Back to Cusco and another visit to Urubamba

I am writing again on Saturday, after arriving back from Machu Picchu last Wednesday night. The train journey was very enjoyable with Layla and me enjoying music on the ipod all the way. The trolley came round with refreshments and we enjoyed a pisco sour the first time round, a coffee next time and finally a Cusquena beer. The view over Cusco by night as the train zig zagged back down from the mountains was stupendous.

Back in Cusco, Layla was very tired and wanted a shower and go straight to bed. After we got settled in ... to a warmer room upstairs in the same hotel as before, I went down to Chez Maggy to see if the band were playing. We were both hungry as it was ages since lunchtime so I said I would order a large pizza and bring half back in a box for her. Chez Maggy is only around the corner so I didnt mind walking there on my own. Peering in the window there was no sign of a band but next minute a tap on my shoulder and it was one of the musicians, Larry, saying they would be playing in about 10 minutes. Having been to this restaurant several times by now I didnt mind going in on my own, sat at a table in front of where the band would play, and ordered a pisco sour and the pizza. Soon the band members appeared and they were mostly different musicians than usual. They were selling a different CD too so at the end I bought it as they let me have it for a third off the usual price and they all signed it too. Then I hurried back to our hotel so that Layla could enjoy her half of the pizza.

Next day we decided to have a nice lazy day around Cusco - we had intended to explore further afield but Layla was still feeling a bit under the weather from her cold and just wanted to enjoy Plaza des Armas. This proved to be a wise decision as the shamen popped by at 8.30 to say hello, just before we moved hotels and he warned us not to stray too far from the Plaza because there was a one day demonstration going on all day by university students and it could be risky. We decided not to stay at the same one as before because although the room was marginally warmer there was no window and no door on the ensuite bathroom either!

After he had gone we set off to the Plaza intending to have breakfast. On the way we passed another hotel and went in and were shown a lovely twin bedded room with balcony overlooking the plaza and it was full of sunshine. The cost was the same so we decided to hail a taxi and move our things. In no time we had moved in, left our things to unpack later and were heading to Cappuccino cafe for breakfast, just 2 minutes walk away and we enjoyed breakfast on the balcony too. We had a good laugh over breakfast because I couldnt remember if there was a door on the bathroom or not. We were already amazed at how small the bathroom was and were laughing saying that one could sit on the loo and have a shower at the same time, and that hopefully there was a door!!!

Back in our room afterwards we got settled in and then Layla decided to rest up as we were going to be godmothers at the christening of Sebastian Gorki that evening. I decided to go out in the square and see if any musicians would be playing anywhere. In no time at all I was talking to the charango player whose CD I had bought the evening before and he said he and Larry would be playing with members of another band at Papillon restaurant and Baghdad Cafe sometime after noon. This proved very enjoyable and Layla came over to watch the band too and we both bought their CD. We had a delicious Mexican lunch in Baghdad Cafe too. It was another lovely sunny day so I relaxed on a seat in the Plaza for a while too and at one point two other musicians came over ... I was listening to my iPod and luckily had two sets of headphones with me because next minute all three of us were listening ... one earphone apiece ... and this became four when a child approached and asked to listen too, and she laughed with delight to hear andean music playing!

Then back to the hotel to get ready for the evening as Juan was coming to fetch us at 5.30. We were lucky enough to get to the church by taxi, the one day demonstration strike having stopped most of the public transport - we could have walked it but the church was in an area not too safe for tourists. Juan is always careful to warn us of any risks. Jorge arrived at ten to six and at 6 pm, Gorky and Lydia arrived with little Sebastian beautifully dressed in the Peruvian equivalent of a sailor suit. The church was the Templo de Belen and a mass was in progress as we waited until 6.30 when the christening would begin.

Layla and I had to sit in the front with the parents, with Juan giving us a nudge whenever we had to do anything. I was the one who held the baby when the actual baptism took place and Juan managed to capture a few pictures of this on my camera. Later we had to hold candles which were lit and what did I manage to do next ... silly me managed to catch my hair on fire!!! Luckily Lydia spotted it instantly and put it out before I singed more than the ends on one side!

After the ceremony we all piled into a bus laid on for the purpose and went to the place where the reception was being held. As guests of honour Layla and I sat with gorky and Lydia with a table in front of us. All the other guests were seated on chairs all round the room. Snacks were brought round, then a glass of champagne each, followed by several pisco sours each. Around 9 pm everyone was served a plate of lechon (roast pork) along with rocoto relleno, maize, roast potato and salad, and this was really delicious. Then the music and dancing began, mostly huayno and cumbia typical Cusquena music which is very fast and danceable. For the rest of the evening I was properly exhausted because one person then another kept getting me up to dance - even one old lady who danced so fast I could hardly keep up. I was pretty tired after a few hours but enjoyed myself so totally. It was really an honour to be part of such a familial scene, and they take godmother{s responsibilities much more seriously here - I am now considered the second mother to Sebastian Gorky and would be expected to bring him up if anything were to happen to his parents. This story will be continued in a couple of days as I have to go now. It has been afew days since my last episode so I am sending this unfinished one now so you know all is well.

Magical Machu Picchu

Hi again. We are enjoying our last hour in Aguas Calientes and at 5 pm will be catching the train back to Cusco. We have really enjoyed our stay here and are sorry we aren´t staying longer. Both Cusco and Aguas Calientes are magical places!

We stayed 3 nights here altogether and just love it here. Aguas Calientes is a really vibrant little town and no matter where you are, you are never far from the sound of live andean music and this is something I am going to miss so much when we leave. Because of Juan we met loads more musicians and have really had fun here, listening to different bands play in the restaurants during the evenings. Not only that, the people here generally are friendly and nice and make you feel really welcome. Last night Juan took us walking in the part of town away from all the tourist shops and restaurants and this is different again but just as vibrant ... the shops open late, children playing football in a little park or just playing in the streets, people out strolling and chatting. We had dinner in one of the little restaurants there and it was perfectly adequate and a fraction of the touristic restaurant prices. And despite the fact that Juan and Layla are falling in love Juan has taken great care that I don´t feel left out in any way. He even had three games of pool with me yesterday which was great fun and we were evenly matched. He is eternally grateful to me for introducing him to Layla and I am delighted it appears to be working out because I knew they would be just right for each other! He gave us both a lovely present, one of the woven textile waistcoats each. Mine is in shades of red and Layla´s in shades of green. These are lovely gifts from a musician. Life here is very hard for musicians - they barely earn enough to keep body and soul together.

Today Juan had to get up at 4.30 and catch the first train to Cusco. The band he plays in at the airport wanted him back and this combined with a contract he has with Coca Cola means that our trip to Puno has had to be cancelled. But neither of us were too worried about it. Juan will be able to meet up with us at 4 pm each day, so we can still all meet up in the days we have left here. Layla has a slight cold at the moment so it is probably best she isn´t going to Puno as it is a much colder climate there.

Layla and I have had a leisurely day walking around the town. We met a shamen this morning, a lovely man whose family own the jewellry shop with all of them creating the beautiful inlaid silver rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, earrings, etc. We spent a very interesting and delightful half an hour with him. You could feel the good healing vibes coming from him. He showed us the tiny guest house they have behind the shop which is a delightful little place. Both of us hope to come back and stay there one day - it is just as nice as the hotel we stayed at and only just over a third of the cost. He was so trusting leaving one of us in the shop while he showed the other the hotel rooms - and he also showed us his studio full of magical paintings. The whole place vibrated with goodness and we both felt very priviledged to be there. If you didnt enter the shop you would never know about the hotel behind. He said the accommodation was only offered to special people. He gave Layla a beautiful feather, instinctively knowing that she collected them, and for me he opened a container and poured some flower essence into his hands and then etched my silhouette without actually touching me, saying it was a protection for me - he then gave me the rest of the essence to keep. Before we left he said the shop would be closed that afternoon as he was going to Cusco for 5 days - when we told him we were leaving that day too and returning to Cusco, he said it would be nice to meet again for more conversation. As he doesnt believe in cell phones or email, we arranged that he would come to our hotel tomorrow morning, and then perhaps go off and have a coffee together. That will be nice as he was so interesting and it felt so good being in his presence. When we said goodbye he gave us each a piece of turquoise - he offering Layla´s with a blessing saying it would protect her health. He was so right as her health is very delicate. When he offered mine to me he gave it with a blessing and said I must take care of my life. I am not sure what he meant by that!

We left the shop and continued on our way, stopping at a restaurant later for a long and leisurely lunch which was absolutely delicious. The young couple who owned the restaurant were so nice we felt regretful we had not found that place before. Then we were browsing in shops and were in one dark one, which one could barefly see into from outside and next minute I heard my name called and it was the shamen! He was on his way to catch his afternoon train. It was amazing that he knew we were in there because we´d been in the shop 10 minutes when he called out!! I am sure that man has special powers. Also whilst in the shop he showed us a photo of him near a mountain waterfall and you could actually see the faces of the apus (mountain deities) in a couple of the rocks. This was especially interesting for me because when up in Machu Picchu you can sense the presence of the mountain divinities.

Our second day up in Machu Picchu was magical too. We all got up early and met for breakfast at just before 5 am, and then set off to catch that 5.30 bus ... and could not believe the long queue when we got to the bus stop - it stretched for several hundred yards!!! But buses were arriving and fill with people constantly and we were only delayed 20 minutes or so before we were on our way on that brilliant bus ride up the mountainside once more. It was just getting light. Up in the sanctuary it was fantastic to see everything without many people. We wandered at will in the lower part of the sanctuary having spent nearly all our time in the upper part the previous day. We had agreed to have an hour of silence beginning from when we walked past the check point and this added to the mystique too. By being silent one could feel even more the magical mystery of being in such a special place. We found quiet places to relax during the day but by noon the sun was so hot and bright that there was no escape from it. Luckily we had plenty of high factory suncream which stopped us being burned. We also had to keep adding repellent as the mosquitos were out in force biting all of us, even Juan. Around noon Juan and Layla decided to go back down but I didnt want to leave just yet. Despite the intense heat I wanted to linger longer in that wonderful place. I ended up staying another two hours, moving on and exploring and stopping here and there in relaxing places, enjoying the grazing llamas on those lower slopes. One of the joys too was seeing different birds, a type of bird which resembles the pheasant family - Layla bought a book on Machu Picchu birds today so maybe I can identify it. We also saw the magnificent mountain caracara with its beautiful black and white plumage as well as many smaller birds. There are countless different orchids up there too. The only downside is the mosquitos and it is well worth suffering all the bites just to be enjoying the ambience of such a magical place. I´ve noted down the names of loads of interesting books which I hope to get via amazon.com once I get home. The price of books is extortionately expensive both in Aguas Calientes and in Cusco. The first one I will be looking for is called ¨The message from the Apus¨.

Well soon it is time to go and collect our luggage from the hotel and then get the train back to Cusco. If we are lucky we may get back in time to visit Chez Maggy and see the band play. Then tomorrow it is the christening where we are both the godmothers of little Sebastia. That should be a really lovely experience too.

Kusikay Productions - Chaska: Una Historia Andina

This episode of my travels will probably be shorter than usual, just writing about the magic of last Saturday night. Today is Monday night and we have had a magical day up at Machu Picchu, a fantastic 9 hours up there and almost the first thing we did when we came back down the mountain tonight was to go and buy another lot of tickets to go again tomorrow at dawn!

When I left the internet cafe last Friday the others were ready to go back to Cusco and soon we were on a bus and travelling back. We were all sat in the back seat of the bus and Layla was amused as we boarded to see all the bicyles and other goods stowed on the roof. She agreed that travelling on that campesino bus was far more fun than a normal bus would have been .. and it certainly wasn´t uncomfortable as Juan had feared. He had his charango and panpipes with him and early in the journey played a while to the enthusiastic clapping of the other passengers. After that I got my iPod out and as I was sat next to Jorge and have a headphone splitter, we both listened to some great music the rest of the way back. Back in Cusco we were hungry again so decided to go to Chez Maggy (which since we arrived in Cusco has become a favourite haunt) mainly because I enjoy the music of the resident group so much and have become very friendly with the two panpipe players Larry and Carlos. We got there just in time to see their performance and ordered a family size pizza to share. This finished off a fantastic day beautifully. My biggest regret is that therer isn´t time to go back to Urubamba again. It is such a tranquil and beautiful place in the heart of the Sacred Valley - the people very friendly - and the climate there is fantastic, warm most of the year round.

On Saturday, Layla and I had a quiet day planned, not planning to meet up with Juan again until the early evening, at Garcilaso theatre for the Kusikay show. It didnt occur to me the night before, only next day, that I could have invited Jorge to join us, especially as the cost of the entrance was so minimal for Cusco residents, only a quarter of what it costs for tourists. As Layla wanted to download more pictures from her camera to CD as well as look for a new skirt, I decided to walk up to the theatre to see if a seat either side of the three we´d bought were still available. On the way I somehow befriended an old lady, who started chatting to me as I was waiting to cross the road (a task and a half in Cusco, there is so much traffic). She came with me to the theatre in order to show me the way via a shortcut and in the process told me how much she enjoyed chatting to foreigners and making new friends around the world, so we exchanged addresses so that I could write to her too. Before saying goodbye at the theatre she gave me a little gift of some earrings which I thought was very sweet and I will more than reciprocate when I get home and send something really nice from England.

I was lucky that a seat on one side of our three was still vacant and was able to put a reserve on it, and be able to pay for it in the evening just prior to the show. I then phoned Juan and asked him to try and get hold of Jorge when he finished work to see if he would like to join us. I then rejoined Layla and we went to a coffee shop. She was hungry for lunch so I suggested getting a taxi up the hill to Casona del Inca, a restaurant I remember having lunch in with Aquiles Dad a few times in 2001 and it is where I met my first musician friend in Cusco. 15 minutes later we were getting out of the taxi and I was first amazed at how busy the restaurant was and also at how much it had changed. The outdoor patio where I had lunched with Alfredo was now covered over and the restaurant thus extended and there were no musicians playing. This was now a restaurant that catered mostly for Peruvians and was pretty high class. We were lucky to get a table next to the window and before we even saw any menus we were handed a pisco sour each, Layla´s favourite drink! We perused the menu and I chose a speciality roast pork dish and Layla opted for a trout ceviche. Next minute three plates of tasty snacks were placed before us and a bowl of delicious soup each, all compliments of the house. Layla ordered another pisco sour and I ordered a coke, but the waiter made a mistake and brought two pisco sours - when I mentioned I hadnt ordered it he said it was free, on the house! We ended up ordering another each after that and thoroughly enjoyed a good couple of hours in that restaurant. Then a taxi back down and getting ready for the evening.

We had to meet Juan at the theatre at 7 pm and I had no idea until then whether Jorge would be with him. As it happened Jorge was with him and really thrilled to be going to the theatre. We had fantastic seats central at the front and when the show began it was absolutely amazing, the best theatre performance I have ever seen in my life. It was a mix of music, dance, theatre, circus and multi media. At the back of the stage was a constant changing picture on the screen there, and the show began with a side stage set that was brilliant and then the stage exploded with people, unbelievable costumes, all set to the most intense andean music. Throughout the show we were absolutely mesmerised. As well as using the stage and the side stage set, more performers came from the sides past the audience, in the front of the stage, and coming down from above on cables or flying across above us - all to the most intense story of Chaska, an andean girl who strived to save her village. Juan and Jorge were so moved in places by the performance that they were wiping tears from their eyes and we were all transfixed. They couldn´t thank us enough for such an unbelievable treat. This was a world class performance that if taken all over the world would be an amazing success. If I were here longer I would pay the cost and see it all over again. After it was over we walked back down to the centre, checking out Chez Maggy to see if the band were still there. I was in such a rush to get down there that they could hardly keep up with me and pretty well walked past the band who were outside (!!) until Larry called out my name! We had one last drink in there whilst the band played. Then back to the hotel for an early night as we both still had packing to do, and a very early start next day.

Sunday - onward to Aguas Calientes
I was up first at 3.30 am on Sunday in order to get a shower before heading to the station for our early train. Luckily we´d arranged with the hotel owner to let us out in the morning as the hotel is locked up tight each night. By 5.15 we were in a taxi on our way to the station, with just one bag of necessities for the next 4 days, having left all our things in storage at the hotel. We were soon entering San Pedro station and both relieved to find the cafe open that early and we had a nice relaxing breakfast of coffee and 2 croissants each (for the low price of 2 quid each) whilst waiting to board our train.

By 6.20 we were in our allocated seats and the train left on time at 6.50. The journey to Aguas Calientes lasted 4 hours and was amazing. Layla was busy taking photos the whole time. The journey out of Cusco is spectacular with amazing views over the city. The train zig zags up tracks, going backwards while the signal is changed and then up another stretch and so on. As we went higher and higher above the city the views were stupendous, yet at the same time we were close enough to people´s homes that we could look in the windows, see dogs, the odd cockerel and even other farm animals in the gardens, children waving at us as we went by even at that hour. Once we had climbed high above the city we were on our way and went through some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. Andean pastoral scenes against the backdrop of spectacular mountains has to be seen to be believed. We were hanging out the window the whole time, so transfixed were we. Soon we were going through the Sacred Valley, an even more idyllic pastoral scene than going by bus - water rushing over rocks in the River Urubamba which we followed for quite some time. At times we could see the Inca Trail too. At Urubamba a new lot of passengers got on and in front of us were people from Marlborough, Wilts - what a small world - and because of it I got to know about a fantastic andean play being put on in Calne in early December, about the incas and conquistadors. Lilian gave me all the contact details necessary so that I can obtain tickets for it.

At 11 am we pulled into Aguas Calientes station where we were met by someone from Gringo Bills hotel, who carried our luggage. Soon we were checking in and were both thrilled with our room which was en suite and very comfortable looking. We unloaded our things and zoomed straight out again, in order to have a look around before Juan arrived on the local train at about 1 pm. We watched an andean band playing on the railway tracks opposite a restaurant, and saw them move their equipment in a hurry as a train was approaching, a goods wagon, not Juan´s train. We had to wait nearly another hour for that to arrive, the whistle tooting, as it pulled in on the tracks which are right in the middle of the road! Layla was overjoyed that he had arrived.

We went and had a nice lunch after climbing the long steep street which is lined with restaurants and shops. We lingered over a very long lunch, enjoying the warm sunshine. Then we went to check out the thermal baths - mainly to check one could still hire costumes and towels. Throughout the afternoon as we walked around the little town, Juan bumped into loads of musician friends so we knew where to enjoy some live music that evening. Having checked out what time they would play, we just had time to go back to the hotel and grab our swimwear and walk up to the thermal baths. Having paid the entrance fee, a cheap 4 dollars each it was a long upward hike to the pools - quite tiring and over a couple of wooden bridges over the river Urubamba thundering over boulders below us. I was quite surprised on arrival at the pools to find they had built several more of them. When I wasthere last there were only three pools, only one of them with really warm water, so we had to dip our toes into several before we found the best one. It was absolutely fantastic being in those waters at the base of the high mountain and we were all reluctant to leave until in the end we had to if we were to get dressed and get back down to Inka Wasy restaurant where the band would play. We just made it back down and ordered a drink when they started playing. A fitting end to a brilliant day. I fell asleep to an andean CD on my iPod and don´t remember hearing more than half the first song!

Having pleaded with the others for an early start and not getting any joy I resigned myself to going later. When I suggested going on ahead Juan wouldn´t hear of it, saying it was best if we all went together. We met for breakfast at 7 am, a really nice substantial one, and then were on the bus going up the mountain by about 7.45. I had forgotten what an awesome climb that was, zig zagging up mountain trails to a staggering height above Aguas Calientes. Layla couldn´t get over it, the fantastic views into the abyss, the wheels of the bus just a foot or less from the edge of the road. Then we were pulling in at the top and walking into the sanctuary.

From the entry point it is a long stiff climb to get into the sanctuary. Because we were early we walked along the outside following signs to the Inti Punku, a funerary stone. We climbed higher and higher until we were literally gasping for breath. After about 45 mins we met Lilian coming down and a bit later her husband. She said to keep going as it was worth the climb for the view. As it happened we didn´t make it to the funerary stone but went really high and took some stupendous photos - this was actually the end of the Inca trail where people arrive after the 4 day hike to Machu Picchu. The sun was out and we had the most amazing hot weather all day. Then we descended and went into the sanctuary proper. We had the most amazing day in there. Even though there were crowds the place is big enough to find quiet places to relax in, and despite knowing there are hoards of people all around, the sense of peace and tranquility is indescribable. We really enjoyed ourselves but the other two were soon regretting not getting up earlier especially when all the tourists arriving from Cusco on the trains arrived. We enjoyed the day so much that as soon as we got back down the mountain at 5 pm we went straight to the office to buy more tickets for Machu Picchu tomorrow, then around to a different office to get the bus tickets for the trip up the mountain. These are not cheap at 56 dollars each for entry and bus ticket, but having spent the money to get here (96 dollars by train) and 3 nights in a really super hotel, it doesn´t seem so crazy splashing out for another wonderful day up there. This time we aim to be on the first bus up the mountain at 5.30 and stay there until at least midday or early afternoon ... then descend to bathe in the thermal waters in daylight and have a late lunch. After that we still have Wednesday here until we catch the train back to Cusco at 5 pm. I will next write in a few days time after the christening and the Puno trip.

A Fantastic Folkloric Extravaganza of Live Andean Music in Cusco

Have I died and gone to heaven? It feels like it, I am so ecstatically happy to be in Cusco, my favourite place in the whole world! This is our third night in Cusco and we have enjoyed so much incredible live music. When we left the internet cafe the other day,Layla and I popped back to our room to add more clothes - it is amazing how it cools down at night here. From warm sunny t-shirt weather it goes really cold at night, so cold that wearing socks and a warm alpaca jacket to bed is necessary if one is to get any sleep.

We went to Patiti´s but the band weren´t there.We walked around the Plaza de Armas as there are loads of restaurants, and entered one called Pachacutec, a very posh one where a live band were playing. They were really good and I ended up buying the CD they were selling. Unfortunately the orange juice I had ordered was really sharp and made me feel a bit queasy so I left Layla to finish her drink and said I would pop back to our hotel briefly until I felt better, it being only a 5 minute walk away. I was hurrying up Plateros and came to a skidding half when I heard another live andean band playing in Chez Maggy restaurant, was peering through the window and listening when the boss came to the door and ushered me in saying it was too cold to stand outside. As you can see I made a remarkable recovery! I lingered briefly, debating whether the band would still be playing if I dashed back and got Layla, and when I voiced this concern to the boss he said a new lot of customers had just arrived so the band would be playing on and to fetch my friend.

I dashed back down the road in time to see Layla coming up and she was thrilled when I told her about the other band and we hurried back and as we went in they were playing one of her favourite songs and she went straight into dancing to it.We thoroughly enjoyed their show, me especially as they played 2 or 3 songs that are on the first andean CD I ever bought. Afterwards the panpipe player Carlos came over and chatted for a while and was telling us about a good place outside Cusco where we could see ancient inca ruins and aqueducts (although it is highly unlikely we will have time to go there because our time here in Cusco is filling up fast with so many exciting things.When the band left we said we would come and see them again the following evening. At 10 pm we met Juan just below the restaurant on the corner of Plaza de Armas and we walked around the corner to Kami Kasi club where I always go at night when in Cusco. By going in early we had a table right in front of the stage, ordered a jug of sangria and the three of us were dancing to the rock music being played, including a couple of Simple Minds tracks, my favourite band until I first heard andean music. (For those of you who do not know, I first heard this music in September 1999 and my life changed dramatically from that moment - one only has to read my writings from 2000 to the present to see just how much! 2004 onwards on this website, earlier stuff including 2 trips to Peru and lots of photos at my other website http://users.bathspa.ac.uk/amaa1

The band that came on to play were called Illapa, a group of quite young musicians, and they played brilliantly, incredibly so for such young musicians, and we thoroughly enjoyed the show. We left immediately afterwards though because the live folkloric show each evening is followed by very loud disco music into the small hours - not our scene at all! One other thing to mention is how well Layla and Juan hit it off. I told Layla 3 years ago that I knew a musician in Cusco who would be perfect for her - I had told Juan the same thing. So you can imagine my delight at their reaction to each other. Just that first evening they were already falling in love.

Wednesday morning I wanted to take my other memory card to get it downloaded to a DVD, this one containing 400 Galapagos photos. I had a 20 minute wait while it was being done so decided to sit on one of the benches in the Plaza facing the way to our hotel, so that Layla would see me when she rejoined me about 10 minutes later. Whilst waiting I suddenly recognised a couple hurrying past and called out his name ¨Fernando¨! You could have knocked him over with a feather when he looked round and saw me sitting there. He hurried over and gave me a big hug, and so did his wife, and they asked where I was staying and said they would look for me there. Then Layla arrived, we collected my dvd and memory card and we set off exploring all the little shops around the Plaza. After a while we noticed a nice little coffee shop with balconies called Capuccino and went up there for a coffee. In fact we had to wait a while for one of the balcony tables, cute little balconies just big enough to hold two chairs and a mini table. Once we got one we lingered there for a couple of hours chilling out after the hectic day before. We had hot chocolate with whipped cream a couple of times and then decided to have lunch there as the menu was good.Whilst enjoying this it was lovely to watch everyone in the Plaza which is really beautiful with a huge fountain in the middle, beautiful gardens with flowers, loads of benches for people to sit on. We took quite a few photos. Suddenly Layla noticed a band going into a restaurant next door and we downed our drinks quickly and went down, entering the restaurant as the band were sorting out their instruments. We sat at a table right where they were about to play, ordered drinks, and thoroughly enjoyed their show ... unfortunately as we had found whilst searching live music earlier, the bands don´t play for long and often by the time our drinks arrive the band are packing up to go. We got a bit fed up with this after a while!

After this we set off to find the Institute of Culture which is where one goes to buy tickets for the Machu Picchu sanctuary. We got there much later as we were side-tracked so many tmes by other things we saw. We bought the two tickets for us which worked out around 42 dollars each, deciding to get Juan´s later as being a national he could get his half price but only upon presention of his identity card. After this we loitered in shops and a bit later in a phone booth shop we phoned Juan to ask him to meet us at Institute of Culture before it closed at 4.15 so we could get his ticket and this we did. Whilst still in the phone shop I decided to ring Colin and he was really surprised to hear from me as my communications with him until now have always been by email. Phoning home from Peru was surprisingly much less than I thought it would be and I intend to ring him again in a few days or certainly the day after we get back from Machu Picchu. Later we found our way to Conceptur, the bus company that sells tickets to get up and down the mountain upon which Machu Picchu is situated. We bought three tickets at 14 dollars each. So are all set now, with the hotel booked and paid for, the train tickets reserved and paid for, the Machu Picchu entry tickets and the bus up the mountain tickets. We are all really looking forward to it. We travel by train on Sunday 24th, leaving Cusco at 06.50 am, and will spend all day in the sanctuary on the 25th from dawn until dusk.

After this we visited the artesania hall of shops at Wanchaq and I bought a silver pendant of a condor. Then we went to Rumillajta - another hall of artesania shops - this time to visit Lydia who had left a message at the hotel for me that morning. She was delighted to see me and meet Layla and we stayed chatting a while and I said I would call and see her again the following day. I was delighted to meet their little daughter Sebastia, who is just over a year old. When I was in Cusco three and a half years ago they were still grieving badly over the loss of their first child.

In the evening we went back to Chez Maggy again and had a nice meal there, with jars of chicha morada, a non alcoholic drink that we all love, which is made from purple corn. I have hardly had anything alcoholic since being in Peru except sangria now and again. There are so many wonderful juices and other things like chicha morada that one has to enjoy them while one can. We do have the odd pisco sour though. The band played two shows while we were there and in between, the panpipe players, Carlos and Larry, chatted to us. I bought their CD - the band are called Tusuy - and they all signed the cover for me. Afterwards we went to Kami Kase again, sitting near the front again, and enjoyed the music of a brilliant band called Yawar Inti who mostly played their own compositions and I would have bought the CD afterwards had it not been the same one that I had bought at Pachacutec! Yawar Inti were playing a brilliant song near the end which I hope is on that CD. Unfortunately I won´t know until I get home because I have nothing to play it on.

On Thursday we went to a nice posh restaurant for breakfast which were offering full english breakfasts and it was pretty good, although not as good as back home. Then we went to Gringo Bills office in Cusco to see about booking a single room for Juan in the same hotel near Machu Picchu so that we can all be together. We were lucky they could accommodate us, they in fact offered us a triple room for the first night, retaining the double we already paid for, plus a single for the second two nights. After this as we were not too far from Rumillajta, we popped in to see Lydia again and she asked both Layla and me to be the god parents of her daughter at the christening which is being arranged for the day after we return from Machu Picchu, 28th August.

Our next stop was to find Teatro Garcilaso to make enquiries about a fantastic show we have heard about. We got side tracked many times on our way to it - there is so much to see in Cusco and not enough days to see them in! I bought some new shoes as well because my sandals are falling apart and I discarded a pair of shoes early in the trip to cut luggage down. I didnt fancy dancing in hiking boots, hence buying a really elegant pair of high heeled leather sandals. Layla went on ahead to Garcilaso Theatre whilst I was trying on shoes and I went to catch her up 5 minutes later. I asked directions and was directed to a different theatre, the Municipal one, but this wasn´t a total waste of time. Without that slip up I would never have known about the fantastic folkloric concert being put on there that night. At Garcilaso we were able to put a reservation on three great seats right at the front for this coming Saturday, saying we would be back at 6.30 to pay for them - we phoned Juan asking him to meet us there then (our seats were costing 58 soles each but as a Cusco resident Juan´s only cost 15 soles - upon presentation of his identity card.

After buying the tickets we walked back to Municipal theatre and were early enough to get three central seats in the front row. The show started just after 7 pm and was completely free as part of a week of folkloric and other culture with events going on all over Cusco. The first band to come on were Illapa who we´d seen at Kami Kase on our first evening, but this time a bigger band and they gave us an hour of the most magical music which we all enjoyed immensely, including Juan, who was really impressed at their coordination. After this the curtain fell, and 10 minutes later a second band came on called Wayra Manta and they were really good too, playing alot of Bolivian music as well as Peruvian. They did a medley of about 8 Savia Andina songs which was especially impressive. Both bands are new ones in Cusco, only being on the musical scene a couple of years. One of them said that Cusco was a great place to be, a great supporter of anything to do with the arts.
At the end the compere announced there would be another similar evening of music and dances from all over Peru ... unfortunately this coming Saturday night so we will miss it, having just bought the tickets for the show at Garcilaso. The show we are going to see is a Kusikay production (which we saw advertised in Lan´s airline magazine) and is called ¨Chaska: An Andean Story, an extravaganza of music, dance, poetry, circus and multi media and is sure to be brilliant. I will write more about that next week.

After we left the theatre we hurried back to Chez Maggy as I wanted to see the band Tusuy again, knowing we probably won´t see them again until our last night in Cusco. I was walking so fast that Layla and Juan could hardly keep up with me and was in such a hurry to get in there when we reached the restaurant that I almost walked past the musicians who were outside!!! Inside we got a great table in front of the stage and shared a pizza and jar of chicha morada whilst watching their show. After that we decided to give Kami Kase a miss as we had to get up early this morning.

A Magical Day in the Sacred Valley
We were up really early this morning as Juan was coming at 8 am for us. We managed to get ready and still have over an hour in order to get some breakfast before Juan arrived .... except that all the restaurants and cafes in Plateros were still closed! Even in Plaza de Armas everything seemed closed until one of the sellers directed us to one that was open. We were so pleased we gave him enough soles to go and get a breakfast himself somewhere! The breakfast was the best yet, the best coffee since Trujillo. Back at the hotel, Juan arrived, and then we were in a taxi and on our way to the bus company that goes to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley by the Chinchero route. Juan had wanted us to go in normal more comfortable buses but I said it was much more interesting on the buses all the Peruvians and campesinos use, so he phoned his friend Jorge to meet us there instead. At this bus company the buses fill up with people then go, and a new bus moves forward, fills up and then goes and so on all day. There is always a crowd so never long to wait.

Soon we were on a bus, the four of us sitting together, and on our way out of the city. It took two hours to get to Urubamba driving through pretty andean villages and observing the andean countryside way of life ... villages called Poray, Cachimayo, Chinchero, Rachi, Watata, Cruzpata, La Laguna de Huaypo, Santa Ana, Ramal and finally Urubamba. Descending the circular mountain road to the valley floor was beautiful, with bright blue sky against snow capped mountains and the town set out in the valley below. We passed some awesome scenery on the journey too.

Arriving in Urubamba, Jorge deposited his instruments in the restaurant where he works and then we set off walking, took photos in the Plaza de Armas which is very pretty with palm trees and pretty gardens and seating to relax in. There was even a man walking an ostrich so people could have their picture taken with it. Then we were walking through the market which was very interesting. Then we went in two moto taxis to a pretty park to relax for a while. It was fun getting into those little moto taxis which are like a carriage that seats two, with a driver, the engine being a motorbike or something similar. In the park were two of the most ancient trees in the Sacred Valley called Pisonay. Those trees were there in inca times. Near the park was the house once owned by Tupac Yupanqui, son of Pachacutec, one of the incas.

About noon we caught a micro bus to the restaurant where Jorge works and we sat under parasols in the garden for an hour or so enjoying a beer or two. The weather in Urubamba is really hot and is like that most of the year round. Jorge warned me to use repellent though as there are alot of mosquitos there even in the daytime. The restaurant were waiting for a tour bus to arrive from Cusco, and there was a huge buffet laid on for them. Layla and I treated Juan and Jorge to have the buffet lunch with us, choosing a table right where Jorge would play, and then the tour bus full of people arrived and Jorge was playing his music which was lovely. After the tour group had gone Juan got up and joined him on charango and Layla and I danced to a few songs which was fun. We bought Jorge´s CD as well, as he let us both have it at a very reasonable price. Afterwards we went back to the market for a while and Juan and Layla are relaxing in the park while I finish off this episode started yesterday. We will probably catch the last bus back to Cusco which leaves around 7.30 and maybe even take in some more live music once back there. I sure am going to miss all this beautiful live music when I am back home once more!

Tomorrow Saturday we plan to chill out and relax a bit more, cancelling our plan to go to Sacsaywaman because Juan cannot join us until 2 pm, as he works for the band Inti Llacta in the mornings at the airport. This would not give us long enough to really enjoy Sacsaywaman and get back and get changed and be at Garcilaso theatre by 7. So a nice relaxing day tomorrow and that marvellous show in the evening.

Then it is to Machu Picchu on Sunday, returning Wednesday night, the christening on Thursday afternoon and evening and Puno on Friday for 3 days. Juan wants Layla to see Puno and I would be happy to see the Huj Maya band again and maybe my friend Javi who lives there. So the three of us will set off for Puno on Friday and return Sunday. After that we will have one last day and night in Cusco and then it will be time to leave. We are all dreading that moment.

So my next email might be written from Aguas Calientes, after we have been to Machu Picchu, as that might be the only chance to write before the end of this month.

Hello from Cusco

Just a short note to let you know we arrived in Cusco early this morning. Despite not getting to sleep until nearly 11 pm, we were up around 3 am and downstairs and our taxi arrived 15 minutes early. Hence when we arrived at the airport it was all closed up. The security guard at the barrier made contact with one in the airport telling him he had two senoras in a taxi and I heard the comment about us being really early. We were allowed in though - the door was unlocked and we went into a dark check in area with just some background lighting indicating the Lan check in desks. We were really amazed that they let us in with the airport being closed.

Sitting on the floor with our suitcases, Layla was groaning ´why had we got up so early´ using her rucksack as a pillow! I said ´never mind, let´s eat the breakfast the hotel gave us´ and by the time we finished the Lan staff were arriving, the lights came on and other passengers began to arrive. In fact it was a bonus being early, being the first to check in, I managed to get my luggage down to 26 kilos so only 12 dollars to pay (by wearing two petticoats, three skirts, a cardigan and two jackets!!!). Unfortunately none of the coffee shops were open that early so we ended up boarding the plane at 6 longing for a cup of coffee to be offered when we were in the air. Alas that did not happen as we first flew to Juliaca, near Lake Titicaca, only 30 minutes so no time to serve everyone. Nothing on the next leg of the flight either as that too was only 30 minutes duration. The flight over the mountains had Layla awestruck, especially as we were coming in to land at Cusco with the mountains so close.

Then we were walking into the airport where Juan was waiting to meet us. He plays in the band who welcome all visitors to Cusco airport, Inti Llacta, and although they were having a rest right then, they played 3 tracks just for us. Then Juan accompanied us round to the check in part of the airport so we could all have a coffee together, then found us a taxi for a third of the price the taxis wanted who were waiting just 50 yards away for all the gullible new arrivals! We said our goodbyes agreeing to meet up again at 2 pm, as he was contracted to play with the band until 1 pm.

When we arrived at the hotel they could not find our reservation and neither could I find the print out in my suitcase. The main concern was that our reservation had quoted 14 dollars a night whereas the list above reception quoted 40 dollars a night because it is high season! They found us a room with twin beds and bathroom but it was very small. We were halfway through unloading our things when the porter reappeared and offered us a much bigger room which was without a bathroom. We decided to take is as the shared bathroom was really close. Within an hour we were settled in and all unpacked, and set off walking to have a proper breakfast. After this we went walking, checked out a few restaurants for future reference, and in one of the shops where there was a camera download of pictures onto CD or DVD service we handed over both our memory cards asking them to put both lots onto one DVD and make two copies, one for Layla, one for me - for the very reasonable price of 4 dollars each. I also have a 1 gig memory card I filled up in the Galapagos and hope to get that downloaded in a day or two as well. We listened to some great music in a nearby shop for half an hour, and when we went back to collect the DVDs were amazed to find that up until now we have taken around 1300 photos. I dread to think what all that is going to cost to get printed when I get back home!

We then made it halfway round the square and came to Patiti´s restaurant, one of my favourite haunts of previous visits, and at that moment some musicians came along and I recognised one of them as being Juan´s friend, asked him if he was going to play and he said yes, they were going to do 4 songs in Patiti´s. We went in and enjoyed a pisco sour whilst listening to them play and when they left to go to Yunga´s restaurant nearby we went with them and there it wasnt busy and they played for about an hour, playing everything we requested and we had a lovely time. Then Juan found us there at 2 pm, knowing that where there was a sound of music playing that is where we would be!

He came with us to Wanchaq station to get our PeruRail train tickets to Machu Picchu this weekend, which had been reserved online several months ago. We still had to queue but soon had our train tickets in hand at cost of 96 dollars each for the return ticket, which worked out at 288 soles. When I said we wanted to buy train tickets for Juan as well, the man would not serve us and said we had to queue up again, which meant pulling another ticket and a long wait. Juan being Peruvian, his ticket would only cost 10 soles each way, a total of 268 soles more for tourists!
We waited an hour and when it was Juan´s turn, the man was most unhelpful, saying he could not buy his ticket more than 4 days in advance and told him to come back the next day. I was really annoyed because I had told him he was travelling with us, yet he made us wait all that time instead of saying he had to return next day.

At 8 pm Layla and I are going back to Patiti´s in order to see Luciano´s band play - this time more than 4 songs as it is evening. We will probably have another pisco sour whilst watching as we had lunch so late we won´t bother with dinner, especially as Patiti´s is pretty expensive. We will be meeting Juan at 10, as he is coming with us to watch a live folkloric band at one of the clubs - he said there are good bands playing every night, and we will quite likely go to KamiKase, which is a club I adore. We have to be there by 10 to get a good table at the front. The band play at 11 for an hour or so and then it becomes disco into the small hours. I am only ever interested in the folkloric live band and we certainly won´t linger longer tonight as it has been such a long day, probably 20 or more hours without sleep by the time we get back to the hotel around midnight or 12.30. Having Juan with us means we won´t get any hassle from anyone else and he is fun to be with. Inviting him to accompany us to Machu Picchu will make it even better for us because of his brilliant musical ability. He is going to bring his charango and panpipes with him and play for us whilst we are in Machu Picchu and that will be awesome. He has musician friends he can stay with at Aguas Calientes and can introduce us to a whole new music scene there. We are so looking forward to it.

Tomorrow morning Layla and I are going to the Institute of Culture to buy the three Machu Picchu sanctuary tickets and then we will be all set for an exciting 4-day trip commencing Sunday - another early start but not as bad as today - we have to be at San Pedro station by 6.20 am latest, with the train departing at 6.50. Juan has to travel separately on the local train (which we tourists are not allowed to go on, even if we pay the tourist fare, sad to say, as that trip would be so much more exciting). Layla is in for a real treat when we leave Cusco because the train zig zags high above the city, with the conductor getting off and changing the signals at each zig and zag of the way.

Before that we are going to Urubamba for the day on Friday which is one of the market days and will meet up with another friend Alfredo (Waylacu is his nickname) who lives there with his wife and child. He is another musician and his band plays with violin, mandolin, guitar and pre-Colombian instruments including ancient bones, to create a mystical ethereal type of music. His band rehearse at 3 pm and if the other musicians agree we can be present while they rehearse which we will enjoy immensely. And if Juan can get out of playing in the band that morning he will accompany us there too. We have to leave early if we want to come back the same day because it is a 2-hour journey each way in a micro type bus which is an adventure in itself, following a beautiful route through the Sacred Valley. Juan also plays in a second band and has promised to ensure we see them perform somewhere at some point during our Cusco visit. Before coming to this internet cafe Layla and I walked to Tomines restaurant near the cathedral and found a live band still plays there too at 8 each evening. We cannot be in two places at once so will probably dine there tomorrow evening.

Each place we have arrived at Layla loves it more than the last. She raved about Arequipa and wants to go back, but landing in Cusco this morning it was fantastic to see her reaction, then all over again to see how much she adored Cusco, just like I do. In no time at all she said on our next trip we could skip all the rest and just stay in Cusco she was so enchanted with it.

Well time now is 7.20 so we are going to have to pop back to our hotel in order to freshen up and get back to Patiti´s in time for the band. After a very hot sunny day things have cooled down at night but nothing like what it was at Chivay which nearly finished poor Layla off. We have noticed no ill effects being 1000 feet higher up than we were in Arequipa. Cusco is about 11,000 feet above sea level. We were able to dance to the music in Yunta this afternoon without any problems, but Layla has a stash of coca leaves to chew just in case! I will probably write more in a day or two, plus add Layla´s writing to the end of my Arequipa episode which she is currently writing up.

Arequipa and the Colca Canyon

When I finished my last internet writing episode, I went to join Layla who was outside across the road from our hotel, chatting to some musicians. Whilst I was still online she said they had an interesting looking CD so I went to investigate. The musicians introduced themselves as Jose, who was with his three sons and a nephew and it was clear they were practising and that the sons were still learning. The CD on the wall next to them was Aire Agua Fuego y Tierra vol 3 which is a Jose Pajares production. I already have it in my collection so Layla bought it upon my recommendation. After listening to the guys play for about half an hour, which was great, sitting with them on the wall in the sunshine, the sound of the sea behind us, the andean music we love so much being played live right beside us. Then the guys had to go but asked if we could meet up again later, and we agreed to meet at the same place at 4 pm. Layla said if they played really well she would dance for them and they all enthusiastically agreed.

It was lunchtime by this time so Layla and I went off to a restaurant nearby where we knew they would play the CD. Seated on the upstairs open air terrace overlooking the sea, with a brilliant CD playing was lovely, whilst enjoying Ceviche followed by fish in a piquant sauce, and a Trujillo pilsen beer. I told Layla that the CD couldnt possibly be their own production as Jose Pajares was a well known musician in Germany and had produced three CDs with the title Aire, Agua, Fuego y Tierra, but that it was worth buying anyway as it was such a great CD.

At 4 pm we rejoined them on the wall by the sea, and were delighted when Ricardo came along with his guitar and joined us, the guy who had played so beautifully the evening we spent on the upstairs terrace of our hotel with Dora, Yerson and the others. They played music and after a while Layla got up and danced to it, which was greatly appreciated by them, and all the fishermen, street sellers, passing traffic etc. Even the people who own our hotel were up on the terrace looking over. It was really great. Thus we whiled away a good couple of hours until Jose and his sons had to go. He asked where we were going after Huanchaco and I said Arequipa for a few days and that we would be in Cusco the following week. At that he said he would be in Cusco as well by then and to contact him via the email address on the CD so that we could meet up again there. I was full of amazement then, realising we were actually with Jose Pajares and when I asked him he said he lives partly in Germany and partly in Peru, so I was really delighted to have met the guy responsible for those 3 brilliant CDs and asked him when the next volume would be out and he said hopefully by December!

Ricardo played on for a while, and then I suggested that the three of us went for a farewell drink, as in a couple of hours we would have to be back at our hotel, gathering up our things and into a taxi by 9 at the latest, in order to get to Cruz del Sur bus depot and our onward journey to Lima. Ricardo suggested taking us to a place where a fisherman and his wife also created ceramic ornaments and we agreed. It was only a 5 minute walk from the seafront, and when we got to the place one would never know what lay beyond it. We would have walked straight past, thinking it was just another house. He rang the bell and the fisherman came and let us in, first into a quite dark workshop where he obviously produces his ceramics, then down a dark corridor into a bar area, with tables and a room of it with dining tables laid up. We sat at a table in the bar area and the fisherman (who introduced himself as Luciano, and a few minutes later we met his wife Luz) went off to get drinks, Cusquena beer for me, Trujillo Pilsen for Ricardo. Layla didnt want beer so Luciano produced a drink which he had distilled himself from chicha which is made from maize. He gave me some to taste too and it was fantastic. He sells chicha in the bar but some years ago he began experimenting to see if he could produce something beyond chicha. Once the chicha had stopped fermenting he put it into demi john type vessels and let it lie for 5 years and the end result was a beautiful sweet tasting aperitif style drink. He went off to put on some music, beautiful andean music, which we were loving. He had an inventory on the table and Ricardo remembered there were a couple of arab songs on one of the CDs, so they put it on and it was one of Laylas favourite songs to dance to and she got up and danced. Luciano and Luz were absolutely mesmerised and really enjoying her dancing. Then he put on another CD by a musician called Rony who grew up in Huanchaco but now lives in Cusco. The music was phenomenal, one of the best CDs I have ever heard and I really wanted it badly. They referred to the musician playing as Chato, his nickname, and it took both Luciano and Ricardo half an hour to remember his name - Rony. Whilst listening to Ronys beautiful music it was lovely to chat to Ricardo who is such an interesting man. He spends alot of time with street children teaching them how to play instruments so they can earn their own living. He said that many of the musicians around Trujillo today were once street children but can now make their own way in life. He has four children of his own too and his 7 year old son plays cajon ' he gave me a web address where I could hear him play. He also wrote an introduction so that if I find Rony in Cusco, he will know that I found him via his old childhood friend Ricardo. I was enjoying myself so much in Las Totoritas, Luciano´s bar, that I had to literally drag myself away. Then it was a mad dash back to the hotel to gather up the rest of our things and get a taxi organised to get us back to Trujillo.

At Cruz del sur we were early, so were able to check in our luggage calmly and I was lucky not to be charged excess baggage fees there. About 10.15 Juan and Coquina arrived and we spent a last half hour with them. They are such a lovely gracious couple and I shall definitely be keeping in touch with them when this holiday is over. It was so sweet of them to come and see us off.

Then we were boarding the bus and relaxing into our super luxurious leather padded seats which recline into beds. The man looking after us came around with toothbrushes and mini toothpaste and wash cloth for each passenger, and then the bus was moving and we were on our way to Lima. Soon after we were all served supper with drinks and then relaxing back into our seats for the 9 hour journey. I got my iPod out and rigged up two sets of headphones and soon we were relaxed in our reclined seats driving away into the night and enjoying beautiful andean music. We in fact listened to the music pretty well all night long instead of sleeping as Layla was loving what I played as much as I was.

The bus pulled into the Lima depot about 8 the following morning where Erika was waiting to meet us. Soon we were in a taxi and on our way to the airport, deciding to have breakfast there and then we would be in the right place for onward travel. After an hour or so, Erika had to go and relieved me of two big textile bags full of things to help reduce my excess baggage and I will reclaim them when I am back in Lima on 12 Sept. Then we said our goodbyes and went off to check in. I was still 8 kilos over the 20K allowance but it only cost me 17 dollars excess, plus the 6 dollar airport tax on all domestic flights. The flight took off more or less on time and about an hour later landed in Arequipa. Layla was awestruck at the view when we got off the plane because the runway is right alongside Volcano Misti which is still active and snow capped - very pretty. As we walked from plane into airport we could see Elva and her son Hugo waving at us from a viewpoint, and soon we were out in the airport and being hugged by them both and then into a taxi and on our way to our hotel, La Casa de Tintin in Vallecito, an old colonial part of Arequipa, not too far from the centre. It proved to be a delightful little hotel, with lovely gardens with flowers, balconies etc, with wooden beams inside. We swiftly checked in, put our things in our rooms and were on our way again in the same taxi, and decided to go to one of Hugo´s favourite restaurants, specialising in trout, right next to a trout farm. We had a really delicious lunch there, accompanied by passionfruit fresh squeezed juice. I am really going to miss the juices served in Peru, in flavours many of which are unknown to us back home - passionfruit flavour is one of my favourites, along with blackberry that was so popular in Ecuador. Then they took us back to the hotel about 5 pm, and would meet again next morning as Elva had decided to accompany Layla and me on our Colca tour, which was starting with being picked up at 8 the following morning.

Inside we were just in time for a pisco distillery presentation - a company specialising in pisco made from pears were mixing up cocktails using different fruit juices, frothy egg white like in pisco sour, and all the guests were partaking of these delicious drinks along with plates of snacks dotted around the lounge area. The drinks were delicious and I would have liked a bottle of the pear pisco which is the base of the cocktails, had it not been for the fact that I am so overladen with things already, even discounting the two large bags awaiting me in Lima!

By 9 pm we were in bed and asleep, both feeling pretty tired after hardly sleeping the night before, knowing we had to be up, have breakfast and be on our way sometime soon after 8 the following morning. Breakfast was delicious, juice, coffee, two eggs with slices of ham and cheese, delicious bread rolls. We were travelling to the Colca Canyon with just an overnight rucksack and were able to lock the rest of our stuff away until our return.

The bus came for us just after 8, and were among 28 people setting off on the tour. Hugo was our driver and Peter our guide, and soon we were leaving Arequipa behind and on our way with a 4 hour drive ahead of us. Arequipa is about 7000 feet above sea level and the road became mountain roads ever climbing upwards, passing pretty litle villages, cultivated terraces, livestock and the ever present mountain scenery. The sun was shining, with a brilliant blue sky that got ever bluer the higher we went. We stopped about three times on the way at scenic points where we could take photos, have pictures taken with children and baby alpacas, look at artesania on display. At one stop were very primitive toilets, little stone huts on a hillside. All the way from Arequipa we had all been chewing coca leaves with some kind of gum made from volcanic ash, as well as eating coca candies, all to help us cope with the altitude as we were heading for an altitude of 4910 metres above sea level which is around 16000 feet. At another stop were ancient inca tombs high above us in inaccessible peaks. Before all this we stopped several times on the altiplano to see herds of vicunas, beautiful shy animals. There were around 5000 of them running free in the Colca Valley national park.

We arrived at Chivay on the valley floor of the Colca Canyon, a height of about 14000 feet and all had lunch in a nice restaurant - a buffet of typical colca food which was really delicious. My favourite was a delicious alpaca stew and I had a second helping of that. Then the bus dropped everyone at their various hotels and we had a couple of hours to explore before being picked up again to go to the hot springs. Having been told at Casa de Tintin that our hotel was a basic one we were imagining a place with no electricity or water (let alone hot water!), no blankets on the beds etc, imagining the worst so we would not be disappointed. The reality was nice comfortable rooms with 5 heavy blankets on the beds, ensuite bathrooms, and breakfast included next morning. Layla and I were in the shared room booked months ago in February and Elva in a single room on the floor below, but she was so unhappy being on her own that we swopped and Layla had the single room and Elva was sharing with me. We set off to explore Chivay and loved it. They were still celebrating the annual fiesta with dancers, the main square full of decorations, bands going by, whole troupes of harp players and dancers, lots of children with their cute baby alpacas posing for pictures at one sol a go, little artesania shops from which we bought souvenirs. Then at 5 we got back to our hotel - La Estancia Anita - and were then in the bus going to the hot springs. Elva and I accompanied Layla but were not planning to swim as neither of us had brought our swimsuits. The others would be an hour and a half in the hot springs and we were prepared to wait and have a coffee outside but half an hour later we decided to walk back instead. We found Hugo the bus driver and told him, and set off on the pretty walk back, surrounded by hills, the almost dry river bed below us. I was really enjoying the walk but after a while it started to get dark and poor Elva was really nervous. She was walking quicker and quicker and I could hardly keep up, and the walk was much much further than it had seemed in the bus. We were within sight of the town, but stll a long way away when a very kind gentleman stopped and offered us a lift. Elva was so glad to get back but at no time had I felt worried because vehicles were passing in both directions, bus loads going to the hot springs, taxis etc coming back, and I sensed that the whole place was safe enough.

We got ready and soon it was 7 pm and our driver was collecting everyone again as we were having dinner at another restaurant with the folkloric show. This proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening - an excellent three course meal - and a band playing right from the start, with a folkloric dancing show as well. We enjoyed a delicious hot drink made from pisco, andean herbs and pieces of orange with the meal. After the folkloric show the band played on and Layla and I were soon up dancing and really enjoying ourselves. A friendly Peruvian girl from Ica on the next table actually video´d me dancing and we exchanged email addresses and she promised to send it to me.

The evening ended about 10 pm and we were taken back to our hotels. We could hardly believe the drop in temperatures from the hot sunshine of the daytime to below freezing temperatures at night. Even with the five heavy blankets it wasnt enough - I had to get up and put on a warm alpaca jacket on top of my pyjamas before I could get to sleep.

Next morning when everyone assembled for breakfast they were all really cold. Hardly anyone had slept because of the intense cold and poor Layla was still feeling really cold even after a long hot shower. At least there was plenty of hot water. Then after breakfast we all piled into the bus again as it was a two hour drive to El Cruz del Condor, a look out point over the canyon where condors fly freely and come close to the onlookers. We stopped a few times on the way - we were on very narrow mountain roads continually climbing, which gave way to unpaved narrow mountain tracks and one did not dare look over the edge into the deep ravine below. At Cruz del Condor we had nearly 2 hours to enjoy ourselves and headed off to find a good spot from which to view the condors. Lots of other people were already there and other tour buses still arriving. I managed to find a good spot sitting on a wall high above the canyon, but felt really dizzy if I looked down and when some people jostled behind me I had to get down and stand in front of the wall instead - otherwise it could have been a long more than a thousand feet drop into the canyon to the river below. About 9 am the condors started appearing and we were treated to a brilliant display as various condors flew and glided over the canyon. It was really brilliant to see these majestic birds, the national emblem of Peru, with their enormous wing spans flying in their natural habitat - it was the first time in 5 visits to Peru that I had seen them flying in the wild - only having ever seen them in captivity before. We all took some brilliant pictures. We all then went on a 45 minute walk to see the flora and fauna of the area - beautiful flowers and varied types of cactus, andean parakeets with their bright green and blue plumage, the colibri which is one of the biggest hummingbirds, a couple of vizcachas which is something like a rabbit, and a few more condors flying. It was an exhausting walk but very invigorating and by the time we got back to the bus I was fit to drop. By this time the morning´s intense cold had given way to intense bright sunlight and deep azure skies and it was really hot. We drove back to the village with a couple of stops on the way in small villages. In one of them there was an eagle on a perch and a slightly smaller one, both of which were really tame - incredible to think of eagles being that tame. They would perch on the arm of one person after another for a picture to be taken, even climbing onto a hat perched on a person´s head for another photo. It was clear to see there was alot of affection between bird and minder. Layla who is particularly interested in birds of all kinds was enchanted. At another stop there were skirts for sale typical of the colca valley, beautiful fancy full skirts heavily embroidered. Unfortunately they were very expensive at around 800 dollars for a full outfit but the lady kindly helped Layla dress up in it so that photos could be taken. Then we were back in Chivay and had another excellent buffet lunch in a different restaurant which had a harp player who played some brilliant music and Layla bought his CD. Then around 1.30 we all piled back into the bus for the long drive back to Arequipa and most of us snoozed until the first of three stops on the way back. We got back to Arequipa about 5 pm and were dropped at our hotels and I stayed with Elva until her son arrived in a taxi to pick her up. I will see her again on 2nd September when I fly from Cusco bck to Arequipa, as we will both then spend the night with her son who lives and studies there, and get the bus to Ilo the following day as I am spending the last 8 days of my holiday with them.

A little later in the evening Layla was feeling hungry so we decided to get a taxi into the centre and have something to eat. Someone in the hotel had recommended a Turkish restaurant to her and we decided to go there. Unfortunately the only dish on the menu I fancied was not on that evening and everything else was either beef or veggie, so I ended up two sundays running having an icecream sundae instead! Afterwards we decided to walk down to Plaza de Armas for a look round and didnt get far when we heard andean music and followed the sound to the second floor terrace of a hotel on the corner. There we enjoyed the music of the band and had a drink and at our request they played a few of our favourite songs and we danced and at the end we each bought their CD. We learned they would be playing there again next day at lunch time and said we would come back and have lunch there.

This morning, our only whole day in Arequipa, after sorting out our cases ready for the early start tomorrow, we set off into the centre and spent a pleasant couple of hours looking round, and then went to the hotel and learned they were playing on the upper roof terrace four storeys up. We both arrived gasping at the top and the band were playing, the sun was shining brilliantly and the views over the plaza and the rooftops beyond as far as the distant mountains was phenomenal. We ordered a pisco sour each and chose lunch, opting for a la carte as menu del dia was mostly beef. I chose a fillet of alpaca in a coconut sauce which was really delicious. We lingered there a couple of hours. Later when the band finished playing they came and joined us and one of them, Miguel, wrote out the words of Layla´s favourite song El Sariri, as he could only remember the first two verses the evening before. When they left we went with them ... to their friend Amaru´s shop which was in a big covered market type area full of artesania shops. We spent a pleasant couple of hours there, chatting and Amaru was playing some brilliant CDs and the one I loved most was by Los Huaskys, another band in which Miguel and Amaru play along with two other musicians. Then a third member of the band arrived, Manuel, and he had his guitar with him and played us a beautiful song called Urpilay and sang really beutifully in quechua, the inca language, which sounds fantastic even though one cannot understand the words - it is really mesmerising. Later we went to a nearby cafe with them for a few beers and they continued playing for us and we had such a brilliant time. It was even better than the private band playing for us in Otavalo as this one was completely free and the music offered to us in a spirit of brilliant comraderie with lots of good humour. I got Manuel to play Urpilay about 4 times I loved it so much, and when we left them around 8 pm they presented me with the Los Huaskys CD with Manuel telling me Urpilay was on it. I was so thrilled to have that CD as having listened to it earlier in the shop, it had many beautifully played songs on it. Then it was time to say goodbye as we have a very early start tomorrow morning. Layla is packing her things as I finish this episode of our story which I started this morning, and then we have to get to sleep as my alarm will go off at 2.45 am, and we have to be ready by 4 as Hugo arranged for the taxi to collect us then and take us to the airport. Our flight leaves at 6,30 am and we will arrive in Cusco at 8.40 and will be met by Juan, a musician friend there who I have known about 4 years. He actually plays in the band who greet all travellers arriving at Cusco airport. Our first day there will be busy getting our rail tickets to Machu Picchu, the sanctuary tickets, the bus up the mountain tickets, all at different places all over Cusco, so my next screed will probably be in two or three days.

Fun at Huanchaco beach

It has been a few days since I wrote last because it has been so busy. Whilst still in Trujillo, saturday night, we ended up going out when we got back at the end of the day. Our lovely landlady Vanessa told us the name of a place where we could go and see some marinera dancing, phoned them and reserved a table for us, asking them to give us a table with a good view and look after us. We were expecting the show to be at 8 o clock but as it turned out it was much much later! Arriving at Pena Cananaas by taxi we were met at the door and greeted warmly and the waiter was ushering us to a nice little table on the edge of the dancefloor and the owner came over and said that anything we needed to just call either him or our waiter, and for us not to leave without seeing either of them first so they could see us safely into a secure taxi. I thought this extra care of foreign visitors was really special and nice.

Soon we were ordering a jug of sangria and enjoying the ambience of the place. The dance floor was a marble floor in shades of pink and grey and we could feel a breeze and realised when we looked up that the trees were real ones and four stories above us was the open sky! Pena Carannas was actually in a courtyard with decorative wooden balconies on each storey all the way round. A band appeared and were seated on the first balcony - it was a salsa band and although not really my favourite music it sounded good live and we got up and danced a few times anyway. Later the salsa band gave way to a black music band - musica negra is another form of music very popular in this part of Peru. We mainly watched this as it was too fast to dance to for long. The cabaret didnt start until 1 AM, and was really lovely. The first couple were no more than 10 years old and danced so beautifully, both the girl and boy real performers and everyone enthusiastically applauded them. Later there were teenage dancers dancing to the negra music and finally, the star of the show, the adult marinera dancers. The clothes they wore were absolutely stunning. It was about 2 am when we got up to leave, and we were put into a safe taxi and got home about 20 minutes later. We were sorry that we had already eaten earlier in the evening, as the pena was also a restaurant; we could see the chefs cooking in the open kitchen and the food looked good.

On Sunday we were collected by Juan and his wife about 1 pm. These are the parents of Jorge, my friend in England, and soon we were in a taxi and on our way to their home. Once there, his wife came to greet us and she was so happy to meet Jorges friend from England. They have a beautiful home which they have been building over the past 25 years, and a huge garden with a fountain, archways, trees and an outdoor seated area with barbeque. We had a lovely lunch with them and stayed most of the afternoon. When I told them about wanting to visit the family of another friend in El Porvenir but that I could not remember the number of the house, Juan managed to download a map of the area from the internet and said he would accompany us to find the house as they were worried in case we got lost or came amiss. When we got to the street, Francisco de Zela, it proved to be a very long street with part of it pedestrianised and with a security guard at each end. After searching the streets either side and me not recognising the house, the taxi driver and Juan asking loads of people, finally when we were just about to give up, someone knew the family and said it was in the pedestrianised bit. Having already enlisted the help of the security guards asking people for us, they moved the barrier and let the taxi drive in and soon we were pulling up outside and knocking on the door.

We were given such a lovely warm welcome. Dora, Johnnys grandmother, was away when I visited 5 years ago in 2003 and was really upset to have missed my visit. She had been learning some English in preparation for my next visit and the lovely loving welcome she gave me was unforgettable. Her son Marco was there, who I had last seen in London, who was so overcome with amazement to see me there in Peru, at their home, that he was rendered almost speechless - and then really surprised all over again at how good my Spanish was - he didnt even know I could speak Spanish as conversation in Flors home in London is always in English. We all went inside and were chatting for ages. I had particularly wanted to see Yerson, the nephew, who was only 8 when I was there in 2003, and accompanied me around the market looking for CDs, holding my hand so I would not get lost. I have written to him from time to time over the years, Ciro and Jorge being 2 of Doras sons and her daugher Flors son Johnnny in England) always tell me that Yerson asks after me whenever they call home on the phone.

Dora wanted us to have coffee with her before we went and set to making some really special coffee. She and Yerson went to a nearby shop and when they came back set up the table and we all sat around it, and were served chicken tamales with red onion and shredded cabbage accompaniment and fancy bread rolls, and the coffee was to die for, the most delicious coffee either Layla or I had ever tasted.

Finally it was getting dark and we were anxious to get back, and although they would have liked us to stay longer they accompanied us to get a taxi, and with hugs and kisses said our goodbyes ... until the following day as we had invited them to come to Huanchaco and have lunch with us.

Back in Trujillo we went into the centre of town looking for a restaurant for dinner; we must have gone to the wrong part as everywhere seemed closed, with only a chicken brasserie restaurant and an icecream parlour open. Having had chicken for lunch we decided to have icecream instead and ended up having 4 scoops each! We had 2 scoops of lucuma icecream (my favourite) and it was so good we ended up having another 2 scoops each.It turned out that on Sundays most of the restaurants are closed. Then back to our guesthouse and we packed up our things ready for leaving the next day. We had decided to spend our last 3 nights at Rubalong Guesthouse on Huanchaco beach, but still had Monday morning to do a few last things in Trujillo, as check out time wasnt until 1 pm. Our first port of call was Cruz del Sur bus depot as I had to change our internet vouchers for the actual tickets for our journey on Thursday night. This was accomplished easily and I was pleased to learn that excess baggage charges beyond 20K would only cost 1 sol per kilo, which on 41 kilos is only about 8 dollars. I had planned to buy a new simm card for my cell phone, in order to use a phone service here, so we went to a Moviestar shop in the nearby Mall, where a lovely young man dealt with us speaking perfect English. Unfortunately it turned out that a new simm card would not work in my phone without getting it unlocked first. He told us places where this could be done, but as the cost was 40 to 50 dollars even before the cost of a simm card, I decided not to bother just to be able to make a few calls whilst in Peru - as using public phone booths is really cheap. It simply wasnt worth such a big outlay just to make no more than half a dozen national calls here. We collected our laundry and it was good to see my skirts looking normal again - they were so dirty after the long bus journey.

About noon we were in a taxi and on our way to Huanchaco and were pleased to be able to have the room on the first floor with balcony as we had only reserved it for Tuesday and Wednesday night. Once unpacked we had a delicious lunch in one of the many sea food restaurants - my favourite dish here is Parihuela which is a sea food stew and really delicious (apart from the octopus and squid). The Trujillo pilsen beer is almost as nice as Cusquena too. We had a fair bit of hand washing to do and rigged up some washing lines on our balcony. In no time at all we had a line of washing strewn across it and wondered if we would get told off as we would never get a way with that in England at a seafront hotel!!! A bit later I looked down and the owner{s son was crossing the road in front of the hotel, looked up and laughed his head off when he saw all our washing. Luckily he did not mind. We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the beach. He tried to convince us to go for a ride in his totora boat - which is a boat made from reeds which he goes fishing in. It would probably be fun if the boat stayed real close to the shore but I might be too nervous to try it if he went out further. Huanchaco is a surfers paradise beach and there are very strong currents too.I cannot swim so never like to be in water out of my depth. It is fun to sit on the balcony and watch the young lads surfing though.

It is wintertime here now and Huanchaco is pretty quiet at the moment. It is a thriving and popular holiday resort for other Peruvians from Lima and inland towns in summer time and very hot then too. Before it got dark we bought a half bottle of rum and a litre of fruit juice, intending to make it last the 3 nights we are here. The people in the hotel provided us with a stack of ice and it was lovely sitting on our balcony enjoying the drinks, the sound of the surf, the totora boats in silhouette on the beach edge. After a while two musicians were passing with their guitars, looked up and saw us and stopped to chat. Next minute they were playing music for us - how nice it felt to be our age and have two young men serenading us. Layla got up and danced to the music and I joined in and it was so hilarious. Passing taxi drivers came to a skidding halt and were looking up at us and waving and people along the street had crossed to road to get a better view. It was such fun and made our first evening in Huanchaco really nice. Also by the time the musicians went on their way we realised we had finished the whole half bottle of rum!!! Before they went, they said they would be playing in a nearby restaurant called Qeros at 8 the following evening and we said we would be there.

Tuesday morning after a nice breakfast in a cafe nearby, we spent most of the morning on the beach until Dora, Yerson etcs planned arrival at 1 pm. By 3 pm we were still waiting for them to arrive so went into a nearby restaurant and had a drink whilst waiting. It was a really hot day. They finally arrived just after 3, late because although Yerson only had to go to school in the morning, he was unable to get away as early as he had hoped. Also, they were carrying huge bags full of food intended for a picnic lunch, whereas when we had invited them it was our intention to treat them to lunch in a restaurant! We soon sorted it out though, saying we could have the food they had brought later on. We then had a delicious lunch together, ceviche and other sea food dishes, accompanied by a few beers. Afterwards we took the food back to the hotel, Layla and I changed into swimwear and we all went on the beach. By this time the sun wasnt too evident and when we went into the sea the water was quite cold and a fairly cool breeze had started. Poor Yerson was probably disappointed that we didnt get more than our feet wet. We all went for a walk along the beach until it started to get dark and then headed back.

Back in the hotel we carried an extra table up to the second floor where there was a big terrace and room for us all to spread out. The hotel provided us with a boom box and we were very disappointed that the CD player didnt work. Layla had made an impromptu bellydance costume out of some pretty scarves she had bought in Otavalo and we soon realised that the music on the radio wasnt suitable for dancing. Yerson carried up a load of chairs, and the hotel gave us crockery and cutlery and soon we were all enjoying the picnic food they had brought with them. Yerson had cooked it for us, a popular local dish called Papa a la Huancaina, which is potato slices and hard boiled egg set upon lettuce leaves and covered in a delicious spicy sauce made from yellow chillis and a whole host of other ingredients including crushed crackers. By this time Doras oldest son Hernan had arrived, complete with two huge bottles of a delicious and sweet red wine produced in Peru called Borgonya and one of Glorias friends, a jewellry seller, had also joined us. Gloria phoned a musician friend, Ricardo and he arrived with his guitar, so there were 8 of us really having a good time. Ricardo played lots of music, including flamenca, and Layla gave us a brilliant bellydance performance which they all enjoyed immensely. Dora was especially delighted.It was lovely to see her enjoying herself so much. They all stayed until 10 pm and then we said our goodbyes and they all piled into a collectivo and on their way back to Trujillo. Dora had wanted us to come to the house again for a meal but we had to decline as we are only here until Thursday. Somehow we have to fit in a visit to Chan Chan, plus tonight we are going to Juans house again, and tomorrow we leave for Lima. Before we left Yerson gave us a present each of a totora boat ornament, which I thought was really sweet of him. Yerson and Gloria promising to come back at 11 am today to see us again.

Also, before they arrived yesterday, I was trying to buy our three internal flights online. Having seen the better prices by clicking Peru as the country of origin, I was shocked to realise that by doing the transaction in English the price of 3 internal flights added up to over 1000 dollars each, way more than we could afford. The price was alot less by clicking Peru as the country of origin but by the time we came to the point of paying for the tickets we couldnt do so as Visa wasnt in the list of payment options, only Peruvian banks. We ended up getting in a taxi and heading into Trujillo, having looked in the Yellow pages and I had found an agent for LAN airlines in the central square, Plaza de Armas.

There we were able to book all three flights for a total of about 400 dollars each, so although it was a hassle having to go back to Trujillo it was worth it as we got the tickets at less than half the price. Also, when I told my friends in Ilo about my luggage weighing 41 kilos they swiftly set to and thought of a way to overcome the problem of me paying excess baggage wherever I go. Erika, their niece, is going to be waiting for us at Cruz del sur bus depot in Lima when we arrive there at 8 o clock Friday morning, to see if we can put some of my things into storage there. If this proves impossible, she is going to take a couple of my bags to her home and keep them there until I get back there again on 12th September prior to my flight home on the 13th. This will make life so much easier as every time we move onward it is really difficult managing all my luggage. Our flight from Lima to Arequipa isnt until 13.45 so we will be able to spend a bit of time with Erika before that, and when we arrive in Arequipa at 15.10, my dear friend Elva from Ilo will be there to meet me and spend the rest of the day with us. It is annual fiesta day in Arequipa on Friday and should be really enjoyable. I think my friend Javi from Puno is going to join us there that day too.

When planning our itinerary before leaving England, the plan was to travel on to Cusco on Monday the 18th, but I discovered online there are no direct flights on Mondays. All of them go via Lima at more than double the cost and involve changing planes, a real hassle. But on Tuesday morning there is one early flight which doesnt involve changing planes. It still goes via Lima but one stays on the same plane. Worth getting up early to save over 100 dollars, but Layla groaned when I said we had to be at the airport at 4.30 am for our 6.30 am flight!!! I also have to make contact with our hotel in Cusco to say we will be arriving a day later, have written a letter but on our third day here we still havent been able to get to the post office when it is open. It looks derelict and the opening times are supposed to be 2pm to 6.30 pm, but it never is open. If I cannot post the letter today I guess I will have to phone them instead. We are not worried if we still have to pay for Monday night in the room as we are still 100 dollars each in pocket by going a day later.

After saying our goodbyes to Dora and her family yesterday, Layla and I went upstairs to get ready for bed. Next minute Layla said Hey, there is an andean band across the road - so we opened the door to the balcony, the three musicians crossed the road in their ponchos and Peruvian hats and were carrying panpipes, charango, flutes, guitar etc. It was the same two from the night before, asking what happened to us at 8 o clock and we explained. Then they said they were playing at the Wave bar 2 doors along from the hotel, so we said we would be there in 5 minutes. The owner of our hotel said not to worry, he would stay up until we got back to let us back in, and off we went with the musicians.

In the wave bar we were ushered to a seat overlooking the sea, in this open sided, thatched reed roofed bar, and the musicians set up their instruments all around the table we were sitting at, and as they played it was almost like having another private music performance, and we were so thrilled and enjoying the music so much. They played pretty well every song we requested. The Wave Bar is like a hippy bar, very informal, with Mexican and Peruvian food on offer and a small bar. We ordered chicken tacos and pisco sours to drink and ended up staying there until around midnight. Although Layla was exhausted from all the dancing earlier, she did manage to get up once or twice and dance to their music. A couple of other guys in the Wave bar played bongo drums and bombo drum to some of the songs which made the sound even better too. After the music performance one of the musicians got up and danced with Layla and it was really interesting to watch as he was dancing fast salsa and she was belly dancing. Everyone enjoyed watching this very interesting combination. Finally just after midnight Layla and I headed back to our hotel as we were conscious that the owner was waiting up for us before locking up for the night.

Well I guess that is all news for the moment and I will probably write again from Arequipa on Monday. Layla is writing a group message to her friends while I write this so later in the day or tomorrow I will add hers to the end of this episode of our adventure.

Fiesta En La Noche - Laylas impressions of last night
Buenas Dias Amigos!

As I rub the sleep from my eyes, struggle to focus, enduring the loud throbbing beat of the radio station the proprieter here at Hostal Rubalong feels compelled to play in the lobby at 8:30 am, I remember what a fun night we had last night. The Rodriguez family from Trujillo came to visit us yesterday afternoon, for what we had planned to be a day at the beach, but turned into a late night party on the upstairs lanai complete with papa a la huancaina (a potato dish), a musician, Vino Borgonoya, all supplied by various members of the family and their friends.

They all wanted me to dance, so I spent most of the night dancing for them. We had a very good time, and by about 10 pm it wound down, me exhausted, and feeling good, but with a bit of a head throb from the wine. The musician Ricardo was a very good singer, and played many of the old familiar latin stuff starting of course with Beso me Mucho. He got into some flamenco arabic for my dance, and Andean folk songs for Angela. We all loved it, and enjoyed a visit with this delightful family so dear to Angela.

Finally, after the last goodbyes, as Angela and I were retiring for the evening, we looked out over our balcony by the sea. And suddenly, materializing out of the night is a group of 3 or 4 young Peruvians all dressed in costume with colorful ponchos and hats, smiling and waving to us, with charrango, guitars, pan flutes, bombo! they are calling us to come down for a private concert! Two of them were the same guys who came by the night before and sang songs to us, and we had dropped them a 10 soles note. So what did we do? We scurried to redress oursleves and headed down to join them.

They took us to a hidden Mexican restaurant right next door, upstairs above a surf shop, where we all gathered around a low table in a tiny crowed room and they played wonderfully many of our favorite songs. We ate Mexican food and drank pisco sours, a great drink which tastes like a whiskey sour. I had a chicken taco unlike any other that was some of the best I´ve ever had. It was second wind for sure, and though my head was reeling I felt great. They had me up dancing in no time, I was loving some of my favorite songs, including Sariri, a song from Puno Peru in Aymara language about the Inca message runners, who used to pass messages all over the Inca kingdom by relay, running all over the Andes. Can you imagine??

After they finished playing for us, the salsa music came on, and Marco, the one who I took a liking to, was up dancing with me and he was a great dancer. Then he offered to give me shoulder a massage, which he did right there, and I him, with no "hanky panky" except for another guy trying to massage me with his guitar! Then we all left, and the guys walked with us the few yards to our door, and with hugs and kisses on the cheek, we parted. They were complete gentlemen the whole time. I was quite taken aback. Of course they had offered their cds, and I bought one, but what the heck. Just having a good time on a beach in Peru, far far away from anywhere I know!!!!

Just a few random interesting comments that I have missed:

Food:
Mostly very good, lots of great seafood dishes, such as fish stew and various ceviches in Ecuador and in Peru it is cebiches. In non tourist places the emphasis on chicken and pollo and pollo and chicken, only baked, got quite old, however. Breakfast: jugo (juice), coffee and tea with eggs fried or scrambled, plus butter, jam and toast. In both Ecuador and Peru the selection of fruit juices is extensive, filled with wonderful things we never hear of in USA, and they come blended and thick, often with every meal, and especially in the morning. In Ecuador I strayed from my usual morning coffee and began loving my "Te negro con limon y azucar" black tea with lemon and sugar. But when I asked for that in Peru, I got only blank stares. Come to realize that there is little black tea in Peru, mostly herbal. In Peru coffee is served in two ways: either a huge glass of Leche caliente, hot steamed or boiled milk, with a tiny carafe of of very strong expresso liquid, the coffee. sometimes it is a powder, never as good when it is powder. The expresso however is often really good. you pour that in the milk. Leche con cafe! other times it is a cup of hot water that you pour the expresso in. and add milk later. It is important for us to be sure the milk is boiled well says Angela.

Safety standards? Nada!
Our hostal is narrow and tall, about 5 stories, with scary open outdoor metal stairs to the last 2 floors. We are on the second floor facing the ocean with about a 2 to 3 foot wide balcony. The wooden railing consists of two rails with gaps between that even Angela could slip thru! It also slants outwards and with the two chairs we have, one has to step very carefully around them to manuoever up there.

Hostal Rubalong:
On our first day here we hung our washing out on the balcony, and the handsome young proprietor, with his spiked hair and silver jewelry in his eyebrow and lip, came out on the street and smiled up at us. We worried he would not appreciate our laundry out and offered to take it down. Wrong - he was most gracious and said it was no problem. Can you imagine that at the Marriott? A room facing the ocean, "frente de mar" for approx. $25? With a view of surfers and fishermen, and we can hang our laundry out? (of course at the Marriott, there would be washers and dryers or a laundry service, and the water would not quit in the middle of your shower, leaving you standing naked, body and hair all soaped up, so you have to run down the stairs, towel around you, yelling "Donde es la agua?!!!" )

Haunchaco Beach:
Weather: mostly overcast, some patches of sunlight, no rain, hazy, temp. pleasant, we are surrounded by desert, breezy but balmy, even in the evenings.

Old fishermen hang out on the wall between the street and the water, mending nets, tending buckets of crabs and strings of fish - smell of fish never far away - street vendors selling horrible looking sweets and cakes, hats, jewelry, sunglasses, trinkets. Tiendas de artesenia and many restaurants.

There is a long pier, costs half a sol to enter (about .15) and to walk it could be quite dangerous, long worn wooden planks that tremble as one passes, gaps here and there to look out for! Angela walked on the reinforced planks in the middle, sure there would be an almighty creeeeeeeak followed by a loud splash!!!

Dora and Peruvian Time
Just have to tell a little about Dora, the matriarch of the Rodriguez family who visited yesterday. She is a tiny round woman who has bourne and raised 10 children. 3 of the 10 were with us last night, the oldest who looks to be in his 50´s perhaps. 3 live in England, the ones who Angela is well acquainted with. The daughter in England is the mother of Johnny, one of Angela´s favoroite Andean music friends. 4 of Dora´s children we do not know. Though she walks slowly with a tremble, she is healthy and strong. Her face is full of charactor, and she is proud of her few English words, two of which are "sit down" spoken clearly with an authority that makes me wonder if she also knows 3 more English words "- and shut up!"
Yesterday afternoon we had her walking barefoot on the beach, climbing over rocks and steps, and finally up 2 long flights of stairs to the 3rd floor terrace where we had our party. She loved my dancing and would hardly let me stop!

Peruvian time:
If your Peruvian friends agree to come visit at 1 or 2 pm, do not expect any sign of them till 3 or 4. And they will bring food, and all the other available friends and relatives nearby of which there are bound to be many. It will be a fiesta, no doubt. Do not plan anything for later evening or maybe even the next day or two, because the party will not end till the food and drink you have provided and the food and drink they have brought is long gone.

If you stop by unexpectedly to say a quick hello and invite them out for the next day, the women will make great preparations for a meal or at the very least a coffee and snack, and 2 or 3 hours will pass while you are still trying to explain that you only have a minute and would like a visit mañana.

For those of you who are dying to read more, you can go to my traveling companion Angela´s website, www.angelasandes.blogspot.com

Here she has written in exquisite detail nearly everything we have done. I am not that prolific a typist.