TravelZWorld : "A Step Back In Time"

When I began writing this piece, it had been sixteen hours since I stepped off a tour bus and walked back up the gangway of our "home" for the last 38 days. I returned numb with exhaustion, clothes still damp from the rains, hiking boots soaked through, hair matted, eyes burning and red, my back aching with a wet backpack strung across my shoulders...yet I was thoroughly happy. I had done it! I had seen Machu Picchu and I had an amazing, whirlwind tour over the prior two days. Here is my grand adventure as it was, warts and all.
First, I must say that I had my own vision of what Machu Picchu was going to be like. For me my hopes were that it would be a deeply spiritual experience. Being high above the clouds in the Andes Mountains and standing amongst the ruins of what was a deeply religious, lost civilization whose wisdom was beyond its years stirred the adventurer in me. Everything in Machu Picchu is closely connected with nature and the heavens and was built around the knowledge and strong appreciation of it. I was ready to be awed, inspired and humbled. In all of its purest ways, Machu Picchu was all I had hoped it would be and hoped it remained. As for that spiritual moment I was hoping for, I am sad to say it didn't happen. Sadly and hypocritically, I blame tourism. Join me in my story and I will explain.

Early Monday morning at 6:30 a.m. Rick and I met up with fellow tour passengers in one of our ship's lounges with our one overnight suitcase, a backpack in tow on each of our shoulders and walking sticks in hand. Wearing our hiking boots and layers of comfortable clothing, we also brought along rain slickers and light jackets. Check, check and check...all ready. We were about to embark on an overnight land excursion that would require us to meet up with the ship the next day in Lima.

The ship docked at 7:00 am in Port San Martin, Peru and shortly thereafter our tour group disembarked. Our tour buses were waiting for us on the dock and we met our team of very professional, very knowledgeable tour guides from the very reputable firm of Abercrombie and Kent who stayed with us our entire trip. We drove out of the port area and headed to the Pisco Airport for the next leg of our journey. The Port of San Martin, located on Paracas Bay, was at the edge of a lifeless desert. It truly seemed as if we were in the middle of nowhere. Our bus set out on a single, lonely road through the desert for over an hour with a surround view of reddish brown, sometimes golden yellow sand piled high into dunes or leveled flat by the hot wind. The sand continued in a never ending horizon. I kept thinking that if someone's vehicle broke down here, they would be stuck in "nowhere land", with an occasional car or bus that happened to come by, luckily.

Once we reached the city of Pisco, the lonely road led towards the water once again where we saw some fishing boats bobbing lazily on the gentle tide. Then we entered a small town with colorful concrete buildings, little roadside vendors selling food and obvious locals standing in open doorways and on street corners staring at our tour bus as we drove by. We turned down some side streets and the scenery became a collection of dusty tin or cardboard shacks along dirt roads with, what appeared to be, collapsed second story levels.

I saw the first of many melkkhay (colorful skirt) and montera (hat) worn by traditional Peruvian women.

I adore Tuk Tuks (a three wheeled auto rickshaw) and I saw a LOT in Peru. They are wonderful because each owner decorates them with their own personal style, some simple and others blinged out. To me they have so much character and I love taking pictures of them, sitting in them and riding in them.

Pisco suffered a devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake in 2007 and is still recovering to this day. We would learn that most residents would purposely abandon construction on their homes after building a first floor only. This was a loophole in the system to prevent paying home taxes and would be a common theme throughout many small towns we toured in Peru. This was also our first experience, of many, seeing packs of ferrel dogs commonly roaming the streets in large numbers. Sand was inescapably everywhere so laundry hung high on clothes lines atop the many unfinished homes.

The Pisco Airport was an extreme in contrasts. The gated entrance opened into an unpaved and dusty parking lot. Just inside the gate, there was a "guard station" that looked more like a "double wide porta-potty", with men sitting on chairs instead of toilets. I admit this was a clever way to stay out of the sun. Ahead of us was the terminal building which was a single story, white concrete structure and, we were told, had no air conditioning. Luckily, a gentle breeze was blowing through the open doors which allowed air circulation. The luggage trolleys were located on a concrete slab in a small patch of grass near the front entrance to the terminal.

As we exited our tour bus, I was among the majority anxiously wondering out loud what our plane would look like. All we could see around us were single and twin prop planes seating four or eight passengers each. The kind of planes where they weighed luggage AND the passengers to get them off the ground. At first glance, the airport was a wide open expanse of dusty, barren "nothing" except for our little terminal and lots of runway space. In the distance we could see the framework of a new airport being built that appeared to be quite a large, modern structure. As we waited in line outside our terminal on the shady side of the building our passports were being checked and plane tickets administered. We jokingly referred to this area as the "food court" with tables under umbrellas and the luggage trolleys in the background.

Once we got inside the terminal, it was super small and very crowded, but clean and a bit modern.

I was most impressed with the handsomely uniformed Passenger Control employees who looked very polished and professional like they belonged in a huge international airport. There were four baggage check in booths and a single kiosk selling beverages and snacks to our far right. A single security scanner was high tech but required patience as many people filed through. They actually confiscated my tiny little "all in one" emergency kit because it had a pinkie size nail file. Then we were shuttled by mini buses that drove us to a surprisingly large, four jet engine plane sitting in the distance right on the tarmac.

We boarded our 10:15 am flight on the tarmac via a set of portable stairs. Finding our seats, we buckled up and readied for takeoff. Condensation misted out of the overhead air vents, which looked like smoke engulfing the cabin area. The captain turned on his intercom and advised the passengers not to worry. We then became airborne and flew Star Peru Airlines to Cusco. We were served breakfast in a box which contained an egg sandwich and a dulce de leche (sweet milk) pastry. I had a window seat which offered me a great chance to take photos as we passed over the dessert, then circled over our ship as we headed towards the lush green Andes Mountains.

Once we arrived at the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport of Cusco, we cleared customs and got into a mini bus outside the airport terminal. Rick and I were able to snag the front seats for the entire two day tour. We were now in Cusco, the former ancient capital of the Incan empire.

We headed into the city for a day of sightseeing. The hot, arid landscape that prevailed in Pisco became cooler in Cusco. The altitude also changed and went from sea level to 12,480 feet in Cusco. This is when our tour guides began to watch for altitude sickness amongst the group. The symptoms were dizziness, nausea, headaches, trouble and breathing. Our guides encouraged us constantly to suck on lemon and grape hard candies they were giving us, along with eating crackers, which they also supplied. I did notice the candies contained Coca which I will mention shortly.

Once in the city center of Cusco, our guide told us that this was the last day of a transportation strike in effect and police were noticeably prevalent in large groups, scattered around the city and in full riot gear. But we were assured the only violence that occurred was rock throwing. Thus, with very little vehicle traffic that day, our driver navigated around Cusco easily among very narrow streets.

Cusco is a "working museum", being built over ruins still being unearthed today. It also has many museums and churches that could easily fill a few days for a tourist. We had time for just three of the major attractions.

Our first stop was Qorikancha, the most revered temple in Cusco. It was dedicated to Inti, the Sun God. Once covered in sheets of gold from floor to ceiling and gold statues everywhere, it was said to be "fabulous beyond belief". Eventually the Incas were forced to strip away the gold and use it to pay a ransom required by the Spanish for the life of a beloved Incan ruler. The Spanish colonists built a Dominican Convent on the site of the temple, having destroyed the temple to its foundational walls. The walls are made of massive stone blocks and no mortar, displaying the genius architectural skills of the Incas. Qorikancha looks more like a fortress than a convent. In my mind, I liken Qorikancha to the pyramids because of the precise measurements, accurate stone work and actual movement of these massive stones with no modern equipment. Part of one wall in the convent is broken away to reveal the actual tongue and groove method used by the Incas in the stones to form the walls. Mind blowing, really. It stands with no framework except stone on stone.

The really tall Cusconian paintings hanging in ornate gold frames on the stone walls depicted the history of Cusco in pictures. Every painting was a story.

Looking out over the neat, green grounds surrounding Qorikancha, we had a great view of the town outside its walls. In the open landscaped courtyard, there was an aqua duct that flowed from a very deep spring well, along a culvert and into a pool. To this day, the source of the well still hasn't been located, yet the water continues to flow cool, clean and drinkable. Again, the Incas were a marvel society ahead of their time.

Outside the walls of the Convent, I had a photo moment with two Quechua women with their baby llama. The traditional style of a Quechua woman is a mix of pre-Spanish and Spanish colonial peasant. Both women in my picture are wearing a K'eperina, or large rectangular cloth knotted in the front and worn on the back to carry a child, or in this case personal goods (or maybe the small Llama). They each displayed their melkkhay, or colorful skirt, which they wear in graduated layers of 3-4 at a time. At festivals and special occasions, women can wear up to 15 tied around their waist. The cloth is usually handwoven wool called bayeta. The colorful trims along the bottoms of the melkkhays (skirt) are called puytos and are also handwoven. The hats are called monteras. In most situations, sandals are won which are made out of recycled truck tire treads and these are called ajotas. Some women (could not tell if these Quechua women had them...most probably they did) carry a small pouch called unkuna where they stash their coca leaves or a snack of corn.

We moved on to the magnificent Basilica Cathedral which took our breath away. Altars and artifacts were gilded with 24 carat gold and pure sterling silver. Intricately carved wood choir boxes were so ornate with their detail that no words can describe. The rafters soared high up into the domed ceiling and glowed with recessed lights. There were many rooms inside this cathedral, each more grand than the previous. Cusconian paintings hung on the walls in very tall, very wide, ornate gold frames showing more history of Cusco.

It was mid afternoon by the time we left the cathedral and headed to a restaurant for a three course lunch, which included llama meat (lean and bland). This is where I had my first cup of Coca tea. Coca leaves are plentiful in Cusco and are either chewed or brewed in hot water. It is also found in candies, which I mentioned earlier were given to us by our guides during our tour. The ingredients in the Coca leaf are said to increase circulation and thus bring more oxygen to the head. Coca is encouraged to help combat altitude sickness and fatigue. I tried it all three ways and it did give me some energy at first but I still got light headed from the change in altitude and eventually the Coca leaves gave me a headache. So, at least I tried it.

After lunch, we drove through city center of Cusco admiring the landmarks and beauty.

Next, we drove into the hills and did the circuit tour of Saqsayhuama`n including Tambomachay, Pukapukara and Q`enqo. These archaeological sites spread out over miles on a steep hill overlooking the city of Cusco. At the highest point, the altitude is over 13,000 feet (3,900 meters). The dry walls and stones combined with simple living structures and terraced farming showed the brilliance behind Incan architecture and planning and has withstood time and earthquakes. In 1983, the site of Saqsayhuama'n was added as part of the city of Cusco to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Today, Peruvians celebrate winter solstice and new year here as well as the ancient ceremony called Warachikuy, a coming of age competition for young men.

From there we traveled 2 1/2 hours to the Urubamba Valley on the banks of the river Vilcanota. Along the way, we witnessed fantastic scenery and lush agriculture including quinoa, corn and soybean. The road twisted and turned through the mountains and afforded us some great photos, albeit through the van window.

Along our drive, I noticed what could be described as local bars or markets with long sticks propped up outside the establishment and red plastic bags tied around the one end facing the roadway. Turns out these are known as Chicherias identified by the red bag on the stick. Chicherias serve chicha, which is a home brew of fermented corn, quinoa, wheat, barley, chickpeas, fruits or many other variations. The most common is corn. It can be drunk young and sweet or mature and strong and, depending on the fermentation process, can contain between 1-3% alcohol. In some cultures, the corn (maize) was ground, moistened in the maker's mouth, spit out and formed into small balls which were flattened and laid out to dry. The saliva broke down the starch in the maize, which is a step prior to the fermentation process.

As daylight faded, we watched animals being herded by local farmers back to their homes.

The roads twisted and turned through the mountains. Eventually day turned to night as we travelled down a dusty road. Once we got off this main road, we crossed a small bridge over the Vilcanota River then turned left onto another dirt road that led us into a winding path along the river and into a huge corn field. Our headlights were the only lights around. Then, out of the black, we saw a tall Spanish-style wooden gate with a gilded iron arch surrounded by a stone wall. Two men standing on both sides of the gate opened it and let us drive inside the walls. The gates quickly shut behind us. Our tour bus drove along a paved stone driveway flooded with soft, gentle lights. The grounds were perfectly manicured, lush and green with blooming flowers all around. We pulled up to a beautiful glass building and parked. Our luggage was waiting for us as we entered the building (the tour guides sent it ahead when we arrived at Cusco's airport). We were greeted with hot coca tea, black tea, herbal tea, or coffee while busboys stood by to help us with our luggage and guide us to our rooms. Our home for the night was the luxury boutique hotel called Aranwa located in the Sacred Valley of Peru. "Aranwa" in Qenchua (native Peruvian language spoken primarily in the Andes) means "Legend". Part of the Preferred Hotel Group, the Aranwa is on a list of the leading hotels in the world and has received several prestigious excellence awards for its hospitality and customer service.

The Aranwa was built on 25 acres of a 17th century colonial hacienda. The guest rooms were located in separate two story bungalows scattered all around the property. Each bungalow was connected by softly lit stone paths and little bridges crossing over snaking waterways winding through the property. Every path led back to the main lobby and pool area. The grounds contained a museum, a chapel, a movie theater, a library, an art gallery, a spa and salon, boutiques and exhibitions of antiquities.

Since it was dark and around 7:00 pm by the time we arrived, we could not appreciate this lovely hotel as it should have been. I regretted not having more time to explore and enjoy. We were exhausted, but excited, from having seen and done so much in just one day. After we checked in, our guide let us know we had a 3:00 a.m. start the next morning. YIKES! We headed to our room, a butler ahead of us carrying our suitcase in one hand and my hot tea in another and leading the way. We decided to miss a gourmet dinner planned by the hotel for our group because we were too tired to eat. On our way to our room, I noticed that the sole of my left hiking boot was separating from the shoe. Oh no!!! I had to get it fixed so we told our butler who sent someone to our room within ten minutes. My shoe was taken away and returned within half an hour with the sole firmly glued and ready for hiking Machu Picchu the next day. Great service. Then I prepared a hot jacuzzi bath to soak my aching muscles and relax. We quickly needed to recharge our body batteries so after that, it was lights out. Good night and sweet dreams!!!