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9 December 2003
It was a cold morning, it took Rebecca and me a while to find the train –
the train does depart from the same station at the base of the town, it
departs from another station little higher up along the track. Anyway, we
reached there in time and boarded in our compartment – no surprise, the
Chilean guy was also going back, sitting with us in the same cubicle – he
was elated seeing us.
Daybreak was soon, the train was roiling through this beautiful gorge - we
all were captivated by the magnificent passing landscape and the river
running alongside the track, although, some were catching on with their
sleep. At one stage I was getting desperate to have a smoke in this
non-smoking train – I opened a small upper ventilation window and poked my
head out to have a smoke, I am literally smoking outside the train. Later,
seeing the glorious landscape passing by, I took my camera out and kept
shooting through that small window.
We arrived at Ollantaytambo around 7:00 am, had breakfast at a roadside
restaurant – then Spanish speaking Rebecca took over the responsibility to
get us to Cusco.
She got us into a collective taxi from Ollantaytambo to Urubamba, then a bus
to Pisac. We stopped there to have a better look at the market and to buy
some souvenir. It was a large market; we wandered through it bought few
souvenirs - we also had a long coffee break here, picking up our
conversation from last night.
Later we took another collective taxi to Cusco and arrived there around 3:00
Pm. We were starving by then, and straight way went for lunch at a
restaurant at Plaza Armas. Over lunch we were mulling over, whether to take
a night bus to Puno on the same night or to go there tomorrow. Puno, located
on the shore of Lake Titicaca is my final destination before returning to
Argentina via Cusco – Rebecca will be proceeding to Cochabamba in Bolivia
from there, and she was squeezed for time. So we decided that we would go
that night, if bus tickets were available.
After lunch we were able to book two tickets on 8:00 pm bus to Puno. Rebecca
picked up her luggage from her hostel – I decided to leave my backpack in
the Locker of Colonial Hotel, as I will have to come back here to catch my
flight back to Argentina. We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting and
chatting at a restaurant balcony overlooking Plaza Armas – watching the
beautiful sunset, which gave the Ochre coloured square a brilliant glow - we
took quite a few shots of that glowing Plaza.
Later we had dinner, and soon after left for the bus station. As we were
leaving, Rebecca spotted an old friend from the balcony, she called him out
and ran down to meet him – I followed her. He is a French, who was at the
same Mexican University as Rebecca, where both of them were exchange
students – it was such an unexpected meeting at such an unexpected place,
both were overjoyed – but soon we had to leave for the bus station.
Unfortunately, in our rush we mistakenly got into the local bus instead of
more comfortable tourist bus – it was the worst bus journey of the whole
trip – people were all over with all their belongings – some were even lying
down on the aisle – snoring, babies crying, and the seats were so cramped –
I hardly had any sleep – Rebecca fared little better in her widow seat, with
her walkman plugged to her ears.
10 December 2003
Puno and Lake Titicaca
We arrived at Puno around 5:00 am, it was still dark. We decided to have
breakfast at the bus station cafeteria. While having breakfast, a tourist
agent began pestering us, even at that early hour– suggesting hotels and
places to go – Rebecca was doing most of the talking, after consulting her
guide book and me, she decided to go to the ‘Hotel Tumi’ near Plaza Armas,
as suggested by the agent.
On the way and to the hotel we also decided to take a half a day package
trip to lake Titicaca and the floating islands on it, starting at 10:30 am.
As soon as we finished the reception formalities at the hotel, we
straightway went to our respective rooms to catch up with some sleep.
As instructed, hotel reception woke us up around 9:30 am. At 10:30 a tourist
bus picked us up from the hotel and took us to the wharf, where we boarded a
small boat with an open upper deck, to begin our cruise through lake
Titicaca.
Located at 3,820m altitude, lake Titicaca is one of the highest navigable
lake in the world, and it is also the biggest lake in South America. The
lake straddles the Peru Bolivian border.
As the boat left Puno harbour, it entered a shallow lagoon connected with
the main lake through a neck – it was badly polluted, from a chemical spill
few years back. However, as we reached the main lake the water turned deep
blue and looked cleaner – pollution somehow has not reached the main body of
the lake.
Little later, as we turned into the main Lake, ‘Islas Flotantes’ or
“Floating Islands” became visible, not far away. These clusters of floating
islands are built and inhabited by Uros Indians. Uros, being a small tribe,
built these floating Islands and existence in order to separate themselves
from the dominant and numerous Callo and Inca tribes. Now a day about 300
people live on these islands.
These Islands are made from ‘Totora Reed’, which grows abundantly in the
shallow part of the lake Titicaca. The islands are constructed from many
layers of reeds, which rot away from the bottom and are replaced at the top.
We were sitting on the top deck, I took quite a few shots as we approached
the first Island to land – it’s amazing, a island made of reeds can support
a small human settlement – huts are also made of reeds- people were even
cooking with open fire hearths.
As we berthed and landed, the ground felt soft and springy – water was
seeping up at some places near the edge. We walked around in amazement on
the reeds – there were few huts, Uros ladies busy with their daily lives,
children running around playing – there were even few domestic chickens –
all on the floating on swaying reeds. We found that the islands are anchored
at the corners to prevent them from drifting in the wind.
Next was the ride on a canoe made of weeds, from this island to another one
- a little far. The canoes are made from tightly bundled reeds. Our group of
10-12 people nicely fitted in one boat – and it was surprisingly stable. We
reached the next island in about 15-20 minutes, while our motorboat followed
us there.
The second island was a bit larger, with a large primary school and few
other administrative buildings on it – all, largely made from reeds.
Otherwise it is similar to the first island.
Before returning to Puno, we visited the third Island, which even had
smallish museums with stuffed local animals and birds.
In the afternoon, I did not feel like having lunch – I was still feeling
sleepy – so I went back to the hotel, while Rebecca went to send some emails
and to have some lunch.
When I woke up, it was about 6 pm – I decided to go out to have a look
around Puno. On the way down, I did not see any light in Rebecca’s room –
she is probably catching up with some sleep, I decided not to wake her up
and went out by myself.
Few block away was busy Plaza Armas, from there I followed the main
pedestrian mall – Independencia, The mall was narrow, bustling with life –
lined with restaurants and shops – other than that, nothing spectacular. I
went up to the end of the pedestrian mall – there in front of a church a
choir was playing – I listened for a while and then slowly walked back to
the hotel around 8 pm. At the reception I learned that Rebecca just went out
– so I also went back to the mall, looking for her – after about an hour of
looking around for her in that bustling crowd – at last I gave up; I was
starving – as I did not take any lunch. Had some grilled chicken for dinner
and returned to the hotel. On the way up to my room, I saw lights in
Rebecca’s room – thought I will come back little later to catch up with her.
But I did not have to, few minutes later there was a knock on my door and
there was Rebecca, she must have heard me coming in– with a quizzical look,
she asked me where was I? – I told her – she broke into laughter – she also
went looking for me, then had diner by herself – what a pity.
After a brief chat she went back to her room, tomorrow morning she will be
leaving for Bolivia by 7:30 am bus and I will be returning back to Cusco by
10:00 am bus. As I had two more days before returning to Argentina, I was
tempted to go up to Copacabana at the Bolivian border with her – If I went
Rebecca would consider staying there for the a day. But after checking out
the bus schedules I found that it would be very tight for me and gave up the
idea.
I was deep in sleep, when I was awakened by a repeated door knocks – I
switched on the light and looked at my wristwatch – it was 1 am! I called
out – who is that? It was Rebecca – I jumped up from bed and opened the door
– there was Rebecca, with him a young Israeli named Ellaide – he looked very
pale and shaking. Ellaide was with us during this morning’s trip to lake
Titicaca and he was staying in the same hotel.
On Rebecca’s prodding, a shaking Ellaide told me his misfortune: After
dinner he was returning to the hotel around 10:30 – a few blocks away from
the hotel three guys choked him from behind and put a gun to his and robbed
everything he was carrying, money, cards and even his passport. They choked
him so hard that when they let him go, he fell senseless on the road. When
he got his sense back, he asked few passers by to help him, but everyone
avoided him. So he slowly dragged himself back to the hotel.
He told the hotel staff about being robbed – the hotel staffs were most
unhelpful, they said to him that anything happening outside the hotel is not
their responsibility. So helpless and fearful Ellaide woke up Spanish
speaking Rebecca for her help to report the incident to the police – and
Rebecca brought him to me seek my advice.
It was astounding – both Rebecca and me returned through the same streets,
an hour or so before Ellaide – we were lucky.
I advised Ellaide “At this hour it would be very risky to go to the police
station in to report the incident – it would be safer to do it tomorrow
morning.” Rebecca concurred and agreed to go to the police station with
Ellaide, before leaving for Bolivia.
It was hard to go back to sleep after this mid night drama –
11 December 2003
Back to Cusco
6:00 am next morning, as I was going down to get some coffee, Rebecca was
already heading for the police station with Ellaide. I had my breakfast and
waited at the lobby for their return. They returned around 6:45 – Ellaide
will have to travel to Lima with the police report to apply for a new
passport, which may take few weeks – poor fellow was stuck.
Rebecca hurriedly had some breakfast and soon the taxi was there to take her
to the bus terminal. We bade quick good byes. She had been the most
wonderful travel companion for last few days – a great soul and a very
charming person. I passed time chatting with Ellaide, before leaving for the
bus terminal.
The return trip to Cusco was more or less uneventful, most of the Inca ruins
lie off the highway, to explore them one needs well planned few days – I
arrived back at Cusco around 3 PM.
This time I got a room in the ground floor of the Colonial Palace Hotel. I
spent the evening; first, roaming around the Plaza Armas and then buying some
souvenirs – later had dinner at an upstairs balcony of a restaurant,
watching people lazing around in Plaza Armas below.
12 December 2003
It was a lazy rest day after last few days’ frenetic travel.
Developed all the photos from last few days in Peru. Later took a bus tour
of Cusco city – Although, I have seen most it before, it was worthwhile – I
saw few more places and learned few more things. Spent the afternoon and
evening almost the same manner as the day before – although, today I took
much more time to buy souvenirs.
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