Time is passing so quickly here. On thursday I will be at the half way mark. 5 weeks passed and 5 weeks to go! I'm already looking forward to going to the U.S for things like cold drinks, cleaner public toilets and K.F.C!
So since my last update I have started a tandem language exchange, it has been really good and my spanish is slowly getting better. However due to sickness, travel and now strikes we have only met for half the time.
On the first weekend of the month we had tickets to see "The Village People" however for what ever reason they canceled around lunch on friday. So by 4 on friday a plan was being hatched to go to Puno to see the reed islands. And by 10 we were on a bus, a sleepless night a bumpy road and 8 hours later we arrived in Puno. As soon as we left the bus we were hounded by lots of people selling tours, taxi's or a countless amount of other stuff that just wasn't necessary at 6am!.
So after an average breakfast at gringo prices we went to our company who eventually took us to the dock. A 45 min boat ride to the islands was nice, we made land fall. The islands were actually quite interesting, I had heard that they were quite touristy. I wasn't misinformed, after the guide gave the talk on life on the island all the trinkets came out, and locals tried to sell almost anything. I considered buying a house as the view is quite nice, but its a long way to go for a holiday house. We then moved onto another (actual) island however it was a 2.5 hour boat ride, and a very slow ride at that. I was good to catch up on some sun and finally see a blue sky again. When we made land fall we steeped onto an island that had a very mediterranean feel. But the steep walk up to the village for lunch was not appreciated after a sleepless night, 2.5 hours of lying down and being at altitude. However after we walked around the village and had a lunch of trout (which was very nice) there was a performance of traditional dance by the local people. And then a walk back down the other side of the island to another 3 hour boat ride back to port. I have to admit I wasn't too keen on going to the islands but now I'm glad I went, it was worth it.
But once back at port we found a place for dinner, had a walk around Puno and jumped back onto the bus for an 8 hour bus ride home! We arrived at 5 am and it was straight to sleep, only to be woken by a new room mate coming in at 7.30.
On Sunday we went to a local soccer game/ peruvian bbq that was a fundraiser for someone who was pinned for crime he didn't commit. Here you are literally guilty until proven innocent and given that to get innocent you need a lawyer, which is hard given the average wage. Most people are left in jail.
On Monday I went mountain biking to see some ruins in the Sacred Valley, the up hills were average and harder than I had expected with the altitude but the down hills were awesome. It turns out we were slower than the guide would have preferred as we were late for the bus we were supposed to be on. But no stress there are plenty more, we got back into town just in time to head to the square to meet some others from the house for the procession of Jesus. An even that marks the start of Holy week. There were soo many people we literally couldn't move, and lots of short old Peruvian ladies gave me wicked looks because I was tall. Its not my fault their short. It was only on the way home that I found that despite my bag being on my front it still got slashed on the side. Luckily it was just my jersey (that I brought here) that suffered, I'm not fixing it as a souvenir from Cusco.
So thats enough for now, I'll update last week soon.
Love to all
No comments:
Post a Comment