I have skipped over the last part of Peru and need to backtrack but this travel business is a lot of work and I´ve been busy. Anyway...
How to get a bridge named after you in Bolivia
It´s called "Crackhead Bridge." It´s named after a guy. Apparently a crackhead. It´s about a 50 meter (yes, I´m metric now) drop into a rocky crevasse. If you miss the bridge anyway. The bridge is on what is known as "The World´s Most Dangerous Road." It´s the old road built between Bolivia and Peru/Chile. There is a sheer cliff to one side that drops hundreds of feet in places. The last year it was still the only route over the mountains (2006), 100 people died in one bus crash over the side. The new highway is falling apart because they didn´t put in any drainage and they will be back to using this road again at some point but that´s another story. Now they run mountain bike tours down the road. You need to pay attention. You need to be sober. There are a lot of drugs in Bolivia and La Paz is a party town. Apparently this dude thought it would be a good idea to smoke crack all night and then continue smoking crack on his four hour downhill ride. Unfortunately for him, his timing, vision, and judgement were slighlty impaired from all the rock he had been smoking. He missed the bridge and fell 150 feet onto the rocks and broke both legs, both collar bones, several ribs, and many teeth. Then he had the pleasure of lying there for two or three hours waiting to be pulled out. As an added bonus, he had the good fortune of being treated in a fine Bolivian medical facility by a veteranarian/dentist/doctor/tow truck driver. But he did have a bridge named after him. Now we have Crackhead Bridge. Let that be a lesson to all of you crackheads out there. I am hoping that after my trip to Argentina they rename Iguazu Falls "LSD Trip Falls" or "Naked American on Mushrooms Falls" or something. Stay tuned.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Welcome to Peru
Went a little out of order in bringing myself all the way to Arequipa. There was more to Cusco than just horrible people at my hostal.
For one thing, Cusco itself is one of the most over-touristed places I have been. It seems to exist entirely for the tourist industry, anchored by its proximity to Machu Picchu. The number of tour companies is so overwhelming that it is next to impossible to decide which company to use. Some are much better than others but the whole business is so incestuous that they are all related in some way. It may not have more tourists than other places but the tourists are crammed into the center of the city, more or less. Nobody really owns cars so there are seemingly millions of taxis. The taxis are another story altogether. It's one of those places where you cannot walk ten feet without someone trying to sell you a tour, a trinket, a massage (every two feet), a pack of smokes, drugs, a meal, a sweater, a hat with ear flaps, or a photo with a pet llama. Just about everyone, it seems, is trying to rip you off. I think the people are both jaded by the presence of all the tourists and their perceived (and real) money and simply poor. Everyone is fighting over the same dollar or euro and there are just too many of them doing the same thing and selling the same thing with nothing to differentiate one from the other. I will give them a break there. It's tough to make a living, like everywhere I have been. I'm glad I'm not hawking tours all day on the corner or asking 500 people if they want a massage to get one taker. That being said, I still don't like being seen as a walking wallet. But nobody in that town has any interest in knowing anything about you. Everything is a sales opportunity.
A little story about the sales opportunity. Part of it was a great experience, part of it was a royal rip off. I walked up to the ruins just above town my second day in Cusco. It's a pretty good hike up the stairs above San Blas. San Blas is built into the hillside and is made of winding, steep, stone steps. When I got to the top, this guy with a backpack jumped down from the wall and approached me. Of course I thought he wanted to sell me something or perhaps rob me but he asked me if I had a boleto touristico or tourist ticket to get in. I said no and he explained to me that I could get in free after 5:30. I told him that I was just going to climb the hill to the giant Jesus statue (being the big Jesus freak that I am). He blesses me every day. Oh wait, he's dead. Anyway, the guy introduces himself as Armando and walks with me up the trail to see our boy JC. Cool guy, takes some photos of me and asks me if I wanted to go drink Chicha with him. I agreed and walked down this maze of steep dirt trails (the real Cusco) past the shacks and houses and several vicious dogs that we pelted with rocks until we came to a building with a low roof and a door that we had to duck under to walk through. Seated at long tables along the walls were mostly men 50 and older drinking a yellow liquid with both hands from large glasses. We were in a "Chicharia," or Chicha house. Chicha is liquor made by the Incas that is brewed by women who chew corn, spit it into an urn, ferment it, and add water. These men come and drink Chicha every day for three or four hours. I met several of his uncles and his father and cousins and we drank Chicha for several hours. We walked back to town, I fell down the trail (twice) and I thought it was a really cool, very unique experience. Which it was - I have not met anyone (Peruvian or otherwise) who has ever been to a Chicharia. Armando mentioned to me that they had horses and told me he could take me on a tour for 45 soles, which sounded cheap. I said that I would go the next day. Here comes the rip off/sales opportunity. I showed up to ride the next day and the price was 90 soles (I had to rent his horse, from his cousin, who is his neighbor and owns the horse). Oh, ok. Paid it, wondering if they would actually give me my 10 soles change. The horse was good, the equipment was terrible and I couldn't even put my feet in the stirrups, and most of the ride was on the road. The ride was half as long as it was supposed to be, on a different route than promised, and cost twice as much. We ended up going to the school where his girlfriend was the cook and she made us some delicious trout. The best I have ever had. During this time, his cousin stopped by because he worked for a bike tour company and I had mentioned that I was interested in a bike tour and Armando was telling me that I could live in the apartment above his house for free as long as I wanted. We walked back to my hostal as he and his cousin were both trying to steer me into their offers. His cousin visited me several more times in the coming days. Armando offered me the free place to stay a few more times but I knew it was only because I was a potential source of income. I honestly thought the guy had some good intentions but it was really just the first of many experiences that made me think everyone in Peru wanted my money, whether they obtained it honestly or not. I never got my 10 soles change.
For one thing, Cusco itself is one of the most over-touristed places I have been. It seems to exist entirely for the tourist industry, anchored by its proximity to Machu Picchu. The number of tour companies is so overwhelming that it is next to impossible to decide which company to use. Some are much better than others but the whole business is so incestuous that they are all related in some way. It may not have more tourists than other places but the tourists are crammed into the center of the city, more or less. Nobody really owns cars so there are seemingly millions of taxis. The taxis are another story altogether. It's one of those places where you cannot walk ten feet without someone trying to sell you a tour, a trinket, a massage (every two feet), a pack of smokes, drugs, a meal, a sweater, a hat with ear flaps, or a photo with a pet llama. Just about everyone, it seems, is trying to rip you off. I think the people are both jaded by the presence of all the tourists and their perceived (and real) money and simply poor. Everyone is fighting over the same dollar or euro and there are just too many of them doing the same thing and selling the same thing with nothing to differentiate one from the other. I will give them a break there. It's tough to make a living, like everywhere I have been. I'm glad I'm not hawking tours all day on the corner or asking 500 people if they want a massage to get one taker. That being said, I still don't like being seen as a walking wallet. But nobody in that town has any interest in knowing anything about you. Everything is a sales opportunity.
A little story about the sales opportunity. Part of it was a great experience, part of it was a royal rip off. I walked up to the ruins just above town my second day in Cusco. It's a pretty good hike up the stairs above San Blas. San Blas is built into the hillside and is made of winding, steep, stone steps. When I got to the top, this guy with a backpack jumped down from the wall and approached me. Of course I thought he wanted to sell me something or perhaps rob me but he asked me if I had a boleto touristico or tourist ticket to get in. I said no and he explained to me that I could get in free after 5:30. I told him that I was just going to climb the hill to the giant Jesus statue (being the big Jesus freak that I am). He blesses me every day. Oh wait, he's dead. Anyway, the guy introduces himself as Armando and walks with me up the trail to see our boy JC. Cool guy, takes some photos of me and asks me if I wanted to go drink Chicha with him. I agreed and walked down this maze of steep dirt trails (the real Cusco) past the shacks and houses and several vicious dogs that we pelted with rocks until we came to a building with a low roof and a door that we had to duck under to walk through. Seated at long tables along the walls were mostly men 50 and older drinking a yellow liquid with both hands from large glasses. We were in a "Chicharia," or Chicha house. Chicha is liquor made by the Incas that is brewed by women who chew corn, spit it into an urn, ferment it, and add water. These men come and drink Chicha every day for three or four hours. I met several of his uncles and his father and cousins and we drank Chicha for several hours. We walked back to town, I fell down the trail (twice) and I thought it was a really cool, very unique experience. Which it was - I have not met anyone (Peruvian or otherwise) who has ever been to a Chicharia. Armando mentioned to me that they had horses and told me he could take me on a tour for 45 soles, which sounded cheap. I said that I would go the next day. Here comes the rip off/sales opportunity. I showed up to ride the next day and the price was 90 soles (I had to rent his horse, from his cousin, who is his neighbor and owns the horse). Oh, ok. Paid it, wondering if they would actually give me my 10 soles change. The horse was good, the equipment was terrible and I couldn't even put my feet in the stirrups, and most of the ride was on the road. The ride was half as long as it was supposed to be, on a different route than promised, and cost twice as much. We ended up going to the school where his girlfriend was the cook and she made us some delicious trout. The best I have ever had. During this time, his cousin stopped by because he worked for a bike tour company and I had mentioned that I was interested in a bike tour and Armando was telling me that I could live in the apartment above his house for free as long as I wanted. We walked back to my hostal as he and his cousin were both trying to steer me into their offers. His cousin visited me several more times in the coming days. Armando offered me the free place to stay a few more times but I knew it was only because I was a potential source of income. I honestly thought the guy had some good intentions but it was really just the first of many experiences that made me think everyone in Peru wanted my money, whether they obtained it honestly or not. I never got my 10 soles change.
Trying to get caught up on Peru and need to keep posting in parts. It´s part laziness, part disorganization, part sketchy internet access, part being sick twice, and part just being busy traveling and doing what goes along with that.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Peru, finally (Part 1)
Machu Picchu, blah, blah, blah
I need to post this in parts or I will never get it done.
I arrived in Peru on July 13th and spent the night in the Lima airport drinking beer to get me through the night. I was behind this guy from Oregon at the ATM when he left his Visa/ATM card in the machine (one of my biggest fears). He had no money, no plane ticket, and no clue what he was going to do. He said he was checking his balance and just spaced out. I saw him walk away and tried to grab his card but it was too late. I gave him 60 Soles ($20) and wished him luck.
The flight from Lima to Cusco was pretty amazing. The views I mean. Sunrise over the Andes was spectacular. I sat next to a couple of really cool people from Medellin, Colombia. They own a restaurant and invited me to come to Medellin. They said they would make it easy for me if I was worried about anything (why would anyone be worried about going to Colombia?).
Got into Cusco at 7 AM and was picked up by a super cool girl who worked at my hostel. Turns out she would be one of only two who were super cool there. The rest were borderline nasty. One girl who worked the front desk faked being nice and one couldn't even muster fake niceness. She was horrendous. Bitch. The rest of them ranged from weird to ice cold. The rooms were nice and the showers were awesome (something you learn to appreciate and ask about as you travel). They were so good that I let people I met who were staying in less desirable places use my shower. It's funny now how many people I have talked to who have used or let others use their showers. It's very common out on the road. However, the people who work in the place one stays make a huge difference. I was not impressed. I eventually moved after I met some people but I can't do the full time backpacker/hostel scene. Too old for that. I have to do more of a hybrid thing. Maybe I will do a hostel (even a dorm) for a couple of days and spend $8 or $9 on a room but then I need to go hide out somewhere and get some privacy (and perhaps a better shower and/or internet connection). I did all of the above in Cusco.
My second day in Cusco I was sitting in the Irish Pub and the most beautiful Peruvian girl sits down next to me. Joanna Vasquez from Lima. I won't go into details but I will say that she "showed me around" Cusco for the next five days during which I didn't go to bed before 5 AM. At the end of all that, having no sleep and being at 11000 feet, I had a respiratory infection. I remember hearing this guy at the hostel cough every morning when I first woke up thinking "that dude's got tuburculosis or something." Then I noticed so many other people coughing. I called it "the Cusco cough." Then I got it. Joanna went back to Lima and I was unable to breathe or sleep for the next four days and didn't recover until I arrived here, in Arequipa. Cusco and Puno were both coooold and very high (Puno is at 12000 feet). I came down here to 6000 feet and nice weather and instantly felt better. I had no energy for weeks, even though I was outside hiking etc. Met some good people in Cusco, including Joanna's friends, Gretal and Christina as well as Peter from Denmark, Ursula and Gabriella from Brazil, Roos (Rose) from the Netherlands, and the Ica crew (Sebastien, Santiago, and Alex). A couple of good expats too - mainly Richard Nisbett who I shared many beers and good stories with at the pub. Roos and Ursula were especially good finds. Good people.
I need to post this in parts or I will never get it done.
I arrived in Peru on July 13th and spent the night in the Lima airport drinking beer to get me through the night. I was behind this guy from Oregon at the ATM when he left his Visa/ATM card in the machine (one of my biggest fears). He had no money, no plane ticket, and no clue what he was going to do. He said he was checking his balance and just spaced out. I saw him walk away and tried to grab his card but it was too late. I gave him 60 Soles ($20) and wished him luck.
The flight from Lima to Cusco was pretty amazing. The views I mean. Sunrise over the Andes was spectacular. I sat next to a couple of really cool people from Medellin, Colombia. They own a restaurant and invited me to come to Medellin. They said they would make it easy for me if I was worried about anything (why would anyone be worried about going to Colombia?).
Got into Cusco at 7 AM and was picked up by a super cool girl who worked at my hostel. Turns out she would be one of only two who were super cool there. The rest were borderline nasty. One girl who worked the front desk faked being nice and one couldn't even muster fake niceness. She was horrendous. Bitch. The rest of them ranged from weird to ice cold. The rooms were nice and the showers were awesome (something you learn to appreciate and ask about as you travel). They were so good that I let people I met who were staying in less desirable places use my shower. It's funny now how many people I have talked to who have used or let others use their showers. It's very common out on the road. However, the people who work in the place one stays make a huge difference. I was not impressed. I eventually moved after I met some people but I can't do the full time backpacker/hostel scene. Too old for that. I have to do more of a hybrid thing. Maybe I will do a hostel (even a dorm) for a couple of days and spend $8 or $9 on a room but then I need to go hide out somewhere and get some privacy (and perhaps a better shower and/or internet connection). I did all of the above in Cusco.
My second day in Cusco I was sitting in the Irish Pub and the most beautiful Peruvian girl sits down next to me. Joanna Vasquez from Lima. I won't go into details but I will say that she "showed me around" Cusco for the next five days during which I didn't go to bed before 5 AM. At the end of all that, having no sleep and being at 11000 feet, I had a respiratory infection. I remember hearing this guy at the hostel cough every morning when I first woke up thinking "that dude's got tuburculosis or something." Then I noticed so many other people coughing. I called it "the Cusco cough." Then I got it. Joanna went back to Lima and I was unable to breathe or sleep for the next four days and didn't recover until I arrived here, in Arequipa. Cusco and Puno were both coooold and very high (Puno is at 12000 feet). I came down here to 6000 feet and nice weather and instantly felt better. I had no energy for weeks, even though I was outside hiking etc. Met some good people in Cusco, including Joanna's friends, Gretal and Christina as well as Peter from Denmark, Ursula and Gabriella from Brazil, Roos (Rose) from the Netherlands, and the Ica crew (Sebastien, Santiago, and Alex). A couple of good expats too - mainly Richard Nisbett who I shared many beers and good stories with at the pub. Roos and Ursula were especially good finds. Good people.
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