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Biscuit. Upon arrival, most all my fears were dispelled. Information was very helpful with a place to stay and
transportation to my new hotel in the center of Lima. People spoke enough English for me to get by and people
were/are friendly. Once at my hotel, Sonesta Posadas del Inca, I dropped my bags, changed and headed out for
dinner. I walked a little, checking out my new surroundings. I saw a restaurant, Haiti Café, with outdoor seating
– good for people watching. A seat opened up outside next to an attractive woman. When I tried to order, she,
Lulu, helped me with my Spanish as I had hoped she would. Lulu is originally from the Philippines. She and her
friend, Margarita, and I got a table together. We all got friendly and they invited me to go dancing with them. We
went to a Greek café/bar and ordered a bottle of Chilean red wine. We all had a good time, dancing, drinking,
and socializing. I got Lulu’s number and we made plan’s to get together.
Sunday, January 25: After my complimentary breakfast, I walked to the city beaches. They are not the nicest
in the world, but the locals definitely take advantage of there proximity. I walked for over a mile along the rocky
and sandy beaches. I had a local drink called “Chi Cha.” There must have been tens of thousands of people,
families, couples, friends, … The children playing in their round plastic pools and the man-made sand pools were
very cute. I had lunch on the beach, a $.30 ceviche. There is a huge cliff wall separating the main part of the city
and the beach below. I had a nice hike. I walked quite a lot. There were photographers carrying back-drops
for children (photo), many vendors of various types, boat rides, piers, an amusement park, hotels, … On the way
back, I walked through a row of restaurants on a pedestrian street near my hotel in Mira Flores.
Monday, January 26: Breakfast, updated journal, read Peru travel guide, showered, taxi to Old City of Lima.
I had my taxi drop me at San Martin Plaza, so that I could walk to Plaza Mayor. San Martin Plaza was very
nice. There was/is a beautiful statue of a man on horseback in the middle. The walk to Plaza Mayor was/is on
De La Union, a pedestrian only street full of shops and restaurants. At the end of De La Union at Plaza Meyor, I
grabbed a hamburger at a Burger King like place called Bebos. After refueling my tank, I checked out the
Cathedral De Lima. The architecture from the outside was striking and beautiful, but inside it was rather
unimpressive. The burial site of the founder of Lima, Francisco Pizarro (founded in 1533) with a mural was the
highlight for me here (photo). Once outside I took some more photos of some buildings surrounding the square,
including the Government (?) Palace. All around the Plaza were beggars and con-artists who were like annoying
flies, which I had to shoe off with some diplomacy and patience. I walked to the river, which wasn’t hardly a
river at all anymore. You could tell that at one time it was a large, forceful river. Now, it is barely more than a
creek. I assume that there is a dam upstream creating power for the city and the surrounding villages and they use
the river water for irrigation and the domestic water supply. I walked through some local shops and then started
back towards Mira Florez on foot to get a better feel for the city. I couldn’t help but to notice all the armed men,
military and hired security, constant reminder of the tenuous nature of stability in this country. After walking some
time through the hot, dirty streets (no apparent emissions regulations), I gave up and caught a bus back. The
driver and his assistant were very nice and helpful. We played a little “Name that Tune.” I guessed Abba for one
tune and Michael Jackson for another, with a little Michael commentary in my limited Spanish, thrown in. I got off
just above the main circle in Mira Florez. I immediately noticed a sign for an Indian market and walked over.
There were many small stalls filled with all types of local handicrafts. The sheepskin rugs were the most
impressive and incredibly soft. I returned to my hotel, rested, showered, met Lulu for dinner at Larco Mar. We
ate on a Terrace overlooking the ocean.
Tuesday, January 27: I awoke very early to catch a flight to Cuzco. My airport ride did not show, so I had to
catch a cab and rush. This was rather annoying, but I made it. The flight was smooth. As soon as we exited the
plane, I could feel the elevation. My tour guide in Cuzco informed me that there would be a strike tomorrow, so I
would have to go to Machu Pichu the following day. After settling in at my hotel, Dorado, I rested for a couple of
hours. Then I met my tour guide in the lobby. I was to have a tour of the city and some archeological sites right
outside the city in the nearby mountains. Our first stop was Qorikancha. Our tour guide informed us that
Qorikancha used to be an Inca temple covered with gold plates. When the Spanish came in 1533, they
destroyed most of the Inca temples. They kept the foundations and built on top of the larger stones. The Spanish
stole all of the gold and silver they could find. They melted it down and shipped it back to Spain. The Incas used
no mortar in their construction. They used a female stone to connect to its male counterpart. The workmanship
had to be precise. With such large stones, it is very impressive. The next stop was the main Cathedral on the
central square. It was/is a beautiful example of the combination of Spanish and Inca cultures. Many of the
religious paintings here were done by Incas. You can see the influence of their native G-ds in these Christian
paintings. We then headed out of town to the Inca ruins. The first stop was Saqsaywuaman. The massive
stonework here is an incredible accomplishment. From here you also have a wonderful vista of the city in the
valley below (photos). We drove to Q’enqo, a site where they use to make religious offerings of animals (llamas,
…) to their G-ds. Here you could see where they left openings in their rock walls to bury the mummies of their
dead. But, only the important people could buried here (emperors, the royal family, priests, …), the commoners
were buried in a cemetery. At Tambomachay, we drank water that is suppose to keep you young (photo). And
at Pukapukara, we took photos with baby llamas and the indigenous children. I met some nice people during this
tour: a couple traveling the world for a year from Cambridge, England, a group of 3 young men from California
(government sub-contractors) traveling in South America for 5 months, a father and son from California traveling
together and two Hispanic single young women traveling together. Once back to my hotel, the altitude was
getting to me (strong headache, stomach ache, …), so I stayed in.
Wednesday, January 28: I awoke feeling much better this morning. It is amazing how quickly the body
acclimates. From the moment I woke-up, I could hear the protestors chanting their discontent. When I got
outside, the streets were filled with marchers and people observing. It was incredible how long the procession
went on. It just never seemed to end. I followed alongside the protesters until I reached Plaza de Armas, the
main square. I sat for a while enjoying the sites and sounds of this energetic occasion. From here I walked into
the San Blas barrio. The walk was all uphill for some ways. I enjoyed exploring these small backstreets,
observing the locals going about their daily business and stopping into small shops, boutiques, and art galleries.
Some of the artwork was of a very high quality, the paintings and sculpture especially. At one artist gallery, the
proprietor/artist allowed me into his backroom where he was finishing up an incredible piece of work depicting
the exodus of the indigenous people. There was another person there, who appeared to be an apprentice or
student. She was working on her own piece. I walked back towards the main square and ran into the two
Peruvian girls from the tour the day before, Kathy and Patty. We socialized for a few minutes and made plans to
meet for dinner later. Then I went looking for the travel agents office without any luck. But, I did find a small
family run restaurant and had a lunch of chicken, rice, salad, potato and a drink, all for 2.50 Soles (approximately
$.75). It was very good and when I gave my waitress a $.20 tip, she was very happy/grateful – amazing. I
headed back to my place and rested for dinner. I met the girls at the Plaza de Armas. We sat on a bench in front
of the Cathedral and got to know each other a little. Then I showed them a little of the San Blas barrio, including
the main plaza there (photos). We had a lovely dinner at an upscale restaurant off a small street in the barrio. We
ate outdoors and after we finished eating, we stayed and talked over a bottle of wine. Ironically, the same
Chilean wine I had in Lima the past two times. I had to get up very early the next day for my trip to Machu Pichu,
so time for bed.
Thursday, January 29: Wake-up call at 4:45am, ride to train station 5:30am, train from Cusco to Machu
Pichu. I got a little nervous when the train backed up down the hill pulling out of Cusco three times. It appeared
as if the train didn’t have enough momentum to clear the top of the incline. We finally made it. “I think I can, I
think I can, …” The ride to Machu Pichu amongst the Andes Mountains and its valleys was unique and beautiful.
The small agrarian towns along the way used primarily mud bricks in the construction of there homes … a
seemingly ancient technique. But, the weather does erode the bricks over time. You would think that they would
use more contemporary construction techniques. Perhaps they can just not afford it and/or they don’t know
how. Once in Machu Pichu, our tour guide gave us a professional overview of the history of this truly awe-
inspiring place. Built high up in the Andes Mountains, it has been estimated that it took approximately 100 years
to build. The craftsmanship is impressive as well as the over-all lay-out of this small city. In the heart of the city is
a sun dial, which informed the inhabitants as to when the solstice arrives for each season. The Inca Empire ran
from the 10th Century until 1533 – the Spanish conquest, lead by Francisco Pisarro. The City of Machu Pichu is
divided into two main sectors, the agricultural and the residential. The residential is further divided into two areas,
the commoners living on the lower plateau and the leaders and priests living on the upper plateau. In 1911, Hiram
Bingham, a Yale University professor, discovered Machu Pichu while looking for a different Inca city. The
following year, Yale University along with National Geographic financed a thorough exploration of Machu Pichu.
Their discoveries greatly enhanced our knowledge these very interesting and accomplished people. Machu Pichu
is the best preserved Inca ruin due to its hard to reach location. One photo which I took is of the burial chamber
of the kings.
On the way back on the train, I flirted with one of the conductors, a young pretty local girl. The conductors put
on a small fashion show, showing alpaca sweaters and Inca ritual dances in the native garb. I took her picture and
told her that I would e-mail her a copy of these three photos.
In a small town by the tracks, I noticed children playing. Two youngsters were having a great time just
bouncing a ball back and forth to one another. In another small town, children ran alongside the train just to wave
and get a response. It goes to show, even low income, not well educated people know how to enjoy life and are
capable of it. I arrived back, walked to the main square for dinner at Inka Café. I had a traditional chicken dish
called Aji de Gallina. It was very good. They had a small local group playing some traditional Latin and Andes
Music and remakes of American classics (remember the Simon and Garfunkel song done to Andes Music?).
Friday, January 30: My last day in Cusco. I visited the Museo Inca and the Museo de Art Pre-Columbino.
The Pre-Columbian museum was set in a beautiful small plaza called Nazarenas. This museum has very
professional exhibits of wonderful Pre-Colonial/Spanish art, including; ceramics, gold and silver, shell jewelry and
wood carvings. The ceramics were the most interesting. Each culture, civilization had its own unique artistic style
(photos). The museum appears to be an old mansion. It has a large central courtyard. The Inca museum gave a
good over-all representation of Inca art. But, the setting and exhibits are a little more rustic. I had lunch, checked
out of my hotel, plane back to Lima.
At the Cusco airport, I discovered that I didn’t have my ticket. After some tension, it turned out that my tour
company had it in Lima. Otherwise, they were going to make me pay for a new ticket. *Sometimes it is good to
hold your ground and explore options, a solution. But, try to keep your cool. A side benefit came from this. I
met a group of three guys, one from Chicago and two from Argentina. One of the Argentineans was/is living in
Chicago. The four of us shared a cab into downtown Lima. The waited while I checked back into Pasada del
Inca. Then we went to the district of Baranca. The taxi driver gave us a walking tour. This was once the
exclusive neighborhood of the well off. Today, it is open to everyone, especially young lovers or couples trying to
rekindle the romance. We watched a beautiful sunset over the ocean from here. The most romantic spot is
where there is a walking path under a pedestrian bridge. There is also a beautiful square in the center of this
district. From here we drove back to Mira Flores, where we walked/toured the heart of it. We ended up having
dinner on the pedestrian street with all of the restaurants (about 10 or so). After dinner we went for some ice-
cream. Then the guys had to head to the airport to catch their flight. We said our good-byes. But, now I have
new friends in Argentina and Chicago.
Saturday, January 31: I slept in after my big day yesterday, lunch, ran errands around Mira Flores. At 8:30
Kathy, Patty and Kathy’s sister picked me up. They gave me a tour along the coast. They told me a story of one
location along the cliffs, there is currently a restaurant there. Everyday a man dressed as a priest jumps from here
into the water below to commemorate the suicide of a Catholic priest who couldn’t be with the woman he loved –
very romantic. After a lovely drive we ended up at LarcoMar. We went to Mangos for dinner, where I had the
same waiter, Jorge, as the last time I was there. He remembered me from my time there with Lulu. This time we
sat outside near the edge of the cliff, very nice views of the ocean, the sides of the cliffs and the city. They
showed me some of their photos from an Inca site near Cuzco. I offered them some friendly advice to improve
their shots. We had a nice time socializing over dinner. Then we drove to Baranco, where we walked out to the
cliff where people watch the sunset. There is a restaurant/bar there, where we got a table. We drank sangria and
had a good conversation.
Sunday, February 1: Day of R&R, watched Super Bowl.
Monday, February 2: Packed, checked out, lunch, errands, sat in the park, sat watching the children play –
one day I would like my own, ride to airport, stopped at security – they took my pepper spray, I should keep it in
my checked baggage.