Hey All!!!

So...I (Sarah) am writing the blog again because sadly Chris has been incapacitated by sickness for the past week (Peruvian food + altitude sickness did him in). But don't worry,he is on the rise up to being healthy again...

Anyways, last I left you we were in Arica and making plans to cross into Bolivia and head to La Paz. Well...our plans drastically shifted as we found out there were A LOT of riots and strikes surrounding the La Paz and Cococabana area, so many that it was unsure if we would even make it into either place. We decided, both for safety and comfortability sake, that we would instead head straight into Peru and spend more time exploring the country.

We woke up early after spending only one night in Arica to head to the bus terminal to actually take a taxi across the border to Tacna in Peru. Arica and Tacna are a mere 45 minutes from each other, so taxis run the route frequently for a set price of 2,500 pesos (of $5USD). The border was relatively fast and easy, and we soon found ourselves at a very busy bus terminal in Tacna. As we were looking around for a bus to Puno (the Peruvian town that sits on Lake Titicaca) we couldn't find any company running the route! Nervous, we asked a local for help and he informed us we were in the wrong terminal. So, another taxi ride and we found ourselves at yet another bus terminal. Here we were delivered the bad news that we had missed the morning busses for Puno (it is a 10 hour ride) and that we would have to wait for a night bus. As there was nothing we could do, we buckled down to wait the 6 hours for our bus in the most desolate terminal i have ever been in. Flash forward 6 hours (after eating some interesting lunch, both finishing our books, and hours of boredom in between) and we headed out to the loading grounds for the buses. We waited and waited, but our bus never came. I started to get worried that either we had missed it, or that it had broken down (a frequent occurrence in Peru). I sent Chris in to ask the guy at the ticket booth what the deal was, and to our surprise, Peru is TWO hours BEHIND Chile! We had a whole 2 hours more to wait! What frustrated us the most was the guy at our hostel knew we were going to Peru, knew we were trying to get a bus to Puno, and neglected to tell us 1. that we should wake up early enough to get the morning bus and 2. that Peru has a different time zone. Oh well.....

So eventually our bus arrives and it looks less than stellar. We knew the bus companies in Peru were poorer, cheaper, and therefore not as nice as what we were used to, but this just looked miserable. With no other option we got on and prayed we'd make it to Puno safely. While we hoped this would have been an uneventful bus ride, it was probably the WORST and most eventful bus ride we have had since being in South America. First off, it was freezing. I have never been so cold in my life. All the locals around us had clearly prepared for such weather and had blankets and jackets etc. but Chris (who was in shorts) and I only had our fleeces. It was miserable. Next, about 1 hour into the ride, we came upon an accident. We ended up having to wait for two hours on the side of a tiny mountain road. What weirdest out the most were people from our bus (and all the cars around us) started to run toward to the accident (even though there were ambulances and police already there) and make a skeptical out of it! It really offended me, especially because it was the clear the accident was extremely bad. Finally, after we crossed over a border check point, we were going down a rather large hill and the bus driver started to lay on the horn. Both Chris and I were confused because we could see there was nothing in front of us, but than the bus quickly pulled over to the side at the bottom of the hill. I looked out the window to see what was happening, and two men with HUGE bags jumped out from tall grass (where they had been laying and hiding) and quickly jumped on the bus. Obviously, the bus company had made some illegal deal with these people, a quite unsettling discovery.

A grueling 10 hours later we FINALLY arrived in Puno around 7 in the morning. We took a taxi to our hostel and were delighted to hear we would be able to get into the room within an hour or so. Exhausted, freezing, and now extremely prone to altitude sickness (Puno is 13,600 Ft) as soon as we got into our room we went right to sleep.

Fortunately, when I woke up about 6 hours later, I felt fine. I was still tired from our journey, but the altitude did not have any effect on me. Chris however, was a different story. It was hard for him to even get out of bed. He had a splitting headache and felt achy and nausea (all altitude sickness symptoms). Luckily, a girl in our room (we were staying in a dorm to save money) had altitude sickness pills and gave one to Chris. Within the hour, he was feeling better (not good) but better enough to go and grab some food as we hadn't eaten for about 24 hours at this point. We cautiously headed out into the city of Puno to look for a lunch spot.

Puno is not exactly pretty, and the only real draw of it is that it is the only major Peruvian city that sits on Lake Titicaca. Because we were supposed to go to Cococabana in Bolivia (the city that is on the lake there) we didn't want to miss out on seeing one of the worlds wonders. We found a decent place for lunch and discussed what we would do the next day as far as seeing the lake. We decided to book a halfday tour from our hostel (25 soles/person or $10USD/person) that would include transfer out on the lake and a visit to the floating islands. Satisfied, we returned from lunch, even more tired than before, and basically went to bed around 5pm.

We woke up around 8am the next day to prepare for trip out on the lake. Though I was still fine, Chris was yet to acclimate well to the altitude. BUT he is a trooper and got ready for the day as well. As we were shuttled down to the port and than on a boat, I couldn't help but notice how dirty the lake looked. There was trash everywhere! I figured this was only because we were by the port. However, as we continued by boat our toward the floating islands, there was more trash to be seen. It's unfortunate that the famed lake can't even escape pollution. As we were pulling up the to the first floating island, I could see these little huts surrounding it with SATELLITE dishes on their roofs! Though I did not want to be quick to judge, I was surprised that a supposedly traditional culture was so modern. We all exited the boat onto this manmade island, and sat around on logs to hear the history. Apparently, Los Uros (the tribe on the floating islands) migrated out into the lake from the mainland PRE-INCAN time and created these island from the surrounding grass. They first "cut" slabs of land, and than tied them together with rope they had made also from surrounding grass. They than topped it off with tortora reeds as a walking ground. The houses are made from the same materials. One of the most interesting facts is that the islands are connected in a series of ropes under water. Therefore, if they feel the need to move to another place in the lake, the simply unhitch and all move together. Fascinating! The tortora reed also acts as nutrition for Los Uros, as it can be stripped down and eaten. We actually were all given a piece to try (you will see in the pictures) and it tasted like a watery, salty, cucumber..not exactly my cup of tea, but I tried! As I did find all of the history amazing surrounding these people, I couldn't help but notice how EXPLOITED their culture is. Everyday, hundreds of tour boats come and go on and off their islands. I know they need to make money somehow, but it's too bad it is at the expense of their tradition. However, what angered me the most, was how much they didn't care. For example, as soon as we were done learning the history, we were able to walk around and see their "hand made crafts" ( we are sure they are mass produced from China) and the women even told us to come in and look at their homes! I refused, especially because there were so many children there, but Chris did go and look in. He said it was a very different lifestyle, but the satellite dish did in fact connect to a TV in the hut! A TV! I don't know maybe it is just me, but I find that rather strange. For a society to call themselves traditional and live the way their ancestors did, I don't think having a TV in their hut exactly follows those rules. After leaving that island, we were able to travel to the next island by one of their traditional boats. Of course we were expected to pay (10 soles/person, pretty pricey for a 2 minute trip) but I was so frustrated at this point I didn't care. Arriving at the next island we were able to see how they catch fish and than store them until they are ready for consumption. There were also more crafts, and a small store! At this point I was ready to get back to Puno, I had seen enough. While I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of Los Uros and how the floating islands came to be, I didn't appreciate their lack of consideration for their culture and how much they were selling out to appease tourists. Interestingly, Chris had a different opinion on the matter (he saw my point but argued it was the only way for them to sustain in this economy) and so we found another place for lunch and discussed the day and our views.

That night we went to bed early again only after having the WORST pizza I have ever had in my life. I guess I can't compare to the US or Italy, but they just don't understand pizza here. We left the next morning and got a day bus to Cusco, the hub for seeing Machu Picchu.

Our bus ride from Puno to Cusco, was not much better than our previous bus ride. Though it was during the day so we weren't cold, we had a baby RIGHT next to us. The baby didn't really cry, but the mother was so unaware of people around her she was standing up breast feeding the child in the middle of the isle (right next to Chris) and whenever the baby would let go, her head would be right over Chris's lap. He was so afraid the baby was going to puke on him! haha. The lady also smelled of old bananas and just dirtiness, not a great aroma in a crowded bus. BUT we made it to Cusco and got a cab to our hostel (even though we were ripped off)! There we met a lovely Irish couple, and we started to hear all the horror stories of Peru. Apparently, not only do people frequently get robbed on the buses (if they are sleeping they will be pick-pocketed) but any bags put under the bus are also at risk! In fact, this couple had lots their guitar tuners and cell phones, both of wish had been stored under the bus. The ONLY way for someone to be able to go through bags under there is if the bus company knows about it (the doors are always locked) so it was unsettling to know the bus companies really just don't care about our safety. There were many more stories, but they can be left to be told in person..

Because we had taken a day bus (a 7 hour ride from Puno) we arrived early evening in Cusco in time for dinner. Chris also found an Irish bar that was going to be showing the Pats/Colts game (what a disappointment on Belichick's part!). We ate a small pizzeria (it was decent) and than went to the bar to watch the game. Though it was fun (the Irish couple met us and we met some other people) the altitude was really exhausting us, and the beer wasn't helping. After the sad loss (for me at least), we headed back to the hostel to get a good nights sleep for sightseeing in the morning.

I woke up before Chris and headed upstairs to have some tea and read a bit while he slept. Nevertheless, when he did finally get up, the combination of being dehydrated from drinking the night before AND the altitude had REALLY got to him this time. He couldn't even leave bed. I got him some water, saltines, and Gatorade and told him to sleep all day because the next day we were scheduled to go to Machu Picchu and I knew he wouldn't want to miss that. SO, I set out by myself for the day to explore Cusco. I went and saw the Plaza De Armas (which in Cusco was really impressive and very beautiful) and I went to pick up our entrance tickets to Machu Picchu. For the rest of the day, I really just walked around checking out the different stores etc. I really haven't found much of anything unique (it really seems all of their souvenirs are massed produced like everywhere else) which is disappointing but I guess good because I am saving money. In the late afternoon I headed back to the hostel to check on Chris. Unfortunately he was not doing any better. As it was getting dark out, I figured it wouldn't be safe for me to go wandering alone. Instead, I watched some movies on my computer and waited for Chris to wake up. Around 7pm he finally did, and thought he could maybe eat something. I had read on tripadvisor about this restaurant named "TwoNations" that was supposed to be very good and CLEAN food (about 1 in 6 people get some sort of bacterial infection from food in Cusco).We decided to check it out especially because it was very close to our hostel. Arriving, we notified the owner (an Aussie) of Chris's sickness. He was SO kind and offered a lot of advice. He told him what he should order (a very simple chicken soup with veggies) and what he should avoid. He also talked to us indepth about the food contamination problems in Cusco, and how he has his staff clean the food in his restaurant. For example, eggs alone take about a day to prepare to eat. He scrubs them down, than soaks them in an iodine solution. Scrubs them again, and than uses a anti-bacterial type wash. Finally, he scrubs them one more time and THAN they are ready to be served. He said most restaurants in Cusco don't care about the cleanliness or quality of food because the tourist turnover rate is so quick, they never see the same people more once. Therefore, it doesn't matter if they get sick or not. He told us he has had salmonella poisoning 11 times from the food in Cusco! Unreal. He also offered us his family doctor should Chris need him. We were very thankful for his generosity and told him we would be back. We headed home and went to bed to rest for the morning.

At 5am the next morning Chris and I got up to get ready for Machu Picchu. Chris still wasn't feeling well, but I think the thought of missing such an epic sight motivated him to move. We had to get a taxi to the train station that was 45 minutes away for our train at 715am. 4 months ago there was an operating train station right out of Cusco to Aguas Caliente (the town that sits at the base of Machu Picchu) but it was closed down due to poor maintenance and the fact that it ran through a very rough part of town. Because the ONLY way to get to Machu Picchu is by train, we had to get tickets out of the next closest station. At the station Chris was really feeling awful, and thankfully again a stranger offered some altitude sickness pills. He slept the entire train ride (3 hours) while I was stuck talking to Jehovah Witnesses that were sitting across from me and had heard me speaking English (sigh). I didn't want to be rude so I entertained the conversation. Arriving in Aqua Caliente you have to take a bus up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. FINALLY there, we were able to start exploring the amazing civilization. I have honestly never been so awed in my entire life. To think that the Incas built this civilization in less than 100 years, let alone on top of a ridiculous mountain is inspiring. It is also unbelievable that they were conquered. Not only did massive mountains and steep ledges protect their town, but also it was completely hidden. Adding in the altitude variable, it's impossible to imagine the Spaniards conquering these people in an area so out of their element. The town itself leads to the fact that the Incas were extremely smart for their time. They had an extensive drainage system, certain housing sectors, worshipping areas, a bridge, and a massive central lawn. It took about 2 hours to walk around the entire town, stopping every so often to eavesdrop on an English guide. Chris had to leave the park early to go to the bathroom (he was still sick and there were no bathrooms in the park) so I finished the walk alone. Though Machu Picchu was our most expensive destination yet (almost $300USD at the end of the day) it was absolutely worth it. The train ride back we met a very nice couple from Vancouver who were cycling all around South America. She was telling us that her computer had been stolen from her hotel room! I swear that horror stories just kept coming!

The last day in Cusco Chris was feeling a little bit better and we decided to go check out the famous Cathedral. It was about an hour tour, and it was absolutely beautiful. So many gold/silver plated altars and various rooms with beautiful works of art. Chris started to feel nauseas in the church, so when we left we headed back to the hostel. On the way he saw McDonalds and for some strange reason he thought that would make him feel better. So he stopped in and grabbed a sprite and French fries. Well, he kept them down and said they made him feel better so whatever works! We waited at the hostel for our bus that right, playing cards and watching a movie. We than went back to the TwoNations restaurant for dinner, and headed out to the terminal. When we got to the bus terminal we were told we were in the wrong place and had to take a cab elsewhere. Thankfully, the lady was really nice and called the bus asking them to wait as otherwise we would have missed it. The bus company we opted to take this time (though SO much more expensive) was much nicer and more comfortable. During the night my stomach started to feel really uneasy, and than I too was sick. Chris and I are both really fed up with being sick here!

We arrived early in the morning to Arequipa, which at 7,500 ft seems low to us! It was SO nice to leave altitude. We checked in to our hostel and waited for our room to be ready. We were both feeling uneasy still, so we stayed near to a bathroom at all times. After getting our room, we both showered off and decided to risk going to see a museum that was highly recommended. The premise of the museum is focused on the discoveries of Incan treasures found in the nearby Andes. Among them are 6 bodies of young children (3 girls and 3 boys) that are thought to have been sacrifices. Momia Jaunita was the most preserved body for it was covered in ice at the peak of a mountaintop for centuries. Only when the eruption of a nearby volcano in 1995 melted the ice did the body fall from the captivity into a lower crevice. Here an American archeologist discovered it. The body was than transferred to a nearby university for tests. Through an MRI, they were able to see the types of diet this girl had, diseases, immune system, etc due to the ice preserving the body so well. This is massive discovery for the Peruvian culture, as it will unlock more secrets of their ancestors, the Incas. We were actually able to see the body in the museum, along with many of the artifacts found. It is amazing how intact some of these artifacts are! Unfortunately, we were unable to take pictures, but I highly suggest googling Momia Jaunita to see for yourself how lively she looks (it is kind of freaky). After we found a restaurant to grab some lunch/dinner before returning to the hostel. Just our luck, the food made Chris really sick again, and he was up almost all last night. I too, am still not fully better. Needless to say, I think instead of eating out here we are going to start buying and cooking our own food. Well, that is it for now…be on the lookout for out next blog post, and check out the pictures!!

LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLL!!!!!!!

Adios,

Sarita and Chris