Lake Titicaca day 2

We woke up at 430 am to hike to the top of the mountain and watch sunrise.  Not sure what the elevation is here, but since this lake is one of the highest in the world and its way higher than Cusco,  a hike of this magnitude left me huffing and puffing like an asthmatic.  Our guide was the nine year old boy who´s family we stayed with. 

Moon going down during our hike.

Daan, with Oliver, our nine year old guide.  The families make all of these hats and hand woven coats, scarves, etc.  I bought one as it seems like a good way to support the families.

The much deserved sunrise. 

Me with my two school friends, Katherine and Daan.

Cool church on the way back down.

A full group shot of the family that we stayed with.

A view of Taquile, another island we visited.

When we arrived back in Puno, we had about 4 hours to kill before catching our bus.  We hung out in some of the local bars and restaurants.  Including this karaoke bar.  learned a small lesson here - La Bomba, is a very different song from La Bamba.  When all else fails and you can´t sing along with the Spanish song that you don´t know - dance with the locals.

Puno and Lake Titicaca Day 1

  Just got back form spending the weekend in Lake Titicaca which was a blast.  I went down with two new friends, Kate from England and Daan from Holland (insert Joran Van Der Sloot jokes or concerns here.)  Took a nightbus down from Cusco on friday night to get into Puno on Saturday morning at five am, at which point we slept on the floor of the bus staion until our guide finally found us an hour and a half later.  Nothing like South American organization!  We then spent the night in a homestay with a local family on an island in the lake.  Bellow - the story in pictures.

The port in Puno.  Pretty interesting city.

Another shot of the Port.

Some buildings on the floating islands.

 

 

 

Me and Kate inside some of the homes on one of the islands

 

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Indigenous women tying up a boat.

Me with two of the local family members that we stayed with.

Some storm clouds at susnet.

In the evening, our families dressed us up in their traditional outfits and we went to a local dance.  Yes I am really that much taller than that woman, and no I havent gained 100 pounds in Peru - I am wearing like 10 layers of clothing because it was COLD!  And those traditional outfits don´t really do much for ones figure.

Little girl we stayed with wearing the Dutchman´s sunglasses.  I guess they Like our clothes as much as we like theirs.

The completed look.......muy caliente!

Day two later!!

Hola from Cusco

Me after hiking to San Cristobal

LLama lady.  She seemed nice, but banged me out for two Soles for this photo.

Some cool stuff on the hike.

One of the ruins right outside Cusco.  Not sure of the name.

Great Overview of Cusco.  Looks like I have a lens smear on there.

Me with Diana, nice new German friend.  Taking a break after our hike.

Statue of San Cristobal.  Clearly Jesus likes Peru.

  Classes are going well.  Five hours a day is a lot but I am enjoying it all so far, although I do feel a little like my head is going to explode by the end of the day.  Did a cool hike yesterday morning, the altitude is still making it difficult to get any serious hiking done though. You get winded from walking one block.  Cusco is a cool city.  There is a lot to do here.   I am either always really hot or really cold, the weather here is difficult to tolerate.  Still, all is good and here are some more pics!

Cusco and Some pics.

So I have settled in pretty comfortably here in Peru.  Aside from the no indoor heating which can be a real drag when you also occasionally do not have hot water.  So far sleeping under 4 wool blankets and wearing thermals to bed.  Anyway I have some pics.

This Fun guy was from the Museo El Larco in Lima.  Many of the pre - columbian Peruvian cultures depicted a lot of erotica, in this case venerial disease, in their art work.

Another interesting character from pre - columbian art.

 

The San Pedro market in Cusco.  As an American most of this food would probably kill you.  Still, a neat place. 

Saw this little girl in Cusco. That is a lamb with her, for all you Brooklyn hicks out there.

Yes you have to look at this sideways.  Having trouble figuring out the programs here.  Anyway there are dogs all over the place in Peru.

That´s an Alpaca sandwich.  Pretty good.  I also recommend Chico Morado - its corn juice, from purple corn.  I have come a long way from the days hwre I only ate Pizza and dry chicken cutlets.

That´s all for now, have my first Spanish classes in an hour, Hasta Luego.

Musings on Lima

  Before embarking  to Lima,  I was filled  with horror stories about how dangerous it is and how I was certain to meet with an untimely demise there.  My experience was the polar opposite.    A good tip for going anywhere - try and hook up with the locals.

  My first night in Lima I stayed in a hostel.  I arrived late ready to hit the sack, and frose my butt off.  Places in Peru do not have inside heat, even though they are often cold at night.  I slept in my thermals and shivered the night away.  In the morning I checked out a museum, ate some ridiculously awesome peruvian food (Peruvian Pesto, made with spinach and basil, words can´t describe).  But it really got interesting when I met up with Roberto, a friend of a friend where I would spend my second night.

   Hooking up with locals in crucial.  I think if this hadn´t happened I would have sat around reading young adult fiction alone in my jamies like a big loser.  Instead I went out to a cool rave like street party in Lima.  "The Kindness of strangers" - the people I met were some of the warmest and friendliest I have ever encountered..  When out in Lima, everyone shares everything, drinks and cigarettes are passed around between friends and aquaintances.  Friends of friends give you a hug and and kiss hello.  And people dance, and drink mucho Pisco.  The Dj´s play mixes of music from all over the world, reggae, rock rap, salsa latin, I even heard some MJ and the Cure thrown in there. And the realization hits, people everywhere are just people.

  I awoke with an uncertain tummy, but the promise from Roberto that we would try some legit Peruvian Ceviche before I caught my departing  flight.   It was pretty tasty.  I will say that raw fish on a hungover, new country stomach is probably an iffy decision, but I went for it, even indulging in "Leche de Tigre", the fluids that the raw fish in the Ceviche is soaked in.    This is meant to be a hangover cure.  I was uncertain that I would keep it down at first, but it all worked out.
 
  A few hours later I am sitting here in Cusco, suffering from some Seroche - altitude sickness.  Hard feeling to describe.  Its like haven taken a huge bong hit, but at the same time having a bad headache and feeling short of breathe.  Cocoa leave tea is on the menu for me.

  Anyway, missing home, enjoying the experience, staying safe and trying not to believe the hype.  Hope everyone is well.