Cuzco must be the most expensive place i´ve visited, or at least up there with 1st world prices. Street touts abound and there´s no way virtually of conversing with someone without it being a business transactions. Understandably we´ve got tourist money entering the developing world and who would blame any of the locals in wanting to make a buck, but it doesn´t suit me if all i do is book overpriced bus rides to ruins after ruins without having a good ol chat with whoever has the time and inclination to want to share some words with me, dunno...
But i made it the Cuzco, the ancient centre of the Inca Empire, and to Machu Picchu, another one of its wonders. Learned a bit about what they were about but since the Spaniards began destroying everything they lay eyes on, little knowledge of what they were all about remains, most of it being speculation.
By the way, being in the southern hemisphere Peru is in summer except this region which is in one of its 2 seasons, the rainy season, so it´s raining loads. In the mountains and visiting Machu Picchu, i spend most of the time in the clouds and wait patiently for them to lift and then magically i´m in the junggle... And how hard did i laugh when i found out the it´s snowing in melbourne for Christmas!!!
Don´t really know where next, although Colombia is calling my heart.
jueves, diciembre 28, 2006
viernes, diciembre 22, 2006
The road never ends, but my savings will
So I get to the valley and sweet little ol town of Cafayate and its dozens of vineyards to visit and wine taste. Standing on the edge of this massive dry valley with pockets of green and with a backdrop of the Andes, needless to say spectacular. Got up in the morning, bought some wine, slab of meat, salt and some tomatoes we took a short drive to where some told up we could climb and reach a river to take a swim. I don´t like bragging about going where no tourists goes, cos what the hell am i anyway, but we were the only ones, with Julian the local tourist who carried his barbeque grill and meat up a mountain in true argentinian style, made a fire and we ate the most tender beef you can find on the planet. Meanwhile some local kid were swimming in the canal and barely watching us go by.
A young mountain man comes by (what did he do really but live and wonder the mountain i don´t quite know) but kindly told us to take our rubbish with us - US! the only ones with containers to collect our ciggarret buts in, let alone other rubbish, and let me remind you that the keep australia clean campain never made a south american version. Anyway, he sat and shared with us and we quickly became friends. Next things you know he´s taking us to up the river where we find a mini waterfall with freaky cold water but with no other option other than to go right in it... little things make you happy to be alive. But alas, the day ended, we saw him off and ended up at a Bodega (winery) to dry the spectacular whites, a specialty of the region.
And then there´s the drive to Salta. We went through these mountain ranges that look nothing like mountain ranges, Las Quebrada de las Conchas (or de Cafayate). How they were formed over millions of years i won´t get into, but suffice to say i saw shapes that that don´t make sense, colours of pink, purple, yellows, blues and greens all on these rocks that look like a napolitana ice-cream scoop. Getting to towns and cities now is a let down, like arriving in stinking hot Salta and getting stuck there cos we couldn´t get our connecting but across the boarder to Chile, although it was quaint.
Seeing we now had 3 days to kill we decided to go to a smoky little village a couple of hours north, although with our bus going at 20km/hr at times, it took us 3. There again was spendour. Cool and unassuming Tilcara happened to be quoted in the guide books and was still coping with its newly found fame, yet not spoilt yet. Sometimes when your on the road a lot and sharing one too many bathrooms it´s such a treat to find a nice peaceful place, so missing our bus and getting stuck in Tilcara was a godsent. It was truely sad to leave that place but we had a date to meet.
Drove through the Andes again, passing layers of mountains and several salt lakes, we arrive to dusty San Pedro de Atacama, Chile once again. It took a whole day but we were forced to get on the bus again within hours to get to Arica, bordering Peru, because there wouldn´t be another bus with seats for days, so we made the gruelling overnight bus ride. Arica didn´t say much to me and it was only recovery time there although we did get heavily wasted on our last night there. A bit of a mistake cos we had to get to the bus station in the morning to get our dodgy tickets to Cuzco. 9 uneccessary hours of waiting in our first Peruvian terminal and then the overnight ride from hell, many swartzerneger films, and 30 hours later we are here in very cold Cuzco, and guess who´s not well dressed for the cold.
It´s christmas eve an i´ll be happy to finish my coca tea, get some warm tucker in me, have a shower and and go to bed.
Merry Christmas!
A young mountain man comes by (what did he do really but live and wonder the mountain i don´t quite know) but kindly told us to take our rubbish with us - US! the only ones with containers to collect our ciggarret buts in, let alone other rubbish, and let me remind you that the keep australia clean campain never made a south american version. Anyway, he sat and shared with us and we quickly became friends. Next things you know he´s taking us to up the river where we find a mini waterfall with freaky cold water but with no other option other than to go right in it... little things make you happy to be alive. But alas, the day ended, we saw him off and ended up at a Bodega (winery) to dry the spectacular whites, a specialty of the region.
And then there´s the drive to Salta. We went through these mountain ranges that look nothing like mountain ranges, Las Quebrada de las Conchas (or de Cafayate). How they were formed over millions of years i won´t get into, but suffice to say i saw shapes that that don´t make sense, colours of pink, purple, yellows, blues and greens all on these rocks that look like a napolitana ice-cream scoop. Getting to towns and cities now is a let down, like arriving in stinking hot Salta and getting stuck there cos we couldn´t get our connecting but across the boarder to Chile, although it was quaint.
Seeing we now had 3 days to kill we decided to go to a smoky little village a couple of hours north, although with our bus going at 20km/hr at times, it took us 3. There again was spendour. Cool and unassuming Tilcara happened to be quoted in the guide books and was still coping with its newly found fame, yet not spoilt yet. Sometimes when your on the road a lot and sharing one too many bathrooms it´s such a treat to find a nice peaceful place, so missing our bus and getting stuck in Tilcara was a godsent. It was truely sad to leave that place but we had a date to meet.
Drove through the Andes again, passing layers of mountains and several salt lakes, we arrive to dusty San Pedro de Atacama, Chile once again. It took a whole day but we were forced to get on the bus again within hours to get to Arica, bordering Peru, because there wouldn´t be another bus with seats for days, so we made the gruelling overnight bus ride. Arica didn´t say much to me and it was only recovery time there although we did get heavily wasted on our last night there. A bit of a mistake cos we had to get to the bus station in the morning to get our dodgy tickets to Cuzco. 9 uneccessary hours of waiting in our first Peruvian terminal and then the overnight ride from hell, many swartzerneger films, and 30 hours later we are here in very cold Cuzco, and guess who´s not well dressed for the cold.
It´s christmas eve an i´ll be happy to finish my coca tea, get some warm tucker in me, have a shower and and go to bed.
Merry Christmas!
sábado, diciembre 16, 2006
Long busrides and sore bums
Made it to Iguazu, and indeed it is the most spectacular waterfall in the world. Stayed at the rock-star hotel, cold beer on the side of the pool and all. But had to move on. Even poped over to Brazil for the day and overdosed on juice, can´t get enough of their mixes.
Theresa and i headed northwest to some of the most varied and spectacular landscape imaginable. Ditched the big city of Tucuman and went straight to little valley called Tafí del Valle, 28 hours later on a bus, hense the sore bottom. (On the bus we played bingo and after the 1st 3 winners couldn´t claim their prize because they couldn´t come out with an obligatory joke, i was 3rd runner up and even though i couldn´t come up with one either, i gave them a run down of my life - another joke and won the prize - a bottle of wine with the bus company´s name on it..)
In Tafí is where my holidays really started. Small town, no noise, no fumes, no rude people, just blue skies fondled by big cottonwool clouds which kept creeping over the mountains that surrounded the valley. We even ditched the 2 hostels available there and opted for the one of the locals, Julián, who had a quaint little place in his backyard, accommodation that would fit max of 3. oh boy did i relax, but i was still suffering from sitting-in-bus-too-long syndrome so we walked up a little hill and waited 20 minutes from when we saw the clouds come over the mountains till the came and washed over us literally - so we were in the clouds!! (no photos, camera´s broken) We loved it, but seeing we were on a tight schedule to get to Cusco by the 24th, and go through the province and then Chile, we had only 3 days there. The time we have won´t do the zone one ounce of justice so we restricted ourselves and selected 2 more places to see.
So when we were about to leave Tafí Julián convinced us to stay another night and accompany us for 3 days up to Salta, it seems he had nothing better to do. He began by taking us around the town and to his friends´ houses up the mountain where they had etched a simple existence, producing their own food often, making arts and crafts (artesanias) and basically living where they could wake up everyday and kiss the sky, wet their feet in the river and contemplate the sound of the wind. Well, i´m no hippy fan, but these were the real Macoy and i liked them. Doors were open everywhere we went and you know country folks, they´re so fucking friendly and generous it just spins you out sometimes. So we crashed that night at his mate´s place seeing the cottage we had was taken after roast chicken and vegies and some of the locally produced wine.
Then the road trip starts. We left lucious water-abundant cool Tafí and over the mountain 50 kms or so later we´re in desert country, arid and more cacti than you can poke a prick with. Keep in mind we´re in the outback, folks are Country and life is quite cruel, but people don´t look at us funny even though we got superduper hiking boots on, a backpack and sitting in the town square, under a tree at least, when everyone else is having a siesta inside. This is Amaichá del Valle, a hidden village, to wonder down and bump into one of the most incredible museums or indigenous exhibitions i have ever encountered - yes, in the middle of nowhere i tells ya! The most impressive part was it´s construction with coloured rocks forming patterns on the grounds, walls, and the sculptures over a huge area.. can´t do it justice, you´ll have to see photos.
Julián picks up his stash and we head to Quilmes, the abandoned site of the tribes-peoples, called Quilmes, who maintained their fort in this monstorous valley amoungst other nations. They resisted and managed to fight off the Inkas and also the Spanish invadors for about 150 years, until they were overpowered and then they were taken to Buenos Aires on foot (a 30hour+ bus ride so imagine walking it in chains). The irony is that although they were annihilated eventually, the place where they they were brought is now their name´s sake, and it is also the site of the biggest brewery in Argentina (i think), making it the most drunk beer: Quilmes. Funny how once your dead you´re ants-pants, people will pay to see where you lived, although before they would´ve promoted a policy of destroying you and your evil ways; and once your people have been masacared they´ll take your name, cos it seems trendy enough and name a beer after you (i suppose some would take that as a compliment huh?), so cheers!
Stay tuned for next installment, Cafayate to come...
Theresa and i headed northwest to some of the most varied and spectacular landscape imaginable. Ditched the big city of Tucuman and went straight to little valley called Tafí del Valle, 28 hours later on a bus, hense the sore bottom. (On the bus we played bingo and after the 1st 3 winners couldn´t claim their prize because they couldn´t come out with an obligatory joke, i was 3rd runner up and even though i couldn´t come up with one either, i gave them a run down of my life - another joke and won the prize - a bottle of wine with the bus company´s name on it..)
In Tafí is where my holidays really started. Small town, no noise, no fumes, no rude people, just blue skies fondled by big cottonwool clouds which kept creeping over the mountains that surrounded the valley. We even ditched the 2 hostels available there and opted for the one of the locals, Julián, who had a quaint little place in his backyard, accommodation that would fit max of 3. oh boy did i relax, but i was still suffering from sitting-in-bus-too-long syndrome so we walked up a little hill and waited 20 minutes from when we saw the clouds come over the mountains till the came and washed over us literally - so we were in the clouds!! (no photos, camera´s broken) We loved it, but seeing we were on a tight schedule to get to Cusco by the 24th, and go through the province and then Chile, we had only 3 days there. The time we have won´t do the zone one ounce of justice so we restricted ourselves and selected 2 more places to see.
So when we were about to leave Tafí Julián convinced us to stay another night and accompany us for 3 days up to Salta, it seems he had nothing better to do. He began by taking us around the town and to his friends´ houses up the mountain where they had etched a simple existence, producing their own food often, making arts and crafts (artesanias) and basically living where they could wake up everyday and kiss the sky, wet their feet in the river and contemplate the sound of the wind. Well, i´m no hippy fan, but these were the real Macoy and i liked them. Doors were open everywhere we went and you know country folks, they´re so fucking friendly and generous it just spins you out sometimes. So we crashed that night at his mate´s place seeing the cottage we had was taken after roast chicken and vegies and some of the locally produced wine.
Then the road trip starts. We left lucious water-abundant cool Tafí and over the mountain 50 kms or so later we´re in desert country, arid and more cacti than you can poke a prick with. Keep in mind we´re in the outback, folks are Country and life is quite cruel, but people don´t look at us funny even though we got superduper hiking boots on, a backpack and sitting in the town square, under a tree at least, when everyone else is having a siesta inside. This is Amaichá del Valle, a hidden village, to wonder down and bump into one of the most incredible museums or indigenous exhibitions i have ever encountered - yes, in the middle of nowhere i tells ya! The most impressive part was it´s construction with coloured rocks forming patterns on the grounds, walls, and the sculptures over a huge area.. can´t do it justice, you´ll have to see photos.
Julián picks up his stash and we head to Quilmes, the abandoned site of the tribes-peoples, called Quilmes, who maintained their fort in this monstorous valley amoungst other nations. They resisted and managed to fight off the Inkas and also the Spanish invadors for about 150 years, until they were overpowered and then they were taken to Buenos Aires on foot (a 30hour+ bus ride so imagine walking it in chains). The irony is that although they were annihilated eventually, the place where they they were brought is now their name´s sake, and it is also the site of the biggest brewery in Argentina (i think), making it the most drunk beer: Quilmes. Funny how once your dead you´re ants-pants, people will pay to see where you lived, although before they would´ve promoted a policy of destroying you and your evil ways; and once your people have been masacared they´ll take your name, cos it seems trendy enough and name a beer after you (i suppose some would take that as a compliment huh?), so cheers!
Stay tuned for next installment, Cafayate to come...
martes, diciembre 05, 2006
I´m outta here
Did i mention i quit my job last week and in a frantic rush to pack all my things away and head for the road?
It´s home time, and i never thought i´d feel the urge but after 7 years of being on the road, on and off (cos even in melbourne i was transient, owned a bed and that was all)i´m looking forward to being in my slow, peaceful and boring hometown. It´s gotta be done. It seems that in the last year all the things that excited me about this life of mine have taken a back seat, aren´t tantalising me, aren´t filling me with purpose and new insights. And all those other things, that were always there but they just weren´t important to me, have come to the foreground, like dirty lonely roads, incomprehensible behaviour, unatainable goals, terrible beds, and the endless stream of housemates..
i´m coming home to roost, is all.
But before that, with a mate, I´m going to one of the most fabulous waterfalls in the world, Iguazu, then hop around the north of Argentina, cross into the desert of Chile - yes again, but very briefly - to then enter Peru, skip into a couple of places in Bolivia, hense my frantic race to get vaccinated today, visit a mate, then back into Peru, to Lima, visit a friend and then perhaps hooking up with another couple of mates from here and make it to Colombia, where i can find lots of mates i hope, and then if i find i´m really blessed, Rio de Janeiro. Then again, i may get pooped after the first leg and just come home.
I´m off in 3 days, here it goes!
It´s home time, and i never thought i´d feel the urge but after 7 years of being on the road, on and off (cos even in melbourne i was transient, owned a bed and that was all)i´m looking forward to being in my slow, peaceful and boring hometown. It´s gotta be done. It seems that in the last year all the things that excited me about this life of mine have taken a back seat, aren´t tantalising me, aren´t filling me with purpose and new insights. And all those other things, that were always there but they just weren´t important to me, have come to the foreground, like dirty lonely roads, incomprehensible behaviour, unatainable goals, terrible beds, and the endless stream of housemates..
i´m coming home to roost, is all.
But before that, with a mate, I´m going to one of the most fabulous waterfalls in the world, Iguazu, then hop around the north of Argentina, cross into the desert of Chile - yes again, but very briefly - to then enter Peru, skip into a couple of places in Bolivia, hense my frantic race to get vaccinated today, visit a mate, then back into Peru, to Lima, visit a friend and then perhaps hooking up with another couple of mates from here and make it to Colombia, where i can find lots of mates i hope, and then if i find i´m really blessed, Rio de Janeiro. Then again, i may get pooped after the first leg and just come home.
I´m off in 3 days, here it goes!
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)
