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Despite so many good intentions to write my journal daily, and update my blog regularly, the time has flown again, and it`s my last day in Peru. Now in Puno, following a week where I have said goodbye to Cuzco, my lovely host family and great new friends and moved on to explore Lake Titicaca and Puno, I´ve got a couple of hours to catch up with what`s been happening in the last couple of weeks.
So, where was I...? Half way through the trek to Machu Pichu I think. Following an arduous but amazing three days trekking the Lares trail through stunning mountains, with llamas watching our progress from the mountainsides with disinterested gazes, we finally made it to Aguas Calliente, the little spa town which Machu Pichu presides over. After three nights with very little sleep, two of which were spent awake and shivering in tents perched on the 14000 foot hills, the 4.30am start was a challenge in itself, however the reward of sitting on an Incan terrace in the early morning mist , watching as the sun broke through the clowds to illuminate Machu Pichu in all her magical glory, was worth every blister and exhausted yawn. The Incan city was everything I could have imagined, and more. After months spent poring over books of South America, the famous picture of Machu Pichu was now a reality. It´s hard to find words to describe the feeling as I looked down at the immaculately preserved ruin, but let`s just say, feelings like that are the reason that I travel.
Following a morning exploring the ruins, peering through doorways, framing photographs with Incan windows, and marvelling at the inginuity and willfulness of the people who created the city in the clowd, I climbed up the steep carved steps of Hauynu Pichu, the neighbouring mountain which rewards it´s climbers with stunning views of the site and the surrounding mountains. Despite aching legs and complete exhaustion, I made it to a terrace over looking Machu Pichu with the encouragement of a lovely American guy who I met in the queue for the bus, and sat in the morning sunshine enjoying the beautiful vista.
Following a much needed lunch in Agua´s Calliente, (with three helpings of pudding, oops), we headed off to the hot springs to soak our aching legs in the naturally warm waters. The train ride back to Ollyamtambo passed through the lush green Urubamba valley, before catching a bus through the Andes back to Cuzco. After a cup of tea and a chat in exhaustedly broken Spanish with my Peruvian mum, I slept like a log for the first time in nearly a week.
Week three passed by in a blur of volunteering and nights out. I spent a day in a school with nursery aged children, playing swingball and skipping at breaktime, and encouraging the children to complete their school work, followed by another day translating Spanish presentations to English for future volunteers, followed by another day in an orphanage, sitting sewing with the children while teaching them some English. By Thursday, I was exhausted and had (another) dodgy stomach (thought India had cured me off that, but apparently not!), and guiltily took a day off and spent the morning catching up on much needed sleep.
Afternoons were spent eating with my host family, and walking back into the city with Jeremy to meet the gang at the Fountain in the Plaza De Armas. The evenings were spent exploring Cuzco´s many bars and restaurants, happiliy discovering a pizza restaurant which served Pizza, Garlic bread and a drink for 6 soles (about 1.50), a chinese restaurant with huge portions of peruvian style fried rice (though the vegetarian special was very special indeed, with extra special helpings of chicken...!). One night was spent lounging on beanbags in the Mushroom Bar, another doing the Pub Quiz in the Muse Bar (we came second, yay!), a further one eating fabulously messy Giros in a tiny but incredibly popular restaurant with Katherina, Jonathan, Christian and Jeremy, before drinking Cuscuena Malta (my new drink of choice) in the cheap bar, as we call it, in a complex of local bars where the only tourists or travellers are us.
I spent a luxurious afternoon to myself on Friday, mooching around the Pre Columbian Art Gallery, wondering at the perfectly preserved artefacts with their beautiful and surprisingly modern looking glazes and engravings. A coffee and cake and an hour people watching on a balcony overlooking the square ended the afternoon perfectly.
Saturday started off sitting in the square watching the mayhem of the with breakfast from the delicious french bakery near the school. Despite good intentions to walk to a ruin a few miles away, we made it as far as a park high up in the San Blas area, and had a lovely picnic sitting on the rocks over looking the city, before playing on the swings and sea-saws, much to the local children´s amusement. A challenge from a litle girl who was grazing her llama in the empty stone swimming pool meant that I was soon swinging accross the monkey bars. After following a nearby path, we wound our way up the hillside through the undergrowth, and discovered that we were in Sacsaywoman. A further stoney path lead up to Christo Blanco, the huge white effigy of Jesus which presides over the city. After chatting to local children at the top of the hill, and then getting caught in a thunderstorm, the day was finished with a delicious dinner at Jack`s Cafe, where the chocolate cake was just chocolate heaven (and worthy of a photograph!). Monday morning was spent saying goodbyes at the school, visiting the Incan Museum, and wandering around the market and bakeries buying flowers and cakes for my host family. After a delicious last lunch with my host family, the afternoon was spent trying to cram everything into my backpack with out breaking the zip. The night was spent drinking in the ´cheap bar´, and saying goodbye to the fantastic people that I have spent the three weeks with.
I was sad to leave Cuzco on Tuesday morning, but know I will be in touch with the people that matter. The long journey to Puno passed some stunning mountoun scenery as Bob Dylan crooned in my ear. Arriving into Puno, the city looked drab and dated compared with the colonial affluence of Cuzco, though the view of the lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, lifted my spirits. After a night in a lovely hotel, we headed out onto Lake to explore.
More to follow... Got a plane to catch soon (and not liking the sound of thunder outside!).
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