Buenos Aires

Had a wonderful day out today with a visit to an estancia (ranch) in the Pampas. Before we got to the estancia we visited San Antonio de Areco, a small museum in the town square and the church.

At the ranch we all rode with the gauchos around the fields

The ranch was very pretty and after our ride we had a drink and empanada, listening to the chatter of the green parrots.

We watched one of the gaucho’s demonstrate how they tame the horses.

Then a barbecue lunch with endless meat and some local wine

After lunch we listened to some local musicians and dancers, then joined in!!!

Buenos Aires

Took a tour around the city, BA is certainly a beautiful place with avenue upon avenue of lovely buildings. In Plaza de Mayo were many of the government buildings and cathedral. We were just in time to see the changing of the guard at the cathedral.

The Cathedral

Government House, Madonna sang “Don’t Cry for me Argentina” from the balcony

This is a memorial to all those who lost loved ones to Covid

We then drove to La Boca district, famous for its football team Boca Juniors. The area is very colourful and Maradona seems to be more famous than Eva Peron.

More impressive buildings

Our final stop was to Recoleta Cemetery full of impressive tombs, including the final resting place of Eva Peron

Then back to the hotel where we had a drink and cake to celebrate the birthday of one of the group.

Tonight we went to a dinner and tango show. It was wonderful, the dancers, costumes and music were all spectacular.

La Paz to Buenos Aires

Left La Paz very early morning to catch a plane to Santa Cruz then onto Buenos Aires. There are no direct flights on account of the high altitude, if you have a full plane you cannot take off with a full tank, you also need a longer than normal runway.

Altitude has affected us all a little but with the help of the coca tea and coca sweets and not too much alcohol or caffeine we have survived.

Our guide was telling us some high altitude facts – it takes a kettle longer to boil, a cake longer to cook in the oven, one alcohol drink feels like three, and one step feels like three. You certainly slow down and run out of puff!

So now we have arrived in Buenos Aires, so different to Lima and La Paz.  BA already seems so much more sophisticated, looking forward to seeing more tomorrow. Here for three nights so quite a luxury.

Some shots of the area around the hotel

Three nights at the Alvear Art Hotel in the Retiro district.

Lake Titicaca to La Paz

This morning we travelled by hydrofoil and motorboat to the floating islands of Uros. The lake has many floating islands which are made from the totora reed which they compress into rigid structures. They also build their homes and boats from the reeds.

We then headed for La Paz, and stopped for a shot of the sprawling city, it was quite a sight

We slowly made our way to the cable car station. The people of La Paz treat the cable car as their transport to work and there are a number of lines connecting places.  It is the most sophisticated cable car network in the world.

Then onto the main square with the old and new government building and cathedral

Through the nightmare traffic to the Witches Market. The Bolivian people are very superstitious and here you can get amulets, llama  foetuses, or a potion for just about anything.

Our last stop for the day was Valle de la Luna, so named because the landscape resembles the surface of the moon

After a long day we arrived at our hotel, the Atix, a lovely modern hotel with lots of original art. On the move early tomorrow

Same view as above but at night

Puno to Huatajata

Very early start this morning to catch the sunrise over Lake Titicaca, then back on board the train for breakfast.

Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake and covers 3,000 square miles and links Peru to Bolivia.

After breakfast we said goodbye to the Andean Explorer and the wonderful staff and set off to Lake Titicaca, we had a quick coffee break then made our way to the Peru/Bolivia border.

We had a lunch stop at Copacabana, not the Brazilian beach, but the original one nestled on the shore of the lake.  Some beautiful views of the lake and the antiplano. We had a quick stop to see the very pretty church.

Some special views of the lake and the mountains and we crossed the lake in a motor boat and finally reached the Inca Utama hotel which sits on the edge of the shore

After dinner we visited two of the hotel’s museums, the first museum was dedicated to the shaman healers and their traditions and medicines. A shaman then performed a ceremony to wish us safe travels.

Secondly we went into a building with a thatched roof and watched a short video of the stars and constellations, the room then went pitch black and the roof pulled back revealing the night sky, the moon and stars looked so clear because of the altitude and lack of light pollution. We all had the opportunity of viewing the moon through a giant telescope

Cuzco to Puno

Today we board the Belmond Andean Explorer overnight to Puno

We had a lovely lunch made up of small plates accompanied, of course, by a Pisco Sour and with a guitarist playing music, some of which we sang along to

The train stopped for us to visit a pre Inca site called Raqchi which was very interesting

There was also a very pretty church nearby

The train stopped again for us to take some photos of the glacier topped mountains and the sun going down

Back on the train and a quick change before cocktails and dinner, then to bed.

Cuzco

Our hotel is an old 18th century mansion with modern additions, built around a lovely courtyard

Our first visit today was to Santo Domingo Monastery built in the 17th century on the foundations of the Incan Koricancha Temple of the Sun

Then onto the Cathedral in Plaza de Armas, sadly no photos allowed but a very impressive building with an altar made from solid silver.

Lastly we visited the Convent of Santa Catalina which gave a real insight into the life of the nuns and the beautiful embroidered works they created.

Machu Picchu to Cuzco

Early morning walk around the jungle like gardens of this amazing hotel to catch some of the birds and butterflies

Walk around the village of Aguas Calientes,   with the river running through the centre and monuments, sculptures at every turn, as well as more beautiful flowers

Left Aguas Calientes on the Vistadome train, where the devil danced up the carriage and we then had a fashion show of beautiful alpaca clothing.

Late check in at Casa Andina Cusco

Machu Picchu

Another early morning but the sun coming up over the mountains and the hotel gardens were lovely.

Our first visit today was to a traditional Inka house, where they kept the guinea pigs – a national dish in Peru.

We then took the Vistadome train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu village, a quite spectacular journey through the mountains, some snow capped, the torrential rivers and amazing vegetation.

The highlight of the day was our visit to Machu Picchu, and whilst waiting for the bus to zigzag us up to the entrance the heavens opened and we had torrential rain. Fortunately by the time we arrived the rain had eased and we walked to the highest viewing point.

The steps were steep and uneven and pretty treacherous in places! It was all worth it, what an amazing place. Machu Picchu is one of the new seven Wonders of the World a truly spectacular Incan citadel at 2380m and situated between two mountain peaks.

Our hotel for the night is Inkaterra MP Pueblo set amidst beautiful tropical gardens, my bed for the night not too shabby either

Lima to Cuzco

Leaving Lima and its tree lined avenues, misty mornings and mad drivers for  Cuzco.

Cuzco the ancient capital of the Inca empire. On route to the Sacred Valley we first stopped to see llamas and alpacas and a demonstration of weaving and how they spin the alpaca wool and dye it the most wonderful colours with natural dyes.

Our next stop was to Chinchero where we were 3700 metres altitude and I could really feel it. Amazing views over the valley. It has a well preserved Inca wall. Most of the roofs in the village have two bulls with a cross, which is to bring good luck.

The tour continued onto Ollantaytambo, a small town built around a preserved Inca fortress. The ruins include temples which reveal amazing masonry skills. We all walked to the Sun Temple at the top of the ruins reached by many, many treacherous steps.

Staying the night at Casa Andina, Valley Sagrado, on the move again tomorrow.