Jungle Tour - Rurrenabaque

Jungle Tour, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

I took 45 mins flight from La Paz to Rurrenabaque and from winter to summer. Also, I have a new hair cut for my 3D2N Jungle tour in Amazon rainforest.

I went by boat for 3 hour and reached the campsite. It has no electric and no water for shower. We walked in the jungle when it is raining and my camera get wet!

The guide show us many interesting things in the jungle,

- Garlic taste wood
- Milk tree
- Rubber tree
- Put color on face using fruit
- Eat ant
- Wood for curing Malaria
- Seed for Necklace

And, I like the insect inside the jungle!

La Paz

La Paz, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Highest capital of the world (3660M), it shapes like a bowl where the city centre is in the central lower part.

On the way to La Paz, I met a Korean girl. She is so young but have been so many places. I am really admired her.

There is a Witches Market in La Paz and they sell herbs and some dried animal body. Quite strange.

Copacabana

Copacabana, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Welcome to Bolivia! Copacabana is a little town beside the Lake Titicaca. My original plan is going to the Island of the Sun, but now I prefer to relax for a while.

In front of the Church, there is a very interesting event, blessing of automobiles. People will use flowers, banner and wine for the blessing.

And, walking on the lakeside is very nice!

Lake Titicaca

IMG_6497, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Lake Titicaca (3820M) is the highest navigable lake in the world, while it is also South America's biggest Lake and the largest lake in the world above 2000M.

Here, you feel the sky is so close and the lake is just like an Ocean.

I stayed overnight in Amantani Island with a local family. Their life is pretty basic, no TV and firing wood for cooking. During the night, I dressed in their traditional clothing and dance.

The next day, I visited Taquile Island which is famous for their tradition of weaving. After, 3 hours boat trip back to Puno, my stay besides the Lake Titicaca.

Floating Islands

DSCN0276, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

On the Lake Titicaca, there are floating islands made by many layers of reeds. The Uros people live there and use reeds to make their homes and boats.

The floating Island is soft when you stepped on it, just like carpet.

And they need to fasten the Island to avoid them floating away.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

You know, I am a student. So, my fried helped me to get my student card in Bangkok. Why Bangkok? It is cheaper adn no certificate is required.

The card have saved me money when entering museum, church, sometimes even bus ticket.

The ticket of Machu Picchu is 120 soles (HKD300) for adult and half price for student.

I have no problem to get the student ticket but I stopped at the entrance checkpoint. She examine my card very carefully adn she told me that my card is fake.

So, I paid the adult fare.

Machu Picchu is more beautiful than the photos and I think its uniqueness is the location. Right up on the hill top and the whole Inca city was built on the nature landscape. Awesome!

This also make me want to go to Beijing to see the Great Wall again. May be I will appreciate it more than before.

Cuy ?

Cuy - well done, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Tonight, I have ordered a typical Peruvian dish, baked Guinea Pig served with stuffed chili pepper. To be honest, I was a little bit scary when they served the dish like roasted piggy in HK restaurant.

When I cut it into four pieces and try to hld its leg to put it into my mouth. I still felt odd.

So, I just tried to finish it asap. It tasted like chicken.

And, I have also upload some city photos of Cuzco in my photos.

P.S. The spanish word "Cuy" means "Guinea Pig".

The Sacred Valley

Ollantaytambo, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

It´s my first rainy day in South American and it is cold. Today is also the election day of Peru, every citizen must vote or 300 soles (USD 100) will be fined.

The Sacred Valley is a beautiful valley which hosts Inca ruins of Pisac and Ollanaytambo.

There is a Sunday Market in Pisac (market again! ) and an Inca religious place, Intihuatana. The tour guide said that it is easy to distinguish whether the place is for living or religious purpose in Inca times. Only the religious place will use the polished stone which is perfectly fit with each other. For living houses or other purposes, you will observe that the stone is not polished.

Ollantaytambo have an Inca fortress which on the hill of the other side, you can find a face. Check them out!

Cuzco

Sacsayhuaman, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

This is another 10 hour night bus to Cuzco from Arequipa.

Cuzco (3326M), is the gateway to Machu Picchu. So, lots of tourists, shops, hostels and restaurants.

I visited four Inca ruins during the day with a guy from Ecuador. At first, we tried to walk but we cannot catch our breath due to the attitude. So, after Sacsayhuaman, we took taxi and mini-bus instead.

Sacsayhuaman, sound like "Sexy Woman". It was built by huge stone which one of them weighs over 300 tons. It is zigzag shape and the stone fits each other perfectly.

Tambo Machay, a small ruin channeling water from hills.

Puca Pucara, a small fort.

Qenko, has zigzagging channels which may have been used for the sacrifice of blood.

I´m so tired! Better go to bed now!

Colca Canyon

Wild Andrean Condor, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

The local tour started from Arequipa (2300M height), the van climbed up to 3900M and we saw animals that are unique in South America. Their hair are used to make cloths like wool.

Vicuna, protected wild animals in National Reserve. Best quality hair
Alpaca, second best hair quality and their meat is also served for meals. (My lunch!)
Llama, with longer neck. Their hair is not very good fibre.

(see what they look like in my photos)

Before lunch, we reach viewpoint at 4910M. The highest point that I reached, but by van, not by foot. The view is nothing special.

Tour guide said that taking CoCa leaves will help to ease the attitude reaction. So, take a cup!

Chivay (3681M) is a little town which we stayed overnight. I also enjoy hot springs there. Cool!

Early morning, we went to see that Wild Andrean Condor which is the largest flying bird. Actually, they don´t fly but just slide with the wind.

The Condor is found in the Colca Canyon, which is one of the world´s deepest canyons (3191M). But the view is so-so.

Arequipa

Monasterio de Santa Cataline, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Another 9 hour overnight bus, I relaxed in the hostel this morning, enjoy the sunshine in Arequipa where is approx. 2,400 meter above sea level.

Monasterio de Santa Cataline is the place I visited after my 3 soles (HK$7.5) set lunch. The church is surrounded by high wall adn inside have lived nuns who never go outside of the church. You will find kitchen, laundry place, medical room, and lots of different bedrooms, just like a little city.

The Cathedral besides Plaza de Armas, which every city has these combo, looks pretty nice. May be the sky is blue! Not like Lima, always cloudy. The Cathedral is built using light colored volcanic rock called sillar which is unique in Arequipa. May be this is another reason.

Nazca Lines

Astronaut, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

I took the plane to see the Nazca Lines. Each plane takes 5 passengers and the small aircraft bank left and right for each one have views. The whole flight took 30 mins and I saw more than 10 figures.

Check my photos and you may click "All sizes" to view the original pics as some figures are hard to see. Sorry, no photoshop available here!

My Bus ride

Luxury Bus, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Cruz Del Sur is the company which I used in Peru. The bus you see is the luxury class which has air condition, bus attendant to serve meals, foot rest and rclinable seat.

They have check-in counter for your luggage and passport checking before boarding. And they take video for each passenger before departure just like China for security reason.

Lima

Museo de la Nacion, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Lima is the capital of Peru and usually big city is not very interesting.

I got here by 10 hour overnight bus from Trujillo and I went directly to sightseeing after dropping my backpack.

The first museum is Museo de la Nacion, which is about Peru´s pre-historic civilization, i.e. before the Spanish came here. This is the only museum where photo is allowed. So, all you can see in my photos is from here and up to this point.

The second one is Gold Museum which is very expensive for the ticket. But, I don´t really feel anything after seeing the gold pieces of Inca.

The Monasterio de San Francisco is really wonderful. It has old library since 17 century. Again, no photo but please go to Google images and search for "San Francisco library Lima". I guess you may saw it in some scenes in the Hollywood movie.

The underground of the church is catacomb, which has contain thousands of skills and bones, serving as a burial-place until 1808. And, try to do the images search with "San Francisco catacomb".

Huanchaco

Huanchaco, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

The fishing village which is famous for the cigar-shaped reed boats. Fishermen paddle out and surf back to the beach with their catch.

Chan Chan

Chan Chan, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

The largest mud-brick city in the world which was built around AD 1300. This is the reason why I come to Trujillo. The city of Chan Chan is quite impressive, but most of it have been rebuilt recently to restore the original look. So, just don´t feel that real. You know!?

Huaca de la Luna

Huaca de la Luna, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

The Moche Pyramids of the Moon, 1500 years old temple. The new temple was built on the top of the old ones, likes forming a new layer on the old temple. They now found out that these are 7 layers in moon temple. The archaelogists are peeling away the layers to see the inner structure.

All the building material is mud, and how can they lasted for that long!?

And, I saw Perurian hairless dog and they are very friendly.

Trujillo

Trujillo, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

After 18 hours bus ride, I came to Trujillo of Peru finally at 5:00 in the morning. I waited in the bus station for 1.5 hour and then search for my hotel. Here you see the photo above. Quite Cool!

I will stay here for two day and catch another night bus to Lima, 10 hour! The bus ride is not bad, they got toilet inside the bus adn even have meals in the bus served by bus attendent, as in the plane.

This is Galapagos!

IMG_5899, originally uploaded by Tak from HK.

Perhaps, this is the only place that you can be so close to the wildlife. I swan with the sea lions, walking on the lava, taking lots of pics of tortoise, iguanas, blue foot boobies.

I went to different islands in eight days. Even though the engine of the ship broken down and we wasted one day, there are still lots to see.

Check the pics adn you will see how wonderful Galapagos is!