Carol's Travels

Today was the day we traveled to Machu Picchu. As we passed a lot of small hillside homes leaving Cusco, he pointed out the many steps that residents had to climb. These people were squatters. Population in 1992 was 270,000, and in 2014 it is 500,000. This increase in population is causing garbage problems. Also a large number of people are not paying taxes. Hotel chains control the government, so they aren’t paying taxes either. In the mid 1990’s the country was opened up to tourism because the terrorists were defeated.

In 1976 a new president gave land back to the Inca decendants. the rich people were very angry. In 1977 some radical Peruvians went overseas to become terrorists, then they came home and started stealing and destroying. This reign of terror lasted for twenty years, and there was 7000% inflation. The new President, Alberto Fujimori, declared war on terrorists. Other citizens started turning in these radicals until the leaders were caught. No foreign countries would help because there were no resources that would benefit them.

We stopped at the pottery factory where I bought some coasters the last time I was here. After the tour Paul picked out four more. I met the famous sculptor on the way out. Soon we arrived at the train station and boarded the train. We could see the river below, one of the Inca trails, and the jagged peaks above. Freddy had given us box lunches so we would have more time this afternoon in Machu Picchu.

When we arrived, Freddy gave us a tour of the stone structures there. He is so informative. We learned a lot about why it was there and who the people were. It was a place of power where the king and priests and priestesses lived.

We were some of the last tourists to leave this evening. We will be back tomorrow morning! We rode the bus back down the winding road. Tonight Freddy went with us to a restaurant with delicious food. I had papaya and avocado balls with s special dipping sauce, lemon trout, freshly made potato chips, hot tomatoes and other vegetables, flan, and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

The hotel was much better than the one where I had stayed in 2008. There wasn’t much Internet coverage, though, so I couldn’t post on this blog.

. Scenic view from the train

. Group picture

. Pottery

After a very substantial breakfast the eight of us boarded our van at 9:30 A.M. A full day of touring was planned for us. First we started the morning by going to the local market where they sold food. They sold so many things you wouldn’t find in a super market at home. There were unusual meats like cow snouts. There was a whole aisle of several potato varieties. Fruits, breads, herbs, high quality coffee, fruits, and countless other things were sold there every day.

Cow Snouts

. Freddy bought this loaf of bread for us to try.
Next, we went to the ruins that were the biggest Incan ruins. It was the central government of the Incan Empire. The Spanish destroyed most of what was even bigger and more impressive than Machu Picchu. It is called Saqsayhuaman.

We then went to see the best place in Cusco to get high quality baby alpaca sweaters. I had bought some beautiful gifts there in 2008, and I wanted to get a sweater for myself this time. A woman showed us the different types of alpaca, and we could easily feel the difference. I bought a beautiful handmade baby alpaca sweater that had a black background and the colorful national flowers of Peru all over it.

Next we went to another ruins that was fairly close by. We walked through a cave that was a ceremonial place for Inca kings and probably where some mummies were placed at one time.

. Then it was time to go to a home-hosted dinner. We had a cooking lesson there, and I volunteered to cook the special tortillas made of one mashed potato, 5 or 6 chopped green onions, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and an egg. Oil was heated in a skillet, then I put a heaping tablespoon of the batter into the skillet. I made eight little tortillas by frying them on both sides.

For lunch we had a beverage made by boiling two liters of boiling water and one ear of red corn and adding some cinnamon. We also had quinoa soup, and many unusual vegetarian foods typical of a Peruvian diet.

. After retuning to the hotel, Paul and I prepared for our trip to Machu Picchu tomorrow. Then we went to the Andean Market across the street. Finally we went to dinner at a restaurant next door to the hotel. Again there was live Peruvian music played for us. I bought the third music CD of this trip from the group. I love panpipes!

We got up at about 5:00 A.M. this morning and got ready to leave for our flight to Cusco. The hotel served a minimal continental breakfast. Our group of eight got on the bus to the airport at 6:30. Check-in was easy. I learned that Lima is the only international airport in Peru.

The hour flight to Cusco was smooth. Freddy, our Peruvian guide, met us and took us to the Eco Inn. Overseas Adventure Travel likes to patronize locally owned hotels. This hotel is lovely, and it is much nicer than our hotel in Lima. We drank coca tea for altitude acclimation which works for me. Then we went up in a glass elevator to our room on the fourth floor with a view of the courtyard. Freddy had told us to lie down for about fifteen minutes and breathe deeply to help get adjusted to the altitude. The elevation here is 11,500 feet.

It was time for lunch, so we walked to a nearby restaurant and had a typical Peruvian meal which was easily forgettable. We then took a walking tour of the city. Freddy was full of information. We learned about historical events as well as the best places to purchase alpaca sweaters, pottery, and silver jewelry.

We went on a tour of Santo Domingo Church and Convent. He explained how the construction of the interlocking blocks of Inca architecture was earthquake proof. The Spanish had trained the Incas how to paint religious paintings since it wouldn’t be feasible to ship so many paintings from Spain. The Incas were tired of the way they were being forced to convert to the Spanish ways so they sneakily painted their own symbolism into the pictures! We couldn’t take pictures of the paintings because of their possibly being reproduced and sold in the black market.
http://www.cusco-peru.org/cultural-cusco-churches-cusco-santo-domingo-convent-church.shtml

Freddy took us into the town square, then he called a bus that transported us to a small jewelry making factory and shop. I had bought jewelry here in 2008, and I bought more today. Two were gifts and one was for me 🙂 We also watched the slow process that was involved when creating each piece of jewelry out of the highest quality of silver.

We ate dinner at our leisure at the hotel. Toward the end of our meal, we were entertained by musicians playing Peruvian panpipes, shakers, and flute music. We bought a CD from them as we left.

National flower of Peru

Impessive Statue in the Town Square

Artists making jewelry