I'm Still Here: Part II

For the full story on my parents first visit to Peru check out the previous post.

     Last week I stopped writing when we arrived at the train station in Ollantaytambo in route to Machu Picchu. We had spent the entire day driving through the Sacred Valley seeing all types of beautiful landscapes and ancient traditions from the Incas and their predecessors. It was really something.

     If you want to go to Machu Picchu and you don't want to, or can't, walk the Inca Trail Peru Rail is the way to go. The train was really nice, the staff was friendly, and the views were incredible. 

Mom getting ready to board Peru Rail. Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu

The route hugs the Urubamba River for most, if not all, of the way.
Big Andean peaks were above us with lots of hanging glaciers.

My Dad is a civil engineer, so the next two photos are required by law.

This is a bridge.

This is a dam.

     

 

     Every day 2,500 tickets are sold for tourists to go to Machu Picchu. It is, hands down, the main attraction in this part of the country, but there are many other things to see and do here. With all of these people gathered in one place there has to be somewhere for them to stay and food for them to eat. Enter the town of Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Peublo. It seemed like this town was built to take care of tourists. It was crowded and very expensive. Though I am very happy we only stayed there one night, my parents and I found a great place to eat dinner and listen to local band play some traditional Peruvian mountain music. 

Being a Super Tourist in Aguas Calientes

     We woke up at 4:30am to get on the bus that would take us to Machu Picchu. Even this early in the morning there were many people up and about preparing to take the same trip. We wanted to be up in the park as early as possible to avoid the crowd, but we had to go to the park office in town to pay for our tickets before we could get on the bus. By the time we had paid for our tickets it was about 6:15am and the line for the bus had grown so long it stretched around a city block. We waited for 45mins before it was our turn to get on the bus. 

     The ride took us down the Urubamba River and up an unbelievably steep, one lane road filled with switchbacks. As you round one of the hairpin turns you could look down into the Sacred Valley below and know that if the driver made one bad move the bus, and everything in it, would go tumbling down to the river below. I had to reassure myself that the driver knew exactly what he was doing and the chances of us going over the edge were pretty slim. 

     As we neared the top of the ridge the anticipation started to build. I have always enjoyed traveling, but I have never thought I would get the chance to visit one of Eight Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu is one of those places you see on TV or in magazines and you say to yourself, "That looks awesome! Wouldn't it be great to go there one day!" The first moment I saw the terraces above me from the bus window was really special. It was almost surreal in the sense that I couldn't believe I was actually here.

     

Mom and I getting in line to take the bus to Machu Picchu.

Dad and I further down the line. Still waiting.

     As I said before, 2,500 people visit Machu Picchu everyday during the high season, which is now. To have that many tourists in one place at one time would seem a little overwhelming and kind of horrible, but in the end none of that really mattered. The place is so amazing and the views so incredible  all the people there with you seem to just disappear and we were able to enjoy it to the fullest.

Super generic shot of Machu Picchu, but completely necessary.

     

You have to have one of these photos if you go to Machu Picchu.

Our guide took us to his "secret" photo spot.  The path to get there was narrow with a steep drop. It about did Mom in.

     A little known fact about Machu Picchu. Though American explorer Hiram Bingham brought Machu Picchu to the world, he did not discover it nor was it lost for all those years. A few Quechuan families had been living on the farming terraces of the site for many years. 

     After we finished Machu Picchu we headed back to Cuzco for a flight to Trujillo. It was time to show Mom and Dad I have been living and working for the past six months.

     Having the time to show Mom and Dad around Huanchaco and Trujillo was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. To be living in a place that your family cannot relate to can be quite difficult when you try to explain certain things that go on in your day to day life. I was really happy for them to be able to come and stay at my apartment with me and do the things that I do everyday. 

Dad and I in front of my apartment.

Mom and I by the church that over looks Huanchaco

Parihuela.
It's a stew with every type of seafood you can think of from  this area.

Mom and Dad enjoying breakfast at Chocolate.

While I was buying bus tickets to Lima Dad found the Fiestas Patrias (Peruvian Independence Day) parade.

Another seafood dinner.
Corvina a la parilla or grilled corvina.

Caballitos de totoras.
Ancient type of reed fishing boat still in use by all of the local fishermen.

Chan Chan.
Chimu culture temple that pre-dates the Incan conquest.

Arroz con mariscos (seafood and rice).
Again, they throw all types of local seafood in there.

Dad taking a ride in a moto taxi.

Fishermen pulling their catch out of their seining nets.

     Our time in Huanchaco was great. We visited pre-Incan archeological sites, saw festivities for Fiestas Patrias, and ate fresh seafood everyday.  For the last leg of our trip we took a nine hour bus ride from Trujillo to Lima. Long distance bus travel in Peru is so much different from the States and it is something I really wanted my parents to experience. For 70soles ($27) you can buy a ticket to Lima and sit in height of comfort. I have made this trip many times since I came here and it has always been great trip.

Mom and Dad enjoying luxurious Peruvian bus travel and drinking Inca Kola for the first time.

Pan-American Highway.
The Peruvian coastline is a harsh and uninviting place.
It's also one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Looking east out of the bus window.
Yes, people live here.
Very little electricity and no running water.
Hand woven matting for walls and dirt floors.
Being thankful for what I have is an understatement. 

   
     After reaching Lima, we stayed in an area called Miraflores for two nights before my parents boarded their flight. We had a grand finale dinner at the restaurant Costa Verde which I thought I had photos of, but I guess not.
     I am so very lucky to have the parents I have. They traveled, pretty much, nonstop for two weeks, did their best to speak the language, and tried very bit of weird street food I put in front of them. I am a very proud son and so thankful we were able to share all of these experiences together.



     After my parents departure I had another week of vacation before I returned to work and the second half of my first year of teaching. Life has returned to normal for me, or whatever normal can be when when you live in such a different and amazing place. Below are a few photos of what has been happening over the past few weeks.
     

I play fulbito (kind like indoor soccer) for the teacher's team at my school.
Every Saturday we play in a tournament against other schools from Trujillo.
The love that Peruvians have for this game is unparalleled.

The Town of Huanchaco is ripping up sidewalks near my house.
They don't use any type of mechanized equipment. Only sledgehammers and pick axes. 

This past Friday night we had a going away pizza and movie party at Fleming for one of my students.
We are going to miss him tons!

After eating six slices of pizza, Mr. Jewell was talked into a game of tag with students.
That, probably, wasn't the best idea.

I'm Still Here

     Well, considering I haven't posted anything since June 11th, I figured it was high time I got back on the writing train. It's amazing how much can happen in two months. End of the first half of the school year. Fiestas Patrias. Three week vacation. Visit from Mom and Dad. Lazy mornings drinking coffee. Surf. Fulbito. The beginning of a new semester. There is so much for me to catch up on.


The end of the first half of the school year coincided with our three week vacation and Peruvian independence day called Fiestas Patrias (which is actually a four day celebration). On the last day of school for the semester students from every grade level, pre-school through secondary, participated in a two and a half hour event that showcased traditional dance and song from all over Peru. There is so much diversity in this country, but I never really had the chance to see it until I was able to participate in Fiestas Patrias celebration, not only at Fleming College, but in other parts of Trujillo and Lima, as well.

My P6 (6th grade) students preparing to perform. 

Students, teachers, and parents watching the opening ceremony of the  event.

Some of younger ones patiently waiting their turn to perform.

Some of the secondary (high school) girls performing the traditional dance of Trujillo, Marinera. 

After the show the teachers had a great lunch outside.
Grilled bull heart on a stick called anticucho (my absolute favorite)
Corn on the cob called choclo
Peruvian style doughnuts with a honey sauce called Piqueos
And of course, wine 

A very happy Me.
First half of the school year completed with a three week vacation coming with a visit from my parents.

     


     School ended on a Friday and my parents flew into Lima the following Monday for a two week visit. Before they arrived I hadn't really had the chance to travel much in Peru since I work so much, so I was excited to be able to see places like Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca for the first time with them. To be honest, I really didn't know how well my parents would do down here with all of changes from the States. The language barrier, food, and overall cultural differences can be very overwhelming for some people visiting Latin America for the first time. It didn't take me long to see that they were going to do just fine. My Mom and Dad are hearty people who are very relaxed and accept cultural differences very well when they are aboard (and at home too). The big part of traveling with them that I was worried about was the way their bodies would react to the different foods and water since to sanitary standards are very different from home. Again, they did wonderful and no one got sick, including myself.
     Having them here is, definitely, one of the highlights of my time down here so far. I know it put my mother at ease for her to see where I live in Huanchaco and that I am living a pretty safe and happy life down here.

The first day of our trip we took in the sights of Lima.
Plaza de Armas

Dad and I having an afternoon tea on the roof of our hostel in Lima

     Our first stop on the trip was a flight to Cuzco; the capitol of the Inca empire. The city, now, has over 300,000 people and is a big tourist attraction since it is so near Machu Picchu and holds so much history of pre and post colonial Peru.

Mom and Dad in front of the main cathedral at the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco. 

Dad and I at Saqsaywaman. The most important temple for the Incas. Very impressive.

A view of Cuzco from the mountains outside of town.

     Our next stop was a bus ride a Puno where we would take a boat trip on Lake Titicaca. We stayed in Puno for one night and took a boat the next day to see the floating islands of Los Uros and to stay the night on the Island of Amantani in the middle of Lake Titicaca. Though very touristy, the lake is so beautiful and the people are so nice. The whole trip in itself was awesome but Lake Titicaca is near the top of my list.

The floating Uros Islands.
Though very touristy, it was very interesting to see how these people still live.  They receive no assistance from the local or national governments and make a living from subsistence fishing and tourism. 

Our home away from home on the island of Amantani. For 30soles  ($11) a night per person we stayed with a local family; food included. 

The guest quarters.
There were three beds and no heat, but plenty of heavy blankets.  Lake Titicaca is over 12,500ft above sea level so it gets pretty cold at night. 

Dad sneaking a kiss while taking a walk on Amantani.

While we were walking along the shore line we came upon two men building a boat.  They weren't into answering questions, but they said we could stay and watch. It was very interesting, especially for my Dad who grew up on the coast in Wilmington, NC seeing boats being made throughout his child.
This photo is, also, for my cousins Jess and Pat Jewell. They would have really appreciated the craftmanship.

     After a night on Amantani we continued our boat trip to the Island of Tequile where we ate a delicious lunch and went for a walk.

Mom relaxing at the Plaza de Armas on the island of Tequile.
Walking 13,000ft above sea level is a bit more difficult that walking at sea level. There is a lot less oxygen and you can feel it.

Most of the bigger islands on the lake were terraced for farming and livestock grazing. Mom and Dad said it reminded them of being on the Mediterranean.

     No rest for the weary. After returning from Puno and Lake Titicaca we were back in Cuzco for a night before taking off for the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. A tour operator named Luis who set us up with the trip to Lake Titicaca offered to drive us on a tour through the Sacred Valley and to Ollantaytambo (pronounced O-yanta-e-tambo) to meet our train to go to Machu Picchu. We made a few stops to see various Inca sights along the way, but the drive alone was completely worth it. The other great part was that Luis had a very nice car and we didn't have to worry about finding a reliable taxi. He didn't speak English so I was able to work on my Spanish skills by trying to translate everything. I was quite happy with my performance and I think I did it with 85-90% accuracy.

Photo opportunity through the Sacred Valley. 

Salineras
A natural salt spring flows out of the mountains and into 3,000 pools where nature does its magic by evaporating the water and leaving the raw product. These process has been happening continuously since before the Incas conquered the area. That's old.

Terraces of Moray
An experimental farming sight leftover from the Incas. Each terrace is a separate micro-climate with, exactly, a two degree variation from terrace to terrace. 

Train station in Ollantaytambo
About to join the circus that is Machu Picchu

     Ok. I have been writing for the past two hour and I am going to need a break. I'll be back later today with the rest of our trip and other fun stuff too.
     I apologize for there are spelling or grammar errors, but I don't feel like proofing right now. If there are I'll fix them later.