The group, Kaye and Beth and Jon and Jim, long time travelling companions. The place, Peru. First day Lima to Puerto Maldanado the upper reaches of the Amazon.
We flew from Lima over the Andes. We saw glaciers and sparkling turquoise and green lakes, emeralds and aquamarines glittering in the sun. Then on the East side of the Andes the rivers start and grow and grow like a tree until they form the mighty rivers that feed into the Amazon basin. We hoped we wouldn't see much de-forestation but as the plane comes into land everything we have read about is spread out beneath us. Large clearings, more being burned, the soil is so poor it is only good for a few years and then it is abandoned. They were in process of building a super highway into Puerto Maldanado. Good for lumber trucks.
Won't be so good for the lovely feeling of isolation.
Our next transport is a boat.Up river for an hour
We expected the forest to be dark and spooky and it is but much is colorfull. Butterflies from tiny to the size of Jon's hands. Fluttering and catching the stray sunbeams that make it through the canopy. Bright dancing jewels in the forest. Flowering trees and plants that grow wild. Nature always exceeds expectations.
When we arrived at the lodge the bank of the river was covered with pale blue butterflies sparkling in the sun. They eat the minerals in the soil.
This lovely purple flower is the blossom of a banana tree.
The Lodge
Our dinner steamed in the hollow of a bamboo stem. Great food.
Our bedroom with two mosquito nets. We slept on a large deck and the room was a screened porch open to jungle. It got noisy at sunrise with all the birds. Plus it got light very very early and at night it got dark early. No electricity only lanterns.
That is our room on right of the path. Right in front of our door is a large tree and three really large spiders lived there. They became friends although we didn't feed them or pet them.
This tower leading to the top of the canopy, 110-120 feet in the air. Way up you can see the swaying bridges we got to walk across. This is a test for anyone with acrophobia and that seemed to be our whole group. We were joined by a young couple from San Franciso and they were no braver than we were.
There is always a surprise, at the top of the jungle canopy is a garden of red, yellow and white flowering trees. Flocks of bright blue and scarlet macaws flashing through the sky. Green parakeets flutter from tree to tree feasting on berries. It is a different world from the dark forest floor. On the floor things creep and crawl and the only color is the butterflies. Spider webs drape like gossamer shrouds over the roots and branches, Some webs are the size of small castles spun of silk. Walking is difficult because there are roots to trip over and puddles to fall in plus things you do not want to touch dangling in front of your face. When walking it is impossible to lift your eyes to look around unless you stop as every step there is something to avoid.
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| There are 7 of these bridges to traverse and this is the first. Wonder who will go first? |
Why do I have to be brave or stupid? Because Kaye pushed me, that's why. About ten feet into this my knees are knocking and then a cloud of tiny lavender butterflies surrounded my head. After that it was magic and wonder. Also great glee that my travelling companions were so scared.
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| Can you hear her saying "I hate this, I really hate this"? |
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| Jim was bold and noisy |
Jon did the crawl convinced he was going over the side. He never staightened his legs once. This is the BIG bridge. Not only the longest but there were no trees so we could see all the way down to forest floor. It swayed and bucked too. When we got off this all 6 of us where on such an adrenaline high we agreed to a two hour trek through the swampiest part of the jungle. What on earth were we thinking.
Night time and the lanterns are lit at our rooms and the sun is sinking in the Rio Madre. All is lovely and natural and pristine. Well not quite. There is the gold mining operations in the river making a huge racket and poluting the river with mercury. Of course they all have permission due to corruption of the government in Lima.
All is not wonderful in this world..
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| Our guide |
Tambopata is a lake secluded in the jungle. An hour hike into the lake with lots of bird sightings. These lakes are created when a river makes an oxbow and then closes off the access to the river. The walking trees eventually fill it in. Yes, they really have trees that walk, very, very slowly. We got into our flat bottom boat and were rowed around the lake by our guide. He brought us a picnic for a treat and we sat in the broiling sun, in the boat, eating our granola bar with the frozen towels he handed out on our heads like communion scarves. Water dripping down our neck. 8 adults smiling and nodding with frozen rags on our heads because this is his favorite spot in the whole world. We cannot stand to hurt his feelings by telling him we are cooking in the hot sun.
Large flocks of monkeys live on the lake shore and weird birds that have changed little since the age of dinasours are everywhere.
Port where we picked up the boats. The WC's were down the path to the first tree, right for the men's and further on around the bend for the ladies. Open air.
Ancient Birds
Leaving Puerto Maldanado. Need we say more. We try to not buy any exotic wood products. The little we can do to help makes us feel better.
We flew back over the Andes into Cusco and then drove into the Sacred Valley. Wow, what a suprise. Expectations were not nearly high enough. We were entranced with the ruins, the culture, the microclimate. It is an area rich in history and blessed by nature. Hidden by towering mountains this is a protected haven. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Valley 
They still weave wool in old ways and use natural dyes. Either that or it is a tourist set up and all the sweaters are made in China. Having been around enough we are a bit cynical of this sort of thing.
She is gathering dried potatoes. A staple of their diet along with corn. The dry climate would dry and keep potatoes and corn for up to 25 years.
Kaye and I start hyper ventilating as soon as we top this little rise and the earth fell away? It was at least 3000 feet straight down. We careen down a narrow road where the wheels were on the edge of the road on one side and the van was scraping the hill on the other. Most of the time I laid on the seat of the van and prayed. All this to see ancient Inca salt mines. They all come from one little trickle of super salty water and these mines have produced salt for thousands of years. Donkeys are still used to bring out bags of salt. Natives are not stupid enough to try and drive up and down that road. Did I mention we met another van full of blabbering idiot tourists. Don't even ask. We had to drive out also. Driver was hugely amused by our concern.
Our life saver...coca tea. It is what the natives chew and drink to help with altitude. So we did too and we did not have trouble with altitude sickness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca_tea
Ancient irrigation ditch from Inca times still waters the fields
Amazing ruins and they built all this without a wheel. Considering there are few flat surfaces, it is no wonder they never bothered with a wheel. On the hillside are ruins of the granaries where they stored the dry corn and potatoes.
It was planting time when we where there and we did not see one single tractor. Seems these guys work just fine.
This flag is an invitation to come and drink the local corn beer called Chicha. It takes about three days to ferment. When it is done they stick up the red flag. Chicha is made out of corn mash fermented in an earthen pot. Pretty gross looking, not too bad tasting. Recent research has found it to be very healthy. In the evening there are circles of Indians sitting in the fields, drinking their Chicha at the end of the work day. Dressed in their native garb it is a colorful and pastoral sight.
Jim and Jon get ready for the samples and they ordered a pitcher.
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| Sissy stuff made of stawberries |
In the big pot on the stove they are cooking a new batch along with a pot of beans.
In the next room they keep these little cuties. Yes they are dinner. Tastes like chicken. Guinea pigs.
There is only one way to get to Macchu Pichu for us. That is the train.
There are two trails to walk over the mountain, the 4 day trail and the 2 day trail. Neither of these worked into our schedule.
The valley to get there has a river rioting over large rocks and steep mountains going straight up on both sides. This creates a micro-climate producing a rainforest at 7,500 ft of altitude. Orchids, wild begonias and ferns grow 30 feet high.
It is the Magical beginning to a Magic place.
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| Selling wares |
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| Trailhead of the hikers Inca trail |
We arrived at Machu Pichu and thought we were out of luck. The clouds covered everything and this was all we could see. Then within 5 minutes the clouds parted and we could see more and more. Then all the way to the bottom of the mountain. It is like the pyramids in Egypt, it took my breath away. What was this place? No one knows for sure but there is a power and a beauty that you can feel in the depth of your being. Hard to describe the emotion. All day we moved through the shifting mists, curtains of clouds floating among the ruins. We stayed next door at the Sanctuary Lodge so we could see the sunrise but this we were cheated out of by the clouds. From our room we could see the hikers walking the end of the Inca trail and look into the city itself. 
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| When leaving there is a passport office on the right that will stamp your passport with a Machu Picchu emblem. |
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| Orchid plants grow the size of trees |
Cusco, an Ancient city, also a charming walking city with lots of color.
We stayed in old Monastery http://www.monasteriohotel.com/web/ocus/hotel_monasterio.jsp
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| Wonderful markets |
Spanish charm in the courtyard of our hotel
Two happy guys
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| Breakfast room |
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| New construction built on ancient foundations. This is a good thing because when they do have earthquakes the modern buildings all crumble and the Inca foundations remain solid and unmoving. |
This was a trip that exceeded expectations every day. We found the people teriffic. They have wonderful sights and it is a perfect place to go when it is hot in August in Dallas. We learned a lot and felt like we had experienced another world. Another door opened and so now we wonder why we haven't explored more of our neighbors to the south.
