Adversity

...stand above it...

South of the Equator: Part IV

After an exciting trip to Machu Picchu we routed through Cusco for a meal and took advantage of our momentum and kept on moving towards the Bolivian border rather than spend another night in Cusco. Hopping on a 10 PM bus that took us overnight to the city of Puno, a Peruvian city on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.

Lake Titcaca

Knowing beforehand that as an American acquiring a Bolivian tourist visa would cost me $135 (thank you Evo Morales, George Bush, and I suppose Hugo Chavez!), we kept moving into Bolivia and decided to spend as much time as possible there to make the cost of the visa worth it. Fortunately, once inside of Bolivia I found that things were relatively cheap, making the pain of the pricey visa easier to swallow.

Rock Formations, Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is, simply put, absolutely beautiful. Being from the Great Lake State it comes as no surprise that I was most excited for this site and it did not disappoint. While Michigan’s Lake Superior is far larger than Lake Titicaca, something about the scenery around Lake Titicaca made me feel like it was nearly the size of an ocean. Perhaps it was catching a glimpse of the Andes Mountains far in the distance, looking miniature over the horizon beyond the crisp blue waters of the lake.  Looking out into the sky one would momentarily mistake the snowcapped giants for clouds as their white, wispiness blends right in.

Andes Mountains in the background of Lake Titicaca

A bus ride into the lakeside town of Copacabana had us on the shores of Titicaca and after a quick street side lunch and trip to the market to load up on simple ingredients for future snacks and lunches, we hopped on a ferry to take us to La Isla de Sol. A small slice of land stranded in among the vast blueness of Titicaca, this island is home to a small indigenous population, 1 or 2 quaint pueblos, and as of late appears to have seen its fair share of tourist. Upon arrival we had a local guide walk us around the southern portion of the island telling us a bit more about the indigenous history, showing us a small ruin, and enchanting us with his comedic charm that has no doubt been refined over many island run-throughs with other tourists.

Patron sitting with me having lunch at a random street vendor in Bolivia. Go Blue!

Finally reaching a hostel for the night was a welcomed treat after hauling our belongings on our backs throughout the hilly terrain. Wanting nothing more than decent shelter from the chilling winds off the lake and a hot shower after an overnight and daylong trek to reach Bolivia, we sprung for a pricier room with amenities without a second thought. As nighttime set in, it surprised me to find that while the daytime had a strong, warm sun blanketing La Isla de Sol, the island was left cold and windy when the sun set. I am talking long underwear, sweatshirt, and 10 blankets (literally) while you sleep in your bed kind of cold.

Quaint beach, Lake Titicaca

Rewarded with a homemade continental breakfast for making it through the cold night, we were happy to eat all we could before taking our belongings in backpack on a 2 hour trek to the north side of the island. The walk northward was majestic as the hilly terrain and overall small shape of the island allows us to catch amazing views of the lake surrounding the island all around us. A few small ruins dot the northern end of the island, but we found the walk and views en route were much more impressive than what the ruins had to offer.

Ruins: Sacred Table

After a nice hike we settled into the pueblo at the northern side of the island, which was warmer than what we experienced the previous night as we were at a lower altitude, but still packed a bit of a chill at night. A small slice of land separated our hotel from the lake, which was home to plenty of local livestock. Cows came and went as they pleased and much to the dismay of their owners often found themselves in the lake for a dip and sip of water. How does one then get their cow out of the lake, you might ask? Well, simply throw large rocks at it – at least that’s what these locals did.

Pigs, donkeys, sheep, and horses were also spotted casually making their way around the island shepherded by their owners and/or owners’ kids. Don’t ask me where they went to or where they called home, because after walking that whole island I did not once come across anything that remotely resembled a pasture or field that I am primed to thinking would be suitable for such animals. 

View from the hostel, donkey tied to post

South of the Equator: Part III

As we made our way to Machu Picchu I grew ever more excited as we rose in elevation through winding mountain passes and even caught glimpses of snow, which I hadn’t seen since leaving the US. With slight headaches ebbing and flowing with the changes in pressure and altitude I was happy to reach the next leg of our multiple interchange adventure to Machu Picchu.  There are a few different routes to the lost ruins of Machu Picchu, which range in length and degree of difficulty for challenging your inner-hiker, but we chose the quickest route as I wanted to maximize my time at the ruins, as opposed to en route, and my time in Peru overall.

View en route to Hydroelectric plant on our way to Machu Picchu

An early morning microbus ride through the mountains, 2 stops afterwards in small towns to catch a taxi to the next checkpoint, and an arrival at the hydroelectric site before taking on the home stretch by foot made me feel a bit like I was a contestant on The Amazing Race. As we cruised by numerous hikers on foot in our taxis I almost felt a bit guilty for cutting what would be a 6-day hike into a couple hours cab ride. Happy with my decision to take the easy way in motor vehicle, we reached the hydroelectric site where we had to walk the remaining 2 hours along a set of train tracks to the town of Aguas Calientes, which sits below the mountain peaks where you’ll find Machu Picchu. With the friendly guidance of an Aguas Calientes local and later the accompaniment of a fellow traveler from Chile, we chatted along the path only with the occasional interruption from a passing train, but otherwise surrounded by the serene calmness of mountains, a flowing stream, and the forest.

Train tracks leading to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu

Strolling into Aguas Calientes after a 2 hour walk with all my belongings on my back was a welcomed treat. Within the first minute of carousing the streets it’s not hard to see that Aguas Calientes a) solely exists to cater to the thousands of backpackers looking to reach Machu Picchu and b) does well for itself feeding off of said invasion of tourists.

Hungry for Pizza? I’ve never been to Italy, but Aguas Calientes had to have had twice as many pizzerias in this small town than in all of Italy.

Aches & pains after a long trek through the mountains? Get your full body message on nearly every street corner.

Pizza while you get a rub down? Didn’t actually see it, but wouldn’t be surprised if Aguas Calientes is home to the first Pizzeria Massage Parlor. After seeing so many of each of these establishments they truly did begin to blend together.

Having settled into a hostel our only task for the evening was to get tickets in order for the next day’s visit to Machu Picchu. While the average traveller should not have any trip-ending meltdown with this task, one should prepare themselves for plenty of running around and a small dose of frustration. Unfortunately, there is no 1-stop-shop for all your Machu Picchu needs, but rather a series of stops in order to put your trip in order.

As I would hate to spoil the excitement for future travelers, I won’t divulge all of my insider tips, but I will offer one: turn off your judgment of common sense and refrain from asking why you need to visit three different sites for each your park entrance ticket, your bus ticket, and a train ticket to skip town afterwards – instead just roll with the punches. Having to visit three separate ticket offices is not in itself the most frustrating thing, but rather having their locations strategically spread apart as far as possible in opposite corners of the town is a bit ridiculous.

Anyhow, looking at the silver lining, I got to know the small town of Aguas Calientes inside and out on my treasure hunt for tickets and was ready to take down Machu Picchu the next day. A traditional meal of rotisserie chicken, salad, french fries, and Coca-Cola while watching a Peruvian national game was the perfect way to cap off the evening.

The ruins of Machu Picchu are indeed impressive and blessed with a clear, sunny day we were able to hike around the premises until our hearts were content (or rather until my heart was content as it was trip #3 for my Peruvian friend). The site is home to a lot more than what you find in typical photos. Enough ground to cover to keep one busy for hours, the most impressive views are indeed near the center of the site, but varying trails lead off higher into the mountains with more ruins and impressive views (and unimpressive views as we did pass a tourist relieving herself in plain sight just a few feet off one of these trails next to a tree. Note: there are public bathrooms on the premises when you first enter the park, please use these).

Machu Picchu in its 100th year since "rediscovery"

Machu Picchu: 15th-Century "Lost City of the Incas," sitting at 2,400 meters above sea level

Machu Picchu (brown spot center left) from the Sun Temple higher above

South of the Equator: Part II

After some time exploring Paucartambo and the outskirts of Cusco, we returned to downtown Cusco before heading to Machu Picchu. Settling into a hostel around San Francisco Plaza (just a block or two from the main city square, Plaza de Armas) I took to the streets to do some exploring. The city was cool and gusty as it sits high above sea level and is surrounded by the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountains. The downtown area is not too crowded, which is a relief from what one usually finds in large cities, the streets are clean, and the surroundings of buildings, churches, and homes give it a charming colonial feel. Not as colorful - and certainly larger in size - Cusco is unique from my current home in Antigua, Guatemala, but in certain ways it is similar.

"Viva El Peru" in the mountains surrounding Cusco (note: red & white Peruvian flags)

One such pleasant difference was one of the main markets I visited, which was light-years beyond what I’ve experienced in Guatemala. While it was equally as charming with small vendors selling their goods, ranging anywhere from scarves knitted with Alpaca wool to a fresh block of cheese, the overall organization and tidiness in Cusco was impressive. Whereas the local market here in Antigua is a labyrinth of vendors hawking their goods, the market I visited in Cusco had signs (SIGNS! What a novel idea…) indicating where one could find their desired goods rather than wander around aimlessly in hopes of stumbling across something. The market in Antigua is exciting and alive the first few times you visit it, but the novelty soon gives way to frustration as you are left to navigate the labyrinth time and time again searching every dark nook and cranny for that one sweet, old lady who sells the perfect tomatoes.

Traditional garb in Cusco (note the baby lamb in the child's arms)

Cusco also reminded me of Antigua in that it is very well equipped to cater to the mass influx of tourists that traverse its streets. Every other establishment seemed to be a restaurant, café, or bar for vacationers to sit down and spend their money. As we strolled the streets we were never a far cry from a shop owner beckoning us to try their delicious desserts or baked guinea pig (yes, I said guinea pig – apparently a local delicacy in Peru).

Church in Plaza de Armas (note again the flags - step it up America!)

Another thing I noticed about Cusco, and Peru in general, was their patriotism. As a full-blooded American, this is something I can get down with and respect wholeheartedly. In all the countries I have visited I have found similar vigor among the populace in loving their own country, but there was something more to it in Peru, which I enjoyed. It seemed no matter where I went there was always a Peruvian flag, and more often than not, there were multiple flags. Nearly to the point of overkill, the government buildings, town squares, and lamp posts lining the streets seemed to always be draped in the nation’s flag.

Plaza de Armas, flags, and homes (can you see the cross on the top of the hill?)

Unfortunately, time only allotted for one full night in Cusco and then a quick pass through for dinner after returning from Machu Picchu later, but overall Cusco was an impressive city. I loved how it felt low key, yet at the same time had a vibrant downtown full of people so I never felt completely alone or bored. Hopefully I’ll be able to explore this town in the mountains more in the near future.

South of the Equator: Part I

Of all the recent travels that I have made the past 5 years throughout Latin America, it seemed a bit overdue that I just now made it beyond the Isthmus of Panama and into South America. Having been through 5 of 7 Central American countries I felt like venturing further south into South America wouldn’t surprise me, but fortunately the sites, tastes, smells, and people of Peru and Bolivia were a welcomed and exciting change from life in Guatemala and Central America.

Finally mid-July approached and I was ready to fly south to Lima, Peru and although the destination was much more foreign than locales I vacationed to as a youngster, the excitement reminded me of summer vacations past growing up in the US. Some initial, yet minimal, planning had been done in advance with my contact and good friend in Peru – certainly we’d visit Machu Picchu, Lima, Cusco, and Lake Titicaca, but the finer details and in-between destinations remained unclear, which only made the 2 weeks that lied ahead of me that much more exciting.

After arriving safely and soundly in Lima my friend’s father was kind enough to entertain and host me for the evening as my friend was already on vacation from school and wasted no time in venturing south to Cusco before I had arrived. With Lima bustling with foot traffic and plenty of activity on a Saturday night, my friend’s father and I rode into downtown to see the main squares, cathedral, Presidential Palace, and enjoy a late dinner. Before turning in for the night I was surprised to waltz over so easily to the coast and watch the waves of the Pacific Ocean. A beautiful reminder that despite the bustling metropolis and breezy, chill weather that might have you believe otherwise, Lima is a coastal town right on the Pacific complete with beaches and piers into the ocean.

Downtown Lima Central Plaza

Presedential Palace (Crowds welcoming the new resident sworn in that weekend)

Before I knew it I was catching an early morning flight on Star Peru airlines from Lima to Cusco, an otherwise 20-some grueling hour bus ride through the mountainous terrain of Peru. Although a bit a hazy from a a quick siesta in the airport terminal before boarding my flight, I was sure I’d spotted another tourist in the terminal wearing a plain blue tshirt that bore nothing more than the shape of Michgan’s Upper Peninsula. Serendipitously she made her way to the same gate as I and as we boarded the plane I asked if she was indeed a fellow Michigander. With nothing more than a surprised smile shot back at me to confirm, we bonded over being from the same home state and enjoyed the novelty of running into each other thousands of miles from that home.

After nearly a full day of security checks, browsing the latest Sky Mall gadgets, and self-serving airline meals & drink services I had finally managed to meet up with my friend at the airport in Cusco. We quickly made it into downtown for a quick bite, but the rest from travel was short lived as we soon made our way to the bus terminal for a town 3 hours away called Paucartambo.

Plaza de las Armas, Cusco

Paucartambo is the site for the Virgin del Carmen festival held every 16 of July, or for those of you hip to the Catholic Church celebrations, a celebration for Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Essentially, a celebration for the Virgin Mary. Otherwise a small, rural Peruvian pueblo with nothing much to see, Paucartambo was packed with visitors from all over the country to celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Parade and float for the Blessed Virgin Mary

We arrived to the small town and a quick walk away from the town center my friend led me a tent where I was told we were to be sleeping that night with a group of friends (surprise!). I ditched my belongings, albeit reluctantly as I worried that leaving my belongings amid a makeshift campsite of hippies seemed risky at best, and made my way into town. The streets, certainly not engineered with the forethought of hosting a crowd one might find at mid-summer Michigan Gun Show or Cabella’s Clearance Sale, were overflowing and prime spots in the center square close to all the action were “reserved.” Not such a crazy idea at first glance, but anyone who has experienced firsthand the general disorganization of Latin America knows this is an idea destined to fail. In countries where punctuality essentially doesn’t exist and where tasks as simple as paying an electricity bill can painstakingly be dragged out into a 5-step run around with your bank, one begins to wonder how well policing a simple seat reservation would go. Answer: Not well.

Parades in Paucartambo

With two cold liters of the local beer, Cusqueña, in hand, we managed to find a small spot on the street curb for a couple of us to post up and watch the parade and festivities as they passed by. While their floats were Lilliputian relative to those carried in the streets of Antigua, Guatemala for the Holy Week celebrations, their costumes and dances more than made up for the floats’ lack of grandeur. Young girls danced in traditional dresses, marching bands trumpeted tunes, and men and boys of all ages ran amuck in the streets dressed in scary and ghoulish costumes, which was reminiscent of a Halloween freight night back home in late October.

Dancers in Paucartambo

As festivities rolled on, we found solace in a local restaurant/bar just off the main square to enjoy the America Cup games, which is the yearly soccer tournament for South American teams. Before I knew it the night grew dark and rather than continue the festivities into the early hours of the morning I opted to sleep in the tent in a shivering slumber as the altitude (for those keeping score at home, Cusco is at 3,400 meters above sea level) began to affect me and I wasn’t feeling so well. Managing to catch a few hours of sleep despite the cold, I was waken up at 1:30 am so that we could catch a 2 am bus further up into the mountains to Tres Cruces for what I was told would be an “amazing sunrise.” Always one to indulge in a phantasmagoric display by Mother Nature herself, I was up for the early morning commute to the mountain top, but unprepared for the cold and altitude sickness, I was left feeling a bit sour about the whole ordeal after I was not rewarded with the most amazing sunrise experience of my life. 

Looking back on it, the sunrise was beautiful, but feeling nauseous and chilled to the bone, I found it hard to focus on nature’s beauty. Although the camera doesn’t do it justice, see for yourself. What do you think?

Sunrise at Tres Cruces, above a bed of clouds