a special soup that I once saw on one of my favorite travel shows. I deliberately make my way to the back of the market where the cooked food stalls are located. Dozens of people are sitting around picnic tables eating steaming bowls of soup. Where can I find my "chupe de chunios"? Unfortunately, chupe is only served later in the day. I decide on goat head soup instead. Served with slices of hot chili peppers and wedges of lime, it brings back memories of my childhood.
Happy, I go back on the street and stroll around town. Beautiful cobbled streets, colorful plazas, majestic colonial churches with over the top baroque art promise a great day of discovery.
The rest of the day is spent discovering the treasures of Cusco: Saqsaywaman fortress, the cathedral, the gold temple and the local craft vendors...
Sunday.
We say goodbye to Cusco. After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, we head to the airport for the flight back to Lima. Today we have no special agenda. It is meant to be a relaxing day. We enjoy a great meal at a beachfront restaurant in Miraflores and spend the afternoon strolling around the hotel. Our farewell activity as a group is a fabulous dinner at one of the city's premier restaurants. We feast on a delicious assortment of Japanese Peruvian fusion before calling it a night.
Monday.
The week has come to an end. I leave on the 730 am flight and I must leave the hotel by 430 to make it on time to the airport. As we take off for the flight home, I have a big smile on my face. Memories of this wonderful country are flashing in my mind. Breathtaking mountains, fog, sun, wildflowers, ancient wonders, delicious food. Most remarkable though is the people of Peru, warm, happy, friendly and proud to share their beautiful land and its amazing history. Like they have carved on some of the mountainsides, Viva el Peru! Thank you for your hospitality. I will be back.
