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PERU INCANS, ALTITUDE AND ANDES
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Welcome to Peru...
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The Peruvian numberplate with a PE at the top to signify Peru.
Peruvian money, the Sole (S/), which comes in the form of 10c, 20c, 50c, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 denominations.
At 2007 exchange rates, S6 = £1. |
Sunat sticker for temporary importation |
PUNO AND LAKE TITIKAKA
Puno
The Uros Islands are located on Lake Titikaka. Lake Titikaka is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world at 3,812 m (12,507 feet) above sea level. Titikaka has an average depth of 107m and a maximum depth of 281m.
The Uros Islands are a gorup of 43 floating islands located in the southwestern area of Lake Titikaka
There are several theories as to how the Uros people ended up living on floating reed islands: one of them is that they were escaping persecution from the Incans who forced them to work in the mines in Oruro and Potosi so they escaped to Lake Titikaka where they didn't have to pay taxes. There are no pure bred Uros people left as there has been interbreeding with the Aymara people from the mainland.
The reed islands are about 2 to 5 thick. They need to be constantly replenished with reeds. The islands are anchored to the floor of the lake to stop movement with waves.
The Uros people used to live on boats but then started creating reed islands. The boats would last about 8 months but with modern technology (and plastic bottles) the reed boats last about 12 months. |
AMANTINI AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
We went to stay on the Amantani Islands with some local families. All the women came to the port to meet their international visitors.
Philomena our host for the night. She was knitting one of the colourful Andean hats.
The island is main self sufficient. They grow Quinoa as one of their crops. Quinoa is also known as Incan Rice and has been cultivated in South America for over 6,000 years and grows up to about 4,000m.
Oca is another vegetable grown on the island which resembles a potato or carrot. Peru boasts over 4,000 different types of potatoes.
From the top of the island at Pachatata (father earth) looking out from 4,200m across Lake Titikaka
Down the dance hall!
The beautiful islanders outfit... the trousers and boots don't do it justice!
We were invited to the island nightly dance. Ross showing some of his dance moves to the traditional Amantini 'disco' music (panpipes, guitar, recorder and a drum!)
Taquile Island. The first tourist to Taquile Island arrived in 1964.
The hat store
The long bed hat with a white end signifies that you are single or divorced; if you are married it is all red; the hat with flaps is for children!
A married man. The hat eliminates the need for flirting!
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The road to Arequipa |
AREQUIPA
Greg, Ross and Dave enjoying a bit of Arequipa
Some fine gentry modelling the traditional Arequipan outfit
Semana de Santos (Saints week) procession on the Plaza de Armas just before Easter
The beautiful architecture even extends to banks
Arequipa lies in the shadow of three volcanoes and this sign indicates where you should hide in the event of a big earthquake. Whislt we were waiting for the car to be repaired, we were caught in the middle of two bone rattling earthquakes that hit 4.1 on the richter scale.
Easter dinner with Jason, Alan, Anne-Marie and Gianni who kindly showed us some Peruvian hospitality
Chicha which can be made as a refreshing drink or if left for 3 days to a month makes a potent beer. It is made from purple corn (jora), sugar, orange peel, cinammon, all spice and some yeast if to be made into beer.
The Beast finds a new girlfriend! |
ENGINE OVERHAUL IN AREQUIPA
Altitiude played havoc with the poor little Beast's insides. According to local mechanics, with every 1,000m of altitude you are required to advance the timing by 2 degrees. We reached altittudes of 5,100m above sea level in Bolivia, without changing the timing at all.
The result of not changing the timing is this... burnt out valves and valves that get coated in a carbon gunk. There is a marked loss of power as well as the valves sticking open, fuel flows straight out of the exhaust and going up hills takes four times as long.
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MID LIFE CRISIS
Greg hit 33 years old and got himself some nice dreadlocks
Ras-ta-far-iiiiiii |
CUZCO
The city built on an old Incan capital, Cuzco is heaving with mixed Inca and Spanish architecture.
The streets of San Blas
Ancient Incan walls
The traditional Cuzcoan white hat
The Bikers and the Beast at the Norton Rats Tavern in Cuzco. Tati, Chris, Guido and Nuno all decided that they would ride the railway line to Macchu Picchu and Aguas Calientes... unfortunately made impossible by the landslides at the side of the railway.
The flag of Cuzco or the Wiphala. There is talk of changing the flag from the original Incan rainbow due to the confusion with the modern gay pride colours. |
PISAC
Inca Pisac lies at the mouth of the Sacred Valley and was thought to have been used as a base to protect Machu Picchu from being conquered by the Spanish.
The Incan design of the slanting doorways and niches is indicative of the 1438 to the 1533 architecture period. The period before this had normal shaped doors and windows.
The niches are thought to have been used as shelves for cooking items and for Chicha (an alcoholic beverage which the virgins of the sun made for the Inca)
Incan agricultural terraces. The rocks sticking out of the walls are used as steps up and down to the next terrace. The terraces served to prevent precious soil from being washed away. The Incans transported guano from their offshore islands to fertilise their crops. |
OLLANTAYTAMBO
The Incan ruins of Ollantaytambo tower over the present day town.
The intricate Incan architecture that fit together perfectly. Granite blocks upto 20 tonnes were dragged 10km from the quarry. |
MACHU PICCHU
There are no official roads from Ollyataytambo to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu pueblo). Any tourists that aren't brave enough to walk the 4 day Inca Trail need to take the stunning train trip along the Urumbamba River
The Urubamba river
The American, Hiram Bingham made the first official scientific discovery of Machu Picchu on the 24 July 1911. He was searching for what he thought was the lost capital, Vitcos. Machu Picchu is however thought to be the 'Old Villacabamba' and the capital of the Incan Empire.
Machu Picchu - the last Inca's town. Machu Picchu means 'old mountain'.
The sanctuary located beneath the Sun temple. It is said that the mummified remains of the Inca King Pacachuti were kept and brought out on occasions to dry in the sun (ref Lost City of the Incas)
It is thought that the thatched roof was tied on to stone knobs on the outside of the building.
The view down to Machu Picchu from Wayna Picchu (meaning 'young peak'). Wayna Picchu is the peak seen in the background of most pictures of Machu Picchu. Only 400 people are allowed to walk the vertigo inducing trail to the top every day.
The Incans banned writing so messages would be sent by messengers via knotted strings called Quipu. |
AREQUIPA (again)
The Convent of Santa Catalina with the ever imposing volcanoes in the background
One reconstructed V8 engine being put back in
The hardworking mechanics of BRC in Arequipa who took the engine out and rebuilt it and then rescued us when our radiator started gushing only 100km from Arequipa! Thanks guys
Due to time constraints and a leaky water pump/suspected blown head gasket we decided to pay for the Beast to be bundled onto a lorry and driven 3000km to the north of Peru. |
LIMA
Huaca Pucllana is located in the centre of Lima
In the 1950s, this important archaelogical site was located in the centre of a quickly expanding suburban district of Miraflores. According to one local they used to ride their bicycles across the top of this 600 year old pyramid.
The pyramid was used as a burial site and a religious area by Incas. All the bricks were hand made.
A Peruvian hairless dog that was a loyal companion even back in Inca times.
The Beast was unloaded after the 3000km drive to the north of Peru. The drivers had to dig out the embankment in order to offload the Beast. We had to get 10 people to help push it off as we had a flat battery. |
