Another warm and sunny day – too warm actually. Up and out, Horizons, then on the jogging track (do you see a pattern here?) and we are already getting burned. Cathy can feel her ears burning up! Ditched that a little early and headed to breakfast. Washed up and sat in Horizons working on the computer and then doing emails. Lunch was a seafood buffet, very good, shrimps, seafood bouillabaisse, fried calamari, all excellent. Cookies for dessert – good – but not Princess good! Princess still takes the cookie battle! Next off to the Insignia lounge for the daily movie – Michael Clayton. Got there early to get a good seat – front row – and to nab the popcorn! Yes! Popcorn! Awesome!
Great movie. Done by 3:30, back to the gym so we can make Harry’s Zeppelin lecture at 5:30. Before the lecture we hit the Horizon’s bar for 2 for 1 cocktails (every night between 5 and 6), then down to the lounge for the presentation. Harry is a former ABC producer and has offered Oceania his services as a guest lecturer. He gave an excellent presentation on the Rio to Barcelona zeppelin route that existed in the 1930’s. Fascinating!
Next to dinner in the Grand Dining Room. Very nice, Ed had steak poivre and Cathy had swordfish (again with the seafood? This is definitely a record!!). Cookies and petit fours for dessert – not worth the carbs – going without dessert from now on! Freshened up at the cabin and headed upstairs to the deck party. Started at 8:30 when we docked in Salvador, “party” band played all the cruise standards – Macarena, electric slide, etc. Waited for a Brazilian dance show – but the dancers were late (probably an immigration thing, which you’ll hear about more later.) Weather cool enough with a breeze and fun hanging out outside listening to music. Sweet treat buffet of cookies and little sweets and ice cream. Simple and nice.
Before the party however, as we docked around 8:00pm, we were up on deck watching the proceedings – and we saw a group of about 12 people, all with luggage waiting for the ship. Figured these were the poor souls (at least some of them) from Canada whom we knew had missed the ship in Rio due to weather. They were yelling at their friends on board and we could only imagine their relief at finally getting to the ship.
Ship docked, gangway came down, passengers onboard who were going on the $100 Brazilian dance show tour got off, the late arrivals stayed on the dock. A table and chairs were brought out, still the late arrivals sat. And sat, and sat. Don’t know what was going on, but something was holding them up and they were not allowed on board. How heartbreaking! Now it’s getting on toward 10 pm, they are still sitting on the dock (with champagne and drinks and food from the ship, but still!!!) listening to the deck party up above and not being able to board. Needless to say, Cathy is almost in tears thinking about it – the emotions! They were finally let aboard around 10:30 after 2 cars came speeding up the dock, people in black suits got out, conferred with someone on the ship and then “let our people go!!!”
After that excitement– it’s off to bed!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
3-11 First Day at Sea
Beautiful day at sea! Not a cloud in the sky (later some pop up on the horizon, but the morning is very clear) and warm. Up and out to Horizon’s for coffee – a fantastic place to wake up while watching the open sea and listening to soft music in the background. (it’s the secret place to get coffee in peace and quiet, but it’s secret only for the first few days – before everyone else figures it out!)
Off to the gym – it was PACKED!! Not a machine available and a line waiting. Blew that off and walked the little jogging track - it was nicer to be outside anyway! Headed off to breakfast after our ½ hour workout, made to order omelets, all the spread you’d want, including eggs benedict (too bad Cathy doesn’t eat breakfast!!!), best part of it all is that the coffee and water (and juice) is served to us at the table. Love it! And it’s real coffee – not that syrup stuff – or if it is syrup, it’s done right, because it tastes great.
Quick shower, then to Horizons for more coffee and pictures of yours truly. Nice to be out and about on deck, the ship is very nice and the staff quite friendly. I think I’m going to like this cruise line quite a bit! Next up is the Cruise Critic party. Harry and Connie (Harry mostly!) got everyone started off, about 30 of us went around the room introducing ourselves, then just chatted. Met Andrea and her hubby who are also sailing the Anchorage to Bangkok Princess cruise in September. Talk about a small world!
Next stop – pool deck. We hung out on one of the Balinese loungers (built for two with plush towels and bolster) for a while – until Cathy started to burn that is! You should see her legs! She had on shorts and it looks like she has thigh high hose on! Too funny – and a very good reminder that sunscreen is a must at all times – even if we’re only out in the sun for ½ an hour or so. Trundled off to the aft deck for lunch. With the breeze it is quite enjoyable and pleasant. Bypassed the buffet today for the hamburgers at the grill. There is a huge variety available, but Ed chose the New Yorker with cheddar and chili, while Cathy had the Texan with BBQ sauce, sautéed onion and jalapeno cheddar. Sat next to Harry and Connie and chatted away.
The rest of the day loomed with 2pm Portuguese lesson, 3 pm Arts & Crafts watercolor beach sunsets (yes, we even went and painted our sunsets. There were a few ringers in the class, so us plebes stayed in the corner and giggled at the outcome! Ed the realist, Cathy the impressionist, me in the middle watching!). Wandered, hit the gym, showered, hung out on the balcony, before dinner drink at the Martini bar, dinner at Polo (awesome as usual, Ed ordered the king cut Prime Rib –and we can not believe he ate the whole thing! It was 32 oz. - bigger than huge! Cathy got the tuna – 2 days in a row for seafood, a new record!). Rolled out of dinner, actually made it to the show – a cute magician who kept us occupied with ring and rope tricks. Then to bed! Fun day at sea.
Off to the gym – it was PACKED!! Not a machine available and a line waiting. Blew that off and walked the little jogging track - it was nicer to be outside anyway! Headed off to breakfast after our ½ hour workout, made to order omelets, all the spread you’d want, including eggs benedict (too bad Cathy doesn’t eat breakfast!!!), best part of it all is that the coffee and water (and juice) is served to us at the table. Love it! And it’s real coffee – not that syrup stuff – or if it is syrup, it’s done right, because it tastes great.
Quick shower, then to Horizons for more coffee and pictures of yours truly. Nice to be out and about on deck, the ship is very nice and the staff quite friendly. I think I’m going to like this cruise line quite a bit! Next up is the Cruise Critic party. Harry and Connie (Harry mostly!) got everyone started off, about 30 of us went around the room introducing ourselves, then just chatted. Met Andrea and her hubby who are also sailing the Anchorage to Bangkok Princess cruise in September. Talk about a small world!
Next stop – pool deck. We hung out on one of the Balinese loungers (built for two with plush towels and bolster) for a while – until Cathy started to burn that is! You should see her legs! She had on shorts and it looks like she has thigh high hose on! Too funny – and a very good reminder that sunscreen is a must at all times – even if we’re only out in the sun for ½ an hour or so. Trundled off to the aft deck for lunch. With the breeze it is quite enjoyable and pleasant. Bypassed the buffet today for the hamburgers at the grill. There is a huge variety available, but Ed chose the New Yorker with cheddar and chili, while Cathy had the Texan with BBQ sauce, sautéed onion and jalapeno cheddar. Sat next to Harry and Connie and chatted away.
The rest of the day loomed with 2pm Portuguese lesson, 3 pm Arts & Crafts watercolor beach sunsets (yes, we even went and painted our sunsets. There were a few ringers in the class, so us plebes stayed in the corner and giggled at the outcome! Ed the realist, Cathy the impressionist, me in the middle watching!). Wandered, hit the gym, showered, hung out on the balcony, before dinner drink at the Martini bar, dinner at Polo (awesome as usual, Ed ordered the king cut Prime Rib –and we can not believe he ate the whole thing! It was 32 oz. - bigger than huge! Cathy got the tuna – 2 days in a row for seafood, a new record!). Rolled out of dinner, actually made it to the show – a cute magician who kept us occupied with ring and rope tricks. Then to bed! Fun day at sea.
3-10 Insignia here we come!
Embarkation day! We are up early – walking to the seaside promenade at 6:45 am. Oh My Gosh! The people! Thousands of people out there on the promenade walking, jogging, bicycling. It is just amazing! You would think it’s the middle of the day – not a little before 7 on a Monday morning! And we thought Honolulu had fitness nuts – ha! They’ve got nothing compared to this. Plus – it’s already 80 degrees out. It’s going to be another scorcher, that’s for sure.
Breakfast after showers. Excellent buffet at the hotel, scrambled eggs, sausage, creeps, cheese bread, empanadas (called something else) fresh fruits and cheese as well as cereal and fab rolls (plain an stuffed with banana!). We’re in carb hell – and Cathy simply doesn’t care at this point in time!
Had plenty of time before heading out, so we checked the Internet for email, hit the phone, then packed, organized and were ready to walk out the door at 10 am.
The hotel called a cab for us – we loaded up and got in. The cabbie wanted to charge 1 price, but we insisted on the meter (Eduardo had told us to always use the meter. He said he would get out of cabs if they wouldn’t turn the meter on, so we figured he was the expert and followed his advice.) Well, here we go with the International incident again – mind you – we’re packed in the cab with all our luggage and he’s not really happy we want him to turn on the meter. He even backs up and talks to the hotel doorman – but finally does turn the meter on and off we go.
Don’t know what he would have charged us, but the fare to the port was only 25 Reals, including a tip. Total trip took 20minutes – and we were at the port. No traffic to speak of – so we were quite pleased. (Hint: For all you future Rio embarkation folks, most cabbies drop you at the entrance to a small mall at the port. There are no porters, no nothing, just steps up to the entrance. The port is on the other end of the mall. If the cab continues past the main entrance to the port, there is another entrance about 500 yards away in the front of the building where the buses drop you off and you can drop your luggage. If you can direct the taxi there – you’ll be in good shape. Otherwise – you’ll have to hoot if with your bags around the side of the mall to the porters – as we did! It’s not a bad little walk, but you can avoid it with some quick prep work.)
Since it was such a quick trip, we were inside the boarding area at 10:30. Boarding wasn’t scheduled until 11:00; so we queued up where the port folks told us and waited. People started arriving, and the area started getting crowded, with everyone trying to jockey for better position in the boarding line. Ugh – here we go! 11:00 comes, 11:00 goes. People start grumbling. The restlessness continues, until 11:30 when the boarding process begins for those in wheelchairs and who need assistance boarding (very nice! Take them first!). Except the people around us didn’t think it was nice and the grumbling continued. Finally, everyone else got to get in line and we managed to board unscathed!
Once onboard, the stellar service Oceania is known for began. A light lunch served all day in the buffet, water and tea refills at your table, smiling faces everywhere. Ed and Cathy ran through their strategy – 1) onboard, 2) directly to the pursers for laundry tokens (15 days, 80/90 degree temps, Galapagos exploring/you figure it out!); 3) try to get to laundry (cabin floors locked until 1, drats!) 4) go to 10th floor to reserve our nights in the specialty dining rooms (got all 4 nights as requested plus the first night in Toscana!); 5) hit the library (right across the hall from the restaurant reservations) to score the good books. Phew! Mission accomplished! Now for a quick lunch and our wine and beer for a reward.
After lunch – tried the cabins once more – still no go. Finally at 1, the announcement made, we hurried to the cabin – drats! The key doesn’t’ work. 15 minutes later in the cabin (after running back and forth to the pursers desk). Cathy runs to the laundry – they’re all already taken by the back-to-back folks. So she waits for the washers to become available (had to move somebody’s undies to the dryer – Hate to do that!) But, got both loads going and it’s still only a little after 1! Yippee! Clean clothes at last!
Ran outside to make phone calls – Happy Birthday to Stephanie, Cathy’s now 11 year old niece – then back aboard to wait for sailing. Bags arrived, unpacked, boat drill! Announcement made that we’ll be sailing at 5:30, instead of 3 – ok – no biggie –wanted to see Rio as we sailed, but that’s ok – it should still be light. A little bit later J.R., our cruise director, announced we’d be further delayed because we were waiting for important provisions (he joked it was a sack of potatoes), but the sail away party would continue! That’s the spirit! Party band played, nice breeze on the pool deck, we all wandered around on deck watching the traffic (which was horrendous) and wondering what we were really missing!
Ed and Cathy went to exercise, with J.R occasionally announcing that we were still delayed and they didn’t know how long it would be before we sailed. He said he’d apprise us as soon as they had more information. 8:30 – and still no “provisions”, 6 dock workers and lots of crew including the executive Chef are on the dock – uh oh! We were thinking that maybe we were waiting for a part or something for the refurb that will occur in dry dock after our cruise, hmmmm….maybe it really is the food!
On to a fantastic dinner in Toscana – the awesome bread with roasted garlic and your choice of olive oil (watch our for the spicy stuff – it is really spicy!); appetizers are great as usual – rolled eggplant stuffed with a beef mixture and toped with cheese; caprese salad; minestrone soup that Ed just loves; special off the menu Tilapia with a Brazilian sauce for Cathy (gasp – fish!) and Osso Bucco for Ed. Excellent!
While relaxing after their filling meal, and munching on the biscotti that now comes before dessert, the Toscana chef, Roberto, came by to check on the guests. Ed and Cathy got to talking with him and he told them it was indeed the food –ALL the food for the entire cruise – that was missing. They had been on standby since 2 pm! Since it was a 15 day cruise to Europe, we couldn’t leave without it, we would run out of everything!! Uh oh! Can you imagine those phone calls between the home office and the ship? Where’s the food? We shipped the food? We don’t have the food? I’m looking at the bill of lading right here? Well I’m looking at empty storage bins…….Must have been a fun afternoon and evening!
After rolling out of the dining room, Ed and Cathy went up on deck to watch the proceedings. Six to 10 staff and crew outside; dock workers, all waiting. The Captain comes out, hands on hips, points to his watch! Not a happy man! We decided we should sail – the heck with the food. It could be a spa cruise. We would all lose weight and be fabulously healthy by the end. We might have to ration food, but that’s ok. Lady – 1 french fry for you – no more! You don’t need no more food anyway! Oh – can you even imagine?
Ended up we didn’t need to worry about rationing, finally, around 10:15, here come 3 container trucks! Our provisions have arrived! And now it has to be off loaded.
One of the staff is walking around with a light strapped to his head, so we, and all our new best friends up on deck watching this little escapade, have now dubbed him Miner-guy! Miner-guy inspects the locks and the back of the trucks, then takes pictures of the locks before letting the workers start to unload. It took until 1:00 or 1:30 in the morning to finish! Little fork lifts beep beeping away all night long – and crew hauling and stacking and moving all that food and provisions into the hold at record speed.
We gave up the ghost around 12:30 or so, preferring to retire to the cabin and sleep while our food was stocked below us. Cathy slept that is, Ed stayed up on the balcony and watched until the end of the stocking operation, then fell into a deep sleep in that great Oceania bed!
Breakfast after showers. Excellent buffet at the hotel, scrambled eggs, sausage, creeps, cheese bread, empanadas (called something else) fresh fruits and cheese as well as cereal and fab rolls (plain an stuffed with banana!). We’re in carb hell – and Cathy simply doesn’t care at this point in time!
Had plenty of time before heading out, so we checked the Internet for email, hit the phone, then packed, organized and were ready to walk out the door at 10 am.
The hotel called a cab for us – we loaded up and got in. The cabbie wanted to charge 1 price, but we insisted on the meter (Eduardo had told us to always use the meter. He said he would get out of cabs if they wouldn’t turn the meter on, so we figured he was the expert and followed his advice.) Well, here we go with the International incident again – mind you – we’re packed in the cab with all our luggage and he’s not really happy we want him to turn on the meter. He even backs up and talks to the hotel doorman – but finally does turn the meter on and off we go.
Don’t know what he would have charged us, but the fare to the port was only 25 Reals, including a tip. Total trip took 20minutes – and we were at the port. No traffic to speak of – so we were quite pleased. (Hint: For all you future Rio embarkation folks, most cabbies drop you at the entrance to a small mall at the port. There are no porters, no nothing, just steps up to the entrance. The port is on the other end of the mall. If the cab continues past the main entrance to the port, there is another entrance about 500 yards away in the front of the building where the buses drop you off and you can drop your luggage. If you can direct the taxi there – you’ll be in good shape. Otherwise – you’ll have to hoot if with your bags around the side of the mall to the porters – as we did! It’s not a bad little walk, but you can avoid it with some quick prep work.)
Since it was such a quick trip, we were inside the boarding area at 10:30. Boarding wasn’t scheduled until 11:00; so we queued up where the port folks told us and waited. People started arriving, and the area started getting crowded, with everyone trying to jockey for better position in the boarding line. Ugh – here we go! 11:00 comes, 11:00 goes. People start grumbling. The restlessness continues, until 11:30 when the boarding process begins for those in wheelchairs and who need assistance boarding (very nice! Take them first!). Except the people around us didn’t think it was nice and the grumbling continued. Finally, everyone else got to get in line and we managed to board unscathed!
Once onboard, the stellar service Oceania is known for began. A light lunch served all day in the buffet, water and tea refills at your table, smiling faces everywhere. Ed and Cathy ran through their strategy – 1) onboard, 2) directly to the pursers for laundry tokens (15 days, 80/90 degree temps, Galapagos exploring/you figure it out!); 3) try to get to laundry (cabin floors locked until 1, drats!) 4) go to 10th floor to reserve our nights in the specialty dining rooms (got all 4 nights as requested plus the first night in Toscana!); 5) hit the library (right across the hall from the restaurant reservations) to score the good books. Phew! Mission accomplished! Now for a quick lunch and our wine and beer for a reward.
After lunch – tried the cabins once more – still no go. Finally at 1, the announcement made, we hurried to the cabin – drats! The key doesn’t’ work. 15 minutes later in the cabin (after running back and forth to the pursers desk). Cathy runs to the laundry – they’re all already taken by the back-to-back folks. So she waits for the washers to become available (had to move somebody’s undies to the dryer – Hate to do that!) But, got both loads going and it’s still only a little after 1! Yippee! Clean clothes at last!
Ran outside to make phone calls – Happy Birthday to Stephanie, Cathy’s now 11 year old niece – then back aboard to wait for sailing. Bags arrived, unpacked, boat drill! Announcement made that we’ll be sailing at 5:30, instead of 3 – ok – no biggie –wanted to see Rio as we sailed, but that’s ok – it should still be light. A little bit later J.R., our cruise director, announced we’d be further delayed because we were waiting for important provisions (he joked it was a sack of potatoes), but the sail away party would continue! That’s the spirit! Party band played, nice breeze on the pool deck, we all wandered around on deck watching the traffic (which was horrendous) and wondering what we were really missing!
Ed and Cathy went to exercise, with J.R occasionally announcing that we were still delayed and they didn’t know how long it would be before we sailed. He said he’d apprise us as soon as they had more information. 8:30 – and still no “provisions”, 6 dock workers and lots of crew including the executive Chef are on the dock – uh oh! We were thinking that maybe we were waiting for a part or something for the refurb that will occur in dry dock after our cruise, hmmmm….maybe it really is the food!
On to a fantastic dinner in Toscana – the awesome bread with roasted garlic and your choice of olive oil (watch our for the spicy stuff – it is really spicy!); appetizers are great as usual – rolled eggplant stuffed with a beef mixture and toped with cheese; caprese salad; minestrone soup that Ed just loves; special off the menu Tilapia with a Brazilian sauce for Cathy (gasp – fish!) and Osso Bucco for Ed. Excellent!
While relaxing after their filling meal, and munching on the biscotti that now comes before dessert, the Toscana chef, Roberto, came by to check on the guests. Ed and Cathy got to talking with him and he told them it was indeed the food –ALL the food for the entire cruise – that was missing. They had been on standby since 2 pm! Since it was a 15 day cruise to Europe, we couldn’t leave without it, we would run out of everything!! Uh oh! Can you imagine those phone calls between the home office and the ship? Where’s the food? We shipped the food? We don’t have the food? I’m looking at the bill of lading right here? Well I’m looking at empty storage bins…….Must have been a fun afternoon and evening!
After rolling out of the dining room, Ed and Cathy went up on deck to watch the proceedings. Six to 10 staff and crew outside; dock workers, all waiting. The Captain comes out, hands on hips, points to his watch! Not a happy man! We decided we should sail – the heck with the food. It could be a spa cruise. We would all lose weight and be fabulously healthy by the end. We might have to ration food, but that’s ok. Lady – 1 french fry for you – no more! You don’t need no more food anyway! Oh – can you even imagine?
Ended up we didn’t need to worry about rationing, finally, around 10:15, here come 3 container trucks! Our provisions have arrived! And now it has to be off loaded.
One of the staff is walking around with a light strapped to his head, so we, and all our new best friends up on deck watching this little escapade, have now dubbed him Miner-guy! Miner-guy inspects the locks and the back of the trucks, then takes pictures of the locks before letting the workers start to unload. It took until 1:00 or 1:30 in the morning to finish! Little fork lifts beep beeping away all night long – and crew hauling and stacking and moving all that food and provisions into the hold at record speed.
We gave up the ghost around 12:30 or so, preferring to retire to the cabin and sleep while our food was stocked below us. Cathy slept that is, Ed stayed up on the balcony and watched until the end of the stocking operation, then fell into a deep sleep in that great Oceania bed!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
3-9 Rio Hiking – Tijuca Park
Today we are taking a half day hiking tour to what is said to be the largest urban forest on earth. Eduardo, our driver/guide, picks us up promptly at 8 and we go off to Leblon to pick up another hiker who will join us named David. Eduardo is wonderful and keeps us entertained with historical and geographical references during our drive to the chi chi section of Rio where all the high end hotels are located.
Our hiking mate, David, joins us from Derbyshire, England, and is a great personality. The four of us get along famously as we make our way to the park. We stop at a little gas station for water, then make our way into the park stopping again at a great waterfall at the entrance to the park. This forest is high up in the mountains surrounding Rio – and as the car climbs up the hill, the vegetation gets thicker and thicker, and the birds more plentiful. We park in a lot at the bottom of the trails and sign in with the Park Ranger (everyone must sign in and out – they keep very good track of the traffic on these trails!).
The trek is pretty strenuous – with lots of areas where we are climbing hand over hand up rocks and boulders. There are some rebar supports to use as stepping guides, but mostly it’s a hike/rock climb. The foliage and vegetation is thick and very rain forest-esque. Fortunately, it’s not all that sunny – which doesn’t bode well for our views – but it keeps us a little cooler than if the sun was blazing down.
After about an hour of climbing, we reach the summit at Parrot’s Peak. It’s about 3300 feet in altitude and simply a sheer rock outcropping – nothing more. There are quite a few people up here – lounging about, some with food for lunch, others just enjoying the space. Ed and Cathy, being relatively sissies when it comes to heights stay back near the boulder, but do venture out a bit to get some shots of the forest. I stay comfortably in my pack – I’m not getting out there – no way! They may be sissies, but I’m a full blown scaredy cat – and I’m staying put. If Ed and Cathy want to risk their life out there on the edge – go for it! Just leave the back pack on the ground when you do, thank you! I’m sure Eduardo or David will take care of me.
They all end up climbing even higher, up to the tippy-top of the rocks, where they can just barely see the city stretched out below. Unfortunately it is very misty and cloudy, so the spectacular views are non-existent today. Oh well – nothing much you can do – but it was still an exhilarating hike and experience to be up there! Eduardo took some pictures of us and then we headed back down the rocks and into the forest again.
On the way back, Eduardo told us a lot about how he loves to hike and climb (he actually said he was addicted to it) and that he’s traveled widely around Europe rock climbing, skiing and hiking. In addition to being a hiking guide with Rio Hiking, he is also teaching art at the university and a photographer, painter and sculptor himself. He’s had a show in New York City, but unfortunately wasn’t able to attend because he couldn’t get a Visa. He is hoping now that he works at University, he’ll be able to go to the States if he can put on another show. We hope so too! If he is half as talented as he is personable, this is someone to watch for in the art circles! The hike was great, but Eduardo and David made it really fantastic.
We headed back down to sea level again – taking David to his next adventure – climbing Sugar Loaf mountain. He had never been rock climbing before, and this was a real rock climb – with ropes, etc. We were all hungry, and Eduardo told David he absolutely had to eat before climbing, so he took us to this great little café on a side street leading to the Sugar Loaf cable car station. The café specialized in empanadas – Ed and I shared one cheese and one chicken turnover – and they were scrumptious! Not to mention only 2 Reals each! What a bargain. Satiated and tired, we drop David off, and then we go in search of wine.
We’ve asked Eduardo if he knows any place where we can find box wine. He thinks we might be able to find it in a neighborhood grocery, so we go there. He parks the jeep in the smallest space imaginable (the drivers are crazy here, btw, and the parking is at a premium – how he stuck this jeep into that space, I’ll never know!). The grocery store ended up being a bust, but it was still fun to go explore in an obviously local neighborhood with a beach that was absolutely PACKED with people just around the corner.
After providing us with a couple of suggestions for dinner, Eduardo dropped us off at the hotel with kisses and hand shakes. We were sad to see him go! We could have hung out with him all day – and into the evening. But, alas, he had to go home for a nap, before picking up some other folks after their afternoon tour! So, we hit the room, cooled off, used the facilities, then hit the streets once again – this time in Rio clothes (shorts and bathing suit top!!). This time, we walked the entire length of Copacabana. Phew – that’s a walk! You don’t realize how long it is from the map, but it’s another hike altogether!
We took a detour at a market on one of the side streets – amazing fresh veggies! We were traveling light unfortunately – no camera! Bummer! No great food pictures. But great memories – that’s for sure. After the market, we continued on down Copacabana and found one of the restaurants Eduardo suggested – Shirley’s. It looked fantastic – huge shrimp in a case, but the place itself was teeny – maybe 20 tables – tops. And at 3 in the afternoon it was packed. It was located at the far end of Copacabana so we would have to take a taxi – and there didn’t look to be many other options around if Shirley’s was crowded and we couldn’t get a table. So, we decided that maybe we should look for other options.
We headed back to our end of Copacabana, along the main commercial road, not the beach promenade. People were everywhere, walking to and from the beach, just wandering around on a sunny hot Sunday afternoon. We found a couple of restaurants, but they were far enough away that we worried about walking down the street at night, so we kept on our quest!
Stopped in a farmacia for some basic supplies and got hung up at the cashier when she was trying to ask us if we were going to give her a bill bigger than a 50. Not good! Portuguese is SO different from Spanish – it is next to impossible to understand anything. Fortunately we were saved by another customer who spoke English and translated – but otherwise – we were doomed!
Finally ended up settling on the Boteca Belmonte – what looked like a “sports” type bar on the corner a block from our hotel. We’d looked at the menu a couple times, and it seemed all right – but they actually had someone there who spoke English so that sealed the deal. (It’s amazing what a huge issue the language becomes when you are totally clueless. It’s scary and disappointing and can become overwhelming – especially when you’re a little tired and travel weary!).
So – back to the hotel to shower and rest, then back to the Belmonte. It’s a very cool place – all open air – TV’s around to give the “sports” bar impression. But the coolest thing is that they have these little “pastries” that they walk around with and offer to you. They aren’t free, mind you, but they are only 3 to 4.50 Reals, and they are excellent!! They look like huge muffins, but in actuality they are huge cheese balls. We had a shrimp and cheese pastry – it was delicious – similar to cream cheese with 4 huge shrimps and melted cheddar or something on top. Excellent! Cathy could have eaten those all night – forget about the dinner! (Other varieties included dried meat with cheese, a Neapolitan (who knows?) and shrimp, crab and hearts of palm.
We weren’t all that hungry, so the sandwiches looked like the ticket for us. Ed ordered veggie soup to start – it came in a huge bowl with toasted little bread slices on the side. Yum!!! The sandwiches were pretty big too! About 6” thick – and ALL MEAT. I kid you not. They were incredible. Ed’s sandwich was filled with thick slices of sausage (chorizo like) while Cathy’s was stuffed with Canadian bacon (not really – it was cooked ham – but they called it Canadian Bacon!!!) and pineapple. Awesome. The sandwiches were stuffed to the gills and so were Ed and Cathy when they were done!
Service turned out to be great even though once again, no one understood English and our English speaking waiter wasn’t the one handling our table. He did pop in and out though to make sure we were being taken care of properly. 76 Reals later (the wine was 20 Reals – for ½ a bottle – definitely NOT a wine town!!!), and we were ready for bed. It was a great find – and looking (and listening) around, not another English speaker in the house. We are definitely the vast minority here.
We waddled back to the hotel. Had our beer and wine night cap, then slept for a solid 8 hours!!!
Our hiking mate, David, joins us from Derbyshire, England, and is a great personality. The four of us get along famously as we make our way to the park. We stop at a little gas station for water, then make our way into the park stopping again at a great waterfall at the entrance to the park. This forest is high up in the mountains surrounding Rio – and as the car climbs up the hill, the vegetation gets thicker and thicker, and the birds more plentiful. We park in a lot at the bottom of the trails and sign in with the Park Ranger (everyone must sign in and out – they keep very good track of the traffic on these trails!).
The trek is pretty strenuous – with lots of areas where we are climbing hand over hand up rocks and boulders. There are some rebar supports to use as stepping guides, but mostly it’s a hike/rock climb. The foliage and vegetation is thick and very rain forest-esque. Fortunately, it’s not all that sunny – which doesn’t bode well for our views – but it keeps us a little cooler than if the sun was blazing down.
After about an hour of climbing, we reach the summit at Parrot’s Peak. It’s about 3300 feet in altitude and simply a sheer rock outcropping – nothing more. There are quite a few people up here – lounging about, some with food for lunch, others just enjoying the space. Ed and Cathy, being relatively sissies when it comes to heights stay back near the boulder, but do venture out a bit to get some shots of the forest. I stay comfortably in my pack – I’m not getting out there – no way! They may be sissies, but I’m a full blown scaredy cat – and I’m staying put. If Ed and Cathy want to risk their life out there on the edge – go for it! Just leave the back pack on the ground when you do, thank you! I’m sure Eduardo or David will take care of me.
They all end up climbing even higher, up to the tippy-top of the rocks, where they can just barely see the city stretched out below. Unfortunately it is very misty and cloudy, so the spectacular views are non-existent today. Oh well – nothing much you can do – but it was still an exhilarating hike and experience to be up there! Eduardo took some pictures of us and then we headed back down the rocks and into the forest again.
On the way back, Eduardo told us a lot about how he loves to hike and climb (he actually said he was addicted to it) and that he’s traveled widely around Europe rock climbing, skiing and hiking. In addition to being a hiking guide with Rio Hiking, he is also teaching art at the university and a photographer, painter and sculptor himself. He’s had a show in New York City, but unfortunately wasn’t able to attend because he couldn’t get a Visa. He is hoping now that he works at University, he’ll be able to go to the States if he can put on another show. We hope so too! If he is half as talented as he is personable, this is someone to watch for in the art circles! The hike was great, but Eduardo and David made it really fantastic.
We headed back down to sea level again – taking David to his next adventure – climbing Sugar Loaf mountain. He had never been rock climbing before, and this was a real rock climb – with ropes, etc. We were all hungry, and Eduardo told David he absolutely had to eat before climbing, so he took us to this great little café on a side street leading to the Sugar Loaf cable car station. The café specialized in empanadas – Ed and I shared one cheese and one chicken turnover – and they were scrumptious! Not to mention only 2 Reals each! What a bargain. Satiated and tired, we drop David off, and then we go in search of wine.
We’ve asked Eduardo if he knows any place where we can find box wine. He thinks we might be able to find it in a neighborhood grocery, so we go there. He parks the jeep in the smallest space imaginable (the drivers are crazy here, btw, and the parking is at a premium – how he stuck this jeep into that space, I’ll never know!). The grocery store ended up being a bust, but it was still fun to go explore in an obviously local neighborhood with a beach that was absolutely PACKED with people just around the corner.
After providing us with a couple of suggestions for dinner, Eduardo dropped us off at the hotel with kisses and hand shakes. We were sad to see him go! We could have hung out with him all day – and into the evening. But, alas, he had to go home for a nap, before picking up some other folks after their afternoon tour! So, we hit the room, cooled off, used the facilities, then hit the streets once again – this time in Rio clothes (shorts and bathing suit top!!). This time, we walked the entire length of Copacabana. Phew – that’s a walk! You don’t realize how long it is from the map, but it’s another hike altogether!
We took a detour at a market on one of the side streets – amazing fresh veggies! We were traveling light unfortunately – no camera! Bummer! No great food pictures. But great memories – that’s for sure. After the market, we continued on down Copacabana and found one of the restaurants Eduardo suggested – Shirley’s. It looked fantastic – huge shrimp in a case, but the place itself was teeny – maybe 20 tables – tops. And at 3 in the afternoon it was packed. It was located at the far end of Copacabana so we would have to take a taxi – and there didn’t look to be many other options around if Shirley’s was crowded and we couldn’t get a table. So, we decided that maybe we should look for other options.
We headed back to our end of Copacabana, along the main commercial road, not the beach promenade. People were everywhere, walking to and from the beach, just wandering around on a sunny hot Sunday afternoon. We found a couple of restaurants, but they were far enough away that we worried about walking down the street at night, so we kept on our quest!
Stopped in a farmacia for some basic supplies and got hung up at the cashier when she was trying to ask us if we were going to give her a bill bigger than a 50. Not good! Portuguese is SO different from Spanish – it is next to impossible to understand anything. Fortunately we were saved by another customer who spoke English and translated – but otherwise – we were doomed!
Finally ended up settling on the Boteca Belmonte – what looked like a “sports” type bar on the corner a block from our hotel. We’d looked at the menu a couple times, and it seemed all right – but they actually had someone there who spoke English so that sealed the deal. (It’s amazing what a huge issue the language becomes when you are totally clueless. It’s scary and disappointing and can become overwhelming – especially when you’re a little tired and travel weary!).
So – back to the hotel to shower and rest, then back to the Belmonte. It’s a very cool place – all open air – TV’s around to give the “sports” bar impression. But the coolest thing is that they have these little “pastries” that they walk around with and offer to you. They aren’t free, mind you, but they are only 3 to 4.50 Reals, and they are excellent!! They look like huge muffins, but in actuality they are huge cheese balls. We had a shrimp and cheese pastry – it was delicious – similar to cream cheese with 4 huge shrimps and melted cheddar or something on top. Excellent! Cathy could have eaten those all night – forget about the dinner! (Other varieties included dried meat with cheese, a Neapolitan (who knows?) and shrimp, crab and hearts of palm.
We weren’t all that hungry, so the sandwiches looked like the ticket for us. Ed ordered veggie soup to start – it came in a huge bowl with toasted little bread slices on the side. Yum!!! The sandwiches were pretty big too! About 6” thick – and ALL MEAT. I kid you not. They were incredible. Ed’s sandwich was filled with thick slices of sausage (chorizo like) while Cathy’s was stuffed with Canadian bacon (not really – it was cooked ham – but they called it Canadian Bacon!!!) and pineapple. Awesome. The sandwiches were stuffed to the gills and so were Ed and Cathy when they were done!
Service turned out to be great even though once again, no one understood English and our English speaking waiter wasn’t the one handling our table. He did pop in and out though to make sure we were being taken care of properly. 76 Reals later (the wine was 20 Reals – for ½ a bottle – definitely NOT a wine town!!!), and we were ready for bed. It was a great find – and looking (and listening) around, not another English speaker in the house. We are definitely the vast minority here.
We waddled back to the hotel. Had our beer and wine night cap, then slept for a solid 8 hours!!!
3- 8 Rio de Janeiro
Bleary eyed, but excited to begin the next phase of our journey, we finally arrive in Rio after 3 flights and one plane change. Got through customs and baggage easily enough – and made our way out to the taxi stands. There are 2 ways to get taxis – either outside the terminal, where you pick up any cab available and take the meter price – or hire a taxi inside from one of the many kiosks located outside of baggage claim. The kiosks are reportedly more expensive than a regular taxi, but it’s a non-negotiated fee and you can pay upfront with a credit card. Since the kiosk method was pretty hassle free – and we didn’t want to have to worry about a taxi driver taking us on a tour before getting to the hotel – we booked a cab at the Transcootour kiosk. 80 Reals (at about $1.66 to the dollar, or $48) and we were on our way. It was Saturday afternoon, with very little traffic, so it only took us 20 minutes from the time we were in the cab – to check in at the hotel. Great!
It was actually a very pretty drive to the Augusto’s Copacabana. After exiting the highway, we drove around the lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas – a huge lake that separates Copacabana from Ipanema on the inland side of the coast. The Augustus Copacabana hotel was a great find – we got the room at an extremely affordable rate (88 Reals!) that included breakfast. We were given one of the smaller rooms at the back of the hotel (no view or balcony for us!), but it was still quite roomy and clean – and the A/C worked – that’s about all we cared about! Because – this is Brazil – and where Lima was hot – Rio was hotter!
After freshening up a bit, organizing our bags and changing into suitable Rio attire – we struck off to explore. Culture shock! Coming from Peru, even Lima, we were still in that indigenous kind of style, sort of laid back mood. Snap out of it! This is Rio! And it’s the weekend! We strolled down Rua Bolivar about 3 blocks to the beach promenade and proceeded to walk to the end of Copacabana, taking in the sights. And sights there were!
Beautiful – and not so beautiful – people tanning, drinking, eating, playing volleyball and making sand sculptures. Everyone in a thong – and yes, ladies were not topless – but only just! Cathy was feeling quite overdressed in her capri’s and t-shirt! Ed of course stood out like a beacon in his Galapagos t-shirt, shorts and white trainers! We were descended upon by every hawker on the street! But no matter, we were having too much fun people watching and walking. The beach – or the promenade – was very commercial. Every few yards there was a snack bar with tables, chairs and umbrellas. All selling different snacks and drinks. Coconut water is a big seller here – they just crack open the coconut and give it to you with a straw. Cathy was afraid to try it for fear of the intestinal affects (She remembered once on Survivor when they said that the coconut water was giving them the runs!! No way Jose – not in Rio! Forget about it!).
Interspersed along the promenade – but actually on the beach (in the sand) are food stands with local vendors selling everything from full meals to snacks. They roll up their coolers, set up tents and chairs – and sell all day long. Also along the beach are the sand sculptures. Although not as numerous as we expected, they were still a sight to see – and “see” only! No pictures unless you’re going to pay for them. Of course Cathy snapped a few and got into trouble – as usual. That camera will get her in more trouble!
After walking for a couple of hours and exploring a lot of the beach, we stopped for a beer (no wine – only tinto – or red) and people watched some more. Headed back to the hotel by way of all the restaurants on the city side of the beach promenade. Lots to choose from – but most with hefty prices. Found a great Italian place where we ended up sitting for another beer and a glass of wine for Cathy. Nice outside seating area (everyone has them) and good wine. Made a note to come back later, possibly for dinner.
Headed back to the hotel to relax and shower before making our dinner decision. As it turned out – the restaurant in the hotel had a great menu that night – and was pretty reasonable (we’ve hit the high price part of our journey – no more dirt cheap food and bargaining for prices off the menu!). We ended up staying there and had a great meal of soup, entrée, beer, ½ bottle of wine and more bread than you could ever eat! The waiter barely spoke English (just like most of the people here!) – and it was really fun ordering and trying to figure everything out.
Fell into bed exhausted from too little sleep on the planes and too much walking and exploring on our first day in Rio!
It was actually a very pretty drive to the Augusto’s Copacabana. After exiting the highway, we drove around the lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas – a huge lake that separates Copacabana from Ipanema on the inland side of the coast. The Augustus Copacabana hotel was a great find – we got the room at an extremely affordable rate (88 Reals!) that included breakfast. We were given one of the smaller rooms at the back of the hotel (no view or balcony for us!), but it was still quite roomy and clean – and the A/C worked – that’s about all we cared about! Because – this is Brazil – and where Lima was hot – Rio was hotter!
After freshening up a bit, organizing our bags and changing into suitable Rio attire – we struck off to explore. Culture shock! Coming from Peru, even Lima, we were still in that indigenous kind of style, sort of laid back mood. Snap out of it! This is Rio! And it’s the weekend! We strolled down Rua Bolivar about 3 blocks to the beach promenade and proceeded to walk to the end of Copacabana, taking in the sights. And sights there were!
Beautiful – and not so beautiful – people tanning, drinking, eating, playing volleyball and making sand sculptures. Everyone in a thong – and yes, ladies were not topless – but only just! Cathy was feeling quite overdressed in her capri’s and t-shirt! Ed of course stood out like a beacon in his Galapagos t-shirt, shorts and white trainers! We were descended upon by every hawker on the street! But no matter, we were having too much fun people watching and walking. The beach – or the promenade – was very commercial. Every few yards there was a snack bar with tables, chairs and umbrellas. All selling different snacks and drinks. Coconut water is a big seller here – they just crack open the coconut and give it to you with a straw. Cathy was afraid to try it for fear of the intestinal affects (She remembered once on Survivor when they said that the coconut water was giving them the runs!! No way Jose – not in Rio! Forget about it!).
Interspersed along the promenade – but actually on the beach (in the sand) are food stands with local vendors selling everything from full meals to snacks. They roll up their coolers, set up tents and chairs – and sell all day long. Also along the beach are the sand sculptures. Although not as numerous as we expected, they were still a sight to see – and “see” only! No pictures unless you’re going to pay for them. Of course Cathy snapped a few and got into trouble – as usual. That camera will get her in more trouble!
After walking for a couple of hours and exploring a lot of the beach, we stopped for a beer (no wine – only tinto – or red) and people watched some more. Headed back to the hotel by way of all the restaurants on the city side of the beach promenade. Lots to choose from – but most with hefty prices. Found a great Italian place where we ended up sitting for another beer and a glass of wine for Cathy. Nice outside seating area (everyone has them) and good wine. Made a note to come back later, possibly for dinner.
Headed back to the hotel to relax and shower before making our dinner decision. As it turned out – the restaurant in the hotel had a great menu that night – and was pretty reasonable (we’ve hit the high price part of our journey – no more dirt cheap food and bargaining for prices off the menu!). We ended up staying there and had a great meal of soup, entrée, beer, ½ bottle of wine and more bread than you could ever eat! The waiter barely spoke English (just like most of the people here!) – and it was really fun ordering and trying to figure everything out.
Fell into bed exhausted from too little sleep on the planes and too much walking and exploring on our first day in Rio!
Friday, April 18, 2008
3-7 Cusco to Lima
Nice night in the hotel – good sleep – and we’re up at a decent time for our flight to Lima. No more crack of dawn mornings for us! Yippee!
Alan was right on time to pick us up and the flight was on schedule as well. We land back in Lima just as planned – and it’s just as hot as it was at the beginning of the week. Lovely! Sleeping at the Manhattan with their “air-conditioning”, read: ceiling fan, may not be so easy. Oh well!
We had asked Alan to see if we could arrange a quick city tour of Lima – and Enjoy Peru came through. We had a 4 hour tour with Rosa for $25 each. Great! Rosa picked us up right on schedule and we had a nice little city orientation tour. We saw the City square, the President’s hours, a fantastic church with catacombs – even police dressed out in riot gear with the shields and everything waiting for some protest to begin. South America. Gotta love it – as long as we’re not in the middle of it.
We drove through the elite part of town, where all the houses were enormous and pretty – and all had barbed wire strung around their outside walls and locked gates. Then back to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon. The only down side of the Manhattan is the location when you have time to kill. When you fly in at night and leave immediately the next morning – it’s a primo spot (if you don’t mind no air). It’s 15 minutes from the airport. When you have an afternoon to kill – and you don’t want to sleep – it’s a bit G.U. You can’t really walk anywhere from there – but a quick cab ride will take you to a shopping area with restaurants.
Cathy and Ed went upstairs to try to sleep. Richard and Maggi hung around, watched the local life on the square outside the room and at at the restaurant. At exactly 10:30 – our ride arrived for the airport – and we all boarded the van for our last trip together. We checked in to our separate airlines (I’m already having separation anxiety) then met up after paying our departure tax (that’s a story – every place we went you have to pay to leave! What a great revenue producer!). Ed and Cathy were hungry so they decided to eat at a restaurant off the concourse. Richard and Maggi had a drink with them, but then had a little moment of what Maggi calls as “Stevens’ panic” – and decided to head to their gate. We hugged and kissed and bade them a found farewell and safe travels. Wow – this will be so weird to travel for the rest of the trip without them!
Dinner was great –salad with grilled chicken, beer and wine and very reasonable. Well fed, but not really rested, we headed for our gate. Stopped for a beer and wine at another bar on the concourse – ran into Maggi and Richard on the way to our gate – and then boarded the first of our 3 flights to Rio.
Flights ended up being fine – we slept as much as we could on the Lima to Santiago flight. Bought some water (the cheap stuff – a nice store clerk warned us that Evian was $7 USD, but the local stuff was $1 USD), snoozed in the lounge, then boarded the Santiago to Sao Paulo flight. Again, smooth, we slept a bit and weren’t all that bedraggled when we got to Rio the next morning.
Alan was right on time to pick us up and the flight was on schedule as well. We land back in Lima just as planned – and it’s just as hot as it was at the beginning of the week. Lovely! Sleeping at the Manhattan with their “air-conditioning”, read: ceiling fan, may not be so easy. Oh well!
We had asked Alan to see if we could arrange a quick city tour of Lima – and Enjoy Peru came through. We had a 4 hour tour with Rosa for $25 each. Great! Rosa picked us up right on schedule and we had a nice little city orientation tour. We saw the City square, the President’s hours, a fantastic church with catacombs – even police dressed out in riot gear with the shields and everything waiting for some protest to begin. South America. Gotta love it – as long as we’re not in the middle of it.
We drove through the elite part of town, where all the houses were enormous and pretty – and all had barbed wire strung around their outside walls and locked gates. Then back to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon. The only down side of the Manhattan is the location when you have time to kill. When you fly in at night and leave immediately the next morning – it’s a primo spot (if you don’t mind no air). It’s 15 minutes from the airport. When you have an afternoon to kill – and you don’t want to sleep – it’s a bit G.U. You can’t really walk anywhere from there – but a quick cab ride will take you to a shopping area with restaurants.
Cathy and Ed went upstairs to try to sleep. Richard and Maggi hung around, watched the local life on the square outside the room and at at the restaurant. At exactly 10:30 – our ride arrived for the airport – and we all boarded the van for our last trip together. We checked in to our separate airlines (I’m already having separation anxiety) then met up after paying our departure tax (that’s a story – every place we went you have to pay to leave! What a great revenue producer!). Ed and Cathy were hungry so they decided to eat at a restaurant off the concourse. Richard and Maggi had a drink with them, but then had a little moment of what Maggi calls as “Stevens’ panic” – and decided to head to their gate. We hugged and kissed and bade them a found farewell and safe travels. Wow – this will be so weird to travel for the rest of the trip without them!
Dinner was great –salad with grilled chicken, beer and wine and very reasonable. Well fed, but not really rested, we headed for our gate. Stopped for a beer and wine at another bar on the concourse – ran into Maggi and Richard on the way to our gate – and then boarded the first of our 3 flights to Rio.
Flights ended up being fine – we slept as much as we could on the Lima to Santiago flight. Bought some water (the cheap stuff – a nice store clerk warned us that Evian was $7 USD, but the local stuff was $1 USD), snoozed in the lounge, then boarded the Santiago to Sao Paulo flight. Again, smooth, we slept a bit and weren’t all that bedraggled when we got to Rio the next morning.
3- 6 Aguas Calientes to Cusco
Morning dawns with haze and clouds on Machu Picchu, but with a few breaks down in Aguas Calientes. Mornings are not exactly quiet here! After a great night’s sleep (the Inti Inn bed was incredible!!!), Ed and Cathy awoke to the sounds of the streets of Aguas Calientes. People talking, bells ringing, and not church bells, but really pealing, loud ringing. After a nice shower, Ed went out to investigate and found that the bells were from the recycling collectors, who obviously ring them to announce they are coming for the pick up. Nice – but loud!
Since Ed and Cathy are early risers, isn’t wasn’t an issue – although they did hope Maggi and Richard were able to sleep through the racket. After a good breakfast – great selection of meats, cheese, pastries, eggs, etc., they checked email, said good morning to Maggi and Richard as they headed to breakfast – then hit the streets of Aguas Calientes. Our original plans to climb Huayana Picchu were ditched for 2 reasons – 1) the cost, and 2) the weather. No sense spending about $100 USD to get up there and see nothing! So we explored the teeny Aguas Calientes town. Cappuccino at a café on the railroad track; explored shops, sat in the Plazas de Armas soaking up the sun that had broken through the clouds and watched the butterflies that were everywhere – fluttering merrily along the streets and through the whole town. We also watched the day trippers roil in for Machu Picchu. Once the trains were in, we hit the market for some cute souvenirs. From the market, we headed out through the residential section of agues Calientes to Inka Terra. This is a huge hotel resort with hiking tails, butterflies and an orchid farm. It’s gated, so in order to get in, you have to be a guest or tell them you want to go to the restaurant. We chose to just take pictures of the rushing river waters from the bridge leading to Inka Terra. We found out later that Maggi and Richard went in and hiked the trails to a stone at the top of the hill that had spiritual significance (of which escapes me right now, but Maggi knew the whole story at the time!!).
Later, back in town, as we wandered around, we stumbled on a local market filled with gorgeous produce and vendors in native dress selling street food. And, lo and behold, inside on the far wall of the market were a couple of clothing stalls with……bras!!!! Of all things!!! Cathy ended up snagging one for $4 USD! It even had exchangeable straps! Wardrobe malfunction solved! Thank heavens – no more exercise bra – while it was very comfy, it wasn’t exactly the look Cathy was going for! This bra wasn’t a perfect fit (trying it on on top of her clothing was a hoot! But it was better than nothing – so in the bag it went!).
Wandering back up Pachacuteq, we stumbled into a fabulous little jewelry store. The nicest owner – he studied the jewelry craft in Cusco then came back here to make his living. His sister lives in the US. We bought a great shaman charm for Stephanie and Huayruros seed earrings for Cathy. The seeds represent good luck. He also gave us 2 Cusco cross necklaces for coming in. Wish we would have gotten his name and the name of the store – which we thought was printed on the explanation of the Cusco cross – but unfortunately was not! Geez!
Lunch time rolled around and the restaurant hawkers are out. At Dulce Gourmet, Carla, the greeter, sold Ed on a 20% discount. She was precious, great personality and turned out to be the right move. Sitting outside, we had asparagus soup and vegetable soup (both handmade to order), then shared a Relleno with Pollo (a monster zucchini stuffed with cheese and chicken). It was an excellent meal. The inside of the restaurant was decorated in an over the top jungle motif. A cute little surprise when we went in to use the facilities.
As we ate, we watched more garbage collectors. There’s obviously a fleet of government paid street cleaners – all in green aprons with gas masks!!! – who cruise the streets looking for trash. It’s no wonder the place is so clean. We also watched the street vendor trade as traditionally dressed women walked up and down the street selling food to the restaurant workers. Once woman had those monstrous corn cobs, another flowers, yet another some ice cream in little cups. Great local atmosphere in the middle of tourist town!
Back at the Inti Inn, Cathy changed into her new undergarment and we all met up with Maggi and Richard. The hotel will deliver our bags to the station, but we choose to take them ourselves (we have a little bit of luggage separation anxiety now). We’re way early for the train – so we hang out (inside and outside the station). Boys have beer, Maggi and Cathy wait for the train, because here again, there are no glasses of wine, only bottles and they don’t want to buy a whole bottle, knowing they will on the train. Lines start forming early, we figure the last one on strategy will work since it’s all reserved seating, and hit the train at 3:20. We’re all sitting together this time, so it’s easier for Maggi and Cathy to shard the bottle of wine while we all watch the spectacular scenery rush by.
Virtually everyone on the train gets off at Ollantaymbo – so we all spread out for the reminder of the trip. We get off in Poros, which saves us an hour of switchbacks on the train, and will get us back to Cusco by 7 pm. Alan is of course, right there waiting for us. As we head through Poros to Cusco, we watch as a storm rolls in from the mountains. Lighting and thunder like you’ve never heard, the n a deluge of rain and sleet! By the time we get back to the San Agustin hotel, the sleet was a ½ inch thick in places and the rain kept coming. We had asked Alan for restaurant recommendations, but ended up going to Panaka again since it was right across the street. We loved our lunch there and figured we’d love dinner too.
We ran through the rain and sleet to the courtyard of Panaka – the doors were shut tight and we had a moment of panic thinking they were closed, but our waitress from our previous visit was right there - she unlocked (yes – unlocked!!) the doors and showed us in. We were the only people there again – they had to turn on the space heater for us! Once again – fantastic food (not that we can remember what we had – but it was all good!). Other diners came in later, so we didn’t feel as bad. Back to the San Agustin for a last drink at the bar and then up to bed for a hopefully good night’s sleep.
Since Ed and Cathy are early risers, isn’t wasn’t an issue – although they did hope Maggi and Richard were able to sleep through the racket. After a good breakfast – great selection of meats, cheese, pastries, eggs, etc., they checked email, said good morning to Maggi and Richard as they headed to breakfast – then hit the streets of Aguas Calientes. Our original plans to climb Huayana Picchu were ditched for 2 reasons – 1) the cost, and 2) the weather. No sense spending about $100 USD to get up there and see nothing! So we explored the teeny Aguas Calientes town. Cappuccino at a café on the railroad track; explored shops, sat in the Plazas de Armas soaking up the sun that had broken through the clouds and watched the butterflies that were everywhere – fluttering merrily along the streets and through the whole town. We also watched the day trippers roil in for Machu Picchu. Once the trains were in, we hit the market for some cute souvenirs. From the market, we headed out through the residential section of agues Calientes to Inka Terra. This is a huge hotel resort with hiking tails, butterflies and an orchid farm. It’s gated, so in order to get in, you have to be a guest or tell them you want to go to the restaurant. We chose to just take pictures of the rushing river waters from the bridge leading to Inka Terra. We found out later that Maggi and Richard went in and hiked the trails to a stone at the top of the hill that had spiritual significance (of which escapes me right now, but Maggi knew the whole story at the time!!).
Later, back in town, as we wandered around, we stumbled on a local market filled with gorgeous produce and vendors in native dress selling street food. And, lo and behold, inside on the far wall of the market were a couple of clothing stalls with……bras!!!! Of all things!!! Cathy ended up snagging one for $4 USD! It even had exchangeable straps! Wardrobe malfunction solved! Thank heavens – no more exercise bra – while it was very comfy, it wasn’t exactly the look Cathy was going for! This bra wasn’t a perfect fit (trying it on on top of her clothing was a hoot! But it was better than nothing – so in the bag it went!).
Wandering back up Pachacuteq, we stumbled into a fabulous little jewelry store. The nicest owner – he studied the jewelry craft in Cusco then came back here to make his living. His sister lives in the US. We bought a great shaman charm for Stephanie and Huayruros seed earrings for Cathy. The seeds represent good luck. He also gave us 2 Cusco cross necklaces for coming in. Wish we would have gotten his name and the name of the store – which we thought was printed on the explanation of the Cusco cross – but unfortunately was not! Geez!
Lunch time rolled around and the restaurant hawkers are out. At Dulce Gourmet, Carla, the greeter, sold Ed on a 20% discount. She was precious, great personality and turned out to be the right move. Sitting outside, we had asparagus soup and vegetable soup (both handmade to order), then shared a Relleno with Pollo (a monster zucchini stuffed with cheese and chicken). It was an excellent meal. The inside of the restaurant was decorated in an over the top jungle motif. A cute little surprise when we went in to use the facilities.
As we ate, we watched more garbage collectors. There’s obviously a fleet of government paid street cleaners – all in green aprons with gas masks!!! – who cruise the streets looking for trash. It’s no wonder the place is so clean. We also watched the street vendor trade as traditionally dressed women walked up and down the street selling food to the restaurant workers. Once woman had those monstrous corn cobs, another flowers, yet another some ice cream in little cups. Great local atmosphere in the middle of tourist town!
Back at the Inti Inn, Cathy changed into her new undergarment and we all met up with Maggi and Richard. The hotel will deliver our bags to the station, but we choose to take them ourselves (we have a little bit of luggage separation anxiety now). We’re way early for the train – so we hang out (inside and outside the station). Boys have beer, Maggi and Cathy wait for the train, because here again, there are no glasses of wine, only bottles and they don’t want to buy a whole bottle, knowing they will on the train. Lines start forming early, we figure the last one on strategy will work since it’s all reserved seating, and hit the train at 3:20. We’re all sitting together this time, so it’s easier for Maggi and Cathy to shard the bottle of wine while we all watch the spectacular scenery rush by.
Virtually everyone on the train gets off at Ollantaymbo – so we all spread out for the reminder of the trip. We get off in Poros, which saves us an hour of switchbacks on the train, and will get us back to Cusco by 7 pm. Alan is of course, right there waiting for us. As we head through Poros to Cusco, we watch as a storm rolls in from the mountains. Lighting and thunder like you’ve never heard, the n a deluge of rain and sleet! By the time we get back to the San Agustin hotel, the sleet was a ½ inch thick in places and the rain kept coming. We had asked Alan for restaurant recommendations, but ended up going to Panaka again since it was right across the street. We loved our lunch there and figured we’d love dinner too.
We ran through the rain and sleet to the courtyard of Panaka – the doors were shut tight and we had a moment of panic thinking they were closed, but our waitress from our previous visit was right there - she unlocked (yes – unlocked!!) the doors and showed us in. We were the only people there again – they had to turn on the space heater for us! Once again – fantastic food (not that we can remember what we had – but it was all good!). Other diners came in later, so we didn’t feel as bad. Back to the San Agustin for a last drink at the bar and then up to bed for a hopefully good night’s sleep.
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