PERU 2022 | FindPenguins

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Trip start
March 7, 2022
PERU 2022 Traveler
Austin to Miami
March 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
It has been a challenge getting ready for this trip. Bev, Arlie & I actually scheduled it 2 years ago but cancelled it, like so many things, due to the pandemic. Bev decided she was ready to go but she couldn't convince me that it was safe. Then after I got the latest variant of Covid, Omicron, I started thinking more and more about it. And here I am.

My flight to Lima via Panama leaves at 5am tomorrow from Miami, so I am spending the night in a hotel in Miami.

Had a really good dinner at I-Hop of all places right next door to the hotel. Turkey, broccoli and mashed red potatoes. I was surprised at how.good.it was.Read more
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Lima, Peru
March 7, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
Lima: a city of 11 million people; that's 1/3 the population of all of Peru. Tomorrow we tour the city so will have lots more to say about it after that.

Today was more about traveling. Left my hotel at 2:45 am. At the airport, first thing I had to do was scan a QR code and fill our the Peruvian declaration of health. I kept getting error messages and the form would not save. I couldn't even get in line until it was done. An assistant tried to help but the questions didn't make sense to him either. After struggling for an hour, he called another guy over and he managed to get it to work after a couple more tries. Seems it wanted my hotel in the 'final destination's spot and for the "contact information" which seemed to want a person in Peru, we reentered my info.

.......long day of flying..

Made it to my hotel and after a short rest. I took a long walk around the area. While sitting in the lobby waiting for the restaurant to open, I met a couple who had just finished the 16 day tour. Connie had lots of good advice. And met another couple who will be on the tour with us. Ended up having dinner with them and another couple. All n all a nice end to a difficult dayRead more
TravelerI’m looking forward to hearing all about your day! Interesting photos. And you are already making friends. Yay! Hope the weather is good for you.
3/8/22Reply
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PERU 2022 Traveler
International Women's Day in Lima
March 8, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F
What a day. International Women's Day is a big day here and maybe in many countries; other than the US. Started with a rose for every woman and a strange Ibis hotel creature at breakfast.

Then we had a bus tour of Lima, saw some churches, interesting old buildings, learned some history, etc. Then went to a fish restaurant and had some traditional Cerviche. Walked to a local market that was not all that impressive but it was interesting.

Then went on a tour of a park in the evening. It was amazingly crowded because of the big holiday, National Women's Day. I did take some pictures but they are on my camera and will need to be transferred when I have access to appropriate equipment.

Walked over 15000 steps today and my legs are tired.Read more
TravelerHow are you doing with the elevation? I remember Cuzco was very high
3/10/22Reply
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Travel day to Cuzco
March 9, 2022 in Peru ⋅ 🌧 54 °F
Flew to Cuzco today then a long drive to a hotel partway to Machu Picchu.
A couple of interesting things was: planes are loaded by seats with the seats at the back loading first, and nobody jumps up and stands when the plane lands. They wait for the flight attended to open the carry-on bins and signal the passengers to arise one row at a time.

Also everyone where's masks, indoors & outdoors. And you must show your vaccination card everywhere, over and over.

Our hotel is beautiful. High on the side of a mountain. On the way we stopped at a textile museum. The art was amazing.Read more
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Sacred Valley
March 11, 2022 in Peru ⋅ 🌧 54 °F
The hotel was beautiful here. Huge room. Nice dining room. Beautiful grounds.

The Sacred Valley was the true center of the Inca empire according to our guides, not Machu Picchu.

One of my favorite stops was at Raqchi, also known as the Temple of God Wiracocha. The energy at these ruins and the quieter atmosphere was somehow soothing. And the architecture of the ruins was more variable.Read more
TravelerSo amazing!
3/17/22Reply
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PERU 2022 Traveler
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A Day in Cusco
March 12, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Today was a free day. We had a potential walking tour of Cusco at 2pm but Bev and I enjoyed a day on our own. We started off with an hour massage which I badly needed. Sleeping on buses and hiking up ruins in high altitude is exhausting.

Then we went shopping, and shopping. I bought way more than I intended. But hopefully I am done shopping.

We had a wonderful lunch and dinner. The food is so good. But I have no desire to try guinea pig. I had one bite of Bev's alpaca and that was enough for me.

At night I have been watching Peru's version of candid camera. Some of the crazy stuff they do would never be done in the US. I'm amazed that people don't faint! And a lot of the stunts involve medics or policeRead more
Traveler Amazing costumes!! Cute child and alpaca 😎
3/13/22Reply
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PERU 2022 Traveler
From Cusco to Puna
March 13, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
A few random pictures. I bought a new skirt for dancing so here's to hoping I get to use it soon.

I've spent more money on souvenirs than I expected or intended but I just love the colors etc and things are rather inexpensive.Read more
TravelerGood! I've got a faja and a falda I don't know how to use. You can show me when you visit!
2/16/23Reply
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Lake Titikaka & Los Uros
March 14, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
The floating islands were truly unique. The people build them and live on them in small communities.

First they cut the soft dirt the reeds grow in into squares leaving the bottom attached. After a few days the waves and current separate the blocks from the bottom and they float up. Then move the blocks to where they need them. They tie them together with ropes and then lay cut reeds on top in crisscrossing layers. Next they all get together to stomp on the reeds to compact them.

The reeds are damp and interesting to walk on. When a wave comes by you can see them rise & fall.

Then they build their houses on a platform made of additional dirt blocks so the floors will be dry. Most of the houses appear to be single rooms. Solar panels and electricity was introduced in the early 2000's.

They have an elaborate social system that perhaps I will explain in my next post.Read more
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Puno & Lake Titikaka
March 14, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F
On the way to Puno & Lake Titicaca:
We landed at a small airport in Juliana (or something like that). The city is a huge mess. Worse than a giant slum. Our guide tells us the people actually have lots of money from all the illegal activities there but they refuse to pay taxes so there is minimal infrastructure. No one to fix roads or pick up the trash.
I need to find a few photos of it but we were riding in the bus and only got glimpses.

We made a brief stop at 14000 ft to take photos. Those are the shots with the beautiful mountains.

Our hotel in Puno is sub-optimal but they do have a lovely bread boat at the breakfast buffet. And a beautiful spiral staircase. Bev tried walking up to our 5th floor rooms and barely made it. I think it took at least 30 minutes for her to recover. We did find some interesting shops. But we had major thunder storms both nights and ended up eating in the hotelRead more
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Lima 2
March 15, 2022 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F
So happy to make it back to sea level today. I can walk up a flight of stairs without huffing & puffing.

After Cusco and Puno and Juliana, Lima seems like a wonderful modern city. But the trip itself was another long travel day: up at 5:30, at least hour on a bus to get to the airport, then a couple of hours flying, then another hour bus ride to the hotel. We got to our hotel a little after noon. And then we had to have our Covid tests which was poorly organized.

At some point we had a small snack of delicious tacos.

And we still had time to take a walk, shop along the way. Visit a little textile museum and then have dinner at Tanta. We had an amazing mushroom appetizer and I had a.fabulous pumpkin risotto with shrimp.

So all in all a nice day with a few bumps.

Also so great to be off the altitude illness med. The side effects were almost as bad as the effects of the altitude!Read more
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PERU 2022 Traveler
Heading Back to the USA
March 16, 2022 in Panama ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F
A little about traveling international during or post Covid:
It has definitely gotten more stressful and complicated. Every country has its own "health declaration form" which must be filled out usually on-line. It must be completed BEFORE you can even get in line to check baggage. The form for Peru is confusing and if you don't put in 'acceptable information' it will not go through. I flew Copa Airlines and they had someone trying to help us, but they didn't understand what the form wanted either. It took over an hour and 2 assistants to finally get mine to go through. Bev flew United and they wouldn't even help her or answer her questions claiming 'liability issues' !!!! She eventually called her son-in-law to help. Everyone we talked to had the same problem. Today when I was trying to complete the attestation to enter the US, I came across a link to "tips for completing the Peru health attestation". I could have used that last week.

It seems the US one is different depending on what airline you are flying on.

AND in Peru you must have your proof of vaccination on you at all times. They check it everywhere. At one of the airports they checked it at least 4 times:
at the door into the airport, at the ticket counter, at security, and again when boarding!! It was crazy!

Oh....and one other thing, nothing to do with Covid . The traffic is insane
The drivers are crazy. And pedestrians do NOT have the right of way. BE CAREFUL CROSSING THE STREET!!
..Read more
TravelerAnxious to see and hear more. Regale us with stories at Catherine’s on Sunday (see email).
3/17/22Reply
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Trip end
March 17, 2022