03·07·2012
To start off a two month trip overseas, there is nothing like hearing the words, "we can´t let you fly"...Somehow I made it out of New Jersey alive. I missed my first flight but after some finagling with the airline, I was able to board a plane leaving the U.S. Apparently you need proof of exiting the country, before you go to Peru. The local buses don´t sell tickets online, so this was difficult.
Barranco, Lima
I spent three sun-bleached days in Barranco, Lima. I could see the Pacific from the window in my bunk-room (and from the shower). I made friends with the local artisans selling handmade jewelry, and marvelled at my fellow travelers´ endurance for casinos and new tattoos. The sunsets over the Pacific were great. I talked a good deal with Vincent, a man from Maine who has been living in a rural Andean village for the past 12 years. The architecture here is heavily influenced by the Spanish; balconies and courtyards abounding.
Lima-Cusco
I fell asleep watching the sunset over the Pacific. Dramatic cliffs, abandoned beaches and arid desert dominated the landscape. I was cruising on the second deck (front row) of my bus from Lima to Cusco. I rarely enjoy 24-hour long bus rides, but Peru kept me fascinated. The road wound itself into a tangle as it clamoured over and through the Peruvian Andes. "A puncture" as the British lady called it, kept us off the road for an hour or so; but no major hiccups. There were many boulders that had found a home in the middle of the road, but the bus driver rightfully gained my confidence.
San Blas, Cusco
Of the many wondrous nuances in Cusco, I am intrigued by living at 10,000 feet, the narrowness of the sidewalks, and how a shoe-shiner can offer to shine my flip-flops. I love being in cities designed for the foot traffic, not the car. For my week here I am living with Jimmy and dos niños: Irvin and Jose. We play fusebol, eat meals together and watch the Champions League (tough one Arsenal). I enrolled in a Spanish School for one week; my head hurts afterwards but it´s for the best. On Sunday I took a walk north of the city to the Inca ruins to Saqsaywaman, Qénqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. The ruins were astounding and I´m excited to see more!
Tomorrow morning I will begin the next leg of my journey, and barring no landslides, I´ll be looking up at Machu Picchu Mountain by mid-afternoon. I am meeting up with two new friends, Catie and Andrea, and I hope they´ll take pictures for me at Machu Picchu. I forgot my camera, and it is currently lost somewhere in the mail.
"Aqui no hay mas complices que tu y yo; tu por opresor, y yo por liberator, merecemos la muerte"
- Tupaq Amaru II
