Category: Peru

Mit besonderer Widmung meiner lieben Oma.
Diesmal habe ich ein Ziel gewählt, das wirklich abseits aller Touristenpfaden liegt. So abseits, dass sogar Nicky und Patrick gestreikt haben, dorthin mitzukommen. Nicht einmal die meisten Einheimischen kennen diesen versteckten Ort. Wie ich dann darauf gekommen bin? Meine Oma verfolgt die Geschichte dieses Auswandererdorfs aus 1859 mit großem Interesse und da ich in Lima praktisch “vor Ort” (hier in Südamerika sind knapp 500km mitten in den Regenwald ja eigentlich noch “ums Eck” wie wir bereits aus Arequipa und unserem Besuch im Colca Canyon wissen – siehe Blogeintrag) bin, musste ich dort natürlich auf jeden Fall einmal hinfahren um es mir persönlich anzusehen.
Ich wünschte ich hätte die Gesichter der Leute gefilmt, als ich mich nach dem Weg nach Pozuzo erkundigt habe: Entweder spiegelte sich darauf komplette Unkenntnis, blankes Entsetzen in so eine entlegene Gegend zu fahren oder einfach nur Ungläubigkeit. Jedenfalls haben wir Tränen gelacht dank dieser dezent abschrekenden aber doch sehr amüsanten Reaktionen. Auch schon allein um die Bustickets zu kaufen, war es notwendig in eine Gegend zu fahren, deren Betreten bereits untertags für Touristen nicht empfohlen wird und daher nachts erst recht gemieden werden sollte. Dennoch, mein Bus fuhr um 19 Uhr ab, aber ein bisschen Nervenkitzel hat noch nie jemandem geschadet.
Ebenso abenteuerlich war dann auch die eigentliche Fahrt dorthin, führte sie doch durch Nacht und Nebel über kurvige Straßen vom auf Meeresspiegel gelegenen Lima bis auf zwischenzeitlich über 4.000m. Ich muss auch zugeben, bereits das Zwischenziel OxaPAMPA ist schon recht ironisch, liegt Pozuzo doch tief versteckt im Regenwald. Von Oxampampa aus (10 Stunden Busfahrt von Lima) ist es erforderlich einen Minibus zu nehmen, der über halb weggespülte Straßen weitere 3 Stunden nach Pozuzo holpert. Im Dorf verriet man mir dann, dass diese Straße nach einem Erdrutsch schon einmal für zwei Monate komplett gesperrt war, und deshalb neu in den Berg gesprengt wurde. Zum Glück war zum Zeitpunkt meines Besuchs die Regenzeit fast vorbei und so musste der Fahrer die Straße nur ein paar Mal händisch von Steinen befreien um zu passieren.
Endlich angekommen, wurde ich nach Tiroler Brauch, sehr herzlich begrüßt und freundlich in Pozuzo aufgenommen. Einen bleibenden Eindruck hat unter anderem Franz Heinrich bei mir hinterlassen. Der Name klingt doch nach einem Urtiroler, richtig? Und auch als er so vor mir stand in der Touristeninformation in seiner Lederhose, erinnerte er mich sehr an mein geliebtes Heimatland. In völligem Kontrast dazu stand allerdings sein südamerikanisches Aussehen und vor allem die Tatsache, dass er nur Spanisch mit starkem Dialekt sprach. Insgesamt also ein etwas bizarres Bild. Auch sonst ist der Ort eine bunte Mischung aus österreichisch-deutscher und südamerikanischer Kultur. So befindet sich etwa das Restaurant Tiroler Adler, in dem man Gulasch und Wiener Schnitzel bekommt und die südamerikanische Version eines Apfelstrudels in Form eines Bananenstrudels, direkt neben typisch peruanischen Lokalen. Ebenso läuft man Statuen und Gedenktafeln mit deutscher Inschrift über den Weg und im nächsten Moment kämpft man damit, spanischen Wegbeschreibungen zu einem Aussichtspunkt zu folgen. Souvenierläden verkaufen Andenken mit deutschen Sprüchen – von welchen die meisten allerdings grammatikalisch und sprachlich völlig falsch sind.
Und so ergibt sich für mich ein lebendiges Bild von Pozuzo, das sich einerseits auf seine Tiroler (und deutschen) Wurzeln besinnt, allerdings auch den beständigen Einflüssen südamerikanischer Kultur nicht verschlossen bleibt und sich so im Bewusstsein beider Kulturen ständig weiterentwickelt.

In Pozuzo
Essen & Trinken: Tiroler Adler – typisches Tiroler Essen mit südamerikanischen Einflüssen
Wohnen: La Chela Hostel – preisgünstige Zimmer mit Basiseinrichtung. Allerdings steht eine breite Auswahl an Unterkünften zur Verfügung, häufig auch von Tiroler Auswanderern geführt.
Unternehmungen: Von einem Spaziergang zu einem netten Ausgangspunkt unweit des Dorfes bis hin zu weiteren Wanderungen zu spektakulären Wasserfällen mitten im Regenwald ist alles möglich.

written and experienced by Lisa

While Patrick was still studying hard in Lima to pass his Spanish course with flying colors, Lisa and Nicky took it a bit easier, spending a few relaxed beach days in Mancora. This former fishing village has gained quite some fame and reputation in the surfing and backpacking communities for being Peru’s year round hot spot to catch good waves as well as unforgettable parties.
Party time here starts at sunset when everyone gathers at the beach to enjoy the spectacle of colors while already sipping on a round of happy hour pisco sours (that’s a cocktail of Peruvian origin that is similar to a caipirinha). In many of the beach bars, happy hour never ends and keeps locals and visitors dancing till the surfers come out to catch the first waves at the break of dawn.
The main local means of transport in Mancora are tuk-tuks, little motorbike-drawn, three-wheeled cabins. As it is quite hot in Mancora, everyone goes everywhere by tuk-tuk. Thus, in order to comply with local customs, we went back and forth all day between the beach and our hotel, always by tuk-tuk of course. With one of them, driven by our favorite driver, we also went to explore Mancora’s outskirts. Thus, we visited El Ñuro Beach to swim with green sea turtles and recovered from the high-life in Mancora on the secluded but beautiful beach of Los Órganos. One evening our driver also took us over humpy, bumpy and quite adventurous backroads to Zorritos where we took a dip in some natural hot springs full of bubbling hot water and mud which is said to have curative properties. It was a good thing we went late, because by then it had cooled down a bit so we could actually enjoy the hot water. Also, there was no one else there any more, which made it a great place to enjoy the stary sky while sitting around a little bonfire before going back to town, rejuvenated and fit after the mud bath and thus, ready for another long party night.
Despite not sleeping much in order to take full advantage of our three days and nights here, we felt there was still plenty to do by the time we left. So, I guess we probably have to come back some time!

When in Mancora
Where to sleep: Rios Hotel Mancora – far enough from the beach to get a good night’s sleep but still close enough to get there within a two minutes tuk-tuk ride. Another plus is the roof terrace which is a great place for a chilled breakfast!
Where to eat & drink: La Sirena d’Juan Restaurant – THE place to have tuna which will probably be the best you ever tasted. They catch tuna here, so the fish you will get will be as fresh as it can be while being cooked to perfection.
What to do: Go swim with the turtles in El Ñuro Beach – it will make you happy, promise!

Once upon a time three eager backpackers by the names of Lisa, Nicky and Patrick, arrived in Lima, Peru’s capital. This is a pretty big city, split up in various neighborhoods that are so different from each other that crossing between them feels very much like going to a different city, or sometimes even another country or continent – and it generally also takes about that long. This is because one basically has the choice between overcrowded buses or taxis and no matter which one chooses, getting stuck in traffic is inevitable.
Our hostel was located in Miraflores, that is Lima’s “Gringo town”, where all Americans and other foreigners working in Lima seem to be staying. Thus, everything here is super westernized and quite fancy: slick shopping malls, a scenic ocean view promenade, chick hotels and restaurants and of course plenty of Starbucks cafés. There is also a waterpark, called Circuito Mágico del Agua, which is lots of fun to visit. In fact, it almost feels like being in Disneyland there, with all its fountains, colorful light installations and magical shows. We even saw a princess, just like in a fairytale come true. We found that this park is quite a good impersonalization of Lima’s character: There are new things to discover around every corner, and despite seeming quite surreal or even fake at times, it’s still very likeable, beautiful and definitively unique. We also spent some Soles (that’s the Peruvian currency) in one of the many Vegas-style casinos which can be found all along the main avenue of Miraflores.
But of course we went to see some different parts of Lima as well. Thus, one day we spent exploring the city’s historic core where we had a great time walking around between impressive Spanish colonial architecture and other UNESCO protected world heritage sites. During our tour we also had ourselves convinced by a street vendor to take a tour to San Crístobal hill. Despite that we had to circle the city’s main square, the Plaza the Armas, for about 30 minutes (that’s roughly six times around), to pick up more passengers in our little bus, we did not regret the decision as it was an interesting ride through various neighbourhoods that eventually took us up to the San Cristobal viewpoint 500 meters above sea level. From there we could, for the first time really see how huge this metropolis actually is.
Another interesting area we visited is Barranco. Like Miraflores, it is also quite touristy and fancy, but it’s totally worth a visit. Mostly because it is full of restaurants serving the local delicates: anticuchos – that’s beefhearts but they taste way better than that may sound. This dish is best enjoyed in one of the restaurants overlooking the ocean. The ocean, however, is most beautiful from a distance, unless you are a keen surfer and not afraid of brownish water. Nevertheless, instead of taking a dip, it is possible to enjoy some fresh seafood or fish in one of the tiny plastic chair “restaurants” at the beach front neighborhood of Chorrillos. Here, one can observe Pelicans while munching on dishes like Ceviche (raw, lemon-marinated fish).
Somewhere, supposedly not too far from town, we heard there are nicer beaches too. However, we never made it there to confirm such rumors. This might partially be blamed on the already mentioned pretty bad public transport system of Lima but also on our complacency with quite relaxed days for a change. Nevertheless, after some time of blissful laziness, Patrick, took the chance to hit the school bench for a week to improve his Spanish skills while Lisa and Nicky went on to explore some other corners of Peru. Before long, however, we all met up again, this time Ecuador-bound, to travel on happily ever after.

The End.

When in Lima
Where to sleep: Alpamama – a perfectly located and clean hostel in Lima’s probably safest area, Miraflores. It’s close to the ocean front, supermarkets and plenty of restaurants. And all of that at fair prices.
Where to eat & drink: Visit El Tio Mario in Barranco to try some of the famous anticuchos.
What to do: Visit the Circuito Mágico del Agua for a magical evening.

We got to Cusco two days early but already super excited for our big trekking excursion to Machu Picchu. Thus, before we started, we spent some relaxing time in this once so important Inka city, mingling with all the other tourists which crowd the streets and markets here, stocking up our already way too full backpacks with some cozy alpaca sweaters and other souvenirs we could not resist to buy.
As the Inca trail, the most famous route to Machu Picchu, was booked out months ahead before we even knew when we would be in Peru, we chose an alternative trek to the long lost city of the Incas: the Salkantay trail. This trek, just like the Inca trail, is part of the giant trail network the Incas built back in the day to connect the various parts of their empire. It is possible to hike it without a guide, but we decided to spoil ourselves a bit and thus opted for an organized tour. This turned out to have been a great decision, because that way we not only had the most amazing group to hike with, but also probably one of Peru’s best cooks to prepare delicious meals for us. Furthermore, we had a herd of mules, donkeys and horses carrying all our food and tents and could enjoy this four day hike with less baggage and more energy for enjoying the stunning scenery. The trail started in Mollepata, just three hours outside Cusco, and ended at the entrance of Machu Picchu National Park from where a train took us to Aguas Calientes, the main base for almost everyone going to Machu Picchu. During these days we hiked up to heights of 4650m above sea level, passing by mighty glaciers and crystal clear lagoons and later descended down through lush rainforests while munching delicious passion fruits.
On the fourth evening of our excursion, we eventually arrived in Aguas Calientes where we could rest our tired feet as well as the rest of our bodies in a bed instead of a tent again. Aguas Calientes is probably the most touristy town in all of South America with not much to see and do, however, it is also the place where we had the so far best Pisco Sours, Peru’s signature drink made mainly of Pisco (a grape liquor), sugar syrup and limes. Thus, we were super relaxed and refreshed the next morning when we hopped on a bus that took us up to the entrance to Machu Picchu. When we got there, thick fog was covering all the ruins still. This added lots to the mysteriousness of the place, however, it also prevented us from seeing much. Luckily though, soon the fog started lifting and Machu Picchu was revealed to us in all its beauty. Our day here was not only impressive but also quite intense: first we only strolled through all the ruins, but then we hiked up loads and loads of steep steps to the top of Huayna Picchu (the hill which is depicted in most illustrations of Machu Picchu) to get a bird’s eye perspective of the whole area. To top it all off we went to see the more famous than spectacular Inca bridge before we walked back down to Aguas Calientes where a delicious Creole lunch (Peruvian cuisine) was waiting for us. Later that day, exhausted but happy, we boarded a train which took us back to Cusco where we had a few days more to recover and plan out the rest of our time in Peru.

When in Cusco
Where to sleep: The Hostel Nueva Alta is run by the sweetest Peruvian family, has mostly tiny rooms but for cheap prizes. Also it is kept super tidy and it is centrally located.
Where to eat and drink: We mostly ate at the local market, where tasty “menus” cost about a bit more than 1 Euro. If you want something a bit nicer, try the Pikanteria La Cusquenita, we had a great lunch there once.
What to do: Stroll around town, there is a myriad of churches and museums to see, but alone visiting the local market is entertaining enough for quite some hours. Of course also book a tour to go see Machu Picchu!

Arequipa was our first stop in Peru and made us like this country right away: it is a beautiful city full of good food, friendly locals and there is lots to do in the city’s surroundings.
When we got to Peru, we only had a few days here before our Machu Picchu trekking. Thus, we spent one day with relaxed sightseeing in the city center and as we had heard so many good things about the Peruvian cuisine, we of course also had to start our culinary exploration, trying some Ceviche: raw fish in leche del tigre (tiger milk – we haven’t found out yet what that is exactly) and loooooads of onions. Smelling almost as lovely as fresh roses, we made our way “home” to the hostel, picking up a local specialty for dessert: “helado de queso” – cheese ice cream – it tasted way better than that may sound.
Arequipa is famous for the nearby* Colca Canyon, so the next day we took a bus to go visit it. Colca Canyon is supposedly the world’s deepest canyon and home to one of the world’s biggest birds: the majestic condors. Luckily we got to see a few while there.
To explore the canyon properly, we opted for a two day trekking trip. Thus, on our first day, we hiked down into the Canyon’s heart, called the Oasis, where we could cool down in our hostel’s pool after our quite hot hike. The next morning we had to get up at 4.30 am to hike back up the Canyon on time to catch our bus back. Hiking Canyons, however, is a bit of a weird and slightly illogical, or at least contra-Tyrolean common sense, regarding hiking, thing: first going down and then back up is somehow not as satisfying as vice versa. Also, there is no summit at the end to aim for. Thus, we had to try to make up for that and therefore, rewarded ourselves with a delicious second breakfast when we were back up. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our hiking excursion to Colca Canyon, especially because the scenery with all the pre-Inca and Inca terrasses, where the locals still grow chia and other crops, is amazing. Furthermore, we were also lucky to see the whole Canyon “green”, as the rainy season had just ended, leaving the whole place covered in grass and flowers.
On our way back to Arequipa we visited some of the area’s picturesque villages where we tried some local foods like cactus fruits, made friends with some feathery creatures (check out our pictures!) and passed lots of snow covered volcanoes. We also relaxed in some hot springs and learned the difference between llamas, alpacas and vicunas – or at least tried to… They all are cute and fury after all, some are bigger, some are smaller, some have longer and some have shorter hair…. At the end of the day we eventually made it back to Arequipa where we then spent one more relaxed day before heading off to Cusco.
*”Nearby” here means just a six hours drive which in South America really is nothing distance-wise. However, it is like Innsbruck would start marketing Vienna’s Schönbrunn palace as a local sight…

When in Arequipa and Colca Canyon
Where to sleep: Vallecito Backpackers in Arequipa. This place was our absolute favorite hostel so far: super clean (amazing especially after just coming from Bolivia!), incredible friendly hostess and wonderful breakfast. In Colca Canyon are a few hostels in the Oasis and the farther in you go from the entrance, the nicer they get… Pick one with a nice pool when you get there to still enjoy some sun!
Where to eat & drink: The local market in Arequipa offers a variety of tasty local foods, for instance ceviche and fresh juices.
What to do: Don’t miss out on visiting Colca Canyon – if we had had more time we would also have loved to hike Arequipa’s “house volcano” Misti…