Yesterday was our last day in Peru, and it was largely spent "in transit." We left Cusco around 11:00 in the morning, arrived in Lima around 1:00, ate lunch together, and then wandered around Miraflores again. (It was Jesus's birthday yesterday -- July 15th -- and Nila, our wonderful tour director, bought him a birthday cake. She surprised him, and we celebrated together on one of our bus rides. It was so thoughtful and such a memorable experience.) We left Miraflores for the airport around 8:00, and after some delays (and stressed chaperones and anxiety-ridden travelers), our flight departed around 1:00 a.m., landed in Houston in the morning (where *I* got pulled aside in customs and had to go to a completely different room to answer several questions -- where I was panicking about what the heck was going on), and we finally arrived back in Minneapolis around 1:30 p.m. today. It was a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnng two days, but it was well worth it.
This was truly a trip of a lifetime.
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We spent all day today in Cusco. First, we visited a community cooperative through which children are educated prior to attending public school. This is an organization that EF supports -- an organization that we in turn supported by planning a tour in Peru. It was an incredible community project, one that we all enjoyed visiting. Many of us discussed how we could continue involvement with the school when we return home. Then we went more into the city for a walking tour and a scavenger hunt through a local market. It was a great opportunity for our students to mingle more with their new friends. In groups, they had to take pictures of four things: the most appealing item, the least appealing item, an item they'd never seen before, and the most Peruvian item. They also received two Sols and had to purchase something with them. It was a great activity, and the students did an awesome job. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Cusco city, particularly the main plaza. It's a gorgeous city, but it's hard to admire the beauty while also knowing the history -- that many of the Catholic churches (like the ones that line the main plaza) were built to erase Incan temples and sacred spaces. In fact, the white building with two wooden balconies was the home of the Chosen Ones, the place where the women who were selected to be sacrificed lived their final days; now, there is no plaque to honor the women, no memorial to describe the sacred space. Instead, it's a Starbucks. In the afternoon, we went to Choco Museum, where we learned about the history of chocolate and got to make (and eat) our own chocolate. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds! We had our final group dinner this evening and had front row seats to an incredible live music performance. (You'll have to head to Instagram for the videos.) Finally, Brooke, Jesus, and I went exploring, shopping, and wandering about Cusco before we had to bid the city adios come morning.
We woke up this morning and had to say adios to Aguas Calientes. This was such a cool town, and I wish we could have spent more time there. Alas, we had to go, so we took the train back to Ollantaytambo and then took the bus to Urubamba, where we visited a ceramics studio. I have to say that this was my least favorite part of the tour: essentially, the studio was rife with the co-opting of indigenous culture (while using indigenous people as the workforce) and rampant sexism. But, the gardens and animals (at least one cat, three exotic birds, and five German Shepards) were beautiful. After the ceramics studio, we had lunch and did some shopping at the market. Then, we went to an Incan farm, where we met (and fed) llamas, alpacas, and vicunas. We also saw a wild chinchilla! We then continued on to our final destination of the trip, Cusco. But, more on that tomorrow!
Today was the moment we've all been waiting for: our trip to Machu Picchu, "the fabled 'Lost City of the Inca.'" As EF informed us, "a 35-mile-long trail winds through desert, cloud forest, and an orchid-filled jungle before reaching this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Archaeologists have yet to determine why the site, perched atop a mist-shrouded peak, was abandoned. [...] Some believe only an elite Incan priesthood knew of its former existence." We woke up this morning to pack an overnight bag, stow the rest of our luggage, ride the bus to the train station in Ollantaytambo, hop a train to Aguas Calientes (where no motorized vehicles aside from trucks bringing in supplies are allowed), walk to our hotel to drop our things, grab lunch (where there was a celebration in the plaza), and then get on another bus to Machu Picchu. The bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu was stunning. And, here are some fun facts I learned on the way: 1. Machu Picchu is very clsoe to the Amazon Rainforest (and therefore has a tropical climate), and it sits at 7,000 feet above sea level. 2. It was constructed over approximately 100 years and abandoned by the Incas when the conquistadors invaded. 3. It was never discovered by the colonizers and remained unknown to the outside world until 1911. 4. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. 5. It was built by, you guessed it, the ninth Incan king. We hiked to the Inca Bridge, a super skinny walkway on a mountainside, as seen in the photos below. The views from so high up were absolutely incredible. How great is our group?! When we returned to Aguas Calientes from Machu Picchu, we ate dinner, and a few of us opted to walk around the town -- because we didn't have enough steps in after our trek around Machu Picchu, apparently. It was awesome: people were dancing in the restaurants, kids were playing soccer in the street, and life was everywhere. There were also these amazing sculptures/etchings throughout the city, and on the more "local" side of the river, we found a library and a nighttime soccer game. After a long day, it was time for bed -- tomorrow will be an early morning to trek back to Ollantaytambo.
Well, turns out our hotel looks a little different -- and absolutely gorgeous -- in the daylight. Our first stop today was the women's weaving collective in Chinchero. This community is internationally recognized and is focused on passing traditions on to future generations. The women today taught us how to prepare the alpaca wool, spool it, dye it, and transform it into the most stunning products you've ever seen. It was an absolute honor to learn from them. At the weaving demonstration, we got to borrow hats from different communities -- each community has their own traditional garb, including a hat. We also got to practice using textiles to carry various items. And, everyone's favorite -- we got to play with alpacas! I loved seeing these symbols on many buildings, including at the weaving collective. The cows on the left are the Torito de Pucará. According to PeruRail, "Within all the meanings that the Torito has, there is one that holds special importance, and that is the Andean duality. By placing two bulls together, the fusion of positive and negative energies is represented, in order to reach equilibrium and a common goal. For this reason, it is normal to find these pairs on the roofs of houses, as a symbol of protection and happiness for families." Next, we went to the Maras Salt Mines, one of the places I most looked forward to seeing. Y'all, this did not disappoint. Our tour director told us that we wouldn't be able to get close since the government recently closed them off except to the people of Maras, the owners of the ponds, and I expected a scenic view from the side of a cliff. That did happen, but we were still able to get THISCLOSE to the ponds -- we just couldn't walk along them. These are naturally occurring salt ponds, found only in Peru and Bolivia. I'm hoping the salt I purchased will make it through customs, as I'm super stoked to try it. We then went to Ollantaytambo and had a bit of free time for lunch and wandering prior to heading to the archaeological site. Yet again, we learned so much from another local guide. (Also, just in case you stop reading now, I need you to know that we climbed all the way to the top, and in this elevation, that was no easy feat.) This sacred site was built by -- you guessed it -- the ninth Incan king. It took approximately 100 years to construct, and it was never finished because -- you're right again -- the conquistadors. The temple on top of the mountain is the Temple of the Sun God, on the winter solstice (June 21st), the sun comes over the top left of the mountain in the fourth photo and illuminates the temple. The structures were built using the same techniques as the temple we saw yesterday -- niches, perfectly fitting stones with no mortar, slightly slanted walls, etc. In some of the photos, you can also see a few structures built into the mountain: they were used as watch towers as well as storage facilities for the Incas. That was a lot of hiking -- and an absolutely wonderful day. Tomorrow will be another bright and early one, as we're heading to Machu Picchu!
Today started with a 4:20 a.m. wake-up call to catch a flight to Cusco, the "'navel of the Earth' and the former epicenter of a vast empire stretching from Colombia to Chile." We flew over the Andes and had some awesome views -- both on the flight and on our way to our first stop. The kids were also super excited to see their first alpacas. Our first stop after the airport was Sacsayhuaman, one of the most sacred sites of the Incan Empire. Unfortunately, much of it was destroyed by the conquistadors. We had an incredible local guide, Patricia, who taught us so much about the ninth Incan king (there were 14 total), the one who ordered it to be built; it took three generations to complete the project, as the boulders had to be moved from the quarry, across a ravine, to the site -- and they weigh over 100 tons each. The stones are held together without mortar, using a Lego-like technique. It is absolutely incredible, and it was such an honor to be able to visit the site. Next, we went to Korikancha, the most important temple for the Incas. The ninth Incan king -- yep, the same one who's responsible for Sacsayhuaman -- ordered this to be built. Unlike Sacsayhuaman, it "only" took 40 years. It was so important that very few people -- including Pachacuti -- were permitted to enter; it was primarily for the priests and priestesses. Unfortunately, a very small portion of it still exists, as the Spanish built a Catholic church on top of it. What is very interesting, however, is that the Catholic church was largely destroyed in a huge earthquake -- but the Incan temple wasn't. Why, you ask? Because the architecture was incredible. For instance, the foundation is round stones, so when the ground moves, the structure moves, too; the "windows" you see are built-in shock absorbers; the walls are constructed at a slight slant, which makes them sturdier. Sadly, so little of the temple exists anymore because of the Spanish, so most of these photos are of the church, not the temple. It was also here where some of our travelers experienced their first bout of altitude sickness: Cusco is over 11,000 feet above sea-level, which is a lot when you're from the Midwest! I love just walking around and taking in local architecture and artifacts -- such as what is pictured below on our walk from the Korikancha to lunch. While the flag might look like a Pride flag, it actually has seven stripes instead of six -- representing the seven indigenous groups of several South American countries, including Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and more. For lunch, we went to a super cool restaurant, and some of us tried alpaca (pictured) while others sampled cuy (guinea pig) and others stuck a little closer to home with chicken or spaghetti. There was also an amazing surprise performance! That afternoon, we journeyed further into the heart of the Sacred Valley. And we headed to the hotel where we will be staying the next couple of nights: Amaru Valle Hotel in Urubamba. While the WiFi is less than amazing, the rooms -- that are essentially little houses (with just a bedroom and a bathroom) -- are so cute. We also found some animals to love on -- because of course we did.
Lima, "built on a coastal oasis at the foot of the Andes," has been the capital of Peru since 1535 -- and kicks off our trip through the South American country. Today started with a driving tour of the city. We saw lots of cool things, including architecture, pretty colors, and puppies. (As I quickly learned, Ana, one of our student travelers, is even more obsessed with animals than I am -- and I didn't think that was possible.) Fun fact: our tour director told us that a recent finding reported that the three worst cities for traffic were Mumbai, Bogota, and Lima. Considering I was in Bogota last year and Lima this year, it sounds like India is next on my list! Next, we visited the 17th-century San Francisco monastery but, unfortunately, could not take photos inside. It was fascinating, including a Moorish dome, a super old library with the coolest winding staircases, and catacombs. After, we walked to the Government Palace and happened to witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which was really neat. (You'll have to head over to Instagram to see that, though.) Our group is just the absolute best: I truly adore these kiddos (and chaperones) already. Next, we went to the Larco Museum, "located in an 18th century mansion built over a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid). The gardens were incredible. (The artifacts from 5,000 years of pre-Columbian history, including the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru, were also fascinating.) Not pictured is the hummingbird that was too quick for me to photograph. :) And check out our whole EF group at the Larco Herrera Museum! There are 35 of us total, and the kids are already making so many new friends; it's so wonderful to see. After a jam-packed morning, we had a lovely group lunch and then a walking tour of the Miraflores neighborhood -- including a hike down the cliff to the ocean. And then back up. It's likely that this walk contributed the most to my 17,000 steps for today. It was the first time seeing the ocean for one of our student travelers, and seeing him play in the water (barefoot on sharp rocks) and get soaking wet brought so much joy to my heart. Here's our whole group again -- the policia asked to take a pic with us, too, which was pretty cool. We had a little time to kill after our beach "run," so we headed back up to the bluff, had some dinner (the best ceviche ever), and some Juan Valdez to wrap up the evening. What a great day. Tomorrow is going to be an early one, but it's sure to be amazing as well. I already can't wait.
My first trip to South America was in July 2017 -- to Colombia. My second trip was almost exactly a year later, this time to Peru. This EF tour to Lima and the Sacred Valley has been in the works since April 2016. Nearly a year-and-a-half later, it came to fruition as we departed for Lima early, early, early Monday morning. I felt super prepared but was still a bit nervous, as this is the first time I have traveled with students -- and it's internationally, no less. One of our students was a tad tardy for our 6:15 a.m. meeting, another student forgot her passport at home, and one of the adult travelers lost her passport over the weekend and had to have it overnighted (and she joined us in Lima late, late, late Tuesday night). Aside from these teeny snafus, the group (minus one) made it on the plane a-okay. It was one of the student's first times on a plane, and it was pretty cool getting to see his excitement as we boarded, cruised down the tarmac, and took off -- even though he slept for the majority of the flight. :)
We flew to Newark and met up with one of the other school groups with whom we were traveling (from New Hampshire), and we arrived in Lima around 11 p.m. where we met Nila, our incredible tour director, and the third group (from Wisconsin). It was super late by the time the third group arrived, so after we got all of our bags, we walked a bit to our coach bus, boarded, went straight to the hotel, assigned rooms, and essentially passed out from a day of exhausting travel. |
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