Machu Picchu

Asleep by 830 up at 430a, out by 5 and on the train at 530a. These early morning schedules are becoming a habit. I´m always running on about a half a tank, of course big party night didn´t help. So I catch the train for Machu Pichu.
Here the first look at you get in the gate...
This ones for Reece where I get my physical therapy, his tee shirt and ya, I got pain man...

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I gotta admit they gave me an option of taking the "spanish language" tour or the "English tour" I´m embarrased to say... I took the english.. After yesterday (which was all spainish all hangover all day) my brain hurt just hearing the language. Machu Picchu blows any of the other inca sites away because the conquistidores never found it and destroyed it. Thats also why we know so little about it. Unlike other sites its 80% original. So I have tons of picures and I wont bore you with all of them. Here´s a little Machu Picchu rabbit I hope to see on the menu some day :-)


So the important thing here is that after you take the tour you have the option of climbing either Wayna Picchu, or Machu Pichu mountain. Here´s the top of Wayna Pichuand Machu Pichu Mountain.

They only let 400 people up Wayna Pichu so I opted for Machu Picchu Mountain and only saw 5 people all day. The road less traveled, always seems like a better choice. It went up a windy Inca trail...

and up some more...

Problem was I didn´t buy any water in town and the water they sell on the mountain is in 300 ml bottles for $3.33, so all I could find was 2 bottles of coca cola for hydration...


Feel free to notice the strong powerful biceps...

Finally I arrived at the top drenched in sweat. It didn´t help that that I carried all 25 pounds of ruksack (word borrowed from my english friends)on my back.

You can see how high the climb was by how small Machu Picchu looks in the lower right.

Going up was hard and it had to be at least afew thousand feet in vertical gain. But as hard as going up was, coming down was the bad news. I had the jimmy-leg the entire way and my knees are wrecked. But what a beautiful place!

Back into town, and back to Cusco. I know I´ve assimilated into the Peruvian culture when after getting off the van back from Machu Pichu my knees hurt so bad I would rather limp home then spend $1 on a taxi.

Pisco sours with Angel and Carlos and bed midnight. I spent my first night in a dorm room with three other people. That kind of sucks. Everytime somebody gets up to go to the bathroom, or tosses and turns they wake you up and vice versa im sure. Good thing I was only in there for 6 hours and it only cost 10 bucks.

Up at 6a at the airport by 7a just to get a flight delay of 4 hours due to weather. Turns out theres no radar in the airports in the interior of the country, so if the pilot cant see landing he doesn´t do it. LAN airlines cancelled 3 flights and my airline, TACA only had one flight in and out of there a day, so if they cancelled that one I wouldn´t make my connection in Lima.

But I made it and got a private room with bath for $30 back here at the good old flying dog... Tomorrow i´m on my way home and i´m sad to leave. You really need 3 weeks to do Peru right i´m convinced.Theres so much left too see, Colca canyon 10x bigger than the grand canyon, Nazca lines, arequipa, and lake titicaca (no i didn´t make that one up.)

Who´s ready to quit their job and travel South America with me? Anyone?

Tour Day, Party Night

So I think I´ve acclimated to the altitude with a little caution and without too much ado. I bought some altidue adjustment pills here at a pharmacia for $5. Between that and the coca leaves I think I´ve adjusted as well as can be expected. I don´t have any symtoms of altitude sickness, aside from shortness of breath.

Today I took a tour of the city ruins. Slightly over rated IMO. Below is a foto of the monastery we visted. Interesting to note that the conquistadors built a cathedral only 4 months in 1500 something after copnquering the inca. They built it so fast by using existing Inca block walls to support the monestary. All was good until 1950 when a major earthquake struck and the spainish parts collapsed and the incan construction didn´t. They credit the incan seismic resistant construction to trapazoidal architechure. Here´s a foto of the remnants... Ya, it was a little unremarkable, but still interesting.

You really have to use your imagination to try and get a picture of what these ruins once were. The Spainish Conquistadores either demolished everything or looted them to build their own houses. The others we visited are here...

After that we toured the incan water distrubution center called sacasaywaman (pronouced something like "sexy woman")

and a few other unremarkable incan ruins...

I´ve made friends with Carlos, Luigi and Angel who leads white water rapid tours in the high season, and sells tourist packages in the low season. He made a couple bucks booking my package to Machu Picchu. Carlos is the manager of the Flying Dog Hostel here in Cusco, and Luigi works there. I know I said I wanted Anarchy and spur of the moment decisions, but I´ve succummebd to the familiariality of security and put my trust in Angel. Hey, You have to trust somebody sometime right? As a bonus we hit a few of the local haunts including Burn, the local discoteca that´s hot this season.From left to right, Me, Luigi, Angel and Carlos at the "before-party"

So this rapidly degenerated into a "party night." Ummm, let me amplify that statement, a "BIG Party Night."

So I´m letting my "inner dancer" out, and quite rapidly I realize why I keep him hidden.
I´ve never been very good at landing airplanes, but there were lots of "Airplanes" here at Burn...

We met up with some backpackers from England and danced and drank all night. I danced with Mille.

and her friend Patience...

Angel and Carlos´planes crashed so they left, mine was still flying and looking like it might land.

Here a couple of the noteworthy exchanges:

Millie comments, "You´re really good looking for an American." I think there´s a compliment in there somewhere, but i´m still trying to find it.
"How long are you here for?" Millie asks
"8 days" I answer.
She laughs HA HA HA HA HA !!! Apparently anything less then 3 months in South American is a crime in the thriving underworld of the backpacker subculture. Those fiends.

At this point millie´s friend is dancing with this guy who is a really good dancer, but nothing is happening. So I decide to talk to the guy and see if I can get something going as it will probably improve my.. umm odds. Did I mention he was a REALLY good dancer? So I´m talking to this guy and it went something like this:
"Dude, she´s waiting for you to kiss her."
"Its no good, it wont work." he replies
"How do you know unless you try?" I insist
He replies "Hey, I´m comfortable with my sexuality"
I can hear the voice in my head "Ladies and Gentlemen we´ve just lost cabin pressure"

So at 6am they closed the discoteca kicked us out, and after my plane crashed I was walking back to the Flying Dog when I ran into Luigi. Interesting note Luigi is stright out of the jungle, in fact he was attacked by an anaconda and has the scars on his leg to prove it.

I packed up my bags and at 7a I´m waiting for an hour and a half for Angel to show up and get me on the Sacred Valley tour. No point in sleeping as I´ll never wake up if I do. Luigi crashed on the couch in the lobby and I ammused myself by waking him up every 15 minutes, alternating with "Dude are you asleep?", and "Dude, are you awake?"

So Angel never shows, too hung over to get out of bed so I head off anyway to my tour because he told me if I wasn´t up at 830 I would lose my tickets. I found the bus and got on and toured the sacred valley.

Here´s what the hike up to Pisac looked like
and from the top....
I´m thinking a little snow and chair lift and were in business!
and from the very top...


At the top, I´m either dead tired and hungover... or MAYBE I´m going for the quiet-mysterious-seriously-tortured look that women love to save... Really, it could work, ya you´re right, probably not...

The next highlight on the sacred valley tour was Ollantaytambo, which was probably the most facinating yet. 70 ton blocks of granite moved the top of a nearby mountain 7 kms away, (ya they use that weird backwards metric system here.)Here´s a shot of my third climb of the day with only 15 minute gurn naps between destinations to sustain me...

Being that this is the rainy season, I´ve been pretty lucky not to get caught in a downpour. Sometimes in rains at night, but clears in the day.Finaly in the town of Ollantaytambo we get caught in a downpour.

I get to break out my Costco rain gear, but it makes me look like the unibomber in Oakleys.

Angel and Carlos drove out to drop off my tickets and tomorrow Machu Picchu!

Were Sorry- Your friend American Airlines

Up at 3am, at the airport at 4am for a 540a flight to Cusco. This is what you get when you book a budget flight from Lima to Cusco. Trying to save a couple bucks I booked a flight from the U.S. on the internet on TACA airlines. Its no wonder it was cheap, noone wants to get up this early. I think im still jet lagged from the flight over and when the alarm went off at 3, I immediately felt beat up and the feeling hasn´t left me all day.

I did however get the following condolence message about my near death experience in Miami from American Airlines.

Dear Mr. Gates:
Our manager in Miami was concerned and asked us to follow up with you regarding your flight with us on February 17. We can understand how frustrating that trip must have been when flight 2111 unexpectedly returned to the airport.

As our personnel indicated at the time, a mechanical problem developed en route to Lima, and the flight returned to Miami so our specialists could take a look at the situation. While our personnel worked hard to minimize the inconvenience, we realize your important travel plans were disrupted. I am truly sorry.

In appreciation for your patience, we've added 3,000 Customer Service bonus miles to your AAdvantage® account.

3,000 miles? Wow, I haope they dont break the bank with that one. 3000 miles also assumes I´d ever use airline miles to fly again... Im gonna have to go with NO on that one. I do plan to write a response and Ill post when I do.

So I landed in Cusco at 8a (11,000 feet above sea level), out of breath with every 3 steps, feeling a little clammy and none too fresh. I made my way to the Plaza de Armas and NO ONE has ever heard of the Flying Dog Hostal here. Not knowing what to do, I fall back on an old friend... I mean really, is there ever a bad time for a good cigar?
I found the flying gurn Hostal and its really nice, all except my room. The hot water is a little hard to use, just a little warming machine on the wall in the shower that works best at a trickle. Kinda like being peed on, (NOT that I know what thats like!)

I bought a bag of coca leaves from a street vendor, the time honored method of acclimatizing to altitude here and began chewing them, you know, when in rome. They don´t taste too good but they make my mouth a little numb so they must be working right? I guess the Coca is some sort of vasodialator. They say the inca runners that ran from Cusco to Macchu Pichu chewed these things and ran for three days straight, without eating or sleeping. They must have had a very different coca leaf then I have because i´m not getting that at all. I guess Ill just have to keep trying ;-) I wonder if that would make me test positive in an out of competition drug test ?

Ive been know to have some problems with altitude namely when skiing Ill wake up the first night with a migraine type headache, so Im being careful no alcohol no caffeine. I guess I´m lucky, I´ve heard stories of super fit people throwing up for three days when they get here. They say how you react to altitude is all genetic, thanks Mom!

I´ve spent 3 hours of the day napping, and the rest getting the lay of the land. Cool cobblestone streets and ultra narrow cars able to navigate them. I had lunch in San Blas with George, a washed up contractor from Arizona that took 6 months off work to backpack around South America. I{ve met english australians and dutch along with English, all spending months traveling all over remote SA destinations. Up until now I thought I was well traveled.

I think the riot police from Lima must have called ahead and told their buddies I was on my way because when I got here these dudes were waiting for me.

Im off this afternoon for a tour of the ancient incan cities around cusco, then tomorrow the Sacred valley and Macchu Piccu. They had this 4 day mountain bike tour to macchu piccu that I missed because I didnt plan ahead enough. Im really bummed to miss that one... Setting up tours is a little dodgy (a word Ive adopted from my English friends) because you never know who to trust. I{ve heard horror stories where the guide gets you 4 days up the inca trail and leaves you there with no train ride home even after you paid for it. So Ill just wing it and see what happens

My "special purpose" in life...

I think I´ve found my "special pupose" in life, (think Steve Martin in the Jerk,) it is... world travel. OK, so thats not a great revelation. My only problem is this crazy thing called "work" and its by product "money" keep getting in my way.

In case you were wondering, there is no good beer in Lima. The best I´ve found is a dark beer called Cusquena. its a 5.6 more like a stout, and tastes very much like Negra Modelo. Maybe my special purpose is to bring craft brewing to South America. I´ll have to explore this more, travel various countries down here and write a business plan. I think it could work, it´d sure be fun trying!

Lima is HOT, tempature wise. Today is 80´s and sunny. Yesterday had to be 90´s and cloudy. Hydration is key, and the local supermarcado sells 2.5 liter bottles of the local brand of water (made by the Coca Cola bottling company)for about 30 cents, that unless you want Evain and its 3 bucks...

My roomate took off for Bolivia this morning, waking me at 630a after we stayed
up till 130a sampling the future competition, beer that is...Time got away from us swapping stories of bike crashes and pros that got caught doping in the peloton. He´s off to establish residency in Bolivia and find a job working in a bike shop and riding his mountain bike through the local trails. I have a funny feeling that is my next destination ,-) (thats the best smiley face I can figure out how to make on this funky keyboard...)

Keeping with my tradition of sampling the local dishes, I had Cuy today (fried ginea pig.) They say it tastes like.... sweet pork. HA! you thought I was going to say chicken! I say it tastes like um, nothing I´ve really had before. Kind of stringy, a little chewy and not much meat on those little bones. I kept thinking to myself "didn´t I have a pet one of these as a kid?" I also couldn´t help feeling grateful for the low dose of antibiotics I started before leaving, just in case I get a little too adveturous and sick... Not a great one but here´s a pic. you can just make out the little rat like head...

The Hostels are pretty informal and its nice being with like-minded 20somethings carrying backpacks, you know, such as me (insert smiley face here.) Saving a little cash isn´t bad either. Here´s a picture of the Flying Dog...
Heres a picture from the lounge at night...


I´ve already booked a private room in Cusco at the Flying GurnDog there too. So much for being a stranger in a strange land with no plans. Each time I land I feel so foreign I want to just present myself and say, "take me to your leader..."

Due to my short stay here in Lima I´m taking the touristy tour bus today to see the city...The bus leaves from John F Kennedy park. They have a statue in his honor right accross the park (named after him)pics here.
and from the bus trip... churches old buildings bla, bla bla...
Oh and of course the same old obligatory million year old cathedral and ancient catacombs you see in every city...
They estimate that 25,000 people are buried under this church, here´s whats left of a few hundred of them...

I was thinking of raising a little hell, you know jumping in on some protests, throwing rocks and clashing with the police, you know the usual. Then I saw this...(notice the water cannons on top)

I was still considering it when this rolled up...

Ohh no..set back! Sort of... I found the local fumadora with my favorite Cuban Cigar.. Partagas series D no. 4. yummy but dangerous considering their about 30% less than Tijuana...

Lots of local "talent" here. Let´s just say Lima is a "feature rich" environmet.

I´m off to Cusco in the morning bright and early 540a I´ll write from there...

Hudson in Miami

I arrived in Lima this morning, but not without a litle drama. This "free" airline ticket with American comes with some strings attached, namely an airport stopover tour of the continental united states. San Diego to Dallas, Dallas to Miami, and Miami to Lima, with just enough of stop over in each city to be annoying. I made friends with the Jimmy-leg at my drinkover, uh I mean stopover in Dallas, after 2 rounds he insisted on this ...

The drama came just as we were leaving Miami heading out over the ocean when the pilot got on the loudspeaker and anounced that we were heading back to the airport...As he´s translating that in spanish we can hear the alarms shrieking in background as we begin a RAPID descent back to Miami. As we´re landing there must have been 20 fire trucks lining the side of the runway all with their red lights flashing. Most of us were looking for the Hudson river at that point...Turns out some crazy vibration caused the "stall alarm" to falsely register. After switching airplanes we got to Lima 3 hours late.

I struck up a conversation with the guy in seat next to me, Ed,turns out he´s headed for Bolivia to ride a mountain bike for 6 months. We´re rooming at the Hostal together. This is what $35 a night buys you in Lima at the Flying Dog Hostal
At least we have our own kitch and bathroom

I´m staying in the miraflores section of Lima and its very spanish here and I like it alot! Reminds me of Spain, maybe say in the 80´s...

I´m pretty beat up today, so its kind of been a "getting acclimated" day. Its all about the fish here in Lima and I had a great ceviche mixto for lunch. Things are generally cheap here in Lima even for a big city, but like anything else add up quickly.

I washed my REI camping clothes out in the sink, I wont do that again. What a pain. On top of that, I left my xani´s in the super secret pocket and accidentally washed them too. Turns out theres a lavanderia next to the hostal that will wash clothes for a buck or two. Speaking of Bucks what would any sacred destination of all that is holy be without one of these...

Tonight its happy hour at the hostel and tomorrow I´ll venture out and see the sites before flying to Cusco friday morning. Turns out there a Carnivale celebration there and getting a bus is next to impossible. Im glad i´m flying...

PPP or Pre Planning Peru

PPP Paul's Pre-Planning Peru, or Paul's Peru-PrePlanning (you pick your poison) has been markedly affected by the GED or "Global Economic Downturn." Followed closely by the "Global Economic Downturn" is the "Paul Economic Downturn" which, quite frankly, concerns me far more.

Bringing you up to speed, I've had a trip to Peru planned for the last 6 months, the result of expiring air miles and an insatiable thirst for global travel.

OK, back to Peru. I've wanted to see Machu Pichu, the city in the clouds for years and to explore South America in general. So I decided to go on a shoestring budget. I am shedding my elitist attitude and getting back to basics for this one. South America, backpacker style. Hostels, washing my REI camping clothes in the sink, and one backpack. Just the streamlined bare essentials. Can I do it? We shall see, oh ye of little faith.

So my itinerary looks like this..

Lima Feb 18-19
Cusco Feb 20-22
Machu Pichu Feb 22-24
Lima back to the states Feb 25th

You're all invited to follow along, especially if you'll be reading my entries while wasting your employers time...