Well, it’s certainly been awhile since I’ve written, which seems to be becoming a habit lately. I’ve been on the road lately, going to the sierra cities of Ayacucho, Cusco, and Puno over the last month.
First off I went to Ayacucho for Semana Santa, or holy week. Ayacucho boasts the second biggest celebration of this week in the world, after Sevilla, Spain. The big highlight of the week is the large number of parades and processions carrying saints and icons during all hours of the day and night. However, my favorite part was the jalatoro, or, literally, bull-pull. I originally understood this to be a legit running of the bulls like in Pamplona, Spain, but I should have paid attention to the name. Instead of running free and wrecking havoc along the way, the bulls were pulled one at a time by horses and riders and frankly looked more scared than the crowds running with them. I went ahead and ran alongside a couple of them, but actually got closer to a goring working in the chacras several months back, which in retrospect should half been enough bull-related danger for a lifetime.
Also during this week I got to wander up to the battlefield of Ayacucho where the final Spanish army of any size in South America was defeated by an army made up of nationals of several South American countries, sealing the independence of virtually the entire continent. Oh, and the day before we went to a state fair-type event and ate tons of samples of fresh cheeses and exotic fruits from Ayacucho’s more tropical lowland regions. There was also a competition for caballos de paso- trained horses that walk in a very distinct and uncomfortable looking manner.
After a week back in site taking care of business and preparing the test that the majority of my students are failing this week (really need to work with them on study habits, or simply just paying attention in class- feel like I’m back in the good ‘ol hometown school system) I was off to Cusco and Puno. These two cities are the most touristed in Peru, due to the nearby attractions of Macchu Picchu and Lake Titicaca.
I only stayed in the city of Cusco for one day, and found it much too touristy. For one thing, all prices were extremely inflated and when you are a volunteer you need things as cheap as you can get them. I was lucky enough to get Peruvian prices for many of the attractions due to my residence card, but even then they were priced to the point that it’s literally impossible for the majority of Peruvians to visit these important pieces of their patrimony. I’m trying to increase tourism in my site, but like the highly controversial mines, one has to serious think about the costs before counting the benefits. On the plus side, the ruins around Cusco, particularly the huge fortress of Sacsayhuaman, are spectacular. The ability of the Incas to fit together huge stones so precisely is stunning, especially compared to the nearby Spanish stonework, which is good enough to have lasted for hundreds of years but is obviously not even in the same class of craftsmanship.
After Cusco I headed down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, stopping first at the ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Pisac is a bit overrated, but the views of the river valley are quite nice. Ollantaytambo is very impressive, but also claimed my Ipod, likely by a little crapper that worked at the place I had watch my baggage. I hope he goes hiking with it, trips and breaks his leg, and the battery runs out two minutes into the four hour ordeal, which is likely because he was too dumb to also steal the charging cord. It was on its last legs anyway, and if one of my trips goes completely right (got really sunburned in Ayacucho) it means that I’m due a bus or plane crash at the end of it. Still, the ruins are worth the look.
And then there was Macchu Picchu. I’m not sure I can write anything that hasn’t already been said and said again, but there is a reason why it is a consensus wonder of the world. Almost as impressive is the drive up, through tropical mountains shrouded in mist. I hadn’t realized how tropical the area was. Everything is a lush green that I have yet to run into (although I intend on getting to the Amazon at some point here). I’ve got some pictures forthcoming that hopefully do it a bit of justice, but I’m not sure that is possible. I also made sure to get there early enough to be one of the four hundred allowed to climb Wayna Picchu, the spear-like mountain you see in most pictures of the area. It was a really, really difficult climb, but worth it. From there you could see the condor shape of the ruins as described, as well as a great view of the area as a whole.
After Macchu Picchu my friend and I made a quick run to Puno. The town itself is nothing to write home about, so we stayed the night on one of the islands dotting Lake Titicaca. Before doing that we visited one of the isles de totorra, or reed islands. These islands are made completely of reeds by their inhabitants, who also make houses, mattresses, and even boats out of them (which I got to ride as well). The pulpy center of the reed is also eaten, which tasted a bit like sugar cane meets fresh coconut to me. After a brief visit we went to the island of Amantani, where we stayed with a local family. It was possibly the quietest night of my life, and I live in a secuestered town in Colca Canyon and have slept in Amish homes. We ate and read by candlelight there being no electricity and just enjoyed the calm and clear night sky.
The next day we stopped by the neighboring island of Taquile on our way back. This island was also beautiful, and had developed a cooperative to share the tourist profits coming in. Still, the prices were only what Americans or Europeans would find acceptable, and not being paid like them I decided to subsist on crackers until I could get back to 2.50 (about 90 cent) menus on the mainland. The customs of the island are very unique, with the dress being the most noticeable. Everything is woven and embroidered, and the number and type of women’s skirts and the positioning of the men’s hats communicated all the social information you would want to know.
Well, I had better sign off. Tests are to be given in the morning and as I wrap up a giant brown recluse-lookin spider is crawling around behind my computer. I hesitate to kill him because he might eat the fleas that the stupid chickens bring in my room, but he’s big enough that I think I’ll grab him and take him outside where he can wander around without making me paranoid. So, off to that…
