Peru

[kennas]

Hi all,

If anyone has any questions on Peru feel free to ask.

I'm an Aussie and have been living here for 18 months and know the place pretty well.

All the best,
kennas

[Prawn_86]

So if you had to recommend one thing only for people to do or see in Peru, what would it be Kennas?

[kennas]

So if you had to recommend one thing only for people to do or see in Peru, what would it be Kennas?Machu Picchu.

Where I'm standing in the photo above.

[naked shorts]

If anyone has any questions on Peru feel free to ask.

I'm an Aussie and have been living here for 18 months and know the place pretty well.


What is it about Peru that is attractive? I have noticed more and more people think peru is cool... is it the cheapness? the blow? the lack of enforceable laws?

Ive always wanted to go because I used to live with a Peruvian, but I am honestly unsure why other people are going.

[kennas]

What is it about Peru that is attractive? I have noticed more and more people think peru is cool... is it the cheapness? the blow? the lack of enforceable laws?

Ive always wanted to go because I used to live with a Peruvian, but I am honestly unsure why other people are going.

Also, do you know of the Samardzich family?The Samardzich family, why of course. Everybody knows them here.

:confused:

I'm only living here because my wife has a job based here. If we had our choice about Latin America we'd be in Mexico, or maybe BA, Argentina if it had to be a big city.

What's good about it?

Probably the diversity. The Andes, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Nazca, Lake Titicaca, The Amazon .... Lima sucks though..

Getting to learn Spanish has been a good opportunity.

Luckily wife has an office in Cuzco as well. Heading up there for 2 weeks from Monday.. :)

[chrissylewis03]

kennas, as we might be coming to visit december next year, how difficult or impossible do you think it would be to visit the iguazu falls from where you are within the time frame we have?

i understand it's in brazil, i'm just wondering if maybe we could get a plane from peru to brazil for a couple of days at the most just to visit this site? what do u think?

[kennas]

kennas, as we might be coming to visit december next year, how difficult or impossible do you think it would be to visit the iguazu falls from where you are within the time frame we have?

i understand it's in brazil, i'm just wondering if maybe we could get a plane from peru to brazil for a couple of days at the most just to visit this site? what do u think?Best plan might be to fly in and out with Aerolineas (spelling?) an Argentinean airline that do flights around SA and to Australia. They are the cheapest I think. They will probably also fly from BA to Iguazu, so you could add BA on as a stopover and also go to Iguazu either on the way to Peru, or on the way home. Let me do some research for you .....

[chrissylewis03]

Best plan might be to fly in and out with Aerolineas (spelling?) an Argentinean airline that do flights around SA and to Australia. They are the cheapest I think. They will probably also fly from BA to Iguazu, so you could add BA on as a stopover and also go to Iguazu either on the way to Peru, or on the way home. Let me do some research for you .....


Thanks kennas, i've never heard of that airline before are they heaps dodgy? if we could add it as a stopover that would cut the price dramatically. what a great idea!

it looks awesome have you been there?

[kennas]

Iguazu is awesome. We were there a couple of months ago on an overland trip from Rio to BA. I wrote about it in my blog and there's some photos. www.thesurvivalimperative.blogspot.com

Aerolineas is OK. A friend of ours flew here with them and she said they were good.

You'll need to compare all the flights of course to see how the numbers fall out of it. I think BA to Iguazu return will be about $500.

[kennas]

The Shining Path have been more active in Peru the past couple of years. What started out as a political organisation with it's goal of turning Peru into a Maoist state has now turned into a purely guerilla organisation controlling sections of the cocain trade in the southern highlands. Last week they ambushed a military partol and killed 22 soldiers and there's reports this morning of another attack. It must be made clear that they are currently only operating in and around their coca growing regions in the mountains well away from the tourist trail. There is currently no threat to tourists. Unless of course you are trying to see the Shining path's coca growing areas!

[Prawn_86]

Thats intersting K, i had never heard of these guys before.

Do you think they have any intentions of going back into politics? Or are they happy just being smugglers?

[kennas]

No politics for them. Just drug cultivation and trafficking.

Slightly interesting side note that one of the country's worst 'terrorist' attacks was by the Shining Path when they set off a bomb in Calle Tarata in Miraflores which killed 22 and injured hundreds.

We work in the building that was blown up... :eek:

[Prawn_86]

Hey Kennas,

I watched a doco on fox yesterday about a guy who went to a shaman in Peru to try and have a 'vision' of some sort. It didnt work for him, but i was wondering if you have had any experiences with shaman and the like?

[kennas]

Hey Kennas,

I watched a doco on fox yesterday about a guy who went to a shaman in Peru to try and have a 'vision' of some sort. It didnt work for him, but i was wondering if you have had any experiences with shaman and the like?Yes, been to a couple of 'real' ones and the experiences were OK. The first one was an Ayahuasca weekend with a Shaman decended from Chavin de Huantar. The Ayahuasca was pretty week (for me) though and didn't give me the outerwordly experience I was expecting. Have actually had more intense experiences back home with DMT which is the active substance in Ayahuasca. You'll need to google that to see what I'm talking about.

I'm keen to go back into the jungle for another experience if I can get a good recommendation for a good Shaman.

[Prawn_86]

So is it a big part of the culture there still? Or is it mainly a novelty thing now for tourists?

[kennas]

It still is in the Andes, not so much along the coast or in Lima.

Catholicism has been blended in with traditional beliefs so the Saints represent traditional dieties. Is the same throughout all of Latin America. I actually saw a chicken get sacrificed in a church in Mexico once. The local shaman is of equal weight to a priest.

There is a big tourist industry around it also though, especially around Iquitos.

[Prawn_86]

Hey Kennas,

Saw some things about protests going on against land reform laws or something. Apperntly the protests are getting a bit dangerous. What do you know about it?

[kennas]

It's way up north in the jungle. About 30 people were killed. Mostly Police hacked up with machettes. Not cool. The government was going to take away indigenous land and explore for oil and gas. They've changed that plan.


On another note I am in Cuzco at the moment and they are celebrating Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun. It's in honour of the Sun God Inti and the Inca of the day who is his representative. All the local communities have got their traditional dress on an dancing around the Plaza. Lots and lots of Cuzco flags out, it's pretty cool. The Spanish stopped this festival in the early part of their control as it's a pagan festival, and it was only restarted about 50 years ago. The festival goes for 9 days culminating tomorrow, which is also the Winter Solstice. It's their most important day of the year, so lucky to be here. :) :)

[Prawn_86]

Sounds cool Kennas. Feel free to post some photos here if you have a chance, or if you want start a gallery here:
http://www.aussietravellersforum.com.au/forums/album.php

[EverNothing]

Peru would be TOP 10 dream destination, for sure. I'm a bit of a history geek, and the The Inca civilization has always interested me. That and the hottest chick i've ever known was from Peru. Lake Titticaca ftw!!! ;)

Peru > Egypt, any day of the week.

I'm sure kennas wouldn't mind if a young, Aussie bloke crashed at his digs for a few days if I ever made it over.

I'll bring rum. :cool:

[buddinghealth]

My younger brother is there at the moment - have loved his time there...except that he got held up at gun point last week! they had 'fake' wallets so didnt lose too much but taught them to be careful. They are doing the Inka trial next week which will be the highlight of their round-the-world trip - i'll post some details next time.

Sounds like a really beautiful place to visit

[kennas]

Crime seems to have lifted here recently. My Spanish teacher has been talking a lot about it just the past week.

I've been here almost 2 years but have never been robbed, or even felt threatened. Touch wood.

Good time to be doing the Inca Trail. Bit cold but will be dry. I last did it in December (wet season) and it drizzled the entire way. Kept things cool which was good. It's an awesome trek, I hope he booked.

I'm heading to Cuzco at the end of next week so I might bump into him! :)

[kennas]

(photos in my blog)

On 30 August I participated in the Pago a la Tierra ceremony in Cuzco, or Payment to the Earth, a ceremony which Andean people hold sometime in August to celebrate the Andean New Year. During the ceremony offerings are made to Pachamama or Mother Earth, prays are made for family and friends, and for good fortune in the following year.

The ceremonies are normally held inside Peruvian family homes and a Shaman is invited to assist in the ceremonies, but it is often a head of the household like a grandfather who will be responsible for the ceremony.

My wife’s travel company has an office in Cusco and most of her staff are Andean, or Quechua people, (part of the Incan empire) and each year they follow all the traditional Andean indigenous religious ceremonies, alongside the Catholic ones. Often these ceremonies are combined which the Spanish engineered very early on in the conquest as a way of converting the locals. Some Incan ceremonies were abolished, such as Inti Raymi (see blog below), but thankfully there has been a resurgence in traditional ceremonies over the past 100 years. One of those, as true to the original as possible in the modern world, is Pago a la Tierra.

Since Intrepid first opened an Office in Cuzco, Norma, one of the staff members, has organised for her family to do a Pago a la Tierra for the office and staff. My wife participated in her first ceremony last year, and this year was my first. This was an important event and we flew from Lima just to take part in it.

It was with a little trepidation that I participated in the ceremony as I am a long time skeptic of any religion, believing they have originated in superstition and ignorance of the physical world, but this was an opportunity to experience an important indigenous ceremony first hand. I was curious to try and understand what people really experienced.

We arrived at the office at 9.00pm to find a ceremonial fire guarding the doorway.

We entered the office and took up seats as the fire was brought inside, reduced to a smoke and carried throughout the office spaces to cleanse them. Luckily the office smoke detectors were turned off, or didn’t work, as the ancient smoke machine bellowed clouds of the stuff until we almost couldn’t see each other. Just before dying of asphyxiation the smoke cleared and the ceremony moved on.

We then all took turns at spilling Cusquena beer (traditionally Chicha – the Andean corn brew) on the earth outside while saying a prayer to Pachamama, and we then drank a small amount of beer as a bottle of Cusquena and a glass was passed around the circle.

Surprised that the fire brigade hadn’t turned up, bags of coca leaves were brought out, (probably enough to grind to a couple of grams) and we were then asked to separate all the perfect leaves from the dodgy ones, which would then be used as offerings to Pachamama. Meanwhile, we all took a small amount of coca leaves that we chewed during the ceremony. Well, my coca leaves lasted about 5 minutes before I had to hide the ball of green goop in a flower pot. It’s an acquired taste.

At the same time, the Shaman (Norma's granfather) started arranging an offering on the altar (office desk with a blanket over it), which would later be bundled up and buried the following day.

He started with arranging red and white flowers in the shape of an Andean Cross, and making a little prayer as each flower was placed down. Each time he raised the flower to the front of his face and made a soft whistling sound like he was blowing the prayer out into the spirit world. He then dipped the flower into a small pot of wine, and placed the flower down very carefully. He then asked for where each Intrepid office was located around the world. One by one they were reeled off and each flower he placed down represented a little prayer for that office. We then listed all the places Intrepid travel to in South America, and each of those was given a sincere prayer. Each city softly whistled off to Pachamama in the spirit world.

After the flowers were laid, he dipped a small feather like brush in some wine and splashed it over each corner, of the cross of flowers. Each person in the circle was then asked to go to the altar and do the same.

While this was all going on the Shaman’s helper was putting together a bunch of special offerings that would be laid on the top of the pile. These included chocolates, biscuits, sweets of all kinds including what looked to be a chocolate dummy, the feathers of special birds including the Condor, and small effigies built over corn cobs with heads made of sculptured alpaca fat, looking out with little seed eyes. On their heads were four little spikes wrapped with colourful tin foil and little stars were shoved into the fat. They looked like little fat Christmas trees, without branches. Well, that’s what I thought at the time. Included in the offering was a pretty scary looking llama fetus (hopefully aborted naturally), and a small colibri, or Humming Bird, (also hopefully dying naturally), each with sculptured Alpaca fat on their heads to make them stand out. They were pretty freaky looking offerings, but obviously very important.

All the perfect coca leaves were then rounded up and grandfather began laying them over the flowers, and continued on with prays for each of the Intrepid offices and the places Intrepid travel to. As with the flowers, a pray and a whistle, followed by a dunking in the rose before being laid to rest. At this point I noticed the dogmatically secular Sean had faded away. I’m not sure if I was experiencing an important cultural event, or a religious event. Maybe they are the same thing, but I wasn’t thinking ‘this is crazy stuff’, at all. Even the scrawny fetus didn’t weird me out too much. Maybe it was just respect for the culture, but all I could think was that this was important shit.

Each person in the group was then asked to pick 24 perfect coca leaves in six groups of four, and we each went to the altar in turn and made a prayer to six important people in our lives, for the New Year. Each time dipping the group of four leaves in the wine and placing them down carefully with our right hands on the altar, piling them up to the centre. I hope Pachamama looks after my six most important people for me this year.

Beer was then passed around the circle again and we each toasted other members of the group with a Salud! As I drank my portion of beer I tried to avoid the lumps of chewed coca leaves now stuck to the rim of the glass. It was tricky business. What I could not hep noticing at this point was the sincerity in which the Quechua family said their salud to each other, and to us foreigners living in their culture. It touched me, and put an Aussie ‘cheers mate’ to shame.

Then it was time to lay down all the other special offerings that the Shaman’s helper had been putting together during the evening. The chocolates and the like were laid down first, then the feathers followed by the corn, and the scary llama fetus and the poor little colibri.

We were each then asked to go to the altar and break off some dried corn, make a prayer, and sprinkle them with our right hands around the outside of the pile of flowers, perfect coca leaves, the yummy looking chocolates, and scary dead animals.

Two and half hours after starting the ceremony, we were almost finished. The offering was wrapped up carefully in an Andean blanket, we all blessed it again, and we finally passed around another beer to finish it off the six pack of Cusquena.

I’m not exactly sure what to think about this ceremony.

The dogmatically secular Sean thinks we should ditch old ceremonies to ancient gods who we now know are myth and spend our devotional time more wisely. Like to our close family and friends, not to non-existent entities floating about in the ether. However, this particular ceremony is such a family event, a reverential event that I couldn’t help but be touched by it. I couldn’t quite grasp whether the prays were being sent to Pachamama for her to then do her business, or whether they were being sent through her to the people and spaces very important to us. Maybe she’s just a vehicle: A powerful entity or concept, which can deliver karmic like energy to others. The Andean people in the room seem to be uplifted by the thought.

But in my logical head, I know she doesn’t exist, so I am dragged back to reality.

Should Andean people ditch praying to Pachamama because science, biology and geology have now uncovered the reasons behind weather patterns, crop yields, and seismic events? The western secular Sean says ‘yes’ as my brain is trapped in the modern world, born in 1969, the year mankind landed on the moon.

While I can understand the history behind Pago a la Tierra, I can barely understand the modern spirituality of it, even though I may have got slight glimpses of it during the ceremonies.

In the end, my respect for their culture and customs has been enhanced, and I am extremely honoured to be able to take part in such an event, but I don’t think Gringo Sean has been converted

[kennas]

Just realised how many grammatical errors there were in there, so see the blog which has been amended.

I also put a short video on there, which isn't that flash. Should have made more videos and then I wouldn't have had to write anything. LOL

Not sure if I could load it up here Prawn, it's a minute long... :confused:

[kennas]

I went for a walk around Cuzco today on a photo shoot and am about to upload some photos into a new album.

:)

[Prawn_86]

Not sure if I could load it up here Prawn, it's a minute long... :confused:

Not sure either to tell you the truth...

Try putting it as an attachement then those interested can download it. Or email it to me and i'll have a crack at it if you want.

[kennas]

Not sure either to tell you the truth...

Try putting it as an attachement then those interested can download it. Or email it to me and i'll have a crack at it if you want.It's a crap video anyway, so no drama.

Happy that my photo shoot from today is up.

I am loving my camera.

It's a Nikon D80 with a 18-200 VR lens. It was stolen last year when in Argentina and I bought a new one when we were back home in Feb. This is the first opportunity I've had to experiment with it. I really have no idea of it's capabilities and all photos are on 'automatic' which is a disgrace.

Another photshoot tomorrow...

I'm trying to take a photo that might be competitive in the Intrepid Photo Comp.

They LOVE people photos, so that is the priority.

[Prawn_86]

For those looking Kennas' latest album can be found here:
http://www.aussietravellersforum.com.au/forums/album.php?albumid=11

With details about photo albums and how to post your own found here:
http://www.aussietravellersforum.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=159

Look forward to seeing the next ones K! :D

[kennas]

Next photo album will come in this weekend. I'm flying to the north of Peru in the morning to Trujillo, Peru's 3rd largest city and historically one of the most important.

Several things to see including museums, the colonial centre, Chan Chan, The Lord of Sipan, The Temples of Sun and Moon and the nearby town of Cajamarca, the site of the first Spanish/Inca battles.

It's a long weekend here, so having 4 nights away from dreary Lima. :)

[EverNothing]

The Temples of Sun and Moon and the nearby town of Cajamarca, the site of the first Spanish/Inca battles.

Just stay away from the Andes, mate. That's where the ghosts of mummified Incas live.

At least according to Tintin. ;)

[kennas]

Spent months in the Andes, no ghosts there.

Had a nice day today. We caught a taxi to the beachside town of Huanchaco for lunch and to check out the reed boats the locals still use after 2000 years. Nice lunch, excellent value at $4 for 2 courses and a drink, but the beach is crap. The entire coastline of Peru has crap beaches when compared to Australia or Mexico.

We then went to Chan Chan and hooked up with a couple of Germans to share a guided tour of the archeological site. It's dated around 1300AD and was the largets pre-colombian city with around 60,000 inhabitants. Was a good tour and the site has been well restored. Much better than places such as Pachacarmac near Lima which is very ordinary by comparison.

Tomorrow we may go to The Temple of the Sun and Moon, or we may just kick back in the hotel.

We're staying at the 'only five star hotel in northen Peru', Gran Hotel El Golf, but it's not really five star. It's probably three and a half star by my standard, but for this area, is outstanding. However, when you advertise as five star, you should be international five star standard in my opinion.

We checked out the Libertador in the centre of Trujillo yesterday, which is rated as three and a half stars, and it actually looks more comfortable. Maybe it's because the El Golf has a couple of pools, various restaurants, convention centre and sauna. More services, I suppose. They do a good Club Sandwich as well, which I rate a seven and a half. Quite high on my scale!

Photos in the album which is under development.

[kennas]

Currently planning our next trip out of Lima and will be heading to Cuzco in a week or so. Thinking of heading into the Sacred Valley for a couple of nights to stay at the Urumamba Villas which is one of the hotels Intrepid use for five star/luxury options. Hope to hire out a 2 bedroom cabin with a couple of friends from Cuzco. Should be very nice.

http://www.andean-experience.com/urubamba-villas/index.html

[kennas]

Lonley weekend in Peru for me... :(

Wife has gone down to Arequipa for a work weekend which means I have to just sit in our apartment, watch the ocean, and have a few Ron Cartovio Blacks.

And, watch movie after movie and fit in gym and running and weights...

Tough life!!!

:D

[kennas]

It's been bucketting down in the Andes near Cusco the past two weeks and the rivers have swollen to an extent that a few bridges have been knocked out and the rail line to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu is out.

Therefore any travellers who were on the Inca Trail, or day visiting from Aguas Calientes are stranded.

There's also been several landslides and an Argentinian traveller and a loca guide were washed off the trail and died. There are local reports that a few more locals have been swept away in the Sacred Valley.

Western travel agencies have staff at Aguas Calientes managing their groups who all seem safe. They have plenty of food and water and rum.

The local government called a state of emergency a few days ago and the military are sending in helicopters to start ferrying people out. They seem to have two operating and the police one. The US also has three helicopters in the area and they seemed to have evacuated all the Americans.

The exact extent of the damage is unclear at the moment. Teams of Peruvians from the local government are assessing the Inca Trail and are checking the train route. Initially news reports said MP would be closed for three weeks, but then the news reported that it would be just 3-4 days. So, things are under development.

Obviously there's plenty of confusion and no one has the exact overall picture, which may not be know until the rains subside and investigatiors can get into the region. It's going to depend a lot on the weather over the next few days.

Importantly, westerners stuck in Aguas Calientes seem to be safe in either hotels or under shelter. They have facitities and mobile phone access. The ones we have spoke to directly are showing true fine Aussie spirit.

Good luck!

(kennas, reporting from his apartment in Lima)

[Prawn_86]

ANy update on how thiongs are over there Kennas? Getting a bit of media attention over here the last few days, as they start to realise how bad it actually was.

Has the weather cleared?

[kennas]

All of Intrepid's people got out on Friday. Rach was able to return to Lima yesterday. Inca Trail is normally closed all Feb for regeneration, and it's the wet season, so not too much damage economically on that front. However, Machu Picchu itself looks like it'll be closed for some time which is going to be a killer for the tour operators and local businesses at Aguas Calientes. I'm sure they operate on very low margins and no idea how to plan for extended loss of business.

My last day in Peru today. :(

[chrissylewis03]

All of Intrepid's people got out on Friday. Rach was able to return to Lima yesterday. Inca Trail is normally closed all Feb for regeneration, and it's the wet season, so not too much damage economically on that front. However, Machu Picchu itself looks like it'll be closed for some time which is going to be a killer for the tour operators and local businesses at Aguas Calientes. I'm sure they operate on very low margins and no idea how to plan for extended loss of business.

My last day in Peru today. :(

looking forward to seeing you in syd kennas but sad that we wont recieve these updates anymore! we'll have to find someone else to sign up who lives there!