Peru Holiday

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The following article is a two week diary of a holiday in Peru, covering areas such as Lima, Arequipa, Machu Picchu and much more! Feel free to use it as a guide if you are planning a tour of Peru.

We left home at 03.15hrs for Heathrow, and took off at 06.35 hrs for Amsterdam. Leaving Amsterdam at 11.05 hrs and with a stop over in Bonaire (The Dutch Caribbean) we arrived at Lima at 18.45hrs local time, where we were meet by our Tour Manager Lucy, after welcoming comments from her we were taken by coach to our hotel in the San Isidro district of Lima. A long day, 27 hours of travelling, lets hope it is worth it.

Day 2 - Lima

Sight seeing around Lima, but following the Pope's death there is a Public holiday and a lot of places were closed. The churches however were packed with people. We walked around the Main square of Lima, The Plaza San Martin, with a bronze statue of liberator General San Martin erected in 1921, and a statue of Madre Patria the symbolic mother of Peru and due to a misunderstanding she has a little llama on her head, instead of a crown of flames. Commissioned in Spain the word flame in Spanish is llama.

Onto the Plaza de Armas, with a bronze fountain erected in 1650 and the Cathedral with many hundreds of people paying their respects to the Pope. We then walked to the Main Post Office, which is housed in a narrow ally way. It once had a glass roof, but following earthquakes this has not been replaced. Onto another church and monastery and then lunch at a café in Miraflores and then onto see a statue overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Rosa Nautica Restaurant, which is on a pier in the Pacific Ocean. We will have our farewell dinner here.

Onto the Gold Museum of Peru, a private museum with thousand of gold pieces ranging from ponchos to huge earrings. It closed in 2001 because it was said that most of the items were fake but the museum was reopened with an assurance that all pieces are now genuine. Next-door the Arms Museum is reputedly the largest in the world with a mammoth collection of ancient and bizarre firearms

Day 3 - Arequipa

Up at 03.30hrs for a flight to Arequipa. (Altitude 7,600 feet) Lucy had warned us about altitude sickness, and advised us to drink plenty of water not to eat too much meat and just take things slowly at first. When I got on the plane I sat next to some people we knew from the next village back home, it's a small world after all, but quite a coincident that we should have met up like that.

Arriving at Arequipa at 08.00 hrs we were taken to hotel and then at 09.30 hrs on a tour of the city. Walked for some way along narrow streets, to get used to the altitude, into a small square and a view of Volcano's, El Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu and then into the main square and cathedral. On the coach and up the hill for a panoramic view of the town and a stop for a drink and a chat about local vegetables, drinks and how they rear Guinea Pigs, not as pets but as food. Back into the coach and on to The Monasterio Santa Catalina, a convent covering 20,000 sq M. One and a half hour walking tour with a local guide. Back onto coach and up to a restaurant for lunch. There was a local band playing traditional music, and of course the opportunity to buy a CD of the music they played. A very small taxi back into town for a look around the shops etc. Taxi back to hotel, beer, sleep, beer, and dinner.

Day 4 - Chivay

This morning we set off in the coach to Chivay. The first casualty of our group to suffer the effects of altitude sickness had a very uncomfortable time on the coach, and needed medical assistance when we arrived at Chivay. The first 2 hours were on asphalt roads and then we stopped for a drink and loo break, at a small settlement where we were given Coca Tea, Diane liked it, I think it tasted awful, but it was supposed to help altitude sickness. There was of course a retail opportunity as well with the local women and children selling Alpaca sweaters, knitted hats, gloves and scarves and a small shop selling drinks and snacks. Onwards and upwards to just over 15,700 feet on ROUGH dirt roads. Some little kids put a string across the road to stop the coach and get a toll, some sweets did the trick, they made out they were repairing the potholes. Lama, Alpaca and sheep, a stop at information centre for loo break, and down into Chivay, (Altitude 12,100 feet) with few modern brick buildings in town, our hotel being one. After lunch in a restaurant near the main square we walked around the square and market then back to hotel, all the streets were dirt but some of the pavements were concrete. The shops were very small, and you had to look inside to see what they were selling. No banks or ATM's and the Internet at the hotel was so slow I nearly gave up trying. Evening meal with music and a dance by the local Indians, Diane was roped into having a dance.

Day 5 - Colca Canyon

Up at 05.30hrs to leave by 06.30hrs to visit Colca Canyon, these roads were rough and I do mean rough. The Canyon is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon but not nearly as impressive though. We were going to the Cruz del Condor to see the Andean Condors. On arrival at the viewing point we were not the first there, but managed to find a good spot to sit overlooking the valley After about half an hour the Condors started to leave their nests and start gliding effortlessly on thermal air currents rising from the canyon. A mesmerizing scene heightened by the spectacular view of the river some 3900 feet below us and the sight of the mountains on the other side of the ravine reaching 10,500 feet above the canyon floor. We then had a short trek back along the side of the canyon with spectacular views, and also a view of the Inca terraces and cliff tombs were they buried they dead in a foetal position high up to be near to God. Stopped in a small village called Achoma for a quick look and also I had my picture taken with an Eagle on my arm and head. Back to the hotel for lunch, Diane was not feeling very well, altitude sickness and did not join me, but I was able to get the hotel staff to take a bowl of soup to her room. After lunch some of the party went off to the hot springs for a dip, and I dragged Diane down to the town for some retail therapy.

Day 6 - Lake Titicaca

Diane still not feeling very well, and our guide and the hotel staff gave her some oxygen, this seemed to do the trick, and any thoughts of further medical assistance and having to make a claim on our medical insurance were soon forgotten about. Onto the coach for the long drive to Puno, with our first stop at the same settlement we stopped at on the way to Chivay, for a break and a cup of the foul tea. We then got onto really good roads to Juliaca, the largest town in the area with an airport. The coach had to take a detour around road works, and we went down some pretty narrow dirt tracks to get around. Onto Puno (Altitude 14,630 feet), which looked like a dump, our hotel was on the outskirts of the town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. We visited an old Steamer on the lake, which was built in England, dismantled and shipped to Arica on the Peru coast and then overland to Lake Titicaca. It took 6 years to get all the bits there and rebuild.

Day 7 - Aymara Indians

Off by boat to visit the Aymara Indians who live on islands made of reeds in the middle of Lake Titicaca. Stopped at one island, then a ride on a reed boat to another and then back on our boat. In the afternoon we went by coach to visit some natives in their little homestead, saw their Alpaca and Lama, also the living and cooking quarters. How they cultivated their ground and of course the Guinea Pigs. Onto the Funeral towers at Sillustani, high up and a hard walk uphill with wonderful views and a view of Table Island.

Day 8 - Cusco

Onto Cusco (Altitude 10,912 ft) with a couple of visits on the way, First stop at Raqchi an Inca Archaeological Park, a hugh area with the remains of lots of buildings. The largest of which is the Temple of Viracocha which once supported the largest known Inca roof. Twenty-two circular columns made of stone blocks helped support the roof. This was one of the holiest shrines of the Inca Empire. The remains of many houses and storage buildings were also visible. Then onto Andahuaylillias, famous for it's lavishly decorated 17th century Jesuit Church. There was a funeral going on and before we could get into the church we had to wait for them to move off, to the sound of the local band, carrying the coffin to the graveyard. The interior of the church was fantastic, wooden statues covered in gold leaf and paintings including a canvas of the Immaculate Conception by Esteban Murillo. There are reportedly many gold and silver treasures locked in the church and the villagers take it in turns guarding it 24 hours a day.

Onto Cusco, which was a very nice safe place, after dinner we walked around the main square, The Plaza de Armas, and outside the Cathedral there was a group of about 30 young kids dancing. They had their own pipes and drums and were dancing a formation type of dance. We stopped and watched them for some time until the Police came around and they dispersed. They started dancing again later, just a bunch of kids who were really enjoying them selves and were no trouble at all.

Day 9 - Machu Picchu

Another early start to get the train to Machu Picchu. The railway line has a series of four back-and-forth switchbacks to climb out of Cusco and up into the Sacred Valley. Three and a half hours to Aguas Calientes, a small village just below the site and then by bus to the top. Words are difficult to describe, seeing is believing, it was very hot and I had difficulty in getting around as I had hurt my back moving the suitcases in the morning. It was also very busy as we got there at 11.00 hrs along with all the other people who were on the train. Our guide told us it would get busier later as there were three more trainloads of people to come, plus the few that had walked the Inca Trail. We had a guided tour until lunchtime, with lunch at the Hotel Machu Picchu Lodge. After which we set out again to the ruins on our own.

Lucy our guide got me a walking stick, which was a great help, and we looked around until about 16.00hrs. We then went down by coach to Aguas Calientes to find our hotel. There had been a landslide and the only way was to walk along a rough lane behind the railway line. "Not sure if we were going the right way" kept coming to mind, only a few locals in sight and no hotel to be seen. Turned a corner and there was the hotel set in wonderful gardens, with the rooms in little clusters around the main buildings, very very nice. After a long hot day I have to say the first two beers we had were probably the best of the holiday so far.

Day 10 - Machu Piccu ruins

We went back up to the ruins at 07.20hrs not so many people and not so hot at that time of the day, so we were able to see the whole place plus more again. In the afternoon we had a walk/talk around the Hotel gardens, loads of Orchids, Humming birds and One Bear, At the end of the walk it started to rain and we got soaked, good job we had been to Machu Picchu twice before without the rain. It was a good job we were staying the night and had the two days to visit the ruins, if we had only one day and it had rained we would have been very disappointed indeed. Any way back to the station for the train back, but this time we got off after an hour and then had a coach to take us across the Sacred Valley.

Day 11 - Cuscos

A walking tour of Cusco. The Convent de Santo Domingo, which was built on top of Inca ruins and then the Cathedral del Cusco in the main Plaza. In the afternoon by coach to Sacsayhuaman an immense ruin of both religious and military significance overlooking the town of Cusco. Hugh blocks of stone were moved into a three-tiered zigzag fortification. 22 zigzag walls form an extremely effective defensive mechanism. It was thought that there were an estimated 5000 warriors on the site, and there is evidence of some hugh towers, which probably were used as water storage for the garrison. Onto Qenko a small zigzag shrine with symbolic carvings and an alter carved into the side of a subterranean cave.

Tambo Machay next, a small site with ceremonial stone bath channelling crystalline spring water through fountains.

Day 12 - Back to Lima

Well no surprise, we had to be up early for the flight back to Lima, arriving at the hotel at about 09.30 hrs. We set off in a taxi to have lunch at the same café in Miraflores. There was a demonstration march going on with thousand's of people, some of which set off fire crackers which in turn set off car alarms. Good job there were plenty of police around. We then walked down the shopping street to the coast and a view of the Pacific Ocean and the Restaurant we would eat in later that night. Taxi back to the hotel, well a clapped out old banger, it cost 6 Sol, and on the way he stopped and put 3 Sol's (50 pence) worth of petrol in. It still not turn the low fuel light out, he also had a job getting the thing to start again.

Evening meal was very good, but when it came to the wine I was looking at the Fine Wine list with prices from about£56 a bottle and a couple of the others were looking at another list and suggesting we order a bottle per couple. I could not quite make it out until I was informed that the list they were looking at had bottles at about£16. All was well and we ate and drank in very pleasant surrounding with the Pacific Ocean below us.

Day 13 - Relax in Lima

A walk around the Olive grove park near the hotel and then into the sister hotel of the one we were staying in, where we could swim and have a beer on the sun terrace, another walk around, then lunch in a street side café, and back to hotel for the start of the long journey home. The flight left Lima at 20.25hrs for Bonaire and then onto Amsterdam, and a change of plane for London.

Day 14- Back Home

Having left Lima on Friday night, we arrived back in London at 19.35hrs on Saturday night, and after a long wait for our luggage we left for the drive home. We had been up for ages, but concluded that the whole thing had been worthwhile. Just the photo's to get sorted out so that we can look back on a wonderful holiday.

If you are interested, our son Jeremy went backpacking around South America and his diary is located at:
http://www.bootsnall.com/travelogues/jez/1.shtml