Que tal?
This means, "what's happening?" in espagnol. But I don't have Spanish keyboard set up on iPad, so I can't put in that upside down question mark. My espagnol really is improving. I've had a good number of basic conversations with people, as well as a chat about the environmental damage of mining in Peru (bad news; Cdn companies involved) and el racismo, which we agreed was a bummer. Although yesterday a man was helping me figure out how to take the bus from downtown Lima to Barranco, the neighbourhood in which I'm staying, and I could understand zero words. City people faster talkers?
Lima is about 11 million people, which is insane. Many areas are not great for foreigner ladies to go, esp. after dark. But Barranco is right by the ocean, which is lovely, and apparently you can hail cabs off the street here, which was more dangerous in Bogota / Medellin.
Hotel is boutiquey although basic, breakfast included, and $50/night. Peru is not expensive!
I went to Machu Picchu! You take a three hour train ride from Cusco to Aguascalientes, a rough around the edges little town which is closest you can get to the site. Many good foods, though. I ate chicken in spicy yellow pepper sauce, which was delicious. The restaurant had both statues of Inca warriors, as well as smurfs and Ice Age ceramic figurines. Watched Big Bang Theory on hotel tv. English shows for adults are subtitled in Spanish, which works nicely for me.
Guide picked me up at hotel at 6am, and we got on bus to the site. It's seriously just a long line of tourists on the street, and bus after bus pulls up, loads up, then goes. And this isn't even the high season! My package was a one to one tour guide, which was nice. I don't mind being in places where there are tons of people around, but I think I hate toddling along slowly with 25 other people. So we went all around the site, and guide talked lots about what they speculate re site purpose, what they know of inca history, etc. that took about two hours. Then I had bought a ticket for Huayna Picchu - this is VERTICAL mountain you can climb for great views. Except I really didn't realize how VERTICAL it is.
There are steps the whole way, so guidebook calls it "not technically difficult." But it was like taking the stairs up the Empire State building-- if those stairs were tall, uneven, had switchbacks, and only a steel cable as hand railing. Sometimes I had to stop after 5 steps to catch my breath. I drank two litres of water and did not have to pee--sweated it out. But, it was pretty awesome at the top.
iconic picture of Huayna Picchu
Me, exhausted but triumphant
Lima is about 11 million people, which is insane. Many areas are not great for foreigner ladies to go, esp. after dark. But Barranco is right by the ocean, which is lovely, and apparently you can hail cabs off the street here, which was more dangerous in Bogota / Medellin.
Hotel is boutiquey although basic, breakfast included, and $50/night. Peru is not expensive!
I went to Machu Picchu! You take a three hour train ride from Cusco to Aguascalientes, a rough around the edges little town which is closest you can get to the site. Many good foods, though. I ate chicken in spicy yellow pepper sauce, which was delicious. The restaurant had both statues of Inca warriors, as well as smurfs and Ice Age ceramic figurines. Watched Big Bang Theory on hotel tv. English shows for adults are subtitled in Spanish, which works nicely for me.
Guide picked me up at hotel at 6am, and we got on bus to the site. It's seriously just a long line of tourists on the street, and bus after bus pulls up, loads up, then goes. And this isn't even the high season! My package was a one to one tour guide, which was nice. I don't mind being in places where there are tons of people around, but I think I hate toddling along slowly with 25 other people. So we went all around the site, and guide talked lots about what they speculate re site purpose, what they know of inca history, etc. that took about two hours. Then I had bought a ticket for Huayna Picchu - this is VERTICAL mountain you can climb for great views. Except I really didn't realize how VERTICAL it is.
There are steps the whole way, so guidebook calls it "not technically difficult." But it was like taking the stairs up the Empire State building-- if those stairs were tall, uneven, had switchbacks, and only a steel cable as hand railing. Sometimes I had to stop after 5 steps to catch my breath. I drank two litres of water and did not have to pee--sweated it out. But, it was pretty awesome at the top.
iconic picture of Huayna Picchu
Me, exhausted but triumphant
posted by Allison at 7:31 PM
3 Comments:
wow! just the thought of those steps makes me breathless - you"re being very adventurous. Almost time to come home eh?
Hurray for you!
I guess once you start climbing you might as well finish.
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