HAPPY NEW YEAR!

To all our beautiful family, supportive friends and new found travel mates,
Wishing you every happiness for the new year ahead! Enjoy♥♥♥

Santiago munchies!

Santiago is one of the more cosmopolitan areas of Sth America. You can find a large variety of cuisines to tempt the palate. Italian, Arabian, Japanese and Mexican just to name a few. Of course, you can still dine on the more traditional Latin American dishes and Peruvian menus are plentiful.
Cheese empanadas with salsa and schops ( local beers) are a great refreshment after a morning of exploring. Crudo which is raw mince dish, similar to tartare, spiced up with lemon juice, onion and green chile. Yet to sample this dish but it has been recommended. Huesillos is a traditional Chilean summer time , non alcoholic drink made from wheat, dried peaches, honey and cinnamon.  Locals wonder the streets spooning this concoction into their mouths. Luckily we are still in pisco sour territory! Down the hatch !

Thanks Michelle for all you tips for Santiago! Much appreciated.  Xxx

Blogger's books!

Here are a few of my favorite books!

When god was a rabbit by Sarah Winman, A monster calls by Patrick Ness, Memoirs of an imaginary friend by Matthew Green, Dead kids song by Toby Litt, Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro, A town like Alice by Neville Shute.

Travel tip 13!

When travelling for an extended length of time, it is welcome idea to book a few spare days in an apartment rather than a hotel. You will find that extra space and kitchenette/laundry very handy after living out of suitcase for so long.

Where's Brad???

Merry Christmas Alpaca style★

To all our beloved family and friends,

Thank you for all your support.  We are having a wonderful adventure but missing you.  xxx. 

 Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night.♥

Gypsy's muse!

The Long Good Bye - La Paz, Bolivia (2)

Red Hot Chile Peppers - Santiago

After weeks rugged up in Peru and Bolivia and breathing through a straw, a feeling of rapture overcomes us as we arrive in Santiago, Chile.  Not only is it the warmth that draws us in, but the feel of the city.  Peru and especially Bolivia had a feeling of desperation and subsistence living, whilst Chile is vibrant and alive.

Brad has a theory that you can determine how developed an economy is by three simple factors: 1) Fashion Conscienous populas, 2) Obesity, due to fast food courtesy of KFC, McDonald's and Burger King and 3) the amount of women wth tattoos.

With map in hand and Lea directing the self-guiding tour we discover the sights of Santiago.   We wander the streets, we people watch and sit in the Plaza de Armas and drink Schops.  We watch a myriad of buskers perform, we explore the Cathedral and discover that baby jesus is missing from the nativity, we meander up the steps of Cerro Santa Lucia, through its gardens to a fort perched high above the city.  A friendly police officer informs Lea that she should remove her Pandora gear and lock it in her bag.  We are unsure whether this makes us feel safer or scared.

We pass the Opera House and the Lastina Neighborhood; we feel the grass on our feet as we stroll through the Parque Forestall and we down more Schops and taste local bar food along Pio Nono road and finally shunt vertically upwards on the Funicular railway to look  down upon the smog ringed town and to see the Virgin Mary standing watchful and protective over Santiago.  

We walk for hours taking in the ambience of the city and as the shadows lengthen and the first stars pin prick the darkening sky , we feel the warm evening air on our skin as we walk arm in arm through the cobblestone streets back to our apartment.

Blogger's books

More book recommendations !

Steph: Freakanomics, The man who mistook his wife for a hat, Shantaram.

Jonathon: George . W. Bush: autobiography, Margaret Thatcher: the Downing street years, Tony Blair : auto bio, The bible, Top ten list for dummies.

Helen: Jean Barnet: the woman to circumnavigate the world, Finding George Orwell in a Burmese tea shop, The incredible voyage of Jack De Crow

Sarah Jane: The Alchemist, Marching powder.

Peter: No  1 ladies detective, The 44 Scotland street books, Captain Corelli's mandolin, Inspector Montalbano.

Inka sacrifice!

Although we were inspired by our inka trek, we were also horrified to learn about the practice of Inkan child sacrifice. In 1995 three mummified children, thought to be obout 500 years old were found in Argentina. Their remarkable state of preservation and the art of forensics have shed new light on the ancient lives of the Inkas. Healthy children aged between 6 to 15 were taken from their villages as sacrifices to be performed after important events or to combat famine or drought. They were dressed in fine clothes and fatten like the lamb to the slaughter. They lived with priestesses and were guests of honor at banquets held by the Emperor. When the call came they were taken to the sacred sites for sacrifice. They were drugged and plied with alcohol until they were in a stupor or unconscious.  They were then strangled or bludgeoned to the head and left to die of exposure.

Travel Tip (12)

One of our very talented travel companions Helen sketched and painted scenes of our travels as we toured. She presented them to our tour members in the form of a card which included her contact details. Beautiful work Helen!
Such a lovely idea. Even if you are not artist , it would be lovely to have some unique means of sharing contact details. Something to think about....

Travel Tip (11)

Ensure you download an off-line translator on your phone to take on your journey. Always useful when reading menus or for simple communication.

Blogger's books

The Long Goodbye - La Paz Bolivia (1)

Our final leg of our Sacred Inka Trail tour sees us make our way to La Paz the capital of Bolivia.  At 3800m above sea level, La Paz is the highest captial in the world and with its poor infrastruture, over population, poverty, a self-governing prison and an envelope of pollution that smothers the city, it is the ugly sister of capitals in South America.

Each upward step in La Paz sucks us dry and we can feel the effect of the altitude first hand as we walk the streets.  We feel like cardiac failure patients hobbling forward, breath labouring and our heart pounding to a tachycardia rhythm as we search for the witches market.  The witches market with its trinkets,  potions, offerings and mummified llama foetus', like most of La Paz is a tad disappointing.  The one saving grace is the value for money you get in regards to food and drink, and the food has been very good indeed.

La Paz also sees us say goodbye to our touring party who for 15 days have endured vicious attacks by flying cochroaches in the amazon, the squat toliets of the Inka's, the altitude that redesigns your bowels, the rhythmic beats of reggae, bus trips, pisco brandy and numerous top ten lists.  So to Peter and Helen, Kirsty, Steph, Emer, Anja, Lucy, Jonanthan and Sarah-Jane, thanks for the craic, the laughs and the stories, you certainly have made it into the top ten list of travelling companions.

Bloggers books!

Here are some more book recommendations from tour mates.

Emer: Catch 22, To kill a mocking bird, Memoirs of a geshia, Jack Reacher Series, The Curious incident of the dog in the night ,The one hundred year old man who climbed out the window and disappeared, The catcher in the rye.

Kirsty: Marching powder, The battlesea road to paradise, The battlesea road to enlightenment, Crime novel by Kerry Wilkinson, The No 1 ladies detectives.

Lucy: Shadow of the wind,  Shantaram, Memoirs of a geisha, Mistress of Rome, Shogun, Wild swan, Shardrake series by C.J. Sanson, Birdsong, Sundowners, 3 cups of tea, Mr nice, Perfume, The psycopath test ,Slavegirl, Dragon tattoo 1, 2  and 3.

Watch this space!

Sacred Inkas!

Nestled in a majestic mountain pass,
Steep, stone steps,
Wind up and down.

Slowly, slowly,
Takes our breath away.
Coca leaves,
500!

Ilamas feast on the
Lush , green terraces.

Mist rolls in,
Rain soaks,
Visibility nil.

Sun rise,
Sun shine,
Awe of ancient cilivisations.

Sun gate,
Temples of the sun, moon
And condor.

Tranquility and serenity !

Secret to longevity!

The oldest person in the world says a diet of quinoa, mushrooms and coca is the secret to longevity. This 123 year old Aymara farmer still herds his cattle on his isolated farm near Lago Titicaca. Perivian and Bolivian menus promote these super foods. Coca leaves have been chewed and brewed for centuries amongst the indigenous Andean region. When chewed the coca leaf acts as a mild stimulant that suppresses hunger, thirst, pain and helps overcome altitude sickness. The coca leaf in its natural form is harmless; however, without coca there would be no cocaine. The coca leaf is banned throughout the world except for Peru and Bolivia who have negotiated recognition for traditional use.

The meals in these high altitude areas are largely carb based. This helps to combat the effects of high altitude. It is not unsual to be serve 2 or 3 carbs in one meal. Hearty vegetable sopa with quinoa often starts off the meal. Whole roasted guinea pig and alpaca are celebration dinners, often served for Christmas.
At the Amazon we were presented with little cane baskets that contained our picnic lunch of rice and vegetables wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf. Yummo!

Our chef on the Inka adventure was amazing. He would give master chef a run for the money. Three course meals were presented for every lunch and dinner. Amazing little avocado pastries,  hard boiled eggs shaped into animals , wontons and to the amazement of our English friends a magnificant camp oven cake!
Must not forget the humble Pisco. Used in a variety of ways on this tour, the favourite was the pisco sour although pisco straight came a close second on the bus trip!

Be on your guard (11)

Always ensure that you check your laundry on return because if you don't you may get a nasty surprise.

Dinner Inca Style

Be on your guard (12)

Brad has been accosted recently by a number of Canadians who have mistaken him for an ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and by other nationalities as the anti hero out of V for Vendetta.   Brad can't see any similarities at all.

Pisco Brandy, Floating Islands, Homestays nd Lake Titicaca

The two finger shuffle, the butterfly and the lay down were moves we mastered on our night out on Pisco Brandy in Puno.  The 3 hour boat trip the next morning to Llachory, as one could imagine, wasn't Brad's most pleasurable experience.   We stop at the floating island of Suma Balsa where 4 families eck out a subsistence lifestyle, where everything from houses, to boats and even food are dependent upon the water reeds that grow in Lake Titicaca.

It was the Inka's who called Lake Titicaca the 'Womb of Mankind', and the lake dwellers, especially those on the floating islands regard themselves as the oldest peoples in the world.

Having stayed at a number of homestays on previous travels, shivers of dread are always evident.  There is normally no engagement or cultural exchange, rather isolation and an uncomfortable silence.  You can imagine, therefore, how suprised we were when our host mumma provided us with an insight into her family life and her culture.  With an infectious laugh and a patient manner she took us under her wing, dressed us in traditional dress and became involved as we challenged our host island to a game of volleyball.  We provided our mumma with some basic foodstuffs for the homestay and simple gifts of pencils,  pencil case and paper to the children.  The children soon became Lea's shadow and they entertained us with their games and constant chatter.   Dressed in traditional clothing we helped prepare a meal and dined upon our efforts and as we lay on our reed filled mattress over looking the 'Womb of Mankind,' we realise that sometimes you can obtain a glimpse into other people's life by sharing time with them.

Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate

A thump on our tent informs us that the time is near and we prepare to embark on our final journey to that of the Sun Gate and our first glimpse of the fabled city of Machu Picchu.  So at 4am we leave our camp site in anticipation, make our way down to the final check point where we wait with 200 similar minded hikers.   We wait and we wait and at 5.30am we pass through the checkpoint and we are on our way.  As the morning sun greets us it provides us with a cinematic display and paints the mountains a radiant colour that reflects off the snow peaks high above.

The excitement is palatable as every step, every gasped breath takes us closer to the Sun Gate.  We have been for warned that the Sun Gate is actually more like a cloud gate and a mist often descends across the plateau area of Machu Picchu.  Finally, we reach the apex, endorphins pump through our body as we glimpse for the first time Machu Picchu.  Like the ancient pilgrims that had trod the trail before us, we descend into the mist that wraps the city , down into the ruins below.

We stand at the Temple of the Sun, where a rock altar stands erect refracting the rays of the sun; we enter the Temple of the Condor where llamas where sacrificed to provide ease of passage to the afterlife, and that the departed were embalmed,  mummified and entombed.  We wonder the terraces,  sit amongst the ruins, marvel at Huayna Picchu, with its staircase terraces and moon temple, we snap llamas captured in a rainbow spectrum and watch our fellow hikers doing the Inka Shuffle.  Finally, we sit alone, just us with our thoughts and we are surrounded by the tranquility and serenity of Machu Picchu.

Gypsy's muse

The Inca Trail

We adorne our team colours and wear our scrunches with pride.  United as one we begin the journey along the sacred Inca trail.  The jungle canopy engulfs and the cobblestone track of ancient times echo to the sound  of trekking poles and laboured breathing.  Constant photography of the scenery fails to do justice; rugged cliff faces raise their heads above the clouds and the omipresence of vegatation suffocates and hides sheer drops of no return.  (A young American women fell to her death in January this year.)  The sun breaches the high jungle and our shadows celebrate the presence of the Sun Gods.

We walk through a myriad of seasons and temperate zones.  The sun inflames our skin, the mist engulfs us in its cocoon and the rain lashes like a cat of nine tails.  The altitude sucks you drier than a hangover from Pisco Brandy and the constant grind of the upward ascent burns our lungs and fills our entire body with fatigue and pain.  Coca leaves are chewed and the swallowed juice enriches the spirit just in time to encounter the beast known as the Gringo Killer.

The Gringo Killer leads up to the highest peak along the trail of 4280m and it is brutal.  A three hour climb over a original formation of rock stairs, it fills your mouth with the rancid taste of bile and the only way to continue is through the development of the 500 step game.  500 steps then rest.  It is through this strategy that sees us ascend to the peak of the trail and collaspe.  As we recover we watch the snail like procession of trekkers make their way forward trance like to the peak.  (A total of 17 hours have been walked and a total of 33klms covered.)

At camp we gag on the stench of the squat toilets  and work out best way to squat without defecating in our shoes.  We entertain ourselves with the formation of top ten lists, stories of the day trekking are snared and laughter fills the tent and the screams of UNO erupt into the airways.  We are pampered by our porters and Chef who ensure that our tents are erect and our stomach content.  It is not an over estimation to state that the Chef would give any Master Chef a run for thier money.

Ruins emerge from mist filled sarcohagus' and Llamas stand sentry scanning our presence and allowing us entry in to the sacred sites of Patallacta, Phaysptamaka, Sayacmaka and Winawhyna.  We take photos of the Inca ghosts long pass and await our reckoning with the Sun Gate and the Old Mountain itself Macchu Picchu.

Gypsy's Muse!

Sunsets from around the world (3)

1: Amazon River - Peru.  2: Machu Picchu - Peru. 3: Cusco - Peru. 4: Havana - Cuba. 5: Havana Cuba.  6: Vinales - Cuba  7: Vinales - Cuba  8: Maria La Gorda - Cuba

In the jungle, the might Amazon Jungle.

Howling monkeys awaken us and the life of the jungle rumbles into action.  Hudson's preen themselves,  toucans travers the jungle sky, their colours dancing in the early morning light and macaws communicate in an animated fashion with their burning red colour contrasting against the green canopy below.  The king vulture perches a top of the towering Brazil nut trees, scanning and waiting.  It is in this environment we stir from our wilderness camp and embark on our Amazon adventure in search of the elusive Giant Otters of the Amazon river and to do a spot of fishing for piranhas.   Our sojourn takes us to a Sharman who explains the use of local medicines.   We view the Ayahuasca vine that has the properties to cure Parkinson Disease.  (wonder with Michael J Fox knows about this.)  Other shrubs and plants are used for inflammation,  anaesthetic, love potions, impotence and toothache.  We sample the concoctions and watch the sunset over the Amazon River as our boat takes us back to our accommodation.

We're turning Incanese, we really think so!

Piscos in Peru

The diversity of what we have seen, both in culture,  landscape and people continues to generate the wow factor and our first taste of South America, via Peru has continued to deliver the goods.

We roam the old quarter of Lima watching Peruivan life go by.  We go underground at the catacombs of the Monastery of San Francisco where over 25,000 skeletal remains stare up at us and we marvel at the centuries old library filled with ancient tomes and we watch the elaborate changing of the guards that resembles a West End production.  Finally, we settle down to partake in the National Drink of  Pisco Sour, unfortunately its happy hour which causes us to become pissed on Piscos and we arrive 20 minutes late for our briefing.

We've got the feeling that we're going to enjoy the mighty Inca tour.

Be on your guard (10)

Not a 100% sure if the marketing people got it right with the Peru logo, sure it says Penis!

Bloggers books!

Today's book recommendation:

The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce.

Bloggers books!

Cuba!

Colourful Cuba,
Communism, cocktails,
Coffee and cigars!

Beautiful coastlines,
Rugged mountains,
Peaceful farmlands!

50's cars,
Shop fronts,
Time stands still!

Street dancing,
Happy faces,
Simple lives!

Salsa and rum!

Travel tip 10!

Start planning everyone! Our Inka guide Bruno let me in on a sacred Inka secret to make your wishes come true for the New year. According to Bruno, you must spend the New year period doing what you hope for the in the coming year. For example; if you wish for more work in 2014 (personally, cannot relate to this one) you need to work over new year or spend time with family for good family relationships. Of course, our hearts ♥♥are always with our family regardless of where we are. We are in Buenos Aires for New Year this time. Guess we are in for some new travel experiences in 2014. Yay!

Viva Revolution (2) - Cuba

Our visit to Havana shows to us how much we have missed the smell of the sea air, the tang of salt on your skin and the soothing sounds of the ocean. 

Tourism in Cuba was born out of necessity as a result of the collaspe of the Soviet Union in the 1990's and as such the infrastructure is stuck in a time warp of the  1950's and our hotel room reminisces sleep overs at Grannies.

The architecture is dominated by vibrant colours that mix with the dust and decay of a crumbling city.  Che Guevara adores walls, momuments, t/shirts and underwear. As we wonder old Havana town Carmen Miranda  look a likes and huge cigar chomping gentlemen hustle to be photographed with you for a charge.   We discover Ernest Hemingway's hide away and sip motojis from the rooftoop.  We people watch and feel the rhythm of the salsa pulsate and along the water front Havanaites celebrate only as they can.

We journey to Vinales, where we are guests at a home stay and explore the picturesque town set highlands.  Our spanish remains infantile and bizzare dances of body language, pointing and smiling is our major form of communication.   The owners of the home stay become accustomed to our epileptic ritual and just smile and giggle along.

Tobacco farms populate the valley and we watch a generation of families demonstrate the art of cigar making.  It is amazing to think that the very poor produce a product that makes its way into the mouth of the very rich.  We draw in the aroma of the cigar smoke and watch the sunset over the tobacco houses.  Once again the beat of the dance calls and we venture out into the night to mingle with locals and tourists alike on the dance floors.

We hiked through farm land framed by rugged mountains to cave system that hides an underground lake, deviod of bats but inhabited by transparent shrimp who nibble on your dead skin as you enter the water.  Our guide, like all Cubans is a natural dancer and offered us our second Salsa lesson, and of course, no lesson can be run successfully without a bottle of rum.  The rum transforms Brad from a rambling spastic to a Gene Kelly god.  For over an hour we laugh, drink and stumble through our class.   Finally,  in celebration we devour a whole pig cooked in a traditional Cuban style, play Dominos and watch the sunset over the fields.

Our last stop takes us the seaside resort of Maria La Gorda, (minus Dexter Morgan) and we enjoy the Cuban sun.  A big thank you goes out to Natalia (our fabulous guide) Allan, Ester, Meagan, Amy, Zoe, Bjorn, Candice, Adam and Morgan for making the tour so enjoyable.

Cuban cuisine!

Cuba is controlled by a communist government. This means that there is not a lot of variety or choice of food available. Menus tend to offer simple, fresh and in season faire. Pork and seafood is a popular choice. The cattle is kept for farm work and only processed for consumption when the poor beasts are on their last legs, if not dead already. Steer clear!
Cheese is another thing to avoid. Cubans have not conquered the art of making cheese. Turning the humble toasted cheese sanger into a dismal lunch. Better off with the street pizza with the lot. Hold the cheese but.
We visited an organic farm in Vinales were they put on a magnificent spread for our group. A whole roasted pork was the feature and was accompanied by a vast, delicious array of fresh veggies and other side dishes. We sat at a wooden banquet table as dish after dish was presented. The table groaned under the weight of it all and the floor boards creaked below as our tummies expanded. We were served a superb stress reliever coctele. Mix of coconut milk and rum with fresh herbs from the garden. Lemongrass, mint and aniseed. It really did relieve our stress as we reclined in rocking chairs on the farm house veranda overlooking the valley.

Cuban citizens earn 20 cucs a month ( approx 20 US) regardless of occupation. Hospitality is one of the best positions as tips are relied heavily upon to supplement the income. Doctors often work as taxi drivers to earn extra cash! Every person recieves free health care, education and housing although some people get the raw deal when it comes to delegation in the cities. Best to live in the country. A ration system is in place where everyone recieves weekly staples and apparently can survive a humble exsistance. You can buy an ice cream for 20 cents but it will cost up to $2 for a bar of soap!
In reporting all this, I must admit the Cuban population look happy, healthy and well fed. Every society has good and bad. Who are we to judge?

Mayan Quest

Ancient stones tower
History seeps,

Majestic temples
To honour the Gods.

Secrets of superior minds,
Build, conquer and defeat.

Knowledge extinct....