Climbing Machu Picchu- And the Guttural Scream

     You know how they say hindsight is 20/20? Well, as time passes since the high up Machu Picchu, I actually feel like I'm forgetting more and more of the wonderful things that happened along that journey, so I felt I better write this sooner rather than later.

    I would say the hike itself was more the journey, more the experience, than actually walking the ruins at Machu Picchu. Don't get me wrong, they are incredible and breath-taking, but after four days hiking in the heat and rain of the Peruvian forest with 16 former strangers from every different age group and ethnicity, the journey was making it there, not the abrupt change from explorer to tourist you make upon entering the ruins. 

     The members that made up our trekking group deemed "The Vor Trekkers" meaning for-trekkers or explorers, couldn't have been more diverse. We had a good mix of ages from 18- 60 with people from Australia, England, Mexico, Holland, and the United States. There was a chemist,  a Cadbury candy brand marketer, two 60 year old former plane jumping instructors, three 18 year old Australians who somehow managed to finish while smoking a half a pack of cigarettes every day, a mother-son team, and two American actresses to round out quite an interesting group. Thanks to the hearty three group meals a day, we got a chance to actually sit down and pick the brains of these demi-explorers from other countries. 

   Along the hike, which consisted of three 10 day hikes, and a final 2 hour descent into the ruins, our tour guide David would stop and give us history lessons on the Incan culture, and the cultures that now inhabit the area. He was also very knowledgeable about the the indigenous plant life and herb culture. He tried to force the younger hikers to eat pieces from a plant that he later told us was to encourage abstinence in the youth, they spit it out in record speed. 

     Now, I thought I was in pretty good shape before going on this hike, but let me tell you, it doesn't matter how in shape you think you are, after hiking uphill for 3 hours, you are going to be hurting. This is where the guttural scream came in. It was day 2 and we were hiking over a pass deemed "Dead Woman's Curve." At first I was very confused about why it was aimed at the woman and not the usual Dead Man's Curve, but later realized that was because from a side view the mountain looks like it has breasts....so. Anyway, this was definitely the hardest part of the hike for everyone, but I got some surge of energy half way through(maybe it was the coca-leaves, maybe it was the altitude making me go crazy) but I was basically screaming to myself as I ascended, very upset when the Australian candy man passed me (only because of the aid of Queen blasting on his head phones, I regret not bringing an ipod, but I thought who brings an ipod to Machu Picchu?... Winners do, that's who.) Anyway, Spencer and I did very well considering, both finishing in the top 5. (p.s. It was definitely not a race, but more of a personal achievement meter:)

      Each night, we would stop and camp along the way. Our second night we had the pleasure of staying at a sight next to some ruins that the locals had turned into a very serious soccer pitch. It was amazing to see the new generations taking what was left and re-appropriating it into something useful. 

    The third day was quite rainy, which was a great experience as well, because A) I learned that the ponchos we bought, had actually zero intention of being water-proof, but still felt like passing themselves off like genuine ponchos, and B) I love the rain, and experiencing rain in the RAIN-FOREST is pretty incredible. 

   Now, we had heard a rumor that we should get ready to "dance and drink" on night three. Which completely sounded insane, because there was no alcohol, and definitely no electricity to play music this entire time, but low and behold, as we descended on the third camp sight, we came upon this oasis of a disco tech in the middle of the forest. Somehow, they had set up this wild place with alcohol, music, and SHOWERS! (that we coolly ignored:) It was pretty crazy, but let me tell you, at 10,000 ft. you only need one glass of wine. 

    The next morning, we were awaken at 3 am to begin our final descent to Machu Picchu. We were all in a hurry for no particular reason I think other than to bring the entire four days into their fruitful fruition. And then we arrived, and let me tell you, it's amazing. It really is, and having the history of the place tucked away in your recent short-term memory files made the whole experience that much more rewarding. After the short group tour, I opted for some quiet meditation time in one of the many tucked away corners. Our guide had told us that the reason we were all on this trip was because a piece of our souls had been here before. Now, It's hard to judge the validity of that statement, but I will say, that sitting alone with Machu Picchu, watching the mist roll over the mountains, the rain fall from the clouds, and hearing the river roaring below, I think it would hard for anyone not to have a pretty spectacular spiritual moment, all you really have to do is show up. And I'm glad, monumentally glad, that I did. 

Sincerely,

Nora

Cusco- Machu Picchu- Lima

Cusco....

I'm listening to reggae right now as I write this and truly I should be listening to some kind of latin music. 

Cusco came and went and as I sit here in Lima  in the lobby of Barranco's Backpackers inn, I'm sad to say that I am headed home this evening. 

Cusco was everything Nora said and more.

Here are a few pictures of my time there....

\

Traditional wedding attire in Cusco... technically I didn't see the sign to not take pictures until after this picture was taken.

Cool dog with one aqua eye... thought he looked cool. 

The main square in Cusco at night. Its absolutely beautiful here.

This is our guide, David, on our Machu Picchu hike.... well it was more like a trek.

 This was our second rest on the first day. It's insane it doesn't even look real!

The first day of the hike was fine.... we got into our camp site pretty early but by day 4 I was in serious need of dry clothes. Just a word of advice... definitely check when the rainy season is. 

 

BA- breakdown

Okay so I am way behind on the posts from Buenos Aires and really want to write about Cuzco, therefore I am just going to give an overview of the things that are really important to know about BA.....

When you first come into BA, Argentina you must pay  $140 US for a 10 year visa. It has something to with visas in the US for Argentinians, but you only have to pay it the one time until the 10 years expires. US citizens pay the most then its the Canada followed by Australia. If you're form Ireland or Japan, you are fine!

The local drink is Fernet and Coca. Fernet is a dark liquor that has a very distinctive taste, and coca is just short for coca cola. If you are going to visit another country, you might as well enjoy all aspects of it including choice beverages. Everyone has a Mai Tai when they visit Hawaii... you should have a fernet and coca. You might hate it though because its pretty strong and a little bitter, but the coca cola offsets it. I love it, personally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernet

Also the language here is a little bit different, so when you say goodbye its "Ciao" not "adios." There are a few different things but I've been in Peru now for a few days and the language is a bit different here too from say Spanish in Costa Rica.  Pura Vida!

St. Elmo was by far my favorite part of the city.  I have a thing for black and white parquet floors and staircases that seem to go forever.  There is some great vintage shopping and some wonderful coffee shops, although service can be a little slow compared to what we are used to in the US. But if your reason for coming to argentina is to go out all night stay close to Palermo.

I love Buenos Aires and definitely plan on coming back( since I have a 10 year visa now).  Each district has its own feeling and make it a priority to check them all out. Don't be scared to walk off the normal tourist path,  just make sure you always pay attention and keep you're items close. I lost some pesos on New years.... still can't find them... Although that might be my fault.

XOXO-
Spencer

Cusco/Cuzco- Day 1

Today is our first day in the Peruvian city of Cusco, or Cuzco.
(There is a large discrepancy on the spelling of the city name, but for the purposes of this blog, let's say Cusco.)

This city is breathtakingly beautiful. It is built on the side of a small mountain and has epic views from just about every direction. There are winding cobblestone streets with the most vibrant blue doors on just about every building. The colors alone in this city will make your head spin. Every few blocks you may need to stop and take a deep breath. (This is also partly due to the incredible elevation of the city which comes in at just over 10,000 ft.)

Coca leaf tea and candy is prescribed by the locals to combat elevation sickness. Yes, the same coca leafs that are used to make cocaine, but let me assure you they have a very different affect in this form, and make you about as jittery as a good cup of coffee:)

In just one day we happened upon a street fair complete with foosball and "shoot the super hero," a second to none fresh fruit and vegetable market, miles of clothing made from alpaca, and an amazing street show which, although we couldn't understand the performer, seemed to be an elaborate stretching competition.

But despite all these amazing happenings, the highlight of my day was stumbling across a music store run by a man named Arturro who makes all the instruments by hand. Here I found some of the most interesting pieces I have ever seen. The woodworking skill and musicianship is second to none. I ended up buying an instrument I had never heard of before, called a Marmacho. It has four strings, but each string section has four strings within that section all tuned to the same note, making it 16 all together.
This odd set up produces such a unique sound that Arturro was kind enough to demonstrate for us. This is my favorite city of the trip so far! More to come!
Sincerely,
Nora

Buenos Aires- Day Two

Nora was up and ready to go. I on the other hand was still living out my experiences from the night before, but I rallied. The plan was to head to LA BOCA, and Nora and I are all about public transportation plus cabs can be really expensive in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires has a great metro and bus system and should definitely be utilized by tourists. We walked to the Carlos Gardel (that's H-ardel)  stop off the B line and took that to the city center to switch trains to LA BOCA. La Boca is pretty far from its stop at the station and a bus is worth it. We asked la informacion which line to take and they kindly wrote on a little piece of white paper Line 54 or 46 (we asked in spanish though). In places where there is a lot of tourism like La Boca or Palermo, most people who work there speak english enough to get by, but having a good understanding of the language is important if you want to really experience the city. If you wanna know more about the history of LA boca you can check it out here ......   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Boca

LA BOCA

One of my favorite things is to jump into pictures. 

There are beautiful statues, buildings painted in vibrant colors, and lots of street performers in La Boca, an aguerro of Buenos Aires.

If you walk out of the main square and to where the old railroad is you'll see a less tourist filled part of La Boca. Nora and I walked into a great antique shop filled with antique linens and skeleton keys. We picked up a few keys to make some necklaces when we get back home.

 My friend had actually just been in Buenos Aires a few months ago and took the same picture as below. I didn't remember until after I took this. The story was that some couple had gotten into a fight one day, and so this graffiti was spawned.

I thought house was cool. It's obviously vacant but there was something wonderful about how the light shown through the windows and plants were just thriving around it despite its absolute depiction of abandonment. It's just a nice reminder of how human beings can interrupt the natural world yet the earth will continue to find a way to grow.

Buenos Aires- An Overview

To me, Buenos Aires is kind of like one of the "choose your own adventure" books by R.L. stein I used to read in my teenage years. Around every corner the was a different opportunity that would take you a completely different direction with completely different people, leading you to an adventure you would have never imagined 30 minutes ago. Did we always take the adventurous path? Not always, but that's not to say we didn't soak in all that this city has to offer.

The easiest way to understand the layout is to think of New York. Buenos Aires is divided into several distinctly different boroughs. We had time to visit about four in debth.
Recoletta- Home to many beautiful cemeteries, churches, and museums.

Palermo- Home of the good night out. This borough is known for its vibrant night life.
San Telmo- By far our favorite borough, they have an amazing cobblestone street with one gorgeous antique store after another. These stores very different from any "antique" or "vintage" store you would find in Los Angeles...different in a good way.
La Boca- Home to the pedestrian walking street and Spur of the moment Tango show. The colors in this borough are ripe for good photography.

Each borough had something unique to offer, but San Telmo stood out as the kind of place you would want to live for a month while you were writing a romance novel. It had moxie.
But for all the opportunities and adventures Buenos Aires offered us for New Year's Eve, we ended up spending it on a roof with about 8 other people in relative relaxation to the madness that ensued below, but we left in one piece, and that's about the most perfect end to an adventure you could ask for.
Sincerely,
Nora

BBQ

Antoine (one of the owners of the hostel) makes an amazing Argentinian BBQ, even though he's french. Nora and I are vegetarians, but its Argentina and I thought, "When in Rome." He served a traditional array of meaty items like chorizo, blood sausage (yes with actual blood) and a great filet mignon. I had some of the filet and it was well worth it. Argentina also has some of the greatest wine. Malbec is excellent and one of Nora's favorites. Nora hit the sack early and I decided to stay out with some of the people from the hostel. I was of course convinced ot go out dancing later at a discoteca and came home pretty late. It was a great first night in Argentina, except we weren't able to get in touch with two guys we met earlier but I'm a firm believer in fate so if it was meant to be it would have been.

Buenos Aires- Day one

Okay so technically my trip started in London and by the time our South American trip ends, I'll have been out of the United States for 22 days. Not to brag... moving on... so Nora met me at the airport despite the fact that my trip was delayed by 3 hours due to the terrible weather in NYC. We got in a taxi and so it began. Nora took spanish in college and it definitely paid off, and I used to to speak fluently when I was about 6 years old, so 20 years later no esta muy bueno halblamo but I try. We got the hostel in desperate need of food and so that's where that picture came from. Palmitos salad or hearts of palm, so good.  We then looked at the map and off we were to see Recoleta. I think its great to just go to a city and meet people and then see where you end up. Nora had a book at least, which gave some cool spots to go, but I just figured we'd make some friends try to speak some spanish and they'd tell us where to go. About 20 minutes later we met Santiago and Juan. Ellos estoy abogados y profesores. Yup of course we meet lawyers who are also teachers at the law school. They say we should check out St Elmo for some antique shopping and some cool theatres. Palermo is also recommended as a place for drinks. Palermo is actually kinda like West hollywood we find out later in our trip. We make plans to meet them later, but we have dinner plans first at the hostel. 

Hola!

A few months ago, Spencer and I decided to go on the adventure of a lifetime.
South America, two weeks, four cities, culminating with a four day hike up Machu Picchu.
So here we are, two girls on a mission to explore and experience as much of South America as we possibly can. We will chronicle our adventures here. Adios!
Sincerely,
Nora