Peru

Our trip to Peru started as most long trips start with a way too early wake up.  At least this year we were spared having to wrestle two hockey bags full of medical equipment and instead just had too roller suitcases and backpacks as carry on.  Our taxi arrived on time and we were at the airport over 2 hours early where a moderate sized line-up had already formed.  Pretty soon we were checked in and with our Nexus cards US customs was a relative breeze.  The agent almost smiled this time.

We (I) ate a large greasy breakfast near our gate washed down with copious amounts of coffee and took our first dose of acetazolamide.  We would be heading to 13,000 feet pretty much our first day in Peru and it was time to start peeing out that bicarb.  Eventually we boarded our plane.  We had paid extra for exit row seats so had lots of leg room which enabled us to alternately sleep and read during the 3.5 hour flight to Houston.

On arrival to the George Bush airport we headed straight to Pappadou's for a little seafood and of course a beer.

That killed an hour or so of our layover so we walked around, Mary bought a watch, I bought a cap and soon we were able to board our plane for the long flight to Lima.  

Thanks to United's incomprehensible zone booking system we got to board last.  As I mentioned I paid extra for extra leg room but by the time I had got to my seat the adjacent seat was occupied by an ancient haridan
with elbows like Gordie Howe who had already taken over 2/3 of my seat as well.  This lead to 6 hours of trying to push her out of my space and being pushed back.  I tried to sleep but every time I drifted off to sleep I got an elbow to my shoulder or the drinks cart came by and knocked my other elbow.  

We eventually landed in Peru, breezed through customs, (Canada should send their agents down to train there) and after waiting a long time for our luggage we walked across the street to our airport hotel which had been booked for us.  It was now close to midnight local time.  We even turned down the welcome drink the hotel offered us and headed straight to bed.  Oh did I mention we were supposed to check in for our flight to Cusco at 0730 the next morning.  It is amazing how sitting on your ass for 10 hours tires you out and we slept like logs.  

We were up at 0630 the next morning got our bags packed (well really we hadn't unpacked them) and got down to the buffet breakfast.  Like most airport hotels there was a polyglot of different nationalities; we saw many tour groups and wondered if we were going to be joining them.  We then grabbed our bags, rolled across to the airport and checked in.   Like most airports in South America it was a hive of activity but we were able to get checked in and through security relatively quickly which of course meant all the more time sitting at the gate before lining up to get on a bus to our plane and boarding. 

It was a short flight to Cusco, a little cloudy but with some mountain views.  We had our first glass of Inca Cola which tastes more like Cream Soda than cola.  Eventually our plane cork-screwed down into the Cusco airport and we deplaned.  Now came the moment of truth, were we going to get the dreaded altitude sickness.  I was expecting to gasp for air as I walked off the plane but was pleasantly surprised.   

We picked up our luggage and met the lady from the tour company who was waiting for us and we got into a van to drive to our hotel.  Pleasantly we found that we had a private tour and that there was just the two of us, a guide and a driver.  Not that we are anti-social,  we have met a lot of nice people in tour groups; we have also met some real disruptive types.    The lady from the tour company told us that we would be taking it easy that day.  She cautioned us to take it easy, drink lots of water and to avoid red meat.  She also encouraged us to drink Coca tea which she told us would be freely available in our hotel.   Sure enough after checking in and getting oriented about our trip, the manager took us to the lounge where this bowl of coca leaves:

was waiting next to a container of hot water.  He placed a fistful of leaves into a small paper coffee cup, let it steep and handed it to us and we drank it.  I wasn't sure what to expect but I didn't get any urges to disco dance, play in the NBA or be mayor of Toronto.  

Cusco which the Lonely Planet describes as a tourist trap is full of a wide variety of visitors ranging from back packers to elder hostlers.  Not sure where we fit it.  It is a Spanish colonial town, a lot like Cuenca but more developed for tourists.  The coca tea gave us energy and we walked up towards the main square.  As we approached it we started coming across boutiques selling beautiful alpaca clothing, much finer (and more expensive) than we were accustomed to seeing in Ecuador.  Between shops street hawkers flogged their wares.  The main square is quite large with churches on two sides and stores and restaurants occupying the remainder of the perimeter.  

Starbucks has arrived in the high Andes but most of the restaurants are authentic.  A little hungry and just wanting to sit down, we accepted the entreaties of a man on the street to eat at his restaurant where we both had a ceviche of the local trout which was very good.  As well we were able to sit on a small balcony overlooking the square.  

More shops, trying on sweaters and back to the hotel where I had the massage I had booked earlier.  Later in the evening we walked to the restaurant that the tour guide had recommended.  We took her advice not to eat red meet but compromised by having a bottle of Chilean wine with it. After that a walk  home and off to bed where we had a good sleep in the thin air.  

We got up around 0700 and ate the buffet breakfast in the dining room.  At 0900 our tour guide  arrived and we went on a short walk to Santo Domingo church.  This church was built on the site of a large Inca temple and the Spaniards simply plastered the wall and built their church around it.  An earthquake in the 1960s revealed the original Inca structures which were then excavated and restored. The Incas built their structures with large blocks which were cut accurately enough to fit together without plaster and were able to withstand earthquakes.




After exploring the ruins and the church with our guide, our driver picked us up and we headed through the narrow busy streets eventually climbing up high above the city where there were more Inca ruins.  

This huge site originally a temple to the Milky Way is still only partially excavated.   These photos really do not do it justice.


 Our local guide Dimas.  We have been lucky in our travels to have lots of good guides and he was one of the best.

Leaving this site we drove higher up to what was originally an Inca way station.

We also explored one more set of ruins dedicated to worship of the Puma before returning to Cusco where we toured the cathedral and said goodbye to our guide for the day.  

We ate lunch at a restaurant suggested by our guide.  He told us it would be possible to eat Cuy (guinea pig) however they require advance nice so I had duck and Mary had a quinoa tabouli.  I also sampled an excellent (dark) local beer.  

Then it was more shopping.  We first visited a market much like the ones we knew in Ecuador.  

It was there that I met this character.

I thought about bringing one home as a trophy for Surgeon of the Year but I suspect our customs would confiscate it. 

We next went to a more upscale store and each bought a nice Alpaca sweater.  Then back to our hotel  but not before Mary met these people.

Our adventure continues tomorrow as we visit the Sacred Valley and then on to Machu Pichu.