Peru, the Cordillera Blanca and Vallunaraju

I ran out of words to describe the beauty sorrounding me. I have been traveling for almost 5 months in South America and every place keeps adding to the magic that surrounds this unique part of the world. And the Cordillera Blanca is no less.

9°32′S, 77°32′W , hugging the Cordillera Blanca at 3052m lies the town of Huaraz. A heaven for outdoor activities where you can mountain climb, trek, rock climb. The only problem is that there isn`t much air available so everything seems 10 times harder, yet still worth it.

In Huaraz my first visit was laguna 69. It takes 6 hrs from Huaraz, 3 of which are an uphill trek, but once you get to the laguna, you forget your sore feet. The magic surrounding this place is truly amazing, breathtaking not just due to the beauty but also the trek and thin air.

With the intention of doing the Santa Cruz trek with Kim, I decided that my next activity will be a mountain climb. So I went to Andean Kingdon, where Andreas told me he had a group with 2 mexican chicks climbing mount Vallunaraju today. So we organised eveything and before i knew it I was off.

Base camp prooved to be a hard 2 hrs almost 90 degree rock climb. Getting ther I left my backpack and headed to look for Michel, our guide, and the 2 mexican chicks. A couple of glaciers later, the sun has set and ther is no sign of the base camp or my team. I imagine what it would be like to sleep at 4000m, no sleeping bag or camp and start to panic. My whistling skills save my ass and not long after I find Michel in front of me. I hugged him like a baby...hehehe After dinner, a couple of cigarrettes to chill out, I manage to appreciate the starry night and sleep not for long since at 1 in the morning we had to start walking to the summit at a staggering 5686m. Half way, Ana, one of the girls gives up. Michel suggests we all head slowly down but I couldn`t just go back. No way. So I take all responsabilities and head to the summit ...alone. A couple of hours later I had made it. After a couple of minutes to regain my breath, seriously no air at all I am not kidding, I realised I had made it ... Malta 1 - Mexico 0 hehehe..for better pics of Vallunaraju check out http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150639/vallunaraju.html

Back in Huaraz, a day to chill and catch up with Kim, and a day later we were off ice-climbing the glacier Pastourouri. Hard work, much harder than it looks but good fun. Now keen on starting rock climbing, at sea level though.

And once again I say my goodbyes and head North. Trujillo and it`s beach Huanchaco, famous for the reed fishing boats which are said to have been the first surfer dudes to catch waves with their catch back to shore. And below is one of my favourite pics so far...

Next was Cajamarca in the Northern highlands which is a charming town resembling Cusco but smaller and Israeli free..hehehe ( those travelling will understand)

And here I am writing this in Cajamarca after a pleasant bath at the Inca baths where Atahualpa himself is said to have been camped before his fateful encounter with Pizarro.

Next spot is Mancara, a surfing beach where I`ll work on my poor surfing skills and chill after all this stress called travelling...hehehe

Machu Picchu

Peru, the land of Pisco, the Cordillera Blanca, Amazon but mostly the Inca and the city of the great Inca empire, Machu Picchu.

First stop for me after Lake Titikaka was Cusco, a 12 hours bus ride away. Cusco turned out to be a revelation for me. I didn`t expect anything of it. And that I figured is the best approach to a new place. Yet here it was with cobble-stoned colonial streets, it`s gorgeous Plaza del Armas, museums and churches. Even more fun are the countless travel agancies, bars, restaurants and clubs in this fairlysmall town. Hence walking down the streets of Cusco you are guaranteed to be stalked by a multitude of vendors.

This one time I had just wokeup and as usual we headed to get some breakfast with Liv and Jess, an Australian couple I met on the bus. We were harassed by various guys but this one guy cracked me up. We had just woke up. Not looking good after a night out. It`s like 9 in the morning, Cusco is crowded with people. So this one guy goes up to me and offers breakfast. A couple of seconds later, after having declined his offer he goes on ...sniff sniff...hehehe. Seriously I do look dodgy and am approachd often, but at 9 in the morning after his first offer was eggs and bacon...come on.. i think he deserved a medal for that...hehehe.

First night turned out to be an unplanned really late , really wild night. Couple of days recovering and discovering Cusco and the sacret valley. We visited several Inca ruins with Sacsayhuaman stealing the spotlight. Just 2 km away from Cusco, the 20% left of the ruin isquite amazing with stones weighing over 300tons and it`s zig zag structure it is quite magnificent. A bonus was a baby condor we saw on our second visit.Then came the day for our Machu Picchu adventure.

Being abaondoned by the Australian couple at the last minute, and having abandoned the Inca trail due to it`s popularity and price( around $400 ), I headed alone to Agua Calientes. The cheapest way to get to MP turned out to be a 2 day trek through the sacret valley, the small villages of Santa Maria and Santa Teresa. On the first day I visited the Inca ruins of Pisac, stopped in Urubamba and then the ruins of Ollantaytambo from where I got a night bus to Santa Maria where I ended sleeping on the corridor due to overbooking..not very good. But finally I got to Santa Teresa , had breakfast and headed to the natural springs in the village. And what a relief. Looking more like a spa, yet all natural hot water, alone for a good 2 hours and having payed 50c for the entrance, this was the best way to unwind from my ordeal so far. Unfortunately I had to leave the springs to get a last 1hr combi to Hydroelectrica from where I then trekked 3 hrs tofinally get to Aqua Calientes, the gateway to MP.

The Inca empire started round about the 12th century but only towards the 15th century did the 9th Inca Pachacutec give the empire it`s first bloody taste of conquest. The height of this mighty empire only lasted round 100 years ended by the the civil war between the 2 sons ofthe 12th Inca and accelerated by the Spanish conquest who found this war handy in conquering the Incas.

An early night to get in a good rest to enjoy the next day at MP. By 6am I was at Machu Picchu. Honestly I was a bit let down by all the hype that surrounds the Inca civilisation and the ruins we can visited so far, keeping in mind that at the same time Michaelangelo had finished painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, nontheless all these thought faded away at the sight of the lost city of the Inca, Machu Picchu. Situated atop of a summit guarded by the cumbre of Huayna Picchu, the mystery surrounding this magical place is truly captivating.

At Machu Picchu I met Kim, a sweet Swiss/ Dutch 26 yr old girl with whom I spent the whole day going round the ruins. We also trekked Huayan Picchu rewarded by magnificent views from the summit. Another eary night because the next day for me meant 8 hours of trekking back to km 82 on the rail tracks to get a bus back to Cusco. It`s not the 30km walk but the fact that it was on the tracks making it 10 times harder.

I got to km 82, the beginning of the Inca trail at noon, thus walking 6 hrs yet on the way i crossed the Inca trail a couple of times and rewarded by some lovely sights.Needless to say when i got back to Cusco i was exhausted and slept a good 13hrs at the charming Hostal Torcasa. But once again I had survived, so it`s all good.

From Cusco I headed to Lima where I only slept a night in Miraflores at a lovely place called Casa del Machilleros. Lima is another big city and I felt lost and confused after having been in Bolivia and Cusco before. So I headed straight to Huaraz, the gateway to the Cordillera Blanca.

Asta Luego mi Amor ...

Just 3 1/2 hrs away from La Paz lies the small enchanting town of Copacabana. The trip even though short is quite spectacular on itself. Beautiful snow capped mountains, roads at the cliffedge and the first sights of Lake Titikaka.

The cathedral dominates this town which is in turn built around this cathedral. When i got to Copa it happened to be the start of a festival celbrating some a catholic feast in a very folkloric way. In the first day I was all excited snapping away, but they went on for 3 whole days and 3 whole night with activities, mainly dancing down the main street and round the square in bright fancy costumes and getting drunk in the process. So You would start the day seeing everyone composed and all dressed up but by the end of the day people would be crawling back to their bed, quite funny given the nature of the Bolivains ..also it is the most flesh I saw in Bolivia and there were also a couple of good looking Bolivian girls I must admit!!

On one day before I headed to Lake Titikaka I walked up the Calvario, a good 300 metres higher than the town of Copacabana, and believe me it is much more hard work at 3800m above sea level. Amazing scenery once at the top, also rewarded by a nice glass of bolivian red wine which a couple i had met were nice enough to offer.

A couple more pictures of Isla del Sol. This is how I started the story of my visit in Bolivia and this is where it ends. ¡Ohala que puedes despfutar, suerte y asta luego!

La Pa La Pa La Pa La Pazzzzz....

That is what you hear trying to catch a bus to La Paz from say Copa Copa Copacabana. I do have to explain. Here in this part of the world you can buy everything on the street. From the most obvious things to the unthinkable from dried llama fetuses, ingredients for witches potions to medicine claiming to solve your bladder problems.

And those selling make it a point to shake off their competition by constantly and as loud as possible shouting out what they are selling, at times explaining what their product does even if it helps urinataion problems. And with this keep in mind that La paz is a market place, with markets everywhere and all the time.

Getting around this city built in a valley at 3600m is done using small and at times not so small vans called combis. Besides the driver each single bloody combi has a guy who`s solo job is to shout out the location and price of his destination . And they sing out names of their destinations adding to the chaos of vendors.

So in all I spent a bit over a week in La Paz. A market city, whose setting, shoeshine boys, thin polluted air and people themselves makes this city truly unique.

I happened to be here for the 1st of May celebrations where in plaza Murillo a couple of blocks away from my hostel, the Evo Morales, the Bolivian socialist president, gave his speach amongst the parades by the faithful followers dressed in thier traditional costumes, a perfect opportunity to people watch and photograph.

An hour south from the city is Valle Della Luna, a valley with weird rock formations and splendid views, whick makes a perfect escape from the bustling city life.

Also worth talking about was the El Alto market. If you think you saw it all head over for the market held on Thurdays and Sundays where people from all over the city to seel or buy all sorts of things from food and clothes to spare parts and live stock amongst fortune tellers ......and The view from El Alto alone is worth the trip. Illamani with it`s 3 snow capped peaks steals the spotlight.

And for those up for a wild night head off to Vivienne`s, a dodgy illegal bar whom I got to know of way after I had already left La Paz so u can let me know how it goes ...if you make it out !!!