A Latin American Adventure

A couple of Scotland friendlies, some exploring, new cultures and relaxation in Panama, Peru, Mexico and Cuba. Read more

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Trip start
May 26, 2018
A Latin American Adventure Traveler
Aberdeen Airport
May 26, 2018 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Start of this year's adventure.
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Amsterdam Airport
May 26, 2018 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Short stopover
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Casco Viejo, Panamá City
May 26, 2018 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
After a very long flight it was great to be able to walk about a bit. The journey from the airport to Casco Viejo took about half an hour, and went through the new part of the city, a huge amount of skyscrapers.

Once sorted with the hotel, I went for a walk around the old part of the city (Casco Viejo), narrow one way streets and very narrow pavements too. There's always a stream of slow moving cars. You also get a good view back across to the skyscrapers from here.

This part is dotted with plazas everywhere, a nice place to chill, if you can in this heat.Read more
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Miraflores locks, Panamá Canal
May 27, 2018 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
A trip to the visitor centre here, which is superb, showing the history of the Panamá Canal.

There's viewing platforms to watch the ships transiting the locks on the Pacific side. These ships are Panamax size to fit into the locks.

A new set of locks were built in 2016, one at the Caribbean side and one at the Pacific side. for Neo-Panamax sized ships, roughly one and a half times bigger.

When the canal was finally built by the Americans in 1904, part of the deal was that they would own the canal and a 5km strip of land either side. However after protests in 1977 by locals, there was a phased handover to the people of Panamá, finally getting full ownership on 31st December 1999. However, part of the deal is that the Panamanians would never have an army, the Americans would come in and protect it if need be.Read more
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Punta Culebra
May 27, 2018 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
On the island of Naos is the Smithsonian research centre of Punta Culebra.

They have exhibits of some very rare tree frog's, mostly poisonous, which have been decimated by diseases caused by pesticides.

During the walk around the centre we spotted several sloths sleeping in the trees, including a baby.Read more
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Amador causeway
May 27, 2018 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
The Amador causeway was built partly to create a breakwater at the entrance of the canal, and to link to the islands of Naos, Perico and Flamenco. With the material to produce it coming from the canal excavations.Read more
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Casco Viejo
May 27, 2018 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
A trip through the old city during daylight, a lot of church's in a very small area.
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Lima
May 27, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Arrival in Lima, and I had to go find my checked-in luggage, as it had continued on from Panamá City the previous day.
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Caral
May 28, 2018 in Peru
Today's tour had a very early pick-up, 5:10am, then a 2 hour drive north of Lima, before an hours drive along a very bumpy road for 23km to Caral.

I'd never heard of Caral before researching this trip. It was discovered from aerial photographs in 1984, buried under sand dunes. From that time to the present they've unearthed a whole city of pre-incan pyramids and buildings, all dating from 3000-1200 BC, making it the oldest city in all the Americas.

They pyramids surround the main plaza, and were used for giving offerings to the gods. Alongside the pyramids were buildings made of stone, denoting the residence of a very important person, usually a preist. The commoners lived in wooden huts, long since disappeared. It was estimated to have a population of 3000 people, and was located 23km from the sea along the 44km long Supe valley which ended in the Andes. The valley was used as a trade route with many objects bartered. Flutes made from Condor and Pelican bones were discovered in a circular acoustic amphitheater on the site. The site has survived due to the very dry climate in the valley.

Many part's of the city are still to be unearthed from the piles of sand.Read more
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Road from Caral
May 28, 2018 in Peru
An interesting drive along this extremely bumpy road. Coming across workers in the fields, goat herds blocking the road, and a Toyota Hilux upside-down in the front area of a farmers house, after speeding along and somersaulting after hitting a huge hole. Missed that photo.Read more
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Stadio Nacional, Lima
May 29, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Quiet day today, building up to the Perú against Scotland game in the national stadium. Traffic to the game was horrendous taking us almost two hours to go 5 km.
Stuart Allan I thought Paddington was an adopted Londoner
6/4/18Reply
Stuart AllanYou could have marched the 5k in 45 minutes
6/4/18Reply
Stuart Allan Is that the Tartan Army headquarters in Lima?
6/4/18Reply
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Miraflores, Peru
May 30, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
A long lie in after the post match party the previous evening.

Then it was a wander around the streets of Miraflores. There seemed to be a street art festival on, some very colourful walls.
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Pisco
May 31, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Another early morning start for a tour to the Nazca lines. This required a four hour drive to Pisco. The first hour and a half was through the fog, and quite hilly terrain. Then it changed to flat open planes of sand, and the weather changed to bright sunshine.

Quick stop in the centre of the city, home of Pisco sours, just long enough to get a photo.

¡Vamos Perú!Read more
Stuart Allan Is this part of the Paracas?
6/4/18Reply
Traveler This is on the road to Paracas, just huge sand dunes
6/4/18Reply
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Pisco Airport
May 31, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
We then arrived at Pisco International Airport, with a very modern, fairly large terminal building. But there were only a couple of cars, and inside only a few airport staff.

It turns out the airport is used as a backup to Lima, when it's closed or has serious days due to the thick fog which is common. This area is one of the driest areas of Perú and very rarely encounters fog.

We had to do the normal airport activities, check-in, go through security and go to the departure lounge.

Prior to going through security we went upstairs where there was a very good exhibition about the Nazca lines, the local Pisco drink, and the immigration of African slaves to the local area during Spanish conquistador times.Read more
Stuart Allan Usain Bolt does it differently
6/4/18Reply
Stuart Allan From Wikipedia apparently In Peru and other countries, pisco is a "designation of origin" that is reserved for the alcoholic beverage belonging to a variety of grape aguardiente produced in Peru since the late 16th century.[1
6/4/18Reply
Stuart Allan Busy airport
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Traveler The destination is a sore head if you drink too many 😂
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Nazca lines
May 31, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Then it was off to the Nazca lines, a 35 minute flight. We then descended to roughly 700 ft above the ground, turning sharply left and right over each of the hieroglyphs, so that both sides of the plane could see them. This lasted for about half an hour, and it didn't take long before two of the female passengers were ill.Read more
Stuart Allan What's the long lines?
6/4/18Reply
Traveler They're not sure what they represent, some think routes of underground aquifers, others that they copy the stars
6/4/18Reply
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Lunch stop
May 31, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
After the flight over the Nazca lines we stopped at this amazing hotel right on the beach, Hotel La Hacienda Bahia Paracas, for lunch. Had Aroz Paracas, which is a sort of seafood paella 😋
Stuart Allan Dare I ask what delicacy this is
6/4/18Reply
Traveler It's Aroz Paracas, like a seafood paella, and this is a baby octopus
6/4/18Reply
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Flight to México City
June 1, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Another long lie in, then a final walk to Larcomar, the shopping centre located on a cliff top overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In the late afternoon it was off to the airport, and a six hour flight to México City, arriving just before midnight.Read more
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Tenochtitlan
June 2, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
This is the ancient Aztec capital city, built on what was Lake Texcoco, with causeways to the shore. It was built in 1325, and was the capital of the Aztec empire until 1521, when it was captured by the Spanish headed by Hernán Cortéz. They then, as with everywhere else, demolished any representation of the locals temples of worship. The stones from the Temple's helped build the Catholic Basilica.Read more
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Zócalo
June 2, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
This is the main square of México City. Very big with lots going on, Aztec dancers, people queueing to be covered in some sort of smoke for good luck, and Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.
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Museo de Antropología Nacional
June 2, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Did the hop on hop off bus tour from Zócalo, eventually getting off at the Museo de Antropología Nacional.

Wow! This is one place if you go to México City you must visit. Spent about three hours going round it, and still didn't see it all.

The museum's collections include the Stone of the Sun (Aztec Calendar), giant stone heads of the Olmec civilization that were found in the jungles of Tabasco and Veracruz, treasures recovered from the Mayan civilization, at the Sacred Cenote at Chichen Itza, a replica of the sarcophagal lid from Pacal's tomb at Palenque and ethnological displays of contemporary rural Mexican life. It also has a model of the location and layout of the former Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, the site of which is now occupied by the central area of modern-day Mexico City.Read more
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Museo de Antropología Nacional
June 2, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Stuart Allan What's this?
6/6/18Reply
Traveler The giant column fountain in the courtyard is known as el paraguas (the umbrella) and acts as a reminder of the connection to nature. Each side depicts a different sculpture – east showing the integration of Mexico; west, outward-looking Mexico; and north and south, the fight for liberty in Mexico's villages.
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Estadio Azteca
June 2, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
Bit of a rush to get to the stadium through the traffic, after the visit to Museo de Antropología Nacional.

Massive stadium with lots of ramps, of course our area was at the highest part 😅. Finally got to where the Tartan Army was, just as México scored what would end up being the winning goal.

Entertaining show at half time, then managed to blag my way onto one of the Tartan Army buses, which got a police escort through blocked streets to the bar area towards the city centre 😁😁Read more
Stuart Allan Trouble brewing?
6/6/18Reply
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Teotihuacan, Temple of Quetzalcoatl
June 3, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Quite an early start considering having a few beers after the game the night before, visiting the number one tourist attraction in México, Teotihuacan.

Teotihuacan is a vast Mexican archaeological complex northeast of Mexico City. Running down the middle of the site, which was once a flourishing pre-Columbian city, is the Avenue of the Dead. It links the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun, the latter two with panoramic views from their summits.

A truly amazing place to visit. TIP-Don't go on a Sunday as it's free for Mexicans, and it's very busy.

From the Temple of the Moon to the Temple of Quetzalcoatl is only half of the original religious site, they've still to explore the rest. And also outside the religious site. At the Temple of Quetzalcoatl they've excavated one platform and found another underneath, with intricate figures in the walls that represent the godsRead more
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Temple of the Sun
June 3, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
When we got to the Temple of the Sun there were massive crowd's, a lot of them stopping at the intermediate platforms to catch their breaths. I went straight up, jumping the queues 😁

The Temple of the Sun has 365 steps representing the number of the day's, the Temple of the Moon 144 steps. Although shorter, the ground slopes down from the north southwards. So that the top of both Temple's are at the same height. Originally they would have had some sort of building on the top. You get a tremendous view over the whole complex from here.Read more
Eagle WingsThose queues and crowds would do my head in! No room to be spiritual there! Awesome though
6/4/18Reply
TravelerMight just be because it was a Sunday, and all the locals are there. A few mates did it early morning on other days, and it wasn't as bad. Just remember it's at 7800ft too.
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Temple of the Moon
June 3, 2018 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
The Avenue of the Dead runs northwards to the Temple of the Moon. You can only get up some of the Temple as it's not safe to go all the way to the the top of here. The steps are very steep, and high.

Just to the side of the Avenue, an original painting of a Puma has been preserved on one of the buildings. They reckon the whole complex would have been painted with this red colour, made from the larvae of red ants. That's a hell of a lot of ants.

The site has a 32km perimeter, and they haven't explored it all yet. At the height of the empire it would have had a population of about 120-200 thousand.Read more
Stuart Allan Whp takes all your self portraits
6/6/18Reply
Traveler Anyone that's passing
6/6/18Reply
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