Cusco is a lovely little town where loads of tourists come to because it is the starting point to exploring the Sacred Valley and especially Machu Picchu. But Cusco in itself has plenty to offer: it is full of nice small hostels, bars and especially restaurants (have not eaten so well and in nice places as since I have been in Cusco). But it also has plenty of historical buildings and museums to explore: it was the center of the Inkan administration and was taken over by the Spanish as cultural and clerical center in South America. The cathedral of Cusco is very imposing and definitely worth a visit!
Cusco, 7 hours away from Puno, is the getaway to Machu Picchu and my next destination. To render the trip interesting for tourists, there is the Inka Express, which stops a few times and allows tourists to see different attractions on the way. First stop was Pukara a small town famous for its pre-Inka archeological findings.
Next stop is La Raya - where the road moves from one valley into another valley at 4335m. From here two rivers start in opposite directions, it is possible to see white coated mountaintops and of course there are merchants around to sell the tourists whatever they need (or don't need).
Lunch was in Sicuani and was accompanied by lovely local music. After lunch came the most interesting stop: Raqchi, an old Inkan city and archeological site. The scenery here was great, with farmers working their land just next to the Inka ruins.
Last stop before arriving in Cusco was the church of Andahuaylilllas, which is famous for its mixture of European and local cultural features and is one of the churches her around, which features the "Cusco School of Art".
All in all a very pleasant way of travelling to the next destination and getting some culture at the same time!
From Puno, where I stayed for 2 days, I visited the famous Uros people. They live on artificially built islands, which float in the lake. Historically they are very peaceful people I am told and moved to the islands to escape from fights and pressures from different other ethnic groups.
Today unfortunately they are overrun by the tourists and their primary (if not their only) source of revenue is tourism.
Each boat load full of tourists is taken to a different island and family and is shown their traditional way of life. The introduction about their life and how the islands are built of reed is very interesting. But after that it is time to sit down with the ladies and they intend on selling their products and they are very difficult to resist! At the end of the tour they proudly tell us that they are the second most important tourist destination in Peru after Machu Picchu!
From La Paz I joined a three day tour to Lago Titicaca. In the beginning I was very surprised to be the only participant of this tour. But my guide, Juan Antonio put me quickly at ease and he was a wonderful guide explaining me so much about Bolivia, La Paz and of course the history of the people of the Lago Titicaca.
We spent the first night in Huatajata, where the travel agency has built up a small museum and traditional village together with the local population. It is a great introduction to the lake and its history.
On the following day we travelled to Isla de la Luna and Isla del Sol, where I stayed a night. This island is a gem: no cars and modern features are coming slowly. Walking around the island, you get to see the local population farming, looking after the animals and of course selling souvenirs to the tourists walking around. The views from Isla del Sol are breathtaking. We went for a walk at sunset and although it was partly clouded, the lights and the clouds were just incredible!
On the following day we travelled per boot to Copacabana were we visited the church before I traveled on to the boarder and then to Puno.
I enjoyed my few days in La Paz, although getting around is difficult: at over 4000m breathing is hard and walking up and down the hills is tuff - but still an interesting city to explore. Unfortunately my stay in La Paz was shadowed by me being robed my camera, my mobile phone and some money. Luckily I managed to keep passport, credit cards and I was not harmed - which is the most important. And for future/fellow travelers, here is how they got me:
I walked up to the cathedral a sunny morning and a fellow tourist, who told me she was from Uruguay, asked me if I could take a picture of her. Having had this request many time of course I agreed and wanted to take the picture outside the cathedral, but she wanted to have it taken inside. I asked if this was permitted in this church as it is usually forbidden. But she said it was ok... so of I went and took her picture. An "official" arrived up to us and said that pictures are not permitted and that we were to show him our passports. She showed hers at once, so I did the same. He said we had to go to the police station and as he had my passport I could only follow. He called a taxi and I had no choice than to follow. The car stopped 300m further down the road and he explained that many tourists have falls money and credit cards as well as they carry drugs - so he has to check our bags. I said that I was fine to do so, but at the police station, not in a car in the middle of the road.... but the other tourist handed her bag. He checked it and then insisted on seeing mine. After that he tried to worm our pin numbers out of us in order to "check that the credit cards are no false card". There I protested strongly, saying that he was not allowed to ask for that information. At that moment he got upset with me, put my cards and my passport back into my bag and ordered me to get out of the car at once. Standing there in the street I felt worried to for the other tourist, so I went to the police and explained what had happened. At one point I wanted to check the time (I had a tour in the afternoon) and that is when I realised that my mobile phone, my camera and some money were gone. And that was the moment when I (finally!) realised that my fellow tourist was working together with this other guy and that she had completely abused my confidence! I must say, I felt quite stupid for a while and I hope that by telling my story, others will not be tricked into the same situation. Although speaking to fellow travelers I hear many different stories - there are new tricks every day!
After Uyuni, I travelled to Potosi, large town (4th if I recall correctly) in Bolivia. The journey there took me through some amazing countryside (up and down the hills, turning left, turning right). Most of the 6h journey was not paved, and often the street was not large enough to meet another vehicle! They are working on paving the road - so I had the all the road works - but future travellers will not any longer be able to experience the dirt road anymore.
Upon arrival in Potosi (4070m) I booked into a small hostel (very cheap, but clean). Unfortunately I arrived at the week-end and Sunday the city was dead. On top of that it was raining - not the best conditions to explore the beautiful city center with it´s majestic, colonial buildings!
From Potosi I travelled to Oruro, 2/3 on the way to La Paz and stayed a night there. Not much to see here (it is mainly famous for its annual carnival) and I did not feel too safe here either. Could not even find a decent restaurant in the neighborhood of the hotel - so my dinner was coca cola and chips (rather be safe than sorry!)
Next day I travelled to La Paz (3.5h) and here I got to experience what overfull busses mean: some people were standing half way to La Paz, we were all squeezed as much as possible. (it´s good you can not take any pictures of smells!!!)
In the last few days I have finally managed to leave the gringo trail to get to see the real country. In the buses I was usually the only foreigner and also in the cities I almost never met other tourists. This is one side very interesting to experience "the real country", but did also take a lot of energy: all the time watching my belongings, not feeling safe when walking the streets, even in the hostels I could not really relax. And all this at this high altitude, were I know I have even less energy and move much slowler than what I normally do.
So now I am in La Paz and have booked myself a very nice hotel: my own bathroom, running hot water, real towels and a lovely breakfast buffet - luxury pure!
After my two days in San Pedro I set off on a three day trip to Uyuni (Bolivia), visiting the most amazing places.
We started off from San Pedro and travelled not only the 47km to the Bolivian border, but went up from 2800 to 4500m. The border was only a small post in the middle of many high mountains, but buzzing with people: lots of tourists doing the boarder formalities and switching from the bus to jeeps.
After breakfast at the entry of the Reserva National de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa, we did set of to the Laguna Verde: a turquoise lagoon in the middle of nowhere. Already here we all agreed that the money spent on the tour was worth every penny!
Next stop were hot springs were we could go for a swim surrounded by the beautiful countryside.
This was followed by a few geysers (which unfortunately were not very active at the time we passed).
The last stop of the day was the Laguna Colorado: a Laguna colored with white, red and blue - changing colors depending on where you stand and surrounded by majestic mountains. We stopped for the night at the hostel next to the Laguna at 4500m.We did a beautiful small walk along the Laguna and watched the thousands of pink flamingos standing in the lagoon. The sceneri was just incredible!!
This walk, combined with a few (too many) cookies once back, were to much for me: I suffered terrible altitude sickness (terrible headache). So after a bit of vegetable soup and a cup of coca tea I went to bed.
The next morning I felt much better (although not yet perfect) and we set of on day two. This was a journey through wide sandy desserts, small stony roads along the mountain sides. We went past the Árbol de Piedra.
Lunch was in a small village in the Bolivian altiplano. After lunch we travelled through valleys and villages were the campesiños are cultivating their land and thousands of lamas are grazing where ever there is something to eat.
In the evening we arrived at our hostel in Puerto Chuvica, a small village overlooking the Salar de Uyuni.
The 3rd day was dedicated to the Salar, this waste landscape of salt, covering more than 10'000 square km. The views were simply unique! We visited the national park of Isla Incahuasi - an Island in the middle of the Salar - a wonderful, peaceful place, with great views of the Salar and covered with cactuses.
We did get to see the salt crystals, a salt hotel and finally the manual production of salt in one of the small villages next to the salar.
I have seen a lot over the last months, but the landscape here were very impressive and among the most spectacular I have seen over the last few months. The colors, switching from warm to cold colors, the altitude, the blue sky and the animals (viguñas, lamas and pink flamingos) made these a special three days.
A small hello to my travel companions in the Jeep as well: Sebastian, who actually travels through Chile but decided to do this excursion to Bolivia. And Paloma and Juan from Spain who were wonderful Spanish teachers during the whole three days: muchas gracias!
From La Serena the Elqui Valley goes up east. It is one of the few in Chile not running North-South. Closest to the ocean there many different vegetables are grow followed by a region where citrus fruits grow. Further up the valley, which used to be very dry, wine growing is making the valley green. Thanks to new irrigation techniques the more and more land in the valley and on the slopes is converted from semi-arid dessert to fertile, wine growing land. The grapes are used for exportation, producing wine and the famous local brandy called Pisco.
The day was a nice mixture of countryside, culture (we saw the house and school of Gabriella Mistral, the literature Nobel price winner of 1945) and visiting a Pisco factory. And of course I had to drink a Pisco in Pisco!
I am now in San Pedro de Atacama, after a 17 hours bus ride. I thought this would be far too long and too horrible - but in the end it past quickly: first a good night's sleep and then looking at the countryside, which by now was only dessert!
San Pedro is a lovely place - but unfortunately as it is the main place to discover the dessert here up north and is a gateway to Bolivia. So although it is about 30C hot and very dry, it has a distinct feeling of a ski resort: small village, one main road catering for all the tourists at extravagant prices....Tomorrow I am leaving on a 3day tour to Uyuni in Boliva, visiting the mountains, lagoons, flamingos and the largest and highest salt lake in the world. So next news will be posted from Bolivia.
After a nights travel on the bus from Valparaiso, I was sitting over breakfast at the hostel El Punto in La Serena, when some people were looking for others to join a tour to the national park Frey Jorge. Not sure what decided me to go - but so far the most spontaneous actions have been the best - and this was once more true this time!
The tour was run by a Swiss German who has been living for 7 years in La Serena. Not really sure what I had signed on for, I just let it happen... first we went to the Monumento National Valle delEncanto. This is an archaeological site were petroglyphs are found on many stones. But more impressive than the petroglyphs, I found the countryside - semi-arid dessert all around us: stones, sands and many cactuseswhere ever you looked. Oh and impressive were wholes carved in stones: these wholes were placed in such a way in the stones that at night the stars would reflect in the water in the wholes - representing stellar constellations on the stones.
We then went up to the Fray Jorge national park. Amidst this arid semi-dessert there is a bit of vegetation and even some forest. The plants take the water from the fog and mist which is almost all the time around, thanks to the closeness of the pacific ocean. The walk up in the hills was peaceful and nice, enjoying the views and all the plants - many of which I have never seen.
The hostel I was staying offered an attractive day tour around Valparaiso - it not only sounded great, it also was a marvelous day!
First stop was at a vinyard in the Casablanca Valley: tour of the vinyards, of the production site and then finishing with some wine tasting. This vinyard belonged to William Cole, an American who started wine production in the 1990s. The vinyards are huge and flat (= they can drive through the rows with tractors) and the facilities are all brand new and modern - very different of the traditional handproduction we know back home. The wine was very nice, especially a special edition chardonney - yum!
After the wine tasting it was time for some culture. We went to Pablo Neruda's home in Isla Negra. Not only was a grand poet and politician, he also collected everything! His house, overlooking the pacific ocean, is full of all the items he collected (tainted glass, statues, any kind of items found on ships,....). Special room was the living room: big low windows allowing for great views of the ocean and a big fire place to keep warm! All in all a very special place definitelly worth the visit!
3rd stop of the day was Quintay, a small fisher village, which has stop in time. A few kids playing by the water, some workers painting the houses, some fishermen preparing the nets for the next morning. The village used to be a big walling until the end of the walling industry. Next to the village is a small hidden beach set against dropping cliffs - just wow!
All in all a wonderful day were our guide took as off the tourist track for a day to places which are not easily reached by ourselves!
Upon arriving in South America and Chile, I directly went to Valparaiso, giving Santiago a miss. This was an excellent decision as I stayed at a wonderful hostel, Luna Sonrisa, in the heart of Valparaiso.
Valparaiso is built on many hills, overlooking the pacific ocean and many of the houses are painted in bright colors - giving the views over Valparaiso a special and colourful touch.
Walking the hills was fabulous: the different style architecture, the colors, the views and the deep blue sky - it was wonderful.
I also went to the local fish market, which was an experience: not only all the fresh fish, but all the animals around made it a highlight of my visit: hundreds of pelicans and many sea lions were swimming a long the shore, hoping to get some remains of the freshly caught fish - amazing to see such wildlife almost in the city center!
Here some pictures, which give a small taste of the wonderful city Valparaiso is.
My last stop in New Caledonia was the Ile des Pins. I spent four days in a great hotel (Hotel Kodjeu). It was expensive - but as New Caledonia is anyway very expensive I decided to finish my time here in style.
The first day I hired a car and drew around the island. Lots of beaches and views but also a bit of history. The second day I did a tour on a 'pirogue', a small hand built boat, sailing up the baie d'Upi. Then we walked through the forest to arrive at the baie d'Oro and its famous natural swimming pool. This place not only looks like paradise, it also is great for swimming and snorkling.
Day three and four were dedicated to diving: just a few minutes by boat and we were in amazing dive spots. Highlight this time was not the big once (although we did see several sharks). No this time I was introduced to the 'hypocampes pygmees' - tiny, tiny pygmy seahorses which were only discovered in 2003 and which you have to know were to look for them to see them! They are about 1.5 cm big and sit on big coral leaves the same color as themselves. So if you don't know they exist you don't see them. Some more info on these under wikipedia.
On day four it was time to head back to Noumea by boat (2.5h). I haven't said much about Noumea so far: it's a city (how original!), with some nice beaches, where you can find everything you would find in 'metropole' (France): shops, nice restaurants and bars. As a tourist it's difficult to understand the local culture and especially the interaction between the Kanak (original black people), the Caldoche (white people living in Caledonia for several generations) and the French community. At a first glance all seems to work smoothly, but there are undercurrents especially with regards to becoming an independent state or remaining with France. This question seems to split the society and will need to be answered in the years to come.
With regards to tourism I realised that the almost the only people travelling around the country are either French living in New Caledonia, French who have lived there or French who have relatives or friends there. Then there are a few Japanese tourists around (all taken care of by tourist operators) and then... not many more. Hence my difficulties in the beginning - but once you know you have to plan and book your days to the minute, accept that they decide when you can do something and that everything is overpriced - well then it is a fantastic place to be!
These entrees are done from Sydney. Tomorrow I fly to Chile and then it is time to discover the Latin American culture - Hola!
After my Grande Terre it was time to fly to one of the Loyality Islands. I had selected Ouvea as there was a dive shop on the island.
As you can see from the picture the location is a dream - when the weather is sunny. Unfortunately I got some rainy days - with nothing to do.... no diving, no tours - everything canceled. Luckily I had a few books with me and all in all I had a great stay anyway!
One day I hired a car with some fellow tourists staying on the island. Many thanks Ingrid for doing all the driving! It was rainy but we still got to see some great sights: the beach at St Joseph, the 'centre commerciale' also in St Joseph (which was a small epicerie with not much available to buy), the trou aux tortues, the cows standing under the coconut trees,....
I also got one day of diving: swimming around there is like swimming in an aquarium: beautiful corals and lots of colourful fish. And on the second dive we even got to see a big manta and black tipped sharks - plenty of them.
I spent my first three days in Noumea planing my next steps and trying to understand how getting around works in this part of the world.... first of all I it was funny to be in a French environment: speaking French, French food, French signs and behaviour, French tourists, somehow France but actually not really....
Soon I realised that as a tourist, stuck in this part of the world, I had to accept the local rules and ways of dealing with the (very few) tourists around: not many boats or flights going to the islands, the few available expensive and fully booked... so I booked 5 days on Ouvea and 4 days on the Ile des Pins at the end of my trip (more about the islands later in other news).
Then I hired the car and set of exploring the main Island "Grande Terre" during 12 days: first the south with its big mines of nickel, red soil and hilly landscapes. Unfortunately it was foggy and raining - but this added to the special feeling of this area.
During my trip I soon found out that there are not many places to stay around: a few gites, relais or staying with the local tribues. Planing and booking in advance became essential if I did not want to get stuck without a bed - for those planing to do a similar tour the best option is to do it camping, Most places are located in beautiful spots and have a campground - so you are generally not short of finding a place to put up your tent! And don't forget to book your food (lunch if you want any and dinner) at least 24hours in advance. What, you don't know where and when you want to eat - not a problem, you simply don't eat! So stock up with biscuits and food before leaving Noumea if you don't want to plan to much.
Except for difficult logistics (and I forgot to moan about the difficulty to find a beer for the apero) Grande Terre is a marvellous place to discover. It has fantastic landscapes, which changes every few km. You have all the coastline, which changes from beautiful beaches to sharp rocks (Bonhomme near Bouraille). Grande Terre is one big lagoon. Some times the reef is very close and some times far out. So you have the beautiful changes of all types of blue - just as you imagine paradise in south pacific!
Inland the landscape is at times flat, then hilly, then mountains. The soil is red, white, black, brown - it changes all the time. And on the roads, except around Noumea, there is no traffic. At times you can drive for hours (almost) and not meet a car. Instead you meet lots of "wild life": horsed, cows, goats, dog, cats,.... they are all walking around and looking at the few cars driving past.
Highlight of my tour was the relais de Pointgam: at the very northern tip of the island the relais de Pointgam is located on a beautiful beach, offers great accommodation and has an excellent Table d'hote, which serves excellent cuisine. I will remember the 'carpacio de cerf' followed by the 'ragout de langouste' for a long time!
Staying in a traditional case, with a local tribue, was also a nice experience. Sadly however there was not much opportunity to interact with the locals - all tourists stayed together and were eating separately from the locals. So not exactly the experience which was advertised. Nevertheless sleeping in the case was fun.
All in all I enjoyed the tour a lot: the driving a car, the landscapes, all the beaches and the opportunities to snorkel.
Back in Sydney for 2 days before flying to Chile tomorrow, I have finally a decent keyboard and an ok internet access. So time to catch up on some overdue updates on this blog!
End of September I spent 5 days in Sydney. Where to start?! I enjoyed the city especially the many accesses to water. It reminded me several times of Stockholm. Especially the area called the Rocks (oldest part of the town) was a highlight with its old buildings. Unfortunately I did not check out the weather forecast as I assumed that the sky would be blue every day as it had been during my 2 months travelling around the country. Big mistake! I spent the 2 first days, when the sun was shining, with shopping, laundry and other logistics. And when I was ready to hit the beach it was poring with rain!
I nevertheless got to spend a nice afternoon in Manly - where a Jazz festival was taking place on the streets and by the beach. Some great groups and fantastic performances, also by young players were presented.
I also spent some very nice evenings with Nina, Savina and Alexa - girls I had met on the West coast and who also were in Sydney at the same time as myself.
Each boat load full of tourists is taken to a different island and family and is shown their traditional way of life. The introduction about their life and how the islands are built of reed is very interesting. But after that it is time to sit down with the ladies and they intend on selling their products and they are very difficult to resist! At the end of the tour they proudly tell us that they are the second most important tourist destination in Peru after Machu Picchu!
Next day I travelled to La Paz (3.5h) and here I got to experience what overfull busses mean: some people were standing half way to La Paz, we were all squeezed as much as possible. (it´s good you can not take any pictures of smells!!!)
