Peru 2011

February 9, Colca Valley, Peru

Early rise at 5.30 am, 6 am breakfast and in van at 6.30 for 2 hour ride up the valley.  The deepest valley in the world.  The mountains now covered in snow after all the rain yesterday, but turned out to be a nice sunny day.  The terrace work is amazing.  Half way up the mountain sides.  Some narrow some wide, depending on the the steepness of the the hill.

Took a 1 hour walk along the valley wall which is at an altitude of about 3900 meters..  Very nice.  The bottom of the valley was mostly covered in cloud, but the visibility was changing all the time.

Stopped at a look out and actually saw some Andean Condors sitting on a rock.  Apparently it is the nesting season.  Further up the valley there were about 7 or 8 condors soaring above the road!  They are huge!  3 meter wing span, riding the thermals created by the now sunny day!  There are about 48 condors in the valley and the population is slowing growing.  The young do not leave the nest until they are about 2 1/2 years old.

Gave some locals rides again as the bus service is not reliable.

To the local hot springs in evening, and the dinner and traditional dance show.

February 8, Colca Valley, Peru

Left city for the valley.  Stopped at about 4900 m for tea.  This was after stopping in the city at a market to stock up on products for the trip.  The products are all made from the coca leaf.  Yes the plant used to manufacture cocaine!  Well you can get just the leaf, cookies, hard candies, lollipops, coca sours (coca added to a Pisco Sour) and several kinds of toffee all made from coca!  They are supposed to help with altitude sickness!  Needless to say the store did a booming business!  Almost everyone on bus bought at least 2 types of 'product' and there were a couple of other buses stop while we were there.

The stop for tea was nice.  You can buy tea with a 'blend' of 3 things - mint, coca and chachacoma.  All natural of course!  Tasted not to bad, the mint was the strongest flavour!

A few stops along the way to see the other 'camel' type animal, the vicuna.  Related to the camel as are the llama and alpaca.  The vicuna has the finest wool of the 3 and goes for about $350 a kilo.

Stopped in Chivay for lunch.  Buffet, and as usual ate way too much!

Then to hotel.  By this time it is pouring rain, and we are supposed to have a hike!  Well hike cancelled but instead took a short walk to the town square, around the church yard and some back roads back to hotel.  Arrived soaking wet!  And cold.  

By time we got back the hotel had turned on the (very) small gas heaters in rooms.  Did not put out much heat.  Ended up in hotel lounge for happy hour, sitting around the fire.  Very nice.

Ate alpaca, a very popular meat.  Was very good.  It is a very fine grained meat and a pleasant taste.

Too bed early!  Again!

February 7, Arequipa, Peru

Bus was scheduled to depart at 10 pm but ended up being close to midnight!  

10 hours on the bus, but have to say quite comfortable.  Seats reclined a long way and still had a lot of leg room.

Arrived about 10 am and off to Hostal Solar!  Wow, what a great places.  Nice big clean rooms, with very nice sitting areas.

spent the rest of morning and early afternoon walking around the older part of the city.  All looks new and neat.  Most built since 1500 under Spanish.

Guide took us on a quick tour around the old part of the city.  Then headed for the monastery.  A huge place built in the 1500s and is still in use today.  There have been many reconstructions due to earthquakes but apparently the originality of the place has been retained.  The buildings were very nice to look at.  Very colourful with read geraniums.

Was surprised to find that the nun's rooms were as large as they were, and many had there own ovens and small kitchen.

Then just walked around the city.  Full of great doors and courtyards!

Early night!

February 6, on the overnight bus, Peru

Awake very early morning so sat by pool.  Very nice.  Just next door is a prickly pear cactus field.  This is used to attract the cochineal bug for its red dye.  Very lucrative crop. $400 per kilo for the powder.

Breakfast and then off to fly over Nasca Lines.  Amazing sight.  Many animals and human figures and also straight lines.  Look perfect from the air.  My pictures do not do them justice.  A few in plane were a bit green with all the tilting over the various marks. 

Then to Chauchilla Cemetery.  Here there are many tombs which were unfortunately robbed.  Some have been restored.  The people were buried in rooms underground, in the fetal position, facing east and with the items they would need in the next life.

Paracus 700 BC to 200 AD

Nasca about 300 BC to 700 AD

Chauchilla about 500 AD to 1200

Inca about 1300 AD to 1500

Spanish 1500 to 1821

Peru independence 1821

Also visited a pottery place that makes replica Nasca pottery.

Back to hotel for a rest, and happy hour!  Beers by pool while we waited for the late bus!

February 5, Nasca, Peru

Easy morning wandering around small fishing village.  Quiet and small.

Then into van.  Short drive to a Pisco distillery.  Interesting as they still crush the grapes with their feet, but have the feeling this is only done during the week long party they have during the harvest!  Pisco is an alcohol distilled from grapes.  

Tasted many of them, some good some not so good!  Pisco sours (Pisco, lime juice, and egg white blended with ice) have become the happy hour drink!

About another hour and a stop at an oasis, Huacalchina.  Here went dune bugging on some huge sand dunes!  Also got to try sand boarding.  Tried standing but spent most of my time on my ass.  I guess the snow boarding lesson of 6 years ago is lost!  And the 1 day on a board did not help.  Tried a couple of times on stomach,  much faster and a great ride!  As I was wearing sandals I did not have any brakes!  That was okay though, liked the speed!  Simple a board with velco straps and slightly up curved ends like a snow board.  A bit different but still fun, despite the sand getting everywhere!!!!!

Swim in pool after was great and made the 3 hour bus ride after more tolerable!

So flat!  With nothing growing and then green areas.  Water comes from wells.

Somewhere took wrong turn as crossed the Rio Grande river and were in Sacramento!

Stopped at the Nasca Lines tower along side of Pan American highway, just outside of Nasca. 

Short wander around Nazca, to the bank and to the grocery store.

Stayed in a hacienda type place, San Marcelo.  Very nice and very quiet!  Swimming pool as well.

February 4, Paracus, just outside of Pisco, Peru

Actually had a free morning so spent walking the streets around the hotel.  Just after lunch got a private bus to bus station to catch public bus.  At times standing room only.  Arrived at Pisco, then 30 minute to small fishing village of Paracus.  Very quiet place geared to fishing and tourists going to a nature preserve island just off the coast.  Had dinner and a Pisco Sour, which the area is famous.  The drive along coast on Pan American was very dry, maybe 2 mm rain each year.  

much sand and rocky mountains.  Most of the places there is no vegetation!  Not even weeds.  Found out later that there are 4 birds living on this type of land and some insects and lizards.  Not much but still interesting to look at!