Mark's 4 Cuys with Potato and Salad
Hola everyone,
Have now traded the high mountains and rolling greens of Ecuador foranother new
landscape again here in Peru, I havent seen a blade of grass in 2weeks, but
really love it here. The deserts are really amazing, similar to aStar Wars
planet with huge dunes and mountains thrown in as backdrop.
Seems civilisation in Peru is as old as it s mountains, with ruined cities,
desert tombs, and mummified bodies scattered all over from past civilisations.
The ruined city of Chan Chan in Trujillo was excellentto see, with kilometers of
mud brick walls which once formed temples forthe hob nobs of times past to sing,
dance and bury the dead........ well, something like that, cause thanks to the
looters, and the Spanish among others, no one really knows much about it at all.
But it still looks impressive even if it all falls down to ones own
imaginations.
The capital city Lima was touted as a total dive of a place, but upon arrival
there, we were surprised to find a great city that trapped usfor 3 days and
could easily slot in beside the grandatures of Europe. Alsobumped into our Pommy
travel buddies James, Alex and Andrea in the hotel, reaffirming our team of 5
that we had in Ecuador. Our hotel was a little obscure, a 3 story place with a
mummified baby in a glass case in the hallway, marble Roman busts on all floors,
a roof top terrace cafe hometo macaw parrots, one huge turtle crawling around on
the concrete, and iguanas scuffled on branches overhead, randomly shitting on
the guests eatingtheir breakfasts. The meals they served were a little
suspicious looking too,and will also mention the old turtle went missing from
the roof on the first day.
Spent 3 days of cruising the city, having a great time while fightinga stomach
bug, and having 6 taxi drivers driving us all over town, showingoff their city
in very proud fashion. Such a friendly bunch they are in Peru. Headed Sth from
Lima with Lisa and the Poms to Pisco, a place where the famous Pisco sour is
served in strong doses. 2 glasses of this strong tequilla lime concoction, it
was lights out for the night, all of us sleeping like dead men. Took a boat the
next day to a small rocky island, home to 10 penguins, several bird species, and
1000 smelly seals, hugepacks of female seals beside their gigantic bulls which
produce the most horrible noises I ve head this side of hell, also the smells
werent helping our hangovers either, but an excellent time had.
Further south to Ica, still in magic desert sceneries, we came to Ica, home to
an awesome desert oasis lake with a few restaurants and hotelswith essential
swimming pool, all surrounded 360 deg with huge desert sanddunes. Surfing the
huge dunes is a favorite patime of the locals, and beforelong we hit the dunes
also, flying out of control down the slopes, endingin huge getoffs and face
plants, with sand finding every orrifice on our bodies, ears and mouths
included. Brilliant fun. We all climbed the 100m highdune for sunset one
evening, washed down with some red and white wine, overlooking the amazing
horizon of endless desert dunes on one side,Andes mountains on the other, with
the warm wind in our faces, magic!! Thenin near darkness, we sailed flat out
down the face of the largest dune,almost ending up on the concrete court in the
middle of the locals soccer game.
From the Ica oasis we bused 3hrs sth to Nazca, were we took a flightin a trusty
old 6 seater plane for a 30 minute joy flight over the desert,to get a birseye
view of the famous Nazca lines, which are giant shapes of birds, hands, monkeys,
and trees drawn into the flat desert floor some 1500years ago. The shapes still
baffle experts of their creation, like most ofpre Inca Peru, and were really
amazing. I recon with a liitle more desert scratching, there s gotta be an
ancient Kent set stashed under a rockthere somewhere, complete with stainless
compasses, protractors and shatterproof rulers. Our tour guide Ronald and his
brother were really nice guys, drivingthe 5 of us all over town in a classic
beat up huge blue Impala, which leaned wildly to one side, true Cheech and Chong
fashion indeed. Loved it!
Took a long overnight bus ride in a ultra stuffy bus ride to Arequippa,and it
was time to match James in partaking in the 'Cuy Challenge! (Cuy is spanish for
Guinea pig) Lisa and dutchman Bartwere in also, and we found ourselves locked in
a huge 15minute bidding war between 3 restaurants in the square fighting for our
custom, all offereng free drinks with the discouted Cuy dinners!! Soon enough, 4
of us had4 fried guinea pigs in front of us, complete with the little heads,
wideopen mouth, and claws pointed vertically in dead bird fashion. Vegitarians
Alex and Andrea looked on very concerned, as we slowly devoured our local
delicacies, slowly crunching and chewing at first, before finally grabbing the
hampsters buy hand and finishing them of KFC style. Despite being way too fiddly
to knock of the chicken as fast food, they did taste good being fat free after
all. To top off the laughs, sick man Jameseven took a claw home in his pocket to
post to a mate back in England.
Hope all is tasty in you pastures too,
Mark.