Peru 2024

Early start this morning to spend the day on the lake. First stop was the Usos Islands to visit with a community that lives on one of the floating islands. They showed us how the build the base of the island from chunks of roots, then add layers of reeds. The island is the anchored so it doesn't float away, but it is truly floating. The houses are also built of reeds. Each house has it's own solar panel, so they do have light. They use a communal kitchen and cook over fire. Our other stop on the lake is the permanent island of Taquile. This island was once part of the Inca empire. They are spectacular weavers and knitters. Their clothing tells you status, e.g., leaders of the community (the two guys in the photo), as well as well is single/married. Lots of sheep, but no horses, llamas, alpacas, etc.

Headed out of Puno today to visit a community almost to Bolivia, with several spots along the way. First was Chucuito, a small village with an Incan fertility temple (apparently still used by couple who need help in that regard). The photo, though, is off the Catholic church with a fertility symbol on top instead of a cross.  Then a visit to a market where some of the trade is bartered rather than cash-based. Here we bought some supplies for the community we were about to visit and have lunch with.  The visit with the community was very interesting. The women were working on knitting, weaving and spinning the whole time. They are all farmers, and all the young people have left so not clear what will happen in the long run. They fixed a very nice lunch for us--quinoa soup with various additions such as potatoes, fried cheese, a kind of bread, favs beans, etc. Then, we went to another town, Ilave, that was celebrating St. Christopher with a full on parade. Very close to the bord...

Much needed leisurely start this morning--didn't meet the group until 9:15! Unfortunately, Henry had a case of tourista so skipped the day's events. First stop was to visit a man who weaves reeds in the traditional way. Originally it was too make mattresses and boats, but now he mostly makes umbrellas for restaurants, boats and tourist nicknacks. Then to central Puno where we visited a guy who makes costumes for the Calendaria celebration. It seems to be kind of a mixture of Catholicism, traditional cultures and Carnival, with masks, lots of sequins and dancing. Apparently, it's more important here than Christmas. The photo is me trying on one of them--quite heavy, so would not be much fun to wear for hours.  Many costume/dress shops on this same street, and people come here to rent outfits for weddings and special events.  The evening was a dance show of dances from all over Peru, but mostly the high plateau. Fortunately Henry was recovered enough to come.  ...

Long travel day! Left hotel at 6:20am to fly to Lima, then Juliaca. Then van to Puno, but with a stop at Sillustani. More Inca and pre-Inca ruins, but in this case burial towers for nobles. The white stones are reconstruction; the black ones are original. Interesting, though I've now had enough Incan ruins to last me a while. Then to the hotel overlooking Puno Bay , which is part of Lake Titicaca. The photo is the view from our room. Early to bed. Exhausted from getting up so early plus the altitude of about 12,500 feet. 

Headed to the valley south of Cusco, with a first stop at the  Tipon Archeological site. More Incan stonework, but this time the focus was hydraulic engineering They figured out ways to bring water where they needed.such as for irrigating all those terraces. Next stop Oropesa. This small town is known for special bread called pan chuta, made in big round loaves. The whole town seems to be to one family run bakery after another. It's a sourdough style bread baked in big wood burning ovens. Someone stands outside on the street waving a yellow plastic bag on a stick to indicate they have bread.  Quick roadside stop trip see.how they make mud bricks (by hand). Then more ruins--Sacsayhuaman. This site was never a fortress or a city, but more of a monument for the Incans to show off what they were capable of. Finally home for a nap, quick visit to the small, rather quirky  museum of popular arts.

Started with the main food market in Cusco. Photo shows just a few of the many kinds of potatoes. Then headed out to the country side. This was farming area. We visited a family, got to see a bit of their home, and the guinea pig farm. Next stop was the local elementary school, where we visited a bunch of 5th graders. It was actually fun even though the two kids who "adopted" me spoke no English and my Spanish is too minimal to be helpful. The boy wants to study technology, the girl really likes math. Next stop, a weaving cooperative in Chinchero village. First lunch with the weavers, then demonstrations of the whole process from washing the wool with some kind of root, dying it (natural dyes, of course), spinning (drop spindles) and weaving (backstrap looms). They work with sheep's wool as well as alpaca and baby alpaca. Gorgeous work. Only two cushion covers are coming home with us, but it wasn't easy to keep it to that. Then home for a nap, wander around the city a...

Early start to catch the train to Ollantaytambo and then our bus to Cusco. Great lunch--another version of stuffed chilis and also trout. Then a visit to the Dominican church built on top of  the Incan temple  Qoricancha. In the photo you can see the original Incan stonework below the Spanish stones. Then visit to a family owned jewelry company. Four people create everything they sell. Gorgeous silver with inlays of various stones. The bracelets were all to big for me, but a really nice necklace is now mine! Folkloric music and dance show tonight, with all dances from the Cusco region. Fun to see, and definitely colorful. 

Free morning, which we didn't just wandering around Aguas Calientes. It's a tourist town--not much reason to come here unless you're going to Machu Picchu or your work is taking care of said tourists, but interesting enough. The Incans built narrow drainage channels all over. This is a modern version. Whole afternoon spent on a second visit to Machu Picchu, this time the upper part and entering the city from the Inca trail. Still completely stunning. Like Stonehenge, these people knew their solstices. If I remember, the photo is looking down into the Sun Temple. For dinner we tried Alpaca again. Much better, more tender in a delicious sauce. Basically tasted like beef with no hint of chicken liver.

What a day! Started with a presentation about coca, which is hugely important to descendants of the Inca for many reasons, but also can be turned into cocaine. To me, the coca tea tastes about like any herbal tea. Then a shaman did a blessing ceremony for us. Very interesting and completely different than the one in the Amazon. Stopped for a cicha (corn beer) tasting on the way to the train to Machu Picchu. The greenish one is "normal" and the pink one flavored with strawberry. Both were ok, but I think I'll stick to regular beer.  Machu Picchu: today we had visit one, to the lower section. I don't even know what to say. I'm not sure which is more stunning, the city of the mountains. We go back tomorrow to visit the upper part. Dinner: alpaca, which oddly enough, tasted a bit like chicken liver. I wasn't the only one who thought so!

Started with a rafting trip down the Urubamba River. It was more of a floating trip--no white water to speak of, which was fine with me! Spectacular floating down the Sacred Valley, with mountains, Inca trails, a view into rural family life everywhere.  Then visit to the ribs and Sun Temple of the Ollantaytambo Inca Fortress. Our guide described the stones as Legos--assembled by fitting them together, including internal bumps and valleys. These were carved by hand with other stones--no metal tools, and no mortar.  Then lunch with a family, both interesting and delicious. We even got to help with the cooking. We had squash soup, followed by rocoto relleno (stuffed chili peppers). And then, cuy (guinea pig). The skin was nice but the meat didn't have much flavor. Maybe it was the pieces we happened to get.

6:30am departure to get to the airport for our flight to Cusco. Once we got there--wow! Spectacular scenery and interesting serious along the way. First stop was a weaving shop that makes both reconstructions of some of the ancient, pre-Incan textiles but also totally modern designs using the same techniques.  Then our first visit to Incan ruins, in this case Pisac. We stayed on a fairly level path and avoided climbing--we're doing ok with the altitude (9776 feet for Pisac), but can tell we're getting winded easily.  And then, visit to a woman who prepares chocolate at her house to sell at the local market. She showed us the whole process, let us help, and even served us all a little cup of hot chocolate. Eventually to the lodge and dinner...

Relatively early start this morning, with the fish market as the first stop. Not terribly busy at the time we arrived (already too late?), but got to watch a woman clean fish quickly and perfectly every time and a man repairing fishing nets. Also got to try a fisherman's standard breakfast sandwich: bread, hot fried fish, pickled red onions and a bit of chili pepper. Yum! Then off for another tour of the colonial center and then to the Larco museum--both worth second visits. Home for a short nap, then used our free time to walk around, get a picture of the bull in Kennedy park, check out a market, etc. before meeting the group for the official welcome dinner. Nice event: food good but not remarkable.

After breakfast, took our jungle clothes to a lavenderia for a proper washing. Then short orientation walking tour of a different part of Miraflores (about a third of the group just arrived last nigh plus lunch with the group.  Free afternoon and evening, so we went to the Gold Museum. Spectacular gold and silver pieces from ancient tombs to bunches of crosses and such from the Spanish times. Unfortunately quite a few of the most amazing pieces were on loan to someplace in Brazil and we only got the photos. What we saw, though, was well worth the long Uber ride to get there and home.  Ice cream for dinner. All the flavors were yummy, but I especially liked the "lúcuma con fudge & brownie". 

Started with one more morning jungle walk before starting the trek back to Lima--1.5 hour boat, 20 min. bus and eventually 1.5 your flight. 60 degree and dry Lima is quite a (pleasant) shock after the jungle. Nice seafood dinner (chaufa mixto). Tomorrow starts the tour with the whole group.

Another early bird watching excursion plus a hunt for gray and pink dolphins. I guess I'm just not meant to be a bird watcher-- "there, there, it's right there" then I see a dark spec fly away and if I'm really lucky a flash of color. I did actually see the dolphins, but no pictures... Home for a nap and lunch, then a visit to the Yagua village of Nuevo Peru. Obviously set up for tourists, still very interesting. They did a little dance demonstration and we got to hold a baby sloth that they've made a pet (after eating the mother).

Full day! After breakfast, boat back to Indiana, then tuktuks across a stretch of land to a tributary, then another boat deep into virgin jungle. There's a lodge there mostly used by scientists, but we were able to use it for the day. Hour plus walk through the jungle, then LONG canopy walk. Didn't see much wildlife--10am is too late--but we saw these monkeys, lots of really big trees, etc. Also a demonstration of how palm fronds are woven for thatching roofs and making backpacks. It was much too hot to really enjoy, and we clearly need to be more careful about drinking lots of water. Best was a presentation by two shamans about various plants, their preparation for medicinal use, and what they're good for.

6am meeting time for bird watching. Tons of birds, which of course I don't remember and mostly couldn't get pictures of. I did get this yellow-headed vulture because he wasn't going to abandon the dead fish. Then to a local market selling mostly fish, but also chicken and some produce. The photo is of Walking Catfish--still alive, so definitely fresh. Then a boat trip to a small village where we were able to visit a family and see inside their home and learn something about life on the shores of the Amazon. Home for lunch and a nap, and then off for piranha fishing! Only three were caught (and released), and no success at finding pink dophins. AND, a night time jungle walk: various walking sticks, a potoon (bird), caimans, a big toad and a bunch of turtles...