Hiking 5 days on the Inca Trail with a broken arm...!!!
Peru, June 2006
I boarded the plane for Peru with a trepid heart, my first foray to a under-developed country with a different language and planning an incredible adventure. I was sure really nervous..
Of course I had backpacked across Europe before, but South America with its reputation was different.
My travel through the country would take me to Lima (the capital) , Lake Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world), Cusco (the Inca capital), Sulistani, Pisaq (the burial sites) and on the Inca trail to Machu Pishu.
Lima: The beautiful but contrasting capital city, is one of the busiest and most touristy destinations of South America. Bustling with trade and business, it still retains it Spanish touch with it opulent gardens and majestic churches with Gothic architecture. Host to some of the best universities of the region and well stocked museums, it seems to give an impression of a developed city. But ironically a ten minute drive out of Miraflores (the expiate district) reveals the poverty and underdevelopment of the third world nation. Rows and rows of poorly build and disorganized and dirty slums as far as the eyes can see hardly reminds one of the rich and developed Inca empire that once existed in history or the developed self sufficient nation that the Peruvian government (under Alan Garcia) wants the world to believe.
This is the saddest part about uncontrolled and deregulated global development, the rich gets richer, the cities turn modern but the hiatus between those to make it to those who are left behind widens every second.
My friends had warned me before leaving of the fragile government and the possibility of military coups (and the suffering the tourists had to go through during one of those) so imagine my plight when I exited the airport and was greeted by a army tank with about a dozen soldiers.. I was lucky, it wasn't a coup but just a usual patrolling since the elections were in progress (I don't think it would be usual in most other parts of the world).
The museums of Lima were very interesting with the treasures that the Spanish had not managed to lay their hands on and the curator was a learned guy (attempting to hold on to very sketchy and unsure historical records). Personally I believe that the worst fall out of colonization was the destruction of indigenous history and native culture but apparently this was one of the major weapons of the Spanish (other than the guns and the germs) to rule over these once rich and diverse people.
[Excellent chronicle by Jared Diamond on this subject in the chapter 'Collision at Cajamarca' in his book 'Guns, Germs and Steel' (1999)]
After spending time in Lima eating original Peruvian ceveche and Calamar en su Tinta (squid blood with rice), I proceed to fly to Puno, the town on the banks of Lake Titicaca.
Puno, Lake Titicaca: Not only the highest navigable lake but also one of the most beautiful, Lake Titicaca is also unique because of its inhabitants.
The island people of Amantani and Taquile greeted us with open arms offering us a place to stay and food to eat. Especially impressive was their creative developmental projects (some with solar energy while others in fishing on the lake) and their political setup. Each island was governed by a council both nominated and elected was very autonomous and independent in its self. Utilizing the money generated from tourism, these island were prospering at a very good rate and some even had schools and colleges on them. An interesting fact was the color and shape of the hat determined the social status and marital inclination of a man, a tradition that outlasted the Spanish era.
One of the examples of successful utilization of indigenous techniques in association with modern scientific methods.
One of the most unique set of inhabitants are the people of the reed islands, completely build on dry reed pulled from the lake, these people float on the lake and build houses on them, sometimes even complete villages. It is said that these people, originally descendents of the Aymara Indian tribes (some even pre-Inca) would stay one step ahead of the Spanish by floating away (often to the Bolivian side) when they heard of the advancing Spanish.
Their success evident from their way of life and Aymara language still uptarnished by Spanish influence.
Cusco: Following the nine hour bus ride from Puno to Cusco, an ascend to about 12000 ft above sea level, one can often enough feel the lack of oxygen. But that did not stop the Incas from building this city into their beautiful capital. The museums tell the story of the pre Spanish era and the narrow sidewalks with Inca stones (buried under Spanish architecture) often reminding one of the inevitable transience of civilizations, even ones as mighty as the Incas and the inequalities of development in the world.
The hike to Machu Pishu follows the historic retreat of the Incas into the forest from Cusco preceeding the Spanish advance. A five day hike covering two mountains, a cloud forest and numerous ruins on the way starts from Ollayatambo, a bus ride away from Cusco.
I boarded the plane for Peru with a trepid heart, my first foray to a under-developed country with a different language and planning an incredible adventure. I was sure really nervous..
Of course I had backpacked across Europe before, but South America with its reputation was different.
My travel through the country would take me to Lima (the capital) , Lake Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world), Cusco (the Inca capital), Sulistani, Pisaq (the burial sites) and on the Inca trail to Machu Pishu.
Lima: The beautiful but contrasting capital city, is one of the busiest and most touristy destinations of South America. Bustling with trade and business, it still retains it Spanish touch with it opulent gardens and majestic churches with Gothic architecture. Host to some of the best universities of the region and well stocked museums, it seems to give an impression of a developed city. But ironically a ten minute drive out of Miraflores (the expiate district) reveals the poverty and underdevelopment of the third world nation. Rows and rows of poorly build and disorganized and dirty slums as far as the eyes can see hardly reminds one of the rich and developed Inca empire that once existed in history or the developed self sufficient nation that the Peruvian government (under Alan Garcia) wants the world to believe.
This is the saddest part about uncontrolled and deregulated global development, the rich gets richer, the cities turn modern but the hiatus between those to make it to those who are left behind widens every second.
My friends had warned me before leaving of the fragile government and the possibility of military coups (and the suffering the tourists had to go through during one of those) so imagine my plight when I exited the airport and was greeted by a army tank with about a dozen soldiers.. I was lucky, it wasn't a coup but just a usual patrolling since the elections were in progress (I don't think it would be usual in most other parts of the world).
The museums of Lima were very interesting with the treasures that the Spanish had not managed to lay their hands on and the curator was a learned guy (attempting to hold on to very sketchy and unsure historical records). Personally I believe that the worst fall out of colonization was the destruction of indigenous history and native culture but apparently this was one of the major weapons of the Spanish (other than the guns and the germs) to rule over these once rich and diverse people.
[Excellent chronicle by Jared Diamond on this subject in the chapter 'Collision at Cajamarca' in his book 'Guns, Germs and Steel' (1999)]
After spending time in Lima eating original Peruvian ceveche and Calamar en su Tinta (squid blood with rice), I proceed to fly to Puno, the town on the banks of Lake Titicaca.
Puno, Lake Titicaca: Not only the highest navigable lake but also one of the most beautiful, Lake Titicaca is also unique because of its inhabitants.
The island people of Amantani and Taquile greeted us with open arms offering us a place to stay and food to eat. Especially impressive was their creative developmental projects (some with solar energy while others in fishing on the lake) and their political setup. Each island was governed by a council both nominated and elected was very autonomous and independent in its self. Utilizing the money generated from tourism, these island were prospering at a very good rate and some even had schools and colleges on them. An interesting fact was the color and shape of the hat determined the social status and marital inclination of a man, a tradition that outlasted the Spanish era.
One of the examples of successful utilization of indigenous techniques in association with modern scientific methods.
One of the most unique set of inhabitants are the people of the reed islands, completely build on dry reed pulled from the lake, these people float on the lake and build houses on them, sometimes even complete villages. It is said that these people, originally descendents of the Aymara Indian tribes (some even pre-Inca) would stay one step ahead of the Spanish by floating away (often to the Bolivian side) when they heard of the advancing Spanish.
Their success evident from their way of life and Aymara language still uptarnished by Spanish influence.
Cusco: Following the nine hour bus ride from Puno to Cusco, an ascend to about 12000 ft above sea level, one can often enough feel the lack of oxygen. But that did not stop the Incas from building this city into their beautiful capital. The museums tell the story of the pre Spanish era and the narrow sidewalks with Inca stones (buried under Spanish architecture) often reminding one of the inevitable transience of civilizations, even ones as mighty as the Incas and the inequalities of development in the world.
The hike to Machu Pishu follows the historic retreat of the Incas into the forest from Cusco preceeding the Spanish advance. A five day hike covering two mountains, a cloud forest and numerous ruins on the way starts from Ollayatambo, a bus ride away from Cusco.
The next day following my scrumptious dinner of cuy (guinea pig) and Llama meat, we proceeded for the Inca Trail.
Inca Trail: Seldom is one so at awe with nature and history that it inspires courage and perseverance unknown even to ones' self. The five day strenous hike surmounting challenging peaks (of over 14000 ft), walking 10 hours and trying to sleep in sub zero cold temperatures to retrace the path of the fleeing Incas and to see the sun rising over Machu Pichu is a life changing experience and I personally felt a spiritual touch.
The broken arm was forgotten when I sprinted to the top of the Sun Gate often climbing steep stairs on all four limbs, but the sight that I got will be etched in my memory forever.
A worthwhile mention here is of the porters who carry the tents for the hikers. Barefeet these Inca descendents never cease to provoke admiration by their unnerving stamina and strenght. Often rising before the tourist and running up and down the mountains on an empty stomach, these porters are an inspiration and the real olympic medal winners.
Descending from Machu Pishu to Agus Caliente, and waiting for the plane back to Los Angeles, I look back at Peru, as the land of rich culture and history, a land of great suffering and injustice but also a land of friendly and resilient people who have a ability to bounce back from oppression and still smile and be optimistic.
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