Cuzco, Perú

Sorry for the lack of posts..internet is not the greatest here

Overall I spent around 5 days in Cuzco, 2 before my trek and 3 after. I mostly took it easy and walked around the historic center, indulging in a relaxing 30 sole/hour long massage including hot rocks, reflexology, ect. I ate great food including lomo saltado, which is marinated steak with caramelized onions and peppers over fries with rice on the side accompanied with a Creole soup that was outstanding. Another meal consisted of mixed ceviche which was delicious and even included a mini pisco sour (the main alcoholic mixed drink of Peru) for a whopping 20 soles!

This woman was selling belts, but looked like a good camera strap, so she modified it for me!

Creole soup, Lomo Saltado, and ice cream! Delicious..

Mixe ceviche plate (not pictured is the soup before and pisco sour)

Yay for fake bills from ATM. Always keep your receipt is what I learned..

I also knew I had to try the traditional cuy (guinea pig) and so I took a day trip to a small town named Tipón where they are famous for it. They also had ruins which I attempted to visit, but since you had to buy a ticket for multiple ruins, I turned around and headed back down the hill. On my way down I came across a zoo that was more in my budget. Although I saw some amazing animals, it was really sad seeing all the animals cooped up; I just wanted to free everything! There were beautiful birds in cages barely 8 feet tall. There were cute little monkeys that were literally reaching their arms out through the fence and grabbing my fingers. I have to say though, I was able to get within a foot of pumas which was my ultimate highlight (the difference between North American and South American zoos). They were so cute and curious, just hanging out taking cat naps, occasionally coming up to me when I went down for my bag.

View from the zoo, not bad

After the zoo I got my cuy. The meat itself was delicious, but scarce amidst the many bones and insides..but what made it most difficult to eat was the smell. I cannot describe it,  but since smell is so connected with taste it almost ruined it for me. Oh well, I tried it and got an a awesome selfie, so it was worth the 35 soles for the photo and experience alone!

Another day I decided to walk up to the Jesus statue to get a nice view of the city. I guess I chose the only gray day with thunderstorms and a decent amount of rain, but it actually turned out to be one of my highlights of all of Peru. After just arriving to the top and removing my poncho (first time ever using it) I noticed this one tourist photographer had an interesting lens, turned out to be a fisheye! My favorite lens. Not only that but he was using a d90 (my previous camera) and had the same fisheye I had for it, and I also happened to have my same-branded fisheye on my gh4! We started talking and talked for a good hour straight! We talked about photography, where I have been, where he has been, my college and my studies, his photos and why he uses the lens, and more! I showed him some of my photos from my trip, he showed me some of his photos that he has been taking and we talked about composition, lighting, contrast. I was able to carry a legit conversation with him understanding everything, and best of all I was able to show him a new angle for photographing tourists at the spot where he shoots every day! How cool to not only geek out in another language, but to bring a new perspective to someone who makes their living at that spot. Nothing makes me more happy than to pass on knowledge or to give something of value that makes another's life better. I have been listening to TED talks and people seem to have the same philosophy, that true happiness is knowing that you make a difference in the world. It always has stoked me out to stoke people out, and if I can one person at a time it's a solid start. I definitely look up to my mother who is helping lead the world in making it a better place through sustaining our planet and making our lives healthier and less toxic.

Here is a photo of Victor and roughly the new angle that I showed him, including Plaza de Armas (the main plaza on the left side of the photo) AND the Jesus statue! I think it would work well on a sunny day with a nice group.

Later that day I was getting ready to head to Bolivia when my debit card got stuck in an ATM (it was my fault) on a Saturday, meaning I would have to wait another 2 days in Cuzco to retrieve the card. Well thanks to the best support team back home aka my father, he was able to cancel my card and get me money instantly through western union, so I was only delayed a day (actually could have not even been delayed but I stayed the night not knowing how on top of it he was). Thank you dad for always being there for me no questions asked and for being supportive and believing in me of everything I put my mind to.

It's been good times Peru, from relaxing at the beach to doing the hardest trek of my life to eating well to making a difference in people's lives. Off to Bolivia where I send my last 10 days before heading home. This has been an absolutely amazing adventure and has been worth every cent and I look forward to making the fullest of my last days in Bolivia.

"Buildering"

Inner city ruins

A beautiful place to come and relax on the grass and people watch

Choquequirao

I chose to do this trek for a few reasons. I have never really pushed myself like this, and after reading numerous reviews of "hardest trek of my life", I was intrigued. Another reason is that the all-famous Machu Piccu is overrun with thousands of tourists a day and I'm pretty sure is the most photographed place in the world. Although touristy activities can be fun, it seemed kind of cliche to go there just because everyone else does. I wanted adventure and peace, and that is exactly what I got with Choquequirao...mixed with pain and exhaustion.

I was originally planning to trek it with a company, but since I am solo, it was hard to plan something with a group since so few people do this. I was told that I could take the bus to a little town called Cachora (the gateway to the trek) and rent a mule and guide for however long I wanted for a whole lot cheaper.

So the morning of at 5am I wake up and am on a shuttle to Cachora by 5:45. On the way there was a landslide, so we were stopped waiting for the cleanup and the driver suggested I walk and find a taxi. I end up walking for about 20 minutes no taxi, and the van picks me back up. 2 more taxi rides later I arrive in Cachora (the van service only brought me so far).

The taxi driver and I start asking around for a mule and there are not many people around. We get to this little supply shop with a couple men and a kid inside and they start making calls for me. I sit down while waiting and Orlando (the oldest man in the shop) pours me some beer. We sit there waiting for his friend who was going to be my guide for around half hour, Orlando making sure my glass was never empty, making small talk. Sooner or later a man walks up who was going to be my guide. Now I was told I could do the whole thing in around 300 soles (just under $100) and I had rented my camping equipment the day before for a little over 100 soles, so I thought I would be fine with the 360 soles I had on me (no atms nearby). Turns out it wasn't enough for the 5 days I wanted, so I settled on 4 days (thinking that food was included). The guy leaves to get his stuff ready and comes back after another half hour or so...I am still drinking. We are about to leave when I ask if he should buy some food in advance only to realize that it was not included, so he ends up just walking away. After a moment of "wtf now?" Orlando turns to me and says "Ok vamos" (let's go). He said he would do it (without mule) carrying my backpack and including food for 80 soles a day. I graciously accepted, we ate lunch, and crammed a moto to the trailhead (saved us 2 hours of walking on a dirt road).

The first day we descended down to the river. From the river to the top is around 7,000 feet, took us around 3 hours with breaks. Along the way down there were 3 different camp sites with bathrooms and running water and locals living there, selling good, drinks, ect. We passed the first 2 and ended up at "La playa" on the river. We went to bed nice and early inside on mattresses to prepare for waking up early the next day (save time not having to take down tent, ect.)

Day 2 we wake up dark and early and are walking by 4am. It is a good idea to beat the sun, as the trail to Choquequirao is steep. And long. By around 8 or 9 we reach our breakfast spot in a little pueblo with no more than 15 houses where they grow corn and raise animals. Since Orlando knew all the locals, he had them make us a delicious breakfast of eggs, rice, and greasy French fries with caramelized onions. I could not have been more satisfied after 4-5 hours of trekking uphill. To that point we had traveled around 5 miles, but had climbed a good 6,000 feet (it's at the same if not higher elevation than the site).

After breakfast we continue on and another 2 hours or so we arrive to the site! I am literally exhausted at this point, traveling probably less than a mile an hour, still going up. First site of the ruins was pretty nostalgic. I was in the most remote location I have ever been in and there was nothing but vast canyons and mountains surrounding us. These ruins were on as steep as a hill could be, and a very large one at that. We explore the ruins uninterrupted by nobody (only saw 2 other people the whole time, plus the day workers). Walking on the steps, touching the rocks, all I could think about was who was here 500 years before doing the exact same thing, but as normal everyday life. The site was huge with ruins scattered all over the mountain on all sides. Nothing was exactly like the pyramids or Stonehenge where you couldn't imagine how it was built, but just seeing solid remnants of another civilization hundreds of years a before in such a remote and beautiful place was about as special as it gets. Apparently it is only 30% excavated as well, which means that it is larger than the infamous Machu Piccu if it were totally uncovered!

After a few hours of hiking up and downnn and up and down we head back. My goal was to make it to the second campsite down, but when we eventually got there Orlando said it was only half hour more to the river where we would be able to sleep in and on mattresses. When we arrived at La playa it was dark; we had been traveling for 15 hours and walking for 12 of them. I was literally dumbfounded that I had the ability to ascend and descend a total of around 11,000 feet in around 14 miles in one day. After sitting down for a couple minutes, trying to get up was almost impossible. But I made it! My legs, knees, feet, and arms were about as sore as could be, but I was so hyped that I just did that, that it was actually kind of hard to fall asleep! I took some ibuprofen and elevated my knee on my backpack to prepare for the next day (no meniscus is not fun).

The next day after a good 10 hours of sleep, we woke up at 7 and ate some pasta breakfast and headed up. About an hour into it my knee was hurting, so I took some more ibuprofen and wrapped my knee up nice and tight with a bandage I had. Another hour into it I was in excruciating pain and had to take another breather. Luckily we had passed the worst, steepest part but I was a little worried. Definitely pushed it to my ultimate limit the day before. Orlando offered to carry my daypack so I was lightened and just had my hiking poles. He pushed me to my limits, but also saved me carrying all the equipment. After that I was actually fine and 2 hours later we arrived at the trailhead where we started! Hiking all that we did the day before seriously conditioned me because even though it was still up the whole way, I powered through it almost easily. Since we had no service to call the moto to pick us up, we had to walk another mile or 2 to be able to call him (luckily it was flat).

The moto took us to a taxi, and I said bye and thanks to Orlando. I gave him my canvas backpack as a thank you which he was very gracious for. The taxi took me to a town where I caught a bus back to Cuzco and was back in town by nighttime.

All in all, vale la pena (it was worth it). I completed the hardest trek of my life and did it in 3 days nonetheless! I contributed to the local economy practicing responsible tourism and I was able to make Orlando's life easier giving him my pack. That thing has taken me through Central and South America twice and on the hardest trek of my life. It needed some work with some sewing and the zipper, but it lives on and I couldn't be more stoked.

I also want to note that I am proud of myself for staying hydrated the whole time (my ultimate downfall is muscle cramps and headaches which I get too often working hard). I had water tablets that took 2 hours to use and had 2-3 water bottles that I switched off with, constantly reminding myself to take sips.

And now for the photos..I hope you enjoy them and that they give you a glance at the highs of my trip. If you are still reading I hope I didn't bore you.

Passing through the landslide area on the way to Cachora

The town of Cachora and one of the few paved roads. The houses are made of mud bricks and the paint is for political elections. 

First views of the trek, not bad.

Orlando, my mule and my guide.

It's hard to capture, but the wildflowers were off the hook! Along the way I saw every color.

La playa and the angry river. Since the construction of this bridge in 2002, the river has claimed 2 lives of people falling. I got some cool slomo footy of it.

Eating "tuna" or cactus fruit along the way. Damn this is delicious

6am views of waterfalls and flowers.

Views from the pueblito, very cloudy.

This thing was huge..

First sites of the site! We explored up too and down the other side. You can imagine this whole hillside is probably covered in hidden ruins.

The final km marker!

Incan mosaics

Orlando placing a rock back where it has been the last 500 years. 

Llamas!

This one's for you Lo, here is my photo with llamas!

The priests house farther down yet another side of the hill

Orlando has been doing this trek for 25 years. This is all he took with him.

More flowers on the way back.

And some snow-capped mountain views.

Ica

After my nice and long bus ride from Máncora to Lima, I immediately got another bus, around 5 hours, to Ica.

On the road..

A different perspective of the sunset (due to me sitting on the other side of the bus, but hey it gave me a more interesting photo)

I didn't know if this graffiti was meant to be or not at first. And also when I first took the photo I didn't like the reflection from the window, but it actually carries the angles perfectly and adds some interesting contrast and context

From Ica, I took a cab to Huacachina, a little oasis tourist town surrounding a lagoon in the middle of sand dunes. I had a hostel in mind but the cab driver didn't know it, so he dropped me off and I went to asking around (it's so small, you could walk around the whole town/lagoon in 20 minutes). I came across a travel agency where I was kindly directed, but he also offered me what he had. Winery tour and sand boarding for less than $20?! Count me in!! I also was able to get my bus ticket for the next night to Cuzco (second to last seat).

Found my hostel fine, ate some fried wings which I have been craving while listening to Sublime. Not exactly Peruvian but a nice taste of home.

The next day I hung out in the morning, did some yoga on the little beach and then hit up the tours.  

The wine tour started out with a bus tour where we visited various churches and witch sites. What you see below is apparently the product of witchcraft and is the only 7-headed palm tree in the world!!

Witch park. Interesting they are portrayed as beautiful naked women!

Cool palm tree bench at the park

The winery where 90% of what's made is pisco, which is like moonshine from grapes. Their "wine" is pisco mixed with grape juice

The 3 step process from juicing them by walking, then the press which is 150 years old and still working, then filtration

Wooden threads!

Pisco pots

The way the pots are carried

Distillation over wood fire

Pisco coming out

The bar where we did the tasting

Now onto sand boarding! The tour was around 2 hours where we hit up 4 different hills and did some solid freeriding in this buggy

Heading straight down the longest hill. I unfortunately watched someone break their arm standing like this (most people lie on their bellies). Luckily I walked away with just a sore bum. 

Huacachina from above