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In America, Peru 2001 On  08/07/2001  No comments

I arrived in Puno early in the morning after a 12 hour bus trip from Arequipa. I went straight to look for transport to the Titicaca Islands. I had lunch and went back to the hotel wait for some Brazilian friends who were supposed to meet me there. It would be the first time that someone “from home” would meet me. They, Jeferson and Carol, arrived in that afternoon. They were late in their itinerary due to the farmer’s strikes in Bolivia. They decided not to visit the islands and go straight to Cuzco. We had diner, then they got the bus.

Next day I depart in a two-day tour to the islands. First we visited an Uro island. Casually the island was called Santa Maria, the same name of my hometown. It is very small and all made with reed. They first put the reed roots and then the dried reed. As the time goes by the roots are growing and gives resistance to the “ground”...

In America, Peru 2001 On  04/07/2001  No comments

I was in Cuzco, walking in to an agency to know the price of a bus ticket to Arequipa when the woman told me not to get in and walk out the store. Outside she told me it was happening an earthquake. I haven’t felt it, only when she said, I realized the walls were moving. There was music in the streets and people were dancing to commemorate Inti Rayme, they were not feeling the trembler.

After a few days I want to Arequipa. The bus trip takes 12 hours. The road that is usually awful, after the earthquake was even worse. The bus was full, children were sleeping on the aisle and a woman by my side was throwing up the whole trip. At this time I was thinking if it was really worthwhile to visit Arequipa.

The answer was yes. The city is beautiful, almost all constructed with volcanic white rocks called “sillar”. The colonial architecture of the buildings, arches, churches are a reason to go there. Another is the climate...

In America, Peru 2001 On  03/07/2001  One comment

I wanted to do a 3-day trekking in the Colca Canyon. Since the area was in alert of another possible earthquake, any travel agency wanted to organize a tour there. I talked to a local guide, he suggested me not to go down the canyon, that could be very dangerous at this time. I decided then to do a two-day tour in the canyon. In the city exit we already could see the volcanoes: Mist (means gentleman), Chachani (means well dressed, referring to its snow top) and Pichu Pichu (means peak). In the way we stopped to see Vicuñas (a wild relative of the llamas) in the Reserva Nacional de Salinas y Aguada Blanca. An hour later we stopped to have a coca leaf tea to go through the highest point of the tour.

From the viewpoint we could see the volcanoes and the snow peaks in the area. In this place people do offerings to Pachamama to protect the travelers, these are called “Apachetas”. It is a pile of rocks with coca leafs under it...

In America, Peru 2001 On  28/06/2001  2 comments

Inti Rayme, the most popular Inca party, commemorates the winter solstice. It takes place on June 24^th but the party begins a few days before with parade, rehearsals, music and drinking. The city was crowded, people came from everywhere.

On Sunday, the 24th, the commemorations started in the morning, in Qorikancha (Sun’s Temple), downtown Cuzco. The Chaskis (Inca messengers) announce the party beginning. There is music, parade and by the end the Inca salutes the Sun and invite everybody to participate the ceremony. From there everybody go to Plaza de Armas, together with the Inca, the parade and the musicians.

The most important part of the ceremony takes place at Saqsaywaman in the afternoon. Many indigenous tribes are represented by their dances and costumes. Everybody come to Cuzco to praise the Sun. The ritual involves dance, music and sacrifice...

In America, Adventure, Peru 2001, Hiking/Trekking On  22/06/2001  One comment

Since the arrival on Machu Picchu was disappointing, a cloudy day, I couldn’t see too much. I decided not to photograph, only feel the place and come back next day to work. I left my camera bag in a looker so I wouldn’t change my mind.

First we did a guided tour with some explanation of the place. The group was divided in English and Spanish tour. I joined the Uruguayans in the Spanish one. The tour was a little vague, since nobody know exactly what was the place, there are only guesses or interpretations. After we walked, rested, laughed and enjoyed the landscape. We were cheering every time the clouds would move a little. The sun could show up any time, after all it was the solstice day. No, the sun didn’t show up.

The next day I walk up early an saw it was a cloudy day. I slept again and only left to Machu Picchu at 9 am. This time the weather was better. I went up the highest point and sat down to wait for the sun...

In America, Adventure, Peru 2001, Hiking/Trekking On  21/06/2001  No comments

Nowadays it is not possible to do the Inca trail without a certified guide, what I think it is good. This regulate a little the tourism, it gives job to the Peruvians that study to be guide and prevent tourists to throw garbage and food on the way.

I decide to do a tour with a group organized by an agency in Cuzco (see services). The first day they got me in the hostel about 7am. After we picked up everybody we went to get the carriers, food, train tickets. It took forever. After I head the other agencies would do the same. On the way to Km 82 (where we start the trail) we stopped for a breakfast in Urubamba. It was the same road from Sacred Valley tour.

We arrived in the trail at noon. There were a huge number of groups and backpackers arriving at the same time. We walked for an hour and a half to the lunch pause. The day was sunny and we sat down on the grass to eat. We all enjoyed the food, or maybe we were too hungry. In general the food offered in the tour was good...

In America, Peru 2001 On  17/06/2001  No comments

This time I decided to do a tour to the archeological sites in the Sacred Valley. The distances were longer and there were no buses straight to the sights. We left Cuzco already late, about 9:30am. In the way to Pisaq we stopped in a handcraft market in a small village. It was a very touristy, the typical place made for the “gringos” spend their money.

In Pisaq, every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday there is a open market. It is divided in two parts; one of handcraft, to the tourists; and the other of food, more towards the local people. We walked a little in the market and went to the archeological site.

The site is a few kilometers up the hill. It is surrounded by agricultural terraces, theses were used specially to cultivate corn. It was also used to the production of Chicha (typical drink with hallucinogen power drank in rituals). The terraces have a good irrigation system to be able to cultivate corn at high altitudes and cold...

In America, Peru 2001 On  16/06/2001  One comment

Perto de Cusco existe um grande número de sítios arqueológicos, não tão famosos internacionalmente como Machu Pichu, mas de grande importância histórica. Resolvi pegar um ônibus local até o sítio chamado Tambomachay e de lá voltar caminhando, passando por outros sítios da redondeza. Os peruanos não gostam que chamem de ruínas, dizem que ruína soa como coisa velha, acabada, destruída e todos preferem que se chame de sítio arqueológico. Acham que este nome é mais justo para os locais. No ônibus, conheci uma americana que também queria fazer a caminhada de volta. Resolvemos, então, caminhar juntas. Por sorte, ela também era fotógrafa e, assim, parávamos para fotografar.

Tambomachay é conhecida como El Baño del Inca. Acredita-se que suas fontes de água não eram utilizadas somente para beber ou banhar-se, mas também em purificações e outros rituais. O lugar é pequeno, possui algumas paredes com portas e fontes de água.

Poucos quilômetros dali, está Puca Pu...

In America, Peru 2001 On  14/06/2001  2 comments

I planed to arrive in Cuzco a day before the Corpus Christi holiday. The city already was a party and there were commemorations at Plaza de Armas. I met some English friends for lunch and in the evening stayed reading in the hotel. I was tired.

Next day I woke up early to see the festivities. I sat down on the stairs by the cathedral. There was a great number of Peruvians and almost no foreigner tourists. I was looking at the people passing by: jelly, soda and chocolate sellers. They were also spreading out folders explaining each saint story.

Saints from neighbor churches come the day before to “sleep” in the cathedral from where they leave to the parade. After the commemorations they are returned to their original church...

In America, Peru 2001 On  13/06/2001  No comments

In Lima I visited the “Museo Nacional de Antropologia y Arqueologia”, located in Plaza Bolívar, a typical square of small city surrounded by colored colonial building. The museum shows the different phases of the indigenous cultures in Peru. Each culture is represented with the map of its region, time they had lived, its ceramics, clothing, mummies, skeletons… One of the attractions of the museum is the maquette of Machu Pichu where it shows how civilization worked. It has bulbs that light up showing what was each place in the construction.

The same day I visited the “Museo del Oro del Peru y Armas del Mundo”. The first floor you get in is a room full of rifles, knives, swords, digging, uniforms, armors, all possible warlike material, all in great amounts. I think I had never seen so many weapons together in my life. I did not like it at all, I felt suffocated and I left. I went to a handcraft store.

After some time, I came back and went to the basement to see the golden obje...