So, this is not a full entry - I have lots of fun facts to type up and share - and will soon.  We did a two day excursion to the Uros floating islands, an overnight with a host family on Amantani, and a visit to the Island of Tequile.  Below are some pictures of our visit to the Uros Islands.

As we arrived at Amantani I became increasingly sick and steadily got worse and worse through my time on the island.  By the next day I had full fledged altitude sickness (headaches, nauseaus, throwing up) and on top of all of it I had picked up an intestinal infection from the food we ate on Amantani.  Yesterday was pretty awful, I had to stay behind on the boat instead of visiting Tequile and was incredibly grateful when we reached the hotel after spending seven or eight consecutive hours curled up in a ball on the boat. 

The good news is that I am feeling a lot better - and we fly to lower altitude this morning so I should feel great in a few more hours.  I had all the right medication to keep things under control too. 

Buying food at the port to give to our host family on Amantani

Approaching Uros Island

The Watchtower for Apu Inti Island (there are over 60)

The Apu Inti Community - we sat at the horseshoe shaped area and were told how the island is built and how the community works together

Artisans market of the Aymari people

Wow.  A woman offered to show us her home and then insisted on dressing us up - she even braided the bon bons into my hair!  And then!  She made me go to "market."

Chris and me in Aymara cultural clothing.  Daniel escaped unscathed.

Entering a home

A not to scale model of how they build the reed islands - they cut the root, then tie it all together, then layer the reeds - the islands themselves are about 2 meters thick.

We took a reed boat to another island - and got to climb up into this cool fish watch tower! 

The Andean Explorer from Cusco to Puno

23 November 2011

Rolling Mountains, Peruvian farmlands, small towns and villages made of everything from clay bricks with thatched roofs to concrete block with aluminum, cows, sheep, herds of llamas!, snowcapped mountains, endless plains of “very high” altitude tundra, lots of cute children waving from their homes or the streets, and well over 240 dogs (which only includes what I have seen from my side of the train and from the point that I actually started counting!). 

On the train itself we feel like we have been transported back to the 1920s….we have table cloths and waiters…definitely not the normal European train experience Daniel and I are accustomed to.  There was an alpaca scarf and hat fashion show, multiple performances from a traditional Peruvian band, as well as a three course meal, and a stop at the highest point on the route – a staggering (and literally breathtaking 4, 319 meters (14, 172 feet) at La Raya where we shopped at a little artisans market. 

As we pulled into Juliaca I was quite horrified – the outskirts of the town involved a stream that was horribly polluted and the fringes of the city were disintegrated mud brick shanties for miles…and graffiti on some of those walls that had been “covered up” but were skulls and crossbones in several places and the word “massacre” in another.  As we headed into the heart of the city, we were given a true glimpse at the poverty and dilapidated nature of the city.  There were markets full of every part needed to rebuild cars, abandoned vehicles, food heaped in large bags that comprised local markets, you name it.  It really was a sobering sight. 

We finally arrived in Puno – and as we neared it saw the sun set on the port of Puno and the banks of Lake Titicaca.  We had made it!  Of course it was raining – and we braved the weather again as we found taxis and were delivered to a very cute little hotel just around the corner of Puno’s Plaza de Armas.  Now to meet up with Edgar Adventures and finalize our plans for tomorrow!

Settling in on the train

Stephanie had the loner seat...but nearly each person used at one point or another for a "time out" of sorts...and for some peace and quiet

Ryan and Daniel in the dining car - the car behind it was the "Jurassic Park Car"...all glass so you could enjoy the views

"Blazing" (okay steadily crawling) towards Puno as we cut our way through the Andes!

Some of the views from the train



Llamas are flocking this way! :)

The market at La Raya

Really really really really high up....

some of the mud-brick homes with thatched or metal roofs near La Raya

the outskirts heading into Juliaca

Ouskirts of Juliaca

Outskirts of Juliaca

Grandmother and child within the city

This guy saw my camera - posed like this, and when I gave him a thumbs up, gave us an extra fist pump wave...

All of this sidles right up to the tracks

Within the main city of Juliaca

Continuing onto Puno as the sunsets

Sunset over the reedy banks of Lake Titicaca

Exploring Machu Picchu & Climbing Wayna Picchu as a Puma, a Snake, and a Condor…

22 November 2011

Even though we turned in at 8 and were in bed well before 9, our five am wakeup call still came early.  At 5:30 we met for breakfast and headed out for the bus back up to Machu Picchu.  I should mention we awoke to the sound of rain…which was followed by large sighs.  Rain gear it is. 

And there it was – the glorious ruins of Machu Picchu!  All shrouded in the mist and steady rain. 

Once we get back I will load an album with well captioned pictures explaining the ruins more thoroughly…but for now, here are some fun facts about Machu Picchu:

-you never see it like this because of the overall look of Machu Picchu, but most of what you see of the ruins from afar are the base structures of houses that originally had thatched roofs.  They maintain a few in this fashion so you can get a sense of what the whole city was really like

-Machu Picchu was a city of what historians and water engineers estimate at about 700 people (based on what the plumbing could sustain).  Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and Machu Picchu was the sacred site for the Inca king (Sapa) and for the Incan Empire.  Only upper class citizens ever made the trek, but it could really be likened to being a pilgrimage site in some ways – or if comparing it to Chinese history – it would be the Chinese Emperor’s Temple of Heaven

-Why did the Incas choose this tricky place to access for such an important temple?  The geography plays a HUGE role.  Wilka Mayo is the sacred river that wraps around Wayna Picchu and protects this religious site.  Machu Picchu is actually the old mountain that protects the site, and there are several other major mountains that protect this site.  There are also many ways in which the different temples within Machu Picchu line up specifically on the day of Winter Solstice (in Peru June 21)…in amazing ways…but the pictures will have to fill you in further. 

-The ruins were technically found in 1911 by Hiram Bingham (so this is the 100^th anniversary of the founding of the ruins) and were then excavated by professor Bingham’s team from Yale, scientists, the National Geographic Society, and the Peruvian government

-Construction of Machu Picchu first began in 1438 and is considered unfinished as there are three neighboring rock quaries that were still in use when the city was abandoned as Pizarro arrived in Peru

-They actually brought volcanic soil from elsewhere in Peru so that the terraces would be as nutrient rich as possible – and designed the terraces in a way that the volcanic is STILL there 500+ years later!

-The structures in which no mortar is used are the structures  for religious purposes.  All other structures have some kind of mortar or soil

There’s lots more fun facts to share, but that will have to do for now…

After our tour of the ruins we split in two – Ryan and Stephanie headed back to Aguas Calientes to hang out there and Daniel, Chris, and I set out to climb Wayna Picchu (it is the really tall mountain jutting up just behind the Machu Picchu ruins).  Our guide didn’t go with us on this one, (it really is an independent thing anyway)…but he gave us some hints and one of them was this:  with Wayna Picchu you feel like a Puma when you start the climb, a Serpent as you humbly slither up it, and a Condor when you are at the top with a phenomenal view.  It is 1,180 feet above Machu Picchu and puts you back up at 2720 meters.  And…that pretty much sums it up.  I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. 

By the way – we used Llama Path and our guide was an awesome guy named Alex…we were pleased with him and the company through and through…I know there is a lot of competition for Machu Picchu tours – so that’s our fully endorsed recommendation now.  :-)

Oh Hai!

The Sun Temple - Circular like the sun, built around the naturally occuring altar block for sacrifices, note the lack of mortar

Enjoying our views of Machu Picchu and our tour of the ruins inspite of the rain 

Wayna (Huayna) Picchu.  We are Puma...we will conquer

Lots and lots and lots and lots of views like this....

And then the stairs got even more creative and were like this over and over and over and over again...sometimes with cables to help you to pull yourself up

Indiana Jones (aka Chris) in the Snake Cave (almost almost almost at the top of Wayna Picchu!)

We are Condors!  (Can you see us in the corner?)

At the very very top!  Chris enjoying the view

The Hals enjoying their view!  So awesome!

I am higher than some of these peaks - earlier in the day we would have been higher than some of the clouds!  :)

the Dr. Seuss steps...going down is probably even more precarious

Enjoying the view :)

Repelling down the steep steps

Chris working his way down

bidding farewell to the glorious and majestic Machu Picchu!

Hiking the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu!!!

21 November 2011

The trip started with a 3 am wakeup call, a 3:50 am pickup in the lobby with our freshly readied daypacks, and a very long and bumpy bus ride to the Ollyantando train station.

After all of this, we boarded a train alongside many others ranging from around our age to a large group of retirees. I loved seeing the sheer childlike anticipation on the faces of the retirees as they clutched their Canadian passports and train tickets, boarded very excitedly, and then sang songs and danced for each other along the way. 

Snowcaps and Cacti?  The diversity of the flora that we saw as we cut through the Andes was bafflling.  To my left in the distance - snowcapped Andes, to my right on the hillside several varieties of cactus.  In between that there was a huge range to be seen - so impressive!

Before we knew it, we had reached or disembarkation point.  We were getting off the train before anyone else - it makes a special stop at km 104 for the 2 day/ 1 night hikers.  We had everyone's attention (the majority were going on to Aguas Calientes to take the bus to Machu Picchu) and once we stepped off the train, many of the retirees were waving at us giving us "good luck" thumbs up...it was pretty neat. 

The trail itself is probably best explained though pictures :)  (And uploading them is proving a Peruvian internet challenge...)  Overall we had an amazing time - the scenery was absolutely spectacular!!!  Some of us had an easier time than others, but it really was an amazing adventure!  And...walking through the Sun Gate to see Machu Picchu for the first time really is magic! 

-We started at KM 104 - Camino Sgrado Chchabamba - 2,170 m
-A long the way you get to stop at these really cute Inca-style thatched roofs that have amazing views
-We walked for about three hours or so, predominantly upward until we reached Winay Wayna, a ruin that was not discovered until 1942 and was thus, not part of the original Inka Trail.  By this point we have already climbed up to 2650 m and we got to stop and enjoy our lunch
-We saw Machu Picchu for the first time through the Sun Gate at Intipunku at 2720m
-Then we had to descend down to Machu Picchu itself and have actually all deemed the steps down from the Sun Gate the "worst part"...(may have been b/c we were pretty tired at that point). 
-We took a bus to Aguas Calientes for the night, showered, met for dinner, and slept hard!

Starting out at KM 104 - Chachabamba!

Some of the views along the way!

Altitude and Inca stairs can be puzzling and tiring...

Winay Wayna!  Yay!!!  (By this point we have done most of the the uphill parts!)  And yes...those stairs...duplicated many many many many times along our journey  :)

The gang at Winay Wayna - it was a killer view!

The Hals made it through the Sun Gate and are enjoying their first glimpses of Machu Picchu!!!  :)

We made it!  Enjoying our awesome views of Machu Picchu in all of its glory!

My reaction last night just after we reached our hotel last night:
There were many intimidation factors for this - Is the trail going to be too tough?  Is altitude going to play a villain like role?  Would the day packs be too much?  Would we have enough food and water?  Did we buy the right gear?

I am sure everyone has their own take on how they felt at the end of the day...after hiking part of the Inka Trail and actually making it to Machu Picchu...but for me, I felt incredibly triumphant and victorious!  :)  I was fit enough to be able to really enjoy the trail, able to laugh at altitude's uncanny ability to make you breathless on a set of stairs that normally would not leave you panting and thinking "you win this one, captain altitude!"  I could have possibly enjoyed one more liter of water (I definitely didn't over pack in the water department, but I really don't know where it would have gone in or around my bag).  My gear was great - my little camel back saved the day and my waterproof shoes and hiking socks proved absolutely invaluable and incredibly necessary and were worth every single penny!  And waterproof jackets?  Amazing. 

And!!!  Gazing at the magical mystery of the Peruvian Andes, walking through the cloud forests, hiking through the ruins of the Incas, and walking through the sun gate to see Machu Picchu majestically, peacefully nestled in a valley of green perfected gilded by the late afternoon sun as the mist mysteriously rolled in...absolute magic!!!  :)

PS - today we explored the ruins - lots to share - will type up on the train tomorrow and share soon!  :)