Yesterday, saw Slumdog Millionaire in theaters. Happiness rating: 10
Today I had class from 11 - 1. Happiness rating: 8 (it's still class)
Currently at 4pm happiness rating: 0. Welcome to the story of themost frustrating experiences I have had at PUCP...
Long story short I ended up signing up for a class that I didn't want and did not sign up for the class I was supposed to. I realized the mistake. No problem, I got this. I e-mailed our international liaison to find out the needed steps to correct this error.
Reply: Talk to Javier Oshira in Estudios Generales Letras.
Ok, well she could have sent a complete sentence but at least I have a name and a place to go.
Now, the PUCP campus is not large, but there are quite a few buildings and I am not yet familiar with them all. I ventured to the campus map to find this mysterious Estudios Generales Letras. No such building. Closest thing: Estudios Generales Ciencias. Hell, I'll give it a go.
Building is closed until 2. Whatever, I'm patient so an hour isn't that bad. 2pm rolls around and I'm told that I am in fact in the wrong building. Joy. So I walk to the other side of campus (generally where I just came from) to learn that Javier won't be in until 3pm. What's another 40 minutes when this is the guy who can actually help me, right? Ha, wrong. I was sent on such a wild goose chase after this that I'll just skip to the good part. I arrived in the office of Claudia, the woman I contacted by e-mail in the first place. My sign-up sheet was sitting in front of her and all she did -- oh you'll like this -- was cross out the class I didn't want and write down which one I did.
After several experiences similar to this one on campus, I'm starting to think people get their kicks from sending the exchange students to the wrong destination. Ha, good one. You got me.
To top it all off, the crazy micro I took home stopped about 5 blocks after I wanted to get off. On the walk home, the wonderful catcalls of Peru! Normally, I can handle the whistles and the commonly heard comments such as "hola, blanca" (which can only be translated to "Hey, white chick") but today...wish I brought my ninja stars with me.
For all of you who work with the UW student center and Learn@UW, cherish it. Appreciate it every day. I never thought I'd say this but that Oracle system (yeah Merc employees, ORACLE) may be the most brilliant system yet.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I collect centimos, yeah those are like .0032 dollars in the US
Some more pictures for your viewing pleasure:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2530695&id=8650529&l=90e6be7a58
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2530724&id=8650529&l=265a74ad04
So first week of classes have been a bbbbear. Classes shall be a treat for the next 4 months considering I only have two literature classes and one history class (only one of which we originally wanted). I foresee many late nights writing papers (in Spanish) and reading copious amounts of articles (in Spanish). Let the fun begin.
The following part is dedicated to the lovely Jenni Li and my father who both enjoy cooking and are really good at it. So what do we eat here.....well, lots of rice and chicken. For breakfast it's bread and coffee which is totally fine by me because I love bread. Still, I don't believe I have consumed so many carbs in my life. I really haven't found anything I dislike yet. Oh wait...yeah I have. At school I picked out what looked like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one of the cafeterias. Funny story, it was NOT a PB&J. What appeared to be jelly was actually purple olives and what appeared to be peanut butter was actually cheese and butter....and shredded chicken...and dear lord I'm not sure what else. Needless to say, most disgusting sandwich ever.
Even when it is super hot and humid we eat soup. La senora says it's supposed to raise your spirits, I just think it raises my temperature...to slightly cooler than boiling. Yup, still as humid as can be. The best soups so far have been spinach soup and a couple nights ago we had soup with rice, beans, chicken and on the side the best of all things: Aji. Basically, it is a spicy salsa and it just about made my night. We've found that it is quite hard to find anything spicy around here and I would be content if they could serve it with every meal. Weirdest thing so far was what I can only describe as cornmeal with spaghetti sauce on it followed by fruit with some weird kind of honey in a dark sauce. No, I have not tried the cuy (guinea pig) yet because it's sort of considered a delicacy but I have tried alpaca which isn't bad. I wish I could take pictures of all the food because each night is something different and I can't for the life of me remember all the names of the dishes. Perhaps I'll need to write them down after we're done eating and I'll try to sneak a picture when the fam isn't looking.
Tonight we shall proceed to Miraflores where there is a Thai festival and then tomorrow after class we're heading to the beach. Rough life, I know. Then at night, Bierhaus in Miraflores with some other extranjeros. OH, and Reto (Swiss guy I met in Cuzco) is now in Lima after traveling to various other parts of Peru so we're going to meet up in Lima central for lunch. He just speaks Spanish, English, and Swiss German. Not like I find that extremely attractive or anything...
And so my weekend starts....
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2530695&id=8650529&l=90e6be7a58
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2530724&id=8650529&l=265a74ad04
So first week of classes have been a bbbbear. Classes shall be a treat for the next 4 months considering I only have two literature classes and one history class (only one of which we originally wanted). I foresee many late nights writing papers (in Spanish) and reading copious amounts of articles (in Spanish). Let the fun begin.
The following part is dedicated to the lovely Jenni Li and my father who both enjoy cooking and are really good at it. So what do we eat here.....well, lots of rice and chicken. For breakfast it's bread and coffee which is totally fine by me because I love bread. Still, I don't believe I have consumed so many carbs in my life. I really haven't found anything I dislike yet. Oh wait...yeah I have. At school I picked out what looked like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one of the cafeterias. Funny story, it was NOT a PB&J. What appeared to be jelly was actually purple olives and what appeared to be peanut butter was actually cheese and butter....and shredded chicken...and dear lord I'm not sure what else. Needless to say, most disgusting sandwich ever.
Even when it is super hot and humid we eat soup. La senora says it's supposed to raise your spirits, I just think it raises my temperature...to slightly cooler than boiling. Yup, still as humid as can be. The best soups so far have been spinach soup and a couple nights ago we had soup with rice, beans, chicken and on the side the best of all things: Aji. Basically, it is a spicy salsa and it just about made my night. We've found that it is quite hard to find anything spicy around here and I would be content if they could serve it with every meal. Weirdest thing so far was what I can only describe as cornmeal with spaghetti sauce on it followed by fruit with some weird kind of honey in a dark sauce. No, I have not tried the cuy (guinea pig) yet because it's sort of considered a delicacy but I have tried alpaca which isn't bad. I wish I could take pictures of all the food because each night is something different and I can't for the life of me remember all the names of the dishes. Perhaps I'll need to write them down after we're done eating and I'll try to sneak a picture when the fam isn't looking.
Tonight we shall proceed to Miraflores where there is a Thai festival and then tomorrow after class we're heading to the beach. Rough life, I know. Then at night, Bierhaus in Miraflores with some other extranjeros. OH, and Reto (Swiss guy I met in Cuzco) is now in Lima after traveling to various other parts of Peru so we're going to meet up in Lima central for lunch. He just speaks Spanish, English, and Swiss German. Not like I find that extremely attractive or anything...
And so my weekend starts....
Monday, March 16, 2009
Start of school in Peru
Hola todos!
I imagine most of you are enjoying your spring break in various parts of the world. I decided to save some money and stay at home in Lima. We don't travel a whole lot yet. I mean...ok, unless you count wandering around La Punta, Jesus Maria, Barranco, Larcomar, Miraflores, and various other provinces in Lima as traveling then, yes, we travel a bit. Not to mention the trips we are planning throughout the semester. No class on Fridays means long weekends to see Sudamerica!
Basically, I am having a great time here and I'm incredibly lucky because my family is about as helpful and fun as a host family can be. My host mom, much like my real mom, is very direct and open about everything. Our dinners last from 1.5 to 2 hours at night mainly because she loves to talk to us about anything and everything. One night, I told Laura we should try to find boyfriends here. La senora commented that we really shouldn't get boyfriends, rather "un hombre carinoso." Ya know, just a nice boy to have fun with. There are other bits of advice that she loves to impart on us which are quite crude and totally my style. I do believe each night "that's what she said jokes" could be applied in excess. LOVE dinner!
If I had to complain about anything in this town it would be the noise. When i get back to the states I'm not sure how I'll be able to fall asleep without the sound of sirens going, cars honking, saws grinding, birds squawking, and various other noises I can't even describe. Perhaps I'll create myself a cd while I'm here as a keepsake. Besides the noise, I am lucky enough to have a room in the middle of our flat with a window open to a common room. This common room is missing a part of the ceiling. I couldn't tell you why such a
hole exists but it's great for tanning my face while I sleep -- we call this multitasking. So all kinds of friends come in through this gaping hole....like birds. So, one day I was just chillin with my roomies and the bird who makes a ridiculous amount of noise in the morning flew in and perched himself on my window. Don't worry, I remained calm.And I do believe they say you eat about 13 spiders/insects in your sleep per year. Ok, well in South America I'd like to make that 13 per week. Yeah, I sleep with little ants and I'm sure other things I don't want to know about. Yeah, cockroaches roam the sidewalks. NOT A BIG DEAL.
Today is, in fact, the first day of school which means that the rating on my happiness scale goes down about 10 points. We had orientation last week in which we attended a presentation title "Surviving in Lima." I'd like to make a quick suggestion that they change that title because it didn't really sum up the meeting as well as "Watch out, you gonna die in Lima" or "Bienvenidos a Lima, hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones we can say goodbye to in the end:):)" Yeah, those smiley faces really add something. Nothing like scaring someone shitless to help them understand a concept. And so, feeling just like I did freshman year of college, I shall embark on my first day of school. Wish me luck!
Just a random Penguin at orientation....
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Picture link and family details
Ok, I don't have the energy yet to go through all the pics and see if i should delete some or fix some or rotate them but you can skim through them if you like. Hopefully sometime this weekend I'll get around to commenting about them so you'll have to come back next week to get the full story.
Furthermore, this is where I live.
Elias Familia
CO: Ashley Schmuhl
Jr Caracas 2625
Jesus Maria, Lima 11
Peru
our phone: 262-3630
family's phone: 463-6402
Oh, and some of you have been wondering about the currency. $1 = 3.22 nuevos soles and everything is really cheap here.
Furthermore, this is where I live.
Elias Familia
CO: Ashley Schmuhl
Jr Caracas 2625
Jesus Maria, Lima 11
Peru
our phone: 262-3630
family's phone: 463-6402
Oh, and some of you have been wondering about the currency. $1 = 3.22 nuevos soles and everything is really cheap here.
9 de Marzo - MACHU PICCHU
I am not what you call a morning person. Normally, I am not a "happy camper" when i have to wake up before the sun comes up (*note, it is completely acceptable to stay up UNTIL sunrise if participating in extracurricular activities). However, there are a few times in my life where I'll break tradition and drag myself out of my warm bed. One such day, March 9th. I jumped out of bed at 3:45 am after very little sleep. By 4:30 we were on our way to the steps up to Machu Picchu. So, in the dark we climbed and climbed for about an hour and a half to the top of the Machu Picchu ruins. Hard work, but so worth it. We entered the gate and headed to the opposite end to obtain tickets for Waynupichu, which only 400 people are allowed to climb per day. Hopefully I'll get my pictures up soon so you can see them as you read this but I'm sure you've seen the classic Machu Picchu pictures with a big mountain in the background? Yeah, Waynupichu. Big mountain, many more stairs. We got our ticket, sweet. So then commenced the tour of the Incan ruins. I can't explain what if feels like to be up there. I wish I would take video because it is the most magical place on earth. To try and imagine what it was like in the 15th century with people living and working is difficult, but I have to believe it was a pretty amazing place. And to think that Hiram Bingham only paid a local boy one sole to show him the location of these lost ruins! I want to find a something that nobody has discovered yet!
I feel bad for the poor guy that I marry because in order to make me any happier than I was at the moment will be quite a feat. The Peruvians believe the mountain has some kind of effect on the spirit and/or soul and I believe they might be right. I felt right as rain up there and every stair I killed myself climbing was worth the pain. I would do a thousand more just to see that place again.
Since we're obviously into that S&M stuff, Holly and I climbed Waynupicchu to get a 360 view of the entire area. This climb was not easy but again, so worth it. To give you a feel for this type of climb, there were thick wire ropes on the side of most of the steps (or umm...rocks) so you didn't fall off the side of the mountain as you climbed the slippery slate. So fun. Atop the mountain was even more ruins and we could see Aguas Calientes and all the surrounding mountains below. We could also see the town of Hydro Electrica and a bridge many miles away that we had crossed the day before. To think we had come this far. And to think we had done all this before 11 am.
So we walked back down and chilled out by the ruins for a while and watched the llamas eat at the mountainside. Who needs a lawnmower when you have "llamamowers." Haha, get it? Oh...wow. Anyway. It turns out someone brought 4 llamas originally for a commercial and left them here. As it was, one of those llamas was a male. Now, they have a family of about 20 llamas just living in Machu Picchu. Lucky animals.
Thinking we could go to the bathroom before descending the stairs to Aguas Calienties, we found the local WC. Now, I really wanted to go before hopping down over 1000 stairs back to town but you had to pay 1 sole for the bathroom. Nope, not going to happen. So we waited and went down -- what I had counted -- the 1600 stairs back to town. Shower after all this? Nope, we didn't have a room at the hostel anymore so we sat around drinking beer until our 6 o'clock train. I can't decide if I should wash my clothes or just burn them all.
The following day Holly, Reto, and I had breakfast before we all parted out separate ways. I love being a backpacker and I love meeting others because you all meet for a short period of time and scatter throughout the country on your own adventures afterwards. It's a very rewarding experience and I love hearing the stories each of them have after months of traveling. If you get a chance to travel alone, do it. There is something about not knowing what the next day will bring that just makes you feel alive.
But alas, the end was here. I was shocked back to my reality as I flew to Lima to meet my host family and get ready for the next day's orientation. So far my host family and my roommates are amazing. Still, Lima has a lot to live up to.
I feel bad for the poor guy that I marry because in order to make me any happier than I was at the moment will be quite a feat. The Peruvians believe the mountain has some kind of effect on the spirit and/or soul and I believe they might be right. I felt right as rain up there and every stair I killed myself climbing was worth the pain. I would do a thousand more just to see that place again.
Since we're obviously into that S&M stuff, Holly and I climbed Waynupicchu to get a 360 view of the entire area. This climb was not easy but again, so worth it. To give you a feel for this type of climb, there were thick wire ropes on the side of most of the steps (or umm...rocks) so you didn't fall off the side of the mountain as you climbed the slippery slate. So fun. Atop the mountain was even more ruins and we could see Aguas Calientes and all the surrounding mountains below. We could also see the town of Hydro Electrica and a bridge many miles away that we had crossed the day before. To think we had come this far. And to think we had done all this before 11 am.
So we walked back down and chilled out by the ruins for a while and watched the llamas eat at the mountainside. Who needs a lawnmower when you have "llamamowers." Haha, get it? Oh...wow. Anyway. It turns out someone brought 4 llamas originally for a commercial and left them here. As it was, one of those llamas was a male. Now, they have a family of about 20 llamas just living in Machu Picchu. Lucky animals.
Thinking we could go to the bathroom before descending the stairs to Aguas Calienties, we found the local WC. Now, I really wanted to go before hopping down over 1000 stairs back to town but you had to pay 1 sole for the bathroom. Nope, not going to happen. So we waited and went down -- what I had counted -- the 1600 stairs back to town. Shower after all this? Nope, we didn't have a room at the hostel anymore so we sat around drinking beer until our 6 o'clock train. I can't decide if I should wash my clothes or just burn them all.
The following day Holly, Reto, and I had breakfast before we all parted out separate ways. I love being a backpacker and I love meeting others because you all meet for a short period of time and scatter throughout the country on your own adventures afterwards. It's a very rewarding experience and I love hearing the stories each of them have after months of traveling. If you get a chance to travel alone, do it. There is something about not knowing what the next day will bring that just makes you feel alive.
But alas, the end was here. I was shocked back to my reality as I flew to Lima to meet my host family and get ready for the next day's orientation. So far my host family and my roommates are amazing. Still, Lima has a lot to live up to.
8 de Marzo - Railroad tracks to Aguas Calientes
Ah, day three. On Day 2 one person in our group was too afraid of heights and we crossed many parts where this fear, while understandable, would have been detrimental. So he took a bus to Aguas Calientes (the small town below the Machu Picchu ruins) and we were able to put our heaviest items on the bus with him. On day three, we were not so lucky. So to add to the heat, exhaustion, and very sore legs I added a very heavy bag on my back. Make sure all the weight is on your hips they told me. Well, why don't you add 50 pounds onto your hips and walk around town for at least 4 hours and you tell me how you feel. Take some tylenol? No. I was popping altitude sickness pills at the time and that combination could kill me.
Fun fact: Altitude sickness pills are nothing more than viagra with a different name. Yeah, I thought that was hilarious.
So, this walk wasn't quite the same as the previous days. We spent a good 5 hours just walking on railroad tracks. Have you ever done that? Well, it's boring because you have to look at your feet the entire time and the Peruvians obviously have a problem with spacing so we couldn't exactly keep the same pace when some boards were two inches apart and others 12 inches apart. Not so enjoyable but I did spend half the time talking with Reto, a very cute hombre from Switzerland. So, no it wasnt SO bad. Well...until Holly and I were made aware of the many fly bites we had up and down our arms. Arms covered in little spots of blood, just about as sexy as burnt ears eh Laura?:)
Now, we arrived in Aguas Calientes early in the afternoon where we were directed to a hostel with hot water showers -- our first since this trip began. At this point we were given two options. 1: Climb a very large mountain (very steep) and see Machu Picchu from a distance or 2: Take a hot shower and a nap. Considering the following day we were going to be climbing an inordinate number of stairs, Holly, Reto and I chose option 2. While we cleaned ourselves up, napped, and went to a local restaurant to play Shithead (Switerland rules) and have some beers those other poor saps were killing themselves walking up a mountain to take pictures of a place we would be at in only a matter of hours. Ha, bad move for them.
Fun fact: Altitude sickness pills are nothing more than viagra with a different name. Yeah, I thought that was hilarious.
So, this walk wasn't quite the same as the previous days. We spent a good 5 hours just walking on railroad tracks. Have you ever done that? Well, it's boring because you have to look at your feet the entire time and the Peruvians obviously have a problem with spacing so we couldn't exactly keep the same pace when some boards were two inches apart and others 12 inches apart. Not so enjoyable but I did spend half the time talking with Reto, a very cute hombre from Switzerland. So, no it wasnt SO bad. Well...until Holly and I were made aware of the many fly bites we had up and down our arms. Arms covered in little spots of blood, just about as sexy as burnt ears eh Laura?:)
Now, we arrived in Aguas Calientes early in the afternoon where we were directed to a hostel with hot water showers -- our first since this trip began. At this point we were given two options. 1: Climb a very large mountain (very steep) and see Machu Picchu from a distance or 2: Take a hot shower and a nap. Considering the following day we were going to be climbing an inordinate number of stairs, Holly, Reto and I chose option 2. While we cleaned ourselves up, napped, and went to a local restaurant to play Shithead (Switerland rules) and have some beers those other poor saps were killing themselves walking up a mountain to take pictures of a place we would be at in only a matter of hours. Ha, bad move for them.
7 de Marzo - Day 2 of the trek
Ok, it has been some time since the trek but I've been busy with school stuff so I can finally catch up on this blog thing. I'll skip most of the details from day two of Machu Picchu because day three deserves more attention and day four just rocked my world.
Day 2 of the trek -- Basically this day was 8 hours of walking in the hot sun, up cliffs and through the forest. We walked through the towns of Santa Teresa and Santa Maria where a huge landslide wiped out hundreds of people and destroyed the train tracks connected many of the small towns in the area. Very sad, but just shows that mother nature has no mercy. So, there is a huge river that rages through the entire area and I imagine it would be a blast to go whitwater rafting on if it didn't suck you under and kill you. So, we had to cross this river many a time. Of course, there is the obvious choice to take a bridge but being a bit more adventurous we chose an alternate route. To carry supplies from one side of the river to the other they use a basket on a pulley system. This basket can fit two people and has only 2 planks of wood on the bottom to hold them in. Yeah, once we heard we could cross the river on this a bridge just seemed....too easy. So two by two we crossed the river in this little basket with our legs hanging over the edge. I can tell you the following story now because I've already done this so Mom and Dad you can't do anything about it. But some years ago (at least within the last 10 years) a man tried to cross the river in one of these contraptions. Yeah, he died. Ooops. Evidently his foot got caught in the rope and away he went. Well, moral of that story: we survived and it was pretty sweet to sit in a little basket hanging over a river. I felt pretty badass.
Other than some serious dehydration and sore legs from walking an insane amount of stairs (on the side of a cliff no less) we made it through the day without any injuries. We ended our walking trek with a nice dip in the hot springs. So as the moon came up over the mountains, we listened to the sound of the waterfalls surrounding us....not a big deal, but probably the coolest sight on day two.
Note: Hot springs, not hot. More or less bath water with some stones in the bottom...oh, and bats flying around your head.
Day 2 of the trek -- Basically this day was 8 hours of walking in the hot sun, up cliffs and through the forest. We walked through the towns of Santa Teresa and Santa Maria where a huge landslide wiped out hundreds of people and destroyed the train tracks connected many of the small towns in the area. Very sad, but just shows that mother nature has no mercy. So, there is a huge river that rages through the entire area and I imagine it would be a blast to go whitwater rafting on if it didn't suck you under and kill you. So, we had to cross this river many a time. Of course, there is the obvious choice to take a bridge but being a bit more adventurous we chose an alternate route. To carry supplies from one side of the river to the other they use a basket on a pulley system. This basket can fit two people and has only 2 planks of wood on the bottom to hold them in. Yeah, once we heard we could cross the river on this a bridge just seemed....too easy. So two by two we crossed the river in this little basket with our legs hanging over the edge. I can tell you the following story now because I've already done this so Mom and Dad you can't do anything about it. But some years ago (at least within the last 10 years) a man tried to cross the river in one of these contraptions. Yeah, he died. Ooops. Evidently his foot got caught in the rope and away he went. Well, moral of that story: we survived and it was pretty sweet to sit in a little basket hanging over a river. I felt pretty badass.
Other than some serious dehydration and sore legs from walking an insane amount of stairs (on the side of a cliff no less) we made it through the day without any injuries. We ended our walking trek with a nice dip in the hot springs. So as the moon came up over the mountains, we listened to the sound of the waterfalls surrounding us....not a big deal, but probably the coolest sight on day two.
Note: Hot springs, not hot. More or less bath water with some stones in the bottom...oh, and bats flying around your head.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
6 de Marzo - First day of the Machu Picchu Trek
Ah, day one. I’ll skip most of the details because so much happened each day that if I told you all I did/saw/learned this would be a very long post indeed. Day one was by far the worst day, not because it was the hottest nor hardest day but because so many awful things happened in our group. Holly, my wonderful friend from Madison, took a little tumble on the gravel road. To understand the extent of her injuries you must understand the terrain and the speed at which we were traveling. Gravel road, potholes everywhere, rain for parts of it so it became very muddy, through the mountain where vans and cars stop for nothing and go at high speeds….and just because I am so lucky, I had a bike that was not equipped with brakes (oh, there are pictures of my bruised hands from holding on for dear life). So we were rounding a corner much too fast and a bus came speeding around the time Holly was too. Well she slid very gracefully and scraped herself up good. Shortly after this, another girl from Switzerland was biking through a town and was bitten by a local dog. Two puncture wounds in her leg, but she continued on like a champ. Shortly after, as we were are all soaked and covered in mud from head to toe, the rain stopped and the hot sun was on our backs. Reto, another guy from Switzerland was attacked by a swarm of bees. Add in a few mosquito bites and the biting flies and we had ourselves a wonderful first day. We arrived at a very basic hostel where we tried to clean ourselves up a bit before some beers and our first wonderful meal.
Before I describe the rest of the days you must realize how wonderfully diverse our group was. We consisted of Leo, our Peruvian guide, 5 girls from the states, 2 people from Switzerland, 2 Israelis, and 2 Australians. These 11 people were some of the most amazing people I have met and they each have their own stories to tell. One thing we all have in common, a love for traveling. I couldn’t have asked for better companions on this trip.
Day one: Machu Picchu trail 1, gringos 0.
Before I describe the rest of the days you must realize how wonderfully diverse our group was. We consisted of Leo, our Peruvian guide, 5 girls from the states, 2 people from Switzerland, 2 Israelis, and 2 Australians. These 11 people were some of the most amazing people I have met and they each have their own stories to tell. One thing we all have in common, a love for traveling. I couldn’t have asked for better companions on this trip.
Day one: Machu Picchu trail 1, gringos 0.
Update
Ok, so I posted what I had written before I went to Machu Picchu but I don't have the time nor energy to write about Machu Picchu yet. My flight back to Lima leaves in a few hours and I'll write some posts up as soon as I get settled in my house. However I can tell you that I had an amazing time and I am still trying to recover from the many, many, many stairs we walked. But I'm sporting a nice tan and have some pictures that do not do Machu Picchu justice. Seriously, most amazing 4 days of my life.
March 5th - I walked so far up a mountain I stopped breathing and saw Jesus
Many people have commented on how jealous they are of the warm weather I am currently experiencing here in Peru. I want to paint a little picture for you all so you know that it’s not all sunshine and roses here. The days, yes, are beautiful. The mornings start out cool but by 9:30 or so the sun is in full force and it is gorgeous out. Now, the nights are completely different. Around 7:30 pm it starts to get cold until it eventually reminds me of a night back in the Midwest. How cold you say? Well they don’t exactly have thermometers around here but I can tell you that I, fully clothed, slept in my bed with 4 blankets while wearing alpaca gloves and a scarf. Even then I was shivering uncontrollably. So there, you can’t be jealous of me anymore unless you get your kicks from hypothermia.
So this morning we arranged a tour guide to take us on a 4 day/3night trek through the jungle to Machu Picchu. This excites me more than you know…ah history. After a quick bite at the local Paneria we encountered last night while wandering in the San Blas neighborhood, I decided to rest up for what was sure to be a long day. You see, I decided to climb a mountain.
SO: This shout-out is for all the girls currently walking up and down a stationary stairmaster in the shell or serf. COME TO PERU! You have so many opportunities to climb like a madwoman and you can actually get fresh air. Weird concept, I know.
So, while a taxi would have been much faster, Holly had told me that it was completely doable to walk up to Saqsaynaman (pronounced: saxy woman). So, I hiked many a stone staircase to the top of a very large mountain. Now, for all you who are not in the best of shape, this trek would be pure torture. It took me roughly a half hour to get to the top and I was so out of breath and I thought my heart might explode due to the added pressure at over 11,000ft (Note: It did not). So, I stopped to rest next to the entrance sign before yet another 3 flights of stairs and shared my break with two very cute llamas. (See pictures as soon as I add them). Well, having forced as much oxygen back into my lungs as I could, I continued up the stairs. I didn’t get very far before I heard giggling behind me. The llamas were following me, at some speed I might add. So I hopped on the good foot and hiked up the stairs. I didn’t get very far still being quite tired from the trek but the llamas were steadily making their way towards me. Do llamas bite? Would they like to nibble on something other than the mountain side? I don’t know but the Peruvians down the way kept telling their kids not to touch them or go near them so I figured they aren’t the friendliest creatures, especially when they are wild and on the run. So I hid. And secretly wanted to go back and pet them. Llamas are the coolest things and the Peruvians dress them up and put colorful yarn on them so they’re even cooler here. So, after all that I got up to the entrance to the Incan ruins and being to cheap to buy a tourist boleta to actually see whatever was up there, I crossed over to the next mountain where dun ta da da was Christo blanco. A huge statue of the big JC just overlooking Cusco, surrounded by spotlights at night. I’ve never seen a Jesus so white, so big, and so heavily surrounded by wired fence. As if I was going to pick him up and take him home as a souvenir. I can barely close the one bag I do have! Maybe I could fed-ex Him back home…..there’s an idea.
Note: I found out post-cards cost like $5, no not 5 soles. Umm…I love you all but I have a feeling I won’t be sending those out. Maybe I’ll hand them to you when I get home, that’s kind of special right?
Tomorrow: 7:30 am begin the hike up Machu Picchu. Oh happy day!
So this morning we arranged a tour guide to take us on a 4 day/3night trek through the jungle to Machu Picchu. This excites me more than you know…ah history. After a quick bite at the local Paneria we encountered last night while wandering in the San Blas neighborhood, I decided to rest up for what was sure to be a long day. You see, I decided to climb a mountain.
SO: This shout-out is for all the girls currently walking up and down a stationary stairmaster in the shell or serf. COME TO PERU! You have so many opportunities to climb like a madwoman and you can actually get fresh air. Weird concept, I know.
So, while a taxi would have been much faster, Holly had told me that it was completely doable to walk up to Saqsaynaman (pronounced: saxy woman). So, I hiked many a stone staircase to the top of a very large mountain. Now, for all you who are not in the best of shape, this trek would be pure torture. It took me roughly a half hour to get to the top and I was so out of breath and I thought my heart might explode due to the added pressure at over 11,000ft (Note: It did not). So, I stopped to rest next to the entrance sign before yet another 3 flights of stairs and shared my break with two very cute llamas. (See pictures as soon as I add them). Well, having forced as much oxygen back into my lungs as I could, I continued up the stairs. I didn’t get very far before I heard giggling behind me. The llamas were following me, at some speed I might add. So I hopped on the good foot and hiked up the stairs. I didn’t get very far still being quite tired from the trek but the llamas were steadily making their way towards me. Do llamas bite? Would they like to nibble on something other than the mountain side? I don’t know but the Peruvians down the way kept telling their kids not to touch them or go near them so I figured they aren’t the friendliest creatures, especially when they are wild and on the run. So I hid. And secretly wanted to go back and pet them. Llamas are the coolest things and the Peruvians dress them up and put colorful yarn on them so they’re even cooler here. So, after all that I got up to the entrance to the Incan ruins and being to cheap to buy a tourist boleta to actually see whatever was up there, I crossed over to the next mountain where dun ta da da was Christo blanco. A huge statue of the big JC just overlooking Cusco, surrounded by spotlights at night. I’ve never seen a Jesus so white, so big, and so heavily surrounded by wired fence. As if I was going to pick him up and take him home as a souvenir. I can barely close the one bag I do have! Maybe I could fed-ex Him back home…..there’s an idea.
Note: I found out post-cards cost like $5, no not 5 soles. Umm…I love you all but I have a feeling I won’t be sending those out. Maybe I’ll hand them to you when I get home, that’s kind of special right?
Tomorrow: 7:30 am begin the hike up Machu Picchu. Oh happy day!
March 4th - Pisac
So I was told there is a market in Pisac, about an hour bus ride away from Cusco, that is a must-see while I’m here. So, I met up with Holly to find a good Machu Picchu tour and wandered around the city for a while looking for lunch. In some back alley I found a pizza place that was quite delightful. No, they don’t put sauce on their pizza but they do put cheese, peppers, onions, sausages, and some great spices on top. Basically, I had toppers sticks without any dipping sauce which made my morning. Then, I went to the bus station to go to Pisac. I have been to many places in this world: various states in the US, Mexico, Cozumel, the Bahamas, and Spain but I have never seen anything like I did today. To take pictures could never do this place justice because unless you see it with your own eyes, you have never seen such a combination of poverty and beauty in your life. The mountains that surround Cusco engulf it so even though Cusco is so high up it still seems like it’s sitting in a valley. On my way I saw everything from llamas (ah, my first llamas!), pigs, donkeys, horses, cattle, and chickens. You name it, they have it here and most likely its tied up by the side of the road so it doesn’t run away. Oh, and dogs. There are dogs everywhere. Every breed of dog you can even imagine is here and while I’m not sure if they exactly belong to anyone I do know that you never want to get next to one that is having a bad day. According to Holly, she sees many Cuscans come to the clinic she volunteers at with dog bites and a rabies shot can be quite expensive. Insurance you ask? No, everything must be paid up front and in cash. You even buy the needed supplies for the procedure before you get fixed up.
Anyway, I continued on my journey to Pisac with no problems. Along the road l saw so many Peruvians working the land and farming everything from potatoes to corn to wild flowers. Peruvians are hard-workers and work as much of the land as possible with the whole family to help. The Cusco area has poverty like I’ve never seen before. The places they live in are not to be believed and I wish there was something I could do to help but I am positive these people will never seen a sanitary living area in their lifetime nor their children’s. I’d like to think that by going to Machu Picchu I am helping the local population but even with all the trails and all the money that comes in, I do not believe the people of Peru are living any better a lifestyle with this kind of tourism. Sure it helps; and if it wasn’t for the newly-discovered Incan ruins, I’m positive the people would be in even worse despair. All this said, I find it interesting that the children who attend school must dress in very elaborate and what I have to believe, very expensive, uniforms. That just seems confusing. Like I said, all the things I saw and I am now trying to convey to you do not give justice to actually being here. You’re conflicted because everything seems so wonderful but if you look closer, the people are struggling to get by on their handiwork and ability to make meals from the resources given to them from mother nature.
I know that was a rant but I am in complete aw of this place and so excited to learn more and see more and I want you all to come here if you get the chance in your life.
So I toured the Pisac market where there is clothing, hats, and gloves of every color made from alpaca fur….sometimes baby alpaca fur and it is all gorgeous. The time and energy put into such work amazes me and the colors are so vibrant. I’m sure if you google Peruvian women you’ll see the traditional garb they where. Yeah, they actually look like that here! No, not just for the tourists sake but because they want to wear it for whatever reasons. Take for instance the woman I saw at the bus station. The skirts they wear come away from their body so much that she was able to spread her legs and urinate in a drain on the sidewalk. Public urination, what a wonderful sight. But she was so beautifully clad in bright colors and the traditional clothing that I’m going to give her a pass on that one. So I toured the market and bought some things with alpaca fur because it’s gorgeous and soft. And so, wanting to get back to see some more Machu Picchu agencies (because there are a ton), I left after a short time on a bus that I was almost positive would take me to Cusco. It did not. I enlisted the help of a school girl so I could figure out why this trip only cost one sole while the other cost me 2 soles y 40 centimos. Well, we were going a shorter distance to a city in the opposite way from Cusco. Oh, ok not exactly where I needed to be but I’m always up for an adventure. I then enlisted the help of a French couple that spoke Spanish quite well and they insisted I stay with them to the next town, Urumbamba. On the ride there I met the coolest Peruvian who actually lived in the states for a while. I wanted to practice my Spanish and he wanted to practice English so we had a pretty fantastic conversation in which I learned his life story and anything I wanted to know about Lima and the Peruvian way. The people you meet, major plus of studying abroad. Well after 3 hours and 4 more taxi rides, I finally arrived in Cusco.
After meeting Holly again, we went wandering to the San Blas neighborhood and looked for a paneria because I love love love their bread but can never find a good place to buy it. By the time we went up and down and around every alley way in the area and found it, it was closed. So that’s breakfast tomorrow, oh happy day. We settled for a restaurant on the opposite end of the plaza and enjoyed some pastel de chocolate and cheese cake. Delicious end to my night!
Tomorrow: Solidify the 4 day/3 night jungle trek up to Machu Picchu and who knows….go tour some more cities? Anything can happen when you’re traveling alone and have hours to do anything. Ah, love you Peru.
Anyway, I continued on my journey to Pisac with no problems. Along the road l saw so many Peruvians working the land and farming everything from potatoes to corn to wild flowers. Peruvians are hard-workers and work as much of the land as possible with the whole family to help. The Cusco area has poverty like I’ve never seen before. The places they live in are not to be believed and I wish there was something I could do to help but I am positive these people will never seen a sanitary living area in their lifetime nor their children’s. I’d like to think that by going to Machu Picchu I am helping the local population but even with all the trails and all the money that comes in, I do not believe the people of Peru are living any better a lifestyle with this kind of tourism. Sure it helps; and if it wasn’t for the newly-discovered Incan ruins, I’m positive the people would be in even worse despair. All this said, I find it interesting that the children who attend school must dress in very elaborate and what I have to believe, very expensive, uniforms. That just seems confusing. Like I said, all the things I saw and I am now trying to convey to you do not give justice to actually being here. You’re conflicted because everything seems so wonderful but if you look closer, the people are struggling to get by on their handiwork and ability to make meals from the resources given to them from mother nature.
I know that was a rant but I am in complete aw of this place and so excited to learn more and see more and I want you all to come here if you get the chance in your life.
So I toured the Pisac market where there is clothing, hats, and gloves of every color made from alpaca fur….sometimes baby alpaca fur and it is all gorgeous. The time and energy put into such work amazes me and the colors are so vibrant. I’m sure if you google Peruvian women you’ll see the traditional garb they where. Yeah, they actually look like that here! No, not just for the tourists sake but because they want to wear it for whatever reasons. Take for instance the woman I saw at the bus station. The skirts they wear come away from their body so much that she was able to spread her legs and urinate in a drain on the sidewalk. Public urination, what a wonderful sight. But she was so beautifully clad in bright colors and the traditional clothing that I’m going to give her a pass on that one. So I toured the market and bought some things with alpaca fur because it’s gorgeous and soft. And so, wanting to get back to see some more Machu Picchu agencies (because there are a ton), I left after a short time on a bus that I was almost positive would take me to Cusco. It did not. I enlisted the help of a school girl so I could figure out why this trip only cost one sole while the other cost me 2 soles y 40 centimos. Well, we were going a shorter distance to a city in the opposite way from Cusco. Oh, ok not exactly where I needed to be but I’m always up for an adventure. I then enlisted the help of a French couple that spoke Spanish quite well and they insisted I stay with them to the next town, Urumbamba. On the ride there I met the coolest Peruvian who actually lived in the states for a while. I wanted to practice my Spanish and he wanted to practice English so we had a pretty fantastic conversation in which I learned his life story and anything I wanted to know about Lima and the Peruvian way. The people you meet, major plus of studying abroad. Well after 3 hours and 4 more taxi rides, I finally arrived in Cusco.
After meeting Holly again, we went wandering to the San Blas neighborhood and looked for a paneria because I love love love their bread but can never find a good place to buy it. By the time we went up and down and around every alley way in the area and found it, it was closed. So that’s breakfast tomorrow, oh happy day. We settled for a restaurant on the opposite end of the plaza and enjoyed some pastel de chocolate and cheese cake. Delicious end to my night!
Tomorrow: Solidify the 4 day/3 night jungle trek up to Machu Picchu and who knows….go tour some more cities? Anything can happen when you’re traveling alone and have hours to do anything. Ah, love you Peru.
March 3rd - Finally in Cusco!
Ah it took a while to get here but it was a perfect day for flying. I found a hostel called Qori Inti which isn’t the best place on earth but its cheap, close to the main plaza, and has warm water most of the time which is a hot commodity around here. So after I settled in I met up with Holly and went to a lovely gringo restaurant that overlooks la Plaza de Armas. I have been to many a Spanish plaza in my time but none like this. There is la catedral and the mountains with houses that go up and up as far as the eye can see, a beautiful site at night when all the lights are on. And then, atop San Blas is Jesus. A giant white Jesus that is illuminated by many spotlights at night. Tengo ganas a ir a Jesus, he looks pretty awesome sitting up there. Fun fact: there is a picture of the last supper in a museum in Cusco that depicts Jesus being served cuy (guinea pig). I find it quite interesting how different areas of the world depict one moment in history so different according to their culture. I doubt he ate guinea pig that day, but the Peruvians can believe that if they want. Also, Holly says there is an art museum that I want to check out where Jesus and mother Mary are shown with long necks (such as that of the llama). Both hilarious and fascinating at the same time.
After Holly and I parted ways, I drank as much mate de coca (a local remedy for the altitude that basically tastes like green tea) and took a much needed nap before going out for the night. Holly brought a few of her Dutch friends that are also volunteering in Cusco and we went to a local bar where, despite my worries about the altitude, I tried the local mixed drink: a pisco sour. You’ll have to look up exactly how it’s made but I found it to be quite good. I also tried alpaca for the first time which was pretty good, tastes like beef but a little chewier. Day one under my belt and I already felt better after a few drinks then I had during the entire trip so far. Maybe the altitude is putting so much pressure on my head that it’s forcing me to get better, who knows. Maybe it’s the coca!
I can already tell there is a big American influence here because most of the music is from American pop stars and even the television has movies IN ENGLISH with Spanish subtitles. I watched Lost today which I have never seen in the states but I felt I had to because, well, it’s on in Peru. And SCRUBS! I watched scrubs with Spanish subtitles which made my night.
After Holly and I parted ways, I drank as much mate de coca (a local remedy for the altitude that basically tastes like green tea) and took a much needed nap before going out for the night. Holly brought a few of her Dutch friends that are also volunteering in Cusco and we went to a local bar where, despite my worries about the altitude, I tried the local mixed drink: a pisco sour. You’ll have to look up exactly how it’s made but I found it to be quite good. I also tried alpaca for the first time which was pretty good, tastes like beef but a little chewier. Day one under my belt and I already felt better after a few drinks then I had during the entire trip so far. Maybe the altitude is putting so much pressure on my head that it’s forcing me to get better, who knows. Maybe it’s the coca!
I can already tell there is a big American influence here because most of the music is from American pop stars and even the television has movies IN ENGLISH with Spanish subtitles. I watched Lost today which I have never seen in the states but I felt I had to because, well, it’s on in Peru. And SCRUBS! I watched scrubs with Spanish subtitles which made my night.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Day 2 Cusco? Ha. No!
So I didn't sleep on the plane because I was watching movies and concentrating on why the nice Chinese boy next to me kept trying to sleep on me for 8 hours. And then I didn't really sleep in the airport because I was afraid my luggage would be stolen so I laid on a cold hard floor for 8 hours until my flight. I boarded the flight. The flight took off. The flight turned around. Evidently there is really bad weather in Cusco yet the pilot felt the need to see how close he could get to their airport before turning around. He decided 45 minutes into an hour trip was cutting it pretty close and flew us all right back to Lima. The funny part is, all subsequent flights continued to board and imitated the same behavior over and over even though they told us NOBODY would be able to land in Cusco this evening. No worries here though because I obtained a lovely hotel room where I can finally sleep and SHOWER before my 5 am flight tomorrow! Oh, and a free drink is included. Pisco sour anyone? And breakfast! Although I paid a pretty penny to be here so it's not quite free.
So lets hope this next flight actually takes me to Cusco.....
Love and Miss you all!
So lets hope this next flight actually takes me to Cusco.....
Love and Miss you all!
Arrival
Yay so I arrived in Lima around 11:30 Sunday night and finally got through customs at 1 am. So here I sit on a cold tile floor in the airport as I wait for my next flight to Cusco at 9:30am. All flights have been pretty good so far. Basically, I find most of my entertainment from watching people in the terminals because you see all kinds of characters. My favorite, by far, was this short gremlin-looking guy who did himself no favors by dressing his five-foot frame in a lime green shirt and dying the front of his hair and goatee bright red. I laughed (on the inside) and went on my merry way.
Winter coat, bad idea. Not only is it a pain in my ass to pack but I'm sweating from the very tight 1 hour connection in Newark and the proceeding arrival in a very humid Lima. At 1 am, the current temperature is 72 degrees (sorry Wisconsin folks) and sitting in the customs line for a few hours was really a joyous occasion. If you want to feel like a tourist (which I never ever do) may I suggest wearing a backpacking bag around the Lima airport. Oh, and be a blonde female. You won't stick out at all.
Next stop: 8 days in the cool and rainy Cusco. Tune in for an update on how I fair at roughly 11,000 feet with no sleep.
Winter coat, bad idea. Not only is it a pain in my ass to pack but I'm sweating from the very tight 1 hour connection in Newark and the proceeding arrival in a very humid Lima. At 1 am, the current temperature is 72 degrees (sorry Wisconsin folks) and sitting in the customs line for a few hours was really a joyous occasion. If you want to feel like a tourist (which I never ever do) may I suggest wearing a backpacking bag around the Lima airport. Oh, and be a blonde female. You won't stick out at all.
Next stop: 8 days in the cool and rainy Cusco. Tune in for an update on how I fair at roughly 11,000 feet with no sleep.
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