Thursday 16 Feb 2012 Ollantaytambo
After a basic breakfast our next guide ¨Julie¨ from Cuzco arrived at 0830. The private car drove us to the Ollantaytambo ruins, which we climbed and we had a full historical coverage from Julie. Here we were climbing at heights well of 3500 meters and it was heartening to see that even our guide was puffing a little at this altitude. However Malcolm and I both managed well and although feeling stuffy and sometimes light headed we had no troubles. All of our time in Peru and Bolivia was at an altitude of over 10,000 feet. In the ruins we were once again awe struck by the craftsman ship and size of stone blocks moved by hand up steep mountain sides. Julie pointed out the quarry high up on the mountain across the valley and the sloping roadway prepared for bringing up the stones. After Ollantaytambo we stopped at Chinchero (3762m) where we had a display of weaving by a local lady. I once again felt that I should support the local economy and purchased two handmade table runners. Each piece takes one month to weave. When I paid I gave the lady an extra $10 and she almost cried and hugged me, followed by a kiss on the cheek. Julie once again said to me ¨thank you for helping my people¨. The Inca descendents really are beautiful and warm people and you can´t but feel that you want to reach out to them. Then it was on to Pisac markets in the large tourist town of Pisac. There is a level of discontent here from the farmers because their market has become a tourist hub and obviously affecting their trade of fresh produce. Julie took us to a silver smith and shop as Malcolm and I are both a bit over the market scene by now. Here we watched the raw silver being turned into the lovely jewllery set with stones. Lunch was at an old Hacienda which was converted into a very swanky tourist restaurant where we sat on the veranda and listened to Inca music played on the pan pipes. As we were about to leave we were treated to a Llama giving birth, with the assistance of the staff. I was later told that it is very good luck to witness a Llama birth. On the way back to Cuzco we passed through verdant valleys overshadowed by the Andes mountain range. In Qenqo we visited a sacred site and the sacrificial stone table used for Llama and possible human sacrifices where the heart was cut from the living body and sacrificed to the gods. People with cleft palates, children and virgins were the primary human sacrifice. When Julie dropped us off at the hotel she gave us a big hug and thanked us. When I gave her a tip she thanked us for caring for her people again. When we were settled into the Cuzco hotel again we collected our heavy luggage which had been there for two days and then walked to a local restaurant for a spagetti dinner. This evening Malcolm did our clothes washing in the bath. To bed at 21:00 tonight.
Friday 24 February 2012
Wednesday 15 Feb 2012 Machu Picchu
Up at 04:00 again for a 05:30 pickup by our guide Augustine who was waiting at the front desk. We walked into town in a light drizzle, which thankfully cleared up before we reached the mountain top. In town we boarded a medium size bus which departed as soon as the seats were filled and took us up the switch back road on the side of a very steep mountain to the entrance gates for Machu Picchu at 2400m. Passing other busses was extremely tight and often the wheels were within less then half a meter of the precipice. At the entrance we thought that we´d lost our guide who also had all our tickets, but he was in the toilet for about 15 minutes although it seemed much longer then that. Augustines knowledge of Machu Picchu was great and the three hour tour and explanations were outstanding. After our guide departed we were free to fill in our time and settled for a cold drink and some local dried fruit before returning back to the village below. We could have stayed all day but the tourists were out in force by now as opposed to when we arrived at 06:20 when there was no one on the mountain. It is difficult to explain the beautie of this small city with it´s wonderous stone work and views across the mountains and one has to ask ¨how did the Incas do this¨. Words can´t explain but my photos tell the story. It would be very easy to stay here longer and be taken up into the Inca culture which still lives on in the peoples of Peru. In Aquas Calientes Malcolm and I wandered the street and took photos of the flooded river. We had a nice meal in a small restaurant next to the railway line. The train here runs through the middle of town and people are always walking across it or kids playing on it. From our table to the train there were perhaps 2 or 3 meters and no fences. Back at the hotel there was sufficient time to have shower and drink in preparation for the next train journey. The journey to Ollantaytambo was pleasant and we were met at the station by our next guide who took us to the Hotel Pakaritampu. The hotel is set in beautiful gardens and overlooks the Inca ruins on the surrounding mountains. Regretably this hotel also had the worst staff and quality of meals. Early to bed tonight as we were both worn out.
Up at 04:00 again for a 05:30 pickup by our guide Augustine who was waiting at the front desk. We walked into town in a light drizzle, which thankfully cleared up before we reached the mountain top. In town we boarded a medium size bus which departed as soon as the seats were filled and took us up the switch back road on the side of a very steep mountain to the entrance gates for Machu Picchu at 2400m. Passing other busses was extremely tight and often the wheels were within less then half a meter of the precipice. At the entrance we thought that we´d lost our guide who also had all our tickets, but he was in the toilet for about 15 minutes although it seemed much longer then that. Augustines knowledge of Machu Picchu was great and the three hour tour and explanations were outstanding. After our guide departed we were free to fill in our time and settled for a cold drink and some local dried fruit before returning back to the village below. We could have stayed all day but the tourists were out in force by now as opposed to when we arrived at 06:20 when there was no one on the mountain. It is difficult to explain the beautie of this small city with it´s wonderous stone work and views across the mountains and one has to ask ¨how did the Incas do this¨. Words can´t explain but my photos tell the story. It would be very easy to stay here longer and be taken up into the Inca culture which still lives on in the peoples of Peru. In Aquas Calientes Malcolm and I wandered the street and took photos of the flooded river. We had a nice meal in a small restaurant next to the railway line. The train here runs through the middle of town and people are always walking across it or kids playing on it. From our table to the train there were perhaps 2 or 3 meters and no fences. Back at the hotel there was sufficient time to have shower and drink in preparation for the next train journey. The journey to Ollantaytambo was pleasant and we were met at the station by our next guide who took us to the Hotel Pakaritampu. The hotel is set in beautiful gardens and overlooks the Inca ruins on the surrounding mountains. Regretably this hotel also had the worst staff and quality of meals. Early to bed tonight as we were both worn out.
Tuesday 14 Feb 2012 Valentines Day & Aguas Calientes
Up at 04:00 for a 05:00 departure by bus to the Cuzco railway station. An interesting day was to unfold as the railway line to Machue Picchu and Poroy was blocked by landslides after extremely heavy rain falls. The train was supposed to leave at 07:40 but in the end we had to take a bus at 08:30 which delivered us to a station near Ollantaytambo at 09:50. The countryside is magnificent with massive mountains rising to 6000m+ and covered in snow. At Ollantaytambo we waited in a small restaurant so we didn´t have to stand outside until 13:25 before we finally knew if our train was running that day. There was a lot of grumbling from many travellers and some decided to return to Cuzco, however our patience paid off. While we waited we befriended a Brazillian and his daughter and chatted away the hours with them. The train trip was well worth the wait and in clear weather, but was partially spoilt by an East European traveller who believed that he was the only person entitled to stand near the front window to take photos. Then to add to the annoyance there was a group of Japanese tourists who did not stop chattering like a flock of birds for the entire time and their guide who thought that the entire carriage was interested in his Japanese rhetoric. The railwayline followed the flooded river, which is a tributary/ or begining of the Amazon, and provided magnificent views. The cliff faces rise straight out of the river and tower hundreds of meters above the valley. Arrived at Aquas Calientes (Hot Springs) at 15:10. Our hotel the Inkaterra Machu Picchu is magnificent, set in native forrest surrounds, with shop, restaurant, spas, saunas and rooms in separate bungalows to die for. This was luxury plus. During the afternoon we met a Dutch biochemist and his Thai wife who were travelling the world until September in search of a nice country to retire too. That evening i had Guinea pig for dinner. Not much meat on the little fellas, about equivalent to four slices of ham. To bed at 22:00 for big day again tomorrow.
PS I had to wish Malcolm a Happy Valentines Day from his wife Lindy!!! A bit novel. :-)
Up at 04:00 for a 05:00 departure by bus to the Cuzco railway station. An interesting day was to unfold as the railway line to Machue Picchu and Poroy was blocked by landslides after extremely heavy rain falls. The train was supposed to leave at 07:40 but in the end we had to take a bus at 08:30 which delivered us to a station near Ollantaytambo at 09:50. The countryside is magnificent with massive mountains rising to 6000m+ and covered in snow. At Ollantaytambo we waited in a small restaurant so we didn´t have to stand outside until 13:25 before we finally knew if our train was running that day. There was a lot of grumbling from many travellers and some decided to return to Cuzco, however our patience paid off. While we waited we befriended a Brazillian and his daughter and chatted away the hours with them. The train trip was well worth the wait and in clear weather, but was partially spoilt by an East European traveller who believed that he was the only person entitled to stand near the front window to take photos. Then to add to the annoyance there was a group of Japanese tourists who did not stop chattering like a flock of birds for the entire time and their guide who thought that the entire carriage was interested in his Japanese rhetoric. The railwayline followed the flooded river, which is a tributary/ or begining of the Amazon, and provided magnificent views. The cliff faces rise straight out of the river and tower hundreds of meters above the valley. Arrived at Aquas Calientes (Hot Springs) at 15:10. Our hotel the Inkaterra Machu Picchu is magnificent, set in native forrest surrounds, with shop, restaurant, spas, saunas and rooms in separate bungalows to die for. This was luxury plus. During the afternoon we met a Dutch biochemist and his Thai wife who were travelling the world until September in search of a nice country to retire too. That evening i had Guinea pig for dinner. Not much meat on the little fellas, about equivalent to four slices of ham. To bed at 22:00 for big day again tomorrow.
PS I had to wish Malcolm a Happy Valentines Day from his wife Lindy!!! A bit novel. :-)
Monday 13 feb 2012 Cuzco
A big day today starting at 0900 with Julie our guide who drove us around the main parts of the centre of Cuzco, after our visit to the temple of the Sun which is enclosed within a Catholic church. The church used the Inca buildings for its priests and other activities. The stone work in the Inca buildings is amazing and perfect and could teach our building industry a lot when it comes to perfect quality and care to detail. It is not possible to slide a piece of paper between the stones and some of these weigh many tonnes. Apparently there are not many Spanish who visit the old Inca sites because they are embarrassed by the way their nation plundered and destroyed this culture. There is a sprinkling of Aussies, Germans, plenty of Americans but also Canadians and other Europeans who come here. Next we visited a family business of Alpaca weavers where I bought a ladies scarf made from baby Alpaca wool and a beanie for myself. As on all holidays there is always another ancient and interesting cathedral and adjoining church to visit. The wood carvings and oil paintings are quite magnificent and reflect strongly the intertwining of the catholic and Inca religions. This is very similar to the early Christians adopting Roman calendar dates for special events and thereby combining a pagan and Christian religions into one. We drove out to the massive Inca ruins of SACSAYWAMAN also referred to as ¨Sexy Woman¨, which are believed to have been a religious centre but no one knows for certain. The blocks of stone used here weigh up to 200 ton. The weather today finally caught up with us and continuous rain made made any further outdoor activities unpleasant so we returned to our hotel at 12:30, and off to a quick lunch in a local tiny restaurant where tourists don´t go. We had mixed vegies deep fried inside a mashed potato jacket, fried rice and a coke for 18 Solis or about $6 for two people. Later our guide told us that we should not have eaten there as we could have been sick! Pamela our next guide arrived at 13:30 and took us to a local restaurant to try some free local corn beer on the promise that we would go back for a full meal later. After that we drove to a wild life park outside Cuzco where injured animals are cared for. We extremely lucky to be within the vicinity of three full grown Condors who flew so low over our heads that we had to duck down. Not many people can say that they have experienced that. I have some great photos which will follow later. Malcolm and I both donated $10 as the park is private and runs on donations. This was followed by a visit to a Llama and Alpaca farm where they breed, shear, colour and do traditional weaving of the wool before selling the finished product. We were very good this time and didn´t buy anything. Our drivers next took us to the Sacred Valley to take photos. It is a real concern that everywhere we look in Peru the gum trees are taking over. Back in Cuzco Pamela took us took a small restaurant to try the local sweet desert which is made from mashed sweet potatoes deep fried in the shape of a doughnut and doused in syrup. Tonight we packed for early departure the next day.
A big day today starting at 0900 with Julie our guide who drove us around the main parts of the centre of Cuzco, after our visit to the temple of the Sun which is enclosed within a Catholic church. The church used the Inca buildings for its priests and other activities. The stone work in the Inca buildings is amazing and perfect and could teach our building industry a lot when it comes to perfect quality and care to detail. It is not possible to slide a piece of paper between the stones and some of these weigh many tonnes. Apparently there are not many Spanish who visit the old Inca sites because they are embarrassed by the way their nation plundered and destroyed this culture. There is a sprinkling of Aussies, Germans, plenty of Americans but also Canadians and other Europeans who come here. Next we visited a family business of Alpaca weavers where I bought a ladies scarf made from baby Alpaca wool and a beanie for myself. As on all holidays there is always another ancient and interesting cathedral and adjoining church to visit. The wood carvings and oil paintings are quite magnificent and reflect strongly the intertwining of the catholic and Inca religions. This is very similar to the early Christians adopting Roman calendar dates for special events and thereby combining a pagan and Christian religions into one. We drove out to the massive Inca ruins of SACSAYWAMAN also referred to as ¨Sexy Woman¨, which are believed to have been a religious centre but no one knows for certain. The blocks of stone used here weigh up to 200 ton. The weather today finally caught up with us and continuous rain made made any further outdoor activities unpleasant so we returned to our hotel at 12:30, and off to a quick lunch in a local tiny restaurant where tourists don´t go. We had mixed vegies deep fried inside a mashed potato jacket, fried rice and a coke for 18 Solis or about $6 for two people. Later our guide told us that we should not have eaten there as we could have been sick! Pamela our next guide arrived at 13:30 and took us to a local restaurant to try some free local corn beer on the promise that we would go back for a full meal later. After that we drove to a wild life park outside Cuzco where injured animals are cared for. We extremely lucky to be within the vicinity of three full grown Condors who flew so low over our heads that we had to duck down. Not many people can say that they have experienced that. I have some great photos which will follow later. Malcolm and I both donated $10 as the park is private and runs on donations. This was followed by a visit to a Llama and Alpaca farm where they breed, shear, colour and do traditional weaving of the wool before selling the finished product. We were very good this time and didn´t buy anything. Our drivers next took us to the Sacred Valley to take photos. It is a real concern that everywhere we look in Peru the gum trees are taking over. Back in Cuzco Pamela took us took a small restaurant to try the local sweet desert which is made from mashed sweet potatoes deep fried in the shape of a doughnut and doused in syrup. Tonight we packed for early departure the next day.
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Sunday 12 February 12 Cuzco
Didn´t sleep all that well and was up at 06:30. Made Malcolm and myself a cup of Coca tea which is pretty awfull tasting stuff but supposed to help with altitude sickness. On the road again to the airport by 09:00 and with our guide, Eva, who helped us check in for the 10:30 LAN Chile flight to Cuzco. The plane arrived late and we didn´t commence boarding until 10:30 and then sat on the runway for an hour because of the heavy airport traffic, although we only saw about three planes land and take off. This is South America where everything runs to it´s own schedule and we arrived in Cuzco 1.5 hours late. But for the late arrival, American Airways could learn a lot from LAN Chile on how to run an airline and present their staff. Overall it was a very professional and slick operation from LAN. In Cuzco we were booked into the Casa Andina by 14:20. A lovely hotel close to the middle of town. Whilst I was pottering Malcolm organised a guide for the afternoon¨. Pamela arrived at 14:00 and took us for a drive through the city to see the old and the new. Our brief for the guides is always show us the real people and how they live and not the touristy stuff that everyone else goes to! Our first stop was at a local country market where only the locals go. It was amazingly clean although by Australian standards it wouldn´t pass. The people who are mostly Inca backgound are truly poor but they make a real effort and the good thing is that you don´t see beggars on the streets here, everyone works or starves. Next to the oldest part of town with narrow little climbing, winding streets. Most of the buildings here are on top of Inca stone foundations. Near the church in this section are also some art shops who produce work in the style of the 17th century, so in order to help the local economy and support the painters I purchased a couple. We visited the historical church of San Blas purported to have the most beautiful pulpit in the world and carved from local cedar by local Indian Inca craftsmen. Many of the paintings in the church were undertaken by an Inca artist who was converted to Chritianity. Walked the narrow streets by evening street lighting, visiting a tiny little shop selling souvenirs. The little girl running the shop couldn´t have been older then 8 or 9 years and lived there with her mother behind a curtain. We didn´t buy anything but gave her two dollars US which is a lot for the poor. Arrived back at the hotel at 19:00 and had dinner at the hotel which cost us US$135 which included a tip. The wine cost $40 for a bottle of Chilean Merlow. Wine is expensive here because only the rich people drink it. We were both tired because of travell and the altitude of above ten thousand feet.
Photos to follow.
Didn´t sleep all that well and was up at 06:30. Made Malcolm and myself a cup of Coca tea which is pretty awfull tasting stuff but supposed to help with altitude sickness. On the road again to the airport by 09:00 and with our guide, Eva, who helped us check in for the 10:30 LAN Chile flight to Cuzco. The plane arrived late and we didn´t commence boarding until 10:30 and then sat on the runway for an hour because of the heavy airport traffic, although we only saw about three planes land and take off. This is South America where everything runs to it´s own schedule and we arrived in Cuzco 1.5 hours late. But for the late arrival, American Airways could learn a lot from LAN Chile on how to run an airline and present their staff. Overall it was a very professional and slick operation from LAN. In Cuzco we were booked into the Casa Andina by 14:20. A lovely hotel close to the middle of town. Whilst I was pottering Malcolm organised a guide for the afternoon¨. Pamela arrived at 14:00 and took us for a drive through the city to see the old and the new. Our brief for the guides is always show us the real people and how they live and not the touristy stuff that everyone else goes to! Our first stop was at a local country market where only the locals go. It was amazingly clean although by Australian standards it wouldn´t pass. The people who are mostly Inca backgound are truly poor but they make a real effort and the good thing is that you don´t see beggars on the streets here, everyone works or starves. Next to the oldest part of town with narrow little climbing, winding streets. Most of the buildings here are on top of Inca stone foundations. Near the church in this section are also some art shops who produce work in the style of the 17th century, so in order to help the local economy and support the painters I purchased a couple. We visited the historical church of San Blas purported to have the most beautiful pulpit in the world and carved from local cedar by local Indian Inca craftsmen. Many of the paintings in the church were undertaken by an Inca artist who was converted to Chritianity. Walked the narrow streets by evening street lighting, visiting a tiny little shop selling souvenirs. The little girl running the shop couldn´t have been older then 8 or 9 years and lived there with her mother behind a curtain. We didn´t buy anything but gave her two dollars US which is a lot for the poor. Arrived back at the hotel at 19:00 and had dinner at the hotel which cost us US$135 which included a tip. The wine cost $40 for a bottle of Chilean Merlow. Wine is expensive here because only the rich people drink it. We were both tired because of travell and the altitude of above ten thousand feet.
Photos to follow.
Saturday 11 February 12 Lima
Up at 06:30 followed by a good breakfast at the hotel. Our guide Mrs Nieves and driver Hernan collected us at 09:20 and we negotiated a deal whereby they would take us around for the whole day instead of only the morning. First a visit to a small local fish and fruit market where we met the local people and then tasted the fresh produce. The Peruvians are really lovely people and very friendly. there is a real gentle kindness about them. this vist was followed by a stop at the central city markets which are huge, crowded and full of colour and local produce and goods. The local certainly display the Spanish flair for noise and drama. I know that the travel guides all say be carefull but we never had any feelings of danger and were comfortable walking amongst the locals with our guide who is university qualified in ancient history and very knowledgeable.. Next stop to see the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. The ceremony is very colourful and I would guess based on the American style of things. The band and outgoing guard were navy and indistinguishable from our uniforms. Opposite the palace is the cathedral which was build on the orders of Pizarro , the founder of Lima, in 1551. everywhere there is gold, carvings and massive religious paintings. Our guide then took us to the Convent of Santo Domingo which had at one time been a unviversity and was the second oldest university in South America. As part of our visit we climbed the bell tower from where I took some good photos. Lima is big and poverty is wide spread, but for all that the people appera content. The traffic is something else here and makes traffic in Rome seem like a childrens playground. I spoke to a local who doesn,t have a licence and wouldn´t drine in Lima. As we were descending from the tower my guide dared me to ring the massive bell which is about 2 meters across - so I did and Lima was given a nice bell chorus at some strange time in the afternoon. Being tourists Nieves also took us to see the Iglesia San Francisco church which is being restored and has many beautiful art works by Ruben and his school of painters. After a good one hour tour we drove through town to the museum which has a magnificent collection of Inca and pre-Inca culture artifacts. As we also had a lovely lunch here there was really insufficient time to see the complete collection. There was however time to see the adult collection of Inca pottery and I can tell you that there is not much that the the Incas didn´t try as they were a ¨horny bunch¨ and included their nocturnal activities in great detail in their pottery.
Photos to follow
Up at 06:30 followed by a good breakfast at the hotel. Our guide Mrs Nieves and driver Hernan collected us at 09:20 and we negotiated a deal whereby they would take us around for the whole day instead of only the morning. First a visit to a small local fish and fruit market where we met the local people and then tasted the fresh produce. The Peruvians are really lovely people and very friendly. there is a real gentle kindness about them. this vist was followed by a stop at the central city markets which are huge, crowded and full of colour and local produce and goods. The local certainly display the Spanish flair for noise and drama. I know that the travel guides all say be carefull but we never had any feelings of danger and were comfortable walking amongst the locals with our guide who is university qualified in ancient history and very knowledgeable.. Next stop to see the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. The ceremony is very colourful and I would guess based on the American style of things. The band and outgoing guard were navy and indistinguishable from our uniforms. Opposite the palace is the cathedral which was build on the orders of Pizarro , the founder of Lima, in 1551. everywhere there is gold, carvings and massive religious paintings. Our guide then took us to the Convent of Santo Domingo which had at one time been a unviversity and was the second oldest university in South America. As part of our visit we climbed the bell tower from where I took some good photos. Lima is big and poverty is wide spread, but for all that the people appera content. The traffic is something else here and makes traffic in Rome seem like a childrens playground. I spoke to a local who doesn,t have a licence and wouldn´t drine in Lima. As we were descending from the tower my guide dared me to ring the massive bell which is about 2 meters across - so I did and Lima was given a nice bell chorus at some strange time in the afternoon. Being tourists Nieves also took us to see the Iglesia San Francisco church which is being restored and has many beautiful art works by Ruben and his school of painters. After a good one hour tour we drove through town to the museum which has a magnificent collection of Inca and pre-Inca culture artifacts. As we also had a lovely lunch here there was really insufficient time to see the complete collection. There was however time to see the adult collection of Inca pottery and I can tell you that there is not much that the the Incas didn´t try as they were a ¨horny bunch¨ and included their nocturnal activities in great detail in their pottery.
Photos to follow
Saturday 18 February 2012
Monday 6 Feb 2012 Return to the UK
No more sleeping in today, out of bed at 05:45 to a quick shave and breakfast so that Andreas could drive me to Cologne Central railway station to catch the 08:41 express train to Brussels. We had enough time for a nice breakfast at home but nobody had much appetite today. Having been together for a week of travelling and then parting company again was like saying goodbye after our Camino pilgrimage walk in 2010. Andreas stayed on the station platform until the train left and he was feeling the cold as it was quite bitter outside, probably about minus eight degrees. On the train I had a single seat which was good. As part of the service we were served a continental breakfast and the two hours to Brussels past quickly whilst reading the Ben Kane book "Hannibal". Along the way the snow layer increased as we neared the coast, both sides of the channel had a good deep coverage. In Brussels I bought a new Casio watch for €45. The funny thing was that the women in the shop claimed not to understand Dutch, German or English and only spoke French, yet they are the four languages spoken on most of the trains entering Brussels! French!!!! My train departure from Brussels on the Eurostar was spot on time and two hours later I arrived at St Pancras station, London, from whence I took a taxi to Waterloo station. At Waterloo I purchased a ticket for Petersfield and had 4 minutes to catch that connection arriving an hour later in Petersfield. Malcolm came to collect me and we drove back to Pipers Hill in Eastwood where we stayed with Brian and Fiona, close friends of Malcolm and Lindy.
Tuesday 7 Feb 2012 Admin and Relaxation
Wednesday 8 Feb 2012 Visiting Petersfield and Buster Ancient Farm
Today Malcolm took me into the little town of Petersfield for a look and coffee before heading to the Butser Ancient Farm, which is celebrating it's 40th anniversary. This farm is a reconstruction of ancient Iron Age and Roman Britain buildings. The Roman building is constructed out of stone, and wattle and daub. The weather was bitter and we didn't linger too long as the wind cut through coats and light snow was falling, this however did not seem to bother the school children who were there learning about Roman mosaics. The farm has been the basis for studying ancient farming techniques and also breeds various ancient animal types such as some pig varities which have almost disappeared. On the way home we stopped at the local butcher in Waterlooville, who when he heard that we were travelling the world asked if we could photograph his red customer bag with his details on it in various parts of the world. He already had photos of an Aussie in the outback and at HMAS Cerberus with his back. All the photos are going on the wall to show that his meat is known the world over. A great marketing technique. From Waterlooville I also posted a 4kg parcel home which cost 81 pounds or $128. A similar parcel from Holland cost 32 Euro. Someone in the British post office is making money out of this. Tonight the final pack for tomorrows departure to London where we are staying with Malcolm's brother.
Thursday 9 Feb 2012 Drive to London
Pretty relaxed morning at home and departed at at 1230. The trip was fast due to light traffic on the M25. By the time that we arrived there was a lot of snow on the ground and more falling. For an easy dinner we visited a local carvery where for 5.95 pounds we had a fabulous meal and an early night as we had a very early start the next day. Weather predictions were 8 inches snow overnight.
Friday 10 Feb 2012 Heathrow, Miami and Lima
I was up at 5 AM and saw Graham (Malcolm´s brother) outside shovelling away snow and clearing the car for departure. I still had time to check my emails and found some new travel instructions for the Lima part of the tour. Our departure was slow as we had some minor problems backing the car out up an icy driveway with the three of us and our baggage but eventual we did get underway and took it slowly until reaching the M25 which was clear of ice and snow and traffic flowing freely. Arrived at Heathrow at 6.30, checked in baggage and all went well until we arrived at the British Airways lounge who did not want to recognise the reciprecal Qantas lounge entitlements. I had long winded arguement with the supervisor before we were allowed in. At 9 we made our way via the internal rail service to terminal B11 and boarded our flight. I found the seats on BA crampted and after 11 hours flying was glad of the opportunity to stretch. In Miami we were met by an American Airways representative and rushed through to our AA flight to Lima, Peru. Why anybody would fly American Airlines is beyond me. The aircraft boarding was like primary kids at the playground and the mostly male aircrew were similar to the World Championship Wrestling team. The "healthy" food we were served consisted of some fairly stale and dry bread, a packed of oversalted chips and a can of soft drink. Everything about this airline is unprofessional and in my mind they should not even be in business. I would hate to see them in an emergency. In Lima we were met by our guide Eva and driver Herman. In case you are wondering on our travels throughout South America we have private tour guides and drivers for just Malc and me. It is the only way to travel and at least we don't have to put with unpleasant travelling companions. On arrival at Lima I was stunned by the number of people at the airport at 11 at night. There are 9 million people in Lima and I recon they were all at the airport. We were taken to our hotel, the Casa private Collection Miraflores and found that they had given us a double bed because Malcolm's name on the documentation said Rose. We fixed the bed problems quickly but ran into this again later on.
Photo's will be posted later when facilities permit.
No more sleeping in today, out of bed at 05:45 to a quick shave and breakfast so that Andreas could drive me to Cologne Central railway station to catch the 08:41 express train to Brussels. We had enough time for a nice breakfast at home but nobody had much appetite today. Having been together for a week of travelling and then parting company again was like saying goodbye after our Camino pilgrimage walk in 2010. Andreas stayed on the station platform until the train left and he was feeling the cold as it was quite bitter outside, probably about minus eight degrees. On the train I had a single seat which was good. As part of the service we were served a continental breakfast and the two hours to Brussels past quickly whilst reading the Ben Kane book "Hannibal". Along the way the snow layer increased as we neared the coast, both sides of the channel had a good deep coverage. In Brussels I bought a new Casio watch for €45. The funny thing was that the women in the shop claimed not to understand Dutch, German or English and only spoke French, yet they are the four languages spoken on most of the trains entering Brussels! French!!!! My train departure from Brussels on the Eurostar was spot on time and two hours later I arrived at St Pancras station, London, from whence I took a taxi to Waterloo station. At Waterloo I purchased a ticket for Petersfield and had 4 minutes to catch that connection arriving an hour later in Petersfield. Malcolm came to collect me and we drove back to Pipers Hill in Eastwood where we stayed with Brian and Fiona, close friends of Malcolm and Lindy.
Tuesday 7 Feb 2012 Admin and Relaxation
Wednesday 8 Feb 2012 Visiting Petersfield and Buster Ancient Farm
Today Malcolm took me into the little town of Petersfield for a look and coffee before heading to the Butser Ancient Farm, which is celebrating it's 40th anniversary. This farm is a reconstruction of ancient Iron Age and Roman Britain buildings. The Roman building is constructed out of stone, and wattle and daub. The weather was bitter and we didn't linger too long as the wind cut through coats and light snow was falling, this however did not seem to bother the school children who were there learning about Roman mosaics. The farm has been the basis for studying ancient farming techniques and also breeds various ancient animal types such as some pig varities which have almost disappeared. On the way home we stopped at the local butcher in Waterlooville, who when he heard that we were travelling the world asked if we could photograph his red customer bag with his details on it in various parts of the world. He already had photos of an Aussie in the outback and at HMAS Cerberus with his back. All the photos are going on the wall to show that his meat is known the world over. A great marketing technique. From Waterlooville I also posted a 4kg parcel home which cost 81 pounds or $128. A similar parcel from Holland cost 32 Euro. Someone in the British post office is making money out of this. Tonight the final pack for tomorrows departure to London where we are staying with Malcolm's brother.
Thursday 9 Feb 2012 Drive to London
Pretty relaxed morning at home and departed at at 1230. The trip was fast due to light traffic on the M25. By the time that we arrived there was a lot of snow on the ground and more falling. For an easy dinner we visited a local carvery where for 5.95 pounds we had a fabulous meal and an early night as we had a very early start the next day. Weather predictions were 8 inches snow overnight.
Friday 10 Feb 2012 Heathrow, Miami and Lima
I was up at 5 AM and saw Graham (Malcolm´s brother) outside shovelling away snow and clearing the car for departure. I still had time to check my emails and found some new travel instructions for the Lima part of the tour. Our departure was slow as we had some minor problems backing the car out up an icy driveway with the three of us and our baggage but eventual we did get underway and took it slowly until reaching the M25 which was clear of ice and snow and traffic flowing freely. Arrived at Heathrow at 6.30, checked in baggage and all went well until we arrived at the British Airways lounge who did not want to recognise the reciprecal Qantas lounge entitlements. I had long winded arguement with the supervisor before we were allowed in. At 9 we made our way via the internal rail service to terminal B11 and boarded our flight. I found the seats on BA crampted and after 11 hours flying was glad of the opportunity to stretch. In Miami we were met by an American Airways representative and rushed through to our AA flight to Lima, Peru. Why anybody would fly American Airlines is beyond me. The aircraft boarding was like primary kids at the playground and the mostly male aircrew were similar to the World Championship Wrestling team. The "healthy" food we were served consisted of some fairly stale and dry bread, a packed of oversalted chips and a can of soft drink. Everything about this airline is unprofessional and in my mind they should not even be in business. I would hate to see them in an emergency. In Lima we were met by our guide Eva and driver Herman. In case you are wondering on our travels throughout South America we have private tour guides and drivers for just Malc and me. It is the only way to travel and at least we don't have to put with unpleasant travelling companions. On arrival at Lima I was stunned by the number of people at the airport at 11 at night. There are 9 million people in Lima and I recon they were all at the airport. We were taken to our hotel, the Casa private Collection Miraflores and found that they had given us a double bed because Malcolm's name on the documentation said Rose. We fixed the bed problems quickly but ran into this again later on.
Photo's will be posted later when facilities permit.
Monday 6 February 2012
Sunday 5 Feb 12 Return to Leverkusen for the last night
A slow start as there was no great rush to do anything. Martin wa staking me to the railway station to catch the Inter City Express (ICE) at 13:51. Today it was only a 2 hour rail trip via Frankfurt and Bonn. The countryside today was not as spectacular as that along the Rhine. Before leaving Martin produced a bottle of Oruja liqeur, the Camino drink, of which we had a rushed glass before leaving by bus for the station.
At the station in Cologne Andreas and Briggite are waiting for me.
During my absence Andreas and Brigitte have gone out and purchased a book on the Camino for me in German so that I can read and improve my German vocabulary as well as a German teddy bear.
There's always time to play on the computer, even with Briggites feet in the middle.
A slow start as there was no great rush to do anything. Martin wa staking me to the railway station to catch the Inter City Express (ICE) at 13:51. Today it was only a 2 hour rail trip via Frankfurt and Bonn. The countryside today was not as spectacular as that along the Rhine. Before leaving Martin produced a bottle of Oruja liqeur, the Camino drink, of which we had a rushed glass before leaving by bus for the station.
For the Camino Memories and good friends
Martin waiting to share a toast.
At the station in Cologne Andreas and Briggite are waiting for me.
During my absence Andreas and Brigitte have gone out and purchased a book on the Camino for me in German so that I can read and improve my German vocabulary as well as a German teddy bear.
The Last Supper
There's always time to play on the computer, even with Briggites feet in the middle.
Saturday 4 Feb 12 Stuttgart and Mercedes Museum
Out of bed at 08:30 to a hot coffee and muesli breakfast. Life at Martin's is uncomplicated and straight forward, coffee and plenty of walking. We were on the way by 10:00 to visit the Mercedes Museum, this was something that I had missed out on during my previous visit in May 2010.
Today was another cold day with the temperature not getting much over -5C during the day. The museum is a modern building designed by a Dutch architect. The motor vehicle timeline start up on the top floor with the very first 1 horse power engines and then develops to the first basic pioneer cars and motor vehicle inventions. Walking the circular path down through the different levels you also follow the development of Mercedes (Benz) and Daimler until the companies combine to combat a failing motor industry.
This museum deserves more time then I was able to give it.
On the way home Martin took me to the Stuttgart railway station which is due to be pulled down and be replaced and the 100 year old trees which are planned to be removed in the adjoining park. Protestors have set up camp and some are purched high up in trees - it most be bloody cold up there during the night or when the wind is blowing, still I tend to agree with them about the destruction of old trees.
That evening we met with Diana, Martin's friend, and had a Swabian meal of 'maultasche' in the 'Kochenbas' restaurant.
Another great day with a good friend.
Out of bed at 08:30 to a hot coffee and muesli breakfast. Life at Martin's is uncomplicated and straight forward, coffee and plenty of walking. We were on the way by 10:00 to visit the Mercedes Museum, this was something that I had missed out on during my previous visit in May 2010.
Today was another cold day with the temperature not getting much over -5C during the day. The museum is a modern building designed by a Dutch architect. The motor vehicle timeline start up on the top floor with the very first 1 horse power engines and then develops to the first basic pioneer cars and motor vehicle inventions. Walking the circular path down through the different levels you also follow the development of Mercedes (Benz) and Daimler until the companies combine to combat a failing motor industry.
Martin enjoying the fresh cool air
The First
Love the Colour
The Kaisers Transport
The Gull Wing
Beautiful Engineering
This museum deserves more time then I was able to give it.
On the way home Martin took me to the Stuttgart railway station which is due to be pulled down and be replaced and the 100 year old trees which are planned to be removed in the adjoining park. Protestors have set up camp and some are purched high up in trees - it most be bloody cold up there during the night or when the wind is blowing, still I tend to agree with them about the destruction of old trees.
If you look in the tree on the right you'll see a protestor living up there!
All that will remain of the 100 year old station is the tower.
That evening we met with Diana, Martin's friend, and had a Swabian meal of 'maultasche' in the 'Kochenbas' restaurant.
Another great day with a good friend.
Friday 3 Feb 12 Leaving for Stuttgart
Today was a slow and lazy start, having to do some quick cleaning and prepartion for the trip to Stuttgart. Last night was another cracking minus about -13 to - 15C. The news forecasts are predicting extreme cold weather conditions. One report announced that 800km of roads were closed in Holland due to the extreme weather. I also need to keep an eye on the rail through Brussels in case their are ice problems.
I have been fortunate to have had the ongoing use of my almost own computer for a week and consequently heaps of time to do administration and blogs.
At 15:00 Andreas and Brigitte took me to the Cologne railway station for the Inter Ciry (IC) train to Stuttgart.
The train departed at 17:18 on time as all trains do in Germany, not a minute late. Normally passengers are only given a couple of mintues to alight. I had hoped to see some of the countryside but by the time we were out of the city darkness had fallen. The train followed the Rhine River passing through Bonn, Linz, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Mannheim and Stuttgart but I saw nothing other then the reflection of snow in the moonlight.
Arriving at Stuttgart I found Martin waiting on the platform. A quick bus trip home and then a walk to the `Vischlabor` Bar for a cold beer. The outside temperature was definitely colder then the beer and walking without gloves or a warm hat was bittingly cold. Cheeks, ears and hands felt the cold sting within minutes of stepping out.
Today was a slow and lazy start, having to do some quick cleaning and prepartion for the trip to Stuttgart. Last night was another cracking minus about -13 to - 15C. The news forecasts are predicting extreme cold weather conditions. One report announced that 800km of roads were closed in Holland due to the extreme weather. I also need to keep an eye on the rail through Brussels in case their are ice problems.
Andreas setting up his new computer
Wal doing his diary and Blog
I have been fortunate to have had the ongoing use of my almost own computer for a week and consequently heaps of time to do administration and blogs.
Lunch with Andreas and Brigitte before leaving
At 15:00 Andreas and Brigitte took me to the Cologne railway station for the Inter Ciry (IC) train to Stuttgart.
Leaving for the weekend.
A couple of Muppets on the railway station
The train departed at 17:18 on time as all trains do in Germany, not a minute late. Normally passengers are only given a couple of mintues to alight. I had hoped to see some of the countryside but by the time we were out of the city darkness had fallen. The train followed the Rhine River passing through Bonn, Linz, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Mannheim and Stuttgart but I saw nothing other then the reflection of snow in the moonlight.
Arriving at Stuttgart I found Martin waiting on the platform. A quick bus trip home and then a walk to the `Vischlabor` Bar for a cold beer. The outside temperature was definitely colder then the beer and walking without gloves or a warm hat was bittingly cold. Cheeks, ears and hands felt the cold sting within minutes of stepping out.
Saturday 4 February 2012
Thursday 2 Feb 12 Visit to Zons
Another brisk morning of minus 10C to wake up to. There is not much frost because there is so little moisture but the weather conditions in Russia suggest that a cold and snowy snap is on the way. An easy day pottering about. After lunch we drove out to a little 14th century village of Zons which is the only village in Germany retaing it's entire city wall and all towers. Zons was founded by the arch bishop of Cologne and served as a customs clearance station on the Rhine. Zons is only half an hour from Leverkusen and provided a relaxed drive through light traffic and farmlands.
Arriving at Zons we were surprised to find that this town is on the historic German Pilgrams route which leads to Santiago in Spain.
The weather was quite cold again so we did not linger but took a fast walk around the town until we found an open cafe serving coffee. Most of the facilities are closed as there are few tourists to justify keeping the shops and historical sights open. The great pity was that in the church there is a sign to say that it was closed to the public due to vandalism.
Another brisk morning of minus 10C to wake up to. There is not much frost because there is so little moisture but the weather conditions in Russia suggest that a cold and snowy snap is on the way. An easy day pottering about. After lunch we drove out to a little 14th century village of Zons which is the only village in Germany retaing it's entire city wall and all towers. Zons was founded by the arch bishop of Cologne and served as a customs clearance station on the Rhine. Zons is only half an hour from Leverkusen and provided a relaxed drive through light traffic and farmlands.
Arriving at Zons we were surprised to find that this town is on the historic German Pilgrams route which leads to Santiago in Spain.
Typical Pilgrims Route Marker
The weather was quite cold again so we did not linger but took a fast walk around the town until we found an open cafe serving coffee. Most of the facilities are closed as there are few tourists to justify keeping the shops and historical sights open. The great pity was that in the church there is a sign to say that it was closed to the public due to vandalism.
City Gate
Church Doors
Trying to keep Andreas head warm in front of one of a city wall tower
The Countryside in this area is rural and very pleasant however the blue sky could be misleading as the water in the picture is solid ice.
On leaving Zons Andreas and Brigitte proposed a rural route that took us across the Rhine on a ferry and wound it's way back through small villages and rural and light forrest lands.
Ferry and barge traffic on the Rhine is busy with many starting in Holland and working their way along through Germany and into Austria, Switzerland and beyond
On our way home Andreas took me into the city centre of Leverkusen which sports a large football oval and is the site of many major games played in this locality. The British soccer teams are banned from bringing supporters along when they play here due to the bad behaviour. During the evening we entertained neighbours Dominik and Sylvia who are a like minded outgoing and adventurous couple.
Tomorrow I travel to Stuttgart for 2 days to catch up with Martin from the Camino.Thursday 2 February 2012
Wednesday 1 Feb 12 - `Krimidinner` (Who committed the murder?)
Today was much slower and time to undertake some administration, emails and diary updates. Not that anyone was rushing outside as the morning temperature was -10.6C which in any language is a little brisk. When we arrived home just after midnight from our Who Commited the Murder dinner the temperature was already down to -9C again. I am adjusting nicely and adding selected items from the outdoor shops to my clothing list.
Not only are Andreas and Brigitte great company and good hosts, Brigitte does my washing and Andreas my ironing to ensure that I am reasonably well presented to go out to dinner. At about 3:00pm we left for Köln (Cologne) for a beer and to wander around the shops before going to the Who Commited the Murder dinner at the Wolkenburg theatre restaurant.
But first coffee at the Italian cafe Galestro which brings a little bit of Italy to Germany and then a nice cold beer or two at the well known bar Gaffel Kölsch to fortify us for further shopping.
As always we seem to end up in the Globetrotter shop (www.globetrotter.de) which provides 4 levels of crazy shopping for the outdoor enthusiast.
At 6:30PM we walked to the Wolkenburg theatre restaurant for a fun evening. I must admit that my German was not good enough to understand everything but I did catch the gist of the play and prayed that I would not be called out the front to perform some part. By the way the butler who was murdered was called 'Wally'. That proves that there are Wally's the world over!
And to finish the day we watched some photos from Liesl's wedding and Australia, going to bed at 2:00AM.
Today was much slower and time to undertake some administration, emails and diary updates. Not that anyone was rushing outside as the morning temperature was -10.6C which in any language is a little brisk. When we arrived home just after midnight from our Who Commited the Murder dinner the temperature was already down to -9C again. I am adjusting nicely and adding selected items from the outdoor shops to my clothing list.
Andreas helping with the Blog and photos
That's me trying to get dressed with Andreas help!
Not only are Andreas and Brigitte great company and good hosts, Brigitte does my washing and Andreas my ironing to ensure that I am reasonably well presented to go out to dinner. At about 3:00pm we left for Köln (Cologne) for a beer and to wander around the shops before going to the Who Commited the Murder dinner at the Wolkenburg theatre restaurant.
But first coffee at the Italian cafe Galestro which brings a little bit of Italy to Germany and then a nice cold beer or two at the well known bar Gaffel Kölsch to fortify us for further shopping.
As always we seem to end up in the Globetrotter shop (www.globetrotter.de) which provides 4 levels of crazy shopping for the outdoor enthusiast.
Indoor pool for testing small boats and kayaks
Besides the indoor pool there is a cold room with ice blocks where the temperature can be set to any level for testing cold weather clothing and also a shower area where wind and weather conditions can be set to test your wet weather clothing prior to purchase. I was good and bought the last balaclava in the shop at a greatly reduced price as the end of winter sales are on. Temperatures are dropping rapidly as you can see on the news but winter clearance sales are on and I had to stop myself time and again from adding to the local economy.
At 6:30PM we walked to the Wolkenburg theatre restaurant for a fun evening. I must admit that my German was not good enough to understand everything but I did catch the gist of the play and prayed that I would not be called out the front to perform some part. By the way the butler who was murdered was called 'Wally'. That proves that there are Wally's the world over!
Main entrance to the Wolkenburg theatre restaurant
Andreas as one of the Hunters
Heading to the railway station to go home at midnight
And to finish the day we watched some photos from Liesl's wedding and Australia, going to bed at 2:00AM.
Andreas sucking in his stomach as we're all putting on kg's
Tuesday 31 Jan 12
Todays lesson is `when in Germany do as the Germans do`. Now I know why they all put on a scarf and wear gloves, because it's darn bitter outside (bloody cold).
An earlier start today, well 10:00 which is early on holidays, as there was a 205km trip road to Trier. About 60km out of Leverkusen we came across the first snow which was not expected but welcome as I didn't believe winter had come to Europe.
Trier is Germany's oldest city and contains the best preserved Roman ruins and has 8 UNESCO declared world heritage sites and once was the seat of Roman emperors. It contains buildings surpased in size and magnificence only by Rome. Based in the Mosel valley it is also a premier wine growing region.
First stop on arrival was for coffee opposite the Porta Nigra city gate or `Black Gate` which is the largest surviving Roman gate worldwide. The name dates from 1060 when the gate was turned into a double church, St Simeon, and named after the Greek hermit who lived walled up inside (1028 - 1035)
.JPG)
The top storey of the gate provides magnificent views over the surrounding country side and city of Trier.
Next Brigitte and Andreas bought a city map so that we had some sort of plan as to what to see because everything is interesting, beautiful or old and the time was limited to a couple of hours. However the next stop was a to buy a warm scarf.
The city centres of Trier has many wonderous places of interest:
Traffic in the city centre is very light due to small modern cars.
There were also some famouse people who come from Trier such as Karl Marx and Constantine the first Holy Roman emperor who spend much time here and was responsible for building the Roman throne hall, the Constantine Basillica in 310AD, which is still in use today after 1300 years as a church.
But wait there is more to see before going home, the Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) and the Cathedral.
St Peters was build during the time of Constantine in 336AD, raised by the Vikings and then rebuild, the roof later collapsed during and earthquake but was rebuild and over the centuries added to to. Within some of the collumns are still sections of the Roman temple of Saturn and statues. This building is also listed by UNESCO.
And to finish a long day I went to English classes with Andreas.
Todays lesson is `when in Germany do as the Germans do`. Now I know why they all put on a scarf and wear gloves, because it's darn bitter outside (bloody cold).
An earlier start today, well 10:00 which is early on holidays, as there was a 205km trip road to Trier. About 60km out of Leverkusen we came across the first snow which was not expected but welcome as I didn't believe winter had come to Europe.
Trier is Germany's oldest city and contains the best preserved Roman ruins and has 8 UNESCO declared world heritage sites and once was the seat of Roman emperors. It contains buildings surpased in size and magnificence only by Rome. Based in the Mosel valley it is also a premier wine growing region.
First stop on arrival was for coffee opposite the Porta Nigra city gate or `Black Gate` which is the largest surviving Roman gate worldwide. The name dates from 1060 when the gate was turned into a double church, St Simeon, and named after the Greek hermit who lived walled up inside (1028 - 1035)
.JPG)
Porta Nigra and interior views
The top storey of the gate provides magnificent views over the surrounding country side and city of Trier.
Next Brigitte and Andreas bought a city map so that we had some sort of plan as to what to see because everything is interesting, beautiful or old and the time was limited to a couple of hours. However the next stop was a to buy a warm scarf.
Wow that's nice and warm
The city centres of Trier has many wonderous places of interest:
The medieval market and cross from 958AD
Traffic in the city centre is very light due to small modern cars.
There were also some famouse people who come from Trier such as Karl Marx and Constantine the first Holy Roman emperor who spend much time here and was responsible for building the Roman throne hall, the Constantine Basillica in 310AD, which is still in use today after 1300 years as a church.
Constantine Basillica 310AD
There was also a visit to the Roman bridge but at the end of the day all bridges look the same so I wont show you any photos. After the basillica there is a beautiful view of the Electoral palace which is attached to the back of the basillica.
But wait there is more to see before going home, the Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) and the Cathedral.
Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady)
Computer writing the bible with a fountain pen
St Peters Cathedral from 336AD
St Peters was build during the time of Constantine in 336AD, raised by the Vikings and then rebuild, the roof later collapsed during and earthquake but was rebuild and over the centuries added to to. Within some of the collumns are still sections of the Roman temple of Saturn and statues. This building is also listed by UNESCO.
And to finish a long day I went to English classes with Andreas.
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