5.) 5 days in Cuzco, 1 in Arequipa, 1 in Arica

This blog was written a while back but I only got around to posting now. Basically it’s my trip after the Inca Trail!

After the tour of Machu Picchu and getting a bus into the nearby town of Agua Calientes, I just about cried with sadness in looking at all the crowded shops and restaurants. No longer quiet and at peace with the environment, everyone is out to make a buck or grab a souvenir. But that may seem hypocritical, as I immediately had to use the ATM in order to pay for my own lunch (being sure not to drink any un-boiled water or fresh fruits.)

Hopping a train back to Ollantaytambo, being assaulted by corn-and-cheese vendors, then getting a bus to Cuzco was exhausting. Cat ended up getting us a reservation at Hostal Marani, which was a good place to sleep after a long trek. We all met up at Paddy Flaherty´s right by the Plaza de Armas, which is a really good place to go for a taste of home and to enjoy a Guinness at the highest Irish-owned pub in the world! When that bar closed down, we went over to Mythology and danced all night

Plaza de Armas, Cusco Paddy Flaherty’s!

In the morning, my brother and I went to meet our cousins at their place, Hostal Acostas, where they had nothing bad to say about the place. They had made reservations for us at Hostal Tu Hogar, which I DO NOT recommend!!!! We ate lunch at this absolutely fantastic café, one of the best places I have ever found, called Café Buen Pastor with really great empanadas and pastries- this I HIGHLY recommend The rest of the day we spent buying our boletas turisticas (35 soles with an ISIC card) touring 3 of the Cusco museums, my favourite of which was the Museo Historico Regional with some cool Inca jewellery. We also went to this covered market full of locals with an open-air butchery that I only advise going to if you have a strong stomach!! But there´s also fruit and vegetable vendors, flower vendors, dirt-cheap food benches (I wouldn´t call them restaurants, maybe food stands all lined up on a table) and an artisan market in the same building.

We ate dinner at this place called Pachamama`s, which was just okay. Then we went for drinks with the Irish girls at this place called Kamikaze, which was great until the live music got too loud and we went back to Paddy´s. My brother and I then spent the night at Hostal Tu Hogar, but immediately changed in the morning to Hostal Albergue Municipal, which was a huge improvement!

My brother and I were feeling a bit sick so took this day pretty slow and met up altogether for dinner at Café Allayu on the Plaza. I then went to write in my journal at this great café on the Plaza Regocijo while my brother took my cousins out for a beer. In the morning, our cousins switched to our hostal and we took a taxi (10-15 soles) out to the ruins outside of Cusco, spending the day touring each one as we walked back to town. The most impressive one was Sacsayhuayman, only a 20 minute walk from our hostal! We then went on to the Native Dance theater (Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo Danzas Folkloricas) which is included in our tourist ticket… be sure to arrive 30 min. ahead of time to get a good seat. Afterwards we went for dinner at Ama Lur, which has the coldest Cusqueñas in town
Lunch at Q’engo ruins Guinea Pig farm by Puca Pucara

Sacsahuayman- those walls are huge!!

My brother and I needed to finish off our tourist tickets, so we went to the Pachacutec Tower after getting our bus tickets to Arequipa. We walked to the nearby Artisan market to finish off our gift shopping, getting some pretty good deals! My brother and I also toured the final museum and met up with our cousins at this great internet café (1 sol per hour) by The Point Hostel that has Skype to call home. Dinner was at a place called Tabasco, which I highly recommend! It´s kind of hidden behind the plaza but we found it while trying to find Victor Victoria, which was recommended to us. There are two of them, the one also known as Pepe-something is where we went… and tried to return to for lunch the next day but was closed so we went to the pasta place next door and my brother had cuy, or Guinea pig. Afterwards we all went to the Museo Inka (Inca Museum) which you have to pay 10 soles but is totally worth it.

Monumento Pachacuteq

We took an overnight bus to Arequipa, Peru (23 soles is way too cheap-the bus was terrible!) and stayed at the Arequipay Backpacker´s Hostel, which is pretty good, though had no hot water. We arrived in the morning and spent the rainy day touring the Santa Catalina Convent (which is 30 soles) and got a guide (50 soles) which was pretty cool. Afterwards, we went to the museum where the Ice Princess, Juanita, is usually on display but is in a restoration period now. But we still got to see some damn cool stuff!! My Moon Handbook recommended this place called Ary Quepay-which is a bit of a trek from the Plaza- but we all had a really great dinner there. We had two bottles of good Chilean wine, two appetizers, my cousin ordered some tasty ostrich while the rest of us had alpaca, we all had a dessert, plus some really great live music- all for about 200 soles! That´s equivalent to $66. Nice We kept the drinking going while going to another Irish pub (so shoot me- I like Irish pubs!) and playing pool all night while drinking Arequipeña beer (not as good as Cusqueña though).

Sillar rock at the monastery

In the morning we took a bus back to Tacna, crossed the border again via taxi (if you have coca leaves, be sure to throw them away before crossing the Chilean checkpoint!) and entered Arica.

My cousin had read about camping on the beach but we were told there were no tents for rent. I had read about Sunny Days Hostel but it was full so we ended up staying at Hostal End of the Trail (Hostal Fin del Camino – appropriate, huh?). If you go to Arica, STAY IN THIS HOSTAL!!!! [frwmb@msn.com, 56-58-314316]The owner is this totally awesome guy named Franklin who built the place with his bare hands, is a Vietnam vet and ex-professional skier, built this luxurious bathroom (includes soap and toilet paper! Wow!) plus served a 5-star breakfast, all right by the beach. As my brother stayed in sick and talked to Franklin all night, my cousins and I went to the main drag and had dinner (eh.) plus got some ice cream and I brought empanadas back to my brother. My cousins stayed out to climb the Morro, but we all woke up in the morning and taxi´d back to the bus terminal. After my cousin realized he left his glasses, here comes Franklin on his bike to the terminal with glasses in hand. I really have never had better service!

Now after a 30 hour bus ride we´re all back in Santiago, Chile and sharing photos with our aunt and uncle, doing laundry and checking email. It´s sad to think this trip is winding down! But it´s nice to wear clean-smelling clothes for the first time in a few weeks J

 

Chilean Dictionary and Social guide

Though I thought ¨Pascua¨meant easter, apparently the translation is closer to ¡Fiesta! – which is pretty much how Santiago, Chile has been thus far. I´ve been hanging out with family and having a great time We´re still planning our trip up to Machu Picchu next week, getting together with friends of my cousins, and speaking a lot of spanish.

The first day I got here, I wondered if I even knew spanish at all!! Chileans speak super fast, butcher their words, and invent new words all the time. It´s gotten easier for me to understand them every day and I´d say that now I catch about 91% of what they say

Here are a few differences between Bolivia and Chile, or just how Chileans are totally on their own planet…and this I mean with all the love in my heart!! :

- Weon (previously known as ¨Huevon¨). Alternatively, ¨hue-on¨, or some pared-down-to-vowels version of the term meaning ¨egg¨ as a derivation of the masculine ¨balls.¨ This word, huevon, means absolutely anything you want it to mean. Listen for it in just about any sentance uttered by a Chilean… as in ¨what a cute little huevon you have!¨ or ¨you dumb huevon!¨ or ¨hand me that huevá¨

- Cola de mono. The Chilean version of eggnog, only much tastier. Made with aguardiente, an alcoholic drink made from grapes, a sort of precursor of…

-Pisco. My family typically drinks it as Pisco Sour (add sugar and lemon juice). Pisco is basically the national drink of Chile and is a clear, strong alcoholic drink that is drunk for weekend appetizers, get togethers, or with dinner

- Onces. (Oh-n-sez) Originating from when mine workers would say in code ¨let´s go get some elevens¨ as aguardiente has eleven letters so they´d go off and drink on the job. So I´m told. Now it´s their version of either tea time or a light dinner (which is served around 10 PM) where bread, tea, and Nescafé are served… their coffee is just a powdered stuff you mix in with hot water.

-Apertivos. Basically, appetizers. The difference is that they have a formal sit-down on weekends prior to having lunch. This typically includes kalamata olives, a basket of potato chips, cheese and crackers, peanuts, and cream cheese smothered with soy sauce topped with poppy seeds. Which is quite tasty, actually. And of course, Pisco sour. I wonder if this tradition was actually formed to be a socially acceptable Eye opener after a Friday or Saturday night´s events.

- Farmacia. To get an aspirin, you need to take a number and ask a lady behind the counter to hand you the medicine. Also behind the counter are vitamins, facial creams, condoms, pregnancy tests, prescription meds, perfume, and band aids.

- Panaderia. Never have I had tastier, fresher, still-warm-by-the-time-you-take-it-home bread.

- Manjar. Also known as dulce de leche, it is caramelized condensed milk. It goes on bread, cakes, etc. Plain condensed milk is also a syrup for ice cream

- Lack of peanut butter. My family thinks that a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich is crazy. Also, I got the most bewildering stares when describing Ants on a Log… ¿QUE?!!

- Vino. Chileans drink tons of wine, almost all of it made in this country. It is rare to drink something imported. In fact, I had two glasses this morning for lunch

- But you still live with your parents! People typically live at home until they´re married. If you move out sooner, people think you´re a bad child for not helping them out at home (but they do recognize that the U.S. way is different)

- Night life. Chileans are much more of a nocturnal culture. Normal adults typically don´t go to bed until after midnight, while college age people are up until 2 or 3 AM. This means lunch is around 2 PM.

-Chilean Time means arrive at least 30 min-2 hours after the specified time of arrival. Never show up to a party at the agreed upon hour… the host may still be cooking, taking a shower, etc.

- Smoking! Everybody smokes, and this is what is on every cigarette pack… the law requires that it fill 50% of any cigarette pack or any cigarette ad. They started with this ¨Don Miguel¨guy who has a tracheostomy but that campaign failed when people just laughed it off and drew more cigarettes on the poor guy:

p.s This blog is Martin Silva-Hott approved.