Well we are back into the everyday life again, so there will not be a lot to report till July 29 comes around when we leave for the Arctic. Same boat, the Akademik Shokalskiy, just the opposite end of the world.
A daughters wedding sees us heading for Palm Cove, Cairns soon but other than that we expect life to be very quiet as we look forward to the next trip.
Talk to you later.
Well, time has come and its nearly all over. We have arrived in Santiago and have some time here to have a look at this city and then its time to make our way home.
We have done the usual city tour. Santiago is a nice city,but as you know, cities are not our favourite places. Just a few photos from what we have seen this morning.
The presidents palace
We were lucky to be taken inside the stock exchange, a beautiful old building, but no photos inside.
The main cathedral
We were quiet amazed at the amount of green park areas and well kept
We leave here tonight and all I can say is that this has been one of the best holidays that we have ever had. Okay, we enjoy all our trips but this one goes up there to the top of the list. We have seen the most remarkable sights and have met wonderful people .
We will remember it all but I do know Antarctica will always be a special place for us. The sights and feelings that we saw and had there just cannot be put into words.
But we come home happy that we have done here what we came to do and ready to start planning the next adventure.
The Arctic, here we come.
Yes, we’ve slept on an airport bench. The first hiccup on this trip happened when we arrived at Juliacca Airport for our flight back to Lima scheduled for 9pm. We sat and waited for the plane to come in that was to take us to Lima. Juliacca is a little place with just three planes a day and not a real flash airport. Well when one hour after departure time and we are still sitting there. Another hour later when they brought out the urn and paper cups and then a huge big plate of ham and cheese sandwiches we knew things were not looking up. Of course , we were the only english speaking passengers, so could get no information from anyone as to what was going on. All announcements over the PA System were in spanish, and we could see the mood of some of our fellow passengers was not good. Poo thought he may have to intervene in a punch up between airport officials and a couple of them. They came and told us in broken english at 11pm that they had a mechanical problem with the plane and in another hour it should arrive. So finally it arrived and at 12.20am we were able to leave Juliacca.
Now the problem was that we were to connect from Lima to Santiago with the 1.05am flight. Well with a 1hour 20 minute plane trip there was no way we were going to make that flight. And our luggage had been checked through to Santiago. So in that last hour in Juliacca I was trying to get through to them that the luggage would have to be changed to Lima and they would have to get us on the next plane out of Lima. So finally we had a seat on the 7.30 am flight which meant that we arrived in Lima at 1.45 am , checked in our luggage and had over five hours to kill.
Well, we settled in. Thank goodness for the bike chain I carry on every trip and on every trip Poo tells me that its a waste of space and extra weight. We chained up our backpacks and Poo’s camera to the seat and those Quark yellow parkas that we have carried all the way from Antarctica made good pillows It did not worry us at all, as you know my feelings on the subject, I would much rather they spend time and fix a problem with a plane than have it go down. But I will look at sleeping passengers in a different light next time I walk through an airport.
The plane took off on time and we were on our way.
We made our way to Puno from Cusco on the day train. Lovely scenery as we followed the river with the snow topped Andes in the distance.
Once at Puno, we were met by our guide and taken to our hotel, and wow ,another room with a view ,this time Lake Titicaca.
Next morning , we were collected and taken to the wharf to our waiting boat. Another trip with a large boat for just the two of us ,our guide and the two boat crew.
After a three hour boat ride out through the reeds that make this place so famous, (more about that later) we arrived at Amantani Island where we were to spend the afternoon and night staying with a local family. This was the most wonderful experience. As I said to Poo you can travel by car, bus or train and look into the lives of these people as you flash by, but till you actually step inside their homes and meet them and spend the night with them do you see just how they live, and do you really get to know them. After being met at the dock, we walked the ten minute trail up to the home of Jullian & Lucia, our hosts.
A very modest house made by themselves and their friends and neighbors of mud brick, but a wonderful warm welcome from the family. And a view to die for.
We were then treated to a lovely lunch, cooked by Lucia at her wood stove as we sat and talked, yes, talked, with the help of our guide it was amazing how we could enjoy each others company. I then offered to help with the washing-up.
You girls have been telling me for years, I need a new kitchen. Watching Lucia cook a meal, no benches,no sink, no running water, all just done by sitting on a wooden block. Makes you think again.
After lunch they took us into the garden, and on just a small piece of grass, the rest is completely covered with healthy crops of corn, potatoes, beans and more, they showed us how they spend their time. Lucia and her daughter-in-law knitting hats from lama wool and Jullian carving from stone.
Tea time was just as enjoyable as we gathered in their small kitchen. Our room was upstairs and very comfortable with three single beds and a small table, carved again from stone by Jullian. After breakfast we said goodbye to them and made our way back down the stone path to our boat, no cars on these islands. It looks as though every family has a boat.
We then made our way to Taquile Island where we again climbed to the top, me huffing and puffing for I hadn’t realized that we are indeed even higher in altitude here than at Cusco, here it.s 3700 meters. Another lovely island with friendly, warm people. Poo took a liking to this little girl who spent some time playing with her weavings on his hands. And not even that stare. Out of character eh!
We then had lunch el fresco sitting in the square. The nicest piece of trout that I have ever eaten. Had just been brought in by the local fisherman, apparently the lake is stocked with Canadian Trout.
Then it was a half hour walk along the cliff top back down to our boat. Lovely views all the way. An enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.
Both, going and coming back from Amantani Island we travelled thru the Uros Islands. I can remember grade 5 at my school, learning about these islands of reeds that has been home to so many people for so long. Have always been fascinated by how this could be. We stopped and made a visit to one of the islands. It was wonderful to actually walk on the reeds and visit with them in their homes. The depth of the lake in this part is 15 metres, the island of reeds is about 2 metres thick, and every month a new layer of reeds has to be laid on the top to replace what rots away underneath. A lot of work but they don’t pay taxes. This photo is someone in their rowing boat taking home a new layer.
Notice how even their boats are made of reeds
This is the island we stopped at and spent half and hour with the families. Sat inside their bedroom and talked to them. Showed us how they made the ropes to tie the reeds together. Very interesting
Expect to see Poo in his new hat next winter. He’ll be a man of many hats what with his penguin one and now this
Even the pigs have their own reed island
On the way thru the islands, we passed this girl and her brother, she wouldn’ t have been more than 11, rowing for all she was worth
Then we passed the high school bus. There is a primary school on an island but the older children go to Puno each day
Then we gazed up at our hotel. See why our view was so good from our room. Looks like a cruise ship.
The hotel being on the lake, we were taken by our boat straight to the hotel dock,with just another walk up the hill.
How lucky to get there and find we were given a suite. That’s twice we have come back to our hotel from an excursion away and been given an upgrade. See what I mean about the view.Looking out over the lake and the reeds.
So this afternoon we leave here by road for Juliacca, and then its a flight to Lima and Santiago. Talk to you from there if possible.
Well, this trip has been incredible, each part has been absolutely wonderful and all different in their own way.
We commenced our trip to Machu Picchu by catching the Vistadome train and beginning our journey by following the river up the gorge to the village of Aqua Calientes.
Then it was a bus ride up the mountain on the switchback road (no cars allowed) to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Hotel which was our base for two nights.
As soon as we had checked in Pasquale took us for our guided tour of the “Lost City of the Incas” We have all seen the photo which adorns all travel magazines, well they are lucky, they get to take their photos with nobody in sight. This place was crawling with tourists, but we did our best and then went back in the afternoon when the tourists had all departed back down the mountain.
Our views of this most interesting place
The view from the Entrance Gate to their City
You just wonder as to how they were able to build this back in what is thought to be the 1400.s and so much detail. Water ducts all the way through, terraces for farmlands, just amazing. Just look at the quality of the stonework.
Llamas roam free
For the energetic ones who want to walk the four day trail this is where the trail reaches the Sun Gate and makes its way down to the City
This is the advantage of staying at the Sanctuary Lodge, you are at the park and the entrance is just a couple of steps away. We planned this trip so as to stay an extra night, just in case we struck bad weather, February being the rainy season and this also gave us the advantage of being able to be at the entrance when the gates open at 6.00am so we were up early and got another view this time under mist. See just how high up this little hut is.
Well this is it at 6.00am in the mist when we climbed up to the top to get a good view
And the views from the top
Now that mountain that dominates the pictures we see of Machu Picchu is actually Huayna Picchu or known as Young Mountain. The mountain that has the name of Machu Picchu is actually to the left as one makes their way down the Inca Trail. Here’s a shot looking up at the real Machu Picchu.
After spending hours climbing up and down, Poo still had energy left.
And one self-portrait
Another first time and it was a humming bird. Never seen one in the real before . So small and cute and don’t stop still for long. Apparently Machu Picchu is home to thousands of them.
Well, now its back to Cusco on the train, and tomorrow we leave by train again for our trip down through the Andes to Lake Titicaca.
Talk again when in email range.
