Peruvian Paradise

Our ride from Nasca to Cusco is our first taste of the Altiplano proper. The road climbs out of Nasca to over 4000 metres in a matter of just 50 miles and then we don’t drop much for the whole day. The climb up is through desolate and grey rock mountains until we reach the Altiplano. The change is obvious with grass and sparse vegetation. The grasses are the staple diet of Vicuna, Alpaca and Llama who roam the Altiplano in herds. All three are farmed for meat and wool. They are endearing creatures right up until the cross the road immediately in front of the bikes. However this does earn them a distinct “telling off” from their herders if they are seen doing it. They are too precious to lose under the wheels of a passing tourist. The Altiplano is bleak and unforgiving and while the animals are used to it and the herders are prepared, we are somewhat surprised when suddenly the temperatures drop to 1C and we are subject to a lengthy and ferocious hail storm. Donning waterproofs at 4000m is surprisingly hard work, especially when it needs to be done quickly.

We split the ride to Cusco with a stopover at a mountain side retreat where we are once again the only guests. A number of people comment that the separate cabins and the pathways between them are reminiscent of Bell II Lodge that we stayed in on the Stewart Cassiar Highway so many weeks ago.

The journey to Cusco takes us to Ollantaytambo, down the Sacred Valley, past Sacsayhuaman and under the feet of the Cristo Blanco statue. This is even before we enter this 1000 year old former Capital of the Inca Kingdom. The plaza is magnificent with the Cathedral of Santo Domingo dominating the smaller Iglesia del Triunfo which now sits as a chapel of the later Cathedral. Around the Plaza are many bars and restaurants as well as two other churches and just off the plaza the Convent La Merced. This is all laid out in front of us as we ride to our hotel just one block from the Plaza Des Armas. The city is packed with heritage and culture, but our first stop has to be to our friends at the Norton Rats. A biking centred bar on the main plaza, owned by Jeff, a Norton enthusiast who sort of got stuck in Cusco many years ago, it has English Beers, great food and a guest book that you may only sign if you have ridden a motorcycle into town. We look back at the comments of the three previous Trans Americas groups dating from 2005. It is clear that some of them may have had a few too many pints of Old Speckled Hen before signing the book!

The following day is a full one visiting Machu Picchu. The ancient city which remained undiscovered by the Conquistadors is in its centenary year of discovery by Hiram Bingham. However as our guide is adamant that all the locals knew it was there all the time and refers to Hiram’s “discovery” with distain. Machu Picchu never fails to impress despite the long train and bus trip to get there. This is made even longer by a truck getting stuck in Ollantaytambo on the return journey and the place becoming grid locked. The upside however was as the traffic did not move at all for over an hour and a half we all got off the bus and had Pizza’s and beer for dinner.

After a free day in Cusco to explore the many sites we are heading towards Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The town is in full carnival swing as we arrive, on the first day of five to celebrate the founding of the city on 4th November. There are thousands of people on the streets in costume, swaying to the bands and making their way, very very slowly down the main street and through the plaza. The celebrations are so big we assume that this must be an important anniversary like a 500th or 1000th year celebration. In fact the city was founded in 1668 and so this is the very significant 343rd year. It transpires they do this every year. I struggle to think of any-where in the western world where people would take this much pride and effort in celebrating the foundation of their city.

The following day we visit the Floating Reed Islands of Uros. The Uros people have been living on their home made islands on Lake Titicaca for hundreds of years and still sustain their lifestyle from fishing, reeds, hunting and a little tourism. They moved onto the water and created their floating homes either to escape enslavement by another tribe or to escape slaughter by the Conquistadors, the historians seem unsure which. There are 50 islands today and 15 are visited by tourists. The islands are squidgy under foot and the water line is just inches below our feet. They are made from reeds and their roots. The Uros people build their islands from the reeds, build their houses from the reeds and even eat the reeds, they are truly a multi-purpose plant. They have a simple and relatively unchanged life, except for seeing us, and seem to be very happy with it. It is their own Peruvian Paradise.