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North America, South America, the Caribbean, and Caribbean Cruises |
Journey to Magical Peru Lima is a bustling city, fast moving and energetic, yet also relaxed and laid back. It is truly a cultural melting pot, with pre-Hispanic, European, Asian and African influences. Lima's sometimes-frenetic pace is mellowed by the presence of the sea, the beaches and the peaceful parks around every corner. The mix of lifestyles and people is a fascinating world of its own: from the brazen, cocaine-influenced style that you see in the movies to the easy-going, happy-go-lucky attitude that permeates everything. Restaurants of all kinds can be found all over the city and many people regard Peruvian cuisine as the most underrated in the world. After having sampled many of the ethic eateries and traditional Peruvian dishes, I have to agree with the great Auguste Escoffier, who ranked Peruvian cuisine third behind French and Chinese food. The main square, Plaza de Armas, houses the Government Palace, Town Hall, the Cathedral and many outdoor cafes, all surrounding a stunning bronze fountain that dates back to 1650. The Gold Museum and the requisite city tour are a must before heading to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu . After a few days in Lima, we took an early morning flight to Cuzco -you go from sea level to 11,500 feet in just under one hour. We had been warned about altitude sickness and were advised by the locals to drink coca tea to counter the effects of this so we felt great! It is a beautiful town, especially at night when the Plaza de Armas and all of the churches light up. Seen from the air, Cuzco is shaped like a puma, a sacred Incan animal and at the head is Sacsayhuaman, an imposing Inca temple-fortress perched on a hill and overlooking the city. It took nearly a century and twenty thousand workers to build - some of the 300-ton blocks making up the mammoth walls were transported from as far as 30 miles away – and all of these huge stone were cut to fit each other without the use of any mortar. A four hour, glass-domed train ride took us to the tiny town of Aguas Calientes , which has one main street (the railroad tracks) which is lined with kiosks and markets on both sides. Once the daily train comes through, the commerce moves onto the tracks. We stayed at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, which is set deep in the heart of the Andean Cloud forest. The Orchid Walk through the hotel grounds showcases over 372 species of orchids native to the area. After we awoke to the sounds of the birds and the monkeys outside of our room, a 25- minute motor coach ride through the cloud forest brought us to one of the most magnificent archaeological and spiritual sites in the world—Machu Picchu.
Even though we had seen hundreds of pictures of it, being there was a breathtaking experience. The ruins lie on top of a steep cliff with nothing but other steep cliffs surrounding it. There is an immediate feeling of energy that is different from any other place in the world. It is one of the world's most beautiful places and the haunting mysteries surrounding its history seem to make it touch your soul. You feel the energy of past inhabitants, who it seems, had a special connection to all of nature and the divine. When you are at Machu Picchu you get the feeling that you are in a place of peace and contentment and it allows your mind to open to new thoughts and discoveries about yourself. As we walked around the ancient Incan retreat, twilight came and it started to get dark. There was a peaceful energy that softly surrounded us – there was a rich silence, the only sound the soft roar of the Urubamba River far away in the grayness. It is said that a Journey to Peru is a journey to find yourself. Sometimes the further we go from civilization, the more civilized we become. Call me to help plan your journey of discovery to Peru.
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Machu Picchu was probably built by Pachacuti Inca as a royal estate and religious retreat in 1460-70. Its location — on a remote secondary road in nearly impassable terrain high above the Urubamba River canyon cloud forest — almost ensured that it would not be discovered by anyone, including the Spanish conquerors in the 1500's. 
