Buenos Dias!
I apologize for the long break between updates, but once again my computer time is limited. Right now I am typing away in a small Internet cafe in Cuzco, Peru. Every other computer is being used by young teenage Peruvian boys, who are all playing video games together on their computers. There is lots of yelling, screaming and violent mouse-clicking going on around me.
This update is long, but I figure many of you will need some reading material while you digest turkey. I also wanted to share my stories as I miss speaking English and being around friends and family.
I flew into Lima one week ago and spent a day touring around the city. I was nervous about security in the capital city, especially as I was arriving alone at 2:30 am. There have been many accounts of people being robbed / assaulted / kidnapped while taking taxis, so you can imagine my anxiety at finding transportation to my hotel. The taxi I had prearranged failed to show, so I was forced to take a regular public taxi. When I got inside the car the driver locked all the doors, simply stating "security." Wow, was I nervous. Well, half way through the cab ride, in the middle of an intersection in the desolate streets of Lima, the car broke down. Completely dead. Kaput. At this point it was 3 am and no one was out. Needless to say, my heart really started pounding. The cab driver started apologizing profusely, but the nervousness in his voice was evident. As with me, he was NOT happy to be breaking down in that neighborhood at that hour. Not so good. After some ridiculous fist-pounding under the hood (even I know whatever he was doing down there was NOT legitimate car repair), we realized the car was not going to start. Not knowing what else to do, in broken Spanish I offered to help push the car out to the nearest gas station. We both hopped out and started pushing. Yes, my first hour in South America and I was already rolling up my sleeves and pushing a broken-down taxi at three in the morning. Oh goodness.
We pushed the car to a gas station, where we proceeded to push it around and around the station to try and stall it into starting. With no one at the wheel, we barely missed hitting pumps, other cars and bollards as we circled around the corner and through the station several times. I was jumping in and out of the car as it rolled, helping push and getting in to see if it started. At this point, I almost started laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. After some time, we decided it was a lost cause. We found another taxi and the driver escorted me to my hotel. By the time I finally got to my room, it was past 5 am. It was an interesting introduction to my travels.
Cuzco is actually much safer than I had anticipated. There aren´t the machine-gun totting guards at every corner, as was the case in Quito. I stayed in Miraflores, which is actually a rather swanky neighborhood with posh stores and breathtaking views of the ocean and cliffs. It reminded me of a mix between San Diego, Miami and Europe.
After a day strolling around Lima, I was anxious to get to Cuzco. We decided to go non-stop, which meant a 20-hour overnight bus ride. 20 hours. Yikes!
South of Lima is an incredibly desolate desert. There is nothing but sand. I mean NOTHING. The mountains and plains are so barren and windblown, they create a rather breathtaking panorama. The people who live here must be incredibly poor. I can´t imagine how they sustain themselves on such land. Many shanty towns can be seen from the bus, although not much life is visible. There was a man herding goats on the side of the road, yet there was nothing there but sand and a few trees. What were the goats eating???
Cuzco is a rather charming place. It is a city of clay tile roofs, numerous indigenous markets and a vibrant street life. I had my first cup of Coco tea, which is made from leaves of the coco plant. It is absolutely delicious and I want to bring some back to the states to share with everyone. Unfortunately, the United States is ignorant to the difference between coco leaves and cocaine, so unless I want to spend time in the slammer for smuggling illegal items, I won´t be bringing any back.
As this update is getting quite long, I want to skip to the best part of my travels so far: Machu Picchu. Wow. This is by far one of the most incredible places I have been. Ever. We spent the night at the launching place of all visitors, Aguas Calientes. A rather chintzy and touristy town, I was becoming less excited about the glory of seeing one of the wonders of the world. At 4:30 am we began the hike to the top of the Machu Picchu Mountain. It was straight up. ALL STAIRS. For over an hour. By 5:45 am we had made it to the entrance gates to the ruins and the sun had come up. I was a sweaty mess, but glad to have made it in one piece. The rest of the tourists who had taken the bus instead of hiking were looking at my disheveled sweaty self with some disdain.
A cloud descended upon us and we couldn´t see more than 100 meters in front of us. As the day progressed, the clouds cleared and Machu Picchu appeared below us. It is incredible. The most beautiful mountains I have ever experienced surround the sprawling ruins of the Incas. The peaks rise out of the clouds and seem to touch the sky. Llamas wander the grounds, keeping the grass to a level on par with putting greens. The ruins themselves are the most incredible demonstration of advanced architecture, engineering and planning. I am still speechless over the quality and technology of their construction. The stone joints fit perfectly, there are seismic joints designed to protect against earthquakes and the alignment with the sun is incredible. WOW. I took about a gazillion and half photos before it started pouring rain, but they still do not truly capture the magic of this place.
After our guided tour we climbed Huayna Picchu, the peak overlooking the ruins. It is the large mountain towering over the site if you look at any classic picture of Machu Picchu. Even more steep and straight up, the stairs required all fours to ascend. I have never been so close to straight drop-offs and sheer cliffs. When I reached the top and looked down, my legs literally started to shake and I thought I might actually pee my pants. Luckily for me and for the rest of my fellow tourists, I did not. I made it down in one piece with a huge smile on my face, knowing I had conquered the mountain. For everyone picking a place to travel next, Machu Picchu is a must! You have to go.
The trip has been an adventure so far. I have eaten soup with scary looking creatures of the sea appearing with each dip of the spoon. I have spoken with senior Quechua in rural villages in the Sacred Valley. My Spanish is improving every day and I am finally feeling more confident about getting around.
Next stop is Lake Titicaca, then on to Copacabana (I have no idea what is there, but how could I resist with that name?) then on to La Paz, Bolivia.
I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am thinking about everyone and miss you all dearly. I am thankful for all the beautiful and incredible friends and family in my life. I hope you all know how much you mean to me. Enjoy your holidays and I hope to hear from you soon. Your stories and updates are a comforting break in this foreign land.
Much love,
Jennie
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