Amazon

We've left Cusco and are flying over the Amazon to the town Of Porto Moldinado, the last big town before the Amazon basin. This is the Madre de Dios river which we'll be travelling on to go to our lodge for 3 days of R&R. (We didn't know till later that meant Roasting and Rotting)

After the plane ride, we're taken to the tour companys location. There we have to put everything we'll need for the next 3 days in a 30" long duffle bag. All the breakables, like binoculars, camera and razor, I carry in my back pack. 

After everyone coordinates their necessities, we're taken to the canoe for an hour ride down the river. Doesn't the water just make you want to jump in? 

After getting settled in and on our way, a box lunch was passed out. Wrapped in banana leaves was the best rice mixed with chicken and vegetables. Banana chips and a banana for desert made for a great lunch. We were starving. I'm just glad we weren't allergic to bananas. 

It was blistering hot but the breeze from the boats movement made the ride comfortable and there was lots to see along the way. How were we to know this was the last time we'd be comfortable for 3 days. 

While we staggered up the hill in the heat and humidity, the porters carried all our duffle bags, stuffed in bigger bags, up the hill without breaking a sweat. Each bag weighed about 100 lbs. and the front porter carried 2. 

After making sure everyone had a bottle of water, we headed down the path towards our next canoe ride which would take us to the lodge. The hike was about an hour. It was hot but never having been in a jungle before we were too fascinated by the sounds and sights to notice.

Although it was the dry season (apparently we would have been walking in 2 feet of water in the wet season), we saw lots of flowers. Grammie was in heaven; we all know what a flower nut she is. 

Dozens of different butterflies added more colour to the hike. 

Monkeys were plentiful and added entertainment to our journey. We've all seen squirrels jump from tree to tree, but when a monkey does it, it sounds like rhinoceros jumping. No stealth here. 

After our jungle hike, we climb aboard a smaller paddled canoe for the trip to the lodge. Tales of anacondas jumping out of the water to grab your arm made sure no one moved in their seat. It must have made the paddling easier. With only one paddler getting 10 of us and all our luggage to the lodge, he needed any help he could get. 

 

After paddling through a narrow claustrophobic channel we emerged to see Sandoval Lake, where our lodge is located and where we'll spend a lot of time looking at native plants and animals. 

The leisurely paddle (at least for us) meant we were relaxed and eager to explore the lodge and our room. 

After an orientation meeting and check in, we went to our room to unpack our duffle bag and figure out what we should have brought instead of what we did. Mosquito netting reminded us that even the smallest denizens will be happy to see us. 

After getting sorted out, a tour of the lake was in order. To accommodate the guests in ultimate luxury, a platform was nailed to two canoes and called a catamaran. Rustic but efficient. Still only one paddler who surprisingly got us around and never faltered.  

As we quietly and leisurely moved along the shore, this odd growth on the tree caught our eye. Closer inspection proved it to be bats who spend the day looking like tree growths. What ambition! 

This caiman swam in front of us and all our urging couldn't get the paddler to match its speed. Like an alligator and about 16 feet long its a formidable predator. It doesn't give me the willies like the 4 different types of piranhas in the lake does. 

Back to the lodge in time for a break before supper. The were no chairs in the rooms so the common hallway provided a relaxation area. Actually there wasn't much in the rooms except a bed, a bathroom and a huge cockroach which grammie killed with the shower head. I didn't know they took showers till now. 

A few moments before supper allowed us to relax and have a drink. Honest, I only had 1 beer. 

After supper we had time for a quick nap before our next exploration. Hot and muggy turned to cool and muggy and we slept like babies that night.

Over the next few days we: learned about Brazil nuts and how they are harvested. 

Watched giant otters, I know its not a great picture, but they're in the water for goodness sake, give me a break. They're over 6 feet long and very reclusive; we were told we were lucky to see them. 

Night walks showed us tarantulas were all around us. We saw about 6 of them in 10 minutes of walking. This guy's about 6" wide. They were on trees and in burrows on the ground. Waiting.... 

Macaws, parrots and budgies were all around us and the biggest challenge was to get pictures where the camera didn't focus on some branch and make the birds fuzzy. This was taken using binoculars; I didn't even know that could be done till the guide showed me. 

This is a kapok tree. Its one of the largest trees in the jungle and its hard nuts turn to a huge ball of "cotton" to spread the seeds. I know, not too interesting, but I've heard of the kapok; it was used for life preservers and life rafts during the second world war. For more info try googling it, I don't know anything else about it. 

Our group draped itself around this big tree for photos.  

After a day of hiking and sweating, relaxing in the lodge always went over well. The dining hall is in the background. The food was excellent, mostly local fruits and vegetables. When asked about any allergies or food problems we made sure they knew we wouldn't eat guinea pig. I'm sorry we deprived others, but no guinea pigs were served so perhaps we saved a few.

The Peruvian beer was excellent and I depleted their stock substantially. We were told that Cusquena beer was considered the best in the world because it was made from sacred Inca water. If you drank enough it would make you younger. I tried but didn't see any change. Should have stayed longer I guess. 

We've had a great time and on our last night we've climbed a tower to get our picture taken at sunset. Without a doubt this has been one of our most exciting trips.  

Although rain has threatened, we haven't seen any during our Amazon adventure. While checking in at the airport as we left, it just started a torrential downpour. By the time the plane arrived it had stopped and the sun came out. But the humidity went up to about 200%. And hot! Loved the jungle but it's time to go.

When you play this video, you'll get an idea of what the jungle sounds like. It sounds like that 24 hours a day and is caused by cicadas, millions of them chirping at once. Hope you enjoyed our adventure.

Machu Picchu - Lost City of the Incas

 After leaving Quito and the equator, we've flown to Cusco in Peru, the old capital of the Inca empire. The town is hundreds of years old and most buildings are located on original Inca foundations. The streets are very narrow because the Incas didn't have wheeled conveyances and the streets are just wide enough for 2 llamas to pass. This street seen from our room was the widest we saw there.

 When the Spaniards conquered the Incas, they tore down most of their temples and used the stone to build churches. This is a Catholic church built over a temple. They left some of the Inca walls intact inside the church. No one knows why. That's what you see behind the pillars.

The Incas built incredible buildings using only stones and no mortar. The stones are so close together that you can't slip a fingernail between them. They figure it took one person 4 months to complete a single block. 

Just out of Cusco sits the remains of a major Inca site called Saqsayhuaman. It was a large community with 3 walls of stone surrounding it. This is the outside ring. How did they carve and fit such large stones? 

Next day we went for a trip to the Sacred River and some of the Inca ruins there. I thought there was a dozen or so Inca sites but we were told there are over 360 major sites and hundreds of smaller town sites. This was a large agricultural site called Pisac, with homes, granaries and a sacred temple. They lived in the mountains so most of their farming was done on terraces which they built using rock walls and dirt fill. Those terraces in front of Grammie are about 15 feet high and 25 feet deep. That's a lot of stone and dirt hauled up from the valley below. This site supported a few hundred farmers and priests. 

Our next stop was Ollantaytambo, another town/farming community/temple. This is where we first started to really notice the altitude. Climbing up steps for 10 minutes was enough to completely tire us out and we needed to rest every few steps. At over 12,000 feet there's not enough air to get enough oxygen to your muscles and they just give up. After frequent rests, we did get to the top.

 For a welcome change of pace, we stopped at a spot that makes, dies and weaves Alpaca wool. This woman makes elaborate rugs or runners without a pattern, just from memory. They are amazing with very intricate detail. Lots of items were bought here.

The next day we boarded a train for the 4 hour ride to Aqua Caliente, the town at the bottom of the mountain which Machu Picchu sits atop. The ride was slow because of the hilly terrain but very scenic and lunch was served. A very comfortable ride through a beautiful country.

Once we got to Aquas Caliente we walked down the road to catch the bus to the top of Machu Picchu. There are no vehicles in the town except for the dozens of buses going to the peak.

The trip up was only about 6 kilometers but took over 1/2 an hour because the roads were mud and all switchbacks as we climbed. We stopped looking over the side as we got higher. As you can see, there were no guard rails or barriers.

 Here's a look at part of the road going up to Machu Picchu. Not nearly as frightening from this angle.

Made it! There is a hiking trail up and some people hiked it. We couldn't have done it at that altitude. 

 This is the favourite lookout site for taking pictures of the site. Its shows almost all of the site. There are a few more buildings to the right and a lot of terraces that you can't see. This is called the lost city of the Incas because they abandoned it before the Spanish got this far inland and it was never pillaged and disappeared from history until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. 

Our guide took pity on us and helped Grammie most of the tour as we trekked up and down all the hills and avenues of the site. To get anywhere you needed to go up or down first and the altitude made it very difficult.

The site is basically as it was when it was abandoned 500 years ago. Everything is intact except the roofs which were made of wood and have rotted away. Sites at other locations were torn down so the stone could be used for other things. Walking the steps, you can see the wear on the stones from the original inhabitants. 

The national dish of Peru is the guinea pig; they eat over 65 million a year. This is one of the wild ones we spotted at the site. The tame ones are raised for food. Every cafe offered them but we couldn't eat one.

At the highest point of the site sits this rock, called the hitching post of the sun.The Incas were great astronomers and based on the shape of the rock and Machu Picchus location, they could tell when it was time to plant, harvest, and prepare for a new season based on the suns shadow. 

After our day of hiking and panting, we deserved a break so we tried the local specialty, Pisco Sour. Don't know what was in it but it sure was potent and tasty. Fortunately the bar was in our hotel. 

Next morning we took our coffee and went for a walk. This is in front of our hotel. The river in back is the sacred river which the Incas built most of their sites within sight of. A lot of tourists come to see Machu Picchu and I think this town was recently built to handle the crowds and provide a place to stay. Nothing in the town is finished and nothing looks older than about 10 years old. Its quite a change because most of the towns in Peru are very old and covered with grit and dust; not here.

There is a huge market here, selling everything from tourist knick knacks to hand woven alpaca garments to skinned guinea pigs ready for cooking. We had a few hours before heading back to Cusco so we did lots of bargaining. Interestingly, every item was made in Peru. Non Peruvian items are banned; poor China. 

After filling a few bags with treasures, its time to take the 4 hour ride back to our hotel in Cusco. 

Because its a long ride, late in the day, some entertainment was provided during the trip. A mythical character put his hook around Grammies neck which forced her to get up and dance with him. They also had a fashion show which highlighted local garments, mostly made of Alpaca. It kept the trip lively. Tomorrow we head out on our next great adventure, that is if I can get Grammie back to her seat.

This video gives a bit better perspective on the size of Machu Picchu. Although I've seen many pictures of the site, nothing prepares you for the sheer beauty of it. The deep green of the majestic mountains that surround it as well as the awesome gorges below it take your breath away. The air is so fresh and clear that even far away objects are crisp and detailed. Its one of the most beautiful natural locations I've seen and the Inca stone work is mind blowing.