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3 days ago
WEDNESDAY 11 NOVEMBER – Bruce & Louise are leaving today as the advance party heading to Salta. Mid morning we take a taxi, AR$30 (£5) for the 20 minute 8km steep ride up the mountain. At the top we want to do the walk to “Giganta del Diablo”, AR$3 (50p). Initially we walk down to the bottom of the gorge then follow the course of the stream hopping to a fro across it. The rocks here are purple and turquoise and make a beautiful backdrop. At the end of the gorge is the waterfall, so tempting to duck under it but signs tell us this is the towns water supply so no bathing. Back tracking we go the opposite way following the water course channel, at one stage balancing on the edge of the channel with a sheer drop at the side of us. You can continue this way to join the track back to town but it seems quite dangerous so we return to the entrance and the main road. Further down the main road is a much easier and safer track of 4km taking us back to the ...
14 days ago
SUNDAY 1 November 2009 – We are keen to visit the main La Paz cemetery for the interesting tombs and sculptures and to see how they celebrate the “day of the dead”. Along with Adam and Melissa we take a mini bus directly there, Bs2.50 (23p). The street leading to the cemetery is cordoned off and sellers of flowers and vases are doing a roaring trade. Almost every niche, grave and mausoleum has fresh flowers and at a few graves the relatives are gathered making the offerings of bread and biscuits. The food is all flavourless to start with but the thought is that overnight the spirit of the dead person sucks the flavour out of them so that when the relatives return and eat them the next day they are bland. In the nearby streets we come upon a fish market with many restaurants. We opt for one in a huge hall packed with locals. A band arrives to play and after the first song they make a point of asking everyone to welcome the tourists then ...
22 days ago
WEDNESDAY 21 Oct. 09 – I’m surprised that we don’t sleep well as we have a quiet room and comfortable bed. Leave at 4am and take a mototaxi to the station, PS2 (16p). Our train leaves at 5.07am and there are a few empty seats so we pick two together on the left side of the train facing forwards. The valley narrows and the mountains either side seem higher creating a most attractive backdrop. We follow the course of the river passing small farming communities. As we continue the landscape turns into jungle with lots of trees. I spend most of the journey with my head poked out of the window taking dozens of photos as it is so attractive. As we enter the village of Machu Picchu (also known as Aguas Calientes) we find the train is actually going along the main street with buildings less than a foot from the carriage. In fact we can see right into them and spot people on beds and others sat in café’s, very funny. Alighting from the train we make our way to ...
32 days ago
SUNDAY 11 October – Last night Sara told us how to get out to the Lambayeque museum so we take a taxi, PS10 (£2.20) directly there. Now we realise that we went right past it on the bus yesterday and had we know this we could have got off and stayed in Lambayeque overnight. The museum of the royal tombs opens at 9am, PS10 (£2.20) and we are the first in. The building has been shaped like one of the tombs and inside we see many of the finds from the tombs and replicas of the burial chambers. It is quite different from anything we have seen before and takes us almost an hour to get around. Catch a collective PS2.20 (49p) each back to the city. We keep thinking it is full but the conductor leans out of the window touting for more business until there are 17 of us jammed into the small mini bus. Pick up our luggage then taxi PS2.50 (55p) to the Linea bus station. We make it just on time to catch the 11am one to Trujillo, PS14 (£3.10) pp. I am pretty tired ...
32 days ago
200910 THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER 2009 – Catch the 8.45am, $2 (£1.20) bus to Riobamba. The direct road is still closed after the February 2008 eruption of volcano Tungurahua so we skirt Ambato then head south along the “avenue of the volcanoes”. We get a beautiful view of Volcano Chimborazo, at 6310m the highest one in Ecuador and famous as the furthest point from the centre of the earth due to the Equatorial Ridge. Fellow passengers are kiwi Scott and his Czech girlfriend. We share a $1 (60p) cab to the centre of Riobamba. El VIP café is owned by Couchsurfer Juan who advertises last minute beds. Immediately ahead of us entering the café are 2 young Polish girls, Gosia and Marwina. Juan says he may have space for us all and walks us to his house nearby. The girls are happy with the offered mattresses on the floor and we thank him but say we are a bit too old to sleep on the floor and ask if he can recommend a hostel. Shyris at $8pppn is OK but the ...
