Vilcabamba to Otavalo

Having left the parched, dry deserts of Northern Peru we soon found ourselves in the verdant, rolling hills of southern Ecuador. Vilcabamba was an eco-tinted hippie hideaway and reputedly a elixir of eternal youth. A recent influx of expats were busy baking bread, building eco-communites and offering shamanic San Pedro ceremonies! We were happy lazing in hammocks, swimming and gazing at the endless rainbows on offer.




We were fortunate to be in the colonial mountain town of Cuenca for Corpus Christi. With streets of sweets it was a paradise for candy lovers, and the spectacular fireworks and live music sealed the deal . We wandered from street meat to sweet treat filling our baskets and bellies! Cuenca has a bizarre enthusiasm for all things Middle Eastern, we found shisha bars and shwarma restaurants by the dozen and lounged amidst the carpets and draped rooms in black lit bars frequented by students and backpackers. We were also in Cuenca to see the 'cabezas reducciones' or shrunken heads of the Shuar peoples of Amazonia. We crept about the wonderful (bank sponsored) museum looking for these macabre oddities and finally found the five perfectly preserved, all male heads complete with glossy hair and mustaches! It was a surreal ethnographic experience to say the least.



Following this pleasant jaunt around the Southern Highlands we headed to the 'Must See!' place in Ecuador, Baños. The name of the town was derived from its nearby proximity to volcanic hot springs. However, in Spanish 'Baños' is also a word for toilet, and I would say this is a more suitable reference for this abominable tourist trap. We were greeted by the smell of fried chicken, an onslaught of neon signs and tour agents offering tacky excursions at expensive prices. The town lacked soul and had long since been ruined by the ravages of modern living. Superficially, Baños was in a wonderful location, nestled in a valley in the shadow of an active volcano and sparkling waterfalls. The main redeeming feature of Baños was the violently erupting volcano Tungurahua which was recently featured in the international press. We hiked up a hill to take a closer look but the lava covered summit was obscured by ash and cloud. However, we were treated to an incredible audio feast of explosions and rumblings as once again mother nature made it clear who is boss! We also discovered that the tastiest snack in the world is actually just plain buttery pulped corn smothered in butter and steamed in a husk casing. Also known as a Humita in Ecuador!



We escaped Baños alive and well, but would we survive the dangers of Ecuador's capital Quito? We had heard of other travellers having problems with robberies and muggings so we arrived 'on guard!'. As usual the stories proved to be a complete exageration of the truth and we found Quito (an the aptly named tourist district named 'Gringolandia'!) quite safe to walk around. One little boy tried to pick-pocket me with a clever 'hand under the poster' trick but I caught him in the act and sent him on his way. Probably more of a threat was the altitude, the Novo Catedral and the visiting Foreign Secretary, Hilary Clinton.



First the altitude, Ecuador is the second highest capital in the world at 2,850m and walking up hills is a struggle no matter how fit you are. Secondly, our visit to the Novo cathedral was one of the most terrifying things we have done on the entire trip. This dangerous Gothic climbing frame disguised as a place of worship contained some of the most shoddy building work known to man. Lydia was picking bits of the decorative finials from the Cathedral roof off the floor and the prevalant use of rebar to hold the concrete structure together was comical. However, it was the first time that we had ever been allowed to climb to the top of a cathedral spire and the views at the top were incredible. Also the building had decorative gargoyles inspired by animals from the Galapagos Islands, including sea iguanas and tortoises. In contrast to the Novo catedral, Iglesia de La Compania de Jesus was the most opulent and finely decorated church we have ever seen. This church of 'Bling' contained an astonishing 7 tons of gold (most of which was probably old remnants from the Inca empire) with every square inch covered in gold leaf designs. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take photos but it was over the top to say the least. Finally, Hilary Clinton was in town when we were there which meant lots of riot police patrolling the streets and traffic jams as the cavalcade snaked its way to the government buildings in the centre of the Old town. We couldn't be bothered waiting arround for a brief glimpse so we hit an ice cream stand instead and got ready for our last stop in Ecuador...



Otavalo is famed as one of the best market towns in South America and it certainly lived up to the billing. Lydia was drooling at every stand covered in finely woven textiles and quality artesania. I was more interested in the food and drink stalls so I got myself a refreshing Coco Verde. Like a true Scot I managed to check all the prices first and secure a good bargain for our blanket purchase!

After Ecuador we headed to Colombia and somewhat apprehensively on to Venezuela. But for that you will have to wait for the next instalment!

Ecuador is a small volcanic country with good people, fantastic scenery and delicious food so thumbs up from us!

Pisco, Lima, Trujillo and Chan Chan

After several months away it was fascinating to return to Pisco and Pisco Sin Fronteras to see the incredible amount of progress that had occurred since we left. The money we raised was spent on several new concrete floors for families previously living on dirt in the deprived community of '15th de Agosto', as well as three new community composting bathrooms. The new concrete floors and bathrooms will make a significant difference to their lives by improving hygiene and reducing sickness. It was great to see the direct result of our efforts and the warm reception we received from the families we helped was a humbling experience.

Having spent a month during our last visit, we spent a week this time catching up with old friends and helping out with some worthwhile projects. The new PSF house, complete with tool shed, bio-diesel, work area and new truck had made the PSF a hive of activity, with 70 volunteers creating a wonderful big family atmosphere. The town of Pisco was also looking much better with new cobbled pedestrian areas in the centre, new shops and less rubbish and rubble on the streets. Of course there is still much to do, so if anyone reading this blog is looking for an inspirational volunteer project in an unforgettable place, PSF is a great choice. Our last farewells were reserved for the wonderful 'cake lady' who is without doubt one of the most endearing individuals on the planet. Naturally we grabbed one last slice of her amazing chocolate before jumping on the bus to Lima...

We had a great weekend in Lima where we met up with our friends, ate lots of Ceviche and began the days clubbing at 1:30pm. It was so much fun we forgot to take any photos! By the time we got the bus to Trujillo we were completely partied out and were glad for the comfy full cama 'bed' seats (well worth the extra pennies!).

Trujillo is a wonderful tranquilo town with colourful colonial buildings and an easy going vibe. We stayed in the beach town of Huanchaco, where the fishermen still use Totora reed boats to fish amongst the waves. We were visiting primarily to see 'Chan Chan' the largest pre-columbian adobe city in the Americas. It was built by the Chimu culture around AD 850 and comprises 20 square kilometres of adobe remains, part of which has been 'restored'. We toured the museum and surrounding ´huacas´ or temples. The iconography (fish and birds) and associated sculptures and pottery provided an fascinating contrast to the Inca cultural sites.

We were also able to visit one of the most interesting archaeological excavations that we have ever had the priviledge to experience at Huaca de la Luna. This massive Moche culture adobe pyramid has been undergoing excavation for the past 15 or so years and has revealed extensive original panels of stunning coloured murals. The murals themselves are quite grisly and depict a polythesitic spirituality inhabited by knife wielding spiders (for sacrificial decapitation) and jaguar fanged octopus gods that could have been the brainchild of H.P. Lovecraft! We also got to see a few more of the ugly (but cute) hairless Peruvian dogs roaming around the site.

After a tearful farewell to our beloved Peru, it was time to follow the sunshine north and head over the border to Ecuador...

Northern Chile and Southern Peru

Our last stop in Chile was Iquique, a historic wooden city with a Californian vibe right in the middle of the Atacama desert. We had heard that it was THE place to try paragliding, as they have the best all year round wind conditions in the world. We decided to take the plunge off the 600m cliff above the Atacama desert and enjoyed an exhilarating 30 minute flight before landing on a sandy beach. It was spellbinding, and we would love to return someday to enrol in paragliding school! We were really impressed with the amenities in Iquique along the sea front which included a world class skate park, bmx track and climbing wall. We also enjoyed chilling at the beach watching a surfing competition in the sunshine. After a Vancouver quality sushi feast it was time to say goodbye to Chile, one of our favourite countries in South America!

Last time we were in Peru, we had travelled through the Central Sierra to Cuzco and had missed Arequipa and the Nazca lines, so it was time to re-aquaint ourselves with the food, people and archaeology of this most hospitable Andean nation. Our first stop was Arequipa, a beautiful colonial city in the shadow of the magnificient Volcan Misti. We enjoyed exploring the centuries old Santa Catalina convent, one of Peru´s most stunning ecclesiastical buildings. We also indulged in the local cusine, a lip smacking rack of lamb and succulent alpaca steak. Ummmmm!

After a few days in Arequipa we had the opportunity to visit the Colca Canyon, the third deepest gash in the earth! It is home to beautiful Andean villages still using traditional agricultural methods, including impressive irrigated terracing (see picture above). The valley is also home to quite possibly the cutest camelids, we got very well acquainted with a baby alpaca who lived in the yard of the eco-lodge we were staying in. The baby alpaca was the softest most luxurious creature we had ever laid our hands upon, as you can see from the picture I was quite touched! We also had time to take in a ruined Inca settlement, hotsprings and the world famous Andean condor lookout `Cruz del Condor´. On the day we visited we were treated to a 10 condor strong aerial acrobatic extravaganza. It was an amazing spectacle.

Is it wise to trust your life to a Peruvian Cesna Plane, especially when 7 people died in a Nazca lines air crash in February of this year? We were somewhat concerned, but the opportunity to see perhaps the largest aerial archaelogical spectacle in the world was too good to miss. Thankfully the morning winds were calm and we had a pleasant smooth ride with no usage of the sick bag. The lines, up to 270m in length appeared smaller than we had imagined but the intricate designs were sharp and clear, even after a 1,500+ years of weathering. After much deliberation I have the opinion that they were definitely not created by aliens, perhaps they were used for a paleodesert-rave! Lydia liked the monkey and I liked the spider the best.

After the exhilerating flight we were to experience an equally exciting earthquake. While in our hotel we felt a rumble which we initally thought was a large lorry going past. Then there was a pause and this time the hotel shook even harder. With a moment of sudden realisation, we ran out of the door into the courtyard outside. Thankfully the earthquake was brief and no major damage was done. The following day we found out that the epicentre was in Ayacucho, 200km away, and reached 6.5 on the richter scale. This was appropriate timing as we were heading back to Pisco Sin Fronteras (An earthquake relief volunteer organisation) the following day!