Wednesday, August 31, 2011

C'mon Canada (Sacred Valley) - Day 3

We arranged the Sacred Valley day tour on day one. The tour was quite cheap, only 20 soles (7 USD) which included transportation and an English speaking guide.

Before hopping on a coach bus, we had to exchange some more soles. There were many foreign exchange shops around Plaza de Armas. We quickly picked one since we only had 5 minutes before the bus departed. But sometimes rushing is not a good idea. As we got on the bus, one of our travel buddies found out the FX shop had shorted her about
30 soles (12 USD). So always count your money twice!

Our first stop was a small market in the town of Pisac. They specialized in clay goods. The stop was short, only 15 minutes before the tour guide herded us back on the bus "C'mon, Canada."





Along the way, our tour guide explained the mountain range were considered sacred to the Inca people. The river that ran through these mountain ranges was the sacred river. Hence the name of this region: sacred valley.

The second stop was another market, silver market. We only had 20 minutes in this market. But you can't drop a kid in the candy shop and expect him/her to come out in 20 minutes. I could've spent an entire day there. In an blink of an eye, we were called back to the bus "C'mon, Canada".


The next stop was the ruins of Pisac. Pisac was a town of where the farmers and architect lived. It was a middle class village.



The Inca people buried their dead along the side of the mountain cliff. I wonder how they were able to dig a hole and put the body in it along these steep mountain sides. The Inca people also believed they lived three lives. One in heaven, earth and under world. Like the Egyptians they mummified the body, but in the fetal position, so they can be born into the next life.



Our fourth stop was Ollantaytambo, the new capital of the sacred valley. On the top, there was a granite stone that was said to be the temple of the sun since it faced the exact direction of the sun rise. However, unlike the other sun temples which are round, this one was not which drew speculation that this was not the sun temple at all. The temple granite was shipped in from the other side of the mountain 7 km away. The large stone pieces were put on logs and rolled to it's finally destination. The temple was once decorated with puma carvings. But during the Spanish invasion, the heads were cut off and now only the faint silhouette of the animal was left.

(will insert picture later due to technical difficulties. Actually it was human error by my husband)

Across from the temple, was a mountain where the Incas did a lot of worshipping. Probably due to this side profile of what appeared to be an Inca god. They also built an llama shaped terrace and structure on this mountain to mimic the llama consolation in the sky. This area was considered the centre of the Inca world.





June 21 is the inca new year since it is the only day that the sun hits the inca god face. This only happens between 11 to 12. On this day, the phenomena can be view through this window below.


Our last stop was Chencharo. Much of the indigenous styled textile was produced here. Today these people still uses all natural ingredients to process and dye the llama or wool threads and then wave them into beautiful blankets and other products.




Our day ended in a lovely Peruvian sunset.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Cuzco, Peru

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Horses and thunderstorm - Day 2

We slept in as much as we could. We took our time enjoying our breakfast of papaya in yogurt and scramble eggs. The breakfast discussion involved whether was legal to bring cocoa teabag back home since it was highly unlikely the actual leaf would be TSA approved.

We contemplated what to do for the day. Since we have Sacred Valley planned for tomorrow, we thought perhaps a nice horse back riding trip to see the natural side of Cuzco would be nice.

Before the horse back riding, we went to the market to pick up snack in case of an in prompt to picnic. And look what I found! Taste of home.




By noon we were set and off to the ranch. My horse was chestnut coloured with very soft hair. I really liked her. But for some reason I just couldn't remember her name! She was named after a type of llama. So I called her "Chester". Yes I know she was a girl with a saddle decorated with pink stars.







We stopped at a small hill where the Inca people would hide and ambush the Spanish. It was full of caves and tunnels.







On the top of the hill, we got a lovely view of Cuzco city.



Our second stop was the ruins of temple of the moon. There was not much left. But the stone craftsmanship of the inca culture was still very evident. As we headed back to our horses, the clouds started to roll in. A thunderstorm was coming. Within 5 minutes, the cold rain had hit us. But before we knew it, it was also over. Our clothes had pretty much dried when we returned to the ranch.







When returned to the city, we dined at one of many oven pizzerias, Chez Maggy. I highly recommended this place located just off of Plaza de Armas. The pizzas were clay oven baked and pasta was also hand made. It also had free wifi which made this iPad enthusiast very happy. But we had to end our day by getting a 7 USD (20 soles) foot massage at one of the many spas.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Cuzco, Peru

Skipped over Lima, Straight to Cusco - day 1

As per usual, we arrived approximately 1 hour before our international flight. Maybe I am getting older, but I actually felt a slight panic. At 5AM, YVR seemed unusually busy. After a smooth security screening and customs, we were in less than 40 minutes with time to grab a Timmy's treat before boarding.

English was already the second language at our stop over in SFO. Everything was done in Spanish and not all was repeated in English. Our flight landed in Lima shortly after midnight. We hired a taxi who didn't seem to be from Lima and didn't have a cell phone. After what seemed to be hours of driving around in circles, we checked into our hotel at 2AM in time for a 4 hour nap before our flight to Cuzco.




When we finally arrived in Cuzco by midday, I was so tired that all I wanted to do was dive my head into a soft pillow. But I am a tough traveller, I can't waste a beautiful day. Not too mention, I was also too excited to start exploring a new city. Besides, a cup of cocoa tea will keep me fueled.




On the way to Plaza de Armas, the city center square, cute little girls in traditional indigenous outfits holding baby sheep or llama were eager to approach us for a picture in exchange for one or two soles. This is very common. If you take a picture with them, expect to have to pay them.

The Armas square were packed with tourists and locals for a Sunday stroll. Surrounding the square, stood the La Catedral and La Compania and countless cafes and restaurants with intricately carved wooden balcony. Even Macdonald's was subtly hidden under the stone arches.

We decided to take it easy since we were still adjusting to the 3400m altitude. The slight incline would make my leg muscle ache and breathless. We ended up having lunch on a balcony and people watched for a few hours. The restaurant also had a terrace. on the way up there, we passed by the kitchen and caught our first glimpse of the Peruvian delicacy: Cuy! Aka the Guinea pig all nicely roasted and ready to be served.



After lunch was more walking very slowly around the city. When we arrived at Plaza San Francisco, there was a parade of men, women and children carrying fresh flowers and pictures of some sort of saint. We naturally became very curious and started following the crowd. turned out it was a celebration of the virgin for the children. The crowd were heading towards the temple to lay flowers. However, when we saw it turn uphill, we quit the pursuit.



We went back to the Plaza San Francisco to find locals hanging out playing carnival games and watching street performers.



We even found this guy who had a strange sense for fashion. Later we found out they were candyman and the outfit made them stood out and helped to attract business.




At this point, I was barely able to keep my eyes open, so we headed back to our hotel for a much needed 10 hour sleep.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Airports

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Traveler Compatibility Quiz

I love traveling with friends. However, picking the right companion to travel with can be a challenge. The wrong match can turn best friends into sworn enemies and ultimately ruin the trip. I have personally experienced and have heard many horrid stories about disaster travel experience involving different expectations, schedule, habits and etc.

Here is a little quiz to help you figure out whether the travel companion you pick or have in mind is right for you!

Instructions:
  • You and your potential travel companion each take the quiz separately.
  • After finishing the quiz, compare the score and add up the questions you both have the same answers for.
1. What type of relationship do you currently have with your potential travel companion?
a. Acquaintances – we just met
b. Friends – we hang out or talk on the phone (or have the intention to) at least once every couple of weeks
c. Good friends – we hang out or talk on the phone (or have the intention to) at least once a week
d. Best Friend forever – we hang out and talk on the phone (or have the intention to) everyday! Godparent to my first born.
e. We are related (blood oath doesn’t count, but you should pick option D)
f. Couple – We are in a romantic relationship
2. Why do you guys want to travel with your potential travel companion?
a. I always wanted to travel to the intended destination and she/he was the only person who said yes to traveling with me or vice versa
b. We both wanted to do something together and traveling was an idea we agreed on.
c. Traveling together was something we always wanted to do together
3. Why did you select your intended destination?
a. I decided to tag along after hearing about it from my potential travel companion and I know very little and have no expectations about the intended destination
b. I want to experience new things such as culture, food, people and etc.
c. I have family there I want to visit
d. I like to do volunteer there
e. I want to relax and unwind
4. What was your favourite past travel destination?
a. Beach/Cruise – sitting on a beach and sipping Pina Coladas (ie: Mexico, Caribbean’s)
b. Away from civilization – trekking to remote mountain or jungle areas and interacting with nature (ie: South American Amazons, African safaris)
c. City Culture – walking through galleries and museums (ie: New Year)
d. Ancient Culture – walking through ruins (ie: Angkor Wat, Macchu Pichu)
e. One word – “VEGAS”. It has everything: gambling, partying and shopping
f. I haven’t really traveled much outside of my home country or area.


5. Where do you like to eat out the most?
a. Michelin rated restaurants
b. Boutique local eateries
c. Ethnic restaurants – ie: Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian, Greek
d. Chain restaurants – ie: Olive Garden, Outback steakhouse
e. Food court
f. Street food cart
6. What do you love to do the most?
a. Being Active
b. Food appreciation
c. Partying
d. Shopping
e. Learning/Exploring
f. Relaxing
g. Working
7. When traveling, what is the LOWEST form of accommodation you are willing to put up with while traveling?
a. A roof is good enough (ok, maybe a tent)
b. Have the basics like an actual bed, washing facility and safe (ie: local hostels)
c. Private sleeping and washing facilities (ie: B&B, motels or inns)
d. Private sleeping and washing facilities with some amenities (ie: Holiday Inn)
e. Pillow top bed with a high thread count, turn down service, a view and 24 hour room service (ie: Four Seasons or Fairmont)


8. Do you like to stick to a schedule?
a. No – I don’t like to plan. I just show up at my destination and do whatever is in the spur of the moment
b. Yes – I like to plan everything ahead and usually stick to an itinerary exactly
c. Mostly – I like to plan majority of the trip and leave some room for spontaneous activities
d. A little – I plan a little bit and do some research before hand, but leave a lot of room for spontaneous activities
9. Are you always on time?
a. Yes – I am always on time and sometimes even early
b. No – I am always late.
c. Sometimes – I am sometimes late, sometimes on time, really depends on the situation or occasion
10. What is your financial situation?
a. I am pretty well off, not really concern with money and sometimes even known to be frivolous.
b. I am pretty well off, but I am aware of my money and is careful how I spend it
c. I am not well off, but money is still not a concern for me. Life is meant to be lived and not tied down by money.
d. I am not well off and like to live within my means.
e. I have a lot of debt like mortgage, car payment and student loan. Hence, I need to be very budget conscious.
11. What is your current career situation?
a. Professional
b. Tradesperson
c. Entrepreneur/Self-employed
d. Student
e. Unemployed
12. What do you hope to get out of the trip you guys are planning?
a. Grow, build or reinforce the bond we currently have
b. The relationship will remain the same between us
c. I have no expectations. It is just a trip.
*******************YOU ARE DONE!*******************************
If you and your potential travel companion scored between:


0 - 4 :( Nothing wrong with being domestic friends. Maybe you two should keep it that way.

5 - 8
:| It is going to take a little work of managing expectations and maintaining good communication to make the trip you both will enjoy.

9 - 12
:) Travel BFF in the making. You sound awesome; let me come on the trip as well!