Last updated on May 11th, 2020
Joining friends, we spent the Christmas/New Year’s holidays on a tour of Peru and Ecuador, including time in the Galapagos Islands.
Around Miami
Christmas in Miami (December 25)
Marvelous Miami Deco (December 26)
Peru
Arrival in Lima (December 27)
Early morning arrival in Lima, Peru’s diverse capital.
The earth is obscured by clouds until we begin our approach into Lima. At first all I can see is water.
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Finally a fishing fleet comes into view, followed by the coast itself and then an assortment of large industrial facilities. Soon we are skimming low over the city to make our landing.
While we undertake the usual foreign arrival activities – waiting to use the bathroom, to clear customs, to get our luggage – we watch the other passengers, wondering who will be on our tour.
A few are easy to spot, but most aren’t until they, like us, put on the tour company buttons we have been told to wear so our guide can identify us. Then we have a friendly competition seeing who can be the first to spot each member of our tour group.
Our bags, along with those of our friends, are almost literally the last four pieces to land on the carousel. We grab them and scurry to figure out where the rest of the group has gone. We quickly find them (Lima’s airport isn’t that big) and I catch most of our guide’s brief outline of the day while Lane and Mark scramble to get cash at a nearby ATM. Then we are hustled out of the airport to find our bus.
Outside the day is dark, the air heavy and warm.
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Touring Lima
After settling into our hotel, the itinerary for the day promises:
This afternoon enjoy a tour of both colonial and modern Lima, founded in 1535. . . See the historical center and the San Francisco Church as well as Plaza de Armas and the Government Palace. Later, see the fashionable districts of San Isidro and Miraflores with their beautiful parks and elegant residences facing the ocean.
This is the only day we will have in Lima.
A few thoughts about Lima
The conventional tourism advice is to get out of Lima as fast as possible. But I LIKE Lima.
Introduction to Cuzco (December 28)
A short morning flight to Cuzco, the fabled capital of the Inca Empire, perched at 11,000 feet above sea level. On a guided afternoon tour visit the main Inca and Colonial monuments. See the Plaza de Armas, center of the Inca Empire and the impressive 16th century cathedral, built on the ruins of the Inca Palace. In the old town view magnificently restored colonial buildings.
What the itinerary doesn’t indicate is that the morning flight from Lima requires a 3:30 A.M. wake up call. Ugh.
But the flight is pleasant and Cuzco is a lovely, interesting spot. After breakfast, a nap, and some coca tea I am ready to begin exploring it.
Sacsayhuaman (December 29)
Cuzco is a vibrant town, dotted with archaeological sites. Venture this morning to the outskirts of Cuzco to visit the amazing ruins of Sacsayhuaman, an Inca architectural masterpiece. From this fortress enjoy fabulous views of the city below.
Sacsayhuaman was the site of a large Inca fortress. While many of its stones were hauled away by the Spanish for use elsewhere, the site is still impressive.
A shopping trip
We visit a “knitting factory,” where I learn to tell the difference between various fibers. But it feels like a discount warehouse store – but without the discounts.
It’s much better outside in the village.
On our own in Cuzco
We finally have time to wander Cuzco and explore at our own pace.
Along the way to Machu Picchu (December 30)
Today we travel to Machu Picchu. The itinerary gets shuffled a bit to accommodate people who don’t want to get up as early as required, but the sights along the way are fascinating.
Machu Picchu in the Rain
Our guide leads us through Machu Picchu as a gentle rain comes and goes.
The mist and rain make it magical.
A Perfect Morning at Machu Picchu (December 31)
We awake to heavy low clouds. But that all changes once we get up to the ruins!
Aguas Caliente Village
Because we have volunteered to take the later train and switch to a bus at Ollantaytambo (while the others take the “dome train” all the way back to Cuzco), we have some time to wander around Aguas Caliente – or Machu Picchu village, as the local officials insist it should be called.
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If you read any travel guides for Machu Picchu, you are likely to think that extra time in Aguas Caliente is not a good thing. However, we were out shopping last night and I am fond of this little tourist town.First we bid goodbye to the hotel and our room – the hotel wasn’t much (hot water would have been nice), but the gardens and our view of them were delightful.
The village itself is a series of stepped “streets” lined with tourist shops and restaurants. It exudes a cheerful goodwill and the surrounding mountains make the little village seem cozy and welcoming.
Below the city’s sloping streets, the Urubamba River tumbles and boils. A broad walking path allows us to wander along the river’s bank, providing a close-up view of the ferociously flowing water. It is an amazing stretch of white water.
Back in the village we settle in at a restaurant across from the hotel, order a round of pisco sours, and await our turn to board the train.
What a glorious day.
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New Year’s Eve in Cuzco
After a lovely late dinner with Mark and Kathy at Map Café (the glass box that sits in the courtyard of the museum near our hotel), we walk to the plaza.
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The colonial churches and other buildings are beautifully lit and the plaza below is crowded. Firecrackers and small fireworks periodically flash above our heads.
We join the crowd and circle the plaza. The people watching is great – a mix of local people of all ages and touring backpackers. Many local women and children wear cheerful yellow confetti in their hair. It is a festive crowd.
Close to midnight we choose a spot on the Cathedral’s stairs to watch and wait.
There is no times square ball here, no synchronized count-down to midnight. As the hands on the clock tower creep upward, the plaza quiets. I sense the crowd wondering When? Now? A few more assertive individuals shoot off larger fireworks from the midst of the crowd.
Attention turns to the empty street and the plaza beyond. A figure emerges and runs past us down the street along the plaza. I’m not exactly sure what this figure is. . . a paper mache’ horse or donkey perhaps? As it passes, the crowd swarms into the street behind it, a steady stream circling the plaza once and then again, more and more people joining in, turning the street into a flowing wave of humanity.
I have no idea what any of it means.
When the fireworks begin to explode near our feet, rather than above our heads, we wind our way back through the ancient streets to our hotel.
Happy New Year world!
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Chincheros in the Sacred Valley (January 1)
We make a stop in Chincheros to learn about spinning and weaving.
After those demonstrations, we visit the colorful local market.
Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley
We get a second chance to explore Ollantaytambo.
Lunch in the Sacred Valley
Lucho promises we will like the place he is taking us for lunch.
We stop at what looks like an old hacienda (although I think it is actually new construction). It is surrounded by gardens that slope down to the Urumbamba river.
The structure, the gardens, and the location are all perfect.
Oh, and the food (served buffet-style) is wonderful too.
Pisac’s Market
The Pisac market is known for it’s Sunday market and its ruins. We get to visit the market, but not the ruins.
And we meet a few yayas who have finished their meetings and started celebrating.
Ecuador
Quito (January 2)
North of Quito (January 3)
The Galapagos Islands
To the Galapagos (January 4)
The area where we are waiting for our flight to the Galapagos is fairly small and, although it is still early when we arrive, it is already quite crowded. Luckily, there are a lot of chairs, so we settle in to wait.
Over the next four days cruise along and visit the enchanted Galapagos Islands, where you’ll see a variety of exotic wildlife. Fly from Quito to San Cristobal, the easternmost gateway to the islands. There, you’ll board your first class cruise boat, the Galapagos Explorer II, your base while exploring the islands.
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We don’t expect our flight to be called for boarding for at least another 20 minutes when they announce boarding for a flight to Galapagos. Can we be leaving early? That would be so great. . . probably too good to be true. We listen more closely. My Spanish is pretty much limited to “hello,” “thank you,” “bathroom,” “price,” and most of the numbers between one and ten; but I am pretty this isn’t our flight.
It’s not. Soon they announce that our flight is delayed. Apparently the flight scheduled to go out before ours had mechanical problems. To prevent further delaying that flight, they took our plane. Now we are waiting for another plane to become available. I don’t like the fact that we will be late arriving in the Galapagos – possibly missing our scheduled activity for the afternoon, but it is a logical — and fair — solution.
Eventually we are headed across the tarmac and onto the plane.
We are flying on the Ecuadorian airline TAME. Our flight will stop in Guayaquil to pick up additional passengers, but we will not be allowed off the plane while there. I just want to get going. . . I’m eager for the next phase of our trip to begin!
Lane and I had requested seats together (apparently something you need to request if you want to be seated together on a South American flight) and find we are seated across the aisle from each other. While this is fine, it soon becomes clear that the remainder of my row won’t be boarding until Guayaquil. I slide over to the window and Lane joins me. Yay! We’ll have to move back to our assigned seats in Guayaquil, but we have lots of space — and a window — until then.
About the same time we notice that we are all seated in the back half of the plane – which is almost completely full. With the exception of one person in the very first row, no one is seated in the front third or more of the aircraft. Soon an announcement asks those sitting in the back to please move up to the front in order to “balance” the plane. How interesting.
I quickly discovered that the in-flight magazine is also pretty interesting. For example, a story on Christmas traditions around the world, includes this information:
Ecuador maintains a tradition by which Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are celebrated with family with delicacies such as tamales or a giblets consomme’ . . . followed by varied turkey recipes, among which sausage and meat stuffed turkey is worth mentioning, without ignoring a turkey in plum or peach sauce.
It is important to point out that turkey is not a traditional white fowl meat in our country. It is said that its origins lie in the import of giant chickens from Turkey to the United States, which mentioned in their boxes the words “Chicken from Turkey.” That is why it is said that the animal turkey is known in English as Turkey. Once introduced into the North American continent, this bird expanded its habitat to South America, thus being integrated into every South American country’s gastronomy.
Wow. I wonder if anyone tried to explain that to Benjamin Franklin? Of course, it first would have required explaining that in a few hundred years a portion of Ottoman empire would become a nation called Turkey. . .
But when I finish laughing, I am left wondering how many totally ridiculous things I probably believe to be true because I read them somewhere. What are they? How would I know? Is this how weird misconceptions and misunderstandings – even prejudices start? Are there really Ecuadorians who now believe that turkeys are large imported chickens rather than birds native to North America? While that is just a silly unimportant thing, what other, more important things have they read and come to believe about the United States that aren’t true? How would they know?
Soon we are landing in Guayaquil. The clouds have cleared and I can see a low flat city surrounded by wet-looking green fields.
I expect an announcement telling everyone to move back to their original seats, but instead they announce that new passengers should sit wherever there is an open seat. This means I am keeping my window. Lane moves to the center and we are joined by a nice young man from Holland. We introduce ourselves and learn that Nico and his partner Monique will be on the cruise with us.
The flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos is mostly cloudy, but the sky clears again as we approach the islands, giving me a view of a few small islands that look stark and harsh.
Soon we are seated in a Zodiac, heading toward our ship.
Our Galapagos adventure is beginning.
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Aboard the Galapagos Explorer (January 4)
The Galapagos: Morning on Espanola Island (January 5)
The Galapagos: Afternoon on Santa Cruz Island (January 5)
The Galapagos: Morning on Genovesa Island (January 6)
The Galapagos: Afternoon at Darwin Bay (January 6)
Leaving the Galapagos (January 7)
Quito’s Basilica (January 8)
A Parade Through Quito (January 8)
Old Town Quito (January 8)
Above Quito (January 8)
To the Cloud Forest (January 9)
The Details
Notes and Comments (January 10)
All photos are mine unless otherwise noted.