2014_09_27 Following "Dolly Llama"

We bought a little toy llama from a local lady for Mackenzie.  She was outside the train half way from Lake Titicaca to Cusco where the train apparently stops every day.  I decided to call the llama Dolly - ha.  Well it turns out it is really an alpaca but Dolly it will remain.......  I hope

Here is Dolly at various stages of our trip:

Here she is with her bag of goodies.  I just love the hat - how it stays on her head is a mystery to me.

We asked for a picture of her after the deal went down.  Our llama/alpaca is brown though so this image is for demonstration purposed only.

Dolly at Palacio Nazarenas with chocolates.  Sorry Dolly I ate them!

Dolly with some other chocolates. I ate then too.

On a bookmark.

In the window at Salkantay Lodge.

With a towel elephant.

Hanging out with the other dollies.

With a pair of swans.

 Ready for a trek?  Hat and poles at the ready.

Finally, at Machu Picchu!  

2014_09_26 Dallas to Chicago, eventually......

Woke up feeling and refreshed after our flight from Lima, Peru to Dallas, Texas.  The seats in business class recline almost totally flat.  You do sort of feel like you are in a MRI tube at the feet and I woke up sweating because I put a blanket over me.  So Because I had a pair of exercise shorts under my pants off they went and I was doing great.  We boarded around 2:00a.m. and I slept until 7:00 - pretty great way to pass the night.

Here is the only image I took yesterday. We had just awakened and were waiting for breakfast.

They served up a pretty good egg dish with a spicy sauce, some potatoes and a couple of pieces of sausage.  Some juice, coffee with milk - with a small bun and strawberry preserves finished off the meal.

Passed through customs - I had not experienced the new kiosk procedure before.  You scan your passport and the kiosk takes and image of you and prints it on your form to hand over the the customs agent.  You just answer a couple of questions about where you were and why you are bringing back with you and - back in the USA!

Collected our bags and handed off to the transfer agent from American and went to see where our plane would be leaving from.  Now the fun started.....  Our flight 2303 was cancelled (mush to our surprise).  When I turned on my phone for the first time in 3 weeks I had a message from Sarah and Rich Rediker talking about the "problems" in Chicago.  I had given Sarah our flight info and she was following and saw ours was cancelled.

We walked over to the American flight assistance desk and soon realized it was not just us.  Eventually about 2,000 flights were cancelled into and out from Chicago because of some knuckle-head starting a fire at the Aurora :

:Here's a summary 

The agent said our best bet with a guaranteed 1st class seat was to fly to Denver at 2:55 in the afternoon and then connect to O'Hare later getting home around 8:00.  It was around 9:15 in the morning and this seemed pretty bad to me.  She wait listed us for the next scheduled direct flight to ORD leaving around noon.  Because we were flying 1st class we were numbers 2 & 3 on the wait list.  So we had a great chance of getting out of Dallas on that flight but sitting in coach.  We decided that this was the best option - the flight was just 2.5 hours or so anyway and the flight from Denver to ORD had no 1st class seats anyway.

We got on that flight and left about 12:30 - arriving around 3:00.  The luggage area at O'Hare was just chaos.  Bags were coming off the belts and were stacking up all over the place in no particular order.  Since we really didn't know what flight our bags might be on we kept watching as bags came off from Dallas.  Connie finally got in the line to talk with a agent and we were told our bags were coming on the NEXT arriving flight from Dallas.  So we went to that carousel and they came off after 2 hours of looking.

I really should have taken an image of the arrivals board with almost every flight listed as CANCELLED but didn't.  Oh well......

The cab driver that took us to the airport on the beginning of the trip was with another fare but he texted us that his son would pick us up.  After we got the bags we tried to text him and he never replied.  I called his number and he said he waited for us for a while but then left with another fare.  That was ok with me - I wanted to make sure he wasn't still waiting for us after al that time.  We called the automated number for American Taxi and we were headed home a few minutes later.

Just in time for Friday rush hour traffic on 294.  Basically bumper-to-bumper from O'Hare to Cermak when it final opened up.  Well, all's well that ends well and we were home.  It could have been much worse for us after all.

So another wonderful vacation is over.  Next trip seems to be either Sri Lanka or New Zealand.  I vote for the Kiwi's!

2015_09_25 Cusco, Lima and home

We had planned to have a late breakfast at Greens (we ate there before) at 9:15.  However, Rich Rediker had such a bad night the management comped us a free breakfast buffet AND free transport to the airport.  So we had a wonderful buffet and did a bit more shopping before a late checkout at 12:30 or so.  I followed Ricardo's instructions to Walon -  a sporting goods store and purchased a Cusco club team soccer jersey. Club Cienciano - nice jersey at an affordable price (not a knock off). Supposedly a 10-15 minute van ride to airport for a 3:15 flight to Lima.  Dinner in Lima before a 1:40a.m. flight to Dallas.  We hope to sleep most of the way.

View from our balcony.

Overlooks the Army training center.

The little narrow street below our room.  Another Inca stone wall.  Cusco reminds us of Spain.  Makes sense.

After I bought my Cusco soccer shirt I waited in Plaza de Armas for Rich and Richie but they went walking for a while back to the huge market. I was people watching - I want to be this guy someday!

A couple of street shots.

Panorama of the Temple of the Sun - Right next to our hotel.

Palacios Del Inca Hotel lobby.

Connie spotted these ladies down our alley from our balcony.  She said a moment before one lady was feeding a baby goat with a bottle.  Doh!

Connie did this one as well.  Good eye!

Arrived at Lima airport with no problems whatsoever.  We thought to try and store our bags at the Costa del Sol Hotel at the airport so we wouldn’t have to lug them around in Lima for dinner.  Once the hotel saw that we had stayed there the first night they stored 11 bags for zero dinero!  It would have cost a lot of Soles to store the bags at the airport.

We also negotiated for a van to take us the 12 miles or so to where we were to have dinner in Lima.  

I shot these on the quick from our van on the way to Astrid y Gaston.

Now for the drive…… I have NEVER EVER seen worse traffic in my life.  Not even Mexico City could compete.  It seemed to be organized chaos with lots of just sitting with horns honking. It took about 1.5 hours to go the 12 miles - The driver kept trying different routes and running into roadblocks.  Rich wanted to het out and walk - his phoe app would have gotten us there) but the driver didn’t want to let us.  He was concerned for the gringo’s I think.  Eventually we arrived at this beautiful restaurant.

Rich had reserved 4 seats at a special 29 course tasting dinner at Astrid y Gaston’s Casa Moreyra (rated one of the top 50 restaurants in the world).  Gaston Acurio is Peru’s most famous chef and the dinner was to die for according to others on Trip Advisor.

Here are Richie Steingart and Connie outside Casa Moreyra.

Connie and I opted for one for Gaston’s different restaurants La Barra that is located in the same building.  This building was once the home of a rich Spanish guy back in the day.  So, we were seated overlooking the kitchen prep area and watched the organized chaos once the orders started pouring in.  We were there right when La Barra opened at 7:30 and most didn't arrive for some time after.  

Right in front of us were 2 chefs that were preparing small salads and it was quite interesting.  Tasted each one a bit before handing it off for the final plating.  They would mix up a sauce and pour it into a squeeze bottle labeled with masking tape!  Pretty hight tech!  The sous chef was off to the right and he would call out each order to the other chefs and they would all respond with a yell.  Then each chef involved in that portion would kick in and start the prep work.  Little tweezers to add the tiniest bit of a flower as a garnish for instance.  

This was our view of the kitchen.  Pretty cool to be able to watch it all.

There was another guy that was responsible for the final plating and it was incredibly detailed.  Wiping the edges of the plates ott just so and making sure the presentation was perfect.  At the end of our meal he came over and when we told hime we were going home to Chicago we found out he worked for Charlie Trotter in Chicago - “On Armitage” he said.  Small world.  I told hime we were watching hime prepare the plates and he said he had to do it "just so" or Gaston would “kill him”.  Thats him on the right and the sous chef is in the foreground.

We decided (quite by accident if turns out) to have an entire fish prepared for us.  While we were looking at our options it seems we ordered the fish.  Prior to the fish coming out we had selected an appetizer that we had tasted on the trek.  Casau - 1/2 half potato shaped into a filled tube with fish tartar and deep fried sea weed (as best as I could discern) on top.  Delicious!  This was half the order - we portioned the other half off before I thought to take a picture.

We asked the waiter 3 times what type of fish we were eating and we still don’t remember.  Delicious fish is my name for it.  The whole fish appeared on a platter and since we looked befuddled they "opened it up” for us to eat.  It came with caramelized onions and deep fried bread croutons in a butter sauce.  We could not eat the whole thing - we told the waiter we needed more friends to share with.  We actually ate quite a bit of it but were ultimately defeated.  No desserts - way too full.

Afterwards since we finished about an hour before the tasting menu Connie and I walked across the street to a cafe and had a coffee and hot chocolate while we accessed their WiFi network.  Around 10:00 we walked back and saw our van driver waiting for us just as we had asked him to.  We got word to the others that he was waiting and they came out at about 10:10 and we got into the van and headed towards the airport - slightly worried about the traffic.

On the way they told us about their dinner.  It all revolved around a story about Peru and the different foods you encounter.  They got to visit their kitchen before the meal and met the head chef (not Gaston).  Wonderful presentation, delicious combinations of foods and a book at the end that detailed every one of the tastings - with recipes for all of them. 

The trip back to the airport was only about 25 minutes - no drama whatsoever. Recollected our bags and walked across the street to check in.  They other 4 were flying Delta and we American and because we were flying 1st class (them) or business class (us) we all had access to the airport lounge.  Pretty nice seating, lots of food (just what we needed) WiFi - they 2 hours passed pretty quickly.  Their flight was 20 minutes or so before ours so we said out goodbyes from the lounge.

Boarded our flight right on time  (1:40a.m.) and put the seats into full flat recline and slept straight through until about 7:00.  Quite peaceful - when we neared Dallas they served us a nice breakfast.  

Deplaned, cleared customs and found that our flight home was cancelled………. 

2014_09_24 Aguas Caliente and back to Cusco

Day two at Inkaterra Hotel in Aguas Caliente.  We had the morning at leisure so decided to take a orchid tour on their grounds.

Real early for me in the lobby of the hotel.  Really nicely decorated.  We all loved the colors.

Lots of birds on the property.  This is a blue tanager - Richie Steingart image.

On the orchid tour.  Looking at tiny orchid they magnifying glass.

These guys were crushing tea leaves by hand in their tea plantation.

Walking along the path on orchid tour.  Like a mini jungle.

Roof tile detail - Richie Steingart again.

2 Bulls on rooftops are for good luck.

Looks like all little girls like books.  This was in the market where we were doing some last minute shopping.

Train station at Aguas Caliente.  We boarded the 3:48 train to Ollyantaytambo - a 1.5 hour train trip.

The driver was waiting for us in the parking lot.  He stopped at Tambo Del Inka Hotel in Urubamba on the way back to Cusco to retrieve my camera battery charger that I had left behind.  Arrived around 8:00 at Palacio Del Inka another 5 star hotel.  

Courtyard outside Palacio Del Inca, Cusco.

Our suite.

We feel like we're in a museum.  Nice headboard.

2014_09_23 Trek Day 7 Machu Picchu!

The day is finally here!  Up early for breakfast to take a 7:00 bus up up up to Machu Picchu.  Arrived 25 minutes later and got in the ticket line.  You had to present your ticket as well as your passport to get in.  Admil (our guide) took us into the city and talked for a while about the history of this sacred place.  He showed us the sun temple and then we walked out to the Inca trail that we saw yesterday from    w    a    y   below at the hydroelectric train station.  This trail can no longer be used - considered too dangerous.  You can walk along the trail for a bit until you see the logs that were used as a drawbridge to stop undesirables from entering Machu Picchu.  Whenever trouble appeared they simply removed the logs creating a impassable gap.  Far in the distance is another sign that marks where you can walk to from the other side as well.  It's pretty high (3,000 feet drop-offs) and a bit nerve wracking to walk this trail.

Here's the path to wards the Inca drawbridge.  Petty scary looking but somehow I was ok walking out to the end.  I think Gayle Rediker is out there at the end in the fog.

Here's a look at the Inca drawbridge - shot from the point where you have to stop walking.

When we first arrived the clouds were moving in and out.

Here's a pretty sweet image of Machu Picchu that I took this morning.  We climbed up Huayna Picchu - that's the big mountain in the middle of the image.  Great views back at Machu Picchu from a condor's viewpoint as they say!

Waiting at the gate to enter and climb - Note the Spanish name for Huayna Picchu.

You had to sign in and then sign out when you finished.  Thus they would know if someone didn't come back.

Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu.

Rich Rediker, Bobi Steingart and me up on Huayna Picchu!  Awesome view....

WiFi real slow this evening - I can't stand to wait to load up more - maybe tomorrow.

The Inca developed a water circulation system that that culminated here at the Water Temple.  Still flowing smoothly 500 years later from underground springs in the mountain.  Amazing.

Here's a closeup of one of the water channels at the top of the Water Temple.

The Condor Stone.

Inti Mach'ay is a special cave designed to celebrate and observe the Royal Feast of the Sun. This festival was only to be celebrated by the nobility in the Incan month of Qhapaq Raymi and was associated with the December solstice. The festival would begin earlier in the month and would conclude on the solstice.  Note the woman's face in profile.

 

On the way up to see Into Watana Stone.  Note the stones on the right in the foreground.  Not yet aligned with the stones on the left - This wall was in progress and never finished.

The Inti Watana stone is one of many ritual stones in South America. These stones are arranged to point directly at the sun during the winter solstice. The name of the stone (coined perhaps by Bingham) is derived from the Quechua language: intimeans "sun", and wata- is the verb root "to tie, hitch (up)". The Quechua -na suffix derives nouns for tools or places. Henceinti watana is literally an instrument or place to "tie up the sun", often expressed in English as "The Hitching Post of the Sun". The Inca believed the stone held the sun in its place along its annual path in the sky.

Closeup of the Inca stone work.

Nice walls in the residential district.

Long steep staircase.

Closeup of that staircase.  Thanks Richie Steingart.

Great light!  Again, Richie Steingart.

THIS DAY WAS AWESOME!!!!