Leela´s Monthly Update ©
January 1, 2004 – January 31, 2004
Edition 6

Travel Journals...

Well it has sure been a journey since I have last written. As I recall, I was last in Puerto Montt, Chile finishing up what had been going on as of late. But before that, I need to back up…just a few days, to Púcon, Chile. Sam and I took a few days to recuperate after our huge Bolivian excursion. So after the new year, we decided to head down south so that she could have the opportunity to get to know more of my beautiful country!

Pucón, Chile

So we first went to Pucón, which was a mere 12 hours by bus from Viña. I had been there already in September, but I was definitely excited to go back. (Refresh: Pucón is the city with the famous snow covered Villarica volcano that I climbed. In addition to this beautiful volcano, it has lakes, mountains, a brisk river, and an abundance of hot springs (heated by the volcano of course).) Our plan was to get there in the evening, walk around and enjoy the sights the city and surroundings had to offer, go to the hot springs, and get a good night’s sleep. We were doing it this way because we were headed to Puerto Montt (7 hours southwest of Pucón) the next day and we wanted to break up our bus ride. Well it would have all worked out perfectly, if our bus had not gotten into an accident! No, no, don’t worry, it wasn’t anything major and we were all okay, but it delayed our arrival by 2 hours, which was (as you can imagine) quite annoying. Our bus was pulling into a gas station when it didn’t correctly estimate the angle at which it needed to turn and ended up completely knocking over one of those huge city lights (you know, the ones with the long poles). So that was an experience all in itself. So our plan to go to the hot springs were ruined, and both Sam and I were highly disappointed. (To go to the hot springs if you do not have a car, you have to go with a tour group, and they all leave no later than 8:00 p.m.) So we ate, unpacked a bit, and reverted to Plan B: seeing if there was an alternate way to get to the hot springs. Well, we were sure in luck as we found out that with this special taxi company, we could go there (at around the same cost because there were two of us) and the taxi driver would wait a few hours for us as we relax and unwound in the hot springs. So even though our plans were primarily ruined, we figured out a way to still do what we had planned originally. Talking to this taxi driver awakened me to the tough standards of life many South Americans have to go through in order to have some kind of future. In addition to being a full time schoolteacher, during the summer, to be able to support his family and his kids education, he also has to work as a taxi driver for 12 hours a day. So as you can imagine, Sam and I gave him a huge tip, which was more than well deserved. For all of you North Americans (me included), we really don’t truly appreciate how lucky we all are and what amazing opportunities we have laid out in front of us until you see first-hand the standard by which others live.

Puerto Montt, Chile

The next day, Sam and I hopped on a bus and went to Puerto Montt, which is a city in the south of Chile that doesn’t have much spectacularity to offer but is a hub to get to many parts of South America (the island of Chiloe, Torres del Paine, and Bariloche, Argentina). We were originally just going to stop over for one night but instead decided to stay an extra day (and that in itself is its own story). We took it easy and walked around the city in preparation for our next bus ride into Bariloche, Argentina...

Bariloche, Argentina

For all of you who have heard how wonderful this city is, you are right! Bariloche has been one of my favorite places yet. On the drive there, I didn’t sleep hardly at all (and for those of you who know me, that means it must have been pretty amazing for me not to have fallen asleep in a moving vehicle!). Not only is it unbelievably beautiful and surrounded by Lake Nahuel Huapi, but the Patagonian mountains blissfully lure off into the distance. But wait, there’s more! In addition to all of this scenery (and being in Argentina, which means it is automatically cheaper with charming accents and wonderful steak) it is home to South America’s best chocolate! Yes, you heard me right! So as two women, you can imagine how happy we were while there...during the two days we stayed, Sam and I visited our favorite chocolate shop (Rapa Nui) four or five times.  Why all of this chocolate you ask?!? Well back when Argentina got the rush of immigrants streaming in from the effects of WWII, Bariloche received an influx of foreigners from Switzerland, and you all have heard of famous Swiss chocolate. So we were happy campers. In addition, the weather was perfect while we were there, so we had a few tough days of beach time, exploring the city, staring off into the beauty of Patagonia land, meeting wonderful people at our hostel, and eating chocolate. Tough life, eh?!?

Unfortunately, Bariloche had to come to an end and so we went back to our favorite place, the bus station (no sarcasm there, ha ha). We had scheduled an early bus so that we could get to Osorno, Chile, by the evening in order to catch another bus that same night to Viña del Mar but our luck ran sour. When we arrived at the bus station, it was getting close to our departure time when both of us were wondering where our vehicle was because it sure wasn’t at the station! So we went to ask at the ticket counter, and the lady (very rudely) informed us that the bus happened to be running a mere 4 hours late! So yes, as you can imagine, we were more than a little annoyed, as it meant that we would not be able to catch a bus the same night from Osorno to Viña del Mar and would have to stay the night in Osorno, which just meant spending more money. Four hours later, as we angrily boarded the bus, we realized there was not much we could do about the situation and that it was better to just let it go.

About six hours later as we were nearing Osorno in the pitch dark, Sam saw a bus headed the complete opposite direction on the highway with a sign that said Santiago. She then says to me, "Wouldn’t it be like a dream come true if we could somehow miraculously get on that bus?"

And I said, "Yeah, that would really be something."

Within 30 seconds, all of a sudden our bus pulled over to the side of the road...and as I was looking out of the window wondering what was happening, I realized that the bus that said Santiago pulled over as well! It turned out that the two bus drivers were friends and stopped the busses in order to shout out a "hello" and "how are you" to one another. Well while they were talking, the bus assistant from their bus came onto our bus and shouted, "Anyone need to go to Santiago? There are just a few seats left."

Then came the chaos...In the confusion of our sleepiness, along with the fact that the situation seemed unreal, we hastily scrambled to get all of our stuff together and get on the other bus, crossing the highway in the middle of the night with backpacks, bags, and the assistant helping us. It was the funniest thing ever. Both Sam and I were in complete shock at what had happened within five minutes and couldn’t stop laughing. Oh, the adventures of traveling...

Viña del Mar, Chile (my hometown)

Needless to say, we made it back to Viña del Mar in the morning via Santiago after a week down south. We wanted to be back in Viña for a few days to take advantage of where I live. After all, it is the tourist capital of Chile for a reason! So we pretty much took it easy for her last weekend in South America, and just mainly relaxed from traveling. We spent a lot of time with my friends from Viña, my Chilean family, and the neighboring beach town of Reñaca. As the few days there passed by with the blink of an eye, alas it was time for Sam to return to the states. 

Neither of us could believe that three weeks had flown by so quickly as it seemed like she had only just arrived, but with much sadness, many hugs, and as little tears as possible, we said our good-byes as she boarded the plane to go back to her world of Moscow, Idaho.

So what have I done since then you ask?!? Well as soon as she left, there was much preparation to do for my trip up north to Perú!

Getting There…

I have officially survived the longest bus ride I have taken in my lifetime. Well as I had mentioned before, I was headed to Peru, which is where I am now! And since I am a poor college student, I thought I would save a few bucks and take the bus instead of fly. So in a few days time, things had changed significantly all over the place! Sam had left, my wonderful friend Suzy had arrived (back from a 3 week visit to family in the USA), and the day after Suzy got back to Vina del Mar, we hopped on a bus at 800 a.m. to come to Peru, meet up with my friend Eckla and her Peruvian friend Fabian, and would soon be seeing the lost Inca ruins. That is a lot to handle in a week’s time! The 31 hour straight shot to Arica, Chile (the northernmost city in Chile) went by much more quickly than I had imagined. Due to lack of sleep, lots of catching up to do with Suzy, plenty of reading and music material, Suzy’s new travel Scrabble set (a fantastic idea by the way) and sleeping pills, it actually wasn’t so bad. This is not to say that it was easy by any means, as we were physically and mentally exhausted by the time we arrived to Arica, but it was bearable. Yes, that’s a good word for it, bearable. There was no way we could take a bus that same day all the way to Cusco, due to the fact that we are not totally insane, so that day, Suzy and I took advantage of being in Arica to rest, explore, and go to the beach! Since most of the Pacific Ocean on Chile’s coast is incredibly freezing, it makes it near impossible to immerse oneself in the ocean. Arica, however, is an exception, as it gets warm water currents and it is possible to actually swim in the ocean. So we rested that day, and the next afternoon took the 15 hour bus ride to Cusco, Peru. So yes, that is a compilation of 46 hours on a bus. By the end of my year in this continent, I don’t ever think I want to board a bus again. Needless to say, we were pretty delusional and extremely grateful to be on Cusquenian soil and to meet up with Eckla and her friend, Fabian…


Cusco, Peru

We spent a few days in and around the Cusco area, one of the primary reasons being getting adjusted to the high altitude. At 3,400 meters, it is high enough to give anyone a headache. And since our hostel was at the top of the city, that didn’t make matters any easier. Just from walking from the main plaza to our hostel was a challenge, as we would be panting for air and felt as if we had worked out for a good hour. For all of you who have heard of altitude sickness, it is a real thing. Thankfully this time (as compared when I was near 5,000 meters in Bolivia) I didn’t feel as if I was going to throw up or faint, although I did get dizzy a few times. And luckily, there was coca tea to help, which really helps with the headache.

What is coca tea you ask? Coca, legal in Perú and Bolivia, is the plant used to produce cocaine. However it takes 2 kg of coca leaves to produce one line of cocaine. It is a constant fight in Perú and Bolivia as coca leaves have been used as a natural herb for hundreds of years to cure aches and pains, but has the connotation by many gringos (foreigners) as being directly associated with cocaine, which it is not.

Cusco is an incredibly interesting city, and in addition to all of the Inca history that it holds, one realizes within minutes how the city combines old and new. Instead of the city changing to fit modern-day needs, the innovations of the past century have been integrated into the city. What do I mean by this? Primarily the narrow streets and existent Indians the city encompasses, with the conjunction of present-day shops, restaurants, technology, and life. And let me tell you, they want their tourists in Cusco. As soon as we walked into the main plaza area, we were bombarded with people from all directions trying to get us to go on their tour, eat at their restaurant, or come into their shop. It was so overwhelming that I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. In addition, young kids are utilized as a method to draw in money, as they constantly approach you in a wonderfully perfected whining tone begging you to purchase a variety of postcards, candies, cigarettes, or other souvenirs.

We definitely took advantage of being in Cusco to do all it had to offer. One day, we even went to San Sebastian (a nearby village) to witness the chaos of their town festivities- - much music, dancing, feasting, and drinking. And although I didn’t try cuy (roast guinea pig) I definitely took advantage of the good food to eat a hearty meal. (By the way, the south of Perú has the best corn I have eaten in my life- - huge juicy grains that come off so easily and melt in your mouth.) In addition to going on a city tour, we also went to the Sacred Valley and all of the other nearby Inca ruins. Most people don’t know that there are other ruins besides Machu Picchu, but there are a plethora of them! So after the sites in and around Cusco, it was time to go to the main event...

Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain" in Quechua)

It felt like Harry Potter, although we didn’t enter from platform 9 3/4. Instead, the four of us hauled all of our stuff down the seemingly endless dirt road of Ollataytambo to catch the evening train to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu.

And instead of Ron and Hermione, while waiting for the train, we instead met Javier, Ferran, Eugenia, Pichi, Bruno, and Fabio (two Spaniard, two Argentineans, and two Brazilians, respectively). Maybe it was the foggy cold and the evening setting upon us, or maybe it was the fact that we all had to wait for the train in common, but all of us started to chat it up.

As we boarded the train, I couldn’t hide the fact it honestly felt magical. It had just gotten dark, fog was everywhere, we were surrounded with great company, and the sounds the train illuminated, along with the flickery lights and the Peruvian-multi-colored seats felt like something directly out of a movie. I could not believe that my dream of seeing Machu Picchu was finally going to come true.

As we got into Aguas Calientes, our group (renamed as "Grupo de Fabio") not only found a joint hostel, but went out for dinner and drinks. It was so fascinating to have so many people from so many nationalities at one single table all laughing, if only politics could be so easy...

We woke up at 5:00 am the next day in order to get a fresh view of the ruins before we were to get bombarded by all of the tourists that would dominate the site. Instead of waiting for a bus to go, "Grupo de Fabio" decided to be brave (or maybe foolish!) and hike the incredibly steep 8-km trail to the ruins.

An hour and twenty minutes later, not only exhausted from having slept 5 hours, but also from having survived the steep hike, I stopped and looked around. I couldn’t believe it. I was finally in Machu Picchu. Not only were the ruins simply stunning, but the pictures and video clips I had previously seen of the lost Inca ruins don’t do it justice. These were the 2nd major ruins I have seen in my life, as I have been to Tikal, Guatemala as an ignorant 15 year old, but these blew Tikal out of the water. To think how the Incas transported the millions of pieces of stone to Machu Picchu in order to construct the immense-maze-like ruins can baffle just about anyone. The stone-step architecture to protect from erosion, the different temples, the astronomic viewpoint, and all of the hidden little rooms spread throughout the ruins were breathtaking. And I haven´t even mentioned the raging (almost grade 6) river that runs below, the immense Mountian peaks that surround the sites, nor the hazy fog that mystically settled all around Machu Picchu. I had to pinch myself a few times to make sure it was real. While everyone else was going nuts taking pictures and exploring I had to slip away to get some peace and quiet. I climbed all over the labyrinth, and finally found a hidden lookout point from which I could see the majority of the site. I found peace as I hid out on a rock, and imagined what life was like when the Incas lived there; what they did all day, how they ate, slept, and passed the time. And of course, I had to imagine myself as an Inca deity  Not speaking a single word, soon I had an abundance of colorful images and festivities pouring throughout my thoughts.

We had the fortune of it not raining for the majority of the day, but hours later it was pouring. By that time, with raingear, ponchos, and umbrellas, we were still wet, cold, tired, and hungry, and it was about that time that I came back to reality. But at least I have those images in my head, and from more than a book or a movie. It was incredible.

Puno and Floating Islands, Lake Titicaca, Peru

Our Inca ruins tour had come to an end, but that didn’t mean that more wasn’t up ahead. Our next stop was Puno, a city at the base for visiting the floating islands of Lake Titicaca. What are these floating islands you ask?!? The ancient Aymari Indians of the area constructed floating islands composed of thousands upon thousands of pounds of cane plant that they laid out on the lake. The reason they made these islands is beyond me, but they were sure neat to observe! The way these indigenous people live is incredible. These islands are incredibly small, (you can see the entire perimeter just standing on them) and there are an abundance of them on Lake Titicaca (on the Peruvian side). The same cane plant that is used to construct the islands is in every day consumption, as it is the staple food in these Aymaris diet. After they eat the meat of the cane, they place the rest of the plant anywhere on the island, and it is used for protection to keep the island afloat. I even got to taste the cane- - it was a neutral taste, not sweet, not sour; just a filler food...so interesting!

These Aymaris go to Puno (a 25 minute boat ride) once a week to get other food items they need to survive, but they try to minimize contact with any other type of civilization as often as possible, as they are trying to up keep their unique culture. Visits to the islands, however, are permitted, as tourism means one thing...MONEY for the Aymaris. The craziest concept about the floating islands is that many of the huts where the families sleep (about 4-5 members sleep in a tiny space) have televisions. (Yes, pictures are attached.) It is beyond me what the members of this tribe do all day besides eat, sleep, and watch television, but it was one of the most interesting thing I have seen in all of my travel adventures. To think that people still live this way, without the influence of modern day society, is a baffling concept.

Copacabana, Bolivia

Well after the islands, we said goodbye to Fabian, Eckla´s friend, as he had to head off in a different direction, but said hello (again) to Javier and Ferran, the two Spaniards we had met in Machu Picchu. It turns out they had rented a car on their travels, and they were driving from Cusco to Lima...so we worked it out so they could pick us up in Puno so that we could hitch a ride with them to Lima. But before we headed to Lima, we had a free day so we decided to drive 3 hours to cross into Bolivia and go to Copacabana.

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair...

Oh sorry, I got a little side tracked.  And yes, to answer your question, we sang that song over and over (even though the real Copacabana in reference is in Cuba). Anyways, our plan was to go to Copacabana to hopefully run into Pichi and Eugenia, our two Argentinean friends we had met in Machu Picchu who had plans to be there on the same day, and we were in luck. The town was so small that we had no problems running into them. How delighted they were! It was so fun to be (from our huge group in Machu Picchu) partially together again. We sat up on the balcony of our hostel and passed the time together talking and laughing...

The next day before we had to head back into Peru, we did a tour of Isla del Sol (Sun Island) on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. It was so interesting; the water looked completely different in color in comparison to the Peruvian side; a shimmery turquoise in comparison to a grayish blue. As we were debarking the boat coming back into Copacabana, we had a delightful surprise, as there sitting at one of the little outside restaurants right on the shore was Fabio (one of the other members of our big group from Machu Picchu)! It was a time of much hugging and happiness, as our trip to Copacabana had been filled with much joy. But like all things, it had to come to an end. We said our good byes to everyone including Suzy (who decided to go volunteer at a sick animal camp in Bolivia) and hit the road.

Lima, Perú

Our road trip was a lot of fun; we took our time and made the 20ish hour trip to Lima over a few days, stopping and looking at the sites when they appealed to us. Parts were soooo beautiful on the windy coast upwards; the scenery was vastly different every couple of hours. The company and the music in the car made for a great time.

We finally arrived to Lima and were excited mainly for one thing: to relax. I know, I know, it sounds ironic, but the past week and a half had been non-stop on the go. Most people don’t realize that traveling can often be stressful; as soon as one arrives to his or her destination, he or she has to immediately figure out how to get out of there, when the bus schedule is, how much it costs, where to go, etc. And we hadn’t had a minute to ourselves in days, nor one good day of sleeping in!

So needless to say, we have been having a lot of down time in Lima, which is just what both Eckla and I needed. That is not to say that we haven’t been going out and about and exploring the city, but we are just doing it at a lazy and relaxed pace- - after all, isn’t that supposed to be what vacation is all about?!?

Lima has so far exceeded my expectations. It is no Buenos Aires, that is for sure, but I expected it (like the majority of Perú that I have seen) to be poor, smoggy, and dirty. While parts of this vision are definitely true, I miscalculated a big chunk. While central Lima surely has its poor parts (just like any other metropolis) there are lovely areas of the city, namely Barranco and Miraflores (where we are staying).

In addition, there is such a mix of distinct cultures here! The one that surprised me most were all of the Asian-descendants that inhabit Lima. Back in the 19th century, there was an immense influx of Chinese to Lima (as soon as the government legalized people of other nationalities to work legally on Peruvian soil), and then in the 20th century came the first Japanese ship to Perú. The Chinese and Japanese cultures make up a huge identity of Lima; hoards of Chinese restaurants and sushi joints cover many Limeñean streets. But that’s not all; there is also an abundance of Brazilians, as well as Ecuadorians and Colombians that make up Lima’s population. And there are so many tourists! I still haven’t figured that one out yet, but I have seen more tourists here than I have seen in a while.

We also had the opportunity (thanks to Gitana, a 3rd sister of mine) to meet and to meet up with many wonderful people from here. This included going to Las Brisas, a show of traditional Peruvian dancing that lasted 5 hours with Dorris and Luz, which was so entertaining and even included us dancing as well! We also got taken around the city by Carlos, (another friend of Gitana) in order to witness a huge downtown parade for the Festival of the Virgin (officially on Feb 2) and to see the San Francisco Convent with skeletons in the basement (literally).

What Next?!?

Eckla and I will be in Lima for a few more days (these days include beach time ) and after that, she flies out of here to Argentina, and thus I will leave as well. I had wanted to go to Ecuador (and I still do) but unfortunately, neither sufficient time nor money prevail, as I like to see a country in as much entirety as possible. Thus I decided to spend the remainder of my summer vacation in Bolivia. I decided upon this because I will able to see the majority of the country in two weeks, especially since I have seen the bottom fifth of it on a previous tour. So I am heading to Cochabamba, Bolivia alone later this week (yes you got it right- - by bus). I will spend a few days there (but get to meet up with a friend of a friend while doing so) until I meet up with Suzy, who is 4 hours from Cochabamba. After that, neither of us is exactly sure where we will go within Bolivia, but these things will be figured out shortly. I plan to go back to Chile in the 3rd week of February, in time to catch Viña del Mar’s famous International Music Festival and then head down south with Suzy and her parents (who will be visiting) to Torres del Paine, Chile. After Torres, school will start again, and I think I will be so exhausted (and soooo negatively broke) from living out of a backpack that I will be ready to get into the groove of things again. Until next time...

The End