Sunday 22 April 2012
Monday 27 February 2012 - Cuverville Island and Port Lockroy
Our days are busy again with a full program to look forward too. A full day today starting with a landing on Cuverville Island which is covered in snow and home to large Gentoo penguin colonies. The Penguin smell is very strong and if the wind is blowing in the right direction you can smell it on the ship and if you get their droppings on your clothing it will stay in them for months. I walked with Malcolm and two or three others up the steep slope on slippery ice to a high vantage point to get a great view of the beach and ship below, keeping our heads down as the occasional territorial Skuas sweep down at us. Not many people walked up the mountain, preferring to stay on the beach closer to the penguin colonies and lazy seals basking on the beach. Because the Antarctic Treaty does not allow for more then 100 people on land at any one time, we returned to the ship for lunch as boats with more visitors came ashore. I understand that there are about 230 tourists on this trip and each boat takes 9 passengers plus one crew member so you can imagine the ongoing traffic of people coming to land and the empty boat picking up those who are returning to the ship. After lunch we prepared for our next landing at 14:30 at Port Lockroy an English manned tiny island of rock with a small shop and Post Office from where I was able to send 14 cards which were duly stamped and returned in a mail bag to the ship to be landed at Port Stanley in the Falklands and then send to the United Kingdom for on-forwarding to their final destinations. The island is not much bigger then a football field and is manned for the summer months by five or six people and hundreds Gentoo penguins with the seals waiting for a quick feed of the unwary Gentoo in the water. The Gentoo are are so unconcerned by people that they will walk right up to you with no fear at all. Some will stand next to your boot and have a peck at it to see if it's edible. This is a photographers delight although after taking hundreds of photos how many more do you need? Tonight we were told that the ship would have to change it's schedule because we had to sail for the Chilean antarctic base on King George island to land Lyn an Aussie medical evacuee and friend who had a suspected stroke. The good weather continues to hold and we will be steaming all night to arrive early tomorrow at our destination. It's been a busy day and with all the fresh air and being at sea I was pretty tired and asleep at 21:00
Sunday 26 February 2012 - Drake Passage / Half Moon Island
A great night's sleep and comfortable start to the day. Malcolm appears to be better also after his stomach problems. At 09:00 we had a compulsory presentation on "Prevention Measures of Introducing Alien Species to Antarctica" followed by an opportunity for everybody to take bags and coats or such apparel as was being taken ashore for a vacuum cleaning service on 2 deck to ensure that no foreign seeds, pollen or any other unwanted microbes from the mainland are released on the Antarctic peninsula. After lunch everybody was issued with the special warm and watertight Arctic Muck Boots which have to be worn when leaving the ship for any landings. The boots of course are an extra cost which should have been included in the booking price. We were all issued with our own set of boots which we retain for the entire trip and placed on a peg, relating to our cabin number, on 2 deck. At 14:00 we entered the South Shetland Islands and found plenty of photo opportunities and of course being the first time we saw icebergs and got a view of the land everybody snapped away with their cameras. At 16:00 we prepared for the first landing dressing in warm clothes, our waterproof light blue jackets, life jackets and Muck boots and set off 20 minutes later in the Polarcircle boats. Once on land we were instructed about which areas we could visit and where we could not go and then set off to look at and photograph the many Chinstrap penguins and fur seals. Yesterday we were informed that anyone who was crazy enough and wanted to go swimming could do so. Malcolm told me that he would do it for Queen and Country whereas I was more focused and said that I would also go in but it was to be for Honour and Glory and so we joined a couple of other hardy souls from Scandinavia and the Netherlands for a cool swim. Getting our clothes off on the beach with the wind blowing was cold to say the least and the water although just above freezing (yes there were icebergs in it) did feel warmer, I think! Our little swim didn't last very long as we had wandered into the domain of a large and very aggressive male fur seal who took offense and chased us out. In the photo you will see his head a couple of meters away to my right. Drying off and rubbing down (in the wind) was interesting as there was a sensation deep under the skin of tingling and the heat coming back into the chilled blood cells which start to close down under severe cold conditions. For this adventure we get a certificate (maybe that means that we should be certified??). Back onboard it was immediately into a nice hot shower and change for dinner followed by a pre-briefing for tomorrow's landings. To bed and 23:00 and a big sleep!
Saturday 25 February 2012 - At Sea Crossing the Drake Passage
Stayed in bed until 07:30 and enjoyed the non-rushed atmosphere of life onboard ship when you know that everything will be done for you. I have taken over the writing desk and turned that into my small office just like it always was in the navy. Malcolm is more then happy for me to look after the paperwork. We had breakfast at 08:30 although it is available from about 07:00 to 09:30. The sea has been unbelievably smooth and the weather good in this area which is know for treacherous weather conditions. During the day we attended numerous briefings and educational lectures and made new friends. Malcolm has been suffering from an upset stomach which could be due to a bad mussel which he ate last night as part of the sea food which was available for dinner. The day passed quietly as everybody settled into life at sea and adapted to the shipboard routine. Crossing the Drake Passage was uneventful and it is difficult to imagine that this is one of the most unpredictable and dangerous bits of water in the world. The air is so clean and cool here that sleep at night (and during the day) comes easily.
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Friday 24 February 2012 - Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
Another early start with 05:00 rise and breakfast 06:00 for a 07:15 departure to the airport. As our main baggage had been collected during the night all we had to do now was clear security and board our private LAN Chile aircraft for the flight to Ushuaia. The flight took four hours, flying over the snow covered high peaks of the Andes, landing at the small but new airport of Ushuaia on the furthermost edge of South America and facing onto the Beagle Channel. Ushuaia is the capital city of Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina and is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. The city comes across as an outback town but is interesting and deserves a return holiday one day. At the airport buses were waiting to take the passengers who were booked on the national park tour whilst the remaining passenger went into the city. The Ushuaia national park is another gem hidden away from the world in this far flung outpost of civilisation and is a photographers paradise. The sheer beauty of the mountains and landscape of this part of South America is best known for the adventure travel through Patagonia. At 16:00 we joined the MS Fram and commenced the check in procedure which included issue of a swipe card which was our passport to everything on the ship. No money is used on the ship and all purchases and other transactions are allocated against the individuals swipe card. Also when going ashore or coming back on the ship the card provides the necessary control through the ship's computer database. Our bags were waiting for us in front of our cabin and after unloading all our gear we returned to finalise individual medical documents with the ships doctor and collected the ships bright light blue waterproof jackets. The shipping companies do not let anyone with problematic medical conditions sail to the Antarctic and if you do not posses the medical certificate signed by your doctor you will not be allowed to remain on the ship. Within an hour of joining leaving ship stations and survival suit demonstrations were held. Dinner was a substantial buffet shared with new Aussie friends and Lyn McNaught their tour guide. The ship sailed at 18:00 and tonight I will have my first sleep onboard a ship again since leaving HMAS Yarra in 1983. A new adventure starts today.
Another early start with 05:00 rise and breakfast 06:00 for a 07:15 departure to the airport. As our main baggage had been collected during the night all we had to do now was clear security and board our private LAN Chile aircraft for the flight to Ushuaia. The flight took four hours, flying over the snow covered high peaks of the Andes, landing at the small but new airport of Ushuaia on the furthermost edge of South America and facing onto the Beagle Channel. Ushuaia is the capital city of Tierra del Fuego Province, Argentina and is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world. The city comes across as an outback town but is interesting and deserves a return holiday one day. At the airport buses were waiting to take the passengers who were booked on the national park tour whilst the remaining passenger went into the city. The Ushuaia national park is another gem hidden away from the world in this far flung outpost of civilisation and is a photographers paradise. The sheer beauty of the mountains and landscape of this part of South America is best known for the adventure travel through Patagonia. At 16:00 we joined the MS Fram and commenced the check in procedure which included issue of a swipe card which was our passport to everything on the ship. No money is used on the ship and all purchases and other transactions are allocated against the individuals swipe card. Also when going ashore or coming back on the ship the card provides the necessary control through the ship's computer database. Our bags were waiting for us in front of our cabin and after unloading all our gear we returned to finalise individual medical documents with the ships doctor and collected the ships bright light blue waterproof jackets. The shipping companies do not let anyone with problematic medical conditions sail to the Antarctic and if you do not posses the medical certificate signed by your doctor you will not be allowed to remain on the ship. Within an hour of joining leaving ship stations and survival suit demonstrations were held. Dinner was a substantial buffet shared with new Aussie friends and Lyn McNaught their tour guide. The ship sailed at 18:00 and tonight I will have my first sleep onboard a ship again since leaving HMAS Yarra in 1983. A new adventure starts today.
Tuesday 21 February 2012 - Santiago to Buenos Aires
No sleeping in today either
and up at 04:00 for a specially prepared breakfast of fruit and coffee which we
sadly had to share with a very haughty and snotty Argentinian female second
officer of our flight. I'm certain that she believed she could fly
without an aeroplane and already had wings. Our transport arrived at
05:30 for the 30 minute trip along the motorway to the airport. The
Santiago airport is all very professional and comparable to any great airport
in the world. Our LAN Chile flight 453 departed on time at 08:35 arriving
Buenos Aires at 10:40. Baggage collection was a bit tense as my bag came
out 15 minutes after Malcolm's and I thought that it may have been lost.
Customs clearance was also interesting because security took a particular
interest in the teenage couple in front of us and no notice of us. They didn't
even collect our Customs Declarations so we walked straight through
saving our Peruvian carved gourds from any further inspection. Later I
heard that the chap and girl friend were arrested, probably for carrying
drugs. Our driver to the hotel didn't appear to speak English until
Malcolm made a comment about the Opera House being of interest whereupon our
driver responded in perfect English and continued the conversation until we
arrived at the hotel. The Argentinians don't have a great love for the
British at the moment. Our hotel is the 5 star Hotel Emperador with utter
decadent luxury and organised by Thesan Travel, the company which booked our
Antarctic trip. After booking in we pottered about for a bit before
taking a two hour nap, followed by a couple of cold beers and nibbles at the
bar. For dinner it was El Mirasol steak house just around the corner.
El Mirasol was recommended by both the taxi driver and hotel as being the best
steak restaurant in Buenos Aires. Malcolm and I shared our steaks, being
a very tasty skirt steak and an end tenderloin which was brilliant. The
tenderloin was unbelievably tasty and tender and when shared with french garlic
chips, spinach, mushroom sauce with whole mushrooms, and a bottle of local
Merlot was a meal for Kings!! Our waiter, Tito, was the friendliest of
people and given a free hand to recommend the best steak and wine on the menu.
After that feast it was back to reality in the hotel with hand washing to do
before retiring at 21:00.
Thursday 23 February 2012 - Buenos Aires
A leisurely breakfast at 08:00 and then registration with Hurtigruten our Antarctic tour organisers who were tucked away in the basement of the hotel. We booked in for an afternoon bus tour around Buenos Aires, a Ushuaia national parks tour and a Falklands island tour. The rest of the morning was easy going with me continuing to catch up on writing cards and the travel blog whilst Malcolm sat in the garden reading a book. At 15:00 our city tour departed the hotel returning three hours later. This was our first opportunity to meet some of the fellow travelers with whom we would share the next 20 days onboard the good ship, MV Fram. On our return to the hotel we had a quick shower and returned to our favourite steak house for dinner. Tonight we completed repacking the bags which were then left outside the hotel room for collection later that night and transporting to the ship. There were also many items which we did not need to take along on the ship and these were placed in a separate bag which was left at the hotel in the locker room until our return three weeks later.
A leisurely breakfast at 08:00 and then registration with Hurtigruten our Antarctic tour organisers who were tucked away in the basement of the hotel. We booked in for an afternoon bus tour around Buenos Aires, a Ushuaia national parks tour and a Falklands island tour. The rest of the morning was easy going with me continuing to catch up on writing cards and the travel blog whilst Malcolm sat in the garden reading a book. At 15:00 our city tour departed the hotel returning three hours later. This was our first opportunity to meet some of the fellow travelers with whom we would share the next 20 days onboard the good ship, MV Fram. On our return to the hotel we had a quick shower and returned to our favourite steak house for dinner. Tonight we completed repacking the bags which were then left outside the hotel room for collection later that night and transporting to the ship. There were also many items which we did not need to take along on the ship and these were placed in a separate bag which was left at the hotel in the locker room until our return three weeks later.
Wednesday 22 February 2012 - Buenos Aires
Today there was time for a little sleep in until 07:50. A quick but tasty breakfast in the elegant restaurant facing onto the walled garden with waterfall down the 6 meter high back wall. The morning was in our room repacking, cleaning and writing the diary. The time soon gets away when you slow down and take it easy. I was interested to see that the room had Australian power points as well as the standard British/South American style. Just after 13:00 Malcolm and I walked into the city where we were able to take a tour bus on a route around the new harbour, visit the largest soccer arena in Argentina and the embassy part of the city and some of the richer areas of town. We were back in the city centre at 16:50. Malcolm bought us both an icecream, we then looked at a couple of shops and walked back through the city park, stopping at the Belgrano memorial for photos. Dinner was once again at El Mirasol to sample some different steaks. Tito the waiter was happy to see us again and received a hefty tip to show our appreciation for his good service. In Argentina a waiter earns about 750 Pesos a month. This is equivalent to about $175. (In Peru a school teacher earns $450 to $500 per month which is probably equivalent to one fourteenth the Australian wage). Retired for an early night.
Today there was time for a little sleep in until 07:50. A quick but tasty breakfast in the elegant restaurant facing onto the walled garden with waterfall down the 6 meter high back wall. The morning was in our room repacking, cleaning and writing the diary. The time soon gets away when you slow down and take it easy. I was interested to see that the room had Australian power points as well as the standard British/South American style. Just after 13:00 Malcolm and I walked into the city where we were able to take a tour bus on a route around the new harbour, visit the largest soccer arena in Argentina and the embassy part of the city and some of the richer areas of town. We were back in the city centre at 16:50. Malcolm bought us both an icecream, we then looked at a couple of shops and walked back through the city park, stopping at the Belgrano memorial for photos. Dinner was once again at El Mirasol to sample some different steaks. Tito the waiter was happy to see us again and received a hefty tip to show our appreciation for his good service. In Argentina a waiter earns about 750 Pesos a month. This is equivalent to about $175. (In Peru a school teacher earns $450 to $500 per month which is probably equivalent to one fourteenth the Australian wage). Retired for an early night.
Sunday 15 April 2012
Monday 20 February 2012 La Pas (Bolivia) - Santiago (Chile)
At 0900 our Ukrainian tour guide Larissa collected us from the hotel Presidente for an escorted tour through the city and La Pas surrounds. Firstly we went to the cathedral and presidential palace and being a public holiday today the streets were empty. The whole place looks and feels shabby, tired and poor. We walked down the oldest street in the city and onto the the market place before going by car to visit Moon Valley. Larissa explained how the poor live on the hills and the rich in the valleys, this is exactly opposite to Australia where the rich live on the hills with the good views. We returned to the city to wander through the Witches Market and view the old cobbled streets in the Indian quarter. Being a feast day today the city centre was closed for the festivities and it was chaos with cars and small buses in gridlock and jamming all intersections with traffic brought to a standstill or slow crawl. To be sensible and safe it was decided to make our way to the airport early. Having said our goodbye's to Larissa at the airport terminal Malcolm and I filled in the two hour wait with a hamburger and coffee before boarding our LAN Chile flight to Santiago at 16:00, stopping at Iquique in the desert to complete Chilean immigration papers. In La Pas the plane sat on the runway for almost an hour due to "heavy traffic" although during that time only two or three palnes landed and two departed, it's all a bit "manyana time" here. Whilst waiting in the La Pas terminal a very upset American told me how he put his personal effects into a tray to be scanned at security and when it came out the other end his mobile phone had been stolen, probably by one of the security guards. At Iquique we met again and he told me that airport security and checked their security cameras and caught the thief with the happy outcome that the stolen mobile phone was returned. On arrival in Santiago there were some problems with bringing in the carved gourds from Peru because they had seeds inside but after explaining that we were transiting Customs cleared us through. Our driver provided by LAN Chile Airways was waiting at the door and took us to the Four Point Sheraton, arriving at 23:00. Santiago looks like a lovely, very clean and modern city. I would like more time here to explore.
At 0900 our Ukrainian tour guide Larissa collected us from the hotel Presidente for an escorted tour through the city and La Pas surrounds. Firstly we went to the cathedral and presidential palace and being a public holiday today the streets were empty. The whole place looks and feels shabby, tired and poor. We walked down the oldest street in the city and onto the the market place before going by car to visit Moon Valley. Larissa explained how the poor live on the hills and the rich in the valleys, this is exactly opposite to Australia where the rich live on the hills with the good views. We returned to the city to wander through the Witches Market and view the old cobbled streets in the Indian quarter. Being a feast day today the city centre was closed for the festivities and it was chaos with cars and small buses in gridlock and jamming all intersections with traffic brought to a standstill or slow crawl. To be sensible and safe it was decided to make our way to the airport early. Having said our goodbye's to Larissa at the airport terminal Malcolm and I filled in the two hour wait with a hamburger and coffee before boarding our LAN Chile flight to Santiago at 16:00, stopping at Iquique in the desert to complete Chilean immigration papers. In La Pas the plane sat on the runway for almost an hour due to "heavy traffic" although during that time only two or three palnes landed and two departed, it's all a bit "manyana time" here. Whilst waiting in the La Pas terminal a very upset American told me how he put his personal effects into a tray to be scanned at security and when it came out the other end his mobile phone had been stolen, probably by one of the security guards. At Iquique we met again and he told me that airport security and checked their security cameras and caught the thief with the happy outcome that the stolen mobile phone was returned. On arrival in Santiago there were some problems with bringing in the carved gourds from Peru because they had seeds inside but after explaining that we were transiting Customs cleared us through. Our driver provided by LAN Chile Airways was waiting at the door and took us to the Four Point Sheraton, arriving at 23:00. Santiago looks like a lovely, very clean and modern city. I would like more time here to explore.
Saturday 14 April 2012
Sunday 19 February 2012 Lake Titicaca
Today we had a 4:30 start with departure at 6:10. To have breakfast we had to have the chef open up the restaurant early and put on a special little breakfast for us and another Aussie couple, Rod and Ellie, who were also traveling on the boat across Lake Titicaca. Our tour guide, Eduardo, drove us 85 km to the Bolivian border and then handed us over to Roberto the Bolivian guide who took us onto Copacabana (it sounds idyllic but isn't really) to see the statue of the Black Virgin in the cathedral and the local markets where there was a blessing of the cars. Before boarding the large 3 deck ferry there was still time to do some shopping in the market and buy baby Alpaca scarves for the ladies back home. Half an hour later we set off across Lake Titicaca. A basic morning tea of sandwiches and coffee was served as soon as we set sail. Unfortunately we had to share the tour with a group of about 60 Russians who had the manners of "pigs at a trough" when it came to getting food from the buffet and were an uncultured and rough lot, not thinking twice about pushing anybody out of the way, be they male or female. The boat stopped at Sun Island where first we had a short trip on a reed boat build in the traditional Inca way before touring part of the island where it is said the Inca Empire began, and being blessed by the islands Shaman at a small private ceremony. The next part of the boat journey took us to Chua in Bolivia from where we were taken by private tour bus, driven by a Bolivian maniac on the wrong side of the road for most of the 100 km to La Pas. After a 2 hour journey we arrived at La Pas at 21:30. La Pas is set at an altitude of 3,650 m (11,975 ft) (the city is built on steep hills), making it the world's highest "de facto" capital city, or administrative capital. On our bus were two young Italian sisters who came from a "well to do family" in Naples who were also staying in the President hotel and joined us for dinner that evening. We finally retired at midnight after a long and eventful day.
Today we had a 4:30 start with departure at 6:10. To have breakfast we had to have the chef open up the restaurant early and put on a special little breakfast for us and another Aussie couple, Rod and Ellie, who were also traveling on the boat across Lake Titicaca. Our tour guide, Eduardo, drove us 85 km to the Bolivian border and then handed us over to Roberto the Bolivian guide who took us onto Copacabana (it sounds idyllic but isn't really) to see the statue of the Black Virgin in the cathedral and the local markets where there was a blessing of the cars. Before boarding the large 3 deck ferry there was still time to do some shopping in the market and buy baby Alpaca scarves for the ladies back home. Half an hour later we set off across Lake Titicaca. A basic morning tea of sandwiches and coffee was served as soon as we set sail. Unfortunately we had to share the tour with a group of about 60 Russians who had the manners of "pigs at a trough" when it came to getting food from the buffet and were an uncultured and rough lot, not thinking twice about pushing anybody out of the way, be they male or female. The boat stopped at Sun Island where first we had a short trip on a reed boat build in the traditional Inca way before touring part of the island where it is said the Inca Empire began, and being blessed by the islands Shaman at a small private ceremony. The next part of the boat journey took us to Chua in Bolivia from where we were taken by private tour bus, driven by a Bolivian maniac on the wrong side of the road for most of the 100 km to La Pas. After a 2 hour journey we arrived at La Pas at 21:30. La Pas is set at an altitude of 3,650 m (11,975 ft) (the city is built on steep hills), making it the world's highest "de facto" capital city, or administrative capital. On our bus were two young Italian sisters who came from a "well to do family" in Naples who were also staying in the President hotel and joined us for dinner that evening. We finally retired at midnight after a long and eventful day.
Saturday 18 February 2012 - Cuzco to Puno
An early start today, up at 05:40 for ablutions and final pack. After a quick breakfast we were collected at 07:20 for transfer to the Andean Explorer train and the 10 hour journey to Puno on the edge of lake Titicaca. The train trip is on a narrow gauge rail line and a bit slow and rocky, but it's classy. The train is now owned by the Orient Express, has big picture windows and a bar carriage with comfortable seating and an open air observation platform. As we left Cuzco we saw the poverty and dirt of the suburbs. There are no made roads here and after the rains everything is covered in mud. The local people appear to accept their predicament and make the best of their situation. Without a doubt the Peruvians that we met were the kindest, gentlest and happiest people considering their hand to mouth existence. Once the city was behind us the countryside opened up with the snow capped Andes rising to a height of 6350 metres (20,835feet) on our left. After 178km journey, with the large diesel pulling us up a slow and steady ascent, we arrive at La Raya Pass, the highest point of our journey at 4313 metres (just over 14,150 feet). We stop here for a 10 minute photo break and some bartering with the locals at their small market next to the railway line. As we pulled out light snow started to fall. During the morning a fashion show of baby Alpaca fine wool garments and Inca music and dancing was put on for the 20 passengers on the train. The train was made up of a diesel engine, baggage car, kitchen and staff car, dining car and the bar car with viewing platform. During the journey coffee, tea and non alcoholic drinks are freely available and the bar is open if required. I had a couple of pisco sours, the Peruvian national drink. Lunch comprised an entree of stuffed potato, trout for main course and chocolate mouse desert, during which we were entertained with a further display of singing and dancing. Arriving at Puno at about 19:00 we were met by our guide and transported to the hotel located at the edge of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest commercially navigable lake, at 3,860 m (12,421 ft) above sea level, on the Peruvian Altiplano. That evening as I sat writing my diary I felt lighted headed and dizzy due to altitude as well as feeling bloated another sign of altitude. The lady in the room opposite us had to be given oxygen that evening due to altitude sickness. I kept up a steady supply of cocoa tea which I presume has cocaine derivatives in it but is recommended for altitude sickness and also drunk by the locals who say it gives extra energy. On the train we met a Canadian couple who are both actors. The ladies (she had platted blond hair and looked like Heidi) father, also an actor played the part of the ambitious Bishop Waleran Bigod (Ian McShane) in the Ken Follett movie "The Pillars of the Earth". We didn't have dinner tonight as we had eaten more then enough all day. I completed my Immigration documents for Bolivia before going to bed.
Pisco Sour recipe
An early start today, up at 05:40 for ablutions and final pack. After a quick breakfast we were collected at 07:20 for transfer to the Andean Explorer train and the 10 hour journey to Puno on the edge of lake Titicaca. The train trip is on a narrow gauge rail line and a bit slow and rocky, but it's classy. The train is now owned by the Orient Express, has big picture windows and a bar carriage with comfortable seating and an open air observation platform. As we left Cuzco we saw the poverty and dirt of the suburbs. There are no made roads here and after the rains everything is covered in mud. The local people appear to accept their predicament and make the best of their situation. Without a doubt the Peruvians that we met were the kindest, gentlest and happiest people considering their hand to mouth existence. Once the city was behind us the countryside opened up with the snow capped Andes rising to a height of 6350 metres (20,835feet) on our left. After 178km journey, with the large diesel pulling us up a slow and steady ascent, we arrive at La Raya Pass, the highest point of our journey at 4313 metres (just over 14,150 feet). We stop here for a 10 minute photo break and some bartering with the locals at their small market next to the railway line. As we pulled out light snow started to fall. During the morning a fashion show of baby Alpaca fine wool garments and Inca music and dancing was put on for the 20 passengers on the train. The train was made up of a diesel engine, baggage car, kitchen and staff car, dining car and the bar car with viewing platform. During the journey coffee, tea and non alcoholic drinks are freely available and the bar is open if required. I had a couple of pisco sours, the Peruvian national drink. Lunch comprised an entree of stuffed potato, trout for main course and chocolate mouse desert, during which we were entertained with a further display of singing and dancing. Arriving at Puno at about 19:00 we were met by our guide and transported to the hotel located at the edge of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest commercially navigable lake, at 3,860 m (12,421 ft) above sea level, on the Peruvian Altiplano. That evening as I sat writing my diary I felt lighted headed and dizzy due to altitude as well as feeling bloated another sign of altitude. The lady in the room opposite us had to be given oxygen that evening due to altitude sickness. I kept up a steady supply of cocoa tea which I presume has cocaine derivatives in it but is recommended for altitude sickness and also drunk by the locals who say it gives extra energy. On the train we met a Canadian couple who are both actors. The ladies (she had platted blond hair and looked like Heidi) father, also an actor played the part of the ambitious Bishop Waleran Bigod (Ian McShane) in the Ken Follett movie "The Pillars of the Earth". We didn't have dinner tonight as we had eaten more then enough all day. I completed my Immigration documents for Bolivia before going to bed.
Pisco Sour recipe
The pisco sour cocktail, invented in Peru around 1900, uses a pisco (Peruvian grape brandy) that has a bit of bite to it--that is, nothing too smooth--to create the balance in this creamy, frothy, limey drink.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (2 oz.) pisco (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon pasteurized egg whites
Preparation
- In a blender, whirl 3 ice cubes, pisco, sugar, fresh lime juice, and egg whites. Whirl until smooth (you'll no longer hear the ice cracking against the side of the blender) and serve straight up in a martini glass with a dash of aromatic bitters and a wedge of lime.
Friday 17 February 2012 - Cuzco
A free day today with good sleep-in until 08:30. After breakfast there was time to catch up on Blog writing and answer some urgent emails which kept me going until 12:30. Malcolm and I then ventured out to the Inca Museum which although basic is still very interesting. Just as we were leaving the rain started so we wandered around the upper floor balcony which a covered "hacienda style" and found a young lady and her brother carving beautifully detailed miniature Inca pictures onto dried gourds. The work is so detailed and tiny that it is difficult to see without a magnifying glass, yet the carving is done with the naked eye. I had to buy two as they are too beautiful not too! As the rain had not yet stopped we continued our exploration of the external precinct of the museum and entered another room which had a musician playing hand made Inca traditional instruments. He had various clay animal shaped instruments which when filled with water and tipped forwards and backwards imitate various animal sounds and if we had not been in the room we would have believed these to be from the real living animal. The musician then played for us and as was to be expected Malcolm purchased a pan-flute and normal flute and I a CD. By now the rain had ceased and we walked a short distance around the corner to the pre-Columbian museum housed in a more substantial building and displaying a large collection of silver, gold, shell and pottery objects. The skill of these early Peruvian craftsmen matches those of ancient Egypt, Rome or medieval Europe. By 19:00 we were in need of a good meal we had not eaten since breakfast. Near the hotel we discovered a tiny pizzeria which produced a very tasty pizza with the "lot" and a good bottle of wine. At the only other occupied table sat a Canadian/French couple, who when we told them about the birth of the baby Llama, indicated that they were the couple who had helped with the delivery because the Llama was having a difficult time and the locals didn't know what to do. the Canadians were husband and wife and also doctor and nurse. By 20:00 we were back at the hotel and found Michelle, the American lady waiting for us. We had a drink with her and called it a night at22:00.
A free day today with good sleep-in until 08:30. After breakfast there was time to catch up on Blog writing and answer some urgent emails which kept me going until 12:30. Malcolm and I then ventured out to the Inca Museum which although basic is still very interesting. Just as we were leaving the rain started so we wandered around the upper floor balcony which a covered "hacienda style" and found a young lady and her brother carving beautifully detailed miniature Inca pictures onto dried gourds. The work is so detailed and tiny that it is difficult to see without a magnifying glass, yet the carving is done with the naked eye. I had to buy two as they are too beautiful not too! As the rain had not yet stopped we continued our exploration of the external precinct of the museum and entered another room which had a musician playing hand made Inca traditional instruments. He had various clay animal shaped instruments which when filled with water and tipped forwards and backwards imitate various animal sounds and if we had not been in the room we would have believed these to be from the real living animal. The musician then played for us and as was to be expected Malcolm purchased a pan-flute and normal flute and I a CD. By now the rain had ceased and we walked a short distance around the corner to the pre-Columbian museum housed in a more substantial building and displaying a large collection of silver, gold, shell and pottery objects. The skill of these early Peruvian craftsmen matches those of ancient Egypt, Rome or medieval Europe. By 19:00 we were in need of a good meal we had not eaten since breakfast. Near the hotel we discovered a tiny pizzeria which produced a very tasty pizza with the "lot" and a good bottle of wine. At the only other occupied table sat a Canadian/French couple, who when we told them about the birth of the baby Llama, indicated that they were the couple who had helped with the delivery because the Llama was having a difficult time and the locals didn't know what to do. the Canadians were husband and wife and also doctor and nurse. By 20:00 we were back at the hotel and found Michelle, the American lady waiting for us. We had a drink with her and called it a night at22:00.
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