on the Go with Bo!

Location they say is everything. Welcome to magical Machu Picchu!

The lamas were grazing around the sacred Inca site all day, yet a couple of minutes before sun down, they positioned themselves at the edge of a terrace and gazed down at Machu Picchu as the light was dissipating and dusk was beginning to envelope us all.  They didn't move.  It was nearly as if they were the keepers of Machu Picchu, making sure that the holy site was being preserved for yet another day, for eternity.   Them, and us, admiring man's creation and the beauty of nature, all in harmony.

At that very moment you knew you were privy to something very special.  A sacred site.  A holy site.

The journey to Machu Picchu began with a train ride from Ollantaytambo.  Crowds of backpackers were getting ready to jump on the Perurail train that was going to take us to Aquas Calientes, which is the last station, at the foot of Machu Picchu.  The only way to get to Machu Picchu these days is either to take the 90 minute train ride from Ollantaytambo or to do the 4 day 82 km Inca trail.  We chose the former option, although one day I would love to do the Inca trail and experience the magic of hiking through the Andes.

It wasn't just any train carriage that we were on, it was the Orient Express carriage that was fitted in old style luxury.  It was fit for an Agatha Christie murder mystery.  The train goes down the sacred Urubamba river valley, passing several Inca sites, terraced hills and many land slides.

The journey starts off in a barren mountainous landscape, and as you traverse the valley heading to Aquas Calientes, the mountains become more and more lush.  Suddenly there is jungle everywhere, with red jacaranda trees in bloom and birds of paradise adding colour to the otherwise tropical green vegetation.  How does the ecosystem change so fast?

Machu Picchu is everything you can imagine.  It was built in 1450 and was a populated Inca city for less than 100 years.  What is fascinating is that the 500 inhabitants that lived there left no written records, no artefacts (most have probably been looted), no artwork.  Nothing.  Machu Picchu today is still shrouded in mystery which perhaps adds to its appeal.

By 1550 the Spaniards had already invaded South America and it is believed that Machu Picchu was abandoned at the time, for the Inca men had to go and fight the Spanish army to defend Peru. Unfortunately, they also lost and thus Machu Picchu went into abandon for centuries, until Yale professor Hiram Bingham re-discovered the isolated city on top of the hill on July 24, 1911.

The Incas worshipped the mountain, the sky and the sacred river far below.  They worshipped nature.  All things considering, despite their attention to detail, their advanced building techniques and complex level of social organization, the society to some degree seems fairly primitive.  After all, Europe was going through Renaissance at that same time.  Nonetheless, what the Incas built is nothing short of breathless.  From the very isolated location that they chose at an elevation of 2,400 m, to the stunning scenery, to the simplicity of the structures that are in perfect harmony with its natural surroundings.  And peace.  A very peaceful and powerful setting.

Now, the vast majority of the 2,500 daily visitors that come to Machu Picchu (that is the max number of tickets they sell each day which seems to be doing well in preserving the isolated site) sleep in Aguas Calientes and then take the first bus leaving at 0530 to get to Machu Picchu at 0600, when the gates open.  If you're young and full of energy, you get up at 0400 and hike up the mountain.

And then there is us.  Creatures of comfort!  The Orient Express has a lodge right by the entrance to Machu Pichu called Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.  The price is steep and there are only 18 rooms.  But as we rolled out of bed at 0530 and got dressed and headed to the entrance of the grounds, we saw a small group of young kids completely sweaty and dusty, albeit excited to enter the sacred site at dawn.  Yes, that is when we realized that the money was worth it.  By 0600, there was already a long lineup of people waiting to get in.  We were able to circumvent all that hassle.

Given that we had already explored all of Machu Picchu the day before, this morning we headed to Intipunku, the sungate which is about a 45 minute hike from the lodge.  Watching the light spill over the hills above Machu Picchu and then slowly washing out the Inca site with daylight was a magical end to our trip here.

Walking back to the lodge, smiling, we were leaving Machu Picchu knowing that we had seen it in all its beauty, throughout the whole day.  The Inca's really knew how to pick a site.  Location, they say, is everything.

Tracing back the potato to ... Peru

On the five hour flight from Sao Paulo to Lima I finally saw Lake Titicaca!  There it was below us, on the border between Bolivia and Peru.  I remember learning about it in school, and every time we heard the name as 10 year olds, we would start to giggle, because of its obvious association.

This part of the Andes is pure rock and sand.  Not one tree in sight.  Not one cloud in sight.  Flying over you actually notice how inhospitable the land is.

Peru has so many different associations for me.  As a kid I loved to read Tintin comics, and Prisoners of the Sun was based in Peru.  Then there is the beloved poncho.  Who hasn't seen that.  Perhaps most famous of all though are the Peruvian pan-flute performers, of course dressed in ponchos, performing on street corners the world over.  The famous tune being El Condor Pasa.  Can you hear it already?

That has got to be some of the best destination marketing I’ve ever seen :-)

Did you know that the potato comes from Peru?  They have more than 400 different types of potatoes and it is only the Spanish conquistadors that introduced the potato to Europe in the 16th century.  Who knew!

3 Jamaicans in Geneva

I had been craving a Frappuccino all morning.  Walking around Geneva Lake, past the beautiful Parc du Chateau Banquet and La Perle du Lac, passing several small cafes that served wonderful European cappuccinos, and all I could think of was the Starbucks I had passed earlier on, and my Frappuccino.  Damn Starbucks!

So instead of lounging around like the Swiss were, enjoying their day by the lake, I headed to Starbucks.  I took my order, grabbed my Frappuccino and a raspberry muffin to go along with it and headed to one of the tables outside.  At least I was going to sit outside in the little square!

I saw the only table left and headed towards it.  As I was putting my tray down, this older woman with beautiful chocolate skin said to me ‘oh, I was just thinking of moving to that table for it’s in the shade.’  Hmm, shall I insist on the table since I was there first?  Aghh, let’s try something new, I told myself.  Do you mind if we share the table, I said to her.  Absolutely not, was her reply with a big smile.

And then all of 3 ladies moved to ‘my’ table!

So there I was, sitting amidst three wonderful ladies who ended up being from Jamaica.  They were visiting their younger brother who lived in Geneva.  They came from a family of six.  Girl - boy - girl - boy - girl - boy.  How, I said, did your mother work that one out.  That to me seems more like a technique than probability.

Yes, they all chimed it.  Their mother told them that immediately after making love, a woman has to turn to her right if she wants a girl and left, for a boy.  And lie on that side for at least 30 minutes.  Invaluable!

I ended up spending an hour with them, yacking away, laughing and enjoying the Jamaican care-free spirit which is just so wonderful.  Everyone was looking at us for they all saw how awkwardly this story started.

The gals were in their sixties, early seventies, and looked wonderful with big smiles.  When your heart is big and your smile as well, it’s amazing how youthful that makes you appear.

Surprisingly, they also knew my little country Slovenia.  As soon as I told them where I’m from, they said ... Merlene Ottey.  Do you know her?

Who?

She is a top-level international sprinter that now lives in Slovenia and competes for my country.  Who knew!  We had made a connection.

I walked away completely joyous.  Thank god I insisted on my Frappuccino.

 

HOTEL:

> Mandarin Oriental:  This is the old and venerable Hotel du Rhone, that has now become a Mandarin Oriental.  As you walk into the lobby, you’re thinking, this is a rather small entrance for a Mandarin Oriental hotel.  At least by Asian standards.  And then you take the elevator and it’s tiny.  But as soon as you walk into your room, there it is, Mandarin Oriental quality and superb taste.

The suites on the seventh (top) floor are very large, spacious and very classy.  They’ve renovated the rooms beautifully.  Best of all you have a big terrace overlooking Geneva and the Rhone leading into the lake right below.

Stunning and very luxurious property, with fantastic service!

Skutsjesilen racing on the Ijsselmeer by Stavoren

Skutsjesilen is a traditional annual racing event in Friesland done with the skutsje, which is a traditional Frisian sailing boat.  Originally these boats used to be for transporting cargo along the canals and the Ijsselmeer in the Netherlands, however, today they have become prized ships and are used mainly for racing and I guess, a bit of showing off :-)

Shanghai, San Diego ... And Heeg?

These are the last three cities I've been dancing in.

Shanghai we know.  San Diego we know.  Heeg? Or Heecht?

Well, last night we went to the very local, the only local dance club in this small town in Friesland, a northern province in the Netherlands.  We're here for a few days, supposed to be enjoying the beautiful Dutch summer.  However, the sun today is no where to be seen.

So since the days are dark, we thought we might as well stay out late ... dancing of course, and make the most of the nights.

Heeg is a very small Fries town, alongside a canal.  Very picturesque.  During the day families, kids, sailing clubs come with their boats and moor them alongside the canal and go to one of the many terraces for drinks and lunch.

At night, I guess, since there is not much to do, everyone goes to the local bars and eventually rolls into the only nightclub in town.  We're there with them.  The latest techno music is pumping, we're drinking the very strong local drink called Beerenburgh and around us ... only teenagers.  Literally!  Robin was three times the age than most people in there.  And me, twice the age and some more.

Arlette, my sister-in-law, while dancing wildly was simultaneously preoccupied that someone would come up to her and say 'aren't you Bas' mother?'  Bas being her 17 year old son.

That was our competition!

We were like museum pieces to these kids, who left us alone in our little corner of the dance floor, observing us in amusement and full of wonder.  Look at them move, they must have been thinking.

The final thing that gave us away is when the Jagerrmeister team came by offering free shooters.  Everyone else took them.  But us.

And that's when I realized, you know you're getting older when you decline a free drink.  I know I never used to!

Traveling along the Sacred Valley of Urubamba

As you cross over the hills surrounding Cuzco you enter the Sacred Valley, which stretches down the river of Urubamba.  The Andes are resplendent in the crisp winter air, which is surprisingly warm.  At least till sunset when the temperatures suddenly plummet.  This is a land of microclimates, where the weather conditions change very rapidly.

It is hard to explain such majestic landscape.  You soon realize that you are just a small part of the very large macrocosm on display here.  The valley is at points very flat, which is ideal for agricultural purposes.  As you look up at the peaks above the valley, you will notice that many of the mountains are terraced right to the top, which stems from the old Inca days, when these terraces were used to grow various crops or were built to prevent erosion.  It's quite amazing for you would expect them to terrace only the bottom parts of the mountain.

The Andes are very monochromatic.  This is a land of brown colours and barren landscapes.  The hills are brown, the houses are brown, yet the outfits of the people are incredibly colourful.  Think of all the colours you associate with a poncho!  It's their own way of bringing a splash of colour into their world.

 

Things to see in the vicinity:

> Maras: white salt mines that are terraced into the side of a mountain above the Sacred Valley.  The salt water comes out of a spring at 28 degrees and fills out all the salt mines below.

> Moray:  circular terraces built by the Incas in order to create different micro-climates for agricultural purposes.  The terraces are excavated into the ground, forming a large hole with concentric circles.

> Ollantayambo:  a fortress built during the Inca empire, filled with way to many tourists.

> Pisac:  located on the river Urubamba, this small village has a beautiful albeit very expensive local market.

 

HOTEL:

> Libertador Tambo del Inka Hotel:  complete surprise!  This Sheraton Luxury Collection hotel is set by the Urubamba river and is stunning.  Very large and spacious modern rooms, outfitted in Inca style.  Honestly, one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve been to!  Why?  Because it's luxury that is totally harmonious within its environment.

Feeling high in Cuzco

Everyone warned us about the effects of altitude sickness in Cuzco!

Agh.  I've been up to 5,416 m in Nepal, I've climbed Slovenia's tallest mountain Triglav which is 2,864 m and just last week we were in Tucson, Arizona and drove up Mt Lemon which peaks at 2,800 m.  What altitude sickness!

Cuzco is located at an elevation of 3,200 m and guess what?  We felt a bit dizzy, light headed and definitely out of breath while walking up the steep narrow streets of beautiful Cuzco.  And when I opened my toiletry bag, the gel tube was completely bloated from the lower atmospheric pressure, as was my contact lens solution bottle.  My deodorant bottle decided to explode when I tried to apply it in the morning, the application ball just flying off the body and deodorant splattering all over the hotel room carpet.  Ok, they were right!

Do you know what they give you hear to overcome the symptoms of altitude sickness?  Tea from coca leaves.  The tradition originates from the mountainous Andes, where the locals actually chew coca leaves to combat altitude sickness.  At least you have a reason to enjoy coca here.  Before buying it, check though what kind of restrictions your country has for bringing in the leaves.  You do not want to end up in jail.

Cuzco is gorgeous.  The city is located in a valley, which once used to be a lake, and has expanded into every which direction, right up the sides of the surrounding hills.  For that Kodak moment shot, go up to the ancient fortress of Sacsayhuaman (literally pronounced sexy woman) above the city where you will see all of Cuzco below, the single and two-storied buildings carpeting the whole valley in front.  Beautiful.

The city is populated by the native Quechua people, their language actually being the second official language of Peru, along with Spanish.  Many of them are dressed in their traditional and colourful garbs, including cute little kids who walk around with little lambs in their hands.  Yes, I  also thought it was a bit odd, till I realized they carry the lambs so that you will take a photo of them ... which of course is not for free.

Perhaps though, this is a way of preserving the colourful cultural patrimony of this beautiful town up in the Andes, which is akin to an open museum.

 

Things to see:

> Koricancha Temple (Temple of the Sun)

> Plaza de Armas

> San Blas

> Convent of Santo Domingo

 

Located outside of Cuzco ...

> Fortress of Sacsayhuaman:  known more by its English synonym ‘Sexy Woman’, the view of Cuzco from up here is stunning.  Not much remains from the ruins, but there is a very prominent zig-zag wall that supposedly represents the 22 teeth of a puma, which is the protector of Cuzco.

> Inca bath of Tambomachay:  very simplistic

> Labyrinth of Pucallpa Pucara

 

HOTEL:

> Monasterio Hotel:  from the outside all you see is big white fortified walls with small windows.  Inside lies a different world.  Initially built in 1595, this used to be a monastery which many centuries later, more specifically in 1996, was converted into a luxury hotel.  I imagine the monks did not live in such luxury!  Given the purpose of the building and when it was built, not one room is alike.  If you're lucky, your room will face one of the three inner courtyards or the square outside.  There are some beautiful art pieces in this property, both in the public areas (such as the wonderful chapel) as well as the rooms.  You’re living amidst history here.

Made it to Lima, Peru

Lima is nothing like what I imagined.  I was totally taken aback by the city with 9 million inhabitants - in a positive way.  Gone is the chaotic structure of Sao Paulo.  City layout is organized, streets are clean, very little graffiti, it's a developed and functioning place.  And there is much less poverty to be seen than in Brazil.  Actually, it reminds me a lot of Chile. Moreover, the Centro Historico has some beautiful Spanish colonial architecture that has been well preserved.  Lima has a wonderful flavour.

We stayed in the Miraflores district, which is right on the sea.  Actually, it's on a cliff right above the sea, for the whole coastline in this part of Lima is elevated.  Given the topography, this is an ideal location for parasailing (with an attached propeller), which you see a lot of.  Even the police are parasailing around, I guess surveying the streets from up above.

One thing that impressed me was the Metropolitano public transport system.  Along the central highway that crosses all of Lima, the central lanes are reserved for busses.  These lanes, however, are separated from the rest of the highway, so cars cannot cross over. The stations are in the middle of the highway, so de facto, this is like a tram or metro line, except it's busses running up and down.  What an ingenious idea, and much cheaper than building a whole new metro system.  Now how come I haven't seen this anywhere else?

LIma is often overlooked for the more popular and famous places in Peru, such as Cuzco and Machu Pichu.  It’s the port of entry,  after which most visitors fly off to all the other more known destinations.

Perhaps one of the reasons for this is the weather.  It is terrible!  Why the heck did the Peruvian forefathers position the capital in this exact spot?  Given that you're slightly below the equator, you would imagine the climate to be tropical.  Far from it!  For the whole time we were there, there was a thick low cloud cover over the capital.  And from what I hear, the cloud cover doesn't disappear for more than 6 months of the year, their entire fall and winter.  Due to that you get lower temperatures, for some geographic reason no wind and a very humid and somewhat depressing greyish air.  While I’m told that if you go a few hundred kilometres further north or south, the coastline does not get this persistent cloud cover.  In fact, you would find only sunshine.

So how about moving the capital then!

 

Centro Historico:

> Saint Francis Monastery:  a beautiful church and monastery from 1774, with some amazing art work. One being a very large mural of the Last Supper, with some minor variations.  The table in this painting is round, and the food being eaten is typically Peruvian.  It's an amazing interpretation of the da Vinci classic, in what used to be the heavily ornate dining room of the Franciscan monks.  There is also a wonderful library that looks straight out of a Hollywood set, with books dating back to 1840.  The grand finale of the tour are the catacombs which are below the entire monastery.  This used to be a public cemetery where 25,000 (perhaps even more) people have been buried.  There are pits and pits full of bones and skulls.  The perception was that if you were buried here you were closer to god.  I guess that gives you direct access to the heavens.

> Plaza Mayor / Plaza de Armas

> Cathedral

> Plaza San Martin

> Jiron de la Union - pedestrian street linking Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin

 

RESTAURANT:

> La Rosa Nautica:  we could see it from the window of our hotel room.  There it was, at the bottom of the cliff, the pier mysteriously jutting out into the rough sea, with waves smashing into the coastline and surf boys trying to ride each crest.  We had an unbelievable lunch here.  Never realized till now how good Peruvian food was.  The star dish being ceviche (various seafood marinated in lemon juice, with various herbs and spices added), a main dish consisting of an unknown yet delicious fish, ending with a chocolate soufle to die for.  All accompanied by a bottle of great Chilean white wine.  A meal and location that won't be soon forgotten.

 

HOTEL:

> Miraflores Park Hotel:  located right on the cliff in the beautiful and affluent Miraflores district of Lima, this Orient Express Hotel has a grand and spacious feel to it, even though the exterior is very modern.  Make sure you get a room facing the sea ... beautiful and very open view.  We even had a dry sauna in our room, which we never used!  I wonder who does?

The Arch of St Louis!

I've been waiting nearly 30 years to see it.  And here I am today, standing underneath it.  And you know what?  It's impressive.  In today's world of overdone, its simplicity attracts me.  The stainless steel arch which at its apex reaches 192 m, positioned right next to the Mississippi river, represents the Gateway to the West.  Its dedicated to the pioneer spirit of all the men and women that started moving West in search of new opportunities.  It was designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen, who I later found out, also designed the iconic TWA terminal at JFK Airport and Dulles Airport in Washington, DC.

The reason I say I waited 30 years to see it is that when I was in high school what was then Yugoslavia, we learnt about the Arch.  Saw pictures of it.  I admired it for it looked like it was jetting into the sky, which is where I wanted to be.  The St Louis Arch was being referred to in my textbooks as the symbol of the US, way before I was made aware of the Statue of Liberty, Mt Rushmore or even the Empire State building.  Thus for me, from my very early days on, the Arch has always represented everything American.  So I was extra excited to finally see it.

We're in St Louis for our annual ASAE conference, which is always great fun combined with great learning.  But besides the Arch and all the parties, what else am I to see here?  We asked our waitress on the eve of our arrival, as we were having a great fusion dinner on Washington Street, and she said ... there's not much more!  We have a metro line, she quipped.

Well, after nearly a week here, I know there is more.  There are the beautiful City Gardens right downtown, a sculpture park spanning several blocks.  Of course, St Louis is the home of Anheuser Busch.  Yes, the Bud lives here.  There is a wonderful brewing museum showcasing the long history of this American icon.  And the Missouri Botanical Gardens are gorgeous and not to be missed.  Not to forget, you can of course go into the Arch and right to the top, for a grand view of downtown St Louis.

Yet, where is everybody?  As I walk the downtown grid I'm yet to bump into any larger groups of people.  And the streets are void of cars.  It's like everyone left for their summer vacations.  This is when you realize there is an underlying problem in this city.  The downtown is quintessentially a business centre with no residential towers.  Which means that no one lives here, making the streets very empty after office hours and during the weekend.  Plus, it’s noticeable that the economy is not doing that well here and hasn’t for quite some time.  A lot of the commercial buildings are indeed empty.

This aside, I’ve been completely surprised by St Louis.  I must say that I really had no expectations when I came here.  The downtown has some great architecture, the buildings have been renovated, the city is very clean and green and there’s actually a lot to do for such a ‘small’ city.  Just in terms of blues bars, you have more than 80 options.  After all, this is where Tina Turner grew up and met Ike Turner in one of the local bars.  Music runs in the blood of this city.

And then there are the people.  It’s true, the midwesterners are by far the most friendly people in the US.  Chatty friendly which I love :-)  How ya doin?

The economy may be faltering in Missouri, however, the midwestern hospitality is full of spirit and very much alive.

It's damn hot outside!

The dashboard says 109 degrees Fahrenheit!

It actually went to 112, but unfortunately I can't be taking photos of the dashboard while driving to prove that it was scorching in the Arizona desert.

We were driving up to the summit of Mt. Lemon, 9157 feet (2,800 meters) above the beautiful city of Tucson.  We had rented a black convertible Ford Mustang with a beige leather interior, however, it was just to damn hot to keep the top down.  Should have just rented an ordinary sedan!

Believe it or not, Summerhaven, which is at the end of the 30 mile drive up the barren mountain, is actually a ski resort.  Given that you could have fried an egg on the hood of the car, I was incredulous that we had arrived to an actual ski resort!   And although due to the altitude, it had cooled down somewhat, it was still hot!

There it was, a ski lift that was going to take us to the apex of Mt. Lemmon from where we had an amazing panoramic view of all of Tucson below.  Way below.  The ski lift operator told us that on average you have two solid months of skiing every winter, which is more than I expected.  I thought he was going to say two solid days!

Driving back in the early evening, we finally decided to put the top down since it had somewhat 'cooled' off.  The azure blue sky above, the desert landscape surrounding us, easy listening radio station playing its tunes.

It was a great day!