Fascinating clouds over Havana...oops, we mean, Miami.
A plane's eye view between Lima and Cusco. (It's like 'cheating' not having feet on the ground.)
Who knows what to expect? Actually, whoever does? One of our aims is to seek the lost Inca City.
At the outset, it’s seems a rather strange mission because after all, should anyone be lost, it’s invariably us.
However, we have heard it said that it takes one to recognize another and so we are working on two negatives to produce
something positive. Have we ever intimated that all is well inside our heads? There you are.
We are also excited to meet the Peruvians. We remember many years back when our beloved Dad would talk, not always
in friendly terms, about the Peruvians. We understood these were people with no link to Peru. So what was
he going ‘on’ or is it ‘off’ about. Many South Africans of the earlier generations know this tidbit. Should you
wish to ascertain the derivation of this somewhat derogatory term, Dr. Barry Kassar will provide you with as good
an answer as any historian.
Meantime, we wonder how well or not so well our communication skills are going to work. The ability to communicate in
different languages, rates, in our opinion, a most desirable skill. Unfortunately, being able to utter ‘Si’ might
not be sufficient. Yes! All is not lost, though. We have developed a communication technique that we have now perfected.
After testing it in many countries around the world, we are quite charitable in wishing to share it with anyone willing
to read our missives. It goes something like this:
“Do you speak English?”
The funny thing is that we often have to use that particular skill within the United States.Our major hike is a five-day trek on and along the Salkantay Mountain Range.
We expect to reach some high altitudes which should be exciting provided our lungs are comfortable with it.
The interesting thing is that the locals chew cocoa leaves to enable them to get high…we think that
should read high in the literal sense of the word. We might just try a little Coke, too—that is, the Diet type. In addition,
at night we anticipate freezing temperatures. With little available air to breath and of that, some of it
frozen, seems like we should have quite an experience—maybe, a new type of ‘Frozen Smoothie’ for us.
We have Barbara and Gary Frank to thank for encouraging us to take this trip. We expect to reach some high altitudes which should be exciting provided our lungs are comfortable with it.
The interesting thing is that the locals chew cocoa leaves to enable them to get high…we think that
should read high in the literal sense of the word. We might just try a little Coke, too—that is, the Diet type. In addition,
at night we anticipate freezing temperatures. With little available air to breath and of that, some of it
frozen, seems like we should have quite an experience—maybe, a new type of ‘Frozen Smoothie’ for us.
They spent quite some time in various South American countries in professional capacities. Gary is so sure we will
enjoy ourselves immensely that when we asked whether he would offer a money-back guarantee, he had no hesitation
in standing behind his word. We don’t know Barbara’s opinion on this though, and are not brave enough to ask.
Back to the first trek which will terminate at Machu Picchu. We are going in a small group, have tents for accommodation,
sleeping bags for luxury and hot and cold running water. Strike the last part. Apparently, we won’t be doing
showering for the period of the hike. Perhaps that’s the beauty of reading the blog from home—we try to create
the atmosphere and combine it with your temperate, fresh air. Thinking about it a little further, perhaps we
should swop roles. Our editor, in another of her rolling-of the-eyes moments, cut us little lack when we
suggested in the days leading up to the trek we should take an extra shower together—sort of bank them each day.
Little did she know of our ulterior motive.
Part 2, the journey itself
We were slow to capture this peak which protruded before the 'shot'.
We touched down in Cusco, after a torturous journey from San Diego via Chicago, Miami and Lima.
By the time we hit Southern Florida, we felt we had arrived in the Central and Southern Americas. Most of the time
we were the only English speakers; we don’t even sound like Americans, people mention in passing. We are grateful
to the friendly Spanish-speaking folks who try and help us communicate.
Wow! We had some struggles with the cabdriver and the apartment owner’s father. She sent him to the airport to
meet us. We think this is the first time we have been welcomed with a “Jenni Lazarow” homemade signboard protruding
above a mass of people. When one of us thought perhaps we are celebrities after all, the other soberly brought us
down to earth even though we had already landed.
Our apartment outside Central Cusco is off the beaten track. We must look a sight as we meander through the town By the time we hit Southern Florida, we felt we had arrived in the Central and Southern Americas. Most of the time
we were the only English speakers; we don’t even sound like Americans, people mention in passing. We are grateful
to the friendly Spanish-speaking folks who try and help us communicate.
Wow! We had some struggles with the cabdriver and the apartment owner’s father. She sent him to the airport to
meet us. We think this is the first time we have been welcomed with a “Jenni Lazarow” homemade signboard protruding
above a mass of people. When one of us thought perhaps we are celebrities after all, the other soberly brought us
down to earth even though we had already landed.
which looks very much like South Western Township (Soweto) in the latter days of ‘apartheid’. Living amongst the
locals is something we like to experience. Having an apartment rather than a hotel room gives us a feeling of permanence.
If you will, a home away from home. Mind you, we are on the 5th floor sans elevator. Today's 'hike' to the apartment
could be interpreted as steep, carrying 70 lbs, at an altitude of over 10,000 feet with red eyes, little breath
and lacking enthusiasm.
A room with a view of greater Cusco at 6:30am (University at right)
The driving is, to put it bluntly, atrocious. Our taxi was tiny. In addition, the driver had his own bags and household utensils stored
in the car. With our two backpacks, a set of luggage each and a chaperone in tow, we piled into the cab. Our editor
spent much of the time smiling and at times laughing as we knocked over people, crashed into cars and flew over speed
bumps and potholes on mostly gravel roads. Actually, we missed the pedestrians and never bumped a car but the guy
gave a good account of himself—he was unlucky not to have racked up some ‘hits’. Our editor’s apparent levity was
because the alternative would not have been pretty.
in the car. With our two backpacks, a set of luggage each and a chaperone in tow, we piled into the cab. Our editor
spent much of the time smiling and at times laughing as we knocked over people, crashed into cars and flew over speed
bumps and potholes on mostly gravel roads. Actually, we missed the pedestrians and never bumped a car but the guy
gave a good account of himself—he was unlucky not to have racked up some ‘hits’. Our editor’s apparent levity was
because the alternative would not have been pretty.
Being impressed with the driver (Huh!), we attempted to contract with him to take us to a trekkers’ orientation
on Saturday night, after the Sabbath. With hands and arms gesticulating, we attempted to consummate the transaction.
We realized we were in trouble when we hit our first snag—understanding the meaning of Saturday. Eventually, we
wrote the days’ of the week on a piece of paper, pointed to Thursday and called it manana. Friday, we identified
as manana-manana. You get the idea. It could be a long walk on Saturday night.
on Saturday night, after the Sabbath. With hands and arms gesticulating, we attempted to consummate the transaction.
We realized we were in trouble when we hit our first snag—understanding the meaning of Saturday. Eventually, we
wrote the days’ of the week on a piece of paper, pointed to Thursday and called it manana. Friday, we identified
as manana-manana. You get the idea. It could be a long walk on Saturday night.
Although we spent part of the day walking while sleeping, two nights on a plane will do that for one, the local color and flavor
provided unique opportunities. The experience in the grocery store was like no other as we stocked up with the basics.
Try asking an assistant how one should select and carry loose eggs to the register and then ‘home’ on foot in a backpack.
The answer of course, is in a plastic bag with much hope. Why didn’t we know that? By the way, the store had little
lighting, no working fridges, meats packed along the sidewall that gave an indication of the original animal form;
however it was still a reasonable experience. Thinking aloud, it might be a good place to show kids from where
hamburgers originate. The assistant weighed our produce on a sophisticated machine and then hand wrote the price
on the plastic bag—a nice mix of old and new world technology.
If we may, we’ll provide more on the people of Peru as we come into contact as well as some pictures of ‘street-life’.
We have much to learn and experience. When we haven’t hiked, we don’t have pictures, so we use more words instead.
We hope this at least, sets the tone for the next few weeks when we hope to get a taste of the Andes.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
Closing in on Cusco, the gateway to Machu Picchu
provided unique opportunities. The experience in the grocery store was like no other as we stocked up with the basics.
Try asking an assistant how one should select and carry loose eggs to the register and then ‘home’ on foot in a backpack.
The answer of course, is in a plastic bag with much hope. Why didn’t we know that? By the way, the store had little
lighting, no working fridges, meats packed along the sidewall that gave an indication of the original animal form;
however it was still a reasonable experience. Thinking aloud, it might be a good place to show kids from where
hamburgers originate. The assistant weighed our produce on a sophisticated machine and then hand wrote the price
on the plastic bag—a nice mix of old and new world technology.
If we may, we’ll provide more on the people of Peru as we come into contact as well as some pictures of ‘street-life’.
We have much to learn and experience. When we haven’t hiked, we don’t have pictures, so we use more words instead.
We hope this at least, sets the tone for the next few weeks when we hope to get a taste of the Andes.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
Closing in on Cusco, the gateway to Machu Picchu
No comments:
Post a Comment