Peru

Mar 18

13 min read

The flight to Cusco was easy enough despite a little hiccup with my bag in Lima… I have been taking my bag on as hand luggage just to keep everything with me. However, I figured since I had a quick stop in Lima before arriving in Cusco, it would be nice to not have to schlepp my bag around. I asked at the counter if my bag would be checked all the way through to Cusco and they assured me it would. Welp, upon arrival in Lima I was told all baggage had to be picked up and re-checked. Knowing I had a fairly short connection I knew I would have to get a move on. I made it through passport control quickly (thanks to understanding Spanish) and arrived at baggage claim. Unfortunately, my bag was one of the few that did not show up for quite some time. The other passengers and I notified the ground staff and were told our bags would be there shortly. After that it was hustle-time. I hauled ass through the airport. Forget re-checking my bag - I needed to head straight to the gate…. only to get there in plenty of time Lol. They hadn’t even started boarding yet! Oh well. All was well, I had my bag, and wasn't going to miss my flight.

I arrived in Cusco and had the luxury of being picked up by a car service organized by my volunteer host. So, I hopped in the car and we headed to the San Blas neighborhood where I would be staying. I got to meet my wonderful host, Susi, that evening. She gave me a quick run through of the accommodation and where I could grab some food before settling in for the night.

Volunteering in Cusco

My first day in Cusco I went to my volunteering spot - a travel agency this time - and met one of the staff members. She explained their business and what I would be doing. First task was to take photos of the various AirBnB properties they manage to help them spruce up their listings. It was neat seeing the different apartments all around the trendy, historic, and quiet San Blas neighborhood. A few days later I went to the local soccer club's hotel to take photos to help out with their room sales as well. But the highlight of this volunteering gig was getting to go on a number of different trips for a discounted rate. In return I took photos and videos, posted them on their social media channels, and helped them with some of their marketing. Not too shabby! So, let’s dive into some of the awesome trips I took while in Cusco!

Machu Picchu

Day 2 I had scheduled my Machu Picchu visit because numerous people had told me tickets sell out and day maximums are met quickly. So, I booked the first trip I could find (and all this before knowing I’d be helping out at the travel agency - too bad! They would’ve had a better deal for me).

I got picked up at 4am at the central plaza. We went to different spots around the city to pick up more people before heading to Ollantaytambo. There, we had a short wait before hopping on the train to Aguas Calientes, where I was met by my guide. Since I was the only one who had selected Spanish as my tour language (I’ve been booking all of my tours in Spanish, just to get more practice!) I had a tour guide all to myself! We hopped on a bus heading to the entrance of the citadel. Now, living in Switzerland and having seen my fair share of mountains, I was surprised when I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the majestic mountains towering over us. It was an absolutely amazing sight! Once at Machu Picchu we toured the grounds (circuit 2) and I learned all about the different structures, the use of the buildings, the hierarchy of the incas, etc.

Machu Picchu literally means “old peak” and was named one of the modern wonders of the world in 2007.
It took about 90-100 years to build and was built prior to the Incas.
Inca leaders lived at Machu Picchu for about 700-800 years.
The citadel was never discovered by the Spanish - that is why it is still intact.
In 1911 a professor from Yale university came to Peru, looking for the lost city of the Incas but instead found Machu Picchu. The locals knew about the site and used it for farming.
It’s situated 2400 m above sea level yet has a tropical climate.
60% of the citadel’s construction is actually underground!
The agricultural steps were built to grow potatoes and quinoa (which are both indigenous to Peru) as well as corn, yuca, avocados, and wild strawberries.
What’s so fascinating about the Incan structures, is that they are resistant to earthquakes!

After the tour we headed back to Aguas Calientes where I got to enjoy a very nice 3 course meal as part of my booked trip! (I was more than surprised… I was expecting a mediocre buffet with tons of people. Instead, I had a wonderful sit down meal!) I had enough time after lunch to grab a geocache (woop!), meander through town, and do some sketching before heading back on the train and bus to Cusco. It was a super long but very memorable day.

Sacred Valley Tour

Through my friends at Andean Top Expeditions I was able to join one of the Sacred Valley full day tours. It was a day jam packed with sites.

Textile workshop: we got to see a workshop where they wash and dye the alpaca wool. The soap used is extracted from a local plant, and the dyes come from various plants and insects.
- Green - eucalyptus
- Purple - black corn
- Red - crushed insect that lives in cactus fruit
- By adding lime to the mix, the shade of the color can be changed
Chinchero: is an old Incan city at 3800 meters above sea level. It was one of the main stopping points when travelling from Cusco to Machu Picchu and had its own agricultural steps, just like at Machu Picchu. The large space near the town was (and still is) used for various ceremonies and gatherings.
Moray: is considered an agricultural test-site, if you will. The Incas tested how to grow different seeds at this spot since it perfectly provides various microclimates.
Pisac: another Incan city at 3500 meters known for its agricultural terraces and 1800 tombs hidden away in the caves.

Cusco City Tour

Just in and around the city of Cusco there is SO much to see! From temples and masterfully built walls (perfectly parallel to the earth’s inclination, making them resistant to earthquakes) to churches (usually built on top of an indigenous site or temple), etc.

7 Lagunas

Another exciting day starting with a 4:30 am pickup. Once everyone had been collected, we headed out on the 3h journey to the little town of Pajchanta. About half way through we made a stop in a tiny little town that’s known for its bread. As in: businesses from Cusco go to this town specifically to buy bread! It was super cool seeing them bake dozens of loaves at a time. We continued on and had breakfast in Pajachanta before heading out on our hike to the 7 lagoons.

Although the hike was a gradual climb, the altitude really got me. I took my sweet time and enjoyed every moment we had on the windy mountain paths. It was extremely peaceful with absolutely stunning scenery. We even had a local dog join our group and guide us through the pastures. On our walk down it started drizzling and then full on pouring so I picked up my pace and got down as quickly as possible. Luckily, I had been smart enough to pack extra clothes, just in case. And geez was I happy I did! I quickly changed into my dry pair of pants and socks. Some of the other people from our group were still trickling in - completely soaked - while the rest of us were already changed, somewhat warmed up, and in line for lunch. Usually on this tour they include a quick jump in the local hot springs. But with the weather we were experiencing we were all happy to call it a day, hop into the bus, crank up the heat, and make the long drive back to Cusco.

Quad Tour

Another fun outing I got to take was a quad tour to Morada de los Dioses and the Piuray Lagoon. It started off with a quick intro into how to drive the quads. Once we all felt comfortable, we set off on our way. Morada de los Dioses is a large rock formation that has been turned into a statue garden by a local artist. The massive statues and carvings in the stone were impressive!

We continued on to an old water aqueduct where I spotted some flowers that look like Texas Bluebonnets :) Our final stop was at the Piuray Lagoon - a super peaceful place nestled in a little town where sheep, cows, and pigs line the dirt roads. We had time to stop, take in the views, and enjoy a nice Muña tea before heading back to Cusco.

Puno & Lake Titicaca

My final trip in Peru was to Puno and the islands on Lake Titicaca. I left on Saturday night at 9:30 pm and took the overnight bus to Puno. I wouldn’t call it a comfortable ride, but I got there safe and sound. My guide picked me up at the bus station Sunday morning at 6 am when we arrived and we headed straight to a little restaurant for breakfast. The best part of this section of the trip was learning that my guide and his wife had been to Switzerland a few years ago!

At around 8 am he dropped me off at the dock and I hopped on the boat to head to the floating Islands. This was truly a fascinating experience. Seeing these little islands with small communities (the one we visited counted 3 families/15 people total) was mind boggling. They showed us how they maintain their island with the reeds that grow on the floor of the lake, and took us on a boat tour with the kids singing and sharing their language knowledge with us. We got to visit one of the homes where the island elder shared some of his family’s story: He and his wife had 2 girls but had really been hoping for a son. After a few years they were blessed with a son. However, their son died tragically a few years ago. Naturally, they were very devastated. But as he explained it, God had a special plan for them. Because shortly after, they were blessed with triplet boys! It was fun seeing the three tykes running around acting just like the triplet boys in “Brave” lol.

After a good visit on the floating island we continued our boat journey to the island of Amantani. To my dismay the wind picked up and the waves were really rocky, causing our boat to do all kinds of crazy things. It was so bad that we had to re-route and dock on the opposite side of the island than was originally planned. I felt super sea sick and was SO happy when we finally got to land. We walked up to our accommodation - a family home on the outskirts of town. There was a little hiccup before getting there though… because I was feeling so sick I was walking super slowly (what I would have given for a swig of ice cold Coke at that moment!). The group, including the guide, was ahead of me. I made sure to keep an eye out for where they were and if they made any turns. Unfortunately, the guide wasn’t paying attention at all and the house door closed and locked me out before I got to it or anyone else noticed I was lagging behind. I yelled the guide's name a few times with no answer whatsoever. Here I was on this gorgeous island, the sun was finally shining, I was feeling a bit better from the boat ride, but was locked out with not a person in sight and no contact information to speak of. So, I figured I’d just enjoy the rays and sit for a minute. Someone was bound to stop by at some point.

20 minutes later I saw a person and asked if he knew the guide. He did, got in touch with him and 2 minutes later the door opened. The guide was baffled. He had absolutely no clue he had left me high and dry! I was pretty frustrated at first, but in the end I was just happy I was reunited with the group and got assigned a bed for the night.

On Amantani we had some time to rest before enjoying a home cooked meal, then headed on a nice walk to the outlook spots of the island. It was such a peaceful and calm place to enjoy the sunset. We headed back home for dinner followed by a little dance at the local bar.

The next day after breakfast we packed our bags and headed back down to the dock where we took the boat to the island of Taquile. We were greeted by the island’s head honcho and started the nice walk up the hill to the town square. They had a little artisanal market to check out as well as a local dance group demonstrating their tradition.

The special thing about this island is their clothes. The men and women both have very specific clothing and each item lets you know a little something about the person’s marital status.

If a girl’s skirt is pinned up in the front, it means she is single.
If a man’s hat is red and white, it means he is single.
A man’s fully red hat means he is married.
A brown hat is for kids.
A colorful hat with earflaps means the man is a leader or has had a leadership position in the past.
A colorful, hand stitched belt is only worn by married men and women.

Another super interesting fact is that the men are in charge of sewing/knitting their hats. It’s their responsibility to make their own hat and there are strict rules on what passes as an acceptable hat or not. The women, on the other hand, are in charge of making the intricate belts that are used by both men and women. However, the men only wear one of these intricate belts once they are married as it is a gift from the wife.

After the dancing at the square we headed to a small restaurant further up the hill for a grilled trout lunch. It was very tasty! While the rest of the group headed back to Puno after lunch, I had planned another overnight stay and happened to be scheduled to stay with the owners of the restaurant! Perfect :) so, after lunch they showed me to my room and let me settle in. About an hour later my host dad and I headed out to one of their plots of land to harvest potatoes. On the way there we ran into one of my host dad’s friends. Fun fact: in Taquile the men don’t shake hands when they greet each other. Instead, all men carry a satchel filled with coca leaves. When they bump into a friend, they grab some coca leaves from their own pouch and put them into their friends’ pouch. It was super interesting to see!

Anyway, once we made it down the steep path to the plot of land we first asked permission from Pacha Mama to harvest the crop, then started chewing some coca leaves to give us energy. A good few kg into our work my host mom came and joined us as well, which I was grateful for. We still had a lot of ground to cover - literally! After about 2,5h of work I tapped out and headed back to the house where I guzzled about a liter of water lol. I enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on the sunny terrace. Once they returned from the field we started cooking dinner. Of course the potatoes were part of our tasty meal - hand cut french fries! We had a nice evening together learning about the differences in our cultures. And despite the super dippy bed, I had one of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in a long time! (Probably thanks to the potato harvest lol)

The next morning I got to cook breakfast with my host mom, and visit with her and her mom. They thought it would be great if I wore their traditional clothes. So, they dressed me up and we took some pictures together. After that it was time for me to head out. I really liked my time on Taquile island. I think because it is so remote and not overrun by tourists I felt like I was really immersed in a new culture and learned so much in just those short two days. So, if any of you ever want to experience something like that, let me know. The family is eager to invite more people to stay with them :)

After another boat ride - this time without any crazy waves - I got to Puno and had a few hours to kill before hopping on the night bus back to Cusco. I spent my time wandering the streets, visiting a few different museums, and almost getting hit with a water balloon (for carnival, kids throw water balloons and foam at each other. I happened to walk by the square where all of that was going on). Then, it was time to head to the bus station and settle into my bus seat for the night. As soon as I got to Cusco I headed straight to the hostel, took a much needed shower, and climbed straight into bed to get some rest. I just don’t sleep well on buses or planes!

I spent my final two days in Cusco eating great food (ceviche galore!), packing my bags, and saying goodbye to the friends I had made. It was a super interesting leg of my trip packed with so much culture and history!! If you want to experience something different, go to Peru!

Fun facts about Peru & Ecuador

They eat Guinea Pig for special occasions… like birthdays and such. And no, I did not try it. But I did have two dishes with Alpaca meat and really enjoyed it!
To say something is cool or neat, they say “chevere” (whereas in Mexico you say “chido”)
There are over 4000 different types of potatoes grown in Peru!
Alpaca wool is so famous because of its softness and impermeable quality. It is a natural “smart wool” in that it can keep your skin cool when it is warm out, and warm when it is cold out.
I think most of you know the exclamation “aye-aye-aye” as in “ow”. Well, in Ecuador and Peru they will say “achachay” if it’s cold out, and “araray” if it’s hot out. So, instead of saying “wow, it’s super hot today!” they would say “Araray!”.

Next up, my return to Mexico - stay tuned!

Hasta pronto :)

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