Tourists Again

It has been a treat to be tourists again in Cusco with Mom & Dad in town. Since our return here in February we have held mostly to daily routines that are closer to the local scene and other than being harased by the vendors in the Plaza de Armas have felt more like a resident than a tourist. Not this week..... I even strapped on my camera several times for the occasion!
One of the first days, I played interpreter/guide for a day to Tambomachay, Puka Pukara, Templo de la Luna, Q'enqo and Saqsaywaman - trying to remember any facts from my last visit there last August. Our driver, Marco was great but we left him at the Blanco Cristo and took the steep steps down into the central city.... nearly wipping us all out. Another day while the girls where in school the 4 of us took the audio tour of the massive Catedral (a first for Debby and I as well) with the famous painting of the last supper of cuy and the resting place of the original cross that accompanied Pizarro on his devastating conquest 4 centuries ago. We also toured Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, which I have walked past many many times but never entered.
Meghan and Helen skipped school yesterday and went to the Inca Museum with their grandparents, ariving just as Meghan's class fieldtrip was leaving

On evenings that we weren't in our apartment eating quinoa soup and working "the puzzle" we ate well... twice enjoying excelent tapas and pisco sours at Cicciolina, our new favorite eatery. Dad, Helen and I hit the folklore dance show at the Qosco Center one night and it is hard not to take a picture in the Plaza de Armas at night, not matter how times you have already done so.

Mom and Dad head out tomorrow and we all know it will be sad to send them off again for another 4 months or so, but it has been a great visit.

The Road Less Traveled

We got up at a decent hour today and left the fabulous Casa de Wow after breakfast. We had previously arranged a guy with a van to come and get us in Ollantaytambo and take us through Moray and Salineras on our way back to Cusco. This didn't work out. At 10:00 we met our driver in the square and he was in his car and had hired another car to come with us. We were told that the road through Chinchero back to Cusco was closed and the van was unable to make the trip (this is only a bummer because there are 6 of us and without the van we can't all ride and chat together). After arranging a price, we rode out of town in the two cars - myself in the lead car.

Half-way back to Urubamba, my driver pulled off on the side of the road toward a very rickety looking bridge. I would have assumed, before we drove over it, that it was only for pedestrians. In fact, I'm no expert in the local langage but I'm fairly certain that's what the sign said above the entrance. We crossed anyway (maybe the pesky sign was just for the foreigners) and I held my breath.

The road on the other side wasn't paved, but the track was well worn and fairly smooth. It climbed up into the hills affording spectacular views up and down the Sacred Valley. How lucky we were to have hired the local driver as the second car - he knew all the back roads! We stopped for photo ops of the fantastic views and then headed on to Moray. Most of the land we were passing once we climbed the hills was farmland. This is the time of the year when crops are coming in and we pulled over to check out some local crops of cereals and potatoes.

As always, Moray does not disappoint. Naturally formed deep depressions were improved upon by the Incas creating terraces, some of which are almost 100 feet deep (30m). The way they are situated allows for a temperature difference from the top terrace to the bottom of almost 27 degrees F (15 degrees Celsuis). There is wild speculation that the Incas used these terraces to try agricultural experimentation.
Personally, I heard from a guy here who talks to the locals (its kind of his calling) and he says that a woman from Maras told him the terraces were for drying Moray potatoes (hence the name, Moray). Who knows???

We left Moray on our way to Salineras, a set of salt pans set up from a saline spring coming out of the mountain. This area was used by the Incas for the salt as well, but not during the rainy season. Unfortuneately, the rainy season means the water coming out of the mountain is part rainwater and there is no way to cover the salt pans so the salt can't dry like its supposed to. Although it was very pretty, it was totally different than the last time we were there (in August) because the salt pans were dirty and full of mud, instead of pure white like dried salt. We purchased some snack food to tide us over and headed back down the mountain into Urubamba for lunch. We stopped at a VERY touristy restaurant that was practically empty. There was a guy playing the Quena (Andean flute) but the large restaurant was a ghost town and the food overpriced.

After lunch we returned to the cars for the long ride back to Cusco. Because the route through Chinchero was closed, we added another 45 minutes to our 1-1/2 hour trip. The Sacred Valley is a beautiful area and the pleasant taxi driver and I chatted about the area and some ruins off the road outside of Lamay. I cannot wait to go back and hike up there! Hopefully I'll be able to sometime soon.

Upon our return to Cusco, we were all wiped out and needed a rest. We had a small dinner and a glass of wine and got right to work on the puzzle. It was the end of a fantastic weekend and we were very grateful to have had such a wonderful weekend away.

Skeletons of stone and bone

While the oldest and youngest Vances were off to Machu Picchu for the day, Debby and I headed out for a second attempt to asend to the rock quarry, source for the temple of Ollantaytambo. Last August we set out for the same destination on the backs of horses but never made it (read the full account in the blog history). This time we set off on foot, again following the lead of Wilder, our trusty guide. The distance of the quarry to the town and temple of Ollantaytambo is incredible and the task of transporting these massive stones down the mountain and across the Urabamba river, awesome. We started off in the mercado to purchase queso, palta, pan choclo and coca for our hike and then headed off, crossing the river and starting our climb. It was nice to be on the same trail, this time during the wet season, with new varieties of plant & wildflowers in bloom. We climbed on at a gradual grade but we knew that steep terrain lay ahead. On the trail above one of the few shabby, mudbrick homes we would pass a boy came up to meet us, I recognized him fromth our previous trip and again Wilder was ready for him with some fruit out of his bag just as he given last August. Once again I was impressed with the compassion, kindness and sense of community shown to us here. We climbed on and soon our hearts started to pound and legs burn as the gradual grade gave way to switchbacks and I had to crane my neck to see the trail above us. For a moment I wished for a horse but that was a different misery altogether and I climbed on under my own steam. Even after a month and a half in Cusco and feeling fully aclimated to the altitude this was a strenous activity. We stopped often to catch our breath while Wilder marched on seemingly unafected by the terain. At one point our guide disapeared above me for a while and then I heard the sweet tune of his quena (andean flute)beconning us on. Shortly after we arived at the base of the massive rock slide that had come from the jagged peak above us centuries ago. It was these bolders that the Inkas were cutting and transporting 2-3 miles down to Ollantantaytambo. We could see the tiny tiny temple 1300 feet below us and across the river.... amazing. Many cut and rough shaped stones still lay where they were left when building was halted and the Inka focus shifted to survival. Columns of solid granit, 20 inch square by 16 feet in length lay abandoned, along with massive bolders showing signs of score lines and preliminary cuts. We continued on, leaving any sign of a trail, climbing over and around bolders until Wilder stopped at the entrance to a very small cave under a large bolder. It was a burial site still filled with 20 or so bodies. The skeleton of the guardian to the cave remained intact at the entrance, but the bones of the others inside were scattered among the floor - the result of grave robbers some time ago. Wilder knew of many other graves similar but undisturbed in this area and it was nice to know that some ancient, sacred sites existed only to the local community. Before leaving we all offered coca leaves to those inside and Wilder left a burning stick of palo santo wood. After visiting several cemeteries on our trip - this common grave, off the beaten track and high above civilization felt grander than the intricately carved mosoleums of Recoleta.

On the Inca Trail ... well, just a little bit!

Halfway through our stay in Cuzco the six of us (Debby, Mike, Helen, Meghan, Abuela Vonnie & me) stuffed our backbacks and traveled by taxi to Pisac where wandered the Inca ruins there and "warmed up" with a long hike down to dinner and rest in the little town. Next day we used local buses to travel the Sacred Valley through Calca & Urubamba to Ollantatambo, our jumping off place for Macchu Pichu the next day. Our guides would be the expert trekkers Meghan & Helen who had experienced the Lost City of the Incas back in August. Mike and Debby would hike on their own out of Ollantatambo.

Bright and early we caught the 6:30am departure on Inca Rail and traveled in comfort to Agua Calientes where we almost aborted the mission when we bacame totally lost in the craft market that serves as a very effective maze for travelers unware. Finally locating the tourist buses that run constantly from the town to the site we settled in to navigate a series of switchbacks from the river up to Macchu Pichu. Mysteriously, upon debarking the bus, our English speaking guide Felix appeared and latched on to us for a two hour guided walk. He was very helpful, but the girls had more indepth informaton ... especially about the royal "loo!"

"Impressive" doesn't even capture the place - the stonework and the terraces are magnificent in their own right, but the setting - on sheer cliffs is what sets the place apart. Wandering the ruins of the city wasn't enough, however, for our young guides and their grandmother. We neede to ascend up the Inca Trail about a mile (it sure seemed like a mile!), to the Sun Gate - that notch in the ridgeline about a mile up the inclining trail (did I mention the mile? and that we were at 8,800 ft?!) where the rising sun and approching hikers first see the city below. My aching legs and gasping lungs were suddenly dismissed as a gaggle of European students marched right past for the view relegating me to a nice hard stone bench!

An autumn rain shower on the way down soaked all of us good, but a great dinner in Agua Calientes before boarding the train for the return to Ollantatambo and our beds at the Casa de WOW! was the icing on the cake (or mountain!).

An unforgetable day touring with the best guides in Peru!!

Pisac

Today after school we went to Pisac. We took a long bus ride with our grandparents. When we got there and into our hotel we wondered what to do next. Finally we went wandering around in the market and then we went to see our friends the Hasties. They were staying in Pisac for a while. We played and talked at their hostel for a while. They wanted to go to dinner at a restaurant that they liked so we said that we would set our stuff down in the hotel and then come back. When we got back to the Pisac Inn my grandparent's stomachs didn't feel good so they stayed at the hotel while we went to eat with the Cathy, Matt, Katie & Georgia. The restaurant was good but the food made Meghan's stomach hurt so she went back to the hotel with Dad while the rest of us went to get dessert. Once I finished my dessert (ice cream) Mom and I walked back. We had bought Meghan and Dad apple pie. When we got back, I got into my pj's and went to bed. The next morning we ate breakfast and went out. We took two taxis up to the ruins and started wandering around the ruins. My favorite part was when we went into a cave. At the end we went to see how the Incas made water come out of the rocks. At the very end we saw a huge waterfall! There was a lady selling bracelets in front of the waterfall. Grandma bought a bracelet. The woman's name was Ana. We went down the path and back into town. On the way to Ollantaytambo I thought about the trip that we had and how much fun Pisac was.

Exploring Cusco

As we flew from Lima to Cusco the terrain changed drastically from an arid smoggy city to lush green mountain vistas encircling the city of adobe tile roofs. Mike met us at the airport and off we went in one of the thousands of small city cabs which run 6 or 7 abreast on a 4 lane highway zigging and zagging to miss the potholes. I held on for dear life! But no need to worry because the drivers don't want their cars dinged. Three or four Nuevo Sol (about $1.50) will take you anywhere in the city.

Mike, Debby Meghan and Helen live in a very nice third floor apartment. Climbing the stairs was my first indication of the 11,000 foot elevation in Cusco. It REALLY takes your breath away!! We had our first of many glasses of water and coca tea to acclimatize to the altitude.

Cusco, like all South American cities, is a city of plazas. Plaza de Armas is the center of the city. It is surrounded by The Cathedral (which was built atop the foundation of an Inca palace), Iglesia de La Campania, arcades and a beautiful fountain in the center. We visited the plaza several times and always stopped to buy warm tamales from a woman whose family has sold them in the same spot for over 50 years. Meghan and Helen enjoyed feeding the pigeons - buying food from the "little ole bird woman".

Since we were tourists and looked like tourists with our cameras, sun glasses, hats and backpacks we were approached by the many vendors on the street seeling everything from giant corn on the cob with cheese (a great carbo snack), "local" artist's paintings, bead work, t-shirts, hats, decorated gourds, pan pipe CDs, etc., etc. "No, gracias... no, gracias ...well, maybe that one or this one..." I also encountered "The Green Man" - for one sol the advice I received was, "Each failure makes one smarter." True, True, True!!

I loved walking the city streets of cobblestones, steep stairways, ancient Inca walls, VWBeetles, hustle & bustle of everyday life. I love being with the beautiful people of this engaging city in Peru.

¡Por Fín!

School was okay Monday morning but all I wanted to do was get home. Monday is one of our after school days and I take volleyball while Helen is doing Karate. I had a lot of fun. My partner was Lucia (from the other sixth grade class) and it was her first time playing also so we were about on the same level. We took the bus home but on after school days it isn't always so crowded. Usually the girl that rides with us (Blanca) trys to fit 24 children into what most people would call a 15 people bus. Its a tight squeeze! We finally got home and sneaked up the stairs as to give everyone a suprise. We usually sound like (what mom calls) a herd of elephants but we made it up 8 flights of stairs without making a sound. We rang the doorbell and waited until the door opened. Mom had opened the door but instead of giving her our usual hugs we ran inside. Grandma and Grandpa were at the table talking when we came in. After all the love you can get from not seeing eachother for 5 months we just sat down and talked. We talked about school and shared every little detail. Then Helen and I went to change out of our uniforms while they talked with mom and dad about news. We ate soup for dinner and played apples to apples (one of my favorite games in the world) until it was time to go to bed. Its so nice that they're back!

Amazing School, Amazing Friends

School is awesome! I have two great teachers and lots of friends. Miss Karina teaches the spanish half of the day and Wilson teaches english. He will not speak a word of spanish to us and everyone trys to get him to say one word. He goes up to the front of the class, moves his hands like he is presenting someone and says "Wilson". He is really funny. In social studies with miss Karina we are working on ancient civilizations and María José is my partner for the Aztecs.
María José was an immediate friend because she is the other new girl in our class. She is a little shy but very smart. My other friends are, Catalina (likes the bathroom), Ana Lucia G. (crazy and loves pizza), Alessandra (just awesome), Gabo (he is really easy to talk to and on my bus!) and many more.
Math class is very fun but there are some things that will take time getting used to. English class is boring but I am proud to say that I have acheived all A's. HAHAHA!!! My spanish is getting close but the accents are bugging me a lot. I think I'm just going to have to memorize them because as far as I can tell there isn't a pattern anywhere! We got our new uniforms this week and although they are a little big its nice to fit in. We have a nice library with a good amount of english books for us to check out. I also have to read a spanish book by the 28th but luckily it only has 101 pages and I skipped the introduction.
Every Monday the principle comes out to the basketball coutt and sings the national anthem with everybody. Its kind of embarassing to be standing there and not knowing a thing!
All in all it is a really nice school and I can't wait to go next monday!!!

Carnival

Today was a festival called Carnival. Carnival is a festival where people have water balloons and cans that look like silly string cans except silly string didn't shoot out, foam did. Everywhere we went we were shot by foam or splashed by water balloons. Finally we came to the Plaza de Armas and found out that there was a festival going on. The festival was like the one in Santiago, with parade floats and the people around them were spraying at them frantically. So the people on the float were completely covered in foam but they were still smiling. We found out that the restaurant we were looking for was closed so we went to a different restaurant and sat on the balcony so we could see the parade while we ate. When the parade finished we watched the people spraying each other with foam, and some people had huge buckets of water andwere splashing water at people. When we were finished with our lunch we walked out of the restaurant and avoided being splashed and walked around. When we ended up in the Plaza Regocijo we found out that there were booths that were selling food and drinks. We should have ate here! I exclaimed.
Meghan and I got an ice cream from a lady who was walking around. She only had two flavours but that was OK. We finished our ice cream and started wandering around because we had nowhere to go and ended up on a street where lots of people (and kids) were squirting each other and there was a lady who was selling cans of the foam. "Ohhh dad can we get a can, please"! Finally he gave us money to buy two cans for both of us. When I got my can I hurried behind a boy my age (he also had a can) and squirted him on the back, and as he spun around I ran off before he could get me. When I caught up with dad,I asked "Can we go to the Plaza de Armas because there's alot more people". Then of course I regreted my words. When we got to the plaza there was alot of kids spraying each other. I walked up to a boy and sprayed him on the neck. He spun around and sprayed me on my shirt I was about to run off when I was surounded. Ten mean looking boys were circuling around me looking like they were having the best time in there life. The guy in the front looked like the leader. He had two cans and a mean face. He waited one second, two seconds, three seconds and then he shouted "va!". Everybody around me started shooting me wherever they could. I got a ton in my face and it was really hard to see, but I got a couple lucky shots in their faces too. We kept on shooting until I could not see any more, then I saw a blury outline of Meghan and went stumbling toward her. "Will you wipe my eyes", I asked. She did so and I went back to the boys. I shot more until my can was empty.
Meghan and I walked toward Mom and Dad, we felt a couple more shots in our backs but we finally reached them. My eyes were red and I could not see well. Mom wiped Meghan and I off as best as she could and then we took a taxi home for showers.