Land of the Incas
We are arrived in Cuzco, the Land of the Incas, the very cultural heart of Peru.
Cuzco exists for the tourist. There are a multitude of doorways filled with folk offering all sorts of mysterious delights and necessaries: beds (possibly only on a short term basis though with a happy ending guaranteed); pharmaceutical products (we are assured all are legal); any food stuff a body could want (we sampled a peruvian delicacy last night, cuy, or guinea pig. Photos will be made available at some stage of its last bbqéd rictus before it was dismembered and devoured. For the record the taste is somewhat strong and gamey. It is unlikely that an international chain of kentucy fried cuy restaurants would be successful); and obviously pubs and so forth proliferate (the effect of altitude, Cuzco being at about 3700m, makes for a cheap night but a nasty headache the next morning).
For all that Cuzco is a pretty little town filled with colonial spanish architecture constructed on and with the predecessor Inca city. Surrounding Cuzco are any number of Inca ruins and stuff. We spent an interesting day surveying some of the closer ruins. Despite the pillaging of all the sites for building material one can still appreciate the scale and impressiveness of the Inca cities and buildings. At least as impressive was the dedication of the locals all tricked up in their version of Inca uniform, with the obligatory llama on a string, waiting in the rain for some mug punter to want to pay for a photo op (not these mug punters though, telephoto lenses are good for more than perving at the beach).
This brings me to the final Inca ruin of our visit, the much lauded Machu Picchu.
Due to organisational failings and a complete lack of assistance from our chosen tour firm, we were unable to book spots on that rite of passage - The Inca Trail (as opposed to all the others about the place). Instead, we settled for a day trip by train to the site. In fact this is the only permitted way to get there, other than walking. Some may recognise that this situation has the characteristics of a monopoly, with the associated potential for monopoly pricing. Obviously, as with all good enterprises with these characteristics and absent the benevolant hand of a wise and prudent regulator, the rail company charges an arm and a leg for the priviledge to reach Macchu Picchu. One must then pay another small fortune to enter the site.
Which we did. And I must say, that we were not particularly impressed.
In the words of Felicity Wannan,´this place blows chunks´, (honestly!).
Macchu Picchu is over hyped and over priced (but they have our money, so I doubt anyone cares). All it has over any common run of the mill ruin or ancient site anywhere in the world, is location, location, location. The scenery and surroundings are spectacular. But the place is definately not in the league of the Taj Mahal, Angkor, Pyramids or Ephesus, for example. It is interesting to not that the location, at the top of a mountain, is also to be its downfall. The whole site is slipping down the mountain and I understand is to be closed in the near future. The Peruvian Government, concious that this will result in a significant drop in its GDP (I reckon tourism contributes an equal proportion to Peru´s national wealth as marching powder), is furiously excavating a replacement lost city of the Incas for this eventuality.
So, unless one is a downright Inca ruins freak or want to take that classic photo, I wouldnt bother with Macchu Picchu or The Inca Trail, but instead would attempt to find trekking opportunities that dont revolve around Incas. The mountains in this part of Peru and the assoicated scenery is simply amazing.
Also amazing was the methods used by the small children (those whose fingers are no longer nimble enough to sew properly) to earn a quid. The little tykes race the buses that take tourists up to the site back to the bottom. It is about 1000 metres down. And they appear to usually win. The deal is that the bus driver lets them on the bus to collect money from the awe inspired fat americans and europeans. Or in our case some mug actually stops the bus to toss money out the window of his own accord. We coughed up no cash, although if he had beat the bus up the hill we may have given it some consideration...
On a final note, I will say that after being somewhat disappointed, we were cheered by the train ride home. As well as answering questions, cleaning dunnies and handing out food, the train attendants are required to give a fashion parade of alpaca products to some mixed up version of If you ever go to San Francisco. So I reckon most of us can count ourselves lucky with our work conditions.
Im sure there is more to say, but it can wait til next time. There may also be photos then.
Tonight we head to Bolivia, which is a much simpler place, but with complicated politics and occasional riotous behaviour. Similar to Mitchell Street of a night time.
Hasta Luego
Cuzco exists for the tourist. There are a multitude of doorways filled with folk offering all sorts of mysterious delights and necessaries: beds (possibly only on a short term basis though with a happy ending guaranteed); pharmaceutical products (we are assured all are legal); any food stuff a body could want (we sampled a peruvian delicacy last night, cuy, or guinea pig. Photos will be made available at some stage of its last bbqéd rictus before it was dismembered and devoured. For the record the taste is somewhat strong and gamey. It is unlikely that an international chain of kentucy fried cuy restaurants would be successful); and obviously pubs and so forth proliferate (the effect of altitude, Cuzco being at about 3700m, makes for a cheap night but a nasty headache the next morning).
For all that Cuzco is a pretty little town filled with colonial spanish architecture constructed on and with the predecessor Inca city. Surrounding Cuzco are any number of Inca ruins and stuff. We spent an interesting day surveying some of the closer ruins. Despite the pillaging of all the sites for building material one can still appreciate the scale and impressiveness of the Inca cities and buildings. At least as impressive was the dedication of the locals all tricked up in their version of Inca uniform, with the obligatory llama on a string, waiting in the rain for some mug punter to want to pay for a photo op (not these mug punters though, telephoto lenses are good for more than perving at the beach).
This brings me to the final Inca ruin of our visit, the much lauded Machu Picchu.
Due to organisational failings and a complete lack of assistance from our chosen tour firm, we were unable to book spots on that rite of passage - The Inca Trail (as opposed to all the others about the place). Instead, we settled for a day trip by train to the site. In fact this is the only permitted way to get there, other than walking. Some may recognise that this situation has the characteristics of a monopoly, with the associated potential for monopoly pricing. Obviously, as with all good enterprises with these characteristics and absent the benevolant hand of a wise and prudent regulator, the rail company charges an arm and a leg for the priviledge to reach Macchu Picchu. One must then pay another small fortune to enter the site.
Which we did. And I must say, that we were not particularly impressed.
In the words of Felicity Wannan,´this place blows chunks´, (honestly!).
Macchu Picchu is over hyped and over priced (but they have our money, so I doubt anyone cares). All it has over any common run of the mill ruin or ancient site anywhere in the world, is location, location, location. The scenery and surroundings are spectacular. But the place is definately not in the league of the Taj Mahal, Angkor, Pyramids or Ephesus, for example. It is interesting to not that the location, at the top of a mountain, is also to be its downfall. The whole site is slipping down the mountain and I understand is to be closed in the near future. The Peruvian Government, concious that this will result in a significant drop in its GDP (I reckon tourism contributes an equal proportion to Peru´s national wealth as marching powder), is furiously excavating a replacement lost city of the Incas for this eventuality.
So, unless one is a downright Inca ruins freak or want to take that classic photo, I wouldnt bother with Macchu Picchu or The Inca Trail, but instead would attempt to find trekking opportunities that dont revolve around Incas. The mountains in this part of Peru and the assoicated scenery is simply amazing.
Also amazing was the methods used by the small children (those whose fingers are no longer nimble enough to sew properly) to earn a quid. The little tykes race the buses that take tourists up to the site back to the bottom. It is about 1000 metres down. And they appear to usually win. The deal is that the bus driver lets them on the bus to collect money from the awe inspired fat americans and europeans. Or in our case some mug actually stops the bus to toss money out the window of his own accord. We coughed up no cash, although if he had beat the bus up the hill we may have given it some consideration...
On a final note, I will say that after being somewhat disappointed, we were cheered by the train ride home. As well as answering questions, cleaning dunnies and handing out food, the train attendants are required to give a fashion parade of alpaca products to some mixed up version of If you ever go to San Francisco. So I reckon most of us can count ourselves lucky with our work conditions.
Im sure there is more to say, but it can wait til next time. There may also be photos then.
Tonight we head to Bolivia, which is a much simpler place, but with complicated politics and occasional riotous behaviour. Similar to Mitchell Street of a night time.
Hasta Luego
posted by Flossie | 7:31 AM
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