Rio de Janerio

Our flight into Rio wasn't exactly plain sailing, pardon the pun. Our flight was to go from Lima to São Paulo where we would go through customs then catch a domestic flight into Rio. That plan almost worked, we were coming into land at São Paulo, wheels were down and the run way was just underneath us. I could see the planes lined up waiting to take off but I could also see lightning coming out of the clouds and heavy rain on the window. Due to watching multiple eposides of air crash investigation I was feeling more than a little nervous as a few crashs have been caused by thunderstorms. I was beginning to feel a little better when we were seconds to landing when suddenly the whine of the engines changed to a roar and instead of landing we were in a steep ascent. Well I nearly wet myself, especially when we hit a couple of violent air pockets and the plane dropped several feet. I thought my days had come to an end so I declared my love to Jon and sat with my eyes closed ready to met my maker. Bear in mind that Colombia had just had a major air crash which killed the entire football team all because they had run out of fuel. Luckily it wasn't as dramatic after that and after circling around São Paulo several times the pilot declared we were off to Rio as the weather conditions were too dangerous at São Paulo. Yay we thought, no having to change planes and we were to land at our end destination. We did land safely and I was ready to kiss the ground except they decided they wouldn't let us off and the plane was going to fly back to São Paulo again. Well, the passengers that wanted to be in Rio kicked up a bit of a stink so it was finally decided to let the passengers off whose final destination was Rio and th Esther's stayed on to be flown back. Good decision we thought.

So here we were in Rio, my life long dream to come here and why I spent a year learning Spanish 30 years ago (no one told me at the time that Brazil was the only country in South America that spoke Portuguese) and finally I made it. 

Unfortunately it is rainy season in Rio so our first two days was heavy cloud and lots of rain which was a pity but the last day was beautiful. Very hot and sunny so  at least we had one fine day and at any rate it was very warm, much warmer than where we had come from, I could finally wear my summer gear. We were picked up the next morning by Cathy, our guide for the day who was a very out there type of person but she was great. First stop was Corcovado, the highest peak in Rio, and there are quite a few of them, at which sits on top is of course the great JC or Christ the Redeemer as he is better known in this case. We were the first to get there and had to wait until the ticket office opened at 8am. The drive up there was lovely, going through a part of the Tijuana forest (the worlds largest urban national park) as we slowly climbed up the mountain. At the top is a large building which use to be a 5 star hotel until it went broke and is now a restaurant, sovournei??? Shop and ticket office. From there you catch a small bus which goes further up the mountain and drops you off outside an elevator. You go up the elevator then take a further ride on an escalator until arriving at the feet of the man himself, well at least to the large block that his feet stands on.

The weather at this point was quite windy and threatening to rain but the view was still absolutely magnificent. You can see Rio laid out before you in all her glory. I never realised just how beautiful Rio was with lots of white sand beaches, mountain peaks all around and blue sparkling sea, just stunning, even on a dull day. We could see the Olympic stadium, sugarloaf Mt and the biggest favela, Rocinha, in Rio. A favela is another word for slum and is so named after the favela bush that grows on the sides of the hills where the slums are but more on that in a minute.

 

After taking the usual selfies and drinking in the view we headed for Sugarloaf Mt just as the rain started to come down. Lucky it had cleared a little bit when we got to the cable car to take us up there. This is the same cable car that featured in the James Bond film Moonraker, must watch that again. Up here there were even more stunning views set in a tropical jungle or maybe it was a botanic garden but it had nice walks around what looked like a rain forest, if you were lucky you can see monkeys swinging thru the trees, unfortunately we were not. It also had a great view of the small domestic airport with its short runway with the sea at each end, a bit like Wellington and we could see the planes swinging over the city to come into land over the sea.

 

 

Cathy also took us to two very different from each other churches. One was baroque with a ton of gold and took 300 years to build starting in 1590. The other was built in the 70s and although I thought it was very ugly it certainly was different. It could hold over 20,000 worshippers and was built a bit like a pyramid. It was a big concrete structure with led light windows going up in narrow strips on each of the 4 walls which rose to a peak high above. The cross was suspended over the alter.

We chose not to go to the maracana stadium, not being mad football fans, so instead she took us to a brightly tiled street. This was the brainchild of a Chilean artist who came to live in Rio and wanted to jazz up his neighbourhood. It got so successful that people from all over the world wanted a tile from their country there so he started to collect more and made a mosaic of them all. He would change it around every now and then and was in the process of creating  something special when he was murdered in 2013. They think the drug lords killed him as he was campaigning to stop drug deals going on in his area because of the tourists around looking at his art work. One night they doused him in petrol and set him alight. No more tiling.

 

 

 

Lake Titi(hehe)caca

Another early start, we were picked up from our hotel at 6.30am to catch a bus that left at 7am from Cusco to Puno. We were warned by our guide the night before that there had been a two day strike down Puno way but not to worry as the bus would go slow and they hoped it would all be over by then. Apparently the strike was over the prisons down that way. There are 4 and they wanted 2 to close as they were so dangerous. All the worst of the criminals from Lima like kidnappers and murderers were sent down there and I don't think they liked it (the people, not the prisoners) Lucky for us it was resolved around midday but as we drove through the main commercial city of Juliaca , approx 45 km north of Puno, we could see the remnants  of the troubles. We couldn't believe the state of this city, strike or no strike. The main streets weren't even paved, most streets were just dust and mud with huge potholes and deep water everywhere. Littered on these roads was smashed glass from broken bottles, burnt or smouldering tyres, large rocks barricading the way and metal objects and car parks scattered everywhere. The driver of our large 50 seater bus somehow managed to drive through or around the potholes, broken glass, rocks etc although not all the time managing to avoid them. It seemed such an impossible task but somehow we made it. We passed some burnt out buildings and were told they were illegal nightclubs that had been set alight by the locals as they didn't like all the muggings and murders that went on in the small hours of the morning when they shut for the night. Bear in mind this was the main city of the area, had the only airport for miles around and had approx 250,000 people living there. It looked like something out of the Wild West.

The rest of the 10 hr trip was great. As we made our way across the Altiplano, passing sleepy Andean villages, sheer cliffs and rampaging rivers. We stopped every couple of hours and had short tours of sites of interest like the  ancient Pre-inca town of Raqchi with the remnants of stone walls and store houses or at the small town of Andahuaylillas with an old Spanish church known as the sisten chapel of South America. We stopped for lunch at Sicuani with its restaurant seemly in the middle of nowhere then Pukara known for its ceramic bulls or Toritos de Pucara that help protect your home and families then finally at the highest point of our trip, 4335m above sea level which of course had the usual vendors selling alpaca hats, scarves, blankets etc. Everwhere  a bus stops there are vendors selling the same things. If I had room in my bags I would be tempted to buy a lovely soft baby alpaca blankets but one guide said you had to be careful it wasn't made of baby acrylic. We had a great view of the snow covered mountains of the Andes but the wind was very cold so we hurried back on the bus after our photo opportunity. On the way we saw a lot of llama and alpaca as well as a few flamingos which was a surprise, wasn't even aware Peru had flamingos.

As we pulled into Puno, which rests on the shores of Lake Titicaca, there was a parade going through the streets and just happen to be going down the road of our hotel. It was so colourful with amazing and elaborate   costumes. It was the students celebrating the 5th anniversary of their university. 

The next day we were picked up for our trip on the lake. This lake is very large, around 167 kms long and 50 kms wide. The border of Bolivia and Peru runs through it and at times you cannot see the other side, it looks just like the ocean and even smells like it. 

 The first stop was to one of the floating islands of Uros. It was a bit touristy admittedly but these people did genuinely live on these islands. There are over 40 of the floating islands with around 2,000 people living on them. They are one of the most ancient civilisations on the American continent. Each island lasts for around 35 years before they start to break apart as well as the stench being to much to bear. The one we landed on was only 5 years old but already it was beginning to smell a bit ripe. They constructed the island by first tying together the root ball of the Totora reed beds then layering them with cut reeds. All the huts were also made of the Totora reeds. As the floor of the islands started to rot and sink they would layer more reeds on so it was a constant job. Every now and then they had to lift the huts up so they could put more reeds underneath them. The islands were moveable so they would tow them by boat to where they wanted to be then anchor them down by using ropes and poles. It was a very strange sensation to walk on the island, a bit like walking on a waterbed.

 About 7 families lived on this particular one, each family living in a hut that consisted of just the one room. It got very cold at night, at least down to 2 deg and all they had were blankets, there was no heating at all. To use the loo they had to row, in their boats also made of reeds, to another island made especially for the purpose and the waste was eventually disposed of by burning it. It was very primitive and we weren't really sure just why they did it. They even had to give birth on the island with the help of a mid wife. If anything should go wrong there was no further help for them. We elected to pay a bit more money and go for a ride on a reed boat. One little native girl, no more than 3 years old, jumped on the boat just as it was pulling out and plonked herself between Jon and I. She then sat happily playing with a piece of string and jumping on me every now and then. She was a sweet thing but very grubby, running nose, clothes were filthy and  I was reluctant to touch her too much, not being child friendly at the best of times. In fact they all looked like they didn't rate washing as a high priority so I wasn't displeased to wave goodbye after their farewell little song. 

The next island was a proper one but quite high. Lake titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world at 3400 meters above sea level and we had to climb up this island to a height of 4000m. Walking at high altitudes is a real task. You run out of breath fairly quickly so you have to stop a lot more frequently to get your breath back and this was a fairly steep climb. I'm not sure of the point of this climb except to have lunch as the restaurant was at the top and we had to walk down the other side to get to the boat so there was no way we could avoid it. There was also a craft market in the main square at the top so I guess this was another tourist trap and the point of it all. They are however, renowned for their textiles. The women wash, dye and spin the wool (they walk along the steep paths herding the sheep and spinning the wool at the same time) then the men knit it. Boys are taught from a very young age how to knit and every male is expected to know how to knit. Our guide reckoned that if a young man wants to marry a girl, the father would make him knit a hat then hold it upside down and fill it with water. If it leaked he was no good! Not sure how true that was but it made a good story.  

The women all wore red blouses and several multi coloured skirts covered by a black overskirt. The men wore black homespun pants, white shirt with a wide belt woven in special designs and a short vest of different colours. You could tell if a man was single as he wore a funny looking white and red hat, the married men wore just red hats. They seemed too small for their heads and weren't worn to keep them warm just, I guess, to identify them.

That evening as I was resting on our bed after a long day I felt the bed shaking. I thought it was Jon shaking his leg and making it rock but he was lying still. I thought no more of it until the next day when we found out there had been an earthquake which had made international news. Lucky it hadn't been much larger as I wouldn't want to be in any of those buildings during a major quake. 

Cusco

When we landed in Cusco I was initially unimpressed. The buildings looked ram shackled and the paintwork was not just peeling off, it had fallen off altogether. My opinion changed once we got to the old city. The streets were old Inca streets, the one we were on had a river running through it but now it was underground and some of the walls and buildings were original Inca built. Their stone work was amazing and were built to withstand earthquakes which they have done for centuries. Our hotel was a converted old building with a wooden Juliet type balcony outside our room overlooking the old street. It was amazing what passed by our balcony. I could have sat there all day and be entertained by what went on below. There were a lot of llama and alpacas being towed along by very colourful women all decked out in their traditional costumes, sometimes with a baby strapped in a blanket tied to their backs. Most made money by charging tourists to take a photo of them. They are a strange breed, very short and stocky with, I guess, layers of underskirts to make the outer skirt stick out making them look fatter still, woollen tights and a funny bowler hat perched on top of their head with twin long plaits trailing down their back.

Donkey noses in the local market

We had a walking tour of the city the next morning then were driven high above the city to three different Inca sites of historical significance . I had never heard of these places, maybe because I didn't do enough research but we were pleased to have seen them. Well, maybe not Jon as he was forced to walk some way and uphill to a couple of sites which he considered was just more bloody rock walls. The stonework tho, as mentioned, was just amazing. Some of these rocks were enormous and each was cut out and all fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle. The historians say the Incas were around for a mere 100 years before the Spanish invaded but the infrastructure they had built seems unlikely it could have been completed within this time. One site we went to was Saqsayhuaman which when pronounced sounded like sexy woman. I wondered why he kept talking about a sexy woman until I studied the name. This was a huge place that looked a bit like a fortress but apparently was something like a sun worshipping temple.

That night we decided to try the special highland dish of guinea pig, just to say we had eaten one. They also have a traditional drink called a Pisco sour which is now my favourite cocktail. Pisco is made from fermented grapes and is like a brandy type alcohol. They mix this with lime and egg white to make a very delicious drink. The guinea pig was nice as well but as we had never had one before I suspect you need to acquire the taste. I can't describe what it was like except it was like nothing we have ever eaten before. Sure didn't taste like chicken! I don't think we will have it again but it certainly wasn't unpleasant.

In the morning we were transferred to the bus that would take us on a tour of the scared valley and drop us off at the train station in Ollantaytambo.  There were about 20 people on this tour of various nationalities and the guide swung from English to Spanish with great ease. We drove back the way we had been the day before then carried on through the mountains until we stopped at a lookout that laid the Scared Valley below at our feet. The river that runs through this valley is to the Quechua, like the Ganges is to the Indians. The Quechua (pronounced cach wa) are the native people and speak either Quechua or Spanish. Inca or Inka means king so the Inka was the king and the Quechua are the people.

Our next stop was to another ancient site of the Pisac ruins, a hilltop Inca citadel and fortress.  It was completely terraced, with these very steep terraces at least 2-3 metres deep marching up the hills, shored up by rock walls. At the top was remanents of stone store houses they use to keep their crops in and on the back cliff were lots of holes, looking very much like a beehive. Turns out these holes were tombs. They would tie the body up in a fetal position and put them in a basket before burying them with their wealth of gold and silver. All the tombs had since been raided by the Spanish who looted the tombs as well as all the cities of all their gold and silver until there was nothing left.

We went down into the small town of Pisac, at the base of this hilltop fortress, for a look around their very colourful market before heading off for our lunch stop. On the way we passed through several small towns and as it was Sunday, people were out on the streets, the bbqs glowing and guinea pigs skewered on sticks being roasted  and then waved around like a flag trying to tempt someone to buy it. 

The Peruvian food, despite the tummy churning thought of eating ones pet, is considered the best cuisine in the world and with what we have eaten so far I would have to agree. It is quite delicious, everything we have tried from market food to cafes to restaurants have been of the highest quality and exceptional taste, our lunch on this day in an out of the way, remote location, was no exception. In fact it was the best food we had tried to date.

Our final stop was Ollantaytambo where the train leaves from to take us to Aguas Calientes. Here there was also one more Inca site to climb. By this time Jon had had enough and refused to go up so I had to climb up more rock stairs and a very steep climb I might also add, by myself. Well, the rest of the group also did it but I can't say I blame Jon for not doing it. We did get a good view from the top but not sure the effort of climbing the stone walls with hundreds of others was really worth the effort.

As we got down it began to rain and by the time we were dropped off at the station it was hosing down. We were the only ones going on, the rest of the group were going back to Cusco so we had to make a run for the station which was a fair way from where we were dropped, not sure why that was.

The train was very comfy tho with windows on the roof so you could see out and look at the mountains if it wasn't raining and the windows weren't all steamed up. Unfortunately it was and they were so we nodded off for most of the 2+ Hour journey and it was dark by the time we reached Aquas Calientes.

The next day was the biggy. The day I have waited for many a year, to see the iconic Machu Picchu. We were up early, collected by our guide and caught the 6am bus. There are buses leaving constantly so as soon as one bus is full it leaves and the next bus pulls up. The wait is not long at all. As we slowly made our way up the hairpin bends and steep sided road the dawning sun was touching the tops of the mountain peaks, bathing them in an orangey glow. I tried not to look down when our side of the bus was on the drop side and hoped like hell the driver knew what he was doing. The drive was around 25 mins and we got through the gates before the hordes started arriving. It was another 15-20 minute hike up the hill, could have been quicker if we didn't have to stop so often to breath, before we finally reached the postcard sight. I must admit that it was a very emotional moment for me and I almost broke down and cried. I didn't quite but I did have tears in my eyes, such was the impact of seeing this iconic, historical site of Machu Picchu for the first time. It was just incredible, words cannot describe the wonder you feel as you gaze down on the terraced, stone scattered site with the backdrop of Huayna Picchu and the majestic mountains framing it just like the pictures in the glossy magazines. All I can say is wow.

Our guide then took us down through the city, explaining all the significant sites along the way, I had no idea how clever they must have been and how fit they were! To live here you would have to have strong legs and good lungs. The historians believe that the Spanish did know of the existence of this place but because the Incas had abandoned it and took all the gold with them, the Spanish didn't bother to go looking for it. The guy who eventually discovered it in the 20s thought he had discovered the lost city of Vilcabamba which he had been looking for, where the Inca had retreated to after abandoning Machu Picchu. It wasn't until 4 years after his death did they realise the mistake.

Our guide stayed with us for 21/2 hours then we were on our own for as long as we liked before catching the bus back to town then the train back to Cusco. We decided not to do the 3 hr hike up to the sun gate, instead we opted for the easier 1 hr hike to the inca bridge. It is believed they approached the city through this route when they bought all the supplies then destroyed the bridge so they couldn't be followed. The path lead along the side of a cliff that dropped straight down at times but was a very picturesque walk although not always easy. Jon was just about exhausted when he looked ahead and declared he was not walking up those stairs. What he was looking at was the original inca stairs which clung on the side of the cliff and was after the bridge. Lucky for him it is strictly out of bounds!

We left a little early so we could have a walk around the mostly tourist town of Aguas Calientes with its brightly coloured markets and interesting Main Street, the train lines dissecting right down the middle, before catching the train for the 3 hr 40 min journey back to Poroy, which is the station situated just out of Cusco.

We had a very rare free day on our last day of Cusco which was very welcome. No getting up early or having to go anywhere. It dawned a lovely day so we took a long walk around the streets and visited a couple of museums before the weather turned and there was a big thunderstorm and temperature suddenly dropped. We were caught in the rain so made a dash back to the hotel and waited until later to venture out again. 

That night we had booked into a special restaurant call MAP which was located inside a museum and was part of the museum. We did it to surprise the two girls from Sydney that we had met in the Amazon as we knew they were going that night. The surprise was we actually meet them that morning, coincidentally on the corner near our hotel. So they got to the restaurant before us and had arranged for us to sit at the same table. It was a great night, food was excellent and unusual and they were great company. It was a nice note to end our Cusco tour on.