One Night in Lima

Painting bought at JFK Park in Lima

Our trip was winding up so we headed

Cruz del Sur bus.

back to Paracas via bus. Now when I say bus you might envision an old rickety rust bucket or even something like our local Hamilton Street Railway but I must say Cruz del Sur bus lines was better then most plane rides I've taken with Air Transit. The seats were large and cushiony, could recline so you are practically lying down, had an individual viewing screen with movies and other entertainment, and you are even served lunch! 

Paracas bus station.

The bus station in Paracas was admittedly a bit on the shady side and I would recommend keeping a tight hand on your belongings. When I say bus station, I am really being generous, as it is really more of a shack kind of place with a few chairs and a small shop. We have a friend who visited Peru a few months before us and he had his bag stolen at this particular locale. When the taxi pulled up to this place the thought did cross my mind that maybe this particular driver was really part of some gang that was taking us to be robbed or kidnapped. I told the kids to stay in the car while I checked it out. Turned out it was the bus station and not a local crime depot.

We stayed at Casa Wayra B&B Miraflores and had one large room with a washroom for the four of us. We wanted to explore the city a bit so this economical choice, within walking distance to most of the highlights was perfect.  We headed to John F. Kennedy Park where apparently hundreds of stray cats hang out and are fed by some locals. It is also known as cat park and is surrounded by many local artists selling their creations. Bobby and Sasha made a purchase and despite my best efforts I made little headway in trying to barter with the artist...might have had something to do with the fact that he was deaf!

Cat Park, Lima Peru

Larcomar Cliff

We took a walk along Larcomar cliff and stopped for drinks at a little Italian restaurant, La trattoria di Mambrino. Now Larcomar was seriously crowded, very touristy, and expensive. We wanted to try one of Lima's world re-knowned restaurants so I let Sasha choose. I ended up having the manager of La Trattoria call Rafael's so that I could secure a reservation which was pretty nervy but he was very gracious and kind. Restaurants such as Rafael's don't even open their doors until 8pm and although they were fully booked they agreed to set up a table in the bar area. I must say the decor and ambience were amazing and I had quite possibly the best food I have ever tasted at this meal! We even ordered dessert! Although one of the top restaurants in Lima (rated #13 of 50 best restaurants in Latin America), I didn't think the prices were that unreasonable. I have paid the same, if not more, at far inferior establishments in Toronto.

Delicious meal at Rafael's

We headed back to our room very happy, ready for a good nights sleep before our early departure at 6am. Unfortunately, a good nights rest was not in the cards. Sasha and Shelby had both ordered a lobster dish and at about 5 in the morning they were both in agony and running to the bathroom. The poor things were so sick I wondered if we would make it to the airport. We pumped them full of the handy stomach medication we had prescribed (glad I didn't waste our money on that) and tried to give them fluids but the trek to the bathroom continued. Finally, we didn't have a choice and we had to pack the two invalids into a cab for the gruesome thirty minute ride to the airport. We nearly made it without having to stop...but not quite. It really was a miserable way to end our trip but on the upside, the flight attendant did give us rows of seats to ourselves right near the lav!

Prettiest drinks ever at  La Trattoria di Mambrino Larcomar Park, Lima Peru.

Paracas and the Ballesta Islands!

Usually when I travel I opt for the more modest local establishments and try to avoid pricey chain hotels. I have found some real gems this way and I get to meet some interesting people along the way. Since I was travelling with some companions this time I decided to book the five star Hilton Paracas for one night of luxury. The room and dinner probably cost nearly as much as all of our other accommodations combined! The four of us shared a ground floor two room suite with a walkout to a stunning pool. We had an amazing lunch of seafood at the pool bar and later enjoyed a meal in the hotel restaurant.  We did spend a very nice afternoon lounging by the pool imbibing in various tropical drinks.

We booked a tour of the Ballesta Islands, a marine reserve full of birds, sea lions and apparently even penguins but only one little penguin was at home when we visited as his pals had all abandoned him for warmer climates. We took the tour with the hotel's private boat but there are plenty of tours to be had in Paracas and the cost is very reasonable at about $15 per person. 

The boat we were on was full of Spanish speaking persons (we were in Peru after all) so most of the guided explanation was in Spanish. As luck would have it, the woman sitting next to us was from our little neck of the woods in Southern Ontario

and she had married a Peruvian gentleman who had worked around the world and they and their children were now spending a final year in Lima before returning to Canada. Her husband very kindly acted as an interpreter for the entire tour!


The Ballesta Islands are advertised as the poor man's Galapagos so if you want a taste of a natural ecological reserve be sure to put this on your list. If you have a fondness for very large, very loud sea lions this is the place to go!

Look...It's a Monkey or Seeing the Nazca Lines!

Getting ready for takeoff!

We negotiated a ride from Huacachina to Paracas with a stop along the way to fly over the Nazca Lines. The only way to see these ancient mysterious phenomenon is by plane really and it was a bit of a pricey excursion at about $200 US per person (from Ica but cheaper if you make your way to Nazca) but I had come all the way to Peru so I decided I might as well visit another UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs which were created about 2000 years ago by digging narrow trenches in the desert. You can definitely tell these people didn't have Netflix or Facebook to distract them because this must have taken some serious work. The figures consist of various animals, geometric shapes and odd creatures that span across an area of about 450 square kilometres. There are hundreds of figures and some reach almost 300 metres. The reason for the creation of the lines remains a mystery (other than my theory that they were somewhat bored and needed a project) but many scholars ascribe a religious significance.

We took a little 12 seater airplane that was actually

Shelby looking a bit rough after our ride.

quite roomy and I didn't understand why other travellers had suggested gravol before the excursion. We quickly figured out why once we reached the lines and the pilots started having a grand old time tilting back and forth so that everyone had a chance for some pictures. I was grateful for that but poor Shelby was looking pretty green after a few minutes and I think she was actually close to passing out! 

The experience was great but I found that we flew a bit high for my liking...something to do with my declining eye-site probably. We still managed to get some awesome shots of these bad boys!

The Condor

The Astronaut

The Astronaut

The Hummingbird

The Monkey

The Parrot

The Spider

All photos taken with my trusty iPhone 5s!

Hanging Out in Huacachina, Peru

Huacachina Oasis, Peru

We decided to spend some of our limited time in Peru in Huacachina right next to Ica. What a terrific choice!

This little oasis (yes, I literally mean oasis) is in the Atacama Desert and is a fantastic place to unwind after visiting Machu Picchu. Terrific little places to stay ranging in prices from hostel like to upscale 5 star. We stayed at El Huacachinero. The two story hotel had large rooms surrounding a courtyard with a pool and backed onto a stunning vista of sand dunes. Unfortunately, during our two night stay they had scheduled some major demolition so our peaceful, relaxing time by the pool was interrupted by some very loud jackhammering! Again, customer service isn't exactly a priority in Peru so when I asked if they could possibly limit the earsplitting construction work to less then twelve hours a day, I was politely ignored!

El Huacachinero Hotel, Peru

Luckily, the little town boasted several bars, restaurants and was more than safe to wander around. We decided to spend a morning heading out to the desert on a dune buggy to do some sand surfing and this was probably one of the best experiences I've had.

We booked with the hotel although there are plenty of options around the oasis and it was a fairly inexpensive activity (about $15 a person, I think). Our driver headed up and down the dunes at a breakneck speed and luckily we were strapped in with a good harness system because things did get a bit hairy! We all opted to lie down on our boards for the sand surfing and I did end up with a few mouthfuls of grit and a scraped elbow but what a rush! Unfortunately, pictures and video do not do it justice. If you go to Peru, this is a must do!

Doing the Mad Max thingy!

One member of our party became rather ill at this point of the trip. Not sure if it was sunstroke, Montezuma's revenge or a combination but he managed to rough it out and join us for the excursion. 

Sand Surfing!

The food at the hotel was wonderful and our only bad experience was visiting a bar by the oasis. I ordered a hamburger and definitely felt sick afterwards. Everyone else was pretty happy but I stuck to more traditional Peruvian fare afterwards!

Cuzco, Wild Dogs, and Other Things

Plaza de Armas, Cusco

So Cuzco is a very popular spot for tourists to make their base and acclimatise before visiting Machu Picchu. We opted to stay in the less elevated location of Ollantaytambo but we did spend one night in this popular location while heading back to Lima. Driving through the city itself is a bit depressing since it boasts very narrow streets, broken down vehicles, some very shady looking establishments and an endless number of wild, ravenous looking dogs scavenging their next meal among the copious piles of garbage and refuse lying on the side of the road. There seems to be a shocking lack of garbage control in this particular city and the smell could be a little powerful.

Plenty of garbage and stray dogs.

To be safe, we stayed in the central square, Plaza de Armas, which is obviously kept up for tourists. Unfortunately, walking a few blocks in any direction did make our group a little uncomfortable and we stayed within eye-site of our hotel as soon as the sun set. At one point we had to walk down a dodgy looking pathway and were followed by a very scary looking stray dog that was weaving back and forth, had froth coming out of his mouth and definitely looked to me like he could have had the starring role in Cujo!

Bought the SIM card here.

My only real negative experience in Peru happened in Cuzco. I tried buying a SIM card for my iPhone at a local phone store and the whole process seemed rather complicated. After purchasing the SIM, I was sent to a small, shady looking kiosk where I paid for my data and the woman was supposed to top up the phone. After a couple of days, I realized she had actually just programmed some cheap plan for facebook and probably pocketed my money. I went back to the same phone company on our way back and managed to finally speak to someone who seemed to be in charge who took me back to the kiosk to have the correct plan added.

Sent me here to have SIM activated.

I ended up spending at least 3 hours dealing with these people and they weren't even the slightest bit embarrassed that I had caught them trying to scam a tourist. I understand trying to make a living but situations like that always put me off a destination!

Loreto Boutique

Loreto Boutique reception.

On the positive side, we did have a terrific meal but this was after being swarmed by the "come into my restaurant" hawkers that at times seemed more numerous than the people looking for a place to grab a bite! We also stayed at a very nice hotel called the Loreto Boutique which had a handy Starbucks, with terrific WiFi, right beside it!

Church of the Society of Jesus, Cusco

View of Plaza de Armas at night.

To sum up, I would only recommend staying in Cuzco for a night and definitely head on to more comfortable locales as soon as possible!

A couple of videos just to get the feel of the place!

10 Things Not To Eat and Drink in Peru

1.  Coca Tea

Coca tea is a staple of the Peruvian culture and  huge bags of the leaves are obtainable just about anywhere for a pittance.  Nothing is simpler than grabbing a handful of the unrefined leaves, popping them in a mug, and filling up with water. You are left with a soothing, mildly flavoured cuppa with about twice the stimulant properties of a good cup of coffee. I really should have emptied my case of useless clothes and whatnot, upon my return, and filled up with bags of this stuff. I ran out about two weeks after my return and am reduced to drinking a refined, processed brand of this wonderful concoction!

2.  Coffee

I'm not much of a coffee drinker but I couldn't resist trying out one of the great south American staples during my visit and now I'm pretty much addicted. I'm not sure what beans they use but I had the most delicious, nutty, smooth tasting cups of Java everywhere I went. Now that I'm back home, I keep chasing the dragon, and am eternally disappointed at my failure to find that perfect cup of black gold!

3.  Ceviche

Classic ceviche dish.

Never had it before and the whole idea of chowing down on some raw fish wasn't exactly appealing to me but as they say, "When in Rome..." We were advised at numerous establishments that ceviche is only eaten for the mid day meal and never at night. This is because the fish should be fresh from the sea and on your plate in a matter of hours. You will dream of the amazing citrusy, fresh flavours of this classic Peruvian dish for months after returning home (at least I have) knowing you have no chance in your landlocked province of Ontario to re-experience this little dish of succulence!

4.  Causa Reilena

Another light tasting, cold classic Peruvian item that we were introduced to by the hosts of our hostel in Ollantaytambo. A layered potato dish with chicken or tuna, this is an item that has many variations and twists so that you are constantly surprised when ordering in various establishments. Sadly, I will need to add this to my repertoire of culinary creations from my own kitchen if I hope to re-experience!

Causa Reilena

5.  Pisco Sour

Pisco Sour

You may not be a cocktail aficionado but once you taste your first classic Pisco Sour in Peru, you will pretty much make this the staple drink for the rest of your trip. Made with Pisco (a white brandy), raw egg white, lime juice, syrup and Angostura bitters this is a refreshing and very morish beverage for any time of day! You will be greeted at many establishments by a small free sample just to hook you in but be warned, the regular size can be a little more in the range of fish bowl size and a few of these bad boys can certainly pack a punch!

6.  Roasted Cuy

Guinea Pig...yes, I know that we think of the furry little darlings as pets but in South America this is standard fare said to taste a little like gamey chicken (doesn't everything taste like chicken!). The guinea pig is typically skinned, skewered and roasted over a barbeque. It may not look appetizing to our uninitiated northern eyes but millions of South Americans can't all be wrong. And get ready because reportedly the trend is moving North...a gentleman was recently approached in a park in New York after someone reported he was roasting squirrels...turned out to be guinea pig!

7.  Clay Oven Pizza

I know it doesn't sound very Peruvian but when we travelled through the Sacred Valley you couldn't enter a restaurant that didn't have a central clay oven in which made to order pizzas were being slowly baked to perfection. We were in danger of just eating pizza for the first few days of our trip because of the delicious aromas emanating from these ovens!

Best pizza ever!

8.  Alpaca

Alpacas are ornery creatures hailing from the same biological family as camels. They are bred and raised in the higher altitudes of the Andes and although their hair fibre is a major source of material for the famous textile industry, they can also be a tasty delight on the plate. Alpaca burgers, braised alpaca, alpaca steak and other fares for the meat lover are found throughout Peru. You may just end up giving up beef for this tender, flavourful alternative!

9. Potatoes 0r Papas

Fun Fact - Peru has over 4000 varieties of potato.  If you aren't concerned with putting on a few pounds while visiting Peru try eating your way through a few dozen different types. I feel a bit traitorous to my Irish forefathers when I say that I have never had better tasting chips anywhere in the world!

10. Squid, Octopus, and Other Delicacies of the Sea

I've never been much of a seafood lover in general but Peru has changed me for ever. This is a paradise for some of the most delectable, mouth watering tidbits of sea life prepared in countless manners. I will now be searching for that delicate piece of perfectly seasoned octopus where-ever I go in the world!

...and don't forget the beer by the pool!

How I Survived the Two Day Hike to Machu Picchu

Coca leaves...

That's pretty much how I think I survived this hike. It sounds a little more nefarious than it actually is though. Coca leaves are the raw substance from which cocaine is derived but there is a whole series of drug like making stuff that has to happen before it becomes the white snow that is the bane of drug enforcement everywhere. In Peru, Coca leaves are commonly used to make tea, of which we drank copious amounts, and to roll up into wads of chewable little lumps that are given out by the bagful by guides on the Inca Trail. Our guide, who had a mouth full of pearly whites, also bragged about how good they are for your teeth!

Contrast of what Machu Picchu looked like
for Hiram Bingham and for us!

Despite my romantic notions of hiking in the path of the ancient and proud Incan peoples for my visit to Machu Picchu, I have a realistic view of my physical fitness level, or lack thereof, so I thought the safe and sensible thing to do was opt for the less strenuous or heart attack inducing option of train and bus. Unfortunately, my more adventurous companions felt that this was a bit of a cop out and that only those who actually hike the trail to reach this glorious location would have full bragging rights. We negotiated and instead of the usual four day trek we managed to book a two day hike which really involved one, very long day of hiking, overnight at Aguas Calientes, and a day of traipsing around the famous ruins.

I shopped around quite a bit and finally decided to book with a smaller, new company called Eco Path Trek. I was taking a bit of a chance because the communication was sketchy and I could only pay with PayPal. When I had them send me a scan of our Inca Trail passes a couple of weeks before we left I started to become even more doubtful as they had my age as 28.

Flattered but a bit dubious!

Although I was flattered, I became a little concerned when my oldest daughter commented that they probably did this because they didn't want old people like me dropping dead on the trail. Honestly, I think she has a very inflated sense of my actual age!  Since the price with this company was about half of all the others I researched, I decided to throw caution to the wind and hope for the best!

Ready to start at KM 104

Our guide, Elmer, showed up at our hostel two hours earlier than expected at 4am and I'm pretty sure the rest of the guests weren't too impressed with the doorbell ringing away while I frantically pulled on clothes and ran down to the front. It turned out Elmer was just dropping off our train tickets since tourists need to take a touristy train and Peruvians are required to take a different one. A little inconvenient but I don't make the rules. Elmer told us to be at the train for 6am and to get off at a spot called KM 104 where he would meet us. Constantly trying to save a buck, we opted to walk to the train (as if we wouldn't be walking enough that day) and realized that wasn't the wisest choice since we were facing a very long day of hiking carrying our backpacks and ended up running to get on our train (at the behest of the uniformed guard). We then proceeded to sit on a non moving vehicle for a good thirty minutes!

First stop - Chachabamba Ruins

Since I had only met Elmer once, and that was when I was half asleep and it was the middle of the night, I was a bit skeptical about this whole plan and when the train stopped in basically the middle of nowhere to deposit us at the side of the tracks I was even a bit more nervous. We literally jumped from the train and were overjoyed to see Elmer, our trusty guide, waiting for us! We headed to the check in where our papers were examined and stamped, we had our last use of an indoor lavatory, and received some last minute warnings instructions from our guide!

Just starting out!

Now I don't want to give the impression that hiking the Inka Trail is difficult, but I really did have some doubts at several points about my ability to do this and began to wonder what possessed me to agree to such an excursion. The majority of the people doing the trail, at least when we were on it were definitely in their twenties or thirties, but there were a few hearty individuals that probably had a decade or so on me. The thing is, I'm pretty sure that these people were the real earthy types that eat nothing but nuts and quinoa and whose idea of fun is to hike 10 km every morning before breakfast!

The physical exertion is one issue but the narrowness of the trail

Beautiful views but narrow trails.

itself along sections that overlook some really precipitous ledges definitely can cause panic in anyone who is a bit nervous about heights or suffers from various panic issues such as vertigo. One member of our party became a bit unduly concerned about the abilities of her companions to avoid a death fall into the canyons below and stopped at several points to express her fears quite vociferously. Unfortunately, at this point in the trail we really had no options but to move forward so with some gentle coaxing from the every patient Elmer we manage to carry on. Luckily, our group consisted of just the four of us, and Elmer, so we avoided having to keep up with a large party.

Heading Down

Being Cautious

Heading Up

And Up!

The hike itself took us up two different mountain peaks with glorious vistas and scenery. We made it to the first set of ruins, Winay Wayna and were forced to walk to the top of a very long staircase where Elmer gave us a bit of a lesson about the ancient

culture. Now, I'm not saying Elmer deceived us but I'm pretty sure he had promised lunch at this stop so I was rather disappointed when he made us continue walking. We passed the campsite where the four day campers hang out before heading on to Machu Picchu in the wee hours of the morning and still continued walking. At this point, I was definitely having a few issues breathing (goodness knows what I would have been like without the altitude meds I took prophylactically and my trusty coca leaves which I was chomping as if my life depended on them) and I should note that my trusty companions, anxious to reach the lunch site I suppose, abandoned me as they trekked ahead. So much for looking out for the weak one in the group!

View of Winay Wayna from a distance

View from Winay Wayna

We did finally stop for lunch and believe me, empanadas and passion fruit have never tasted so good! With assurances from Elmer that it wasn't much further (but who could believe Elmer at this point) we donned our backpacks and carried on. At one particularly steep section Elmer told us that three years previously, a young Argentinian girl was so engrossed with snapping photos that she fell over the edge and sadly died. Point noted...no more selfies. I asked if some hikers just gave up and couldn't do the hike. We had seen a couple of women earlier who definitely were

Just taking a little rest.

struggling and their poor guide was carrying his own pack, both of their's, all while bravely helping them along. Apparently, there are Rangers that need to hike in for some of these cases but Elmer said that sometimes guides actually need to carry some of their more unfit clients! I puffed up my chest a little and felt somewhat proud that although I was panting away, out of breath, and probably looked like a bright red tomato, at least I was still moving forward on my on two feet!

Not too impressed right now.

Eventually we came to a section of rocky outcroppings fondly known as the Monkey stairs. Clambering up this very steep section was exciting because Elmer assured me that the Sun Gate was just at the top so I mustered all of my strength and hurried up where I saw...more trail. I nearly sat down in defeat as Elmer said we needed to descend into one more valley and climb another hill before reaching the Incan entrance to Machu Picchu. Instead, I turned off my GoPro in disgust and continued hiking. Elmer has a very bad sense of humour as about five minutes later I turned a corner where I passed through a stone archway and there it was! Machu Picchu lay before me in the Valley below. I am not exaggerating when I say that I was overjoyed and loudly, to the embarrassment of my offspring, exclaimed my joy for all to hear!

This was probably one of the most difficult things, physically, I had ever done in my life, but that also made it the most rewarding. So if you are somewhat cardio challenged, like me, and doubt that you can hike the trail...just go for it. It is most definitely worth the effort!