Galapagos Islands

Sunday, April 3, 2016, WTRD 86

Three thirty in the morning rolled around fast.  We were enjoying a king size bed in a king size suite in Quito when the alarm went off.

We dressed, took the extra bags to hotel storage, locked up the small rolling duffles, grabbed our backpacks, checked out of the hotel, collected our box breakfast, and were loaded into the van and on our way to the airport at 4:30 am.  We ate our breakfast on our way to the airport.





There are 13 of us in the new group, us, Peter and Diane who were n Peru with us, Janet and her daughter Julie from England, Gill (Jill)  and Mick also from England, and the rest Aussies; Nathan, Bev and Leon, Jackie and Simon.  We arrived on Baltra Island, Or South Seymore around 9:30 as there was a 1 hour time change.

We boarded the Queen Beatriz, and our new guide gave us an orientation to Galapagos rules and safety talk.  We had about 45 minutes to organize our rooms before lunch was served. We have a nice size room with a private balcony.

The motor cat carries 16 people.  Passengers come and go depending on whether they are on a 17 day, 14 day, 10 day, 7 day, or 5 day expedition There isn't much on the itinerary today except for a snorkel.  When we joined the boat, all but 3 of the passengers had left this morning.  Our group of 13 joined with Thomas from Holland, Rudy from Belgium, and Robert from Canada.  They have 3 more days before they depart, and we will be the next ones to welcome newbies aboard.

Our first activity was a drift snorkel at Punta Carrion.  The water was warm and enjoyable, however it lacked clarity and coral.  The Galapagos has some coral but it is mostly volcanic rocks.  We saw angel fish, parrot fish, clown loaches, and schools of silver fish that we could not identify.  Not remarkable snorkeling, but it was wonderful to be back in the equatorial sea.  After over an hour of snorkeling, we returned to the QB for showers, briefing, Captain's welcome and cocktails, dinner and early treat to the cabins.  We were all exhausted.

Russ and I were hanging some clothing out on our balcony when we heard some thrashng in the water.  It looked like the crew had thrown some organics in the water just in front of our deck.  A huge shark 2-3 meters in length was snapping whatever they had thrown out.  There was very little moon, but our balcony light illuminated the thrashing creature and it looked ghostly white just under the surface of the water.  We would not have wanted to see this guy while snorkeling earlier.

Tomorrow we are up at 5:00 for a 6:00 am walk about to look for Marine Iguana.

All is well with The Worrall Travel Rs in the Galapagos.

Goodbye Peru, Hello Ecuador

Goodbye Agua Calientes

Thursday-Saturday, March 31-April 2, 2016 WTRD 83-85

Thursday, March 31 - WTRD 83

We returned last night from Agua Calientes, and are now back in our hotel in Cusco.  Today is mostly free with a short tour of the artisan quarter and a demonstration at the Coca Museum.  Now that Holy week is over, the city streets are filled more with locals than tourists, and they are busy with people going about their business.

Our guide tells us there are only half a million people here, but it looks and feels like more.  We are approached every two minutes by a street vendor wanting to sell the same thing as the vendor who approached us two minutes before.  It's a hard way to make a living.  We empathize with these folks, and at the same time growweary of saying "no gracias," and have pretty much shortened it to a head shake, no eye contact, and keep on moving.

After our morning tour, Russ and I visited the Inca Museum which was very interesting; finished up our shopping for last minute items; ate lunch at nice little cafe, and returned to our hotel for an afternoon of rest and readiness for our flight out in the morning back to Lima.

Our group, minus 1 who has a bronchial infection, meets for the last meal with our guide Reny.

Left back and around to Right: Gary, Lorraine, Dianne, Peter, Pete, Marguerite, Janne, Roz, Russ, and Reny (Anna not pictured)

He will take us to the airport tomorrow and make sure we are on the plane, but will stay in his home city of Cusco with five days off before the next tour group.  We've been a good group, but a sickly one, so he has had his hands full and will no doubt be relieved to no longer have us as his responsibility.

Friday, April 1, 2016 - WTRD 84

Everyone, but our guide is up and ready to go by 6:00 am.  Our plane for Lima leaves at 7:30.  Reny is running late and has some difficulty contacting the bus driver at the bottom of the hill to pick us up.  If you remember from previous blogs, this is the hotel that has little to no parking space on a narrow street, and when the bus is summoned,  we all have to jump on and off quickly with luggage as if our pants are on fire. By the time we are loaded and rolling away it is nearly 6:20.  Our group is checked in already, but still have to make our way through traffic to the airport, drop our bags, clear security, and board our plane in the next hour.

My stomach starts to knot up.  I hate being late. Russ and I try to give ourselves plenty of time at airports so that if there are any snags, we can flex easily.  We make it to the airport at 6:40.  It is a small airport and not busy, phew.  We grab our bags off the van, check in, drop our luggage, clear security, and make it to the gate by 6:55.  The plane started boarding at 6:45 and the line is already pretty short.  We are in our seats by 7:00.

The plane is not fully booked, but everyone is onboard by 7:10, so we take off early!  I finally exhale.

When we arrive in Lima, it is only 9:00 am.  We are met by a local day guide.  The 10 of us board a private bus intended for 30 people and are whisked away to the hotel where we started the tour 2 weeks ago.  Of course the rooms are not yet ready, with the exception of one that is available for the person with bronchial infection.  We drop our bags, and half the group who are ill or just tuckered out or not interested in a city tour.  It is in the high 80's F, and staying in the cool hotel looks appealing, but we push on.

Five us re-board the big bus that takes us down town.  Once we are in the downtown area, we are on a 2 hour walking tour that takes us from one beautiful square to the next through a pedestrian only shopping area.

The fountains and buildings were built and rebuilt due to earthquakes in 19th and 20th century.  I am glad we saw these buildings, as it gives us a little nicer opinion of the metropolitan area of Lima.

Converted Train Station to Cultural Center

The public schools here are on triple session.  Middle school kids go in the morning (4 hours), followed by elementary students in the afternoon, and high school students in the evening.  The streets are filled with students coming from school.  Public schools are free but the education is abbreviated. What can students really learn in 4 hours a day?  Our guide tells us that private schools start at 1,000 soles a month and can run up $2,000 USD a month.  The average salary in Peru in 770 soles per month...that's about $250.00 USD.  Can you imagine that?  No wonder all of these folks take to the streets to sell stuff.

Our last stop is at the Franciscan Monastery.  Built in 1643, this edifice has also been built and rebuilt after earthquakes.  It has a Moorish flavor with beautiful carved dome ceilings and decorative ceramic tiles.  The library looks like something out of Harry Potter movie, very impressive two story room with spiral wood staircases to the second level.  Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any photos of the Monastery interior.  The most interesting part of the monastery were the catacombs beneath, filled with the bones of an estimated 25,000 people.

We returned to the hotel late in the day, checked into our room which was on the second floor with a lovely balcony right outside our door.  With our new friends, we sat on the balcony, drank wine, ate appetizers and said our final goodbyes.

We leave tomorrow for Ecuador.

Saturday, April 2, 2016 - WTRD 85

We leave this morning at 9:00 this morning for the airport, headed for Quito Ecuador.  One other couple from our group is continuing on with us to the Galapagos.  Four of our friends, left this morning at 2:00 am to head back to Australia.  

If anything exciting happens today, I'll update this blog later, but suspect, we will arrive in Quito, meet-up with our new group, repack our bags once again into something small for the boat, hang out and go to bed.

All is Well with the Worrall Travel R's Saying Goodbye to Peru

Good Morning Machu Picchu

Wednesday, March 30, 2016, WTRD 82

The alarm got us out of bed at 4:00 am. We had breakfast at 5:00, checked out of our hotel, and walking down the steep cobbled streets to the bus terminal in the early morning light.  Sunrise is late here because the mountains are so tall.  Nevertheless, we board the busses about 6:00 am, ride for 25 minutes up a one way, winding road on the sides of the steep mountains to ascend to the base gate of Machu Picchu.

There is a sign here that says Machu Picchu 1450-1540.  This is UNESCO World Heritage Site and definitely one of the wonders of the world.  This is not an ancient site, but one built at the same time as Europe was in the medieval period and sending explorers across the seas.  Machu Picchu was not built for commoners but for the royal nobility of the Son of the Sun King, chiefs, and administrative staff.

Once inside the gate, we ascend up a steep trail and steps to the first sunrise lookout.

Just as we arrive, the sun begins to peak over the mountain in the east and a golden light begins to shine on the ruins of Machu Picchu.

It is evident why the Inca sun worshippers have chosen this place as the site for their holy temple, solstice and equinox ceremonies.  This was a giant conference center.  

Our Intrepid Group Makes It to Machu Picchu!  

The Sun Temple

The greats only came for short stays and did not reside here.  While being built over 10,000 common people worked on the site by day to build walls, houses, terrces, and paths, farm, carve, clear rocks, But they lived in the valleys below.  This was made by them but not for them.  Only 300 people were residents of this retreat, and they were servant caretakers.  

Water line

As the sun rises, the beauty of Machu Picchu unfolds.  We are fortunate to be here on a clear day.  For the last week, Machu Picchu has been shrouded in clouds and rain.  But today, the Sacred Center is in its full glory as the sun rises.  Windows face east to capture the morning sun.  Prominent stones in strategic locations, cast shadows for telling time and season, solstices, and equinox.  There are reflective mirrors made from still water to observe the stars, and to capture the glow of sun on seasonal celebration days.

We have a guide, Patrick Manuel, who explains all of this to us.  He is quite a dramatic character, rolling his R's with such gusto that his spittle glistens in the morning light.  He claims to be a great, great, great.....grandson of the Son of the Sun, King.

He relishes the magic and the secrets of Machu Picchu and shares them with us.  We wonder through out the complex.  By 10:00 am, the sun is high in the sky, the complex is filling with people, and it is very warm at 8,000 feet.  The shade of the rock walls is growing narrower and becoming more difficult to find.  Without the original roofing, there is little shade.

Temple of the Condor - Sacred Bird. Striated Vertical Rocks represent His Wings in Flight.

Russ and I hang around awhile after the tour on our own, but the magic of the sunrise and the long shadows have vanished, and we decide it is time to descend back to Aqua Calientes.  We return to our hotel, relax, download photos for editing, have lunch, and head to the train station for our return to Ollantaytambo.  The train rattles and rolls down the hill. After and hour and a half, we disembark, climb on a bus and head to Cusco for another 2 hours.

We arrive just as I am finishing this blog 6:30 pm.   It's been a fabulous day, and we can check off another world wonder from the bucket list!

All is Well With the Worrall Travel R's To Machu Picchu and Back To Cusco.