Peru, South America

Where to begin?

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It seems like we have been on vacation for way longer than 11 days! That might sound like a bad thing, but we’ve just done so much in a short period of time. Right now we are sitting on the top floor of a super plush Cruz del Sur bus on the way back to Lima. There is some silly movie playing and the bus steward is offering us Inca Kola and Coca Cola. We are pretty much sitting in recliners and watching TV. But outside the window is either ocean or one tiny little super poor village after another.

Peru has been very odd that way. The contrast between city and village and have and have not is huge. Don’t get me wrong; this country is amazing. The sense of pride the people have here is incredible. The little kids we’ve seen practically run to school (and some on horribly treacherous roads!) And, they’re all in perfect little uniforms too! As if kids are that happy to go to school in Canada, let alone take care of their things as well!

It definitely gets you thinking about what to appreciate.

So in no particular order:

1. Safe, clean water (hot or cold) right out of a tap. There were people carrying water jugs in Cusco. Cusco is a huge city.

2. Bob Barker. There is something to be said for spaying and neutering pets. Cusco was FULL of dogs. Dogs barking all night. Dogs everywhere. Dogs dogs and more dogs.

3. The ability to flush toilet paper. Putting toilet paper in the garbage can beside the toilet is just weird.

4. Food Safe & Refrigeration. I am sure we are anal in Canada, but I can’t get over eggs and meat just being out in the air. Seriously there were eggs on display in the super market register lane yesterday. Like sitting out with the gum and chocolate bars.

5. Building codes and inspectors. Mike Holmes would explode here. There is a tax loop hole here that basically makes you tax exempt if you DON’T finish your house. Nothing is finished on the outside. Imagine all the homes in your neighborhood without siding or stucko or gyprock.

Things that are over rated. (Again in no particular order.)

1. Walk signs. Just cross when there is space. Cars will stop?!?

2. Wet floor signs and orange caution cones. People should be more aware of their surroundings. Here if there is a bump on the side walk there isn’t a watch your step sign, and you can bet that if you fell and hurt yourself you’d get laughed at rather than legally compensated.

3. Pennies. The have ’em here but don’t use them. My change at the supermarket was .08 today and they gave me .10. Yay for rounding!

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Peru, South America

Dio mio!

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Finally on board the train to Machu Picchu and have some down time to actually make an update.

Yesterday was pretty rough, (but not as bad as today.) It was our first day in Cusco and seemed like it was going to be a good weather day. Oh no…it turned to torrential down pour, and then it turned to hail. Bad weather makes for a tough time taking photos and walking around. And, that makes Jon crabby!!

Today we ended up at the Pisac Ruins and wandered around forever. And then the place closed and there were no people to follow around. And then we were lost in some ancient Incan maze of ruins that all look the same. That makes Jill crabby! Jon says it was like a multi-player level gone bad. Long story short a taxi driver saved us from a 15km hike down a treacherous road that was half blocked with an old mudslide.

More on the taxi driver later, Amigos!

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Peru, South America

Did you get your license out of a cracker jack box?

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On the first day in Arequipa we were met at the airport by our taxi driver. He was the cutest dude and he only spoke Spanish. ps: The car had working seat belts which none of the other taxis have had so far. He put on the radio to some typical South American music and we were off. It was straight out of the movies!

Since then we have taken a few other taxis. I would like to tell you that we have driven 100kmh in a maximum 45 zone, passed on double solids, or while going over speed bumps and railway tracks. Nearly hit a dude driving a bike cart, and couldn’t even count the number of pedestrians or dogs that have been narrowly missed. It appears the most important part of the car, truck, moto-taxi, bus etc is the HORN!

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Peru, South America

Diamox is not Cola’s best friend

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For altitude sickness we have to take a pill called Diamox. I remember reading the side effects and thinking one was a little odd. Apparently it changes the flavour of carbonated beverages. And not in a good way. Coke takes like rancid tonic water. So nasty! Inca Cola doesn’t have any mystical Diamox killing powers either, but we still had to try it.

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Peru, South America

Tired Much?

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We have made it to the airport in Lima. We have 2 more hours to wait until we board the final flight of the day to Arequipa. On Friday the 21st night we left for Vancouver at 10pm. It is now 12:20am BC time on the 23rd. I am one tired gal.

I was security screened in Vancouver 100% and had to be wanded and put through the new xray machine. Then in LA, I got the red light and had to be screened again. THEN when we got to customs in Lima I got the red light again! Seriously, you wait in line to press a button. If you get the red light you get searched. If you get the green light you go on your merry way. I must look sketchy today. I suppose that is what 30+ hours in transit will do to someone.

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Peru, South America

Update

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Hey everyone…So, the updates have been written, but most of the places we’ve been staying don’t support my phone for doing ANYTHING! We’re having a lot of fun. Today we were out on Lake Titicaca and visited the floating Uros islands and the island of Taquile. There was quite a climb to the top of the island, and 550 stone steps back to to the port to meet the boat. The little kids are super cute. They crack me up with their little faces when they say “Buenos Dias”. Everyone here is trying to sell something or make money from something. We are basically being 2 soles to death. It is like living in a Walmart and being 2 dollared to death. So bizarre.

We’re doing well. Super tired, but everything has worked out so far. Will update again when the internet isn’t painfully slow.

Update

Obsessed much?

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unesco bookFor some reason, I’m obsessed with UNESCO sites. I want to see them, I want to know about them, I want to visit them. It is an odd little phase I’m going through. FYI: There are 890 UNESCO World Heritage Sites as of 2010. Jon thinks that our apartment might as well be a UNESCO site, everything else is, so why not is his view point. Really, the dust balls and smudgy windows are hardly an attraction.

Because I’m a total nerd, and also slightly addicted to Chapters, I bought this book. I’m sure as we continue to travel (IF we’re fortunate enough to be able to travel), we’ll select sites that we’re interested in, and if I’m lucky enough, that’ll have one more site to cross off the humongous list.

So, if we’re keeping tally, and I am, I have been to 10 sites so far. The Palace and Park of Versailles, The Historic Centre of Rome & the Properties of the Holy See, Vatican City, Venice and its Lagoon, Westminster Palace & Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, Banks of the Seine France, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Archeological Areas of Pompei & Herculaneum, and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks.

After Peru, if everything goes according to plan, the count will be 17. Cusco, Machu Picchu, Chan Chan, Historic Centre of Lima, Historic Centre of Arequipa, Historic Centre of Mexico City, and Teotihuacan.

Too bad if I finally went to the Dinosaur Museum in Alberta and visited Dinosaur Provincial Park, I’d get another site crossed off the list.
Peru, Update

Esto es mi hermano Roberto.

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My Spanish Coach NDSI’m doing my best to learn some useful Spanish to decrease the language barrier. In France, people spoke French and English, often saying the same thing in both languages one after the other. In Italy, most people spoke some English or we were able to get by with rudimentary Italian.  Fortunately it was easy enough for me to pick up during the short time we were there.  Ordering meals, buying train tickets and making small talk were all o.k. by the end of the trip.   If I know enough to chat with a taxi-cab driver by the end of a trip, I’ll be satisfied.

I flat out refuse to be one of the people who knows nothing of a country’s language. It is disgusting to hear tourists yelling their questions to someone who doesn’t speak English. Pretty sure the person isn’t deaf, they don’t speak your language, and rightfully so; buck up and learn a few simple phrases!

How is it possible that with all the trillions of language courses I’ve taken over the past 2 decades, that I have never taken one in Spanish? Surprisingly, “My Spanish Coach” is actually a useful program. I’m working through the vocab lessons at the end of the “game”. Pretty sure my Spanish is better than my Italian, so I’m not too worried. But, I can tell you I know zero Quechua, and zero Aymara.  I will be learning phrases at the airport when we’re wasting 4 hours in LAX. Could be fun times.

ps: I’m loving the Linguistics review with the chart. Ahhhh, flashbacks to Sentence Trees in university.

IPA_consonants_2005

 

 

 

Update

Coconutty Goodness

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sunscreenYou might know that during the summer months, I’m in love with coconut scented stuff–shampoo, sunscreen, lotion, hair goo etc. (Just don’t try to make me eat coconut, that’s sick!) We had to go shopping for a few travel supplies tonight, and sunscreen was on the list. (Along with 92 dollars of other crap!)

You’d think that the higher you get the colder it is, so there would be less sun, but temperature doesn’t always relate to sunlight, but really the higher you are, the closer you are to the sun, so that’s all confusing. Apparently, it is all about the altitude when it comes to sun burn. It is easier to get sunburned at altitude as there is less of the earth’s atmosphere to block the sunlight. For every 305m (1000 feet) UV exposure increases 4%. I’m no mathematician, but that’s about 40% higher chance of burning for where we’re going.

Most of the pictures I’ve seen of little Peruvian kids show badly sunburned cheeks. Some captions say their cheeks are perpetually sunburned or even stained from sun damage. I usually scorch in the sun, so I’ll be wearing sun screen. Unfortunately, the coconut is out, don’t want to attract bugs, so we opted for some SPF 60 Ombrelle.

NB: The only time I strayed away from the coconut smell was the Body Shop sunscreen stick. That thing smelled like watermelon, and would probably make me gag now, but it was hot at the time!