While this could be the opening to my Fifty Shades of Gray parody, that I call Fifty Shades of May, it was actually how I felt as I spent a week in Peru.
Before some of my friends say anything, that is not a pun, I will deny that until my last breath.
Now to get serious. I was able to spend about a week in Peru and had the chance to explore several areas; Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Lima. Most of this blog will be centered on Brazil, but when I travel, I will be doing posts like these to explain the countries and process of traveling there (but with less jokes like what I opened with, I promise.)
To get started, let's take a look at the history of Peru, and more specifically the history surrounding Cusco.
History of Peru: Quick Look
The history of Peru can be tricky to deal with because there is little known from before the Spanish arrived. The reason for this is because many of the tribes, the Inca included, never developed formal systems of writing. This means that the Spanish were the ones collecting and publishing any information they discovered, and chances are there were misinterpretations or purposeful changes.
Before the arrival of the Spanish, the area that would become Peru was dominated by nomadic tribes of people. There is evidence of people living in Peru dating back 11,000 years. In fact, Peru (and the Andes more specifically), is considered a cradle of civilization; joining areas like Egypt, China and India. There were a huge number of different tribes that popped up all over Peru and for the most part spent most of their time fighting each other until one tribe came along and established a mighty empire, the Inca.
I will discuss the Inca more in the section about Cusco.
The Inca Empire was short lived (maybe 300 years) due to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors. After conquering the natives, the Spanish moved the capital from the Andean city of Cusco to the coastal city of Lima (which is the current capital of Peru). The early period of colonial Peru was dominated by infighting by the main two conquistadors; Francisco Pizzaro and Diego de Almargo. de Almargo eventually won and Peru was established as the Viceroyalty of Peru.
This colonial country was divided into many provinces, with the Spanish maintaining control over most of the country from Lima. However, they weren't able to exert total control over their territory and relied on some of the natives to administer those provinces.
However, Spain couldn't maintain their grip on Latin America. Following the rise of Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin, Peru formally declared independence on July 28, 1821.
The early years of the Republic of Peru were marred with a number of wars with their neighbors, which saw Peru lose a decent amount of its southern territory to Chile. Peru then alternated between republic and dictatorship until the overthrow of Juan Velasco Alvarado. After this, Peru suffered through a lot of the same problems that other countries like Colombia had; drugs, gangs, guerilla fighters and poverty.
Today, Peru is a hotbed of tourism in Latin America and boasts a rich history and what could be considered one of the most unique food cultures in the world.
Peruvian History: Cusco and the Inca
Cusco itself was once the capital of the Incan Empire and was considered by the Inca as "The Navel of the World". The Inca believed that the city was where their gods had come to earth and established one of the first cities in existence.
One main point to understand about their Inca is their religion. The Incan pantheon was lead by Inti, who was the sun god. Viracocha, another important god, acted as creator of the world. The Inca also believed that there were three distinct realms that made up reality: hanan pacha (the stars and heavens), kay pacha (where humans live) and ukhu pacha (realm where Pachamama lived). Pachamama was known as the earth mother and one of the most important goddesses in the pantheon due to her status as goddess of the harvest and agriculture. The Inca also believed in an afterlife and practiced mummification. While commoners were buried, the Inca would use the mummies of their shamans and past leaders as oracles. They would design large window like structures in their buildings to house these oracles. If you want to see some authentic mummies, the Inca Museum in Cusco has several on display.
The Inca first came to the region around the 12th century and established themselves as a militaristic and agricultural society. Their sphere of control started out small, but due to either conquering the neighboring tribes or using the lure of a stable food supply, the Inca were able to consolidate their rivals and neighbors into one of the biggest empires in history. At its height the empire stretched from parts of Ecuador in the north, all the way down the Chilean coastline and included parts of Bolivia. Because of the sheer number of tribes they integrated, the Inca only made up a small portion of the empire.
In order for new tribes to be integrated into the empire, they would have to share some knowledge with the Inca. One clear example is with the way that the Inca designed their buildings. While they were known for their military and ability to develop new crops, there is little evidence to suggest that they were competent builders. This means that the cities and ruins that dot Cusco and the Scared Valley region were mostly made by other tribes after being conquered.
There was a certain degree of infighting between the tribes of the empire, but the ultimate doom of the empire was a civil war that coincided with the arrival of the Spanish. This civil war left the Incans fractured, and Francisco Pizzaro used this, along with the technological advantages and the lack of Incan immunity to European diseases to quickly defeat them and take over the area.
While there are people of Incan heritage within Peru, there is little to no knowledge of what happened to the Incans who were able to escape the Spanish (or if there were any that did escape). Since the dense Amazon jungle has yet to be fully explored and mapped, there is a belief that there may be an uncontacted tribe hiding in the Amazon.
Today, Cusco and much of the Andean region has maintained a strong grip on its heritage and because of this, it makes the area one of the busiest tourist spots in Latin America, with the crown jewel being the Incan citadel, Machu Picchu.
Travelling to Peru: General Information
Currency: The currency of Peru is called the Nuevo Sol, and 1 USD is around 3.2 Soles.
Safety: During my time in Cusco and Lima, I never felt like I was in danger. That does not mean I didn't take precautions. When you go out, make sure that you only take as much cash as you think you need. Also be sure to stay aware of your surroundings. Another key is to avoid unlit alleys at night ( this goes for anywhere really). However, in Cusco, you will find police everywhere, and because tourism is so important to Cusco, they really try to establish a safe feeling.
Altitude Sickness: Because of the elevation of Cusco (around 3,000 meters), it's very likely you will have to adjust to it. It's normal to experience shortness of breath, fatigue and maybe some light headaches. To combat these, make sure to drink plenty of water, avoid over exerting yourself and get rest. In Cusco, you can find something called coca. This is a plant that is supposed to help, and you can use coca candies, tea or chew the leaves themselves to help alleviate symptoms. Do not bring coca leaves back to the US though. Coca is an ingredient for cocaine and is considered a controlled substance, but the candies are supposed to be fine.
If you do experience severe headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, shortness of breath that persists even in periods of rest or sleep, and others, you need to seek help and move to a lower elevation. These are usually signs of HAPE or HACE and need to be dealt with ASAP.
Food: Peruvian food is very diverse, very good, and fairly inexpensive. A good meal will cost anywhere from 7 USD to 20 USD plus for a high quality meal. When it comes to Peruvian food itself, you will find a lot of beans, potatoes and meat. If you want to be adventurous, you can try something called Cuy, which is guinea pig (I did not try this). If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can find a lot of options in Cusco and Lima.
One unique aspect of Peruvian food is chifa. When Chinese immigrants arrived to Peru and other Andean countries, they didn't have access to a lot of the same ingredients from back home. In order to maintain their traditions, the immigrants incorporated local foods into the recipes.
Language: In Peru, the best language to get around with is Spanish and I would recommend having at least a basic understanding of it before you go. However, most people there (and especially in tourist areas) speak a little English.
People: I found people in Cusco to be pretty friendly and willing to help. However, if someone approaches you and is acting friendly, then that means they will probably try to give you a sales pitch or lead you somewhere else. Act cautiously if random locals or foreigners approach you.
Shopping: In Cusco you have a lot of options. There is a handicraft market On Av. el Sol with a lot of different things: textiles, bags, shirts, etc. If you want to buy anything with Alpaca, do it in Cusco and the surrounding area. It is a lot cheaper than Lima. If you decide to buy alpaca in anything there are a few things to pay attention to: look for sparkles in the material (this indicates it has synthetics in it), if you touch it, it should be slightly cold to the touch, and there are certain colors that you will see if it is legitimate (refer to the photo below). The colors below are used using traditional dyes, so if you see a color that ISN'T shown below, its probably a fake.
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| These are the colors you should look for |
You will find souvenir shops and markets all over Cusco and in the Sacred Valley, with the best being in Pisac and Aguascalientes for the Sacred Valley.
Travel to Peru: The Trip
The reason that I decided to go to Cusco is simple, it has been a childhood dream of mine, and I didn't want to waste the chance to visit while I am in Brazil. Plus, as a history buff, there aren't a lot of places that I thought would be better for me than Cusco.
Cusco
I started my journey at 6 AM for my flight from Porto Alegre. There is a direct connection between Porto Alegre and Lima, so getting to Cusco wasn't too difficult for me. Once I arrived in Cusco, I was immediately met with the altitude. Cusco is around 3,000 meters above sea level, so you have to be really careful with altitude sickness.
That first night was fairly difficult as my hostel was in an area of Cusco called San Blas, which is a hilly area. I ended up learning how difficult a flight of stairs could be when you feel like you can't breathe. Thankfully for me, I didn't have to feel self conscious about it, since you see A LOT of tourists around Cusco stopping to take a breather.
After a good night's sleep, I was feeling a lot better, and decided to spend the day exploring everything that Cusco had to offer. I started with the main plaza, called Plaza de Armas. When you visit here, you'll notice the two colonial style churches. You'll also notice all of the peddlers selling anything from hats, gloves, artwork and selfies with baby alpacas.
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| Plaza de Armas |
Another thing you'll notice when you get to Cusco is all of the stray dogs that wander around. While I was never threatened or felt threatened by them, be careful when you're around them. They can turn violent if they feel threatened.
One thing I would definitely recommend visiting the Inca Museum, as it will provide an in depth view into both pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. The museum is in English, and also has a lot of artifacts and explanations of Inca religion.
After spending the day walking around and taking in the sights, I decided to go to dinner to try something that you can't find a lot of places, alpaca. Alpaca is a meat that is similar to beef, but isn't as tough and has a more mild flavor. I also was able to try a popular drink called pisco sour. Pisco is a type of alcohol that is similar to brandy made in Peru and Chile. A pisco sour is a cocktail made with pisco (obviously), egg whites and a few drops of herbal bitters.
Since I was doing a two day tour, starting the next morning, I ended my night by visiting the tour agency's office to do my briefing. This consisted of just going over the itinerary and collecting some basic information.
The tour was going through the Sacred Valley to Aguascalientes, so I could visit Machu Picchu the next morning.
The Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley is an area outside Cusco that was considered sacred to the Incan people and contains many amazing views and ruins to visit.
After starting my tour at an animal sanctuary (and nearly having a heart attack watching a condor fly towards me), the tour moved onto a site called Pisac. Pisac is a small town with a market that is VERY good for souvenir shopping (prices were cheaper than in Cusco). The main attraction to the town is a set of ruins also called Pisac.
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| Pisac Market |
The ruins themselves were once a town used by the Inca, with temples, agricultural terraces and homes dominating the ruins. Not much is known about the purpose of the ruins, though there are theories that it was used as a defense of that area of the valley.
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| The ruins of Pisac |
After paying a visit to the ruins and the market of Pisac, the tour moved onto a site called Maras. Maras is a collection of salt pools that is managed by one of the indigenous groups still in Peru. Here you're able to see the process of harvesting salt and its is a beautiful site to visit. It is one of only two salt flats in South America, with the other being in Uyuni, Bolivia. You can also buy some of the salt here for a very, very cheap price. I got a little over zealous and ended up buying about 4.5 pounds of salt for about 3 dollars.
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| Salt flats at Maras |
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| Moray |
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| Ollentaytambo Fortress |
I don't have much to say about Aguascalientes (or AC as I will call it). It is an extremely touristic city. I would call it the Peruvian version of Gatlinburg or Myrtle Beach or whatever American tourist city you can think of. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's not my preference when I travel.
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| Aguascalientes |
Machu Picchu:
This was probably the highlight of my trip. It's also something that I would argue you HAVE to see in person, the photos just don't do it justice.
To get to Machu Picchu, you have two options: take a bus up to the park or attempt to hike up the mountain. I opted for the bus. If you want to get to the site early (which in my opinion is the best time to visit), then you'll want to get in line for the buses around 4 am. Doing that will ensure that you are on some of the first buses and that you can get into Machu Picchu as soon as it opens at 6AM.
Once inside, you have two different circuits that you can do, but I only did the first one. The site itself is massive. You need at least 90 minutes to walk through circuit 1, and thats if you arent interested in learning about the site.
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| Machu Picchu |
Machu Picchu itself was constructed by the Inca for an unknown purpose. There are a lot of theories ranging from it being a fortress, to it being a place for shamans and leaders to be trained. The site itself likely housed only a few hundred people, and after being abandonded, it wasn't formally rediscovered until Hiram Bingam was led there in the early 20th century.
Also, because we don't know the actual Incan name of the site, it was named after the mountain it was built on, Machu Picchu Mountain.
After spending about four hours exploring the site, I decided to attempt one of the two hikes that are in Machu Picchu. I attempted Mt. Machu Picchu, but there is another one, called Wayna Picchu, which I would only recommend for people who are in very good shape and are acclimated to the altitude. Mt. Machu Picchu is also difficult, but its also easier to get access to, as you need to reserve tickets for WP nearly two months in advance.
After my hike, I went back into Aguascalientes to wait for my train back to Ollentaytambo, so I could return to Cusco.
Cusco Part II:
There isn't much to say about my second day in Cusco. I was not feeling very well, so I took the day slowly and tried to avoid over exerting myself. The main things I did was wrap up my souvenir shopping and try out some new kinds of Peruvian food.
The next morning I began my trip back to Porto Alegre. However, I scheduled a long layover at the Lima airport and decided to use that as an opportunity to see Lima.
Lima:
As I stated earlier in the post, Lima is the capital of Peru. It is also the largest city in the country and one of the largest in South America.
After a short delay in Cusco, I immediately went to the taxi counter to schedule a ride into the city. After dropping off my bag at a luggage storage service inside the airport, it only took about 45 minutes for me to get to my first stop of the day: Miraflores.
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| Huaca Pucllama |
Huaca Pucllama is a pre-Incan pyramid used by the Lima and Wari tribes. It was used as a ceremonial center and entrance is about 4 USD. You can only explore the ruins with a guide, but they have regular English tours, and is something I would consider a must-see in Lima.
After my visit, I decided to head to the Lima District, which is the other tourist district, but is far more historical than Miraflores and has a lot more interesting architecture. I took an uber directly to the main square, Plaza Mayor de Lima and was amazed by the views.
I spent most of my time simply exploring the streets and trying to see as much as possible before I had to go back to the airport. After about 3 hours, I was satisfied and decided it would be best to head to the airport so I could fly back.
Peru is a place I would absolutely recommend that anyone visit. The Andes Mountains are unbelievably beautiful, and at times, it was hard to realize that they were real. Whether you are some one who prefers historical sites, good food, or simply want to visit somewhere cool, Peru has anything you could want.
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| Plaza Mayor de Lima |
Peru Trip Cost Information:
Airfare Costs: While getting to Cusco from Porto Alegre isn't difficult, it can be expensive if you wait to book your flight. I booked about a month out, and paid 935 dollars. If I had booked two weeks earlier with the same company, it would have only been around 600 USD.
Food Costs: I spent around 100 USD for the entire week of my vacation.
Transportation Costs: During my stay, I mostly used Uber to avoid any potential issues with the taxis. Most Ubers are pretty cheap, and the most I paid was about 15 USD to get to the Lima airport during my day there. In total, I spent about 45-55 USD.
Shopping Costs: There are a lot of options for souvenirs in Cusco. The most common is anything containing alpaca. The cost for shopping in Cusco is pretty variable, so it depends on your budget.
Accommodation Costs: I used hostels while I was staying in Cusco, and it only cost me 45 USD for the entire duration of my trip. Most hostels will cost around 15 USD, but if you want a hotel, that depends on your desired level of comfort. Before you book anything, make sure that the property has a good reputation. I use hostelworld.com for my hostels and tripadvisor for any hotels.
Tour Cost: The tour I used, which was arranged by a company called SAM Travel Peru, cost about 460 USD. This included train tickets to and from Aguascalientes, all of the entrance fees at the sites we visited, a hotel room for the night in AC, and private bus transportation back to Cusco.
In total, I spent around 1,700 on this trip, and I think it was worth every penny that I spent.
I know this was a long post, but thanks for sticking through! And if you still want to keep reading, my friend and colleague Sierra is keeping a blog about her experiences while she works in Mexico! If you're interested follow this link: https://sierrammoon.wordpress.com
That will do it for me, but I will have another post later this week. This time discussing the different methods of getting into Brazil. Until next time!
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