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
Friday, April 24, 2009
Jugo especial
Today Gracie and I treated ourselves to the ´special´juice we´ve been noticing in the market. For 6 soles ($2) we were given 2 glasses each filled to the rim with delicious goodness. Freshly blended mango, bee pollen, banana, raw honey, apple, pineapple, freshly cut aloe vera, a molasses type liquid, 2 raw eggs and a half-pint of dark Cusco beer. Sounds and looks disgusting, but it tasted delicious with a strong malty flavour. We could feel our bodies instantly grow healthier! The juice lady added that it´s perfect for hangovers. We might be going back tomorrow after yet another big night out at Roots, the local Salsa night club. We´ve been taking lessons with the cusqueña boys and their tight white shirts. Fun.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Soy Cusqueña
This morning I reminded myself that I only have two more weeks to enjoy Cusco. The 3rd largest city is Peru feels more like a big town. Gracie and I no longer walk the streets in peace as we´re always bumping into friends, students, teachers, the same old street vendors trying to sell us massages (´special price bonita, maybe now, maybe later...´)
Cusco holds a special charm over me. The narrow, cobblestone streets are constantly packed with tourists, beggars, entreprenurs, all cramed in between 700 year old Inkan walls.
Gracie and I lucked out by being invited to live (and pay $200 for the month) in Taita House, an up and coming long-term stay hostel overlooking Cusco in the tranquil, bohemian neighbourhood of San Blass. Our days instantly became social as the hostel is inhabited by the owner, Nico and his father, Tony, a jubilant restuarant owner from Lima who takes pride in cooking delicious vegetarian dishes for us on a nightly basis. While we eat he also enjoys serenading us with romantic love songs whilst strumming Gracie´s mini guitar.
For 3 weeks now Gracie and I have introduced delicious routines to our lives. In the morning we head to Spanish school in hope of cramming more words into our tired brains. After it´s off to the market for freshly blended juice and a chat with our favourite vendor. Back home for a siesta, homework and a stretch in the sun before meeting up with our favourite guys (all from Peru and Taita hostel, good friends who´ve invited us into their comfy world). We prefer to eat lunch at Lila´s in the San Blass market. $1 for a vegetarian feast of homemade soup, a whopping portion of curried beans, lentils, rice, fried banana (it changes every day), homemade yoghurt and a chocolate banana cake for desert. Yum. Her tiny stand is always packed, so we usually end up dining on the stairs outside, next to the women selling coca leaves and mending dresses.
In the afternoon we head to Aldea Yanapay for four hours of chaos! Aldea was an amazingly exhausting, albeit enjoyable experience. I had to prepare lessons daily for my group of 5-6 year olds. I usually had 8 in my art class (on a good day), and together we made animal masks, musical instruments (a great day!), painted easter eggs, and generally try to prevent the killing of eachother! The language barrier was a real thrill, as were the runny noses, face punches, foot stomping, paint brush throwing, insult spewing moments. At the end of the day the warm hugs, and cheek kisses made it entirely worth it. These kids come from poor homes with little education, and yet they were all smiles, all love (on a good day...). My favourite moment was this past friday. I had spent all week teaching my group of 10 year olds about the different continents. Each child had to remember one continent, 3 countries and 2 interesting facts. Easy right? Nothing was sinking into their brains. They´d shout that Thailand was in Antarctica and that penguins live in Africa. Finally on Friday, the day of the big performance, costumes and audience in tow, they remembered! They all bloody remembered! I was so proud! That was a good day.
Now that I am Aldea-free, I have an entire week to continue with my spanish studies while soaking up all that I can of Cusco. Over Easter we hosted Semana Santa. A week long of fesitivities including the procession of the virgen. This city tripled in size! And the sweets! What a celebration! People here love their desserts, well, actually, they seem to really love food period.
Good thing Gracie and I feel the same way.
Our strict rule is to try something new every day. We´ve done well so far.
Here´s a sample...
1. Rocoto Relleno - spicy peppers stuffed with carrots and deepfried in a thick batter. Sold on the streets for .75 and served with 2 mini baked potatoes.
2. Baked plantains and boiled quail eggs bought from wheelbarrows in the street.
3. Chicha, a local wine made from maize. It´s quite sour and not my favourite, but the locals love it and say it´s good for you!
4. Chicha morada, a juice made from purple corn, boiled with pineapple juice and sugar. We also sampled a pudding made from chica morada with a molases texture. Really thick and creamy and rich purple in colour.
5. Piccarones. Sweet potato batter deep fried into thin donuts and served drizzled with honey. My favourite! You can get 4 whole ones for $1!
6. Picante salsa with fresh cilantro, parsely, capsicums. Served with EVERYTHING! Super exciting flavours that burn your mouth and leave you wanting more.
7. Potatoes, native to Peru! Over 200 species with an array of colours and flavours. I have never eaten a sweeter potatoe until Cusco. It´s popular to eat them on their own or with salsa.
8. Maca. A root vegetable similar to turnip. It´s usually fried and can be bought from street vendors on cold nights.
9. Fruit, Vegetables and Honey! ALL organic, all fresh, all huge and beautiful in portion, all cheap, all from the Amazon! Avacadoes for 10 cents, honey for .50. I have never eaten so well. Vegetarian mostly too! The meat here is a bit dodgy as it´s usually kept at room temperature in the markets for hours on end. However, we have sort of promised ourselves that we´ll try the national fave Cuy (guinea pig). Served whole; head, arms, nails and all. I´ll let you know how that goes..
10. 100% Andean Chocolate. We tried chocolate balls made with Pisco, the local brandy-esque liquor made from Peruvian grapes. It´s normally served as a Pisco Sour with a mixture of lime juice and egg whites. Frothy. The perfect mix of sweet and sour. Goood!!!!
11. Ceviche. Fresh fish marinated in lime juice and served ´raw´. It´s been nearly a month since I´ve last had this dish, and I´m really looking forward to eating more on the northern coast.
As you can guess, I´m enthusiastic about Peru. The other night we were invited to the opening of Kusikay. An entirely Peruvian production of dance, circus acts, song, slapstick comedy. The founder, also playing the clown, became emotional at the end of the night, pouring his heart out for his love of Peru. The most poignant moment for me, was in the middle of the show when two groups of dancers came on stage carrying their different idols. On the left the serious, mournful with their virgen in white. On the right, the colourful, playful natives carrying their simple Inkan mummy. The mixture of these rich cultures has created a bounty of soulful music, cuisine, textiles, art and a people with warm smiles and open arms. I love Peru. Talk about love at first sight. Even a severe bought of stomach illness at the start of my time here wasn´t enough to turn me away!
Next week MachuPiccu and more adventures in the Sacred Valley. There´s a lot of magic to be had!
Until then..
Emily
Cusco holds a special charm over me. The narrow, cobblestone streets are constantly packed with tourists, beggars, entreprenurs, all cramed in between 700 year old Inkan walls.
Gracie and I lucked out by being invited to live (and pay $200 for the month) in Taita House, an up and coming long-term stay hostel overlooking Cusco in the tranquil, bohemian neighbourhood of San Blass. Our days instantly became social as the hostel is inhabited by the owner, Nico and his father, Tony, a jubilant restuarant owner from Lima who takes pride in cooking delicious vegetarian dishes for us on a nightly basis. While we eat he also enjoys serenading us with romantic love songs whilst strumming Gracie´s mini guitar.
For 3 weeks now Gracie and I have introduced delicious routines to our lives. In the morning we head to Spanish school in hope of cramming more words into our tired brains. After it´s off to the market for freshly blended juice and a chat with our favourite vendor. Back home for a siesta, homework and a stretch in the sun before meeting up with our favourite guys (all from Peru and Taita hostel, good friends who´ve invited us into their comfy world). We prefer to eat lunch at Lila´s in the San Blass market. $1 for a vegetarian feast of homemade soup, a whopping portion of curried beans, lentils, rice, fried banana (it changes every day), homemade yoghurt and a chocolate banana cake for desert. Yum. Her tiny stand is always packed, so we usually end up dining on the stairs outside, next to the women selling coca leaves and mending dresses.
In the afternoon we head to Aldea Yanapay for four hours of chaos! Aldea was an amazingly exhausting, albeit enjoyable experience. I had to prepare lessons daily for my group of 5-6 year olds. I usually had 8 in my art class (on a good day), and together we made animal masks, musical instruments (a great day!), painted easter eggs, and generally try to prevent the killing of eachother! The language barrier was a real thrill, as were the runny noses, face punches, foot stomping, paint brush throwing, insult spewing moments. At the end of the day the warm hugs, and cheek kisses made it entirely worth it. These kids come from poor homes with little education, and yet they were all smiles, all love (on a good day...). My favourite moment was this past friday. I had spent all week teaching my group of 10 year olds about the different continents. Each child had to remember one continent, 3 countries and 2 interesting facts. Easy right? Nothing was sinking into their brains. They´d shout that Thailand was in Antarctica and that penguins live in Africa. Finally on Friday, the day of the big performance, costumes and audience in tow, they remembered! They all bloody remembered! I was so proud! That was a good day.
Now that I am Aldea-free, I have an entire week to continue with my spanish studies while soaking up all that I can of Cusco. Over Easter we hosted Semana Santa. A week long of fesitivities including the procession of the virgen. This city tripled in size! And the sweets! What a celebration! People here love their desserts, well, actually, they seem to really love food period.
Good thing Gracie and I feel the same way.
Our strict rule is to try something new every day. We´ve done well so far.
Here´s a sample...
1. Rocoto Relleno - spicy peppers stuffed with carrots and deepfried in a thick batter. Sold on the streets for .75 and served with 2 mini baked potatoes.
2. Baked plantains and boiled quail eggs bought from wheelbarrows in the street.
3. Chicha, a local wine made from maize. It´s quite sour and not my favourite, but the locals love it and say it´s good for you!
4. Chicha morada, a juice made from purple corn, boiled with pineapple juice and sugar. We also sampled a pudding made from chica morada with a molases texture. Really thick and creamy and rich purple in colour.
5. Piccarones. Sweet potato batter deep fried into thin donuts and served drizzled with honey. My favourite! You can get 4 whole ones for $1!
6. Picante salsa with fresh cilantro, parsely, capsicums. Served with EVERYTHING! Super exciting flavours that burn your mouth and leave you wanting more.
7. Potatoes, native to Peru! Over 200 species with an array of colours and flavours. I have never eaten a sweeter potatoe until Cusco. It´s popular to eat them on their own or with salsa.
8. Maca. A root vegetable similar to turnip. It´s usually fried and can be bought from street vendors on cold nights.
9. Fruit, Vegetables and Honey! ALL organic, all fresh, all huge and beautiful in portion, all cheap, all from the Amazon! Avacadoes for 10 cents, honey for .50. I have never eaten so well. Vegetarian mostly too! The meat here is a bit dodgy as it´s usually kept at room temperature in the markets for hours on end. However, we have sort of promised ourselves that we´ll try the national fave Cuy (guinea pig). Served whole; head, arms, nails and all. I´ll let you know how that goes..
10. 100% Andean Chocolate. We tried chocolate balls made with Pisco, the local brandy-esque liquor made from Peruvian grapes. It´s normally served as a Pisco Sour with a mixture of lime juice and egg whites. Frothy. The perfect mix of sweet and sour. Goood!!!!
11. Ceviche. Fresh fish marinated in lime juice and served ´raw´. It´s been nearly a month since I´ve last had this dish, and I´m really looking forward to eating more on the northern coast.
As you can guess, I´m enthusiastic about Peru. The other night we were invited to the opening of Kusikay. An entirely Peruvian production of dance, circus acts, song, slapstick comedy. The founder, also playing the clown, became emotional at the end of the night, pouring his heart out for his love of Peru. The most poignant moment for me, was in the middle of the show when two groups of dancers came on stage carrying their different idols. On the left the serious, mournful with their virgen in white. On the right, the colourful, playful natives carrying their simple Inkan mummy. The mixture of these rich cultures has created a bounty of soulful music, cuisine, textiles, art and a people with warm smiles and open arms. I love Peru. Talk about love at first sight. Even a severe bought of stomach illness at the start of my time here wasn´t enough to turn me away!
Next week MachuPiccu and more adventures in the Sacred Valley. There´s a lot of magic to be had!
Until then..
Emily
Sunday, March 29, 2009
3 Countries in 3 Days
From Salta, Argentina, Gracie and I hopped on a bus at 7:30am which took us through the vast sierra of Northern Argentina. At the border crossing to Chile some 8 hours later we experienced the first unwelcome signs of altitude sickness. After being on an air-conditioned bus, we had to wait in the sun to get our passports stamped, in a dusty bit of nowhere, standing just shy of 5000 meters. What a view! What a headache! Gracie felt faint and was very close to passing out when the border guards whisked her away to the oxygen pump. We were told that the best way to prevent altitude sickness is to drink lots of water, eat coca candies or the leaves, and consume plenty of sweets (another excuse to buy more Ducle de Leche). All welcome remedies.
Our drive continued through the Atacama desert, past villages of the ancient Aymara people stuggling to keep themselves and their culture alive. The Atacama is the dryest desert in the world with areas of unreported rainfall. Gracie looked out the window of our comfortable bus thinking we´d ended up on Mars. The landscape is devoid of any vegetation and provided a remarkablly visible sunset as we continued our voyage.
We eventually made it to the Chilean desert town of Calama, wreaking of wealth from the mining industry (Atacama once belonged to Peru but Chile discovered the resources and claimed it as their own). A few hours were spent at the mall in transit, (I felt like I was back in Toronto) as we avoided stares and waited for our unusually late bus. When the bus finally arrived it was overcrowded and I took this as a sign of things to come. No more luxurious travel with English language films and coffee. Time to lower my standards as I continue heading up north.
In the morning we stepped off the bus in Arica, an hours drive from the Peru border. We needed to rest and enjoyed our time at a Kiwi-owned hostel eating organic cereal and making new friends. Arica was hot and dry and as a result from my lack of sleep and Canadian-programmed climate preference, not very attractive. My favourite bit ended up being the fishermans´wharf. A hyper place of activity, stinking of wrotten fish and salt water. We happily sat and watched the Sea Lions scout about the place for leftovers. If only I were comfortable photographing portraits. You would have loved to see these men hard at work repairing boats named after loved ones, smoking ciggs and chatting about the days work.
One day I promise I will work up enough courage to confront someone and ask for their photo. There have been countless opportunities but I can´t bring myself to tamper the moment with a shutter click. I need to develop relationships first, so I am hoping these perfect photos ops will happen during my volunteer work in Ecuador. The women in Peru are especially stunning and a portrait of just one would bring all of my other travel photos to shame. There is a powerful history in the faces of these Andean women. Their wrinkles give away long days spent in the sun, toiling over their crops often more than the men. The standard dress is similar to that of a school girls, in that I mostly see them wearing knee-length pleated skirts, with wool stockings and braided hair. This juxtaposes with their strong, solid precense. If only I could sit down and chat with them!! My big curiosity is how they manage to fit bundles of clothing, food, babies in these beautifully woven fabrics the colour of Tucans, keeping them safely on their backs.
Peru. Agh, Peru. Gracie and I could not wait to get here! When we finally arrived after an easy border crossing we made it straight to Arequipa. This city (the 2nd largest in Peru after Lima), is a congested labryinth of cobblestone alleys, palm trees, street vendors, more taxis than I could ever count, nesstled in a valley at the foot of the menacing volcano, El Misti. The most remarkable buildings are the product of Jesuit architects and are made of sillar, a pearly white volcanic material. There is a convent in town taking over 3 blocks, where nuns lived seperated from outsiders for a century before it was discovered that they were up to no good, throwing parties and such. There are still nuns living inside, but most of it remains open for visitors.
In Arequipa I had my cheapest meal to date. 2.50 soles which works out to be around $1 Canadian, for a 2 course meal complete with chicken leg soup (I along with our British friend Pete were the lucky ones to actually have the feet in our soup, nails and all), and sweet tea for dessert.
After 3 nights in our comfy hostel we were ready to get to Cusco, especially after discovering a reasonably priced Spanish school which also partakes in community volunteer work. When we were booking our bus tickets for the overnight journey we discovered that the employees were on strike. Strikes, protests both loud and quiet have been common so far. In Arequipa we saw villagers demonstrating for free, accessible water, a most basic of human rights. Turns out the strike didn´t affect the cheaper, economico buses so the following morning we hopped on with locals and made the 8 hour (ended up being 11), journey to Cusco. Gracie and I were the only gringos on board and had all sorts of experiences, including being constantly stared at by the boy in front, to being thrown up on by a baby next to me (after her mom mixed breast milk with cola!) When we reached Cusco it was dark (sun sets at 6!) and we were exhausted! To make matters worse I ended up consuming something which has led to me being bed-ridden for 2 days (so far). Luckily I am well stocked with antibiotics and electrolytes (important for avoiding dehyrdation especially at extreme altitudes.) Cusco is around 3400 meters above sea level and we´ve been winded simply walking up the street a few meters. I´ve opted to stay at our hostel while Gracie explores the town and gets our course organized. Luckily our hostel is in the car-free, quiet streets of San Blas complete with stunning views of the hills and red tin-roofed valley of Cusco.
Tomorrow we begin our course and hopefully I will be well enough to check out the streets of my new home.
Hope you are all well and enjoying the beginnings of spring!
xo
Emily
Other bits you might find interesting...
In Arequipa we had wine at a Montral Jazz bar owned by Canadians. The wine was cheap and bad, as was the music. The band stuck to cheesy 80s pop songs, but when they sang Spanish songs they seemed to do alright!
I wanted to get a photo of the school kids in Chile and Argentina. The generic uniform is a long, white lab coat which makes the kids look like mini doctors and dentists.
In Peru mini-buses constantly zoom by, narrowly avoiding pedestrians, as a young boy hangs out the door shouting destinations. I have never actually seen one stop to pick up passengers but they are always full and fast.
We finally tried Inka Cola! Full of sugar and tastes like bubble-gum. We were disappointed to learn that it is now owned by Coca Cola. Boo.
Outside Arequipa are the deepest canyons in the world. I stuck to checking it out via post cards as it was a further 6 hours out of the way.
The buses in Peru are a real experience. At every stop vendors come on to sell fruit, strange looking meat, or to tell us a story on the history of Peru in exchange for some soles.
One of the greatest mysteries of South America so far is the recycling of old cds. Kids attatch them to the spokes of their bikes, and I have noticed them being used as window decorations!
Our drive continued through the Atacama desert, past villages of the ancient Aymara people stuggling to keep themselves and their culture alive. The Atacama is the dryest desert in the world with areas of unreported rainfall. Gracie looked out the window of our comfortable bus thinking we´d ended up on Mars. The landscape is devoid of any vegetation and provided a remarkablly visible sunset as we continued our voyage.
We eventually made it to the Chilean desert town of Calama, wreaking of wealth from the mining industry (Atacama once belonged to Peru but Chile discovered the resources and claimed it as their own). A few hours were spent at the mall in transit, (I felt like I was back in Toronto) as we avoided stares and waited for our unusually late bus. When the bus finally arrived it was overcrowded and I took this as a sign of things to come. No more luxurious travel with English language films and coffee. Time to lower my standards as I continue heading up north.
In the morning we stepped off the bus in Arica, an hours drive from the Peru border. We needed to rest and enjoyed our time at a Kiwi-owned hostel eating organic cereal and making new friends. Arica was hot and dry and as a result from my lack of sleep and Canadian-programmed climate preference, not very attractive. My favourite bit ended up being the fishermans´wharf. A hyper place of activity, stinking of wrotten fish and salt water. We happily sat and watched the Sea Lions scout about the place for leftovers. If only I were comfortable photographing portraits. You would have loved to see these men hard at work repairing boats named after loved ones, smoking ciggs and chatting about the days work.
One day I promise I will work up enough courage to confront someone and ask for their photo. There have been countless opportunities but I can´t bring myself to tamper the moment with a shutter click. I need to develop relationships first, so I am hoping these perfect photos ops will happen during my volunteer work in Ecuador. The women in Peru are especially stunning and a portrait of just one would bring all of my other travel photos to shame. There is a powerful history in the faces of these Andean women. Their wrinkles give away long days spent in the sun, toiling over their crops often more than the men. The standard dress is similar to that of a school girls, in that I mostly see them wearing knee-length pleated skirts, with wool stockings and braided hair. This juxtaposes with their strong, solid precense. If only I could sit down and chat with them!! My big curiosity is how they manage to fit bundles of clothing, food, babies in these beautifully woven fabrics the colour of Tucans, keeping them safely on their backs.
Peru. Agh, Peru. Gracie and I could not wait to get here! When we finally arrived after an easy border crossing we made it straight to Arequipa. This city (the 2nd largest in Peru after Lima), is a congested labryinth of cobblestone alleys, palm trees, street vendors, more taxis than I could ever count, nesstled in a valley at the foot of the menacing volcano, El Misti. The most remarkable buildings are the product of Jesuit architects and are made of sillar, a pearly white volcanic material. There is a convent in town taking over 3 blocks, where nuns lived seperated from outsiders for a century before it was discovered that they were up to no good, throwing parties and such. There are still nuns living inside, but most of it remains open for visitors.
In Arequipa I had my cheapest meal to date. 2.50 soles which works out to be around $1 Canadian, for a 2 course meal complete with chicken leg soup (I along with our British friend Pete were the lucky ones to actually have the feet in our soup, nails and all), and sweet tea for dessert.
After 3 nights in our comfy hostel we were ready to get to Cusco, especially after discovering a reasonably priced Spanish school which also partakes in community volunteer work. When we were booking our bus tickets for the overnight journey we discovered that the employees were on strike. Strikes, protests both loud and quiet have been common so far. In Arequipa we saw villagers demonstrating for free, accessible water, a most basic of human rights. Turns out the strike didn´t affect the cheaper, economico buses so the following morning we hopped on with locals and made the 8 hour (ended up being 11), journey to Cusco. Gracie and I were the only gringos on board and had all sorts of experiences, including being constantly stared at by the boy in front, to being thrown up on by a baby next to me (after her mom mixed breast milk with cola!) When we reached Cusco it was dark (sun sets at 6!) and we were exhausted! To make matters worse I ended up consuming something which has led to me being bed-ridden for 2 days (so far). Luckily I am well stocked with antibiotics and electrolytes (important for avoiding dehyrdation especially at extreme altitudes.) Cusco is around 3400 meters above sea level and we´ve been winded simply walking up the street a few meters. I´ve opted to stay at our hostel while Gracie explores the town and gets our course organized. Luckily our hostel is in the car-free, quiet streets of San Blas complete with stunning views of the hills and red tin-roofed valley of Cusco.
Tomorrow we begin our course and hopefully I will be well enough to check out the streets of my new home.
Hope you are all well and enjoying the beginnings of spring!
xo
Emily
Other bits you might find interesting...
In Arequipa we had wine at a Montral Jazz bar owned by Canadians. The wine was cheap and bad, as was the music. The band stuck to cheesy 80s pop songs, but when they sang Spanish songs they seemed to do alright!
I wanted to get a photo of the school kids in Chile and Argentina. The generic uniform is a long, white lab coat which makes the kids look like mini doctors and dentists.
In Peru mini-buses constantly zoom by, narrowly avoiding pedestrians, as a young boy hangs out the door shouting destinations. I have never actually seen one stop to pick up passengers but they are always full and fast.
We finally tried Inka Cola! Full of sugar and tastes like bubble-gum. We were disappointed to learn that it is now owned by Coca Cola. Boo.
Outside Arequipa are the deepest canyons in the world. I stuck to checking it out via post cards as it was a further 6 hours out of the way.
The buses in Peru are a real experience. At every stop vendors come on to sell fruit, strange looking meat, or to tell us a story on the history of Peru in exchange for some soles.
One of the greatest mysteries of South America so far is the recycling of old cds. Kids attatch them to the spokes of their bikes, and I have noticed them being used as window decorations!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
one more.
Number 11 (my favourite)
When it is time to purchase a slightly used vehicle just look to the streets and you´ll find all sorts of cars with pop bottles on top.
When it is time to purchase a slightly used vehicle just look to the streets and you´ll find all sorts of cars with pop bottles on top.
TOP 10 Argentina
1. The smell of asados every night. Argentines take their bbqs seriously here, taking hours to prepare and finally eating at midnight.
2. The hospitality of the travellers and locals on our travels is incredible. Everything is shared from Mate to wine, lamb to cell phones and money.
3. Traffic! There are no real rules of the road. Speed limits are not obeyed, people go through red lights, cars whiz across intersections narrowly missing pedestrians and other cars. Oh and most of the streets are without signs so when we did drive the other day we had no real knowledge of where we were going! Had to ask for lots of directions in Spanglish!
4. A group of street kids in Buenos Aires caught my attention. All girls, all in well worn lace dresses with no shoes, holding hands in a line while pushing through the tourists and pedestrians on Av. Florida. If I could photograph people this would have been an amazing shot!
5. Empanadas! 3 choices: pollo (chicken), carne (beef) or queso (cheese). All labour intensive, all for under 3 pesos ($1) each and equally delicious!!
6. The market of Salta. Today we explored the numerous stalls selling fresh produce, vividly coloured spices and herbs, bootlegged dvds and bags full of coca leaves. Cocaine is made from these leaves, but left as they are they provide the locals with mouths full of spit mashed energy. I will avoid trying this tradition...
7. Argentina´s landscape is gorgeous. Vast country with unimaginable beauty. This place needs weeks to explore and is best done with a 4 by 4 as the roads are mostly unpaved. Even the main highway Ruta 40 is bumpy, dirty fun for hours on end.
8. The cemetaries here are colourful dedications to the lives of loved ones and are visited daily by relatives carrying cloth flowers and religious tokens. It´s totally moving walking through the rows of graves getting a sense of how respected and unfeared death is. There was one grave inscribed with the dates of 3 family members who died on the same date a month apart from one another.
9. Dulce de Leche
10. Madres de Mayo. The mothers who lost their loved ones during The Dirty War have never given up their fight for the memory of their children. They protest daily for the government to recognise and admit to the injustices.
ps. Check out Jon´s photos. He´s finally posted them. Thanks Jon!!!!
2. The hospitality of the travellers and locals on our travels is incredible. Everything is shared from Mate to wine, lamb to cell phones and money.
3. Traffic! There are no real rules of the road. Speed limits are not obeyed, people go through red lights, cars whiz across intersections narrowly missing pedestrians and other cars. Oh and most of the streets are without signs so when we did drive the other day we had no real knowledge of where we were going! Had to ask for lots of directions in Spanglish!
4. A group of street kids in Buenos Aires caught my attention. All girls, all in well worn lace dresses with no shoes, holding hands in a line while pushing through the tourists and pedestrians on Av. Florida. If I could photograph people this would have been an amazing shot!
5. Empanadas! 3 choices: pollo (chicken), carne (beef) or queso (cheese). All labour intensive, all for under 3 pesos ($1) each and equally delicious!!
6. The market of Salta. Today we explored the numerous stalls selling fresh produce, vividly coloured spices and herbs, bootlegged dvds and bags full of coca leaves. Cocaine is made from these leaves, but left as they are they provide the locals with mouths full of spit mashed energy. I will avoid trying this tradition...
7. Argentina´s landscape is gorgeous. Vast country with unimaginable beauty. This place needs weeks to explore and is best done with a 4 by 4 as the roads are mostly unpaved. Even the main highway Ruta 40 is bumpy, dirty fun for hours on end.
8. The cemetaries here are colourful dedications to the lives of loved ones and are visited daily by relatives carrying cloth flowers and religious tokens. It´s totally moving walking through the rows of graves getting a sense of how respected and unfeared death is. There was one grave inscribed with the dates of 3 family members who died on the same date a month apart from one another.
9. Dulce de Leche
10. Madres de Mayo. The mothers who lost their loved ones during The Dirty War have never given up their fight for the memory of their children. They protest daily for the government to recognise and admit to the injustices.
ps. Check out Jon´s photos. He´s finally posted them. Thanks Jon!!!!
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