Once again it was a long drive from amazing dry and arid planes to surprising green oasis with willow trees to reach my next destination – Uyani. Pretty much a nothing town, solely in existence for the tourists making their way to the Salt Flats and ultimately Chile. It was a very small town with some walls surrounding the town but to be honest it looked like a rubbish dump!! Certainly no hygiene system in place here.
But I wasn´t here for the town but to experience the gorgeous scenery of the the salt flats. Taken their by jeep I looked in wonder at this white plain in front of me that certainly looked more like snow than salt. This sensation stayed with me for the rest of the day and when you look at my pictures you will probably wonder why I wasn´t wearing more clothes because it looks cold. I had a great day on the salt flats taking perspective pictures and enjoying the experience of nothing ness around you.
The day ended with a magic sunset across the salt flats and I hope my pictures tell you more of a story.
It was a long drive from La Paz to Potosi, once one of the richest cities in the world as it was known for its silver mines. These mines were exploited by the Spanish and although the mines are still in operation all you can see of its wealth is the magnificent churches and for some reason everyone is driving brand new cars!
I spent the morning in Potosi exploring the city with my friends, Jen and Anthony. We opted to give the silver mine tour a skip basically because it sounded horrible to be trapped underground with traces of arsenic and all sorts of other dusts. It was also not appealing to be watching 14 year old kids working in the mines which still use original equipment in other words ancient!
The town had great character and the churches lived up to expectations. We managed to find a mirador (viewpoint) overlooking the main square were we saw a religious festival and a protest go by.
In the afternoon we visited Miraflores Hot Springs. We ordered a taxi that took us to the hot springs and agreed to wait for us for an hour and bring us back to Potosi. This was a great idea as it was off the beaten track and we probably would not have been able to get back into town. Not exactly what we expected but it was great to be away from the usual touristy spots and visit places the locals go too. Obviously we were a surprise to everyone there and every move was watched.
La Paz is a great funky city and one with loads of character, from the great views to the witches market it has something to offer everyone. I spent four days in this lovely city, exploring, buying souveniors and experiencing the long waiting time at the local post office.
It was a time I got to know my fellow travelling companions over great meals and some good Bolivian wines — this time with a decent alchol percentage.
I also visiting my first Moon Valley in South America – apparently any geological wonder in South America is called Moon Valley so guess I will be waiting to be visiting the next one in yet another country upon my travels. Formed out of mud, the hot sun actually bakes the soil like clay and this is what makes it sturdy. It had been raining previously and one of our party did sink to there knees so I am not too sure how stable they actually are and sort of rushed through the formations to be on the safe side.
Woo-ha! I made it across the border from Peru to Bolivia – not being too sure about the stable situation of the country I was well pleased to find that only the official capital of Bolivia, Sucre, was affected by the riots. The main reason being is that the people in Sucre want the government to come back to Sucre and not stay in La Paz which is known as the defacto capital. Consequently there were riots and a 3 people were killed by the police. At the moment the situation is stable but as you will see from the first places I have visited it looks nothing but peaceful.
Staying in Copacabana for 2 nights at Wendy Mar was a great treat after a long drive from Peru. I could not believe that the hotel cost us $4 per night and it was really lovely besides from the temperamental showers that have some odd electrical wires sticking out the top — mmmm electricity and water don´t exactly go together me thinks!!
Lake Titicaca from the Bolivian side is way more beautiful than from Peru and with the local food kiosks overlooking the harbour you can definitely enjoy watching some beautiful sunsets over a cold beer. I did try some of the local Bolivian wine – which tasted of warm Ribena and the best bit was the alcohol percentage was….wait for it….0.05%. So much for warming up with a class of vino tinto.
It was not just feet up in Copacabana but a small trip out to Isla de Sol (the island of the sun). It was a 2hour trip across to the island before we went on a 6 hour walk across the island to enjoy some amazing views. Not for those that struggle with altitude but if you take it slow it is rather enjoyable – but you also have to remember that most boats leave at 4pm so not too much dawdling is allowed. The sun was well up for the boat trip back and it was a perfect end before making the long drive to La Paz the next day.
To ensure a great drive we joined local tradition and had our vehicle blessed by the local priest in the main square…bizzare but I had real fun decorating the truck for the occassion.
Leaving Cuzco we set off in Cameron (my transportation for the next few months) to Puno. It was a beautiful drive with views of snow capped mountains and long stretches of great landscape. We stopped off along the way to visit the Sillustani Ruins – which are ruins dating back to pre Inca times. To be honest although I find these sites interesting I think I am all ´ruined` out at the moment! We spent the night out in Puno which is nothing really to write home about and very much on the dangerous side.
It was the next morning that I was looking forward too – heading out to Uros Islands or the floating reed islands and most people call them. Classed by some people as touristy it is still very fascinating and without our visits these people would not be able to survive. I was not brave enough to eat the reeds that they use to build there islands, houses and eat – which was just as well as nearly everyone that tried came down with some dodgy tummies.
I loved the islands with the colourfully dressed inhabitants and the cute little girls who sang and danced for us when we arrived. It was also a peaceful journey across the highest navigable lake in the world – lake Titikaka.
For the last four days I have been walking the Inca Trail and it has been a great experience and challenge! I set off on Saturday with a family from Uruguay, a Peruvian lady and an Australian couple in the pouring rain. I did wonder if choosing the rainy season was a good idea and if the whole walk would be like this. But the weather was kind to us and soon cleared up to show us some amazing views – it also helped that the path was not so slippery.
The porters were fantastic in carrying our gear and the chef was just amazing providing us with three course meals, snacks and tea everyday – I will admit that I needed all the energy I could get and hey I did walk 42km.
The first days walking was okay with only a 2 hour up climb and we thankful reached first camp around 4pm. It was up early on the 2nd day for the ultimate challenge of reaching Dead Woman´s pass some 4200m above sea level. By the time I got to the pass I felt like the dead woman but I did it!! Only slightly affected by the altitude I recovered to tackle the steep incline on the way down. My knees don´t particularly like the down bits and I felt a bit slow making my way cautiously down.
The third day we were truly in the cloud forest and it was weird to see the valley fill up with clouds and ten minutes later being able to see the view again. This was our longest day and we walked for a good 7 hours – but the scenery was just fantastic and of course the thought of being closer to the end was wonderful. At our last campsite I was lucky to see a coyote but it was too quick for a photo. I was even more lucky to get a hot shower that evening – all fresh and ready for the much talked about walk to the sun gate.
The final day we arose at 4 am and prepared for the last day. It had rained the whole evening so we were hoping that the clouds would lift when we reached Machu Picchu. It was cloudy all the way and when we arrived at the sun gate if I had not seen the pictures I would have thought it was some hoax — all we saw were clouds. We waited 10 minutes and luck was with us as the clouds slowly revealed the hidden Inca City — it was very dramatic!!!
Getting closer to Machu Picchu really showed the beautiful and crafty work on the Inca`s. The more I saw of the city the more I loved it. Everything had meaning with cleaver architecture work around almost every corner.
So I made the Inca Trail and survived Dead Woman´s Pass and I congratulate all my friends and family that have already achieved such a wonderful challenge – you never really know what you are in for until you do it!!
The colours of the Inca flag certainly sum up the vibe of Cuzco but I don´t think it is just the Cusquena people that add to the ambiance but the curiously dressed tourists that visit this town. Dressed in all sorts of material – interesting pops into my mind! I treated myself to lunch overlooking the Plaza de Arms and although I cursed myself for not bring my photo lens with me I was not disappointed with the entertainment:
Taxi´s jammed with people – reminded me of “How many people can you fit into an Uno competition at Varsity” to the persistent Cusquena people trying to sell there wares. Yes we believe that for one Sol you can buy on original piece of artwork and we certainly don´t want postcards that look like they were taking in the 70´s. But the most entertaining of all was how each tourist acts different when approached. Some run away, some ignore and some just hand the first coin they come across just to get rid of them —very amusing. I guess my Africa roots have prepared me for the persistent and I can give a stern NO when needed.
I am also pleased I have my travelogue to keep you updated as I watched a couple at the restaurant write in book complete with cut and paste pictures —now wouldn´t that make a good story! At least now I can go on and on in short bursts instead of inviting you all to a show and tell when I get back.
Lynne it is weird that 3 years ago you walked these streets and I am glad I am able to share the same experiences as you – although the Pie de Limon is not so easy to find these days. Try pineapple or Apple!
The rest of the city has entertained me with their museums, finding Llamas in the street (yip they are only there to trap tourists into paying for photos) and a bizarre little man asking people to step on his scale to weigh themselves in the middle of the street (don´t forget to check out the photo) and traditional dances.
I can honestly say that I am truly relaxing here in Cusco – maybe it was the much needed facial that I received (oops sometimes we just need luxuries)
El Cajas – one of the most talked about places to visit by the people of Cuenca, I was not surprised to be bowled over by the amazing views and gorgeous scenery. I was surprised and reminded a bit of Africa when I saw the notice board giving the tariffs to enter the park. $10 Tourists and $1.50 Ecuadorians!!!
I went with a group of about 11 and we all opted to do the 4 hours hike around the mountains and lakes. When it started raining and then hailing I did wonder what we had got ourselves in for. The rain did not stop and soon our paths became rivers and you were never too sure on where you were putting your feet – thanks for gortex my feet remained dry for the whole trip. It was most fortunate that a cave presented itself just in time for lunch – so we could sit for a few minutes out of the rain and replenish some energy.
We did not see too many animals in the park because of the weather but I did get to see a Ilama – which I believe are more common in Peru!
Hope you all like the selection of photos – you have to admit even the rain could not detract from the views!!
I thought I would sum up my stay (less than a week go) here in Cuenca with all the things that are Chevere here and all the things that I have done that are Chevere. I am sure you guessed that this word is not English but it literally means Cool and it is great word that I have learned since my arrival.
#1: Fiesta de Cuenca
On the 3rd November Cuenca celebrated its 450 years of Independence. The Party actually started 2 days before and it included music and dancing in the street, theater and comedy shows and lots of handcraft markets selling their tempting wares. My fellow students and friends starting with the festivities on the Friday night by watching a Cross Country Cycle Race. We positioned ourselves at the most dangerous part of the course – where the cyclists have to descend down the grand stairs – roughly 88 steps to what I think is just less than a 90 degree angle and they all just flew down. Luckily there were no injuries.
On the Saturday we I went along to the Military parade – it was rather interesting and I think it was the first time that I have seen so much Military on show in one place. I was thankful to be classed as tall in Ecuador and none of us “Gringos” had the need to push to the front to see what was going on. The rest of the day I looked around the craft markets and finished off my dancing at the street party to some cool Latin American music.
Ooops almost forgot to mention my invitation to dance with the Luna Bellas. Both Leila and I declined and the photo should tell you why!!
#2 Gaupo Raefel Correa
As part of the festival we were lucky to see the president of Ecuador. Rafeal Correa is known by most locals as the El Presidente Guapo (Handsome President). It was a bit tricky getting a photo but it was interesting to see how well he is received by the people of Ecuador – but then he did win the election by 80%
#3 The Markets
Whether it is fruit, meat or clothes these are certainly a treat to visit. Amazing colours and people make each visit a treat. I am not quite used to the bargaining techniques but they say you should be able to get at least 20% off the asking price…we try for 50%
#4 Learning to Salsa
Well it is a must here in South America being able to dance – I currently attend one dance class a week in Cuenca and it is quite fun. Many a night afterward I can still hear the instructor´s voice back forward, left, right, turn…of course it is all in Spanish. I can remember most steps but there is still no comparison to the locals who are amazing to watch.
#5 Traditional Food and Cooking
Yes the guidebooks are correct in saying that there is a risk in eating the local food but to very much a limited extent – sure I would not eat the food left open in the market but I have been lucky enough to be able to try most of the traditional dishes as well as learn how to cook some of them. In general most days we eat our main meal at lunch time – soup, meat dish and dessert. I certainly feel like there is certainly not a shortage of food!! Maize and Rice are in abundance – which can be a bit boring every day…
#6 Panama Hats
Did you know that Panama hats originated from Ecuador…it was therefore necessary for me to get a Chevere photo wearing one of these traditional hats …sadly they would not let me try the ones for over $100.
#7 Go Natural
It never stops to amaze me how the local people use everything in it´s natural form from fresh fruit juices (very fresh if you don´t look at how much sugar is included). And just the other day I watched the lady of my family make shampoo straight from the Aloe Vera plant – very impressive.
#8 New Friends
Don´t think this needs any explanation, but as usual I have meet some fantastic and interesting people which I hope to bump into again upon my travels.
One Saturday I set off with 5 other students from the school to see the smaller towns of Gualaceo and Chordeleg (about 1 hour outside of Cuenca).
Gaulaceo is a pretty town with a hugh fruit and veg market – unfortunately you have to watch your possesions all the time as there are a number of thieves walking around the area and generally come in a group of women.
The food hall was even more entertaining as all meat is on display with heads and all. Apparently the pork (chuncho) is delicious but the surrounding areas are not that clean so we all opted to give it a miss. Outside the food hall is a number of local people around a BBQ cooking some Cuy (Guinea Pig) – I am yet to try this exotic delight and I have a feeling that the family I am staying with will one day bring one home to try!
Along the route we stopped to see how the colorful materials are made for clothes, scarves, ponchos etc. It is all done by hand and for the amount of hard work that goes into making them the price is definately a bargin.
In addition to watching how the clothes are made we also stopped at an Orchid Farm. For those not interested in flowers you would still have found the production and preservation of these delicate floweres interesting. Apparently Ecaudor has over 4000 specices – now aren´t you glad I didn´t take photos of everyone of them 🙂
After having lunch at the river where we were entertained by some really sad music sang by some locals picnicing we went on to Chordeleg. Famous for selling gold and silver – at a very reasonable price!!
After I returned to Cuenca my family came to fetch me to take me to the Zhucar, which is where Alfredo has his a house at the family farm. It was a really lovely home and it reminded me of Dad´s farm in South Africa minus the wild animals – all I saw was cows!!
Travel with Nicole 