Hey folks,
I'm back in Germany, actually since last Sunday. I had a lot of stuff to take care of.
Okay, as this is going to be my last post, thanks again for reading my blog. Probably I will be back writing to you, someday.... perhaps from another South American country (Argentina and Chile).
Cya!
Mittwoch, 10. Oktober 2007
Samstag, 6. Oktober 2007
Farewell, Peru!
Hey folks,
we know all things come to an end. And so does my journey. Nevertheless, it's not an abrupt ending but a elongated one. Yesterday, my friends had organised a wonderful barbecue for me. Unfortunately it was overshadowed by the cold wind of goodbye (probably that's why I'm wearing a hat on every picture).
Today we went to a really nice and delicious buffet which can be seen as the final act of my trip. My plane leaves in about three hours. Everything is packed and I'm ready to leave.
I will miss you Peru, your inbelievably diverse and rich culture, all the beautiful sights I've visited, the tasty food, the friendly people, the matchless variety of nature, and, of course, I will miss my friends who were the bests hosts ever, supported me whenever they could and took a major part in making this journey one of the most interesting in my life.
Thank you, Christopher, Gaby,Juan and their respective families and, last but not least, thank you dear reader wherever you may be. I hope you liked my reports and now, perhaps, have some incentive to come to this incredible country I had the chance to travel through.
Cya!
we know all things come to an end. And so does my journey. Nevertheless, it's not an abrupt ending but a elongated one. Yesterday, my friends had organised a wonderful barbecue for me. Unfortunately it was overshadowed by the cold wind of goodbye (probably that's why I'm wearing a hat on every picture).
Today we went to a really nice and delicious buffet which can be seen as the final act of my trip. My plane leaves in about three hours. Everything is packed and I'm ready to leave.
I will miss you Peru, your inbelievably diverse and rich culture, all the beautiful sights I've visited, the tasty food, the friendly people, the matchless variety of nature, and, of course, I will miss my friends who were the bests hosts ever, supported me whenever they could and took a major part in making this journey one of the most interesting in my life.
Thank you, Christopher, Gaby,Juan and their respective families and, last but not least, thank you dear reader wherever you may be. I hope you liked my reports and now, perhaps, have some incentive to come to this incredible country I had the chance to travel through.
Cya!
Donnerstag, 4. Oktober 2007
Un otro mundo
Hey folks,
Our first destination was Soraypampa, a basecamp where a lot of treeking-groups stayed for the night. And what a cold one that was! I was wearing my track-suit, my alpaka-hat, gloves and lying in a feathered sleeping bag, but still, I was freezing a few times.
On the second day, the aim was to climb the 4600m high pass of the Salkantay mountain (over 6000m). In my opinion, this was physically the hardest part of the trip. Fortunately, the rest of the trail went downhill and through the rainforest. This fact is just amazing in Peru. You would walk over snow-topped mountains and, an hour later, you find yourself amidst tropical plants and flowers. Have a look at the photos!
The one but last day began with an adventure. To cross the river adjecent to Santa Teresa we used something our guide referred to as a cable car. But, hey, don't mix this up with the ones in San Franciso! These were more or less hanging wires and we would sit in a little cage rattling over the rapid stream of the Rio Urubamba (very important river, also called sacred river by the Inkas). Nevertheless, it was fun and hell of an experience! After that, the tour continued on a dusty road until we reached a train station in the middle of nowhere to catch our connection to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Pueblo. The final destination was near!
Aguas Calientes is a very special example of a touristic city. I would call it an agglomeration of restaurants, markets, internet cafés and vendors in general. A completely commercialised city. As every tourist on its way to Machu Picchu has to come through here, you may understand why. And the prices! Everthing is twice as expensive than in Cusco. However, what expected us on the fifth day compensated everything.
By the way, no one knows what Machu Picchu was built for. There are many theories, for example, that it was a kind of ancient spa, expecially for women. I really like this one!
I can't express it in words how fascinated I was and still am by this wonder of the world. I can only recommend you to experience it yourself.
I spent one more day in Cusco (for recovery!) but my thoughts were still with Machu Picchu, the definite highlight of my journey which is coming to an end, relentlessly. Right now, I'm in Lima again (after an 18 hours bus ride) writing you for the - probably - last but one time from Peru. For tonight, my friends have organised a farewell-party. I hope I'll be able to report you on this one tomorrow before I fly back to good old Germany.
many days have passed since my last post but I'm back from an unbelievably adventurous, eventful but also exhausting trip which took me to wind-shaken mountain passes, dry plains and green rainforests. And, in the end, to Machu Picchu, the city in the mountains, the rooftop of the world, simply, a wonder of the world.
We were a group of six trekkers, Liam and Allison from Ireland, Jocelyn and Amandine from France, another Allison from the UK and me. Our guide's name was Clever (pronounced like Kleber in German or cleaver in English), a very nice and decent guy.
Our trekking tour started in a town or hamlet called Mollapata. The first day greeted us with warm weather, luckily. We would walk up some hills and through barren landscapes. Our meals were provided by two cooks, Fabian and his assistant, Sergio. The latter was just gorgeous. He was always running to meet our needs. Our large backpacks were carried by mules so we only had our daypacks with us during the day.
Our first destination was Soraypampa, a basecamp where a lot of treeking-groups stayed for the night. And what a cold one that was! I was wearing my track-suit, my alpaka-hat, gloves and lying in a feathered sleeping bag, but still, I was freezing a few times.
On the second day, the aim was to climb the 4600m high pass of the Salkantay mountain (over 6000m). In my opinion, this was physically the hardest part of the trip. Fortunately, the rest of the trail went downhill and through the rainforest. This fact is just amazing in Peru. You would walk over snow-topped mountains and, an hour later, you find yourself amidst tropical plants and flowers. Have a look at the photos!
After such an exhausting journey, you can imagine, that the next day would be a littlebit more relaxed. Nonetheless, we walked another five hours in the morning on marvellous paths through the rainforest (including breath-taking waterfalls). Then, a bus took us to the next camp, located in a town called Santa Teresa. In the evening, we visited the local hot springs and I can tell you, I felt as if newborn after a swim. I totally forgot to take photos there!
The one but last day began with an adventure. To cross the river adjecent to Santa Teresa we used something our guide referred to as a cable car. But, hey, don't mix this up with the ones in San Franciso! These were more or less hanging wires and we would sit in a little cage rattling over the rapid stream of the Rio Urubamba (very important river, also called sacred river by the Inkas). Nevertheless, it was fun and hell of an experience! After that, the tour continued on a dusty road until we reached a train station in the middle of nowhere to catch our connection to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Pueblo. The final destination was near!
Aguas Calientes is a very special example of a touristic city. I would call it an agglomeration of restaurants, markets, internet cafés and vendors in general. A completely commercialised city. As every tourist on its way to Machu Picchu has to come through here, you may understand why. And the prices! Everthing is twice as expensive than in Cusco. However, what expected us on the fifth day compensated everything.
It's 5:30 a.m. in the morning. With half closed eyes I'm making my way, rather stumbling of excitement, to the bus stop for Machu Picchu. I'm expected. Not by anyone I know but a huge queue of people. It's one of this occasions in which you know everybody's thoughts are merely directed to the same thing.
And there they come: A huge stampede of buses, every single one ready to swallow a load of frenentic tourists. I'm in the second one. Will I make it up to Machu Picchu and see the sunrise? The bus is dragging us up a zig-zag road. The sun in our back. Don't you dare reach the city in the skies before me! We made it! It's there! Another world!
This is probably a rather true account of my feelings on the morning we went to Machu Picchu.
The latter is just unbelievable amazing. Despite the masses of tourists, it's still a place of utter grandeur. I've never seen something like this before in my life!
Machu Picchu is comprised of two major parts. An agricultural and an urban sector. In the former the Inkas cultivated potatoes and breeded alpakas or llamas (they didn't only eat them but used them as a sacrifice for the gods). In the urban sector you can find the house of the Inka (of course with ensuite bathroom), a cascade of fountains, a jail and the Intihuatana ("place where the sun is tied up), the main shrine of Machu Picchu. This stone is an Inka utility to forecast the solstice.
By the way, no one knows what Machu Picchu was built for. There are many theories, for example, that it was a kind of ancient spa, expecially for women. I really like this one!
After a thorough circuit, we climbed up an adjecent mountain, Wayna Picchu. The view from the top was just amazing and I spent more than two hours there exploring and simply lying on the ground reading and enjoying every moment at this monumental place. The way down to Machu Picchu again was adventurous, too.
I can't express it in words how fascinated I was and still am by this wonder of the world. I can only recommend you to experience it yourself.
I spent one more day in Cusco (for recovery!) but my thoughts were still with Machu Picchu, the definite highlight of my journey which is coming to an end, relentlessly. Right now, I'm in Lima again (after an 18 hours bus ride) writing you for the - probably - last but one time from Peru. For tonight, my friends have organised a farewell-party. I hope I'll be able to report you on this one tomorrow before I fly back to good old Germany.
Cya!
Abonnieren
Posts (Atom)