Thankyou for staying with me as I traveled through Peru. The journey started from Miraflores in Lima, moved south to Arequipa, where we saw the mighty Condors and trekked in Colca canyon – the world’s deepest canyon. The travelogue then went to the Bolivian border at Puno, Fertility temple and lake Titicaca – the highest inhabited lake in the world which had the Floating Uros islands and overnight stay at Amantani and Tequile. My Peru travel blog then dived deep into the Sacred Valley, Cusco, amazing Incan sites and finally culminating at Machu Picchu – the lost city of the Incas. Lima was my last city in Peru.
(wow, so many links)
There’s lot left for the next trip – “there’s always a next time” (my favorite quote (and excuse)). The more I traveled in Peru, the more I felt in love with the place. I would ideally give this country 3 months to fully explore 
(If wishes were horses birds,… I would fly… lol)
To-do list:
- Spend a fortnight in the rain forest around Iquitos
- Surf the sand dunes at Ica
- Take a plane ride and watch Nazca Lines
- Spend a week trekking in the ranges around Huaraz
- Explore the northern coast bordering Ecuador
- Take a road trip thru Sierra
- Spend more time in Sacred Valley
There’s lots to improve in travel writing. I am thankful for all your comments. I know some people who prefer to comment via email, and many others who read this anonymously. But this time, comeon show me some virtual love, write a comment and let me know how you felt. Thank you very much
cheers!
Priyank
Busy streets of Lima
Today was the last day of my vacation in Peru and I arrived in Lima in the morning from Cusco by flight. I had a flight back to Toronto later that night so that left me with 15 hours in Lima city. I stored my backpack at the airport and ventured out. Taxis from the airport to the city center were very expensive S/. 40 ($13) so ignoring all warnings to foreigners, I ventured out into the city myself. After asking around for help, someone showed me a crowded mini van and shoved me inside it. It was very sweaty, very crowded and the guy was putting more and more people in it 30 minutes, bucketful of sweat and S/. 1.5 ($0.50) later, I was dropped off at a point some five minutes walk from the city center, aka Plaza Mayor.
Since I saved so much money by not taking the taxi and also since it was my last vacation day, I decided to promptly spend lot of money by treating myself to a lavish Mexican meal. However remember that, and I learnt this when it was almost too late, they charge you $31 as departure tax for all outgoing flights from Lima. As a result I came back to Toronto with $3 in my pocket, which was not funny.
Cathedral at Plaza Mayor, Lima
Lima (लीमा), the capital and largest city of Peru, is located on the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 1535, this “City of Kings” is home to one-thirds of Peru’s population and it’s name originates from river Rimac that flows through it. The city flourished during the 17th century as the center of an extensive trade network which extended as far as Europe and the Philippines. To protect the city against sea pirates, a wall was built around the city. In the 18th century, Lima had to be rebuilt after being almost completely destroyed by an earthquake.
Parliament Building
There are several sights to see in Lima and most of them can be walked comfortably. Churches, Statues, Library, Parks, Colonial buildings, Plazas etc. are all located around downtown Lima. The bus network is excellent and some university students can generally speak few broken sentences in English (certainly better than my Spanish).
The National Library in Lima is a mammoth building. I ran into the director of the library who arranged a special tour of the place for me. That was very sweet.
Lima is a typical city and being my last few hours there, I was very tired.
China Town
A great number of Chinese immigrants, and a lesser amount of Japanese, came to Lima and established themselves in the Barrios Altos neighborhood near downtown Lima, coming in order to work on farms and domestic services. Lima residents refer to their Chinatown as “Calle Capon,” and the city’s ubiquitous Chifa restaurants – a small, sit-down, usually Chinese-run restaurant serving the Peruvian spin on Chinese cuisine – can be found by the dozen in this Chinese enclave.
Few Indians, primarily the Sindhis moved to Peru in the 60′s but many left due to economic recession of the 80′s. There is a very small Hindu community of Hare Krishna (ISKCON) in Peru and they have little establishments in almost all towns of Peru. Have you heard a Krishna bhajan in Spanish? With Spanish Guitar and drums instead of Sitar and Tabla? I leave it to your imagination, but I was absolutely in love with it.
Idol of Jesus Christ at the Cathedral on Plaza Mayor. Peruvian churches are so glittering.
By the end of this trip, I had seen enough colonial Churches. The one is Lima is pretty gigantic and pretty.
After weeks in the countryside, I found the noises and crowds and pollution of the city overwhelming. Lima can get extremely polluted and this feeble foreigner started coughing while others looked at him jokingly. At the end of the day, I had some Ceviche (fish) at a roadside restaurant with someone I just met and within few hours I was sick with diarrhoea. Consequently, I had 2 seats on the plane to Toronto: one for me, and one for my stomach. Not the best way to end a perfect vacation!
I will conclude the Peru series in my next post.
For the complete photo set, slideshow and comments, please see my Lima Photo Gallery
The conqueror, looking at his conquest Machu Picchu as viewed from Huyana Picchu looks like the Andean Condor.
Q: Why did I go to Peru?
A: To see Machu Picchu.
History: Machu Picchu (माचू पीचू meaning “Old mountain”) was constructed around 1460 AD, at the height of the Inca Empire glory. It was abandoned less than 100 years later as the Inca empire fell to the Spanish. Although the site is only 80km from Cusco the Inca capital, it was hidden from the Spanish and the outside world until 1911. Consequently this site, unlike others, was not destroyed and plundered by the colonizers. It’s an entire self-sustaining city and how the Incas built such mammoth structures on top of an inaccessible mountain is a mystery.
Machu Picchu (Fog-u Picchu) very early in the morning.
I went on the very first bus (5:30 am) from the base town Aguas Calientes, and you need to jostle with hordes of other people who also want to get on that same bus – but no point doing it other than for symbolic reasons. Why? After racing there before sunrise we found that the whole place was covered by a thick fog that did not clear until 10 am or so, haha. But that’s okay, there is so much to see.
Actually I was overwhelmed. And confused – too many things to do – Charlie in the chocolate factory!
Apart from the main Machu Pichu site, there are several interesting things that an enthusiast can do. Walk to the Sun Gate far away on one side of the site, hike to the top of Mount Machu Picchu, hike to Huyana Picchu (which is the only thing I did from this list), explore Huyana Picchu mountain and the Moon temple. The main MP site itself is extremely extremely intriguing.
Fog starting to move away
Llamas graze on the mountains and keep the grass trimmed. Natural grass cutters I walked through the sacred temples and the priests’ quarters trying to imagine how the site would be at its prime glory. I circled around their astronomical clock and wandered on the paths in the city of commons. I think its essential to read as much as you can about the place so that when you go there, everything will start making sense. OR, hire a guide 
Something at this site is strikingly noticeable even at a cursory glance: eveything is well organized. The streets, housing districts for different classes of people, storage areas, water supply, drainage etc. Making such a planned city on the top of a mountain is indeed commendable. But then, the Incas were wise planners.
A walk in the clouds
Location: The location of the city was a military secret and its deep precipices and mountains provide excellent natural defenses. From atop the cliff of Machu Picchu, there is a vertical rock face of 600 meters rising from the Urubamba River at the foot of the cliff. The city sits in a saddle between two mountains, with a commanding view down two valleys and a nearly impassable mountain at its back. It has a water supply from springs that cannot be blocked easily, and enough land to grow food for about four times as many people as ever lived there. The hillsides leading to it have been terraced, not only to provide more farmland to grow crops, but to steepen the slopes which invaders would have to ascend. There are two high-altitude routes from Machu Picchu across the mountains back to Cuzco, one through the sun gate, and the other across the Inca bridge. Both easily could be blocked if invaders should approach along them. Regardless of its original purpose, it is strategically located and readily defended.
Machu Picchu, viewed from Huayna Picchu. It is supposed to look like a brid (the Condor)
Huayna Picchu or Wayna Picchu (वायना पीचू meaning “Young Peak” in Quechuan) rises over Machu Picchu (it is 360m higher, an hour long steep hike.) According to local guides, the top of the mountain was the residence for the high priest and the local virgins (?). Every morning before sunrise, the high priest with a small group would walk to Machu Picchu to signal the coming of the new day. The Temple of the Moon, one of the three major temples in the Machu Picchu area is located on this mountain – I didn’t go there because its too far away. Only 400 visitors are allowed to hike this mountain every day, so hurry, go there first. By the time you return, Machu Picchu will be free of fog and waiting for your exploration. However by that time the morning train arrives and with it loads and loads of tourist groups Huyana Picchu offers some breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Pondering over the ruins
Machu Picchu is not a huge site (one end to opposite is just a 30 minute walk) but honestly, for someone who likes to dive down to every detail, even 9 hours are grossly insufficient to explore that place. Every stone has a story, every room has a feel.
Architecture: I’m a fan of planning and architecture but I will try to make this sound less geeky. ^_^
Most of the construction in Machu Picchu uses the classical Inca architectural style of polished dry-stone walls of regular shape. The Incas were among the best stone masons the world has seen, and many junctions in the central city are so perfect that not even a knife blade fits between the stones. Peru is a highly seismic land, and mortar-free construction was more earthquake-resistant than using mortar. The stones of the dry-stone walls built by the Incas can move slightly and resettle without the walls collapsing. Inca walls show numerous subtle design details that also help protect them from collapsing in an earthquake. The lack of strong draft animals as well as terrain and dense vegetation issues may have rendered wheels impractical. How they moved and placed enormous blocks of stones remains a mystery, although the general belief is that they used hundreds of men to push the stones up inclined planes.
The space is composed of 140 structures or features including temples, sanctuaries, parks, and residences that include houses with thatched roofs. There are more than one hundred flights of stone steps–often completely carved from a single block of granite–and a great number of water fountains that are interconnected by channels and water-drains perforated in the rock that were designed for the original irrigation system. According to archaeologists, the urban sector of Machu Picchu was divided into three great districts: (1) the Sacred District, (2) the Popular District to the south, and (3) the District of the Priests and the Nobility.
Ok, I will stop here!
Picture perfect photograph of Machu Picchu. Huyana Picchu is the tall mountain right in the front.
I thought that my trip to Peru appropriately climaxed at this juncture and I liked my route – it built up the Inca and Peruvian story bit by bit. Had I landed in Machu Picchu first, it would have been confusing. Do let me know what you think about this post and there are many more pictures in the photo gallery
For the complete photo set, slideshow and comments, please see my Machu Picchu Photo Gallery
Machu Picchu (माचू पीचू*) is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,400m above MSL. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley, Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, Machu Picchu probably is the most familiar symbol of the Inca Empire. In Quechua, the language of Incas, it means “Old mountain” (Wikipedia).
* ‘च‘ as pronounced in Hindi, not Marathi.
Self explanatory signboard
Visiting Machu Picchu is not cheap.
There are three primary ways to reach Machu Picchu from Cusco:
| Route | Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Inca Trail | 4 days | $400-$500 one way, includes entrance fees |
| Peru Rail | 4 hours by train + 1 hour by bus | $110-160 return + $50 entrance |
| Hopping across villages | 6-8 hours | $50-$80 return + $50 entrance |
Oh, and if nothing works, you are welcome to see pictures of MP on the internet, my website for example.
For days and weeks prior to my trip I was worried about these costs. These are too exorbitant – no wonder ordinary Peruvians cannot go to Machu Pichu. Heck, the place appears almost exclusively for rich people / people from rich countries / rich people from some countries (sorry, don’t know how to put it politically correctly, but you know what I mean!)
- Inca trail: This is a lovely way to go to Machu Picchu. A four-day trek through ancient Inca trail (Incas built many paths all over the Andes, wow) passes through a number of historic, architectural and phenomenally beautiful natural views (or so I am told). Concern about overuse leading to erosion has led the Peruvian government to place a limit on the number of people who may hike this trail per season, and to sharply limit the companies that can provide guides. As a result, advance booking is mandatory. A maximum of 500 people, including guides and porters, are permitted to begin the trail every day. As a result, the high season books out very quickly – often months in advance.
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Peru rail: I thought that the Perurail is nothing short of a complete scam to squeeze money out of you. Pretty bold statement, but when I make that comment, I am looking at staggering $150 for a 70 km, 4 hr journey. Why? Monopoly. Currently there is no other option available for majority of the visitors. I feel like writing a huge paragraph about monopolies, esp the ones like this that are government imposed. There are two types of trains: The Vistadomes (super expensive) and the Backpacker (expensive). I should clarify – I have nothing against luxury trains (example: Palace on Wheels or Deccan Odyssey in India), they have a target market for sure. The problem arises only when taking the luxury train is the only option you have, and as a backpacker on shoestring budget, I think that’s unfair.
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Village hopping: The third option is not an option really but a workaround, quite funny and smart. It requires taking a 4 hour ride in combi from Cusco to Santa Teressa, then a 20 minute taxi to Santa Maria, crossing the river to the hydroelectric station, taking a taxi again, and finally walking for 8 km to Aguas Calentes. There are several websites, blogs and guidebooks explaining the process in detail. Unfortunately due to lack of time I couldn’t do this, and with the student discounts on partial train journey it worked out almost the same cost.
Machu Picchu is in the middle of the Andes and the town at the base of the mountain is the little town Aguas Calientes (अगुअास् कालीअांतेस्). There is no approach by road to Aguas Calentes, and the only way to reach there is by train or a long trek. So people usually do the option #1 Inka trail – for which booking is required months in advance, or they have to take the option #2 – overpriced Perurail train. As a result, Aguas Calientes is outrageously expensive and touristic. There is nothing to do here and people are forced to be here only for the purpose of visiting Macchu Picchu. Afterall its the entrance to one of the new 7 wonders of the world!
Statue of the ‘First Inca’, Plaza de Armas, Aguas Calientes
There’s more. From Aguas Calentes, Machu Picchu is 500m higher. This means one has to hike or take the bus. The bus takes 20 minutes and the company has a monopoly, so no points for guessing how expensive it is. If you decide to hike but you also want to see the sunrise, then you have to start walking at 4am. Good luck.
Finally the MP site itself. Entrance ticket for Gringos (i.e. foreigners) is S/. 122 i.e. approximately $47.
Where does all this money go? The Peruvian friends I met were highly critical of this blatant money making business. They say its a government scam and the money goes to Spain and Chile (?). That is also a reason why Peruvians themselves cannot afford to go to MP! Sunday, the day I went there, is discounted by 50% for locals, so there were many domestic tourists.
Peru rail, Ollantaytambo train station
I did a partial train journey from Ollanteytambyo for $62 return. Still wayy too high, but a smaller hole in my pocket anyway. Students get discounted price – you will need a university student id or the ISIC (International Student Identity Card). Yes, all this sounds frustrating and cumbersome and it is to an extent if you are not prepared. But at the end when you reach Machu Picchu, suddenly it’s all worth it.
Looks like an array of kilns.
The Don Valley Brickworks is a former quarry and industrial site located in the Don River valley in Toronto, Ontario. Currently the buildings sit mostly unused while the quarry has been converted into a city park which includes a series of naturalized ponds. The Don Valley Brick Works operated for nearly 100 years and provided bricks used to construct many well-known Toronto landmarks, such as Casa Loma, Osgoode Hall, Massey Hall, and the Ontario Legislature. The buildings are currently undergoing restoration, courtesy of Evergreen, a national charity dedicated to restoring nature in urban environments. (Wikipedia)
Someone made an artificial little pond and setup a canoe in it. Probably abandoned after the photo shoot.
Brick Works Factory is off-limits and there is a barrier around it. But people have creative ways to enter it and the guards don’t seem to care. Afterall what would a couple of guys with cameras do inside an abandoned structure?
Switchboard. Reminds me of my engineering days!
My photographer friend wanted to go here and I tagged along. He was surprised and I was disappointed to find half a dozen people in that place already. Some were busy in photo shoots with models.
Holes in broken walls offer pretty views.
I can’t read Graffiti. The words usually don’t make any sense. Feels like a whole different language
Art supplies. The whole place is covered in Graffiti.
There are several ‘secret’ passages that open to new rooms. Although its nice to explore and take pictures, 15 years ago I would have loved to play detective and investigate here!
Some more machines.
This place must have been pretty busy judging by the size of it and the sheer number of kilns it had. A non-profit called Evergreen has plans to develop the abandoned buildings into a cultural centre with a focus on the environment. I’m not a big fan of such fancy “cultural centers.”
The big warehouse, probably used for raw material storage.
I’m fascinated by Sun rays and dust that sparkles in the Sun. So simple but beautiful. My friend kicked up some dust so that this picture will make more sense.
Area outside the kilns and heavenly intervention.
Tip: If you click on the images, the bigger versions that open are clearer than the pictures posted above. I think I used the wrong algorithm to resize 
“Middle of Nowhere”: You might have heard this phrase, but I have actually been there!
I wanted to go to Moray and I asked my driver to let me off at the appropriate spot. He did. I got off the bus and he sped away in no time. I looked to my left:
Middle of Nowhere -1
Then I looked to my right:
Middle of Nowhere -2
Thats right, I was in the middle of nowhere. All I could see was a side road going to the middle of nowhere else.
Clearly, it was fruitless to panic, so I sat down on a big rock enjoying the views. Since there was nobody around, I started singing loudly in my unbearable sweet voice to my iPod music and reading my guidebook and lazily searching for any sign of human presence. After waiting for a while I saw a bus arriving and a Spanish-French couple got out. They had the same puzzled look on their faces that I had 20 minutes ago. – haha, amateurs!
Moray – The Agricultural Laboratory:
Moray site
Crazy Incas. Moray is noted for a large complex of unusual Inca ruins. These include most notably several enormous terraced circular depressions that were perhaps used to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops. The depth of the pits creates a temperature gradient of as much as 15° C between the top and the bottom. As with many other Inca sites, it also has a very sophisticated irrigation system for providing the plants with water. These guys built a natural greenhouse-slash-botanical research laboratory!
That’s me at the center
Yes that’s me, and the picture is not even taken from the top. I gave my camera to the couple I met and sped down while they took the picture. It took a while to climb back, but I didn’t like the picture, so I jumped down again for the second time. pheww! Later I thought that it was futile to do this exercise anyway (I could have done it in photoshop.)
The sites are gigantic and this is only one of them. Civilizations usually construct towers, but Incas dug and went inside the earth. Thinking out of the box?
Stairs, Inca architecture, prevalent at most sites including Machu Picchu.
Salinas – Salt pans on a mountain:
Salinas
Bizarre. A spring with salty water was discovered in the mountains surrounding the valley. The Incas built salt pans to harvest salt from them. And guess what, these salt mines are still operational! There are about 3000 odd cubicles where water is evaporated to get salt. This salt is iodized and sold as specialty salt to North America and Europe. When I asked what was special about the salt, the guy at the desk answered, “Very good salt.” hmm.
Salinas
These sites were my last activities in the Sacred Valley. This was the last native Peruvian thing I saw and what a fantastic way to end this trip These are off beat locations and the standard tours don’t visit here, so its very quiet. Oh wait, the trip is not yet over, there are 3 (or maybe 4) more posts.
Salt. Any palmists? Please tell me that my future is filled with travels! Well I know it is.
For the complete photo set, slideshow and comments, please see my Moray and Salinas – Sacred Valley Photo Gallery
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