Peru is the third country we have visited in South America, after Venezuela and Brazil. These three countries on the same continent are actually three totally distinct worlds. Differences are huge!

Those impressions will always stay in our mind when thinking of Peru:

(x) Our disgust and anger about what the Catholic Church did in the name of god in South America in the time of Conquistadores, destroying systematically one of the greatest cultures in history! Considering the Pope’s comments during his last visit in South America, saying that the indigenous population desired the arrival of Christianity, the position of the Church remains more than cynical and definitely unacceptable! (x) Coming from Brazil where you find an immense ethnic diversity, Peru has a surprisingly homogeneous population, with a very high percentage being of indigenous descent. (x) Many women, even in large cities like Arequipa, dress in traditional clothes, in smaller places in it almost the norm. And we are not talking about those who hang around touristy places to have their photo taken with a baby lama! (x) Traffic noise, and the pollution that comes with it, is sometimes overwhelming, especially in Lima and Arequipa, which are the two biggest cities of the country. There are very few privately owned cars, but fleets of taxis and lots of “Collectivos”, which are the worst polluters, engulfing the surroundings in black exhaust fumes. (x) If Brazilians cannot live without showing one or two thumbs up to express agreement, Peruvian drivers cannot live without permanently honking to get whoever’s attention: other drivers that should make room for them or are not moving fast enough, traffic police when they get them waiting too long, potential customers for taxis or “Collectivos” … (x) Houses & buildings that are never finished, or sometimes only started and then abandoned, as well as very little concern for maintenance. (x) Extremely cold places with doors and windows opened, as if it was not cold enough, no matter if hotel rooms, restaurants, museums, stores ... (x) There is no public place where you cannot find a TV-set on full volume with people watching poorly acted romantic soaps or ultra violent series. This is especially true in local eateries, where you cannot escape the screams or shootings of the TV. (x) Cheap local eateries always offering the same dishes on their menu: “Pollo con arroz”, “Lomo saltado”, “Tallarin”, “Trucha” in the south … (x) And last but not least … Absurd price differences between local eateries and tourist places: for the same meal prices vary from 1 to 15, the only differences are that tourist restaurants have table cloths and an English menu!

The highlights of these four weeks in Peru were:

(x) Watching the sunrise over a completely deserted Machu Picchu and the spectacular scenery around in total quietness between 06:00 and 06:30 am. (x) Marvelling about the scenery of Coca Canyon during a 3 days trekking and the condors at Cruz del Condor, especially when four of these Condors landed on a rock a few meters away and started teasing each other. (x) The Museo Sanctuario in Arequipa exhibiting the famous “Ice-Princess”! This was one of the best insights of the Inca culture and civilisation we have had in Peru. (x) Nasca, not only for the famous lines, but because we took the time to see the Chauchilla Cemetery, the local museum and the lecture on the theory of the Nasca Lines. (x) The terraces of Moray and the Salinas near Urubamba in the Sacred Valley, a beautiful day off the beaten tracks … (x) The garden of the Hotel Tambo Viejo in Arequipa, where we could seat and relax, away from the busy street and the heavy traffic pollution.

What we would do differently:

(x) Be better prepared for cold temperatures: we both got sick in Lima because of the cold and the humidity and it took weeks to completely recover because of the height and the cold. (x) Not go to the Hostal Vallee del Fuego in Cabanaconde and not book a trekking with them. They have no idea about what they are talking about. Fure is not an interesting destination in the Canyon, there are much nicer villages. We do not understand that all travel guides (Lonely Planet, Le Routard, …) rave about this place … (x) We could not enjoy Lima because of the climatic shock and the fact that we both got sick immediately.

As a conclusion?

We spent four weeks discovering only a small part of Peru: Lima & Nasca, Arequipa & the Colca Canyon, Cuzco & the Sacred Valley, Puno & the Lake Titicaca. It was rather not enough than too much. This country is simply fantastic, with unbelievable remains of one of the greatest civilization in history! If going there, our main recommendations are: take your time to enjoy this trip, do not try to see everything. Try to live not only in tourist ghettos, but discover also the local eateries and the local markets, it offers so much better value. And no matter what travel guides say, do not get paranoid, Peru is a safe country!

All in all, we spent on average almost exactly the same amount of money per day as in Venezuela: 33.5 Euros or 47 USD. Yes, the present exchange rate Euro-Dollar is the best thing that could happen to us! Peru is to some extend a very cheap country, especially coming from Brazil, but classic tourist activities can be at times really pricy.

In order to get an understanding for the cost of living in Peru, some information about the level of income might help. For an unqualified job, the standard salary can be as little as 300 to 350 Soles a month, that is to say 70 to 80 Euros. We have been told that a teacher makes 180 Euros per month.

Therefore, costs of living can be kept very low for someone who tries to adapt a little. On average, we paid 12.5 Euros per night for a double room with almost always private bath and sometimes treated us to a little more comfort, like a heater. A menu - large soup, main course, non-alcoholic drink - in a local restaurant costs 3 to 5 Soles (0.7 to 1.2 Euros) and a menu “Ejecutivo” in the same restaurants costs 8 to 12 Soles (2 to 3 Euros). Transportation on the “Servicio Economico” on long distance busses costs 2.5 Soles or 0.6 Euros for one hour (four to five times less than in Brazil).

As a consequence, we managed to keep costs for everyday life at a very low level: less than 17 Euros per day and person, and we regularly allowed us a nicer restaurant or a drink and did not stay at real budget hotels. Of course, in the high season, prices for hotels are up to 50% higher, but we were in Peru in the lower season. As a comparison, this is far less then Venezuela and almost half of what we spent in Brazil!

But … There is a “but”! As soon as you want a European-like (or American-like) restaurant, prices are just western prices. We even saw menus in tourists restaurants with prices that you only find in posh restaurants downtown Paris or London: for instance 6 USD for a basic vegetable soup, which is simply absurd in Peru, was nothing uncommon in the restaurants on the many Plaza de Armas or on the main tourist spots.

One of our main concerns was a warm room. Considering the very high altitudes of many tourist destinations like Cuzco (3.250 meters), Cabanaconde in the Colca Canyon (3.290 meters) or Puno on the shores of the Lake Titicaca (3.820 meters), it is sometimes no luxury at all. Only once have we been able to get a little heater that turned the room into a comfortable place in the evening. But we did not stay at top-end hotels …

As usual, travel expenditures depend much on the level of comfort you want. Luxury busses such as the Cruzero Service of Cruz del Sur, which we cannot enough recommend given the level of security and of comfort, cost 4 to 5 times the price of a “Servicio Economico”, but for overnight rides we never considered traveling with another company. We spent altogether 150 Euros per person in 4 weeks, which is not especially surprising, considering the level of comfort we chose and the distances we traveled: 2.700 kilometers only for long distance rides.

A big chunk of our budget was spent on entrance fees and tours, although we did not trek the world famous and absurdly expensive Inca Trail that costs between 350 and 600 USD for 4 days / 3 nights. But entrance fees and smaller tours cost as much as one third of the total budget over 4 weeks, or approx. 270 Euros or 380 USD per person. Just Machu Picchu cost 220 USD for the train which you must take, the bus and the entrance fees for both of us ...

Another highlights we headed for was the “Yavari Project”. The Yavari is an old steamship that was built in Great Britain in 1862, then was put into 2.766 boxes and shipped across the ocean to Peru. After a short train journey the boxes were carried across the Andes by mules. In Puno the ship was put together, by that time six years had passed from the producing of the boat to its maiden journey, on Christmas Eve 1870.

The steam boat was originally powered by lama dung and only in 1906 did it receive a semi-diesel engine. In the 1960s it was retired and sat sadly in the port of Puno. Soon after, it was detected by an English lady, who was touched by the history of the boat and started a foundation and rallied for donation to renovate the ship. Twenty years after, the ship is in great shape and can be visited.

We were given a great tour by Mark, an English person, who is traveling with his wife and son around the world. They have known the captain for over twenty years and stayed at his guests on the boat for one week.The day we visited was also the National Navy Day, a public holiday in Peru that is celebrated with parades and celebrations, so we got to enjoy a tiny ceremony on the boat.

This holiday seems to serve to keep the memory of the Cholca War alive, a war that “the Peruvians lost, but Chile did not win”, according to the Captain of the Yavari. The very fact is that Peru lost an area rich in minerals in its very south to Chile, which has not been forgotten by many Peruvians.

Lake Titicaca was the “Sacred Lake” of the Inca. There are many legends about the origin of the Inca Empire. One of these says that Viracocha, the main god or creator god, had his children, Manco Kapac & Mama Ocllo, spring from the water of the lake to found Cuzco and the Inca dynasty. A sacred rock on Isla del Sol, in the Bolivian part of Lake Titicaca, is worshipped as their birth place.

At 3.820 meters, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. With a surface of 8.500 square kilometres and a depth up to 283 meters, it is the second biggest lake in South America. Lake Titicaca draws lots of tourists, mainly because of the Uros Islands, the floating islands about 7 km offshore.

We actually stayed only two days in Puno, the major hub on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca. The reason is that we planed to rather explore Lake Titicaca and some of its islands from Copacabana, on the Bolivian side. This area of the lake is more scenic than the bland bay of Puno and far less touristy and hence more genuine and cheaper, as everything in Bolivia.

On top of that, we were both tired and looking forward to enjoying a little rest from the sometimes challenging rhythm of our travel in South America. In the last 11 weeks we spent one or more nights in 45 different places. Especially the four weeks in Peru were rather strenuous. Most of the time we were 3.200 meters above sea level or higher and the climate at this height is rather extreme, a relentless sun during the day but bitter cold nights without heating. So we planed to treat us to a few days of “vacation” in the famous Hostal La Cupula in Copacabana, Bolivia, before really visiting the Lake, its islands and surroundings.

We decided therefore to concentrate on two highlights apart from the Funeral Towers in Sillustani, the Uros Islands and the Yavari. Which meant skipping some very popular destinations like Taquile & Amantaní, two major islands on the Peruvian side, because we knew we were heading towards Isla del Sol and maybe Isla de la Luna in Bolivia.

The main and most popular attraction on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca are the Uros Floating Islands. These are about 40 islands located 7km offshore from Puno. Basically these are platforms built from reeds and the roots of these reeds and anchored on the bottom of the lake 7-8 meters down. The roots, which look more like a solid block, are cut into cubes of about 50 cm and then tied together forming the very base. Then the reeds are laid on top about one meter high, partly submerging in the water but mostly sticking out. Since the lower layer of the reeds rots away, new reeds is added on top regularly.

These islands vary much in size and architecture, on some of them you can still find the huts made of reeds, whereas others are completely made of tin sheets. The only solid building is a temple of the Seventh Adventists. Their missionaries were the first foreigners to arrive here 42 years ago. You can also find lots of traditional boats made of reeds, but those are rather for tourists: the islanders now prefer modern motorized versions.

Unfortunately, being a major tourist attraction, with more than 1.000 visitors per day in the high season and only slightly less in the rest of the year, the whole spectacle is rather a zoo than anything genuine. It seems that only a few islands are used to present them to the tourists. On them you can buy any souvenir made from reeds and the usual other stuff. The Uros Island are something very unique and therefore it was worth spending half a day there, but what we saw had very little to do with what it once was, not too long ago.

The funeral towers of Sullustani about 35 km west of Puno are, apart from the floating islands, one of the main attractions in the area. These towers date back to pre-Inca time about 1.200 AD and an estimated 95 of these “Chullpas” may have adorned the wind-swept Altiplano at that time.

There are three types of these cylindrical towers, depending on the social rank of the people buried in them. All were covered by a roof and had only one tiny opening facing east. Each year at the summer solstice, these were opened to allow the sun to enter. The most refined one is “Chullpas de Lagarto”, the “Tower of the Lizard”, which therefore must have served as a burial ground for priests, shamans and leaders. It is 12 meters high and 8 meters wide.

Near the Tower of the Lizard, archaeologists found sheets of gold, leading them to believe that the tower was coated with those. It housed between 6 - 12 mummies, including the usual offerings they were supposed to need for the afterlife.

Once again, the Spanish destroyed the towers, took out the mummies and burned them. Another splendid action of the Catholic Church … Some of the towers are under reconstruction, often exposing what seems a pile of small rocks in the interior, which is visible since none of towers’ outer walls is completely intact.

Actually these are small copulas constructed about twenty years ago to protect the interior of funeral towers. Apart from the “Chullpas”, the scenery is truly amazing - the Altiplano at its best, intercepted by two small lakes, one of it Lago Umayo. There is a flat-topped island not to far from the shore which serves a national reserve for vicunas, the ever so cute relatives of the lama. Unfortunately they were hunted down close to extinction for there delicate and especially fashionable meat.

Once you have seen a vicuna, you are in love for ever, they are so incredibly adorable! Heidi was simply off her feet after being able to cuddle with a baby vicuna that was brought over from the island by an old lady who lives there.

There are several possibilities to go from Cuzco to Puno, the hub on the shores of the Lake Titicaca. The one we had planed was to take one of the few trains still running in Peru. Unfortunately, the price of 130 USD for 390 km made us change our mind fairly quickly.

So we chose to cover that stretch in a tour bus run by Inca Express that links the two cities, making five stops at various highlights on the way. The bus basically takes almost the same route as the train, but only costs 30 USD, including a guide, lunch & drinks on the bus.

It was the first time that we joined such an organized trip but we must confess it was excellent. Otherwise we would have never got to know these places, because it would be too complicated to get off and on a public bus with all our luggage five times in a day!

Our first stop was in Andahuaylillas to visit an old colonial church that claims to be “The Andean Sixtine Chapel”. Of course the paintings on the ceiling cannot compete with its famous “sister church” in Rome, but nevertheless were truly impressive. Next we were shown around Racchi, located at the base of the volcano Quimsachata. It is known for the remains of the Temple of Wiracocha, a magnificent example of Inca architecture.

In the small city of Sicuani we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch, relaxing in the garden of the restaurant. In La Raya our bus stopped at the highest point on that route, at 4.335 meters. We took some photos of the snow-capped 6.000 meters high mountains towering over the Altiplano and got a taste how windy and cold this area is. All around, people farm and tend their life stock, living in small mud brick houses without heating.

In Pucara, our last stop, we visited the local museum which houses some incredible pieces of this Pre-Inca civilisation. It existed around 2.000 years ago in that area, the most impressive piece of the exhibit is the one meter high sculpture of the “Beheader”, a high-priest that holds a head in his arm. The persons this priest sacrificed were supposed to pass on to him their wisdom and their strength.

Early evening we arrived in Puno at 3.820 meters, and luckily found the Miski Wasi Inn, where we have stayed now for three nights. For the first time we feel comfortable at night at this altitude. Why? Because its effective little heater brings up the temperature in our comfortable room to a level where we do not need to crawl immediately into bed seeking shelter under a pile of heavy blankets.

Coming back from Machu Picchu we stopped for another two more nights in Cuzco, the old Inca capital, to collect the luggage we had left behind in different places and refuel our energy by simply staying in one place. The only sight that was on our agenda was the Inca ruins at Saqsaywaman, a 40 minutes walk north of Cusco.

We lack a word to describe the enormous expanse of this old Inca settlement. Nowadays one can only see 20 % of what it once was like in its heydays. The base of the main complex was a three storey terrace built of stones weighing up to 160 tons, on top were buildings with thatched roof. Now you can only see the foundation of this complex, mainly the first “floor” since only the largest stones were left untouched. The others were used by the Spanish to build the main churches but also their houses in Cusco.

Saqsaywaman was the sight of one of the bloodiest battle fought against the Conquistadores with thousands of dead Incas left behind. Manco Inca escaped afterwards to the fortress of Ollantaytambo.

Unfortunately we had very little time to visit the whole site, since we got there rather late and needed to hike down the path to Cusco before it was getting too dark ...

After about an hour of exploring the ceremonial section of Machu Picchu, we decided it was time to climb Wayna Picchu, the world famous mountain “behind Machu Picchu”, before it was getting too hot. It is a one hour climb for averagely fit people as we are, but not that difficult because early morning the trail, basically stairs, is in the shade. Only four hundred people are allowed to climb each day, and at 10:00 am, right when we returned, the quota had been reached. You can only wonder what it must be like in July or August, the high season.

The view from the top is outstanding, especially since from above you can see the whole of Machu Picchu. It is only then when you realize that a large part of it consists of terraces and only a smaller part constitutes the temples, the residential and industrial part with its storages. From atop you can also see the last bit of the world famous Inca Trail with the Sun Gate!

Climbing down from the very top part of Wayna Picchu proved quite a challenge for Gilles, being confronted with extremely steep stairs and sometimes just ladders. On top of that, there was not much leeway for mistakes, the slope dropped abruptly several hundred meters down. Gilles then remembered that he actually had a strong fear of the heights. So he decided to glide down the stairs slowly on his bottom, sometimes choosing to crawl on all fours facing the mountain. The few hundred meters almost took us half an hour, with Heidi explaining in her teacher-like tone that it did not bother her at all, which is true.

Once we got back down into the archeological park of Mach Picchu, we had an extremely funny experience: some resident lamas, alpacas and vicunas of Machu Picchu went on a “tour through their city”. It was hilarious, them walking confidently and determined with their heads up past puzzled tourists. It seemed as if they knew exactly where they were going, leaving the tourists not knowing whether they should laugh, take photos or get out of their way quickly.

At 11:00 o’clock we were exhausted and took the bus back to Aguas Calientes, zigzagging the 12 km down the mountain. We got off the bridge crossing Rio Urubamba, making a quick stop at the small but very interesting “Museo de Sitio Manuel Chavez Ballón”.

WATCHING THE SUN RISE OVER MACHU PICCHU IS MAGIC! No matter how often it has been said … We both had very high expectations and were a bit afraid of finding something that was only “fashionable” and too well marketed. Well, Machu Picchu DID surpassed all our expectations! This place just puts a spell on you. If you do it right!!!

We were at the gate at 06:00 o’clock, taking the 05:30 o’clock bus from Aguas Calientes, together with about 200 other people. Once inside, we immediately climbed up the stairs as fast as we could to get to THE place where the world famous postcard photo was taken. We stopped only to catch our breath and then suddenly there it was, just laying in front of us, untouched, quiet, nobody inside, only some lamas and alpacas leisurely grazing down at the grassy bottom.

The next 15 to 20 minutes we spent there were simply incredible. We were able to absorb the uniqueness of the place in total serenity, when we noticed that the sun was just peaking around the mountain top opposite, about to touch Wayna Picchu, the mountain behind, and the ruins. We patiently waited for the whole of Machu Picchu to be bathed in the early morning sun, covering it with a different color by the light. Unique, especially because the site was designed in a way that no building would cast a shade on another building!

What makes Mach Picchu so special is the scenery that surrounds it, lush green cone shaped mountains all around it and the river below. It is indeed one of the most beautiful places we have ever been.

Apart from this overwhelming first impression, we discovered that the “Lost City” of Machu Picchu is in an astonishing state, much better preserved than any other Inca ruins we have seen in the last four weeks. We just could not take our eyes off this unbelievable view for more than half an hour. Then it was time to let go and to climb down to the ruins, because by then the first groups had arrived with their guides talking away in all kinds of languages. The people who took the first busses like us were all individual travelers, who quietly marveled.

Machu Picchu’s fame also stems from its history: undetected and thus not destroyed by the Spanish, only to be discovered in 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingman, who did not stumble across it by accident, but was guided to it by a local farmer. At that time the sight was completely overgrown with thick vegetation, but a few local people knew about the existence of the ruins. Bingham was actually looking for Vilcabamba, the last stronghold of the Incas against the Spanish, which was later found much deeper in the jungle. Well, apart from that, scientists have not been able to explain the very purpose of Machu Picchu, though concluding from the high-quality of the stonework it must have been an important ceremonial center.

We had decided against hiring a guide, because we wanted that unspoiled impression and used our guide book to navigate us through the complex. Often we were listening in to guides explaining the history and purpose of the various areas, mastering four languages between the two of us came in handy again.

There are many theories about Machu Picchu, and every guide’s explanation differs a little. We even heard the theory that the Conquistadores actually knew about Machu Picchu but did not bother destroying it, because it was abandoned. In such a case it would have been futile to build a church upon a temple which was the main concern of the Spanish, to wipe out non-Christian beliefs.

Naturally we first explored the ceremonial section, because there you find the finest stone work, the highlight being the Intihuatana, a little pillar, which the Incas used to predict the solstices of the sun. The stonework you find in the residential and industrial sector is much less refined, although not least impressive.

Unless you approach Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail, all tourists going there MUST take the train from Cuzco or at least from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Round trip, with only 30 kilometers each way, costs an incredible 57 USD per persons from Ollantaytambo in the backpacker train. The more comfortable Vistadome costs no less than 76 USD.

Perurail has a monopoly on the route and therefore can ask for whatever they want! There are additional cheap, local trains that cannot be used by tourists, but only Peruvians, which is fair enough. Although the segregation is rather strict, Hedwig, our host in Nasca and a Dutch citizen, could not travel together with her Peruvian husband when going to Machu Picchu.

Actually, there is a way to avoid the expensive train, but it involves taking two buses from Ollantaytambo and then a four hour trek to Aguas Calientes. It is really time consuming and only a few hard-core, penny pinching backpackers choose this way. Endless talks about opening up the railways to competitors and private investors have been going on for years without any result so far.

Giving the exorbitant price for the train ticket, the 40 USD entrance fee per person to Machu Picchu just seems in line, together with 12USD for the bus from Aguas Calients to the entrance of Machu Picchu, which makes it one dollar per km.

Since it was our choice to go there and spend this kind of money we do not consider it as scandalous as many other tourists, although in a country where a good meal in a local “Quinta” sells for 1 USD, it may leave you wonder.

The trip in the “Backpacker Train” is actually pleasant and offers a descent level of comfort and the part following the Urubamba River is very scenic. The Conquistadores followed this river when discovering and then conquering the area.

Of course we spent one night in Aguas Calientes, so that we would be able to take the first bus up to Machu Picchu and be there at sunrise, way before hundreds of people traveling with tours would arrive. We expected the worst of Aguas Calientes, having read the Lonely Planet and a few other travel reports.

Well, we did actually enjoy the city very much. Yes, it is a tourist zoo! Every few meters somebody is holding a menu in your face or alpaca knitting, but that is the game. We had excellent food for 10 - 15 soles at the Inti House and a huge room with all comforts at El Tumi was 20 USD, at least in the lower season. The latest promotion tool is a Happy Hour offering four drinks for the price of one. Needless to say we tried that too, which makes two Pisco Sour per person, just perfect!

We left with the first bus at 05.30 am so that we would be in Machu Picchu at precisely 06:00 when the gate opens and shortly before sunrise. Actually we went to the bus station at 05:10 am, because we knew it would not be just one bus going up at that time, but enough busses to take anyone waiting. We managed to be in the second one, looking back a quite a number of people waiting ...

The next day, we gave in to the rare luxury of allowing a taxi driver to take us to Ollantaytambo, 20 km away for just 10 Soles (3 USD), whereas the public bus costs only 1 Soles per person. It was quite an experience since we were chauffeured by an obviously ultra-religious gentleman who made a cross sign each time we passed a church, a cross on the roadside or other religious symbols, which happened quite often.

In Ollantaytambo, we found ourselves back on the gringo trail, with one tour bus chasing the other, either dropping off people as the ruins or picking them up from the train station. It has number of hostel and even more overpriced restaurants at every corner. Upon Heidi´s wish, we check into the comfortable Munay Tika Hotel, which turned out to be as cold as the other places but has a nice and sunny garden.

First thing we went down to the train stop to buy a ticket to Aguas Calientes, even off-season and two days in advance we did not get our most favorite dates! That major obstacle out of the way we walked every single alley of Ollantaytambo till the early evening, especially checking menus at various restaurants. Yes, even here you can find nice places that offer a three course dinner for 10 to 15 Soles.

Ollantaytambo itself is a small and quiet place, but it serves as a tourist hub for going further on to Machu Picchu or for trekkers starting off the Inca trail. Part of this village is built upon an Inca city and the village is therefore called the “Leaving Inca City”. The small cobblestone streets and tiny canals are truly enjoyable.

The main attraction of Ollantaytambo is its Inca fortress and temple, which was needless to say partly destroyed by the Spanish, but within the last 10 years a lot of restoration has been done. This time we invested in a guide and we are especially proud to say that were able to follow an almost two hour presentation in Spanish.

Two days after our trip to Pisac, we continued our travel to Urubamba, a smooth 2 hour ride from Cuzco in a collectivo for 3,5 Soles (1 USD), where we spent a day and a night to see the famous amphitheater-like terraces in Moray and the Salinas near Maras.

This one day in Urubamba turned out to be a fantastic experience off the beaten tracks … Yes, that exists in the Sacred Valley, you would never guess when arriving in Cuzco!

To visit the two places leisurely takes half a day if investing in a taxi, which we did, but it was worth every of the 50 soles it costs. The trip can be done partly on public transport but to see both places that way in a day is tricky. We certainly will not recommend walking the 13km from the bus stop (Cusco bound busses) to Moray as suggested in the Lonely Planet, the road from Maras to Moray is a dusty 10km unpaved stretch, with bone-dry fields right and left. Generally the best time to visit this place is probably May and June, right after the rainy season when everything is still green.

The amphitheater-like terraces of Moray may have served the Incas as a laboratory for agricultural experiments. It is basically a deep bowl, about midway starts a ring of terraces that go down getting smaller and smaller in diameter. At the bottom of the bowl it ends in a tiny round area, the hottest place. Also interesting are the long, flat stones sticking out from the terrace walls at certain points that serve as stairs allowing to climb up and down the different levels.

We heard the theory that every terrace / level simulated a difference in altitude of 300 meters, enabling the Incas to test what grows best at what altitude. A lot of restoration has been done on the terraces within the last 10 years. That is also the time when tourism started to pick up there.

The salt pans near Maras are also an incredible place. There must be hundreds of these little pans squashed into a small valley. These are worked and owned by the people of Maras. A little salty river that emerges from the mountain right there feeds the pans. The different colors - brownish to whitish - indicate the different layers of salt. The first layer is rather brownish since the brown soil shines through. Once this is dried more salt water is added that forms another crust, only the third layer produces the white salt.

The salt is put in bags and carried up the terraces by men and women balancing their heavy load along the small paths separating the pans. From the storage on top, mules and small trucks take it up to Maras.

Heidi also discovered the most pleasant Hospedaje Buganvilla, which has large sunlight rooms with private bath for 30 Soles or 9 USD. The first budget place we stayed in Peru that had none of the usual: stained walls, tiles falling off or missing in the bathroom, broken windows fixed with scotch tape, plumbing out of control, only a tiny little light … It is owned by a very nice and helpful family, we guess there are three guestrooms altogether around a green courtyard. And of course it is in no guidebook!

After some considerations we decided to join the crowds and visit the famous Pisac Sunday market. Many organized tours include Pisac in their itinerary before continuing on to Machu Picchu. This small city is only an hour from Cusco and collectivos run the route constantly for 2 Soles, so we decided to do a day trip.

Only a tiny part of this huge market serves local trade, the vast part is aimed at tourists. Everything is sold there, from blankets, Alpaca knitting, jewelry, pottery or any other souvenir ... It is a bit of a zoo, especially in front of the church where local “senores” dressed in traditional costumes pose for photographs. This spectacle causes a major congestion at the very place, with people taking photos, others simply wanting to pass and local worshippers trying to get into church. Mass is read in Quechua, it was our first experience to listen to this language which to us had a familiar and harmonious sound.

Although small, the local market is quite a sight because there are lots of villagers shopping and the many different dresses are anything from colorful, authentic to weird combinations of plaited skirts worn with woolen knee stockings, lots of colorful pullovers and the obligatory hat.

Of course Pisac’s main attraction is the Inca ruins, a citadel and temple high up the mountain with spectacular terraces plunging down towards the village. We spent three hours exploring the sight and regretted deeply not taking a guide to explain it to us in detail.

After another 9 hour overnight bus ride from Arequipa, we arrived in Cuzco. At 06:00 am, we found out that Cuzco was far more touristy than any other place we had been so far in Peru. Often, we were the only guests in a hostel. In Cuzco, the first two places we tried were booked out, including the famous and not so cheap Loki Backpacker, with more than 145 beds!

We found shelter in the Hostel Sol de Los Andes, which was as freezing cold as all the other places, but clean and really cheap for Cuzco. A double room with private bath costs 17 USD, including the little heater we managed to rent, which helped a little maintaining the room at a bearable temperature.

In the early morning hours, we started out to explore the city center. Yes, it is a beautiful city, the nicest we have been so far in Peru. On the other side, we have not seen that many tourists in the two months we have been traveling in South America, mostly groups!

Of course we bought the “Boleto Turistico” for a hefty 22 USD, which grants you entrance to 16 historic and archaeological sites, although the most interesting ones are outside Cuzco, as Saqsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, … and for most other sites in Cuzco, we had to pay entrance fees on top.

We especially enjoyed San Blas, the so-called artistic “Barrio”, with narrow cobblestone streets, a great view of Cuzco and which is full of souvenir shops and restaurants. We actually decided to stay there when we come back from Machu Picchu, in the small but cozy and most important warm Hostal Arrieros, with a breathtaking view over Cuzco.

The first highlight of this beautiful colonial city we visited was Qorichaska, one of the richest temples of the Inca Empire. As they often did, the Conquistadores destroyed the temple and built the convent of Santa Domingo on top.

Another must-see is the Cathedral, which actually consists of three churches: Iglesia del Triumfo to its right and Iglesia de Jesus Maria to its left. The stones to build these churches were taken from the Saqsayhuaman temples and the gold to cover the wooden carved alter was taken from Qorinchaska. So much for bringing the blessing of Christianity to the new world!

Last but not least, the Inca Museum … Actually this museum provides an excellent overview of all the different civilizations and the different cultures which existed in the area that was eventually conquered by the Incas. Luckily, we invested 20 Soles taking a very knowledgeable young lady guide, which is absolutely necessary to fully enjoy and understand the displays in the museum.

But getting to know Cuzco also means just walking around the city center and enjoying the colonial architecture, especially the three plazas surrounded by tastefully restored colonial buildings with beautifully carved wooden balconies, the steady stream of tourists and vendors, who never stop offering their goods.

On the very first night, we decided to find out what makes the success of such a place as the Loki Backpacker Hostel, apart from being among the top 5 choices of the Lonely Planet … An incredible experience! Well, it is a young crowd, people in their early twenties, who find themselves surrounded by likely-minded peers and amenities that make a traveler’s life very comfortable: free Internet, TV room, free basic breakfast (even if you cannot find a room, you are invited for a cup of tea!), cheap dinner (10 Soles or 3 USD for the communal dish is exceptionally low for Cusco), special events, etc ...

In the evening almost all of the 145 guests show up in the fairly sized but still cozy bar enjoying a notable number of beers for a hefty 7 Soles or 2 USD. Everybody finds somebody to chat with, since people know each other from sharing a dorm. Even to get dinner they do not have to leave the Hostel: one dish is prepared every evening that people can sign up for. This food being served is another group experience, with people waiting in line for their plate to be filled, talking to each other and then gobbling it down together in the rather dark room.

That way, this Hostel manages to keep almost all of its guest within the premises … It must to be a gold mine! Something many others should learn from … Why not us?

The best way to see condors is to leave Cabanaconde at 06:30 am, get off the Arequipa-bound bus at Cruz del Condor after a 30 minutes ride and catch the next bus that passes there at around 09:45 am. There are three reasons why leaving so early: first you can only spot condors early morning or late afternoon, second light is better in the morning and third because the Mirador called Cruz del Condor is packed with groups of tourists as early as 08:30 or latest 09:00 am.

When we left early in the morning, we were surprised how packed the bus was. There were a few tourists but the majority was local women with huge bundles, who also got off at Cruz del Condor. Well, they were all vendors selling anything that can be made of wool or Alpaca or any kind of food a tourist who had had no breakfast might wish.

The Mirador Cruz del Condor is in itself a beautiful place, with the Canyon dropping down more than 1.100 meters. By the time we arrived, we were only about 8 people and it was truly a great feeling to witness these huge birds gliding effortlessly through the Canyon. The climax was when four condors landed on a rock a few meters away and started teasing each other. We were so amazed and busy taking photos and videos that we only noticed after a while that bus after bus were arriving spewing out large groups of tourists. By 09:00 o´clock this place was a zoo, people shouting, calling over their friends and family to point out a condor, others did not even seem to bother watching the birds and were chatting about this and that. Many immediately stormed to the vendors bargaining over Alpaca sweaters or other knit-ware.

So we retreated to a food stall for a Mate Coca, a tea with Coca leaves and our newest culinary discovery, a roll filled with soft cheese and avocados, delicious! By 09:30 o’clock the show was over, the tour bus had left, the condors vanished and the vendors were packing their goods. Unfortunately many of the vendors also climbed into the 09:45 o´clock bus to Arequipa. The bus was simply cramped and therefore extremely warm and dusty, since many people opened the windows ...

Luckily we had seats because we had bought a ticket to Arequipa the day before and only interrupted the journey at Cruz del Condor. The 30 km trip to Chivay was tedious because the local women would get off at any given location and then collect their stuff from the luggage compartment below, so it took us more than 2 hours to arrive in Chivay. From there it was a quick 3.5 non-stop ride to Arequipa, where we took a super long, hot shower at our favorite Hotel Tambo Viejo and enjoyed the next day doing nothing in the garden of the hotel, reading in the sun, checking our eMails and of course sorting the hundreds of photos we had made ...

At the Hostel Valle de Fuego, we booked a 3 days / 2 nights tour with a local guide. The person at the hostel convinced us to choose another route than the one we had planed, which is quiet easy to do because you could see the two places where you stay overnight, Tapay and Sangalle, from the Mirador in Cabanaconde. This is probably one of the more common routes, but since there are so few tourists trekking the Canyon, it really does not matter.

Well, the route suggested by the hostel would take us from Cabanaconde down to the river inside the Canyon and then to the small village of Fure on the first day, then to some waterfalls and trekking back towards Matala and down to the Oasis in Sangalle on the second day, and finally coming back to Cabanaconde on the third day. We clearly said we wanted to enjoy the scenery and take our time and were not there to beat any kind of record!

Luckily following Heidi´s suggestion, we also booked a mule for 105 Soles or 25 Euro to carry our backpacks, so that we could enjoy the trek only carrying a daypack with a little bit of water and our camera.

This was the plan … First part was a nice walk, taking us from 3.290 meters down the Canyon to Rio Colca at 2.073 meters. The afternoon turned out to be a real hell, because we had to climb back to 2.950 meters, but far back into a valley to the village of Fure. We literally walked 8.5 hours that day and always up or down! It turned out that this hike is normally done in 2 days, but we had to do it in one. We arrived at the village after 5 o’clock, covered with dust and dead tired! Our guide turned out to be the owner of the mule and was not much of a guide, he could not even tell us at what altitude we were, what the farmers planted, nothing …

Needless to say that the scenery is great, majestic mountains and patches of green terraces with tiny villages and a path that sometimes was not much wider than 60 to 80 centimeters, carved out of the steep mountain slopes going down up to 1.000 meters. This was extremely impressive, but what hard work!

Besides the exhausting long walk, the ambience in the village was rather “triste”. We were shown into in a windowless hut that belongs to one of ten families who make up the population of Fure. This hut was built of stone covered with a tin roof, two beds, a pile of dirty blankets and a door that would not close. The temperature inside equaled the one outside. Using the freezing water from the spring we cleaned a bit and sat in the cold waiting for things to happen ...

In the meantime three Canadians arrived, who also stayed in the village. We had never been so happy to meet other tourists, because at that point we felt tired, hungry and quite down to find ourselves in such a gloomy place. On top of that, our guide had simply disappeared. It is actually very rare that tourists come to this remote place so we were extremely lucky. The rather sad impression we had of the “pueblo” was underlined by a conversation we overheard between the guide of the Canadians and the lady who cooked for us. She complained that her husband had got so drunk the night before that he might not be able to go fishing for a while. Only at 6 o’clock did some men start out to the river to catch some trout, which was our dinner. Later on we heard her cry and whisper to somebody in the neighboring hut.

The next morning we left at 7 o’clock, needless to say we skipped the two hour walk up to a waterfall and two hours walk back, and headed straight to the Oasis in Sangalle, which was a nice 6 hours walk. Besides, at this point of the trek, we knew what to expect and this made it much easier.

There are pools in Sangalle, the nearby hot springs bring the temperature up to 22 degrees. It felt so good to rinse off all that dust and feel human again. Altogether we were twelve people who spent the night down there in little huts made of reeds, quiet comfortable. There was also a Columbian young man camping there, who was traveling through South America. Gilles spent much time exchanging information with him, since he had been to places where we are heading and he was about to go to places where we already had been ... All that in Spanish, Gilles was really proud! We all had dinner together and met a young Dutch couple who also are traveling for a year. They were into their seven months and had started off in Asia, so we exchanged lots of experiences till it was time to go to bed because the trek on the third day started at 6:30 a.m.

The third day was an easy three-hour climb up to Cabanaconde. It was a lot easier than we thought, because in the morning the trail is mostly in the shade.

Once we arrived we tried to find the guy in the Hostel Valle de Fuego to tell him he should not sell tours if he has no clue about trekking the area. Since he was not to be found, Heidi left a message for him. We collected our stuff and moved to Hostel Villa Pastor, which was much nicer. The reason why we stay another night in Cabanaconde was that we could catch a bus at 06:30 o´clock in Cabanaconde and be at the Cruz del Condor at 07:00 o’clock in the morning, before the busloads of tourists arrive from Arequipa.

The bus ride from Arequipa to Cabanaconde was our first experience with a “Servicio Economico”, that means the normal local buses, not the luxury ones for tourists. These buses cost 3 times less than the latter, but still offer an acceptable level of comfort, at least for a day trip. Actually Heidi liked them better because there is no air-conditioning, just windows. And people watching is so exciting, especially looking at the local women in there bulky, brightly-colored skirts and hats. All these women entering the bus carried a huge bundle on their back wrapped in a woven blanket. Male passengers would wear a slick, white sombrero, but they all wore modern clothes.

After leaving Arequipa in the morning the scenery was rather dull and we thought we would see of lot of “Altoplano” for the next 6 hours. But soon there was a lot of excitement when we started driving through the “Parque Nacional Salinas”. We got to see many Lamas, Alpacas and Vicunas, the latter are especially cute and can be only seldom spotted.

After driving for half an hour on the “Altoplano” at more than 4.000 meters, the next climax was crossing a mountain pass at 4.800 meters. Even sitting in a bus and doing nothing, breathing became more difficult, even thinking … Gilles clearly felt the effects of altitude on the highest points, Heidi claimed not.

Once we passed Chivay, the entry to the Colca Canyon, the scenery became really dramatic, against the backdrop of the Andean summits all you see are terraces carved out from the steep mountain slopes. These terraces were made by the Incas and many are still used today, cleverly all of them are located in places that are exposed a lot to the sun.

We watched local farmers tending these fields: it is still done by wooden ploughs pulled by oxen. After such a laborious day, the farmers head home, around six o’clock, after sunset, carrying these huge ploughs on their shoulders.

From Chivay the bus follows the southern slope of the Canyon on a dusty road, passing various tiny villages, until it reaches Cabanaconde, the trailhead for hikes in the Canyon. We must say we have never enjoyed a bus ride more than this one, there was so much to see that we did not feel bored for a second. We also must admit that we were lucky because the ride only took 5 hours against a normal 6 to 8 hours, do not ask us why … Maybe we will be able to tell after the return trip.

Upon arrival we checked into Hostel Valle de Fuego described in the Lonely Planet as traveler accommodation with simple rooms, but with a newer addition. Well, we stay in the “newer” section and simple it is indeed! In the backyard are donkeys, sheep and dogs, which are having a barking competition at 10.00 o’clock at night. This is the reason why Heidi turned on the laptop because sleeping is impossible. And of course the roosters would start at … 02:30 a.m., this seems to be their time in Peru!

Before we retreated to our freezing cold, simple room, we had dinner at the hostel’s restaurant which actually has quite a nice ambience. They have a fireplace and candles on the table, quiet romantic. There were two dishes to choose from: trout and alpaca, we tried the latter. We guess we have to give it another try to be able to judge.

In the village life comes to a stand still around eight at night, it is simply to cold to spend any more time outside and we guess the people here are used to the infernal barking of fleecy looking dogs and just sleep off ...

In the afternoon, which was really warm and sunny, we went to a “Mirador” and luckily saw three condors gliding through the Canyon in the evening sun. It truly is a majestic sight. The Mirador is a bit outside of the village, it was a lovely walk and out there it was absolutely quiet, all you could hear was the wind and the wings of birds flying by. Heidi cannot tell you how much she enjoyed this little excursion. Once the sun went down, we had to return because the drop in temperature was significant.

Strolling through this small village in the afternoon, which is quiet but really not beautiful, we discovered another hostel called Hospedaje Villa Pastor. It is right on the main plaza, surely the nicest part of the village right across the bus stop. It also only costs 10 Soles per person but it is a modern building and there is a roof top restaurant with a great view. Downstairs they run an Internet café, but the speed of the computers is rather random. We could have kicked our butt that we did not give it a try when we saw it arriving by bus.

Another night bus ride took us from Nasca to Arequipa. But this time we succeed in getting two seats on the first floor of the Cruzero bus from Cruz del Sur, which are normally booked out far in advance. The seats almost fully recline, are wide and extremely comfortable. So we could at least sleep a few hours and arrive not too tired in Arequipa.

There we checked into the Hotel Tambo Viejo, a very pleasant place with a nice garden and a roof terrace to relax from the bustling city. We stayed there three days, one of which we did nothing but relax, have a good lunch and actually sort our pictures and write several reports.

Arequipa is the second biggest city in Peru with over a million habitants and the gateway for trekkings and bus tours to the Colca Canyon, long considered the deepest canyon in the world but actually the second deepest with 3.160 meters, twice as much as the Gran Canyon in the USA. The Canyon del Cotahuasi, only 200 kilometers from Arequipa, is indeed the deepest Canyon, with more than 3.300 meters in depth, but only difficult to visit.

But Arequipa has also a few major points of interests. In our opinion, the Museo Santuary is a must see in the region. This museum is dedicated to “Juanita, the ice princess”. The frozen body of that Inca Maiden sacrificed more than 500 years ago was discovered in 1996 in astonishing good shape on the summit of Nevado Ampato, one of the highest and most active volcanoes in the Andes. It enabled archaeologists to achieve a break through in understanding human sacrifices during the Inca Empire.

The other highlight in Arequipa is the Monestario de Santa Catalina, an astonishing colonial religious building, actually a small city within the city, with many narrow streets and beautiful plazas. This sort of labyrinth is a place of silence and quietness where you can wander around and get partly lost soaking up the meditative atmosphere and enjoying the unique architecture.

Arequipa prides itself to be la “Ciudad Blanca” referring to the off-white volcanic rock many colonial houses were built of. But since these are usually individual buildings rather then a larger, closed ensemble of buildings this image is not really obvious. What is impossible to ignore is the traffic in the city center: there are zillions of little yellow taxis and “collectivos” cruising the streets looking for passengers and honking their horns. The pollution is terrible and it is painful to watch the mostly indigenous women sitting at street corner all day and late into the night in clouds of exhaust fumes trying to sell whatever it is. Very often they bring their small children who sit there breathing in toxic fumes and are exposed to the noise and hectic of street life.

As far as restaurants are concerned, we stuck to the habit we had developed in Nasca: we would either eat in a small local restaurant or at the market for 4-5 soles or 1 Euro per meal. The only downside of these little restaurants is that the volume of the ever present TV is deafening and your meal is accompanied by endless screams, shouting and noise. Of course, we once tried a better “Picantería”, local restaurants serving traditional regional food. We chose Los Guisos Ariquipenos, with a beautiful garden, a bit outside of town. For 100 Soles we had the most delicious entradas: “Ocopa”, potatoes with spicy peanut sauce and “Palta con Pollo”, avocado stuffed with vegetable and chicken. For our main dish we enjoyed Chupe de Camarones, (Shrimp chowder) and Cauche de Camarones (Shrimp chowder with melted cheese).

In Arequipa, after visiting a few travel agencies and asking a few other travelers, we decided not to take part to an organized trek in the Colca Canyon but to take the local bus to Cabanaconde, for a 6 to 8 hours drive for 230 kilometers on a road climbing up to 4.800 meters, and organize from there everything with a local guide.

A sight less often visited in Nasca is the Cemetery of Chauchilla, a truly groovy place about 25 km north of Nasca right in the desert. The cemetery was used by the Ica-Chincha, a civilization that lived in this region long before it was conquered by other cultures, the last one the Inca, who also used this cemetery. Scientists estimate that there might be 2000 graves, but only about ten were fully excavated and restored.

The Ica-Chincha mummified all of their deads and buried them in graves about 1.5 meters deep, either in single or in family tombs. The status of a person is clearly marked by the clothes the mummy is wearing and the offerings that are buried along. Those offerings are thought to be used by the dead person in the next life.

In the 1970s and 1980s, grave robbers caused irreparable damages by opening the tombs, stealing the most precious offerings and leaving the mummies strewn around the desert. Although these mummies were exposed to wind and sun for years, they are in good state, only their hair and their skull are bleached.

The more important people wore their hair all the way down to their ankle, it is amazing how well preserved it is. The Ica-Chincha also had a tradition to cut a corpse’s head of. These heads were also preserved and carried around at religious ceremonies. To do so easily a hole was put in the head, so a string could be fastened.

Only in the 1990s did archaeologists systematically start to research the cemetery. Now, the mummies are put back into the tombs, although only one mummy is in its original place, since only one tomb was found untouched so far.

Apart from the mummies and tombs, we truly enjoyed the late afternoon in the desert: it is completely quiet and the setting sun gave the mountains a soft glow.

Flying in a tiny Cessna across the Nasca Lines is why people from all over the world come to this small city in the desert. The lines only were discovered once commercial airplanes started flying over the area in the 1930s, but tourism only started to pick up in the 80s, when flying became affordable.

Our hosts, Hedwig and Abdon from the highly recommendable budget Brabant Hostel, booked us a flight for USD 45 with the only airline that has brand new Cessna planes with no sidebars. This is important to take good photos from the plane, since those sidebars are always on the way, something we learned flying to Canaima in Venezuela.

We got headphones and the pilot announced when we were approaching a famous drawing. In order for all five people on the plane to see the drawings properly, the pilots tilt the plane extremely and when ours did so the first time Heidi felt like screaming “Do not do this” because she was sure we were about to crash. The pilot always flew twice above each drawing, once from the right side and then from the left side, so that all of us had a great view.

Since the flight only takes about thirty minutes, one has little time to get used to this kind of flying a plane. We were extremely lucky because our pilot took us across the famous Cantallo Aqueducts built by the Nascans, which are still used today. Towards the end of the flight, obviously having fun with us, the pilot asked us: “Do you want to feel gravity?” Since everyone except Heidi nodded yes, he smiled and then banged the plane left and right, then took it brutally down and even faster up, then down again so that we would be no longer feeling any gravity for a few moments. An experience that Gilles loved and left Heidi speechless for a moment!

It was simply fantastic to view all these lines and drawings from above and wander what made the Nascan civilisation draw these into rocky ground.

There are many theories, the most popular one used to be the one developed by Erich von Daniken, who interpreted these lines as runways for extraterrestrials visiting planet earth. Several, more scientific theories, are currently being discussed. We learned about them when we attended a presentation at the Hotel de Lineas.

One is that the lines were an astrological calendar for agricultural purposes. This theory was supported by Maria Reiche, a German mathematician who spent 40 years of her life measuring and charting the area. She also was the one who discovered that some of the drawings depicted animals. Unfortunately her relentless efforts were only appreciated late in her life. During our stay here Gilles received an eMail from his elementary teacher, Pierre Meneult, who met Maria Reiche when he visited Nasca in 1982 … Incredible, he really met someone who has turned into a legend in Peru.

Another plausible theory for us mentioned there was that these drawings were part of a water culture. Many of the lines point towards a river and since this area is extremely dry this makes perfect sense.

Although, since these lines were created over centuries, it is most likely that they had different meanings throughout time.

The 7 hours long bus trip from Lima to Nasca made us familiar with long distance bus travel in Peru. Most tourists choose to travel with the “Cruzero” service of Cruz del Sur, a company that runs more than 130 state-of-art busses. For those who still worry about security on Peruvian busses, read on ... It is basically like travelling on a plane. You check in your luggage, receipt is attached to your ticket. You then go through a metal detector and when boarding the bus the passengers are videotaped. The busses are equipped with GPS and the headquarter permanently controls where the busses are and how fast they are driving.

So much for safety, comfort is not less important. The attendant welcomes you and shows you to your seat and soon after departure serves you a meal. There are two classes, bottom floor has wider seats that almost recline completely, only nine passengers. The upper floor is only a little less comfortable, there are bathrooms of course and English Videos are played, not to loud. And most important, the temperature inside the bus is just perfect. Those who read our report on Venezuela might remember our suffering through arctic temperatures on overnight busses there.

Yes, the road between Lima and Nasca is acceptable! All these horror stories about drivers behaving like maniocs or kamikazes must be a thing from the past. We guess this safety and comfort has a price, 75 or 95 Soles, that is 23 or 30 USD for the trip, the passengers were mainly foreign tourists on the second floor, but interestingly mainly Peruvians on the more luxurious first floor, only business people it seems.

When crossing through the area of Pisco and the villages around, the immense damage caused by the earthquake with the incredible magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter Scale on August 15th, 2007 was clearly visible. Many people still live in tents and the rubble has been piled along the road. More than 500 people were killed during the earth quake and 85% of the houses in Pisco were destroyed!

In Nasca we checked in the Brabant Hostel, which was recommended by the Hostel de las Artes in Lima. It is very simple but very cheap (30 Soles / 7 Euros per night for a double room with shared bath since there are no room with private bath …), it is very quiet, perfectly clean and the owner, a Dutch woman married to a Peruvian, is really nice and helpful. The tours they organised for us were simply outstanding!

We immediately discovered that the restaurants on the tourist drag in central Nasca were not only boring but completely overpriced, so we picked a tiny restaurant and we had all three dinners there, the owners always welcomed us with a big smile and would get us a beer from the store next door, since this cheap eateries usually do not sell alcohol. Of course each time we ordered something, we were not quiet sure what it was, but it was always delicious. The only difference to the tourist places is that they have an English menu, table cloths and a person outdoor trying to convince you to eat in “this” restaurant, which itself is already annoying ...

Arriving in Lima turned out to be quite a shock … Winter here on the Pacific Coast really means winter, not like in Rio de Janeiro where temperatures climb up to 32 decrees Celcius during the day. Here at night temperatures fall far bellow 10 degrees and during the day hardly get over 15. On top of that, it is damp, which makes it so much worse AND the sky is always grey. We are basically wearing all the warm clothes we have brought ...

Locals sit in windy café wearing winter coats, ponchos and heavy jackets. Doors and windows are all wide open, because inside it is even cooler. Upon Heidi´s idea & request of having a swimming pool, we had checked into the Alberque Juvenile International in Miraflores for a hefty 30 USD a night for a double room, which must indeed be a great summer location with its spacious lobby and large communal area, big garden and pool. Now beginning of September it was just cold. We even moved into a smaller room the second night hoping to warm it with body temperature … Well, that did not work!

Eventually we went to Pulvo Azules, a cheap local shopping center, to buy clothes. The idea most unsettling was: if we cannot keep warm close to sea level, what will we do up 3.000 or worse 5.000 meters? It did not help that we are both tired and Gilles has developed a severe cold, so spirits were down a bit that Sunday. The reason we went to Miraflores was that it is supposedly a lot safer, there is a lot less traffic and it has some really nice residential streets. Due to the chilly temperatures its famous nightlife was rather subdued even on a weekend!

After two nights, we eventually decided to move into the city center of Lima and checked into the most beautiful Hostel de las Artes. It is an old colonial building, very tastefully renovated. It is still cold but Heidi found a little lounge with low ceilings to spend the evening writing and Gilles went to sleep off his cold. The next morning, we could enjoy the first shower with a real water pressure since the beginning of the trip, a very pleasant luxury! And last but not least, the Hostel de las Artes costs only 18 USD a night, with a 20% discount for members of South American Explorers …

One of the things we clearly enjoyed were the restaurants in Lima. On the one hand, you can find places in the city center that offer lunch for no more than 6,5 Soles (1,5 Euros) for starter, main dish, desert and one drink … Saturday evening, of course, we had to go to one of the better Cevichería to enjoy the local specialty, the Ceviche, row fish marinated in lime juice and sometimes with spices. We chose the Vista del Mar, a restaurant with a nice terrace and an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean and great Ceviches.

On Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, Heidi walked around the city center while Gilles slept and finally went to the hospital to get some well needed medications and antibiotics. There are really only two major sights worth visiting: Plaza de Armas and Plaza de San Martin. The pedestrian street linking the two squares was full of people and families dressed in Sundays attire shopping or exploring the many fast food places and yes, ice-cream parlors. There was a market near Plaza de Armas with Artisans shops, lots of food stalls, as well as music and dance performances.

One phenomenon that had struck us right away upon arrival were the many money-exchangers throughout the city center. They are wearing vests clearly marking them as such and hold bundles of cash in their hands, their clients being mainly Peruvians. We still wonder how they beat the banks.

The other thing that was different to us coming from Brazil was traffic. If Brazilians cannot live without a thumb up or two signaling approval, Peruvians drivers cannot drive without blowing their horn. Every taxi or small bus tries to get your attention by doing so, not talking about the drivers trying to get other cars out of the way, signaling impatience with the speed of traffic or simply hinting the police person controlling traffic at an intersection that it should be their turn ... Busses often trail a black cloud of exhaust fumes and are generally loud. At intersections you often find children performing acrobatic tricks hoping to get a few Centimos.

After three chilly nights here in Lima we call it a quit and move on to Nasca, the next stop in Peru, seven hours south of Lima …

The cheapest flights in Brazil leave at unholy hours, so again we left the very cosy Trip Hostel in Santa Teresa in Rio de Janeiro at 04:00 am and we finally hit our pillows precisely 24 hours later in Lima at 02:00 am local time.

This budget journey included a 12 hour stop-over in Sao Paulo. Any stopover in a city of 17 millions has to be superficial and unrewarding, but truly there is not much to see no matter how hard the Lonely Planet and the Toruist Office try to promote the historic center .

If anyone does stay in Sao Paulo - the must do is to take the elevator to the 42 floor of Edificío Italia on Placa de la República. From its roof terrace you have a 360 degree view of this megacity - stepping out you will hold your breath, believe us! Skyscrapers as far as you can see, surely not beautiful at all but extremely impressive, even for people who went to major American cities!

After spending a few days in a city known for its unique cuisine, we will take a bus to Nazcar, where we want to see the famous lines, then drive to Arequipa and head for the Canion del Colca to spot condors.

Afterwards, our trip will take us to Cuzco and to the ruins of Machu Picchu. We want to take a few days visiting the renowned Manu National Parc before we travel on to the Lake Titicaca.