The Peru-Bolivia border

We had a surprisingly peaceful and enjoyable border crossing, in stark contrast to the hectic way we had entered the country from Ecuador. We took several local minibuses around Lake Titicaca and a mototaxi to reach the border village. The minibuses are small Japanese affairs and they never say no to any potential passenger, managing to wedge over 20 people into the small space on most journeys. Our final minibus had 6 live sheep loaded onto the roof alongside our rucksacks, a bike and several huge sacks of produce.Chucking the sheep off the roof when we arrived

For the final stretch on the Peruvian side we accepted the offer of a taxi man to take us and our bags to the border for a £1.  He showed us to his vehicle which turned out to be a push bike with two seats at the front. After being crammed in the minibuses it was great to have some fresh air and we didn't mind at all that other people occasionally whizzed past in faster options. As the border loomed into view it occurred to us that it was at the top of a sizeable hill and that our enthusiastic peddler may incur difficulties. He managed about 20 metres up the hill, gasping for breath, before we got out and enjoyed a pleasant stroll to the border.The border

Once on the Bolivian side, we took a ten minute minibus (colectivo) to Copacabana, a small town on the shore of the lake.

Food - special mention for Peruvian potatoes

There are over 4000 varieties of Peruvian potatoes grown in the Andes, we were told several times. This is difficult to believe at first but as we encountered an increasing number of them in meals and saw so many colourful-flowering potato plants in fields, and an inumerable amount in the markets, we reckon their claim could be correct. Dishes of potatoes, illustrating a few of the shapes and colours grown. The potatoes at the top left are incredibly light due to them having been dried, this was traditionally a way of storing potatoes for years if need be. Simon had a nice dish made of dried potato in Cusco. The bowls on the right contain some kind of clay made by grinding the stone-like substance together with water. It is eaten as an accompaniament to the black potatoes and tasted surprisingly good (see below).
Curious but yummy

Food update - Peru

We have continued to sample tasty, and sometimes a little alarming, local food. 

Simon's meal - 'a rather nice rack of lamb, fatty but full of flavour. Possibly my first lamb of South America.'

Tasty fried delights served at a sweet little kiosk on a track in the village of Chucuito. On the left is fried local cow's cheese and on the right is a whole trout from Lake Titicaca. Both are served on a bed of a variety of local whole potatoes, including a distinctly black type with an earthy flavour. 

Picarron. We were all out of money at the marvellous open-air cafe on the island of Amantani on Lake Titicaca, but the kindly community proprieter let us try this local delicacy of fried batter served with honey. Very delicious.

Chairo - this was not so delicious although we got through it. It is a soup with a base of ground black potatoes. The one we ordered also had some kind of sliced intestine (or maybe stuffed windpipe) floating around in it.
An example of the revolting jelly-like substance (Rachel's words). Simon's are that 'it wasn't that revolting'. He ate it a substantial part of the floaty bits, I wedged them on the side of the soup plate and tried to ignore the pervasive flavour as I chomped through the vegetables and slurped it up to get some energy for our big walk.

Chucuito - a lovely little village by Lake Titicaca

After the departure of mum, dad and Lynne it was a bit odd but we chose to get over it by setting off on a local minibus to a lovely village about half an hour away from Puno. This bush in the main square has been shaped to resemble a traditionally dressed local lady

It was a world away in terms of size and atmosphere - just a main village square, a brass band practicing in the church, very little traffic, grassy roads, crumbling stone walls and very friendly locals, often wandering around with animals that they grazed up the mountains all day.The local off-licence

We booked ourselves into a very comfy room with a log fire, which was really cosy after our long walks up the mountains, which got pretty chilly.

The village is famed for its penis park, or the Temple of Fertility (Inka Uyu). We felt it would have been a little disappointing had you made a special trip out to the village for it, although I suppose not if it did the trick for you. It was a little rough around the edges with a fraying wire fence and children offering to give us a guided tour and explanation of the penises. We declined, wandered around for 10 minutes or so and took a few mandatory silly photos.

We had some spectacular walks up into the hills behind the village. The views across the lake and hills and into valleys beyond on all sides were amazing. We realised how high we had climbed at one point when we spotted lots of patches of snow amongst the rocks and grass. It was quite exhausting and we were ready for a rest when we reached the top. However, at this point we heard a bell jingling and realised that we weren't alone, as we had been for most of the day. There was a positive crowd of people gathered around the rocks at the summit of the hill just beginning a traditional ceremony. They were drinking beer, burning some kind of sweet smelling incense and walking around in a circle. We didn't like to interrupt and so set off across the ridge. Little did we know that they had the same intention. We had quite a tense half hour marching across the mountains with the band of locals ringing a bell in hot pursuit. We all arrived at another set of rocks, we sat behind them, they on top, and completed their ceremony.  We followed them down the mountain as the sun went down and it felt like a really special day.

Staying on Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is quite an amazing place. Looking out across the lake it is very hard to believe that you are standing nearly 4000 metres above sea level and not at the seashore itself. The lake is so big it would nearly stretch from Derby to London. The water is calm and the air is thin so the horizon stretches out a long way giving some spectacular views. As soon as the big towns are left behind, around the lake is probably the most peaceful, tranquil place I have ever been.

We took an organised 2 day trip to islands on the lake, spending one night with a local family.

On the first morning we visited the floating islands of Uros. Traditionally, these people had lived on the islands to escape persecution on the mainland. These days they live on the islands because tourists come and buy things. Being dropped off to stare at people who just needed our money wasn't great but the floating islands were very interesting nonetheless. The island wobbles slightly beneath your feet as you walk across the dried reeds. 

A little model of how the islands are made from layers of reeds

We left the floating islands having enjoyed a relaxing trip in a traditional reed boat. The next leg of our journey was interrupted by a very unfortunate Japanese lad on our boat who looked most unwell and could barely muster the energy to talk, let along walk.  This is apparently what can happen in extreme cases of altitude sickness. We dropped him and his friend off by the mainland where he was carried onto a local minibus and on to hospital. We know not what became of him, but he probably had to return to lower altitude and is no doubt feeling a lot better now.

We carried on then to the island of Amantani. 

We got off the boat, climbed some steep steps, and found a curious line of traditionally dressed local folk waiting for us. We stood in our own line of traditionally dressed travelling folk and there ensued a strange kind of stand off until we were paired up and dispatched to our host families' homes for the night. We enjoyed a nice lunch and rest at our family's house. The family consisted of a couple and their baby daughter, plus the girl's dad and the fella's mum. Quite an odd set up. The star of the group was the father who was very friendly and chatty without trying to sell us anything (unlike the mother and son who did at every opportunity). 

We headed up the mountain on the island for a beautiful sunset leaving my mum behind as the altitude combined with her dodgy hip were not conducive to the steep climb. There was quite a gathering of travellers at the top but we couldn't believe our luck when we wandered 10 yards down the other side of the hill and had to ourselves one of the loveliest cafes you could hope for. 

Enjoying a mate tea just before a glorious sunset
There were lots of children at the top of the mountain trying to sell us bracelets they had made. Eventually we gave in.
A magnificent setting for a football stadium but playing at 4000 metres would take some effort. 
In the evening after a nice vegetarian meal produced entirely on the island, we were dressed up in traditional costume by the grandmother of the house. I got away quite lightly with a poncho and a fetching hat, mum and Rachel were wrapped tightly in several layers of skirts and a tricky to keep on head scarf.

We stumbled up paths through fields in the dark to the local community hall where some other similarly daftly dressed travellers from our party were waiting. We supped beer as a band of assembled youngsters performed charmingly rustic local tunes for us. One of the boys on the panpipes and whistle flute seemed to be quite talented. The others appeared to have been thrown into the band with little notice.  When they sang it was really bad.
We all had to dance round and round with our host families. Mum looked quite the part with the grandad from our house. We wondered if she might be tempted to stay.
Negotiating our way off the boat

We got back to Puno safe and sound after a lovely couple of days. Dennis and Sue were waiting for us there and we all enjoyed one last evening meal together before waving them off on a very early start the next day for their flights home, and going back to bed.

Puno by Lake Titicaca

From Cusco we headed south across the flat, high plains of the Andes (around 4000 metres above sea level) to Puno, a sprawling, bustling town on the Peruvian shoreline of Lake Titicaca.

Puno is not much to look at. None of the houses are finished, instead they all have metal rods protruding from their corners in the suggestion that another floor is in the middle of being built. In fact, this is just to ensure that the house is never officially registered as 'complete' and thus avoids the need to pay a housing tax. 

Lake Titicaca's version of Alton Tower's swans (except no underwater metal runners). Locals seem to enjoy using these pedalos even though this part of the lake is filled with nasty green algae.

Most tourists come to Puno to take a one or two day boat tour on Lake Titicaca. We opted for the two-day tour. When it came to it, Dad was struck down by general malaise and he and mum stayed in Puno. They enjoyed soaking up the hustle and bustle. Memorably, mum asked a lady in a shop that was piled high to the rafters with eggs, if she may take a photo of the scene. The lady threatened with gestures to throw an egg at her. Other than this, their couple of days passed without incident and I think they found all the local produce markets and life in the streets quite fascinating.

Local 'combi' taxis line the streets and a pavement is dug up as pedestrians struggle through.

Silustrani chulpas (funeral towers)

Silustrani is a great spot for a morning's wandering around a pre-Inca royal graveyard. Some thousand years ago and more, local inhabitants were burying their important people inside tall, well made stone towers. Unfortunately for their dearest employees, they also sacrificed and buried them too, to look after their masters in the next world.

Simon shimmeying into a funeral tower

We sorted a taxi from Puno to take us there. Dad perked up from another bout of general malaise, and so Simon was relegated to the boot for the trip out to the funeral tours.  It all started well, he was stretched out with cushions from the hotel to pad things out. However, it turned a bit sour on the way out of Puno when the local corrupt police check point stopped out taxi, proclaimed that Simon's boot occupancy was illegal (fairly ridiculous when you see how many people are shoved into any vehicle that will move) but that rather than getting out of it or paying the full fine, we could pay a smaller amount and go on our way. We did this and on the way back, he ducked.

Enthusiastic photography of alpacas

A 10 minutes old baby alpaca

On the way back, we stopped off at a local family's house who are used to receiving tourists. We sampled a variety of local potatoes (more of this on a food entry) and saw a local curiosity - a llama foetus and a dead flamingo - both to be used in traditional medicines. The llama foetus will be included in a fertility soup.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas

The Sacred Valley is a standard day tour from Cusco of some of nearby Inca sites and local markets. Our guide was pretty hopeless and uninterested in the day or times and places to meet but we had a lovely day all the same.  As with the visit to Machu Picchu, the scenery was fantastic - mountains and steep sided valleys with great farm land in the bottom and snow-capped peaks in the distance.

The amount of alpaca clothing and beautifully woven rugs and blankets were quite something.  Gifts were purchased and the odd irresistible item for ourselves. 

Walking around the Inca ruins was lovely, if a little crowded at times with guides waving umbrellas and trying to gather their groups.

It was a long day - we were still going as night fell, visiting a village and a demonstration of the weaving process, from alpaca wool to a finished cloth.  It really made us appreciate the amount of work and skill involved, if only we had bigger bags and stronger backs we could have bought a lot of beautiful goodies.

Machu Picchu

A visit to Machu Picchu was a must. It is the most visited tourist destination in South America and so just like all the other thousands of tourists it was an essential part of our holiday in Peru. Rather than trekking the arduous 4-day Inca trail into Machu Picchu we opted for a relaxing evening in Aguas Calientes, a night in a comfy hotel and an early morning bus up to the site. 

The weather was good to us and the clouds cleared soon after we arrived at 7am. This is the down season in Peru, and so although there were over 20 buses waiting to transport people up to Machu Picchu, there was no queuing and as we set off across the terraces instead of up them like most other people, it really wasn't crowded at all.

This picture shows the winding route taken by the bus on the left and the incredible location of the ruins of Machu Picchu

It was surprisingly tricky to navigate our way around the ruins, deciding which was a grain store, a royal house, a temple, prison or bathroom.

Impressed by the walls. No mortar was used in Inca walls, instead all the blocks were chiselled to fit nicely together.

The ruins are interesting but no more so than many British castles. It is the location that makes Machu Picchu so awesome. One of the greatest pleasures of the visit was simply pausing to appreciate the surrounding scenery.

There are still a few inhabitants. We saw this rabbit-like creature scampering about the place. 

A steep ascent up an adjacent mountain to Machu Picchu from within the site led us to the lesser ruins of Wayna Picchu. They lend fantastic views over Machu Picchu (the top photo was taken from here).  We left our older generation behind for this sweaty, breathless hike up at least a thousand Inca steps, through a tunnel, up a rickety ladder and Inca terraces to a pile of rocks at the top covered with a smattering of tired but exhilirated tourists. 

At the top of Wayna Picchu

There was an alternative option for the route back down to Machu Picchu, signed 'Great Cave'. We thought this sounded interesting and so set off. An hour later we were still descending steeply down the wrong side of the mountain. There was a surprisingly present risk factor considering we were in such a prime tourist location (although we seemed to have left them all behind on the main path). We were presented with a couple of enormous ladders to climb down with pretty sheer drops beneath. 

As we were on the point of giving up and facing the prospect of climbing all the way back up to the top we stumbled upon our great cave. There were some nicely made Inca walls inside the cave but the best thing about it was the slightly less punishing path back around the mountain to Machu Picchu. We arrived back drenched after a downpour in the last 10 minutes of our hike to find the others enjoying coffee and sandwiches (which for the record they had also saved for us) in the cafe.