Lake Titicaca

I just got back from 2 fantastic days on Lake Titicaca.
We started our boat tour with a visit to the Uros Floating Islands. The Uros tribe has lived in this manner for 2000 years. There are many reeds in this area. The reeds have roots that form a dense 1 m thick mass. Every once in a while some of these masses float to the surface. The Uros then cut these root masses into squares. They then drive a post into the center of each square, and tie them together. This way the can have an island any size they want. The root masses are the covered with fresh reeds, laid in alternate directions. This layer is also about 2 m thick. Their houses are also built with these reeds. The island we visited had 4 families, with about 25 people. Once a week they travel to Puna. The rest of the time is "island" time. There are about 60 islands.
The Uros are short and stout. I wouldn't call them attractive. They do wear very colorful
outfits.
After our visit to the Uros we continued for 3 more hours to the island where we stayed overnight. The good news was that the accommodations were much better than I anticipated, actual beds, and some light, powered by a car battery. I had my own room.
The bad news that it was a half hour uphill climb. A young Chilean was kind enough to carry my bag. Without Javier I would still be somewhere on that hill.
Altitude adjustment is a real fact. Everything is a chore, and there are few level roads in Peru. Our landlady cooked lunch and dinner, very tasty soup and a veggie stew. All cooked the way it was done for the last couple of thousand years.
There is no relationship between the people and the Uros, different language, different culture, they don't even look the same.
There was an optional hike to the top of the island. I declined.
The sanitary facility was an outhouse. I found a chamberpot, so I didn't have to break my neck in the middle of the night.
In the morning, on the way to the outhouse I met the rooster, with the same intent as mine. The difference was that he didn't step into mine.
After a pancake breakfast, we hiked back down to the boat. Going downhill was even tough.
We then travelled for another island. Only an hour away, but completely different cultures.
We had the pleasure, thrill, ordeal, whatever you want to call it, of another one hour hike, uphill, of course.
The nice thing was that I really started to appreciate the beauty of the lake. It is huge, a gorgeous blue, but cold. The temperature is a constant 8 degrees.
After a lunch of freshly caught lake trout we had the pleasure of 500 stone steps back down to the boat.
A three hour boat ride back to Puno ended the day.
You guys won't believe this, but I am spending 50 dollars on a hotel room. It even has an electric heater.
It's off to Cuzco tomorrow, unless there is a strike.
What will be, will be!!!,

June 15

I arrived back in Arequipa tonight, after two great days at the Colca Canyon.

We left yesterday morning, and drove through some more desert, but there was the odd water puddle. We saw quite a few picuyas, which are similar to llamas and alpacas. I learned the difference between those animals.
The biggest shock came when we crossed the highest point on the trip, at 5000 meters. We got off the bus to take some pictures, and as soon as I got off I felt woozy and light hearted. The altitude really hit me. Even at the Colca Canyon, which is lower, the effect was noticeable.
After lunch we spent some time is a hot pool. The water boils at 85 degrees here. It was the most relaxing hour in Peru so far. I went back to the hotel and went straight to bed.
NOTE TO MYSELF pack a bathing suit next time!!But nobody objected to my underwear.
I had read in another blog that when it's zero outside, it's zero inside. None of the hotels I have stayed in has heating. Their solution are blankets, very heavy, and lots. They must weigh 20 pounds.
We woke up at 5 am, had a quick breakfast, and then drove 2 hours over bumpy roads, to the condor viewing platform. The condors don't fly up, they let the warm air currents carry them up. We saw more than a dozen of these magnificent creatures. They reach a span of more than 3 meters. They sail back and forth, sometimes within 20 feet of the spectators. We spent about an hour watching in awe.
After that we had lunch on Chivay, went to the market, and then returned to Arequipa, a four ride from Chivay.
Oh, by the way, the cost of the two day trip was 25 dollars.
Tomorrow it's off to Lake Titicaca.

June 13

I visited a museum dedicated to "The Ice Princess Juanita". This is a 12 year old girl, of royal class, who was scarified to the gods. The Incas believed that mountains were livng gods. When volcanoes erupted it indicated that the gods were angry. This sacrifice was found on the top of the highest mountain in the region. Just the thought of such a journey is daunting. The body is one of 14 human sacrifices found in South America. This is the highest. The museum presentation was excellent, but no photos were allowed.
The rest of the day I visited some colonial houses, and I also toured the Cathedral.
Lots of photos.
Several bits of information. You can't get a real cup of coffee, it's all instant, served with condensed milk.
Every time you sign up for a tour, or just to buy a bus ticket, they ask your age. I have no idea why.
In Arequipa there are, literally, over 30 optical stores, smetimes 4 in one block. But I haven't found a barbershop yet.
The only thing pricey I have found are stamps. It's almost 2 dollars to send a postcard to Canada.
Last night I had a Chicha drink. It is grape colored and has quite a distinct taste, but it's good. I found out it was made from fermented dark corn. Another first.
Tomorrow I am off to the Colca Canyon.

June 12 Arequipa

The overnight bus from Naxca to Arequipa was quite pleasant. The seats are like first class on a plane. I slept most of the way.
Today was more to my liking. Lots of walking. I arrived at my hostel at 8, but couldn't get on my room until 11. So I left my luggage and walked around town. I couldn't believe it, they actually had a parade for me. Military, boyscouts, girl guides; I was impressed. Arequipa is a lovely city, nice architecture, and the weather is perfect. High of 22, not a cloud in the sky, no humidity.

I spent the afternoon visiting the Monastery de Santa Catalina. This convent was started in the 1600's for the daughters of very wealthy Spaniards. It is huge, over 20 000 sq.m. It looks like fortress, with high walls all around.
The basic rule was that if a girl wasn't married by the age of 12, the parents would pay a dowery to the convent to accept their daughter. From 12 to 16 these girls were novices, and lived in their own part of the convent. At 16 they had to make a choice whether to become a nun or leave. It would be embarrassing to the family if she left. Once she became a nun she lived in the main part of the convent, never leaving it, even to go into town. The life style depended on the wealth of the family. Most nuns had their rooms and, if you could afford it, their own houses, within the convent, and they would have servants and slaves. At one time there were 80 houses in the convent.
In 1860 the church outlawed this type of extravagant life style for the nuns, and the convent closed for 100 years, and reopened as a museum in 1960. It is a beautiful place, lovely gardens, very peaceful.
In the evening I sat in the main
Plaza, in front of the cathedral, and watched the locals.
Tomorrow is another day.

Saturday June 11

I had a very interesting day. I first visited a Nazca cemetery which is over 1000 years old. The Nazca mummified their dead and buried them with pottery. The site was discovered about 100 years ago, and was not protected until the 1980's. Before then grave robbers dug up the graves, primarily for the cloth and the pottery. Until then mummies, human bones were strewn over the ground. They are now restored in their graves, on view. There are still numerous bones, just lying around. There're also over 1000 graves still left to be opened.
We also had a little talk about local gold mining, which is still done completely without machines. Miners chip out ore, about 60 kg a day, and carry it 6 km to the road. At the factory the ore is ground with a small machine, and then reduced to a powder by manual labour. 60 kg of ore might produce 1 g of gold, worth 40 dollars to the miner. A tough way to make a living.

In the afternoon I took a ride on a small plane over the Nazca Lines, one of the mysteries of the ancient world. It's worthwhile checking the Nazca Lines out on the Internet.
The ride was a bit of a thrill, there lots of sharp turns. My stomach was quite happy to land.
Tonight I am off to Arequipa on an overnight bus.
Till later..

Friday June 10

I took a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands this morning. The fog is still with us. It doesn't affect the vision as much as makes everything look grey.

The islands are in the Humbold stream which delivers very rich ocean water. This attracts thousands of birds, seal, penguins, and sea lions. The biggest attraction are the birds that nest here, literally thousands and thousands. Before the islands were discovered by the natives the guano (bird droppings) were 30 meters deep. Every year it grows by 2 m. That's a lot of goano!! It has been harvested for many years, because it is a great organic fertilizer.
The scenery is very rugged, and the ride is a bit of a thrill.., lots of bumps and spray. I was happy I wore a rain jacket.
After the tour I continued my journey south to Nasca. Nothing but desert, although we started to see small mountains as we turned inland. I finally saw sun, by the time I got to Nasca it was beautiful.
Nasca reminded me a lot of rural Mexico, not very clean, not very attractive.
I did find a place to buy postcards. The lady also sold me stamps. They were not self-stick. She had to put glue on each one, and stick it on the card.
The bus ride down was great. Complimentary coffee, and the bus had Wi-fi. It was interesting reading the Hamilton Spec, while traveling through a Peruvian desert.
My hotel room was very nice, clean and large.

Peru.. ready or not, here I come

Thursday June 9
I flew to Peru yesterday, and the biggest excitement was waking up Wednesday morning in the middle of a storm, without power. Luckily I had packed and didn't have to do that at 5 am.
The flights were pleasant, the food very bad, but I landed in Lima at 9 pm, on time. Took a taxi to my hotel, and was in bed by 10:30.
Thursday Morning was not great.
First I had to find a bank for some cash. The first one didn't like me and didn't give me any cash. Luckily the second one, a Bank of Nova Scotia was more agreeable.
Breakfast was another let down. Instant coffee!!!!
I had researched what bus to take to Pisco, and had to take a taxi to the terminal. Each company has it's own terminal. Luckily the driver went in with me to buy the ticket. That's when I found out, that contrary what the Lonely Planet says this company does not provide several trips a day. Back in the taxi to try another one. Again no luck. Finally we lucked out with a third company, and that bus left 10 minutes after I got there.

The other problem was that the bus doesn't go into Pisco, but drops you off at the highway, 6 km from town.
The drive was also depressing. There is a constant coastal fog, and the drive is through a desert (next to the Pacific). It is a true desert, no greenery, mucho rocks and sand. In addition to that the poverty is staggering. I have seen a lot of shacks, but nothing as bad as the "villages" along this highway.
I visualized being dropped of in no-man's land.
As it turned out there was a buzzing business district ready to meet all the buses, and there were plenty of taxis.
Pisco was a pretty little town, until 2007, when it was hit with a major earthquake, and 70% of the town was leveled. Several hundred people were killed, 136 while at mass. It is still quite a mess.
My hotel has been rebuilt, and it is one of the nicest I have ever stayed at. Free wi- fi, breakfast, lovely room, all for 20 dollars.
Pisco is a nice little town. I had a great cerviche dinner, with a large beer. 10 bucks, including tip. I like it.