Peru tagged posts

In Karla and animals On  15/07/2001  No comments

Eagle – Cañon de Colca – Peru

In America, Bolivia 2001, Peru 2001 On  09/07/2001  2 comments

Crossing the border from one country to another is not a good experience around here. It is even worse if there is threats of closing the roads by the Bolivian farmers that were on strike. I knew I couldn’t go to Copacabana because the roads were closed as a form of protest. I went to the Bolivian consulate to know if I would have problems and they told me to cross the border through Desaguadero (a frontier city in Peru). It should be a longer but safer way.

I left very early so I would have more time in case of getting stuck somewhere. The 3-hour trip to Desaguadero had no problems, therefore the road was good. In the city we had to get off the bus with the backpacks, go in-line to the Peruvian immigration to give the exit stamp on the passport and cross the border walking. On the other site there was a bus waiting for us. We spent some more time in-line in the Bolivian immigration to get the entrance stamp. They gave me a 30-day visa even though I said I wanted to stay longer...

In + More..., Errante and tour guides, Hiking/Trekking On  21/06/2001  No comments

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, Ecuador 2001 On  29/05/2001  No comments

Crossing the border between Ecuador and Peru is not a pleasant thing. When I got off the bus in Huaquilla (Ecuador) about 20 men came around me trying to sell transport to Peru and offering to exchange dollars. One caught my backpack while the others fought for deciding who was going to take me. The place was horrible. It looked like with some parts of Ciudad del Leste (in Paraguay). I walked about 400m to the bridge on the border. I was carrying my backpack and always begging them to leave me alone. They continued walking with me, they were all talking at the same time and trying to sell me something.

On the bridge, I ran into a policeman and asked him there was a place to stamp the passport. I also wanted to know if there was public transport to Tumbes, I didn’t want to go to Peru with any of those guys that were harassing me. He was not precise in any of the answers. Moreover, “my friends” were talking the whole time, it made even harder to understand him...