Cuzco, Peru

After some debate as to our next step we have decided to go to Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Our friends from Patagonia, Marcela and Mariano are going to meet us in Cuzco and from there we will travel together by train to Machu Picchu. From Arequipa it is only a 45 minute flight and since we very rarely stay in hotels we decide to splurge. In Machu Picchu we will stay at Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel based at the ruins and at $1,300 dollars a night, the most expensive hotel we have ever stayed in. But we figure, this is a once in a lifetime experience. We have also found a really nice pet hotel for Winston to stay while we are gone. Going to Machu Picchu takes a bit of planning. Besides air flights and hotels, we also have to book the train and obtain park passes, all needing to be done in advance. We have an early flight arriving in Cuzco in the morning so we will have the whole day to explore the city and some of the Inca ruins close by. Situated high in the Andes, Cuzco, developed under the rule of Pachacutec is considered the capital of the Incan Empire and even today while most shop owners and trades people speak Spanish to the tourists, they speak Quechua with one another. In Quechua, the word Cusco” means “navel” because the Incas considered the city the center of their universe. Our hotel, Palacio del Inka is located only a couple of blocks from the Plaza de Armas and is beautiful with interior courtyards and some amazing artwork from the Cusco school of painting, but we want to get out and explore the city and the best place to start is right outside our hotel. The Iglesia de Santo Domingo was once the El Templo del Q’urikancha (Temple of the Sun), the richest temple in the Incan Empire. All that remains are the ruins of incredible stonework, the walls of which form the foundation for the church but through excavation, the old walls and terraces for which the Inca were famous are clearly visible. As we walk to the Plaza, the amazing architecture of this old city surrounds us. Huge walls of intricately fitted stonework are seen all over, paying testimony to the Inca Empire. When the Spaniards arrived they attempted to destroy any trace of what was considered “the pagan civilization” but it was too daunting a task so they ended up building their own colonial buildings on top of the indestructible Incan foundations using the same huge stones. At the Plaza de Armas, two churches dominate the square. Built on the site of what was once the palace of Incan ruler Viracocha and taking a century to build, the cathedral mixes Spanish Renaissance architecture with the stone fitting skills of the Incas. In the north tower the bell made from a ton of gold, silver and bronze is more than 300 years old and is considered the largest in South America. The other church on the plaza is the La Campania de Jesus and in a city filled with churches, is considered to be the most beautiful. Where once stood the palace of Incan Huayna Capac, La Campania de Jesus is a gorgeous example of Andean baroque architecture. As we sit and eat lunch at one of the balcony restaurants that encircle the square we get some great views although the clouds are rolling in and it starts to rain. We already knew rain was expected this afternoon and tomorrow but should clear by Thursday which is when we have the park passes for Machu Picchu. So we are undaunted by the downpour and are committed to sightseeing. We also it seems are committed to shopping. Tom picked up a couple of beautiful baby alpaca sweaters and we bought gifts for Danny and Nicole. After lunch, we walk back to the hotel to drop off our purchases and to hire a taxi to take us to the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman. This huge old military fortress is built on a hilltop from massive stones that archeologists estimate took tens of thousands of workers about 70 years to build hauling the monstrous stone blocks that make up the double outside walls and constructing a nearly indestructible building. June 24th, there is a large procession and ceremony here to mark the winter solstice. Also nearby, is a much more modern statue of Christ the Redentor which overlooks the entire city of Cuzco and gave us some great views of the city below us. The statue is very similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All the while our taxi driver who was very informative became our impromptu tour guide and explained much about the history of the city and very patiently waited for us while we checked out local artisan stalls and took photos. It was getting dark when we arrived back at the hotel, leaving us not much time to change for dinner and meet up with Marcela and Mariano for cocktails. We were all so excited to see one another again and spent an hour over pisco sours in the hotel bar catching up on news. We had made reservations at the Inka Grill for dinner. It is one of the top restaurants in Cuzco and did not disappoint us. Marcela however had forgotten to take her altitude pills and was feeling nauseous with a headache the whole time. We decided to call it a night as we have leave for the train station at 7:30 in the morning. Hopefully Marcela will feel better.

Arequipa

The second most populated city in Peru, Arequipa's history dates back as far as 5000-6000 BC, as recorded in cave paintings and some 400 archaeological monuments. Conquered by the Incas in the 15th century, the city served as an important supplier of agricultural products to the Inca Empire. In 1537, the first group of Spanish conquerors came to Arequipa, calling it first the 'Villa Hermosa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción" and in 1541 renaming it to the City of Arequipa. Nestled in a valley called the Valley of Arequipa or the Valley of Chili at the base of three volcanoes -- Chachani, Pichu Pichu and Misti, the central part of the city is crossed by the River Chili. To the north and east are the Andes mountain and the three volcanic cones dominates the skyline. Rocked continuously by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes nearly every century since the Spanish arrived, Peru’s second-largest city doesn’t lack for drama and major earthquakes have marked the key changes in the development and changes to the architecture. The natural disaster of 1582 caused a major change in favor of antiseismic construction, introducing the systematic use of sillar, a pink or pearl-colored volcanic stone and ashlar, an off-white petrified volcanic ash, both of which come from the nearby Chachani volcano. Prior to 1582, this material had only been used in the doorways of the main church and in a handful of dwellings. Being soft, lightweight, and weather resistant this provided a solution to the problems caused by earth tremors and emerged as a seismically structural solution. As a result of this, Arequipa is often referred to as the Ciudad Blanca (White City). Its grand colonial buildings, built from the off-white volcanic rock dazzles in the sun and distinctive stonework graces the countless beautiful colonial churches, monasteries and mansions scattered throughout the city. In 2000, UNESCO declared Arequipa and the surrounding area a World Heritage Site which gave a big boost to the tourism industry. Now the historical and monumental buildings with their unique architecture along with many other scenic and cultural sites within easy driving distance, make the city a national and international tourist destination. And we plan on making the most of our time here to visit as much as we can and to get to some of the more regional areas, in general to “play at being tourists”.

The road to Arequipa.

Leaving Ilo, our next stop was going to be an inland town of Moquegua, which from our map appeared to be a medium sized town and inland means we are climbing to elevation again. However, when we arrived we found it cramped and although there were lots of people in the streets, they seemed to be more poor and the town itself more ill-kept. It reminded us a little of Tacna and after the comparative upscale feel of Ilo, a little depressing. It was still early in the afternoon, so we made the decision to continue driving to the next city of Arequipa. It will make for a long drive day but we know in Arequipa there is a hostel that has room on its grounds for motorhomes with all the amenities of power, hot water and Wi-Fi. From Moquegua to Arequipa the road first drops down to sea level before the final grind up the mountain. Arequipa is at 7,530 feet (2,350 meters) above sea level and we are hoping it won’t be too cold. We are still in what is considered to be the Atacama Desert albeit at the northern end so the landscape is still very moon-like with no signs of habitation, no animal life, little vegetation and plenty of sand dunes in colors ranging from very pale almost white sand through all shades of browns and reds. It is actually quite fascinating. Around the rivers and streams it is another story. Small homes were the people eke out a living doing God knows what but with their own crops of vegetables; corn, cabbage, cauliflower seem to dominate and a couple of heads of livestock; goats, cows and plenty of chickens. Interestingly, part of the road is also designated as the Ruta de pisco and we could see plenty of vineyards and some small bodegas offering pisco tasting and sales. We were tempted but pisco is quite strong with considerably more alcohol than wine and this is a drive day. In addition, the bodegas appeared to be just a step above a hut and we know there is a much more developed Ruta de Pisco further north towards Lima. On the final ascent into the Andes to the city, the motorhome again began to overheat a little but the motor and transmission seemed fine although with the temperature gauge on the rise, we were glad reach the final pass at almost 9,000 feet and descend into the valley. We have the GPS co-ordinates for Hostel Las Mercedes and know from other overlanders that it is by the river on a fairly busy street but with comparatively easy access even for large vehicles. The roads getting to the hostel were another matter and at times our Garmin wanted us to go down small, narrow pasajes (alleyways) that we would never have been able to fit down so as anyone with a GPS device knows, we heard a lot of “recalculating”! We eventually got onto the right street and found the hostel, a huge blue and white building with beautiful French style cornices and embellishments. As Tom pulled over to the side of the road by the double gated entrance, I went to a pedestrian entrance and rang the bell. Eventually a guard appeared and let me in as I pointed to the RV and told him we needed parking. I was amazed to find behind the 14 foot (3 meter) wall about six RV’s in various sizes from camper shell pickups to a 35 foot motorhome and a huge Rotel overlander vehicle owned by Tucan travel. I also felt a bit worried that there was no room for us and worse, little space to maneuver however the guard said there was room and pointed to a spot down the side of the hostel leading to the back gardens. It was a tight squeeze past the Rotel truck but we made it although as Tom pointed out, with no room to turn around getting out will be a bear, but that is a worry for another day. Right now we have arrived with no problems and this will be a great place to hang for a while and consider our options for going to Bolivia and Machu Pichu. In addition, the grounds are huge and completely secured and the managers have no problem with Winston roaming especially after we promise to be sure to clean up after him. We are actually quite excited as Arequipa is supposed to be an old town with lots to see. After getting the motorhome settled, we go to check out the rest of the property with Winston and to meet the other overlanders who are here. There is a French couple from Normandy, a British couple and to our surprise and pleasure, the South African family that we had met previously in Bariloche; Graeme and Luisa with their two children, Jessica and Keelan. Winston, who had had a fabulous time with the children in Argentina, greeted them like long lost family and soon we were exchanging news and getting progress reports from everyone. In the past few months they have also experienced a lot of vehicle problems with a hold up in Chile waiting for parts and right now they are waiting for yet more parts here. It seems the altitude messes with all vehicles and they have a monster heavy-duty, converted Land Rover. What can you do? Well, for now we are going to enjoy a beer and for me a glass of wine and spend the evening getting acquainted with our neighbors.

Ilo

Ilo with some 65,000 inhabitants is the largest city in the Moquegua Region of southern Peru. Copper mines originally owned by the Southern Peru Copper Corporation (SPCC) drive much of the economy. Unfortunately, the copper smelting plant and a refinery located about 10 kilometers to the north have contributed to a large amount of air and water pollution in the region. This gave Ilo some notoriety when it was featured in the Canadian documentary film The Corporation, as an example of environmental problems caused by industries. However, in the past couple of years the government has made efforts to clean up the pollution problems and one of ways was to construct a new promenade along the beach front using lots of grass, plants, flowering shrubs and trees. The result is this gorgeous, green landscape, irrigated by water from the nearby river. One our first night here, we parked in one of the parking areas that was adjacent to a lawned memorial dedicated to the national police force. With lots of tile mosaic paths meandering down to the water and so much lush grass, Winston has in seventh heaven. Unfortunately, it was close to downtown and there was no space to safely let him run off lead so the next morning, we decided to try and find another spot. Driving the costanera, we could see why besides mining, the town also has a strong fishing economy; they have one of the largest fishing fleets we have seen. Everything from small boats to large trawlers complete with radar and presumably all the accoutrements for successful commercial fishing, they are all crammed side by side into the bay. There is a municipal fish market and we resolve to come back and see what fresh catch is available. The port area is also busy with large ships and barges docked and being unloaded and others out in the bay waiting to dock. Interestingly, Bolivia uses Ilo as a free passage to the Pacific Ocean for both recreational and trade purposes. After going to war with Peru in the 19th century to claim a portion of the Pacific, diplomacy took over. Now the Peruvian government has granted a renewable 99 year lease to the government of landlocked Bolivia to use a portion of the port facility as its own, in effect allowing Bolivia to claim to be a "Pacific Ocean nation". Since rain is almost non-existent here, as Ilo is located just north of the Atacama Desert which is considered to be the most arid place on earth, the weather stays warm and consistent most of the year and there a quite a few swimming coves that have been developed for the mostly, Peruvian tourists. One of them to the north of town, Pozo de Lizas looks like it will be ideal for our next couple of days in Ilo. Close to the army barracks, there is no other housing nearby and we can park, perched on a cliff with easy walkway access to the water. There is about a 3 mile long stretch of sand for us to allow Winston off leash and run. Judging from the new looking stucco and tiled tiered building with bathrooms, showers and kiosks for restaurants, in the summer this “balneario” (Spanish word for a commercialized, swimming area) would be a busy place. In winter, it is closed up and deserted save for one security guard. Since there are other coves and balnearios closer to town, in the two days we are here, we see only a few people walking the beach and a fishing boat with a couple of fishermen setting and retrieving their nets. We did see however a myriad of sea birds and a couple of sea lions swimming off-shore. There is a reserve “Punta Coles” close by but we had been told it is closed for 15 days due to contamination, no other information just “contamination”, so we presumed the sea lions were part of that reserve. Sunday, we went into town and walked along the promenade. We visited the fish market and picked up some fresh Albacore tuna and we also found an internet café where we checked on emails and were even able to Skype the kids. After, we returned to our place on the cliff and spent the afternoon alternately playing on the beach with Winston and reading. Tom set up with gas barbeque and we had the tuna which he marinated in a teriyaki style sauce for dinner. It was delicious and a fitting meal for our last night in a town which is touted as having a thriving fishing economy.

Boca Del Rio and Tacna

Leaving the border, it was late afternoon so we immediately left the main highway Pan Americana named Route 1 in Peru for the more scenic coastal route 1A. We were hoping to find a good spot for the night and simply relax and regroup. Unfortunately, the road is not actually on the coast but about half a mile (one km) inland and the first couple of small beach towns had no access for our vehicle. One road that was paved and went to the beach, turned out to be an indigenous community and they had lots of signs stating “private” and “no admittance allowed”. Turning around, we continued north and finally arrived at Boca del Rio. At the mouth of Sama River which drains all the way from Lake Titicaca, Boca del Rio is the largest town we have come to so far. Driving into town on a well maintained paved road, everything – homes, businesses, hotels – were boarded up and there was not a person in sight. Arriving at the beach there was a huge flat area for parking and a long stretch of beach with waves crashing over rocks. There was one restaurant that was not boarded up but closed immediately after we arrived. Driving along the vast sea front, we choose a place which was level and where we could park so our door opened to the ocean. With the sun already setting I took Winston for a well deserved run on the beach. When I got back Tom had settled the motorhome for the night and had started dinner, beef stroganoff over noodles. “Okay,” I told him “this is weird”. Boca del Rio is as close to a ghost town that we have ever been to. There was not a single person on the beach walking, jogging or just watching the sun set. There was not a single vehicle driving up and down the coastline. And just as mysterious, there was not a single stray dog around. Most overlanders will testify to the fact that one of the most distressing points of travelling in Central and South America are the sheer numbers of stray dogs everywhere. In towns, cities and beaches, these dogs are allowed to roam unchecked and for the most part, uncared for. For the rest of the night, it stayed that way. Besides the two people we had seen closing the restaurant, no-one else. Like I said weird. The next morning gave us another surprise. I had already walked Winston and noticed that the tide was in and thundering against the rocks but it did not look particularly dangerous or bothersome. So, imagine my surprise as I was drinking coffee and happened to be looking out the window to see water sweeping up the parking lot towards the beachside property. I opened the door to swirling waves under the motorhome. Waking Tom, I told him that I was moving the RV and what was happening. Moving the motorhome to a safer place, we watched as the waves crashed over the short sea wall and just rushed into the area washing out a beach sign. Soon, some men appeared, the first we had seen and went down to the water and as the waves continued, they attempted to rescue the sign floating against the rocks. “Glad I wasn’t walking Winston when that happened” I told Tom. After that excitement of the morning, the rest of the day was disappointing. We had decided to go back inland to the fairly large city of Tacna, to shop, go to the bank for Peruvian Soles, get gas and to see if there was a tourist office. Well, Tacna may be the capital of the region and a large city but in reality it is poor, rundown and uninteresting. For some reason our trusty Garmin refused to work, maybe the streets here aren’t mapped, so it was by chance we found a supermarket with a bank inside. We were able to change our remaining Chilean pesos and also use an ATM to get more cash. We were also told that there is no tourist office in town. Like I said, disappointing, although gas in Peru is only around $4.50 a gallon which is $2.00 cheaper than Chile. After checking the only map we have, we decide on the town of Ilo for the night. Staying on the Pan Americana, we steadily climbed up the mountains before dropping back down to the coast. On the way there was a surprising mandatory stop at a customs office. The Customs building was huge spanning both sections of the road with plenty of guards and police. Every vehicle was forced to stop. Our paperwork was examined and all our info entered into a register. They then stamped our vehicle permit and waved us on. We did not undergo an inspection but we noticed that they checked inside and the trunk of most cars. We could not even surmise what they were looking for. By the time we got to Ilo, it was dark and our main interest at this point was just to find a place to park for the night. The town is having a new costanera road built and at first all we passed were areas of construction and one lane traffic. However further south the area is finished and we found plenty of parking. Our eventual spot was beside a pretty walkway and large grassy area. Winston was in heaven – the dog loves grass. It is late and we are tired. Soup for dinner and bed. We will explore Ilo tomorrow.

California - May 2013

Here is the link to our California photographs. Copy and paste in browser, click on slideshow an enjoy. https://plus.google.com/photos/118181109521024542820/albums/5916477982023174129

Our days in California

After all the excitement of New Orleans, we are headed home to California and we have plenty to do. The first is the most sobering (judicious use of the word after New Orleans!), as we need to prepare for mom’s funeral and “celebration of life” luncheon. We have to shop as neither Tom nor I have suitable clothes for this kind of service. Traveling in a motorhome is not conducive to dressy clothes and all our good clothes are in storage. Macys for me and the Mens Wearhouse for Tom, which since they have 2 for 1 on everything in the store, Danny lucks out with new suit, shirt and tie also. We also have shopping to do for supplies for the RV and our travels and our favorite restaurants to catch up with. First on the agenda is Fats. This is one of the best Chinese restaurants around and as regular readers know, I love Chinese food and miss it. After that, we separate and I go for my foraging at Macys, while Tom and Danny go to take care of their own shopping. Since the weather is so nice, we take the time to relax and enjoy the pool at Bruce and Jeanne’s, who are always so accommodating whenever we are home and invite us to stay with them, our own house being leased. The plan is to leave for San Jose on Sunday and stay in a hotel overnight so we are not rushed Monday morning. Nicole will also meet up with us Sunday night so we can arrive together. The funeral is at Saint Justin’s church in Santa Clara which was their parish when they were growing up and the limousines are scheduled to pick us up at 9am. I have to say, Tom and Danny looked very dashing in their suits. The church looked amazing with some gorgeous floral arrangements sent from family and friends and many of their friends attended. After the service and internment, it was time for lunch at Marianis. About 60 people came and it was wonderful. Many stood up and spoke remembering not just Tom’s mom but also his dad and the many antics, stories and anecdotes about Tom and his siblings growing up. It really was a wonderful celebration of an amazing 91 year old lady. It was great seeing the kids together also. Our time with Nicole was too brief due to her work and school schedule and Danny leaves Tuesday to return to Utah. We won’t see them again until Christmas, when they will join us in Ecuador for the holidays; well that is the plan anyway. Wednesday we fly to Los Angeles for a final few days of “vacation”. Haley is graduating from USC (University of Southern California) on Thursday and Friday we will attend a 10K swim race before flying back to Santiago. Colette and Randy, Haley’s parents and Jeanne and Erin will also be there for the events, so it seems rather like the celebrations are continuing from New Orleans. The graduation ceremony was mercifully small compared to some as Haley is graduating with her fellow student athletes instead of the main graduating class so instead of thousands there were maybe only a couple of hundred young adults, bright-eyed, bright minded and with Haley’s group of swimmers brightly adorned with a gorgeous lei crown courtesy of an Hawaiian girl’s family. Friday we went to the 10K swim race for USA swim but unfortunately Haley had for her, a disappointing finish but we all reminded her she is a talented and loved young lady with a great future and as a family we are so proud of her accomplishments. She also bounced back and won the 5K swim the following day. After, yet another family celebration dinner, this time with Haley as the honoree, it was time for us to say goodbye to the family once again and get back to our adventures, our motorhome and most of all to Winston who between Easter Island and this trip must be feeling quite alone.