Ola,
we made it safely to puerto ayora! very sunny, beautiful day, fast ride, smaller boat that held 20 instead of 26 and only 2 engines with only 8 of us, but somehow mucho mucho smoother than the ride to isla Isabela, and in about the same amount of time.
we are putting our stuff back into our rooms and then walking to the Darwin center before dins tonight. after the boat ride from the island and the boat taxi to the shore and the van ride to the Red Mangrove at PAyora, we drove thru the town - 3 minutes - to see the restaurant Juan recommended and the Street that is closed off at night for
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
adios isla isabela
okay, so....today we slept in until 9am, a luxury on an adventure trip, but very welcome after go go go 7am starts. girls have rallied beatifully, even better than i considering the early mornings, and we have snorkled twice, once with sea turtles, normal and golden rays at islote tintorelas, where we walked with the iguanas, saw sharks in a collapsed lava tube with ocean access and brimming with baby iguanas, and penguins preening themselves on the lava rocks, and yesterday snorkeled where it was a bit murky but got to walk thru the mangrove trees and step over sealines sunning themselves oblivious to us to get there.
the eve after our arrival here, and the boat ride from hell where i thought i was going to die, and die again, for 2 hours, and we have to do again in an hour to get back to puerta ayora on the island of santa cruz, we went to a bar at the end of the "town" right on the beach and taught our guide Juan and his friend Nelson how to play shang hai while drinking Club beers and caipirinas half price for happy hour, while the sun set and the locals played beach volleyball and walked tight ropes above the sand, a very warm welcome and introduction to the isla. We befriended 2 Canadien girls who joined us for drinks as we exchanged travel stories and heard tales from the locals while playing cards.
a word for the less adventurous....first off, lots of "transfers" from taxi to bus to train to boat to van to car to boat taxi to plane to to to get the picture to get anywhere here, one can also walk or rent bikes once you get to the islands but most take the inexpensive pick up truck taxis where all snorkel gear and people are loaded in. to the volcano we took an open wood truck like we would take at Disney going 5 mph but here we were at full throttle, maybe 40 to 50 mph and bouncy bouncy on gravel, dirt and paved roads. toilet paper goes into the basura next to the toilet, and water is desalinzed not drinkable so only filtered via hotel or bottled water for drinking. no good medical facilities outside of the mainland so be careful, no slipping on rocks or getting sick here. girls got bug bites, mosquitos we think, a few horseflies near the lava by the sea that bite, and Bex`'s toe is swollen and pink we think from a bug bite but she is surviving in flip flops.
volcano walk was 10 miles roundtrip, starting in the fog and mud, then the sun and broken up lava, beautiful vistas of the caulderon, then after a picnic lunch under the shade of a large tree and a natural potty break we continued through lava trails to the vulcan chica, from where we had vistas of the surrounding islands and the lay of the local land. magnifico! walk back much easier and all in the beautiful sunshine, then our chiva (female goat, what they call the wooden truck to the volcano trail) ride to a local organic farm where we were served lunch and got to see coffee and bananas and papaya and tomatoes and many other veggies plus a fruit called lulu whatever that is and another called tree tomatoes which we tasted while watching a BBC video on the Galapagos. Lovely spot, delicious homecooked local meal, and interesting intro to the island economy.
we have just finished lunch, snorkeling, and showering and are awaiting our boat from hell back. sorry to say goodbye! i would say 2 to 3 days per island is needed at the least to sample what each has to offer. we met a research group out of univ. of texas who were at this one island, isabela, for 3 weeks doing acoustic research! 3 weeks here, hard to imagine with the island being so small, but with so many opps to explore daily i could see how one could fall in love, as they did.
it is expensive for the locals on these islands, i would guess like on Hawaii, and i can say i really enjoyed this kind of all inclusive trip, where our transfers and room and board and guide were included, so i didn´t have to think about pulling out our wallets so often plus there is only 1 bank for all 4 inhabited islands, on isla santa cruz, and the ATM doesn´t always work. also, since my spanish is not so good, having a guide with us during the days made comprehension and communication much easier as well as having a local with whom to practice and learn spanish. wetsuits a must, and are included with mask, snorkel and fins in our all inclusive trip here via Red Mangrove lodge.
finishing up my pisco sour before launch. ugh. maybe tonight we eat at a restaurant in puerta ayora reccomended by our guide, our last dinner before heading home. tomorrow we go to the Darwin center and then to a van to a boat taxi to a plane to Guayacuil for a day tour before we board our plane to Miami and then home. Hasta luega amigos! Besos a todos!
the eve after our arrival here, and the boat ride from hell where i thought i was going to die, and die again, for 2 hours, and we have to do again in an hour to get back to puerta ayora on the island of santa cruz, we went to a bar at the end of the "town" right on the beach and taught our guide Juan and his friend Nelson how to play shang hai while drinking Club beers and caipirinas half price for happy hour, while the sun set and the locals played beach volleyball and walked tight ropes above the sand, a very warm welcome and introduction to the isla. We befriended 2 Canadien girls who joined us for drinks as we exchanged travel stories and heard tales from the locals while playing cards.
a word for the less adventurous....first off, lots of "transfers" from taxi to bus to train to boat to van to car to boat taxi to plane to to to get the picture to get anywhere here, one can also walk or rent bikes once you get to the islands but most take the inexpensive pick up truck taxis where all snorkel gear and people are loaded in. to the volcano we took an open wood truck like we would take at Disney going 5 mph but here we were at full throttle, maybe 40 to 50 mph and bouncy bouncy on gravel, dirt and paved roads. toilet paper goes into the basura next to the toilet, and water is desalinzed not drinkable so only filtered via hotel or bottled water for drinking. no good medical facilities outside of the mainland so be careful, no slipping on rocks or getting sick here. girls got bug bites, mosquitos we think, a few horseflies near the lava by the sea that bite, and Bex`'s toe is swollen and pink we think from a bug bite but she is surviving in flip flops.
volcano walk was 10 miles roundtrip, starting in the fog and mud, then the sun and broken up lava, beautiful vistas of the caulderon, then after a picnic lunch under the shade of a large tree and a natural potty break we continued through lava trails to the vulcan chica, from where we had vistas of the surrounding islands and the lay of the local land. magnifico! walk back much easier and all in the beautiful sunshine, then our chiva (female goat, what they call the wooden truck to the volcano trail) ride to a local organic farm where we were served lunch and got to see coffee and bananas and papaya and tomatoes and many other veggies plus a fruit called lulu whatever that is and another called tree tomatoes which we tasted while watching a BBC video on the Galapagos. Lovely spot, delicious homecooked local meal, and interesting intro to the island economy.
we have just finished lunch, snorkeling, and showering and are awaiting our boat from hell back. sorry to say goodbye! i would say 2 to 3 days per island is needed at the least to sample what each has to offer. we met a research group out of univ. of texas who were at this one island, isabela, for 3 weeks doing acoustic research! 3 weeks here, hard to imagine with the island being so small, but with so many opps to explore daily i could see how one could fall in love, as they did.
it is expensive for the locals on these islands, i would guess like on Hawaii, and i can say i really enjoyed this kind of all inclusive trip, where our transfers and room and board and guide were included, so i didn´t have to think about pulling out our wallets so often plus there is only 1 bank for all 4 inhabited islands, on isla santa cruz, and the ATM doesn´t always work. also, since my spanish is not so good, having a guide with us during the days made comprehension and communication much easier as well as having a local with whom to practice and learn spanish. wetsuits a must, and are included with mask, snorkel and fins in our all inclusive trip here via Red Mangrove lodge.
finishing up my pisco sour before launch. ugh. maybe tonight we eat at a restaurant in puerta ayora reccomended by our guide, our last dinner before heading home. tomorrow we go to the Darwin center and then to a van to a boat taxi to a plane to Guayacuil for a day tour before we board our plane to Miami and then home. Hasta luega amigos! Besos a todos!
Monday, July 8, 2013
Gallapagos
Ola,
Arrived on Santa Cruz island via Guayacuil after leaving Quito early yesterday AM. Took a bus to a wáter taxi to a van to the Red Mangrove Lodge, a rustic dive lodge on the wáter in the town of Puerto Ayora. We had a bite to eat then headed out in a van with our guide to see the giant tortoises in their natural hábitat and to walk through the lava tubes. We had lemongrass tea and coffee grown on the island. It is quite humid here but cool, and there are lizards and iguanas and seals sunning themselves on the restaurant veranda, and small lizards in our rooms, many different birds chirping about. There are exotic fruit trees, cacao, coffee, azúcar, cows, and other flora and fauna not indigenous to the área that were brought in and are controlled today. There is a fruit that is related to passion fruit but is much sweeter that I am really enjoying here, and the girls are appreciating the fresh fruit juices in exotic flavors as well. Greg of course is up for any and all adventure, encouraging us as we try on snorkeling gear and sizing our wetsuits to take with us on our 2.5 hour boat trip to the next island later today.
We learned so much about the tortoises from our guide! How to tell a male from female, a young from old, what they eat, how ´quickly´they move, etc. So interesting. A Young female of 40 years old or so was chomping on a guava, while an older 80 to 100 years old male was eating the grasses. Our guide said he knows of a tortoise who lived to over 180 years. We saw a muddy pool where the tortoises were ´frolicking´ if you would call it that, and others hunkering down in leaves for the night. Today the plan is to kayak to see more of the indigenous species along the coastline, then onto Santa Isabel for 2 nights then back here for our last night.
Quite a shift from big city to the islands! We are excited to see what we can see!
Arrived on Santa Cruz island via Guayacuil after leaving Quito early yesterday AM. Took a bus to a wáter taxi to a van to the Red Mangrove Lodge, a rustic dive lodge on the wáter in the town of Puerto Ayora. We had a bite to eat then headed out in a van with our guide to see the giant tortoises in their natural hábitat and to walk through the lava tubes. We had lemongrass tea and coffee grown on the island. It is quite humid here but cool, and there are lizards and iguanas and seals sunning themselves on the restaurant veranda, and small lizards in our rooms, many different birds chirping about. There are exotic fruit trees, cacao, coffee, azúcar, cows, and other flora and fauna not indigenous to the área that were brought in and are controlled today. There is a fruit that is related to passion fruit but is much sweeter that I am really enjoying here, and the girls are appreciating the fresh fruit juices in exotic flavors as well. Greg of course is up for any and all adventure, encouraging us as we try on snorkeling gear and sizing our wetsuits to take with us on our 2.5 hour boat trip to the next island later today.
We learned so much about the tortoises from our guide! How to tell a male from female, a young from old, what they eat, how ´quickly´they move, etc. So interesting. A Young female of 40 years old or so was chomping on a guava, while an older 80 to 100 years old male was eating the grasses. Our guide said he knows of a tortoise who lived to over 180 years. We saw a muddy pool where the tortoises were ´frolicking´ if you would call it that, and others hunkering down in leaves for the night. Today the plan is to kayak to see more of the indigenous species along the coastline, then onto Santa Isabel for 2 nights then back here for our last night.
Quite a shift from big city to the islands! We are excited to see what we can see!
Machu Pichu and onward
Buenos Dias,
While the kids sleep in and we watch the women's Wimbledon final, it seems like a good moment to blog. It is our second and last day in Quito, Ecuador. Yesterday we taxied to the Plaza Grande and walked around the colonial old town, taking in the sights and sounds and smells of the city. Highlights were the volcanic mountains surrounding the city, the Museo de la Ciudad, La Compania de Jesus, a traditional Ecuadorian meal in La Ronda at Lena Quitena - tasty cuy, rabbit, and sopa - and I would have to say the Palacio del Govierno, or the President's House. We started our walk at the Palacio, where we waited in line for about a 1/2 hour for we weren't really sure what. It was unclear why some people got in while we waited, but after a few tours and some singles who came after us went before us we were let in, 20 at a time, our IDs taken, then through a security machine and to our tour in Spanish of the art and rooms of the Palace, with our own security guard plus a rather nice touch of a photographer taking pictures of all the visitors to give to us along w/ our IDsat the end of the tour. This president is the first to allow the people to enter the palacio so it is a major draw of Ecuadorians and tourists alike. It was very emotional for me and for three Ecuadorian sisters, one who spoke good English and now lives in New Jersey, and we shared our feelings about the people being able to view the Palicio for the first time.
We ended up eating a small dinner in the exec lounge at our hotel after our long day of touring. The kids needed a break, I did a bathtub of wash, and relaxed knowing that today we would have a more leisurely day at the Museo National and La Mariscal Sucre or New Town of Quito and dinner out. The feeling I get of Quito is as a youthful city, coming alive at nighttime, drinking and dancing and eating late, while pretty quiet during the day.
Tomorrow we head to Guayacil on our way to the Gallapagos.
A bit about Machu Pichu before we move on....
The day started at 5:30am, when we took a 5min. taxi to a 1.5 hour bus to a 1.5 hour train to the ruins. The train ride was plenty scenic, along a river and mountainside, through tunnels and small villages with views of other ruins and the inka trails. We were on a tourist train, with windows in the ceiling and Peruvian music and snacks served to us, and pushcarts of Peruvian goods for sale. We sat in a four seater w/ a table and played cards while taking in the views. Once we arrived in Aguas Calientes we took another 1/2 hour or so bus ride up, up, up to the site itself, one of the most harrowing yet beautiful bus rides I have ever taken.
A small hiccup - we forgot our MPichu tickets at the hotel - the ones we booked months ago from the states, and asked where to go in ACalientes to secure them. It was possible that the alloted daily number of tickets were sold and we wouldn't be allowed in, or that we would have to repurchase the tickets, or - an option none of us considered - to go back via train, bus and taxi to retrieve them. We were relieved to learn at the office in ACalientes there was a record under our names of our ticket purchase and they only needed to be reprinted. Whew!!
At the top was a hotel, restaurant and gift shop, a place to check bags and finally, the entrance to the site. We had read about the 'discovery' of the site and the layout, and were just happy to explore at our leisure the various ruins high and low, although we skipped the 2-3 hour walk to the sun gate or the 4 plus hour walk to the nearby ruins. We spoke to a couple who made the 4 day trek on the inka trail, and although it sounded quite the adventure we felt like we had our own after all our modes of transportation, and we had clean toilets and a shower to boot. Anyway, there were llamas roaming the ruins eating grass, and little wierd bunny-like animals below us between the ruins and jungle, and tourists from all over the world. It was a beautiful site, and as we wandered I couldn't help but wonder about what life was like here for the Inkas, how it was built, and what it looked like in all its glory. An afternoon shower filled the waterways through the ruins creating beautiful sites and sounds while demonstrating the practicality of the craftsmanship in the ancient town. After a meal at the restaurant we explored still more of the ruins before taking the oh-my-god-please-let-us-survive-bus-ride to ACaliente where we did a bit of shopping at the local market and sat at a cafe and played cards awaiting.....go to ´continue´ post to finish this entry.
While the kids sleep in and we watch the women's Wimbledon final, it seems like a good moment to blog. It is our second and last day in Quito, Ecuador. Yesterday we taxied to the Plaza Grande and walked around the colonial old town, taking in the sights and sounds and smells of the city. Highlights were the volcanic mountains surrounding the city, the Museo de la Ciudad, La Compania de Jesus, a traditional Ecuadorian meal in La Ronda at Lena Quitena - tasty cuy, rabbit, and sopa - and I would have to say the Palacio del Govierno, or the President's House. We started our walk at the Palacio, where we waited in line for about a 1/2 hour for we weren't really sure what. It was unclear why some people got in while we waited, but after a few tours and some singles who came after us went before us we were let in, 20 at a time, our IDs taken, then through a security machine and to our tour in Spanish of the art and rooms of the Palace, with our own security guard plus a rather nice touch of a photographer taking pictures of all the visitors to give to us along w/ our IDsat the end of the tour. This president is the first to allow the people to enter the palacio so it is a major draw of Ecuadorians and tourists alike. It was very emotional for me and for three Ecuadorian sisters, one who spoke good English and now lives in New Jersey, and we shared our feelings about the people being able to view the Palicio for the first time.
We ended up eating a small dinner in the exec lounge at our hotel after our long day of touring. The kids needed a break, I did a bathtub of wash, and relaxed knowing that today we would have a more leisurely day at the Museo National and La Mariscal Sucre or New Town of Quito and dinner out. The feeling I get of Quito is as a youthful city, coming alive at nighttime, drinking and dancing and eating late, while pretty quiet during the day.
Tomorrow we head to Guayacil on our way to the Gallapagos.
A bit about Machu Pichu before we move on....
The day started at 5:30am, when we took a 5min. taxi to a 1.5 hour bus to a 1.5 hour train to the ruins. The train ride was plenty scenic, along a river and mountainside, through tunnels and small villages with views of other ruins and the inka trails. We were on a tourist train, with windows in the ceiling and Peruvian music and snacks served to us, and pushcarts of Peruvian goods for sale. We sat in a four seater w/ a table and played cards while taking in the views. Once we arrived in Aguas Calientes we took another 1/2 hour or so bus ride up, up, up to the site itself, one of the most harrowing yet beautiful bus rides I have ever taken.
A small hiccup - we forgot our MPichu tickets at the hotel - the ones we booked months ago from the states, and asked where to go in ACalientes to secure them. It was possible that the alloted daily number of tickets were sold and we wouldn't be allowed in, or that we would have to repurchase the tickets, or - an option none of us considered - to go back via train, bus and taxi to retrieve them. We were relieved to learn at the office in ACalientes there was a record under our names of our ticket purchase and they only needed to be reprinted. Whew!!
At the top was a hotel, restaurant and gift shop, a place to check bags and finally, the entrance to the site. We had read about the 'discovery' of the site and the layout, and were just happy to explore at our leisure the various ruins high and low, although we skipped the 2-3 hour walk to the sun gate or the 4 plus hour walk to the nearby ruins. We spoke to a couple who made the 4 day trek on the inka trail, and although it sounded quite the adventure we felt like we had our own after all our modes of transportation, and we had clean toilets and a shower to boot. Anyway, there were llamas roaming the ruins eating grass, and little wierd bunny-like animals below us between the ruins and jungle, and tourists from all over the world. It was a beautiful site, and as we wandered I couldn't help but wonder about what life was like here for the Inkas, how it was built, and what it looked like in all its glory. An afternoon shower filled the waterways through the ruins creating beautiful sites and sounds while demonstrating the practicality of the craftsmanship in the ancient town. After a meal at the restaurant we explored still more of the ruins before taking the oh-my-god-please-let-us-survive-bus-ride to ACaliente where we did a bit of shopping at the local market and sat at a cafe and played cards awaiting.....go to ´continue´ post to finish this entry.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
...continued...
...awaiting our bus to the train to the bus to the taxi back to our hotel. Big day, well worth the trek, whichever way you go.
7/7/13 - having breakfast at the exec club of hotel prior to our flight to Gallapagos via Guayacil. Lovely day yesterday in the new town area of Quito, where we visited the National Museum's very interesting exhibit of ancient local peoples up through the 19th c, where the City Museum begins and takes us to the present. Highlights were the gold pieces and diaramas of how life was like through the ages. We walked through plaza Elijo next to the Nat'l Museum where local artists and craftspeople were selling their goods, then onto a local artisan market with long corridors of multiple stalls of goods on the way to plaza foch where we saw where the partiers would revel later on. We continued our walk to a cibicheria where we sampled civiches and fish and wonderful salsa - the salsas here are magnificent as in Peru, very flavorful and spicy upon request. We continued our walk to our hotel, then rested before packing up and wonderful dinner in La Floresta, the chi-chi area of town up on one of the hills overlooking the city.
Walking through town is a bit sketchy, and not recommended at all at night. Taxis are 3-8 dollars a shot, so it makes sense to just hop in one. Even our walk in broad daylight to our hotel was a bit lonely - I think people come out in the late afternoon and evening here, and our 7:30pm dinners started with us being one of few in the restaurants, filling up later on. The old town center around the plaza grande was much more lively and inviting during the day.
Looking forward to a change in pace, weather and altitude as we head to sea level today. I enjoyed the mountain views of Quito - we are surrounded by mountains and volcanoes - learning more about the culture and people. Hasta luego!
7/7/13 - having breakfast at the exec club of hotel prior to our flight to Gallapagos via Guayacil. Lovely day yesterday in the new town area of Quito, where we visited the National Museum's very interesting exhibit of ancient local peoples up through the 19th c, where the City Museum begins and takes us to the present. Highlights were the gold pieces and diaramas of how life was like through the ages. We walked through plaza Elijo next to the Nat'l Museum where local artists and craftspeople were selling their goods, then onto a local artisan market with long corridors of multiple stalls of goods on the way to plaza foch where we saw where the partiers would revel later on. We continued our walk to a cibicheria where we sampled civiches and fish and wonderful salsa - the salsas here are magnificent as in Peru, very flavorful and spicy upon request. We continued our walk to our hotel, then rested before packing up and wonderful dinner in La Floresta, the chi-chi area of town up on one of the hills overlooking the city.
Walking through town is a bit sketchy, and not recommended at all at night. Taxis are 3-8 dollars a shot, so it makes sense to just hop in one. Even our walk in broad daylight to our hotel was a bit lonely - I think people come out in the late afternoon and evening here, and our 7:30pm dinners started with us being one of few in the restaurants, filling up later on. The old town center around the plaza grande was much more lively and inviting during the day.
Looking forward to a change in pace, weather and altitude as we head to sea level today. I enjoyed the mountain views of Quito - we are surrounded by mountains and volcanoes - learning more about the culture and people. Hasta luego!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
7/1 Sacred Valley day long excursion
Buenos Dias Amigos!
After a delicious breakfast buffet a la Marriott - complete with blood sausage, fresh pineapple mint juice, amazing breads and pastries, pancakes with condensed milk, and other scrumptious familiar foods we had our usual coco tea and then met Antonio who would be our driver and companion for the day. I think we learned more spanish in 1 day than we learned in a year of spanish class, as Antonio spoke and understood little english leaving us to reach into the back rooms of our brains clearing cob webs in search of long ago spanish lessons.
"Do we want to go see the condors?" he asks (we think). We don't think so but we aren't sure. We have a lot of ground to cover and little time for detours. He stops so we can see the condors. VERY COOL condor sanctuary, learned a lot about endangered and rescued animals, how alpaca gets its colors via natural plants, minerals, and squished beetles. We continue on.
"Do we want to see the llamas and alpacas?" Hmm...we think so. He takes us to a place where we can feed alpacas and llamas, learn about the different types and pet and feed them green alfalfa. There were locals in colorful dress weaving with small looms in their laps and baskets displaying so many types of potatoes it was flabbergasting! Who knew?
At the end of the day, on the way home and tired of a day of climbing and travelling, Antonio asks us, "Do you want to try chicha?" Of course we do! He takes us to a place on the side of the road and we enter a courtyard where a half a dozen older men and women are hanging out. He shows us the pub game of tossing gold coins into a wooden box that has a frog w/ a slotted mouth and other holes for the coins to go in. We take turns tossing and then head to a small, dark room where chicha is being fermented in barrels. We sit at an old wood table and are shown the process and ingredients, then taste two types of chica, regular and a fruity version. They are served to us with wooden ladles and we all get a taste of the inka beer. Not bad, a bit sour for our liking, but I could see how it could grow on you. A great way to end our day in the Sacred Valley, where we walked through the famous Pisac market and ruins with its amazing terracing and valley views, then a delicious lunch at Urubamba at Tres Keros, then to Ollantaytambo or "Ollanta" ruins, one of the few places the Spanish lost a major battle vs the Inkas. There were so many, many other sites along the way that we just didn't have time for. I would definitely recommend allowing more time to enjoy this beautiful valley and ruins with breathtaking vistas to anyone making the trip.
After a delicious breakfast buffet a la Marriott - complete with blood sausage, fresh pineapple mint juice, amazing breads and pastries, pancakes with condensed milk, and other scrumptious familiar foods we had our usual coco tea and then met Antonio who would be our driver and companion for the day. I think we learned more spanish in 1 day than we learned in a year of spanish class, as Antonio spoke and understood little english leaving us to reach into the back rooms of our brains clearing cob webs in search of long ago spanish lessons.
"Do we want to go see the condors?" he asks (we think). We don't think so but we aren't sure. We have a lot of ground to cover and little time for detours. He stops so we can see the condors. VERY COOL condor sanctuary, learned a lot about endangered and rescued animals, how alpaca gets its colors via natural plants, minerals, and squished beetles. We continue on.
"Do we want to see the llamas and alpacas?" Hmm...we think so. He takes us to a place where we can feed alpacas and llamas, learn about the different types and pet and feed them green alfalfa. There were locals in colorful dress weaving with small looms in their laps and baskets displaying so many types of potatoes it was flabbergasting! Who knew?
At the end of the day, on the way home and tired of a day of climbing and travelling, Antonio asks us, "Do you want to try chicha?" Of course we do! He takes us to a place on the side of the road and we enter a courtyard where a half a dozen older men and women are hanging out. He shows us the pub game of tossing gold coins into a wooden box that has a frog w/ a slotted mouth and other holes for the coins to go in. We take turns tossing and then head to a small, dark room where chicha is being fermented in barrels. We sit at an old wood table and are shown the process and ingredients, then taste two types of chica, regular and a fruity version. They are served to us with wooden ladles and we all get a taste of the inka beer. Not bad, a bit sour for our liking, but I could see how it could grow on you. A great way to end our day in the Sacred Valley, where we walked through the famous Pisac market and ruins with its amazing terracing and valley views, then a delicious lunch at Urubamba at Tres Keros, then to Ollantaytambo or "Ollanta" ruins, one of the few places the Spanish lost a major battle vs the Inkas. There were so many, many other sites along the way that we just didn't have time for. I would definitely recommend allowing more time to enjoy this beautiful valley and ruins with breathtaking vistas to anyone making the trip.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
1st 24 hrs in Cuzco
Ola!
Made it....huff-puff...to...huff-puff...Cuzco! Not for the feint of heart, from the flight in - yes, everyone clapped when we landed safely - to the walking through town. Just a leisurely stroll at 10,800 feet had us reaching for the Advil, matte tea w/ coco leaves, coco candy, water, and a bench seat. And that was after requesting O2 to be pumped into our bedroom while we slept. Not Greg, of course, but the rest of us ladies. Besides feeling like we were walking through jello, I had alzheimers on steroids. Not a fun feeling. The good news is it only lasted 24 hours. I can say after our 1000 foot climb today to the Sacsaywaman Inca ruins in town and back down the cobblestone streets at dusk and our pisco sours we have fully acclimated to the elevation.
Food is marvellous - haven't had cuy -guinea pig- yet but wonderful alpaca, lamb, ceviche, teriditos, chicken, stuffed peppers, tomales, and choclos - roasted or maybe steamed corn w/ kernels the size of nickles, plus wonderful sweet, sweet potatoes, and potatoes and delicious side sauces that add flavor and a kick. While the girls were taking a rest Greg and I ventured to the Pisco Museum and Bar to learn about pisco and to taste. A great way to while away an hour. The girls have been enjoying the 'lemonades', from what I can tell are water mixed w/ strawberry or coconut or mint or other fruits or herbs of your choice, plus the Inka Cola which tastes like cream soda to me. Easy to enjoy crunchy corn or other nuts, fried potatoes w/ salsas and tastes of cheeses, olives and choclos so far are a hit.
Tomorrow is our Sacred Valley tour...details and photos to follow.
Buenos Noches!
Made it....huff-puff...to...huff-puff...Cuzco! Not for the feint of heart, from the flight in - yes, everyone clapped when we landed safely - to the walking through town. Just a leisurely stroll at 10,800 feet had us reaching for the Advil, matte tea w/ coco leaves, coco candy, water, and a bench seat. And that was after requesting O2 to be pumped into our bedroom while we slept. Not Greg, of course, but the rest of us ladies. Besides feeling like we were walking through jello, I had alzheimers on steroids. Not a fun feeling. The good news is it only lasted 24 hours. I can say after our 1000 foot climb today to the Sacsaywaman Inca ruins in town and back down the cobblestone streets at dusk and our pisco sours we have fully acclimated to the elevation.
Food is marvellous - haven't had cuy -guinea pig- yet but wonderful alpaca, lamb, ceviche, teriditos, chicken, stuffed peppers, tomales, and choclos - roasted or maybe steamed corn w/ kernels the size of nickles, plus wonderful sweet, sweet potatoes, and potatoes and delicious side sauces that add flavor and a kick. While the girls were taking a rest Greg and I ventured to the Pisco Museum and Bar to learn about pisco and to taste. A great way to while away an hour. The girls have been enjoying the 'lemonades', from what I can tell are water mixed w/ strawberry or coconut or mint or other fruits or herbs of your choice, plus the Inka Cola which tastes like cream soda to me. Easy to enjoy crunchy corn or other nuts, fried potatoes w/ salsas and tastes of cheeses, olives and choclos so far are a hit.
Tomorrow is our Sacred Valley tour...details and photos to follow.
Buenos Noches!
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