I believe that the most difficult aspect of this amazing journey were the long flights, wait times at the airports, and the altitude. Cusco is 3.5kms above sea level. This combined with the uncertainty that everything would unfold as planned made for a very interesting trip indeed. We were all very much exhausted by the beginning of our trip. In a spy movie I greatly enjoyed, someone said that ‘there is no problem that money and a passport can’t solve.’ And, you may very well have to shell our a few extra soles (about 2.2 soles per Canadian dollar) before you arrive safely at your appointed destination.
We were 4 travelers in total; a young and beautiful and tall Asian lady, a couple from Brazil, and myself. A very good number as it maximized the strength of our collective finances while still allowing us to take a single taxi when the need presented itself. The airbnb accommodations were, for the most part, adequate . Although, there was that 2 story apartment in San Blas, Cusco with 3 flights of stairs, which was impossible to heat. May is Winter time in Peru. One’s endurance is thoroughly depleted the moment one lands in Cusco airport; a full 3.5 km above sea level. And, no amount of altitude medicine and/or Coca leaves will ease the struggle that you body will face.
Everywhere you go will seam to be uphill at this elevation. I am sure that another 2 days will pass before I fully regain my strength. As it is, I can barely sit up to write this review.
The tours were all wonderful, awe inspiring and full of history. Cusco appears to be epicenter of Pre-Inca and Inca architecture and culture. I am confident that one could attend these tours several times without ever becoming the least bit bored. More often than not, the tours were offered in both Spanish and English. I had just completed an 8 week introductory course in Spanish at VCC and was excited to put what I had learned to practice.
There is so very much to see in and around Cusco! The ruins are nothing short of magnificent and one is encouraged to wander in and around the many stone structures. Unlike the Pyramids of Egypt where no one can get anywhere near the neatly stacked and cleverly cut stones.
On the evening of our arrival we had the unfortunate experience of getting into the wrong cab (or Uber). Having no idea where we were going , except for an address scribbled onto a scrap of paper, the driver initially took us to the wrong location. After telling the driver in English (I was upset and my weak Spanish was not forthcoming) for the 10th time that my name was Feliz and showing him the scrap of paper with our desired destination, he finally got it. When we arrived at the proper address we found the correct driver waiting for us. Our couple friends (Cida and Valter) from Brasil were already there, waiting for us; however, I did not recognize them. I thought that they were the owners of the airbnb and I asked them, in English, to assist me as both drivers wanted to get paid. Well the Brazilian couple did not have a great mastery of Spanish and their English was not great either. So, consequently, the conversation became chaotic. I was now in full freaked out anxiety mode and made little sense to anyone. Thankfully Cida was able o communicate to the driver and the mess was averted simply by paying both drivers – money can solve a lot of problems 🙂
The first full day in Cusco was a FREE day. That is, I had nothing planned for anyone. I knew that we would be struggling with the altitude and thought it best to allow everyone time to adjust. That first airbnb in San Blas was freekin’ cold. There were visible openings in the ceiling/roof to ‘outside’ where the cold air would come in. The beds would eventually warm up well enough; however, one was reluctant to get up to pee for fear that the ensuing cold would negate your comfort level. I wanted to try this place as it had 4 bedrooms and 6 beds, all for about $60 per night. A smokin’ deal bay anyone’s definition. Still, I will not be staying here again except perhaps in the Summer.
The next day we were off for our first tour. This tour would take us to various historic sights in Pisac and the Sacred Valley. The smallish tour bus which would seat about 20 passengers was very comfortable. Were are 8 guests in total, plus the guide and the driver; plenty of room to move around. The following was taken from the tour operator’s description –
“.. to the village of Awana Kancha, where you visit a small farm that’s home to a furry herd of South American camelids Head to a textile showroom, where local artisans demonstrate traditional weaving techniques and make colourful garments before your eyes. Next, stroll through the stalls at the Pisac market, famed for locally made wares like patterned textiles, intricate carvings, and replicas of old Inca artefacts.
After a satisfying buffet lunch at a local restaurant, make your way to Ollantaytambo, an ancient Inca complex of stone terraces, a walled fortress, hilltop storehouses, and a never-completed Sun Temple.”
The lunch buffet was fabulous… all manner of yummy food from appies to deserts. Well worth the extra s/ 20 each we had to kick in.
Our first spirit plant medicine ceremony would take place in a ‘green’ area, just outside of Cusco. The medicine of choice would be Wachuma, or San Pedro; the the slimy green juice extracted from the San Pedro cactus. These cactus flourish in the Andes mountains with no shortage in sight. It was a very large 14 oz glass of what I can only call a repulsive warm green slime. Not as obnoxious as Ayahuasca, it was , never the less, difficult to keep down.
Oh, did in mention the prerequisite of drinking 6 tall glasses of Volcanic water the night before, at their ‘office’ in San Blas? Have you ever gone for a colonoscopy? The only thing worse than getting a long metal hose with a camera pushed (way) up your ass is the preceding ordeal of drinking A LOT of this bad tasting liquid which would ultimately result in the complete expulsion of every ounce of fecal matter from your bowels, ending in a dump of clear running liquid. Gross? Now, fast forward some time just to have the entire repulsive ordeal replayed in a strange bathroom in Cusco only this time using water, heavy in mineral content, which was extracted somewhere at a secret location from Paccha Mama. They say it will clean out your body. Duh! You think?! Volcanic water?! Volcanic shit is more like it!
I totally get it. To a Peruvian, this is akin to flushing the parasites from your gut with a plunger. IT GETS THE JOB DONE! However, for the average white guy this seams like overkill.
I consider my young Asian friend lucky when she threw most of the green slime in the first 30 minutes of her journey. I, unfortunately, have something of an iron gut and after drinking a second glass of the warm slime I was not able to expel the foul substance for a couple of hours. This would explain why I am still feeling the effects of this journey now, several days after the fact. As I said to her later, as we were strolling through Aguas Calientes, my brain does not work… None of my senses are functioning at a normal capacity.
The indigenous ‘shaman’ did an admirable job of shouting out the calls to the Spirit of Wachuma, banging his drum, and playing his flute. Quite beautiful it was, to hear his song and encouragements. I was, however, disappointed that this otherwise helpful guide saw fit to bring out his many handmade trinkets in an attempt to separate me from my money. A spirit plant medicine ceremony IS NO PLACE to do so, It is nothing short of disrespectful; I expected more.
After what seamed like a long time indeed, we went for a walk in nature, next to a stream, and unfortunately in an uphill direction. The ‘shaman’ was following us around and playing his flute – a very nice touch! The action of exercise intensified the journey which resulted an a steady outflow of, what seamed like, deep thoughts. Wachuma, although also a psychedelic, is quite different from Ayahuasca. You are more aware of your surrounding ordinary reality and are able to function at some capacity. Walking, for example , is not entirely impossible. However, visions are not nearly as intense.
We talked for hours about all manner of interesting things, or so it seamed.
On the following day we attended a half day tour of the Ruins of Cusco. Like our first tour, this would be a very satisfying afternoon spent in and around Cusco with more historical facts than one could possibly remember. We were still feeling the effects of the altitude and I can still hear myself complaining about the scenery, “More rocks!”, and the wailing, “More UP!” Somehow I kept up. It is interesting to note that my son reminded me, a week or so after I got back, that I have good stamina and endurance due to my martial arts training. This is undoubtedly what helped sustain me throughout this ordeal.
The next morning we would take an Uber to Poroy train station, about 20 minutes from our airbnb. The Uber driver made arrangements to meet us on our return trip as there was no Uber in Poroy. An arrangement I would later appreciate, upon our return! Here we would catch the PeruPail tourist train to Aguas Calientes, or Machu Picchu village. The locals have their own train service, at a far more reasonable rate.
The train ride would be 4.5 hours in length, even though the journey is only 100kms. It was a very pleasant trip in the observation car (they were all observation cars on this train) with snacks served and there was plenty of opportunity to talk about our Spirit Plant Medicine journey and complain about all the walking and climbing thus far. Thankfully, we were met in Aguas Calientes by Alexander, the very friendly manager of the hotel at which we would be staying for the next 2 evenings. There are little to no airbnb opportunities in Aguas Calientes. Instead, this is a village built from the ground up to house the multitude of tourists who travel here daily to visit Machu Picchu and surrounding architectural wonders.
The hotel was quaint and even though our bathroom was constantly wet from the leaky sink, the breakfast was satisfying albeit cold; there were no eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, or even toast to be had. But they had juice, coffee, cereal, buns, fruit, and a few other items. The coffee seams to be excellent here, as it is all over Peru! The staff did an excellent job of informing us of the procedures for visiting Machu Picchu, the locations of the major offices and Hot Springs, and other important facilities in and around Aguas Calientes. We had the afternoon off to browse the village and the shopping bazaars. The shopping was disappointing as they were selling the same cheep mass-produced (read Chinese) clothing and trinkets that could be found all over Cusco, Lima, and Iquitos. However, the many restaurants were wonderful and affordable. We all went to the Machu Picchu office to purchase our entrance tickets and then we went to the Machu Picchu bus office to purchase our bus tickets. This must be done prior to visiting this archaeological wonder as tickets cannot be purchased on site.
The next morning the 2 ladies would be partaking in an Ayahuasca ceremony, just outside the village, under Machu Picchu. How cool is that! I had originally planned to accompany them; however, the recent Wuachuma ceremony was more than enough psychedelic medicine for 1 week and I simply could not tolerate any more. We all went out to meet Joanna (a rep from the same organization we took San Pedro at just a few days prior) and the ‘shaman’ near the hotel. The adorable Joanna gave me a kiss on the cheek which I will never forget. Soon Valter, Cida, and Ziggy went off on their adventure. I stayed behind wondering what I was going to do for a few hours. I decided to visit the Hot Springs and, to my delight, the facility was only 5 minutes walk from the hotel. Although the reviews are a mixed bag of ‘bad’ to ‘excellent’ I found the facility clean and well managed. There are several mineral water pools clearly marked with the approximate temperature . I changed into the suit I rented from a vendor located just outside of the facility and hopped into the warmest pool (marked at 98 F). Body temperature is not what I would call optimum for any sort of bath; but, I liked sitting there… in nature… under Machu Picchu. After some time a waiter came out, hooked up a speaker and left some water proof menus and a couple of sodas by the side of the pool, your could order drinks and beer 🙂 10am was too early to be drinking so I declined.
After sitting in the pool for several hours and seeing a number of locals come and go, I decided to leave. When I pulled myself out of the pool I was pleasantly surprised by a feeling of complete relaxation. Very nice indeed. As I was not able to locate any of my companions so I set off to have lunch by myself.
I met up with the other 3 travelers a little while later and the rest of the day was spend eating, walking, and talking. Apparently the ladies had a strong and productive journey. I found out later that Valter had not stayed with Cida and had, instead come back to the hotel after he walked her to the location of the ceremony. Had I known this, I would have invited him along to the Hot Springs. Language was a barrier and I found that it was easier to text everything to the Brazilian couple via WhatsApp so that they could Google Translate everything. I would text only to Cida as I did not have Valter’s contact information. This left (big) gaps in the communication lines. [edit: in future, get everyone’s contact info regardless of which language they speak.]
The next morning we caught the 8am bus to Machu Picchu. There was a large queue but it moved along at a steady pace. After zigzagging up the mountain, we were greeted by the entrance to this historic site. It was all quite awesome! And, if you minus the tired muscles and sore feet and the fact that everything was in an UP direction, it was a wondrous experience. We were warned that it would take a full 30 minutes to reach The Sun Gate, our first destination. The walk was on a path on a gradual incline but we were already exhausted by all the other activities so it felt like work. We were not disappointed to reach the Sun Gate and were happy that the return walk would be DOWN.
The entire facility was shrouded in a mist or fog which made the ruins look even more spectacular. I am looking forward to visiting this site again, in the not so distant future , when my wife is well enough to accompany me.
We got back to the hotel just after 1pm and decided to go out for lunch. There is a wonderful local restaurant called Antojeto’s, where the locals eat. Here you can get a large soup with a LOT OF STUFF in it, a passion fruit juice, and a complete meal for s/ 20 or about $10. We all enjoyed the fresh fried Trout! What a great deal! At around 3pm we made our way back to the Aguas Calientes train station to wait for our return train to Poroy.
The return trip was interesting as they had some entertainment and a fashion show in each of the rail cars. I did purchase an Alpaca item for my wife which she has yet to wear. Thankfully, the Uber driver was waiting for us at the station in Poroy and he drove us promptly to our second airbnb; without incident I might add. [edit] My wife has since worn her new Alpaca several times – it looks quite fetching on her.
This was all a lot to take in… perhaps we should have planned to stay longer in Cusco. Although I do remember planning to stay an extra 4 days, Cida informed me that they had to return home, promptly, for another engagement.
The second airbnb was nicer than the first. There were no stairs, no visible holes in the ceiling/roof of the home, and the location was quieter and more easily accessible. It was still quite cool inside but the single propane heater did an admirable job of heating the home. The only down-side really was that one had to go through the outside courtyard to get to the the third bedroom, next to the kitchen. Naturally this is were I would be sleeping and it was uncomfortably cold. The ATV and ZIP LINE tour, which was planned for the next day, was cancelled due to a strike of the agriculture workers, much to the relief of all concerned. So, we ended up with another, sorely needed, FREE day instead. [edit: In future, plan to allocate more free time between tours.]
In the midst of all these adventures we got lost once at breakfast. Three of us were looking for the Starbucks I had seen sitting above some storefronts in the centre of the city. I was suppose to have the map 🙁 We ended up eating our meal and drinking our Espresso in the \’usual place’ once we regained our bearings. Note – Peruvians are not known for taking breakfast ‘out’ so there is precious little open at 7 in the morning.
Another time Ziggy and I were scouring the back roads of the city looking for a tourist trap I read about on Yelp to take dinner. We kept arguing about the ‘correct way’ when we finally stumbled upon the restaurant. Note to self, the inner city roads are VERY NARROW – to the point that one mush shuffle ones self into a shop doorway to avoid getting crushed by an oncoming vehicle. Dinner was ok, if a little pricy. I will not be returning there in future.
There is a wonderful Pizza place just 1 block from our airbnb in which we enjoyed a meal on more than one occasion. Another pricy tourist trap but delicious never-the-less.
Our final tour in and around Cusco happened on the following day (Tuesday). This tour would take us to Tipon, a village south of Cusco. On route we visited various archeological sites.
” A private guide walks you through 800 years of regional history as you visit villages like Huasao, Tipon, Pikillaqta, and Huaro, exploring age-old temples and ruins on the way.
… to Tipon, where you encounter a beautifully preserved Inca water temple. Marvel at how the water still flows through Tipon’s canals and terraces even today, and listen to stories of ancient worship that occurred at the temple.
Next, drive to Pikillaqta, a pre-Inca archaeological site that was occupied from 550 to 1100 AD by the Wari people. Pace through the streets, observing ruins of city buildings and walls, before moving on to Andahuayillas to see its incredible Baroque church. The church is known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas” for the amazing frescoes that adorn its walls.
Continue next to Huaro, a village known for its 16th-century church filled with murals by the artist Tadeo Escalante. Your final stop is at the Museum of Sacred Stones, where you discover over 200 ancient geological artefacts with your guide.”
Brilliant!
Wednesday was another FREE day where Ziggy seized the opportunity to attend a Wuachuma ceremony with another group entirely. I am not able to elaborate as I did not attend; however, Ziggy said it was magical. Valter, Cida, and I spent the day relaxing and taking in Cusco.
Thursday morning came quickly enough and it was time to uber to the airport for our return flight to Lima. All things going well, my contact would be waiting there to drive us to our airbnb in beautiful and safe Miraflores. Unfortunately, the spirits were not smiling upon us and this was not to be. Ziggy and I flew together but we lost sight of Cida and Valter. What the blazes happened to them?! I thought that they would be on the same flight. (language barrier strikes again) After waiting and searching for some time we saw the couple come through the exit from the flight arrival terminals. Phew! Thank goodness for that; but , where is ‘my guy’ Marcel? After looking for almost an hour I gave up on Marcel and hired a cab. A good idea in principle, but not in execution. The cab was a sub compact and the 3 adults sitting in the back seat were uncomfortable.
We were early when we arrived at our airbnb and the cleaning lady was still busy mopping up from the previous guests. The owner was also there and she was visually adorable and had a soft and kind demeanor. She looked genuinely happy to see us, even though we were early. She immediately showed us around the home and provided us with some information regarding things to do and places to eat nearby. In the middle of all of this Marcel shows up! He was indeed at the airport looking for us. Somehow we missed each other. The owner was happy to let us park our luggage there and we all went out for lunch at a nearby (5 minutes walk) Seafood restaurant. We were told that this place rocks!
The food was fabulous! And we all ate and drank till we completely satisfied for s/ 200 or about $100. After lunch we all hopped … well, perhaps I should say slithered… into the minivan that Marcel hired for us. He said that the next size up would be cost twice as much. It was a little small but comfortable enough once you were able to negotiate the small quarters and make it to your seat. Our first stop would be the infamous Gamerra District. It was at my request that we tour this, a mecca of famous brands of clothing and footwear where everything was made right here in Lima. This area is not known for its archaeological sites or its safety. Quite the opposite, it is quite dangerous and one must always be on guard to keep valuables, cell phones, and cameras hidden. I was a little disappointed by the lack of interest shown by the others in my group… I found it fascinating!
Our next stop would be the historic downtown district, with its cathedral and neoclassical Spanish architecture. I have some issues with any country that thinks they have the right to loot, pillage, rape, and kill those in another country. However, this is still going on and there is no sign of relief from the hate and greed that drives man to kill his own kind and take their property. I saw some new stuff this time around and was grateful for this 🙂
We then headed to the water park where modern fountains are the media of a fantastic show, all imaged onto the mist the fountains provided. We purchased some sort of sweet potato donuts covered in honey, from a food truck in the park. They were quite good but we bought wayyy too many 🙂 I ended up eating more than I cared to. There were video images, uproarious music, and iconic Inca images generated with lasers. Wonderful.
After the water show we drove about 20 minutes to the Barranco District. This district, situated to the Southeast of Miraflores, is billed the bohemian district of Lima were the artists and other assorted ‘hip’ people conjugate. A very lively and fun area where there was a lot of free outside music and entertainment to be had. We ended up at a small ‘spit’ of land near the river. There were 2 restaurants here, both with a second floor viewing area where one could sip on a brew while enjoying the entertainment. Very nice! As an aside, I remember this area very well from my first trip to Peru, in 2015. I stayed in a hostel located just below the elevated walkway.
Afterwards, we arrived back home and ‘relaxed’, did our laundry, and took much needed showers with hot water! This was the first truly hot water we enjoyed on our entire trip! And, off to bed for a much needed rest.
The next day We would be kicked out of our airbnb at 11am . My memory is a little thin here but we must have stepped out to have breakfast somewhere. Oh, yes, I did! I got up around 6am (normal for me) and proceeded to find breakfast. I Googled a few places, made some notes a proceeded to tame the Breakfast monkey. After walking back and forth and around the streets of the airbnb we were staying at I finally found a little hole in the wall on the main street which was open. The proprietor looked Jewish and he had a photo of someone who looked like he might be his dad displayed on a prominent shelf with some fresh flowers surrounding it.
The coffee did not disappoint and I had some toast with butter and jelly. All was normal in the world again! Felix had his morning coffee! When I returned to the apartment Cida and Valter were up and dressed. I suggested that they might want to dine at the slick new spot on the corner of our street and the main drag.
“It was closed when I passed it this morning but they should be open by now,” I commented. They agreed and left. I do not know whether they actually ate there or, even, if they understood what I had said.
When we arrived outside, just after 11am, Marcel was waiting for us. We piled our luggage and our persons (word?) into the minivan. It would be a long day in this micro-bus and we wanted to be as comfortable as possible. We started on our journey to the archaeological Inca site Pachacamac, located southeast of Lima. We would have to cross a district border crossing of sorts; but, outside of wanting a few soles to cross, this was a non-event.
On route, Marcel wanted very much to sit and watch a Peruvian Paso Horse show – “At a nearby hacienda, watch Peruvian Paso horses and riders demonstrate their skills along with traditional Marinera dancers. Horse lovers can take a ride before sitting down to a traditional lunch.” It sounded interesting enough; however, the show would not start till 3pm and it would cost a full s/ 90 to get in, including lunch. We were not really that interested, much to the chagrin of Marcel… perhaps next time 🙂 [edit: it was a good thing that we did not stay for this show as this would certainly have made us late for our desired destination.]
It had been a relatively long drive and we were all feeling the pangs of hunger. Marcel said that there was an interesting pork place nearby and than we would probably enjoy it. We all agreed and hopped (or, rather, slithered) back into the micro-bus. We were all excited to eat at the local restaurant. Well, Marcel was not kidding when he said that it was close! We basically drove from the parking we were at, onto the road, and then made an immediate exit onto the restaurant parking area. “This is it!” Marcel cried.
They prepare the pork in the traditional way; they fill a pit in the ground with hot stone, place the pig on top of the stones, and then cover the pit. There the meat will cook for hours, until done. At Marcel’s suggestion, we ordered the dry pork, and a combination of meats cooked in a watery sauce. This was all served with plenty of corn for everyone. Delicious.
On route we had to pass some sort of toll or border or something. We were officially leaving Lima (big deal) and entering another part of the landscape. The driver had to pay, Seamed like a cash grab to me.
Pachacamac would prove to be an amazing archeological experience. Marcel managed to talk the guide into assisting us; it was 3pm and she was concerned that she would not finish in time to catch the bus home.
I was taking in the immensity of the expanse when Marcel pointed to a development on the other side of the highway and said, “we have lost a lot of it already.” What he meant was that a whole section of the site was lost to the development before the government got wise and halted any future development, declaring this a national treasure.
We drove and walked A LOT! And, still we did not see everything. All too soon, the site was closing and we had to high-tail it outa there! More walking and driving. There were a couple of places on my feet which had been bothering me for many days now, not to mention the pain I had felt on the upper portion of my left leg since the first climb over 10 days ago. A trip like this can ‘do a number’ on your body – it is not for the weak at heart or body.
That pretty much wraps it up. Cusco, all of the surrounding history, Machu Picchu. and the medicine. What an adventure! Would I do anything differently? I would take more time. Although I can no longer remember how long we were in the area , it was definitely too short. When I discussed this with my wife she asked , “why didn’t you stay longer? It’s not like you had someplace to be.”
“My brain does not work! I could have arrived a week earlier and had that extra time to enjoy the country!” I replied.
Next time, yes, there will definitely be a next time! Next time I will set aside some extra time to visiting Don Lucio in Tamshiyacu . At least 3 or 4 days I should think. So, at least 3 weeks in total would be required to make this trip truly awesome.
Perhaps you might like to go with me 🙂