The final ascent to Machu Picchu

That's my friend from Cusco - I mentioned her in the last post.


I go to bed early to prepare for my pickup at daybreak.  I'm happily snoozing when the door opens, the lights come on and I see two people standing in my doorway holding a bottle of water.  We're all surprised and the guy is mumbling about wanting to deliver water.  I respond quite concisely to put the water down, turn off the lights, and get out of my room.  9:00 pm is a little late to be delivering water I think.  And so much for deadbolts.


We start off with a wild ride to the train station.  We're an hour and a half away and we're late.  I get on the train with 5 minutes to spare and off we go for a three hour trip to Aquas Calientes.  About half way up the mountain we stop to let off the hikers who will be hiking the Inca Trail for four days and camping along the way.  Adios you crazy people - and to think this is exactly what I wanted to do just a few years ago.  Thank goodness I delayed the hike to get my  hip replaced.  Side note: I talked to these guys (about our age on a boys trip) who just finished the Inca Trail hike.  Their stories were filled with pain and wonderment.  You hike 8 hours a day, sleep the night in your tent, and then do it all over again.  The trail is completely stone steps up and down the mountains - the steps are huge, like 2 feet on average.  Lorie, they reminded me of those monster boulder steps we had just before we got to the ropes on Half Dome.  These guys used porters, like the sherpas on Everest, who carried about 100 pounds on their backs.  One guy said that the porters ran past him like he was standing still - amazing.

We start heading in to the jungle and then we get to Aquas Calientes where I meet my guide, Edwin.  This place is filled with hippie types - my new bag fits right in.  Lots and lots of young people with back packs  from all over the world.  English is only one of many languages spoken here.  I remember those fun days roaming the world with out a care - and now I'm doing it again.


Finally I get to Machu Picchu.  Words and pictures cannot really describe what you see.  It is magical and breathtaking.  The engineering expertise and workmanship of the Inca builders is mind boggling.  And they're uncovering more and more parts of Machu Picchu - the place is massive and vast.  But for me, the best part is the mountains.  So majestic and imposing, you can't take your eyes away from them.  It was really a fabulous day.
Now I'm ready to come home and pick up my little roommate, Mia.  She's been having as much fun as I have.  I've checked up on her through the photos at Camp Four Paws.  She either has her butt in the air as she tries to get a gopher out of the hole or she's lolling in the pool with her friends.  She was a complete mud ball in the last picture I saw.
It was an awesome trip.  The next time I come back to Peru I'm going to the jungle.
Thanks for reading my blogs.  Knowing that made me feel that I was still among friends.
Adios.

A day in Cusco

I wake up with firecrackers popping outside my window and apparently across the whole city.  It seems that every day the people here in Cusco celebrate some saint or virgin and their celebration starts with firecrackers.  One morning it was 5:00 am.  Then they parade all over the city.  They’re obviously not at the gym before their latte and work.

When I get outside my room I hear the monks chanting throughout the hotel and courtyards.  It’s very mystical and I love it, so I bought the CD.

After an outrageously delicious breakfast y café con leche , I head for the steep cobblestone streets.  The cobblestone is murder on my Prada flats and I still need to get some walkers before Machu Picchu.  I purchased a cute shoulder bag hand knit by a sweet lady in the market.  I feel like a 60’s hippie when I wear it.

Many Andean women come down from the mountains with babies in a bundle strapped to their backs with llamas and baby sheep following along.  Tourists will have their pictures taken with them and this supplements their income – or more likely it’s all of it.  The main industry in Cusco is tourism.

As you look at the city you see a sea of Spanish tile roofs and colonial adobes.  When the Spanish first arrived in Cusco they burned everything they saw and what they couldn’t burn they tore down.  Most cathedrals, churches, and other places are built on the remnants of the Inca structures.  Pizarro wanted to conquer the land but he also wanted to convert all the Inca people to Catholicism.  The Inquisition was carried out at a building I saw.  If the Indians did not totally renounce their gods (i.e., sun, water, earth) and “become” Catholic, they were beheaded on the spot.   There’s a weird painting in the cathedral where a padre and a conquistador are participating in the holy decapitation.  God made them do it. 

   

The Indians who were left were commissioned as builders and artists to paint the many religious paintings the Spanish wanted in their churches.  Even though the Indians were forbidden to honor their gods they would put subtle references to them in the paintings – mountains, sun, and snake.   And in the cathedral the Indians carved beautiful wood choir seats for the monks.  At the end of every armrest was a big breasted woman, naked – no complaints from the monks.


Sorry but no photos today.  I'm having technical difficulties.

 

Now it’s off to bed before my early morning trip to Machu Picchu.

Hasta luego.

On to Cusco

  So I get off the plane and I'm immediately met by three people from the Hotel Monasterio who whisk me to the hotel.  I'm thinking, "This is going to be good!"  And boy is it.  This fabulous hotel was originally a monastery.  I'm led to a lovely table to sign in - I took the photo at the left from my signing spot.  A cup of delicious coca tea arrives.  My room is ancient and gorgeous with amenities fit for a queen.  Yes, I'm really liking it.  Breakfast is served off the courtyard below and has uber, wonderful eatables - maybe better than Bangkok.
  The only tiny problem is that it's very difficult to breathe at 11K feet.  So I'm huffing and puffing, have headaches, and little energy.  But who cares!

 I'm in the lap of luxury and a beautiful city.
  Tomorrow I check things out.  Of course I have the wrong shoes for the cobblestones (you know, always beauty before comfort) so my first stop will be at the local shoe shop for sneakers.  Comfort I've decided is a must now.

Hasta luego.
Todos te amo.

Lots of work and a tiny bit of play

The schedule here is grueling.  We're off to La Molina in the morning and return after 6:30 with two one hour out of control rides each way.  We get back to the hotel and just lay down.  At school we're hustling every minute without breaks and standing all day on the cement is exhausting.  To my nieces, Andrea and Megan, I have such admiration for what you do every day.
In spite of the hard work, I love the teaching.  There are 15 to 22 students in the classes and they comprise of college students, graduate students, professors, directors, and staff.  They are all so eager to learn and it's really fun having the students and professors together.  One of my favorite students is Professor Gorki (that's one of his many first names) so I call him Gorki.  He is so funny in class and works like any other student.  Every morning when we arrive on campus he's right there to welcome us - I check his progress when I listen to how much English he's using.  He's the director of the language school.  The first few days of class the students wouldn't open their mouths - I totally understand the fear as I've tried to learn Spanish.  But we made the classes very non-threatening and personal so I've watched and heard them get better and better.  It's so cool.  And then on the last day they showered us with gifts.  It was overwhelming and so dear.
And speaking of language, get this:  I am the designated translator for our teaching team.  I have to tell the driver what to do, where to go and when to come back.  One day we noticed a Starbucks and decided that if we didn't stop there we would kill something.  My "expert" Spanish was very important that day.  At school one of my staff friends, Mary Carmen, and I try to learn English and Spanish from each other.  It's great fun.

We saw the funniest thing on campus on Friday.  There is a long standing tradition at the university where upper class-men hunt down all freshmen and usher them (sometimes kicking and screaming) to a huge pit filled with cow manure and other unmentionables.  The manure is in plentiful supply since this is an agricultural university. The freshmen must attempt an impossible jump across the pit.  Too funny.
I love Peru.  It's such a diverse and beautiful country.
Hasta luego.

Sister Rose de Lima

To my school chums: Remember Sister Rose de Lima?  She taught the 5th grade at Mission and we called her "the sponge" because she cried all the time?  We must have terrorized the poor soul - although I have no memory of us angels doing such a thing.  Anyway, today is a national holiday in Peru because Saint Rose de Lima was born in Lima and is now the patron saint of Peru and South America.  The city and government of Lima is closed today so while the Peruvian's are celebrating once again, we have a day off.  Actually, half a day off.  We all worked at the orphanage this morning.  They have 600 orphans from a day old to 18.  Many are siblings who were sent there after their parents were killed by the Peruvian terrorists.  They are darling of course and actually well cared for.

Besides constant celebrating the Peruvians kiss all the time.  Every time they greet someone, anyone, it's with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  I kind of like it.  Of course, us Americanos want to shake hands.  They have a kissing park with an annual competition and celebration of the longest kiss.  This huge statue shows the position.  Another good idea.

I've also noticed dogs everywhere.  Every local seems to have a dog and they're constantly walking them.  The dogs are often wearing a sweater (it's winter) and usually without a leash.  It's very cute.  And of course the obligatory sign in the park.

The food here is delicious and so fresh.  We watch guys drop off bags of local fruits and vegetables every morning at our hotel.  I had the famous ceviche for the first time last night.  Sliver thin fish fillets and octopus marinated in lime juice and herbs.  I can't believe that I ate the octopus in all it's glory but it was outstanding.  Fish is big here since we're right on the coast.  The other big thing and the national drink of Peru is  a Pisco Sour.  It's made from some kind of potent grape, lime juice, and a froth from egg whites.  They drink it for every celebration and, as I mentioned, that is all the time.  Even during our first morning at the university we were welcomed by the president and staff with Pisco Sours all around.  Everyone was really tipsy after.  It made for some amusing teaching.

The pride of Peru is a coffee harvested by a single farmer in the Andean mountains.  It won the top world prize for 2010.  Of course, I had to take some home but after searching the city discovered that it is for export only.  They're probably serving now it at your local Starbucks.  Nothing is sacred.
Hasta luego!

Peru, here I come

Well, not so fast.  My American flight was cancelled at the last minute but I did get on a LAN (Peruvian) flight and arrived only four hours late.

Now that I'm here I love Peru.  The people are great and they have a wonderful life style.  I'm staying in Miraflores in a homey colonial called Hostal Torreblanca. That's our neighborhood bird to the left.   Miraflores is a section of Lima that is right on the ocean - very nice.  It's winter in Peru now and a little chilly.  No one has heat (or air conditioning) in their buildings and  I froze by butt off until I could find a space heater.  That little guy is on night and day.
The accommodations are doable and the hotel staff is great.  I have a huge bottle of water in my room which I refill so you know I'm happy about that.  Have to have my water.   I forgot my hairbrush and blew out my hairdryer so I've had some interesting hair days.  To make matters worse I got a haircut before I left from someone new (not John!) and it's a little iffy.  As soon as I can buy my hat with the long tails from the Andes I'll wear that all the time and look just fine.
There are fifteen of us here from Global Volunteers - families and people by themselves.  Most of them are working at the orphanage and four of us are teaching English at the University at La Molina.  La Molina is an hour away from the hotel and we take a wild ride every morning and evening.  The traffic in Lima is the worst I have ever seen.  They fit as many cars as possible between the curbs (the lines mean nothing) and drive bumper to bumper with their hands on the horn.  If you are a pedestrian you take your life in your hands - the cars stop for no one.  We were a little worried  (freaked) the first few days; now we just don't look.
I'm working at La Molina with three women.  Maryann is a retired teacher from Baltimore.  She's really sweet but never stops talking.  And Mary is a retired school psychologist who wants to put a sexual tone on every topic.  She doesn't hear well and speaks softly - all slightly annoying.  I team teach with Diane, a young accountant from Wisconsin.  We've had a rough start learning to work together but we called a truce and now make do.  So you can see we are a strange group.  Minor start up problems until I can be more accepting - need more meditating!