Saturday, May 2, 2009
Jungle Queen
Today, Saturday, has become the new day of rest. I could barely manage a walk to the market due to extreme exhaustion. Glad I went though. Gracie introduced me to an undiscovered aisle in San Pedro. An aisle where women make traditional health shakes out of frogs skinned alive and octopus. Yum!
Now I´m home, preparing for my very first eveningALONE in 4 months of travel!!! What am I to do without friends for one night!?! I´ve bought a bottle of Chilean red, and a flick for $1 from the market (bootlegged of course). I´ve got olives and a warm bed to look forward to too.
I´m pooped after 5 days in the jungle with a retired Shaman and fiery Guatamalen-Miami bred wild woman.
Booking the trek was easy. I knew I didn´t want to go commercial for Machu Picchu. I picked an alternative, locally run company owned by Pepe who also runs El Arbol, the veggie restaurant next to our spanish school. Upon meeting Pepe I knew I wasn´t going to get the conventional Machu Picchu experience. To be honest, I was a bit worried when I showed up day 1 to discover that it was just me and Majsha dressed in her finest fur jacket and Prada backpack. She mentioned Pepe being a Shaman and was eager to get into the San Pedro hallucenogenic state she had had previously in the jungles of Peru. Immedietaly I thought I was screwed, having booked the wrong tour. Turns out Pepe is retired from all of that and I had an entirely drug-free jungle experience, apart from chewing Coca leaves for altitude sickness, common and accepted practice in Peru.
Day 2 after a 6 hour horrifingly bumpy bus ride through the Sacred Valley and a quick snooze in the tiny town of Santa Maria I awoke to the most amazing jungle scenery. The climate was hot, humid and a nice change from the chilly days of Cusco and her high altitude. We departed for our trek and spent 8 hours exploring the jungle and the tiny communities within. I enjoyed Pepe´s tour for the financial support it gives to local families. We enjoyed homemade coffee, cheese empanadas, and cocoa seeds straight from the trees. A first for me, the flesh was deliciously similar to custard apple and the cocoa seeds had a thick texture. Muy bien! After several breaks along the trek for yoga, massages (Pepe is a trained reflexologist), and meditation sessions we made it to the thermal baths of Santa Teresa. This eden was a welcome break for our sore bodies. The ´resort´ is only a year old but the hot natural waters have been pouring from the mountains for thousands of years. Beautiful scenery surrounded me as I floated in the pool. So many shades of green!
After a lazy morning, day 3 took us away from roads as we treked the train tracks in the direction of Machu Picchu. Above us we saw the ancient trails of the Inkas, unrecognized by the Spaniards whom thanks to the density of the jungle, never discovered Machu Picchu. In Cusco my friend Tony taught Gracie and I all about the conquistadors path of destruction. They chopped off the heads of the Condor and Puma carvings, sacred animals of the Inkas, leaving only the snakes for the Christian connection with the devil. Gracie and I got to run our fingers along the rock carvings and were shown how they´re highlighted with the sun´s various positions.
Not a lot is known about the Inkan society, and Machu Picchu remains a mystery. Visiting the citadel was a childhood dream of mine, and I found myself enjoying being lost in the streets, exploring man made caves and soaking up sun on the terraces away from the tourists. The location of Machu Picchu is remarkable. Now only over-priced trains can enter the nearest town of Aguas Calientes as there are no roads. I´m glad I treked as it made the experience of reaching Machu Picchu all the more worth while. And the fruit! Oh my...Our trek was made longer by the constant breaks to pick fresh mangos, avacados, and guavas from the trees. The secret waterfalls were also worth the hunt through snake infested marsh.
One of the highlights for me was our last day. We had planned on leaving at 6 in the morning, but upon returning to the hot springs after a 12 hour trek 6 turned into 11 and then finally at 1 we departed for the town center to catch our bus to Cusco. This being Peru, there are holidays every other day. No one wanted to drive us. One 18 year old taxi driver (with his dad in the back seat keeping watch) juggled with the idea, knowing full well that he doesn´t get enough customers, but wanting to participate in the town´s parade that day. He had already put balloons on his car... And so we waited. Refusing to succomb to boredom we opened a bottle of wine and prepared a fresh lunch of avacado and cucumber. We played with the local kids and tried our hands at chess. Finally a local offered to take us in his car on the 6 hour journey. And take us he did...100 kms an hour on winding roads above the clouds with the peaks of the Alps at eye level, listening to regaton (duh de dah duh de dah duh) the entire way as our bodies crashed into eachother (no seat belts). Finally getting us safe and sound to Cusco at 10pm (I was expected to arrive at 1).
Being with Pepe and Majsha was the real trip. Pepe speaks broken English and Majsha had to translate what I couldn´t understand. Most of the time I listened to their rapid fire Spanish conversations about ex-spouses and their kids, nodding my head in agreement. I had to constantly request that they speak slower. The learning continues...
As does the night. Time for my local veggie sandwhich and a glass of vino.
Enjoy these first days of spring. Winter is approaching Peru. Bolivia will be even colder.
I leave Wednesday, after Gracie´s birthday celebrations. We´re thinking of splurging on a 15 soles meal ($5) rather than our usual 5 soles.
Ciao mis amigos!
xo
em
Now I´m home, preparing for my very first eveningALONE in 4 months of travel!!! What am I to do without friends for one night!?! I´ve bought a bottle of Chilean red, and a flick for $1 from the market (bootlegged of course). I´ve got olives and a warm bed to look forward to too.
I´m pooped after 5 days in the jungle with a retired Shaman and fiery Guatamalen-Miami bred wild woman.
Booking the trek was easy. I knew I didn´t want to go commercial for Machu Picchu. I picked an alternative, locally run company owned by Pepe who also runs El Arbol, the veggie restaurant next to our spanish school. Upon meeting Pepe I knew I wasn´t going to get the conventional Machu Picchu experience. To be honest, I was a bit worried when I showed up day 1 to discover that it was just me and Majsha dressed in her finest fur jacket and Prada backpack. She mentioned Pepe being a Shaman and was eager to get into the San Pedro hallucenogenic state she had had previously in the jungles of Peru. Immedietaly I thought I was screwed, having booked the wrong tour. Turns out Pepe is retired from all of that and I had an entirely drug-free jungle experience, apart from chewing Coca leaves for altitude sickness, common and accepted practice in Peru.
Day 2 after a 6 hour horrifingly bumpy bus ride through the Sacred Valley and a quick snooze in the tiny town of Santa Maria I awoke to the most amazing jungle scenery. The climate was hot, humid and a nice change from the chilly days of Cusco and her high altitude. We departed for our trek and spent 8 hours exploring the jungle and the tiny communities within. I enjoyed Pepe´s tour for the financial support it gives to local families. We enjoyed homemade coffee, cheese empanadas, and cocoa seeds straight from the trees. A first for me, the flesh was deliciously similar to custard apple and the cocoa seeds had a thick texture. Muy bien! After several breaks along the trek for yoga, massages (Pepe is a trained reflexologist), and meditation sessions we made it to the thermal baths of Santa Teresa. This eden was a welcome break for our sore bodies. The ´resort´ is only a year old but the hot natural waters have been pouring from the mountains for thousands of years. Beautiful scenery surrounded me as I floated in the pool. So many shades of green!
After a lazy morning, day 3 took us away from roads as we treked the train tracks in the direction of Machu Picchu. Above us we saw the ancient trails of the Inkas, unrecognized by the Spaniards whom thanks to the density of the jungle, never discovered Machu Picchu. In Cusco my friend Tony taught Gracie and I all about the conquistadors path of destruction. They chopped off the heads of the Condor and Puma carvings, sacred animals of the Inkas, leaving only the snakes for the Christian connection with the devil. Gracie and I got to run our fingers along the rock carvings and were shown how they´re highlighted with the sun´s various positions.
Not a lot is known about the Inkan society, and Machu Picchu remains a mystery. Visiting the citadel was a childhood dream of mine, and I found myself enjoying being lost in the streets, exploring man made caves and soaking up sun on the terraces away from the tourists. The location of Machu Picchu is remarkable. Now only over-priced trains can enter the nearest town of Aguas Calientes as there are no roads. I´m glad I treked as it made the experience of reaching Machu Picchu all the more worth while. And the fruit! Oh my...Our trek was made longer by the constant breaks to pick fresh mangos, avacados, and guavas from the trees. The secret waterfalls were also worth the hunt through snake infested marsh.
One of the highlights for me was our last day. We had planned on leaving at 6 in the morning, but upon returning to the hot springs after a 12 hour trek 6 turned into 11 and then finally at 1 we departed for the town center to catch our bus to Cusco. This being Peru, there are holidays every other day. No one wanted to drive us. One 18 year old taxi driver (with his dad in the back seat keeping watch) juggled with the idea, knowing full well that he doesn´t get enough customers, but wanting to participate in the town´s parade that day. He had already put balloons on his car... And so we waited. Refusing to succomb to boredom we opened a bottle of wine and prepared a fresh lunch of avacado and cucumber. We played with the local kids and tried our hands at chess. Finally a local offered to take us in his car on the 6 hour journey. And take us he did...100 kms an hour on winding roads above the clouds with the peaks of the Alps at eye level, listening to regaton (duh de dah duh de dah duh) the entire way as our bodies crashed into eachother (no seat belts). Finally getting us safe and sound to Cusco at 10pm (I was expected to arrive at 1).
Being with Pepe and Majsha was the real trip. Pepe speaks broken English and Majsha had to translate what I couldn´t understand. Most of the time I listened to their rapid fire Spanish conversations about ex-spouses and their kids, nodding my head in agreement. I had to constantly request that they speak slower. The learning continues...
As does the night. Time for my local veggie sandwhich and a glass of vino.
Enjoy these first days of spring. Winter is approaching Peru. Bolivia will be even colder.
I leave Wednesday, after Gracie´s birthday celebrations. We´re thinking of splurging on a 15 soles meal ($5) rather than our usual 5 soles.
Ciao mis amigos!
xo
em
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