August 1 Last Day in Cusco

At breakfast, we received word that our first scheduled lecture had unfortunately been cancelled. This gave us some unexpected extra free time to check out various city sites of our own choosing. One group headed for the San Pedro Market, a place recommended by Moises, one of our guides at Inkaterra. He had described the believed-to-be Viagra-like powers derived from frogs and this market as a place where these products were made. Naturally, curious minds wanted to know more, so they went to see for themselves. The less adventurous among us stayed in town and enjoyed some last-minute shopping.

Later in the morning, we returned to the hotel for a demonstration of Peruvian dances, presented by dance instructor Violeta Contreras. Clicking heels, clapping hands and natural rhythm were in large supply as she taught us a sampling of these dances. Among them were: the Marinera (a sensual dance in which the man and woman act a play of love and seduction); the Festejo ("the synthesis of different genres of AfroPeruvian music that disappeared during the 20th century"); the Huaylarsh (a vigorous dance for young people, in which they play and liberate themselves from the responsibilities of the daily work); and the Turkuy (which interrelated Christian and indigenous elements and "is inspired in one of the most common folkloric characters of colonial origin in the Andes").

Perhaps the highlight of this session (for some of us, at least) was attempting to play the zampona, the Peruvian wooden piped instrument. Award-winning composer Rene Contreras introduced us to his song, Muyuy (Borders) and we all tried very hard to follow his lead. Even though the notes were clearly marked on the zampona, being able to sound them was an entirely different story. It's all a matter of how you position your lips. Those of us who played wind instruments at one time or another had a distinct advantage!

Following both these interactive cultural sessions, we had lunch on our own and then a leisurely afternoon.

That evening, we dined as a group for the last time. Cuy (guinea pig), ceviche and alpaca were among the gastronomic delicacies on the buffet at the very popular Don Antonia Restaurant in downtown Cusco. Accompanying dinner was an exclusive presentation by the group, Arco Iris. Not only did this ensemble dance and play native songs but they also included a number of American pop songs in their repertoire.

Returning to the El Dorado Hotel to relax and pack for the next day's flight to Lima, we were shocked by the sound of fire alarms and the sight of smoke! Everyone rushed down the stairs and assembled in the lobby, as the hotel management tried to extinguish what turned out to be an electrical fire. Unsuccessful in the hotel's attempts, the Cusco firemen were called to the scene. After their arrival, we heard glass breaking and could still see and smell smoke for about an hour. Fortunately, guests were able to return to their rooms, except for Lianne and Carol B. They were sent to a nearby hostel overnight, since their room was next to the scene of the fire.

Gail -- Teacher/Media Specialist -- Cleveland, OH

July 31 Sacred Valley

Today we all got to sleep in and rest our tired bones from Machu Picchu. Having climbed more stairs than I ever thought possible, it was a welcome break.

We continued our exploration of Inca ruins by visiting the Sacred Valley sites of Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuaman. The thing that strikes you the most are the sizes of the boulders used in the construction of the walls and buildings. The sites were constructed without the use of the wheel so it's even more impressive. These rocks are HUGE! The workers would bring the rocks from quarries that were not always near by, and would even re

July 29---Cusco

Today we had to leave our lodge, Inkaterra, which welcomed and warmed us for the last two days. We took a boat ride on Madre de Dios river, stopped by at the butterfly farm and took the plane to Cusco. What a change in scenery!

Cusco is a vibrant city full of tourists and locals who try to sell their wares to them. We had a short tour of Cusco with our new guide, Edy. We visited the old sacred Inka site which was destroyed by the Spanish and on top of it a Catholic church was built. Only a strong earthquake of 1951 allowed scientists to discover, underneath plastered wall, the original Inka stonework. According to descriptions made by Pizarro's soldiers, the walls of Inka temples were covered by gold and silver with many offerings of precious stones and metal objects in the niches. The stonework itself is amazing! Inka polished the stones so it is impossible to put a knife between them and often you can't even feel where the stones are connected when you touch them.

The other signature style of the Inka's architechture are the trapezoidal arches and inward tilting walls. We saw an amazing 14 angle stone that looks as if it is being bent. The ruins that we saw belong to former temples of the Moon, the Sun, the Stars, the Rainbow and the Thunder. According to early descriptions, there was a garden where all the trees, bushes and animals were made of gold and silver. After the Spanish invasion, all the riches of the Incas were either sent to Spain or used as rich decorations for Catholic churches and cathedrals.

We had a chance to visit the most important cathedral in Cusco with several richly decorated chapels and sacristy. Our guide pointed out that local people often view Christian symbols as representations of old Inka gods. For example, the statue of the Virgin Mary could be interpreted as a representation of Pachamama, Mother Earth, and the figure of the black Jesus, as an image of Wizacocha, god of earthquakes.

By the end of the tour, we felt overwhelmed with information. Some of use spent the rest of the evening shopping at the bustling Plaza de Armas, but many returned to the hotel early to pack and to get ready for another early morning wake up at 4:00 a.m. to go to Machu Picchu. A big day tomorrow!

Galina
Wooster School
Danbury, CT

July 27, Sunday, into the jungle

Up at 4 AM, breakfast, leave on the bus at 5AM to the Juliaca airport at 6, for the flight at 7 to Cusco, transfer to fly to Puerto Maldonado. We are changing zones from Alpaca caps, sweaters and scarves to T shirts, from cold grey by the ocean to sunny green, lush jungle.It was 85 F when we landed. We were joined by Natalie Arsenault, director of the Hispanic Center where we started at the University of Texas, Austin. She came along to help us focus on our curriculum projects and enjoy the jungle and Machu Picchu, which is next.

Continuing the total care of the Fulbright travel we were met by a representative from our lodge, the Incaterra Reserva Amazonica, in an open bus at the airport. We had a short stop at a butterfly farm before we got on a launch to ride 45 minutes down the calm, muddy yellow and very wide, Madre de Dios River. The lodge is only accessible by boat.

Lunch was ready and again, gourmet delicious. Spencer Elvis, our waiter, was devoted to our dining happiness. We settled in, discussed our projects with Natalie, then after dinner took a boat ride up the river to see by flood light what goes on on the banks of the river at night. We saw several caymen on the shore. Who knew that sometimes they bury their heads in the mud of the bank leaving their large behinds exposed. We thought it was plastic and a joke until it moved.

This lodge is heavenly in design with double occupancy cabanas by the river, mosquito nets, one light bulb in the bathroom, kerosene lanterns at night, and birds, birds, birds. And stars, stars, stars. It is delightful. Another wonderful day for some lucky teachers from the USA.

Carol B., ESOL teacher, Springfield, VA

July 30th - Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu - the lost city of the Incas - here we come! Ring-ring! The hotel 4:00 AM wake up call was actually a welcoming sound since this was the once in a lifetime experience we have all been anticipating. Isn't this one of the main reasons we applied for the Fulbright? After an early breakfast, our bus took us up, down and around many mountains until we finally arrived to catch our 6:40 train ride to Machu Picchu. It was on time but we started to panic when one of our participants who had stopped off to you know what (no, not shop!) had not arrived. Luckily, she found us at the last minute!

The train ride on the Peru Rail snaked along the Ollantaytamvo River with its white-water and huge boulders. It was off-set by the beautiful snow-covered jagged mountains that were on both sides. When we arrived, there were lots of tourists waiting in line for a bus to the top. It was a harrowing bus ride with the hairpin turns all the way up often nearly colliding with an oncoming bus causing the bus drivers to have to back up on a very narrow road. The driver claimed there are never any accidents but we weren't convinced! The upward journey just got more and more beautiful as the sheer mountains loomed all around us at 9,040 feet.

Machu Picchu is totally invisible from below but just before arriving I got a glimpse of the ruins on one of the hairpin turns and knew it was going to be magical. It was set among the clouds and it looked like it was going to be a rainy day afterall. Our tour guide, Eddie (short for Edilberto), provided us with lots of info about "his people" as helped us discover one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. Years ago, I remember reading in a National Geographic that the ruins of Machu Picchu were discovered in 1911 by a Yale archaeologist named Hiram Bingham. Evidently, Hiram had to pay some farm boy to show him the way to the ruins which were grown over with vegetation. Just think what a jungle of vegetation must have covered the buildings after 500 years of growth.

The Inca Empire lasted from 1430-1534, only about 100 years. The Inca people built the city of Machu Picchu by erecting hundreds of stone structures (234 to be exact). Machu Picchu (meaning "Old Peak" in Quechua language) was considered a sacred place evidently by those who came even before the Inca and was built with the help of the Incan Emperor Pachucutec. It must have taken thousands of workers over many years! Eddie stated that the Inca paid their tax to the Emperor through human energy or what we call hard labour.

We got a full tour of the palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms, workshops, terraces, and houses for the nobility. The buildings were carved from gray granite the Inca took from the mountain top. The climb up the steep narrow steps to some of the buildings was a struggle for some and as one of our English friends put it, "Machu Picchu is not for the weak of heart." The architectural feat is mind boggling since the building blocks used weigh some 50 tons or more yet are so precisely scupted that you can't even get a piece of paper between the joints. How did they work so precisely? I actually entertained the idea of the Inca being extraterrestial as some people believe?

There are many theories about the purpose or function of Machu Picchu - afterall, it's all speculation. What do you think? Was it an astronomical observatory, sacred ceremonial city for priests, a king's palace, place for coca leaf production, large guinea pig farm? No one can say for sure. What we do know is that the Spaniards never found Machu Picchu even though they had suspicions of its existence. We can all be thankful for that!

Machu Picchu definitely felt sacred or spiritual despite the overload of tourists. The Inca worshipped Mother Earth, the Sun, the Moon, Rain, Lightning, and Rainbows. They were extremely connected to the Earth and had ways to determine the two equinoxes and other celestial occurrences. The ancient Inca energy was omnipresent and with the people from every part of the globe, there was truly a "universal energy" present and flowing.

For future reference, if you plan to hike the Wayna Picchu make sure you get to the site by 7:00 AM since there is a limit of 400 people who can do the trail. Or you can be persist and return around lunchtime as three of our Fulbrighters did and made it up to the top in 45 minutes!

Today was truly a magical once in a lifetime experience (not for 3rd timer Brenda!) that we will always remember, thanks to the ancient Inca!

Posted by Lianne, Madison, WI

Monday July 28

5:00 AM wake up knock. Yes, it was a knock, not a call. In Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica there are no TVs nor telephones and there is only limited electric light service in your elegantly rustic cabin. Our morning excursion would be to Lake Sandoval where we would hunt for exotic birds, river otters, turtles, and possibly black caymans.

To get to Lake Sandoval we first took the motor boat upstream to Tambopata National Reserve. We then walked approximately 2 kilometers to reach a canoe. Percy and Moises (our guides) rowed us out onto the lake to quietly observe the wildlife. We encountered many "stinky" birds, named so due to the fact they have no gizzard and seem to give off a foul smell. Moises indicated they are considered to be fairly prehistoric animals because the babies are born with claws on their wings. These claws help them to climb back up tree trunks to their nests after having jumped out. I understood they loose the claws as adults.

My favorite bird was the snake bird which slides through the water with just its thin neck and head showing. It will suddenly submerge and reappear with only a slight ripple in the surface of the lake. It was a beautiful tranquil morning on the lake. We were a little disappointed to not observe the river otters but it was important to maintain distance from their den due to the fact this is breeding season. The morning ended with a entertaining jungle show. As we approached the dock for enter to the lodge, Moises observed the backside of a fairly large white cayman stuck in the mud. It was perfectly still and there was some discussion as to it being plastic and a "joke" placed on the river bank. Just as we were all convinced it couldn't be real, it pulled its head out of the mud, whipped around, and slid into the water. Nature at its best.

After lunch we tackled the famous canopy walk. This tour requires one to ascend over 100 meters up a tower to get a great look at the forest from above. It seems the tower was designed and constructed (with the help of the locals) by Chicago engineers. From here our guides pointed out the wide variety of trees found in a tropical forest and told us to keep on the lookout for monkeys and birds. We began our cautious walk across 7 swinging bridges at this height. Fortunately the day wasn't windy and the bridges only gently moved under our feet.

As you can imagine, walking across these narrow swinging bridges produced a case of high anxiety for most of us. Diane confronted this fear with such bravery that we all gave a whooping cheer as she finished the final bridge. The experience was fantastic although no monkey and only a few birds appeared to view the crazy humans walking through their canopy.

Our final activity for the day was a night walk through the jungle with Percy. We began by observing the palm trees next to our cabins. It seems tarantulas enjoy making their nests there. Percy pulled one out and placed the fury black insect on Kim's arm. Brave woman! I was having a heart attack. Throughout this hour walk we were shown many spiders, most being very poisonous. At one point we stood in a circle and extinguished our flashlights. For a few minutes we just listened to the incredible sounds of the night jungle. It was a beautiful symphony of rustling leaves and chirping insects. The walk ended with star gazing and discovering the famed Peruvian llama hidden in the dark spaces of the Milky Way.

The night ended with a delicious light buffet dinner and a cake to celebrate Diane's achievement of the day. Congrats to her perseverance!

Jody

July 24th Seeing the Ice Maiden

July 24th

AH Sleep....It felt so great to rest in the monastery hotel in Arequipa. I looked out my window and saw the view of the El Misti Volcano. When I started the morning, the breakfast was terrible. Bread that was too thin, butter, and jelly. The fruit was tasteless. Imagine a pineapple that had no juice and no taste. The scrambled eggs they make here are toorunny and without any spice or extra flavoring. There is never any salt or pepper on the table. Lunch was great especially if you have a taste for pigs feet or guinea pig. I was served a huge mounded plate with rice, runny egg veggie goop, a stuffed pepper with beef and cheese, and some raw onions that hid the disgusting pigs feet.. I loved the potato with cheese and the rice and stuffed pepper...but much of it went untouched! Everyone who ate guinea pig loved it!

We went to see lots of churches and into the cloistered convent where we learned a lot about the Dominicans and the way they gained vocations in the 16th-18th century. The second daughter of every family had to go to the convent. She was a novice for 4 years and then became a nun. Her parents had to pay a large sum for her to enter the convent. The nuns had servants who lived with them. They prayed and worked and spent their lives in the convent away from people. The 2nd son became a priest and went to the monastery or seminary. This was only the way for the middle class to keep vocations. But in a way it was not so bad a lifestyle. Back then you had arranged marriages and many women died in childbirth. There was a lot of suffering in married life since the husband could be really cruel.

Then we went to the museum to see the Inca Maiden. It was a wonderful place. We learned about the ritual involved in the sacrifice to the gods and how these children were prepared for their gruesome sacrificial life. The climb up to the top of the volcano was difficult enough, but then they had to drink a narcotic and lay down in the tomb in the fetal position dressed in beautiful clothing and adorned with gold and figures and pottery that they would need in the afterlife. They were then slammed hard on the head with a blow from the high priest. The figure of Juanita, the mummy, was in perfect condition. We could see her mouth opened in a scream of pain. Her eyes were opened and the skin was still on her body. It was kept in a perfect state at 20 degrees. She was found with 4 other children at the top of the mountain. I really was amazed by this mummy.

We can feel the tremors. The tremors actually hit here 30 times per day! The altitude gives me, and many others a headache too!

Maryann
Indiana