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Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu Tour with G-Adventures Read more
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    Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia

    Heading Home

    April 15, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Today is a full travel day to get home. There will be lots of waiting in airports and on flights. I’m packed, Netflix prepped and ready to conquer the patience game.

    We have a 3 hour layover in Mexico City so the plan is to use my credit card Priority Pass perk to gain access to their lounge area. It should be much more interesting than waiting in the standard lounge.

    Hopefully the flights go well with no delays. Apparently there are ice storms at home.

    ...it was a long trek home but I made it safe and sound. The weather wasn’t very cooperative as I drove on the 401.

    This trip made me realize how fortunate I am. Every country has its set of rules. People are creative in their ways to make ends meet. I can see the hardships but also the happiness too.

    My next trip is in a few days.

    Ready for more adventures?    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia

    Lima Bound

    April 14, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    I had a good nights sleep except for someone banging on the door in the middle of the night. I yelled ‘hello’ and they went away. That freaked ya out.

    Today, we are headed back to Lima and the hotel we stayed at the first night. We loaded up on breakfast and got ready for a pick up from our tour bus.

    In retrospect, we should have just flew out from Lima back home tonight. That would have saved us a day and got us home a day early.

    Not much to report really today. We likely will head the beach in Lima just to check it out.

    ...

    The beach didn’t happen. It was too late by the time we got to the hotel. Our fight was delayed so we did lots of waiting in the airport.

    We decided to treat ourselves to a really nice dinner. It was amazing. To my surprise what looked to be sausages was actually fried bananas. They tasted like melt in your mouth banana bread. Yum.

    Tomorrow we fly out. Hopefully the planes are on tjme and no delays. I hear there is freezing rain in southern Ontario. My finger are crossed.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia
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    Cusco - Part 'Dos'

    April 13, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today was considered a free day with the tour. We had a full day in Cusco to do what we whatever we wanted.

    We got up relatively early so we wouldn’t miss breakfast. We didn’t have much of dinner last night because we were so full from the late lunch. We were starving at breakfast so we filled up!

    We planned to just roam around the town and check out the shops. Sometimes days like this bring you pleasant surprises.

    We walked up to the San Blas area close the city center. There we found some great little shops, restaurants and cafes. We took a coffee break at Laggart Cafe. They had excellent choices of coffee and desserts. We also took two chicken empanadas with us to eat later on. They looked delicious.

    There was a festive of some sort in the main square but upon closer observation it was more of a talent competition with singers and dancers. They were quite good!

    We rested a bit and plan to head out again later tonight to see Cusco in the evening.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia
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    Machu Picchu

    April 12, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ -1 °C

    This was a long and exhausting day. The 4 am alarm sounded way too early! Breakfast was quick and light.

    We walked to the bus stop and the line up was over a hundred people long at 5:30am. By the time we got on the bus, it was about 6:20. Our bus ride through the windy, bumpy road was about 20. minutes. The fog was still visible but you could see how majestic the mountains were.

    We arrived at the top and started the tour with our guide. The view was breathtaking. You had to be extremely careful and pay attention because the walkway and steps were all stone. There were so many people there and for good reason. No wonder it’s one of The Seven Wonders of the world.

    I learned so much about the Incas, how Machu Picchu was discovered and built and the different temples. You need to add this to your bucket list.

    We had a couple of hours of free time after the tour. A group of us decided to go to the Sungate lookout. It was quite a hike. We took about 45 minutes to climb to the top and snap photos. I placed my water bottle down to take some pictures and thought ‘don’t forget your water bottle’. I started my trek down and realized about 15 minutes in that I left my blue weathered and well travelled Klean Kanteen at Sungate. Later on, I joked that I offered it to the Sun God. Truly I was disappointed but I can always purchase another one. It was an ongoing joke for be rest of the evening.

    We had dinner and drinks to celebrate our achievements today. I had pizza. It was definitely a treat. Our guide wanted to raffle off 3 items. I teased another group member that it was mine and I would win it. We joked back and forth and when it came draw time, the gods obviously enjoyed the sacrifice and rewarded me with an alpaca hat made by the weavers we saw earlier in the week. What are the odds? I was ecstatic! Oh thank you Sun gods for keeping my head warm next winter!

    We took the train back to Ollataytambo, which was very enjoyable as we joked and laughed about our travel experiences.

    We then took a bus back to Cusco but we made a pit stop to The Sacred Valley Brewery. They had 12 different beers to ‘test’. I had a flight of beer with 5 samples. I am not a big drinker but it was quite good.

    We arrived back at our hotel and relaxed.

    Phew! What a day! It was truly a very exciting day!

    P.S. if you are reading this and found my water bottle, contact me directly. Hahahahaha!    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia
    Do you see the owl?
    Do you see the snake?Machu Picchu in the distance

    Aquas Calientes

    April 11, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Another early morning. Luckily I’m a morning person, otherwise this would be a difficult adventure. What bothers me most is not having the comfort of my own bed. It takes time to fall asleep at night which can lead to a restless sleep.

    Our breakfast was very basic this morning so we supplemented it with some fruit. We took a moto-taxi to the train station, which was a bumpy experience. It’s basically a motor cycle with a coach attached that can fit 3 to 6 people, depending if you get the standard or deluxe version.

    As a group we bordered the PeruRail train and made our way through the mountains to Aquas Calientes, a small town close to Machu Picchu. My eyes were glued to the view of the mountains, river and lush vegetation.

    We met the group at the hotel and walked through the town. We travelled down the road next to a river to Mariposas de Machu Picchu (Butterfly House). It was a small butterfly conservatory where we saw a few different kinds in action. It’s fascinating how they can adapt to their environment and prevent being attacked by predators. Can you see the snake and owl on the butterfly wings?

    We ate lunch at a restaurant. I opted for something familiar versus something local....chicken stuffed with ham and cheese. No one ordered Coy from our group. Ha!

    Part of the group wanted to do the 8 hour Inca trail so they got off the train earlier and are going to meet us later tonight. We will see how they faired on their hike.

    We ventured out for a stroll around the city. It seems cleaner and much more up to date than some of the other cities we visited. We window shopped at some souvenir shops but they sell basically the same things and the items may not even be authentic. We opted out of the hot springs. Apparently if you go later in the day, the water is not as clean. We found a local market and bought some fruit and water, in preparation for our journey to Machu Picchu tomorrow.

    Dessert for dinner since lunch was very filling. I think we all should have dessert for dinner tonight! What do you think?    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia

    Ollataytambo

    April 10, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today was a full day on the itinerary. We ate breakfast and prepared for an 8:00 am departure.

    Our first stop was at the top of a mountain overlooking Cusco; a statue of Jesus, with his arms spread open wide. It was a beautiful view of the city.

    The next stop was a visit to the woman’s weaving coop sponsored by G—Adventures. Here they raised alpaca and llamas for their wool. They gave the group a demonstration of how they wash, dye, spin and weave various items to sell. I was impressed with their knowledge and skill. I purchased a hip type bag from their shop. The money raised here supports the village, like making new buildings and homes.

    Next, we went to a similar village sponsored again by G-Adventures. They demonstrated their clay making skills. I was impressed to see the process they used to making beads, whistles, chess pieces, small bowls and much more. You can tell they work very hard and are skilled crafts-people. They sold their goods in a shop similar to the weavers.

    Afterwards we went to another small town where the tour guide offered our group members the opportunity to try a Peruvian delicacy.....roasted guinea pig (Coy). Some of our group members opted to try it, most didn’t. I didn’t try it. I guess I‘m not that adventurous. Would you have tried it?

    Lunch was next on the road trip. We were spoiled at the G-Adventures camp with a 5 course meal featuring some Peruvian cuisine, like Causa. I also tried the drink made from purple corn called ??? It was very tasty.

    We then drove a little longer to another town where we stopped in at a local resident who demonstrated how they made their corn beer ( ? ). Which we sampled. It wasn’t my favourite beverage but I can see how locals would find it refreshing. To my surprise they also had a what I call a ‘guinea pig hotel’ in their home. They raised these animals for food. There had to be about 20 lf them squawking and playing in their pen. Most of the group was surprised.

    Our final stop of the day was Ollataytambo. I would have preferred to spend a longer time here but unfortunately we didn’t. There were many trails into the mountains that incas uses. They even gave the water system in channels that are still in place from centuries ago bringing water from the mountains down into the valley.

    There’s no doubt about it, today was very busy. We are planning to go as a group to eat dinner but I‘m still full from lunch. A good rest for me tonight!    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia
    Ready to make Pisco Sour!!
    1Street vendor selling watermelonsDressed up Inka who gaurds the stone....well not really guard. Just pay him some money for a photo!1Elpaca SkewersThe twelve corner stone

    Cusco

    April 9, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    We were expected to be ready this morning at 6:40 am so we were up at 5:00. It was an early morning for sure. Our bus was prepped and ready to take us to the airport.

    Our flight to Cusco was quick. Only an hour and a half. Cusco use to be the capital of Peru many years ago. I am assuming that it changed to Lima because of the coast as it has access to the ocean and is a port city.

    The guide Ellias has been great. His English is good and he is quite funny, making jokes to help the group become more comfortable. He was very thorough with our itinerary and expectations for the remainder of the tour. He got us to our hotel, let us settle in and and took us for a quick city tour to give us pointers and provide as much help as possible.

    Ellias took the group to a Peruvian restaurant where we had the opportunity to try some of the cuisine. Our choices included Causa, a potato type lasagna, alpaca skewers and Coy, which is roasted Guinean pig. I played it safe and ordered a beef dish but Marin was keen on trying the alpaca. I I’d try a bite and it tasted like a mild lamb with some gamey flavour. It was dry but probably overcooked.

    Before eating we had the opportunity to make our own Pisco Sour. I thought for sure be awful. We mixed the pisco, syrup, lime juice and egg white together in a shaker with ice. Shook it like crazy! It was actually quite good. The lime was full of flavour and softening the intense taste of the pisco It would be a great drink to have on a hot summer day lounging by the pool.


    The day hasn’t ended.....more to come!    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia
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    Lima

    April 8, 2018 in Peru ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We had a good sleep!! Our hotel isn’t the fanciest but it serves its purpose.

    We had a great complimentary breakfast this morning. The coffee was quite good and strong. Just what we needed to start today’s adventure.

    After mapping out our route, we ventured off. We were stopped by a young woman who was walking behind us that noticed my Canada flag badge on my backpack. She introduced herself and mentioned that she was from BC. She would be on the G-Adventure tour with us. We walked a little together until we got to the grocery store where we picked up some water and bananas. We are not going to drink the tap water, in case it doesn’t agree with our system. It actually is not drinkable.

    We were then stopped by a man just outside the grocery store who introduced himself and his wife. He was very friendly and gave us some useful tips for Lima as he married a Peruvian woman and has been living here for 5 years. Canadians are so great EH?

    We then continued to walk and walk.....through some sketchy parts of town and some decent parts of town. The highlight of the walk was when someone through a piece of newspaper out the window landing a few feet in front of us. Upon closer observation, it was dog poop wrapped in paper. Hmm. Interesting!!!

    We arrived at our destination San Francisco’s church, took tour of it and of the catacombs underneath. It was much smaller than the catacombs in Paris but still very interesting. You have to be careful not to crape your head or twist your ankle as it has low ceilings and rustic uneven floors.

    We toured around the Lima Centre, but we were both extremely tired from the long walk. We took a cab back to the hotel to freshen up before the group meeting at 6:00lm.

    Tomorrow we fly to Cusco. but we have to be up very early.    Read more

  • Antonio PelaiaMachu PicchuAntonio Pelaia

    Ready! Set! Travel!

    April 5, 2018 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 0 °C

    Each time I travel, I create a journal to document my adventures. This trip, I have decided to tackle South America, specifically Peru. On previous trips, I traveled alone and with a friend for a short part of the trip. This time, my friend Martin from Ottawa is joining me. I have also planned all the previous trips myself. I decided to take advantage of a tour group with G-Adventures. It was a recommendation from a coworker who has already tried them.

    It was a very early morning and everything went smoothly from Toronto. Our stop over in Mexico City was interesting. The airport security was quite intense. They took our picture and fingerprints and we had to go through security again, even though we already did in Toronto. Most of the airport staff spoke very little English, so it was difficult to communicate.

    Luckily, the second flight was relatively empty. We had lots of leg room in the emergency aisle seats and were much more comfortable than the previous flight. It was at max. The flight lasted about five and a half hours. By the time we get to our destination we will have been travelling for almost 18 hours. When I booked it, it didn’t seem like it would take that long but factor in early arrival at the airport, layovers and transportation to the hotel, it truly make for an incredibly long day.

    I’m hoping to sleep in a little tomorrow and get some good rest. I really need it.    Read more

    Trip start
    April 8, 2018
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