Sudamérica - al inicio Peru

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Trip start
November 10, 2017
Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Frankfurt > Paris > Lima
November 10, 2017 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
Here comes the sun
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Lima for the weekend
November 11, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
In only two days I’ve seen so many places in this huge city, I don’t even know where to start. THANK YOU Francisco for taking me to the most impressive places, telling me about the country and its people, letting me taste the best food and drinks (this deserves a separate chapter!), showing me the nightlife in Miraflores and despite the hangover, joining me for a run along the Malécon and the oceanside.

These are the places I will definitely remember:
- Plaza de Armas and the government district
- Callao (the neighborhood next to the Lima harbour divided into a poor and a rich part) and the Fortaleza del Real Felipe museum
- Miraflores, the Larcomar (a mall on top of the cliff) and el Parque Kennedy (the most beautiful neighborhood and best place to stay (Pariwasi Hostel), go out for drinks and dance!)
- el Malécon, el Faro and el Parque del Amor with its stunning ocean view at night (and where you can also paraglide from the cliffs)
- Barranco (the neighborhood for artists, musicians and any alternate lifestyle)

Lima, it was a pleasure!Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Lima, the capital of Peruvian food
November 12, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
1) Ceviche (raw fish)
2) Lomo Saltado (beef), Pisco Sour and beer from Cusco
3/4) Antichuco de Corazón (heart from the cattle), Pollo a la Brasa (chicken from the oven) and chicha morada (cold drink made out of purple corn)
5) A couple of Chilcanos and Piscos with and without beer
6) Queso helado arequipeño (milky ice cream from Arequipa with cinnamon that reminded me of Christmas)
7) to be continued... Try or not try the cuy (guinea pig)???

Barrigita llena, corazon contento 😌❣️Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Huacachina/Ica
November 14, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
An unbelievable change in landscape going further South: Welcome to the desert and plenty of sand to do crazy things on it like speeding up and down the dunes in a sandbuggy or slide it down on a sandboard (head first for beginners/non-snowboarders) 😱🤙🏼Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Islas Ballestas/Paracas National Reserve
November 15, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
There are some lessons learned from that day trip:
- Being a sea lion must be the best life!
- I have never seen so many birds in one place
- Sometimes a desert doesn’t always consist out of sand only. Let’s taste it to figure out it’s actually salty!
- if you are lost in translation with other European people, basic Spanish might be the best common language
- the next vacation will definitely include more beach days!Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Arequipa, la ciudad blanca
November 16, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
In the centre this city perfectly mirrors the mixture of the European and the indigenious Inka culture. In order to convince the indigenious people to adapt the catholic beliefs and values, indigenious symbols and traditions were included into those of the church. It especially shows in buildings and churches where you find Christian symbols like the cross combined with snakes and dragons. Also Arequipa is called the white city due to its European architecture and the avoidance of any colours in the main buildings of Plaza de Armas. Pretty impressive are the two snow topped vulcanoes (with their altitude of more than 6000m) behind them in the distance.

Moreover, the monastery of Santa Catalina is a must see in Arequipa. People say it is an own city within the city and that seems to be reasonable when you see how big it is and what buildings and spaces the nons created for their daily life.

To get all that knowledge the free walking tour is very recommendable and it also finished with a free Pisco Sour, as always. It didn’t stay the last one that evening as Arequipa proved to be a great place to enjoy a delicious Peruvian dinner, to go out for a drink or two and for clubbing and dancing Salsa 💃🏻🍸 Que pena I couldn’t stay longer!Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Colca Canyon: 2 Days of Trekking/Dying
November 17, 2017 in Peru ⋅ 🌙 12 °C
21km up and down the canyon. Stretched my limit*, but finally made it back to the top with a happy face 💪🏼😊

*Just another chapter of: “It seemed like a good idea yesterday” going directly from the salsa club in Arequipa to the trekking tour without any sleep and a hangover. However, thanks to the nice people and the amazing landscape it was a great trip and anyway, bad ideas still make the best memories.Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Lago Titicaca
November 19, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Directly arriving from Chivay and the Colca Canyon to Puno and the Titicaca Lake that Peru shares with Bolivia (Titi for Peru, Caca for Bolivia, people say :D).

From Puno ships leave to the Uros islands and the main island Tacile. The Uros are artificial islands, where, as they tell you, live few families in traditional huts on their own small island floating on plants that swim on the surface. We couldn’t tell if the show that they demonstrate to tourists is in any way close to the truth, but at least it showed their special culture, clothes and handcrafts on the Titicaca lake. Tacile, in contrast, is a huge and real island, where several communities live peacefully together and still share these old traditions. During the trip you see that there are people that (chose to) live in a completely different world than we are today and where time seems to stand still.Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
La Montaña de Siete Colores
November 21, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Actually, I was convinced that in reality the Rainbow mountain would never look as colourful (as shaped by different minerals) as in all the photoshopped pictures and probably wouldn’t be worth the 3h ride from Cusco and 4h hike in that altitude (I think I have never been hiking on a mountain of 5000m!). However, I have to admit, it exceeded my expectations by far and I’m very happy to have done the tough hike up to the top on that perfect day in the Andes 🌈🏔🌈Read more
Michael JakobStunning landscape! 😯👌
11/26/17Reply
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
The Sacred Valley of the Inkas
November 23, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
From Cusco it takes 2h to get to the Inka towns Pisaq and Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley on the way to Machu Picchu. As the Inkas believed in three worlds, the upper world (represented by the bird), the world on earth (reptesented by the Puma) and the underground world (represented by the snake), the symbol of these animals are even found in the former shape of the city. Therefore, as their capital city, Cusco should have had the shape of a Puma. Pisaq and its terraces, in contrast, is supposed to have the shape of a bird.

For agricultural reasons, the Inkas tracked the sun coming through the hills and even shaped the buildings and hills around them accordingly. They observed the stars and knew about floods and earthquakes. They prepared their cities for that by creating walls in a loose way and having canals leading the water down the hills. Pretty impressive also (especially in the last picture), that you can indeed find faces and ornaments in the hills around that are supposed to protect the city from the evil.Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Machu Picchu, the hidden city
November 24, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Another 2h from Ollyantaytambo with the Inca Rail, you reach Aguas Calientes (that reminds me of disneyland) where hundreds of buses leave from 5am in the morning to the famous MACHU PICCHU.

In contrast to the other Inkan town, this city in the mountains has not been discovered for almost 500 years after the Spanish colonisation began. Also most of Inkan people back then didn’t know of its existence. The city was the residence of the Inkan leaders and for 600 Inkas of the highler class. Finally, it was discovered and recuperated in the beginning of the 1900s and opened for tourism in the 1980s. Since then, it is outstanding symbol for Peru and UNESCO World Heritage.

What can I say? Apart from the thousands of tourists, you feel that this is a special place the first minute you arrive there. Hidden in between the mountains and the clouds, this place feels mystic. It stands for an empire that is still part of the Peruvian culture and language (Quechua is still the second language in Peru).

Everything is impressive about it: how it was built, how the Inkas were able to build it up in the mountains at all, how they knew about the nature and agriculture, how they developed a deep believe in the gods of nature and symbolism and last, but least how this place today makes you feel free and happy. So if you have the chance to visit this place, be grateful and smile! Just like the Llama! 😬🤓Read more
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Sudamérica - al inicio Peru Traveler
Cusco, the capital of Inka times
November 26, 2017 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
My last stop in Peru was also the highlight of the trip. Even though I stayed here for almost a week, I believe I still haven’t seen everything in the great capital of Inkan times.

If I had more time I would definitely learn how to play the Cusquenian guitar at the traditional music place we stopped by at the free walking tour (it was inspiring how the owner of this store plays all these instruments and is always willing to share his knowledge without taking any money). Also I would do some more Alpaka shopping at the San Pedro Market, chew some more coca leafs, get more Peruvian food and beer in San Blas with its stunning view at night and I could have stayed longer in the Pariwana Hostel, where I got to know so many interesting people (apart from some problems at the reception, I had a great time here and a fun last night). Now it’s time to go back home and give my body some days or weeks of sleep and rest 🤗

Cusco —> Lima —> Paris —> FrankfurtRead more
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Trip end
November 27, 2017