I tend to get obsessed once in a while. Be it work, school (wow, that goes a long way back) or traveling, once I get an goal in my mind I feel I must accomplish it. And without any goals I tend to feel a little lost. Lately I have had 2 objects of my desires. The first is to find a sheepskin. “A what?”, you ask. A sheepskin. « Why? », you ask. For our butts, because South-America this time of year is cold, like -5°C at night and maybe 20°C in the day if we are lucky. The other object of my desires is a tent. Traveling is fun but living from hotel to hotel gets to be a bit of a drag after a while. With the tent we hope to change the dynamic of our trip a bit (and save money!)

For the sheepskin it was easy. With the help of Jenny, the guest house owner, we found one while in Puno (our first stop after Cusco). Here is what the bike looks like with clothes on…

With half of my desires satisfied we hit the road for Bolivia in the hopes of finding a tent (and of course exploring a new country)...

Brian

After nearly a month in Arequipa we finally made our way to Cusco via Juliaca, an 8 hour trip by motorcycle. The road to get there was beautiful but barren for most of the way, just mile after mile of desert landscape. It wasn’t until we were a couple of hours from Cusco that we saw trees for the first time since we arrived in Peru. The greenery were a welcome sight after over 6 weeks of nothing but sand, sand and more sand.

The city of Cusco was more pleasant than we expected. Sure, we were just two among thousands of other tourists but somehow the city seems to retain a certain character despite the western hordes. Other than going for walks around the city to check out the sights…

We also spent a bit of time at Norton Rat’s, a popular hangout for folks traveling on motorcycles…


After a bit of rest we decided to try booking a 4 day trek to Machu Picchu. We visited 4 tour operators in total but the prices ranged from 150$ to 210$ per person, way over our budget, and some of them sounded dodgy... So instead we decided to try and make it to the ruins on our own (with the motorcycle of course!). The problem with this plan is that there are no roads to get to Aguas Calientes, the village at the base of the famous ruins. The closest you can get with your own vehicle is a village called Santa Theresa, about a four hours walk from Aguas Calientes. Actually, a lot of the treks bound for Machu Picchu go through there. The other ways to get there are by walking the Inca Trail, which requires advance booking 3-4 months ahead, or the train, which can be very expensive.

So we headed off the next day bright and early for Santa Theresa. Our first stop along the way was at a viewpoint near the village of Urubamba where we met this charming little girl…

So far the roads were great and the ride was very scenic. We passed a few more villages and eventually made it to Ollantaytambo…

A lot of tourists take the train from here to Aguas Calientes because it is much cheaper than from Cusco. But not us. After a short break we took to the road again which slowly wound its way up to over 4000 meters before going back down. Once again, the road was in great shape having been paved just a year ago.

Eventually, about 170km from Cusco, it turned to gravel and was to remain that way until Santa Theresa, another 2 hours away. At first the condition of the road was OK but then it turned into this…..

We arrived in Santa Theresa and were able to find secure parking for the bike. Next we took a cab to the hydro electric station next to which is a train station….

We then started the two hour walk along the tracks and made it to Aguas Calientes for suppertime.

Like everyone else we had heard a lot about Machu Picchu and seen pictures. But this didn’t prepare us for two things about the site that we only appreciated once we got there. The first thing is that you are not alone there…

The other thing is the setting. Machu Picchu sits high up on a mountain itself surrounded on all sides by even higher mountains making for breathtaking views that are often hard to capture on camera. Despite this we did our best…

And here are a few of the site itself…

Brian

Receiving the brakes last week was one of the highlights of our time here in Peru. True, there are many nice things to see in this country but nothing quite compares to the feeling we had when we finally received the package. It felt a bit like Christmas...

Actually, we found out later that the box had arrived 8 days earlier. According to USPS (the shipping company we used) the box we were waiting for was stuck in customs in Lima. So we waited patiently for 8 days until somebody suggested we try a long shot and go see the post office here in Arequipa just in case. Turns out they had the box all along. 

As for the repairs they went quite well. An hour after getting the parts the new rotor and brake pads were already installed. We were now ready for some adventure so we decided to go to the Colca Canyon. To get there we took a desolate road that climbs to 4600 meters at it’s highest point. Needless to say it was cold! But not only did we have to contend with the weather, there were obstacles to overcome in the form of these…..

They are really cute little beasts, especially when they aren’t darting in front of you…..

The first village you come to at the start of the canyon is called Chivay. This is what it looks like from up above….

Before being allowed access to the canyon we each had to pay a 35 soles fee (about 12$). It seemed a little high but it was worth it for the incredible views…

The road that goes along the canyon ridge is either in good shape…

Or it requires a bit more concentration….

The road eventually leads to the village of Cabanaconde, the starting point for a 2 hour trek down to the oasis on the canyon floor (no road access)...

Eventually we were able to make out the oasis from about 1000 meters up…

Once there we took it easy….

After a day of rest we decided to make our way back to Arequipa. Our day started at 3 am when we began the ascent up the canyon wall. Armed with our two flashlights we slowly made our way up the sometimes dangerous and always difficult path. After about 2 hours of this the batteries of both flashlights died and we found ourselves on the canyon wall with no light to guide us. It was  at about this time that we saw a small black shape approach us from below. Marie’s reaction was to launch into a scream reminiscent of a bad horror film. After a few seconds we realized that the black shape had tail that was wagging frantically. The other end of the “beast” had a wet muzzle that seemed to guide the creature directly to a small bag of cookies in my pocket. The monster ended up being a dog belonging to a guide that was a few minutes behind us on the trail.

After 3 and a half hours of climbing we made it to Cabanaconde where we had a nice breakfast and retrieved the motorcycle. Five hours later we were back in Arequipa for a well deserved rest. Our next stop will be Cuzco and the ruins of Machu Picchu.

As the title suggests, our bike is still rear brake free. This would normally not be a problem but we have a thing about coming to a complete stop before crashing into the back end of cabs, cars or cows. So we patiently wait while Peruvian customs decides just how much to charge us for the privilege of not dying on the Peruvian road network. But there are worse places to kill time than Arequipa. Besides, where else can you find all the ingredients for a nice meat stew?

 

Or Sheep Head soup?

But Arequipa offers more than the finest in Peruvian cuisine and fresh ingredients. It offers history in the form of a 400 year old monastery that was closed to the outside world until 1970. What makes this monastery special is the relatively lavish way in which some of the nuns lived.

In addition to the fact that some of the earlier nuns were allowed a servant, most of the quarters had their own kitchen…

And a bit of furniture…

Not to mention some musical instruments to help pass the time…

All in a compound type setting complete with streets….

A nice view…

And a small café…

OK, maybe the café came a little later and I suppose it could be argued that an expresso with a piece of chocolate cake may not have been on the menu 400 years ago but still...a servant?

Brian

El Chaco wasn’t exactly what we had expected but we had some great company while we were there. Aaron and Eva (of Ecuador and website fame) decided to end their own trip with some quality time in El Chaco, so we hooked up to spend a few days together. Despite the drawbacks of the village we did manage to have a memorable time. Top on the list (other than the Pisco Sours of course) was a visit to the Paracas National Park, a kind of mini Galapagos. Here are a few pictures….

After a few days in El Chaco it was finally time to move on but not without a certain degree of concern for the motorcycle. It seems that while we were in Ecuador we (I) wore down the rear break pads to the point that the brake rotor is now grooved and needs to be replaced. We found this out when we changed our tires in Huaraz and thus had to make our way back down to the Panamerican highway using only our front brakes. What made this all the more challenging is the fact that Huaraz is at an altitude of 4000 meters and the Panamerican highway is at sea level.

So when we left El Chaco we were once again riding with only our front brakes but fortunately for us the roads were nowhere near as challenging as the day we left Huaraz, despite a bit of sand in certain spots….

Our goal was to get to Arequipa as quickly as possible. Why? Because we needed a pleasant place where we could spend a couple of weeks while waiting for the new brake rotor and pads to be shipped from the US (there are no BMW dealers in Peru). So we are now in Arequipa (after a one day stop in Nasca) and are staying in a great guest house called Arequipay Backpackers. In addition to having a kitchen, the internet is free! So now we wait for the parts…

With over 20000 kilometers on our rear tire (Metzler Tourance) and about 15000 kilometers on our front tire (Anakee) we decided while in Huaraz that it was time to get new tires. These had served us well but the wear was beginning to show and the risk of puncture was growing greater with each added kilometer. It turned out to be easier than we thought to get tires in this mountain town. Within 24 hours the small motorcycle shop we visited had contacted another shop in Lima, had some new tires shipped to the town and had them installed. Our bike now has new Pirellis with threads better suited for the roads to come (our previous tires were designed for road use).

From Huaraz we went south to the village of El Chaco, about 3 hours south of Lima. It was the second time we drove through a South-American capital without stopping for a visit (the other being Quito).

El Chaco is a fishing village in a long line of fishing villages that seem to dot the Pacific coast of Peru every now and then. These villages seem to exist only to provide a barrier between the unrelenting desert and the ocean. But El Chaco is different. El Chaco is close to Pisco. And Pisco is the home of Pisco, the drink. This proximity makes El Chaco more than just another fishing village. This makes El Chaco a fishing village with a cure, the Pisco Sour. A few of these little cures and the garbage strewn beach, the dusty streets, even the mangy dogs all seem to look a hell of a lot more appealing. But a few too many and the following morning all of El Chaco’s drawbacks will suddenly be amplified. Here are some photos to better illustrate.

El Chaco with a few Pisco Sours……

El Chaco the morning after……

And one more time. El Chaco with a few Pisco Sours…..

And El Chaco the morning after….

So if you ever find yourself in El Chaco, one of these will make everything better….

From the coast we headed into the mountains and the town of Huaraz. Although the town itself doesn't offer much in the way of diversions it is located in the Cordillera Blanca, a stunning mountain range reminiscent of the Himalayas. The road to get to Huaraz takes you from sea level to over 4000 meters within about 3 hours. Once you get to the top you follow barren plateau that overwelms in its size. Off in the distance you begin to see snow capped mountains. By the time you reach the town you are surrounded on all sides by these white giants. And to top it all off, the area has turquoise lakes nestled among the mountains. Here are a few pictures...

Brian

OK, maybe not all of Peru but certainly the northern part along the coast. We’re not sure why this is the case. It’s not like there are fish stands everywhere. In fact, we didn’t see any at all. But it certainly does smell like fish. Sometimes it’ll be subtle, like you just walked into a restaurant and somebody ordered a fish plate. Other times it might smell more like a fish market. And then there are the times when you have the distinct impression that you are surrounded by lots of dead fish. Fish that have been dead for a long time. A very long time. I think we’ll always remember northern Peru by it’s smell. This is kind of sad really. Sad because in addition to stinking, northern Peru has a few sights that are really interesting. Oh, it also has great highways (that stink, but they’re great nonetheless!). Another thing northern Peru has lots of is desert. Lots and lots of desert…that stinks…..of fish. Why would a desert stink of fish? We don’t know. And we’re not really sure we want to know.

Our first stop in the country was the city of Piura. Driving around in the city was our first real introduction to Peruvian driving, a key component of which is the repetitive use of the horn. Peruvians will honk their horn for any occasion. They might be stuck behind 3 other cars that are all waiting for a red light and they will honk. They also like to honk when they are driving down a deserted street with no other cars or pedestrians in sight. This is another thing about Peru that we don’t understand.

From Piura we went to Huanchaco, what used to be a small fishing village which is now a tourist destination known for it’s surfing. The area is also home to impressive ruins called Chan Chan….

And about that desert....

And that was northern Peru. Where something fishy is definitely going on.

Brian