Lima

Hello from Lima, Peru. A wonderful historic city with more colonial architecture and Catholic churches than the pope could shake his pastoral staff at! The old historic centre around Plaz de Armas really is amazing and befitting the most powerful and important Spanish city in the whole of South America.

Unfortunately we only have one free day to explore the city, so today it has been 8:00 to 18:00 visiting as many museums, churches and landmarks as possible. Bit like being a professional tourist! My highlight of the day was the changing of the guard at the presidential palace. Lots of goose stepping, men in shiny gold hats and a full on brass band. Brilliant. The bishops palace was also interesting to see how the bishops and cardinals enjoyed the high life while their flock lived in abject poverty. It was also home to the most amazing religious painting I have ever seen. An oil painting of what appears to be the Virgin Mary squirting breast milk into the mouth of a monk. Possibly the inspiration for all the ‘bitty’ jokes in Little Britain?

Hopefully the photos below attempt to show how stunning the city really is. Early start tomorrow for a drive down the coast towards the Ballestas Islands. These are billed as the Peruvian Galapagos, so there should be lots of seabirds, sea lions and penguins. Hopefully the seas will be a bit calmer as I really have had enough of choppy boat trips.

Anthony

Ps. Happy 60^th Birthday mum for Friday

Lima Cathedral

Bishops Palace

Goose stepping guards

Bitty!

It’s a hard life being a bishop

Huaraz

Hello from Huaraz, one of the adventure capitals of Peru. Set high in the Andes (3091m) and surrounded by 5000+ meter peaks, Huaraz is a Mecca for climbers and mountaineers. Unfortunately we only have one free day here, as it is a place you could easily spend two weeks or so exploring the surrounding mountains. On this free day I decided to give rock climbing a go, so this morning headed just out of town for a beginners session. Good fun and although not the highest climb in the world (about 20 meters), some of the routes were quite challenging. As an added bonus, it also gave me an excuse to don the old lycra!

As mentioned last time, a few days ago we visited the ruined city of Chan Chàn and Huacas de la Luna (temple of the moon), a fascinating Moche pyramid dating from about 600 to 900 AD. Both sites were interesting, but because Chan Chàn was totally exposed to the elements for centuries, there is not a lot left so you have to use your imagination. Both sites are constructed out of Adobe clay bricks, so it is amazing that they have survived at all (not really a construction method suitable for wet and windy England). It was also interesting to see that the Chimu kings knew how to earthquake proof their mud brick palaces all those years ago. My interesting fact is that before the Spanish destroyed much of it looking for treasure, the Huacas del Sol (nearby temple of the sun) was the largest man-made structure in the western hemisphere, at 45 meters high. Not bad considering it is made out of mud!

Our base for visiting the two historic sites was Huanchaco, a touristy surf town on the coast. No time for surfing this time, but it was interesting to see the local reed boats in action. Half boat/half surfboard and apparently they only last a few months. I can maybe see why they did not catch on in the rest of Peru.

Back on the truck tomorrow for a long drive down the coast towards Lima. I have really enjoyed being back in the mountains and it will be a shame to return to sea level, but on the plus side it is not long until we return to the mighty Andes.

I hope everyone is well back home and please tell Norwich to win at least one more game this season. Home to Aston Villa would be good seeing as they pinched our manager last year.

Anthony

Moon Temple

Polychrome moulded decorations, moon temple

That is one ugly dog! (they are surposed to be hairless due to the desert heat)

Half boat/ half surf board / half sliper

The mighty Andes

Lisa rock climbing

Heather rock climbing

Our trusty guide Walter

View of Huaraz

Peru, Country Number 7

Hello from Punta Sal, North East Peru. Country number seven in South America and a country of contrasts. We are currently staying on the arid coast, before going back into the mountains later this week.

I really enjoyed Ecuador and it is probably the only country so far that I would want to come back to and explore further. Due to the 5 days on the Galapagos Islands we did not actually have a huge amount of time in this fascinating little country and it is definitely worth a few more weeks to go hiking, biking and climbing up in the mountains. After the heat of Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia it was also really nice to get back to some cooler weather, even if we did see quite a lot of rain (think a Scottish summer).

The last couple of days in Ecuador were spent exploring Cuenca, an old Inca city in the South of the country. A very pleasant city with some great colonial architecture, interesting museums and very tasty restaurants. One of the pleasant surprises of Ecuador was how cheap everything was, where you could get a great meal out for under $10. Much appreciated after the inflation hit cost of Brazil and Argentina. It was also really nice not to have to worry about exchange rates and money changing as Ecuador has somehow managed to adopt the USD as its official currency. Quite how the US allows this I do not know (a number of countries, such as Zimbabwe use the dollar as the unofficial currency, but Ecuador is the only country I am aware of where it is the official and sole currency within the country), but a bit like the Euro in Europe, it makes it a lot easier for the weary traveller.

So after the green mountains of Ecuador it is back to the heat of the coast. The resort/campsite we are staying in is basically a collection of hotels and restaurants along a beach in the middle of nowhere. As you may know, I am in no way a beach person and therefore have been twiddling my thumbs for the past few days. How anyone can go on beach holidays is beyond me. There is nothing duller than being stuck on a beach with nothing to do!

Our location has however afforded me the opportunity to give surfing a try. Interesting experience, but not a sport for me. Too much ingestion of seawater, battering by waves and falling off for my tastes. The instructors were excellent and I properly stood up a couple of times, but not an adventure activity I will be trying again. Why anyone surfs off the coast of the UK is a mystery as it was cold enough off the coast of Peru?

So one more day of getting board by the beach and then it is off down the coast towards Trujillo and Chan Chàn, the ruins of the imperial city of the Chimú domain. The Chimú dynasty predated the Incas and were a significant influence upon the more famous South American dynasty. Apparently the Chimú finally surrendered to the Incas in 1471 after 11 years of siege, so they were clearly a stubborn lot! (or did not fancy being sacrificed to the sun god?).

Happy Saint Georges Day,

Anthony

Catedral de la Inmaculada, Cuenca



Tomebamba excavations, Cuenca (Canari & Inca site)



10 things I have discovered whilst travelling in South America

1)      Friendly Colombians – As a rule, Colombians have been the friendliest bunch and Argentineans the most likely to give you the cold shoulder. Probably to do with a small war in the 1980’s and a certain ‘hand of god’?

2)      Dog is not man’s best friend – They bark at you, growl at you, chase you and if they take a particular shine to you, urinate on your tent! No I do not like the dogs in South America.

3)      Bathroom design – The concept of the plug does not exist here. If you want to block the sink hole I think you are meant to use your underpants?

4)      Timekeeping cockerels – Can someone please teach cockerels to tell the time! It is not hard on the equator; the sun rises at 06:00 and sets at 18:00. It does not rise at half past two in the morning!

5)      Truckers – Assuming you have a penis, if you are ever out of work, come to South America and become a truck driver (I am yet to see a female truck driver, or even one in drag). There are trucks absolutely everywhere! Basically because the Spanish colonised South America there are no railways and therefore everything has to go by road. To qualify you have to be able to drive like an idiot, not look after your truck and drive everywhere shirtless (which is probably why there are no female truck drivers?).

6)      Crazy cost of living – You know something is wrong when beer is cheaper than chocolate milk (Brazil), petrol cheaper than water (Venezuela) and a packet of fig rolls cost about £8 (to be fair they were Lyons Fig Rolls all the way from Blighty).

7)      Make your mind up Argentina – You expect electricity plug designs to change country by country, but not to have a random selection of three different designs. Choose one plug design and stick to it Argentina!

8)      What no breakfast or towel – Who decided that when you stay in a hotel in Venezuela you are not provided with either a towel or breakfast? No cable TV or tea & coffee making facilities, OK, but can I please have a clean towel!

9)      Where are all the Norwich City fans? – Fake Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal everywhere, but I have not spotted one fake Norwich City top. Football mad and they love a bit of yellow and green in Brazil, surely an untapped market for the mighty Canaries?

 

10)  Comedy Spanglish – Google translate you have a lot to answer for! Why pay to have your Spanish leaflet translated when you can simply punch it into Google translate. It is English Jim, but not as we know it!

Anthony

I Love Boobies!

Back safe and sound from the Galapagos Islands and what a 5 days! Probably the highlight of the trip so far even if the seas were a bit rough!

After a 2 hour flight from Quito it was onto the good ship Darwin for 4 days of adventure upon the high seas. First stop was Santa Cruz and our first chance to see sea lions, iguanas and marine birds. The first thing that strikes you about the wildlife is how tame all of the animals are. Because the Islands have only been inhabited fairly recently, the animals do not have an inbuilt fear of man and therefore you can get very close to them. Under park rules you have to keep a minimum of 2 metres away, but at times you had to tread carefully to make sure you did not step on a sea lion or iguana lazing in the sun.

Day 2 we travelled to South Plazas Island and Santa Fe Island to see a male colony of sea lions and undertake our first snorkelling secession off the boat. Although the water was not always that clear, the snorkelling was a real highlight of the trip, with an incredible range of marine life under the waves. We saw sharks, rays, turtles, sea lions, barracudas and lots and lots of fish. At no time did you feel threatened by any of the marine life (the sharks were especially friendly), although you did have to watch out for the strong currents and heavy waves at times.

The other striking feature of the Islands and aspect that lead Charles Darwin there in 1835 is the amazing diversity of the wildlife. Although there is not a huge range of animals (the volcanic islands have never been part of the mainland and therefore all indigenous species have had to fly, swim or catch a lift there on drift wood), each island will have a different sub species perfectly adapted to the conditions on that particular small island. Iguanas for example are found on most of the islands, but will be slightly different and may be land iguanas, marine iguanas or a combination of the two.

After a very rough 5 hour transfer over night, day 3 was spent on Espanola Island, a remote island in the South Eastern corner of the Galapagos. This particular island is famous for Albatross birds and a spectacular blowhole on the Western side of the Island. Albatrosses only nest on this particular island because it is relatively flat. Due to their size they need a bit of a run way and this is the only island that provides the necessary geography. I did think that the birds would be a bit bigger, but none the less it was good to see them nesting and flying so close. We were also able to see a large number of boobies, the main three varieties being blue-footed, red-footed and Nazca Boobies. Very interesting seabirds that have an amazing range of feet colours and like to dance?

After some more rough seas, day 4 was spent on Floreana Island, an old Pirate stop over point. A big attraction on the island is Post Office bay. As the name suggests, there is a post office here comprising of an old wooden barrel on the beach. The tradition is that you leave a letter or post card to be hand delivered by a fellow traveller visiting the bay. I left a postcard for Mum & Dad back in Norfolk, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes to be delivered (quite a while I imagine). Conversely I picked by 3 postcards that I will deliver myself to Headcorn in Kent and Teddington in London.

After another rough transfer back to Santa Cruz Island (are you spotting a trend here!), the morning of day 5 was spent looking round the Charles Darwin Research Station where they have a breading centre for giant tortoises and iguanas and then it was back on the plane to Quito. All in all an action packed 4 and a bit days, but very enjoyable.  

So would I recommend a trip to the Galapagos Islands? Definitely. It is not cheap and you may have to put up with some rough seas like we did, but it is a unique experience and a must for wildlife fans. Below are a selection of my favourite wildlife photos, enjoy.    

Anthony

Good Ship Darwin

Land Iguana

Sally Lightfoot crab

Swallow tailed gull with egg

Blue-footed Booby

Sealion in the surf

Pelican

Two rays mating

Nesting Albatros

Giant tortise

Leaving a postcard at Post Office Bay



Nazca Booby



A pair of Galapagos Hawks

Smug marine iguana

Hood Larva Lizard

Ecuador

Hello from Quito, Ecuador. Country number six in South America and a very interesting one indeed. Because I am off to the Galapagos Islands for 5 days tomorrow we do not actually get much time in mainland Ecuador, so it is certainly somewhere I would like to come back to and explore some more.

Ecuador has some truly stunning scenery and yesterday I was able to spend the day exploring the countryside around Otavalo, a market town North of the capital. Located in the hill outside of town, we stayed at an interesting hostel called ‘Rose Cottage’, which as the name suggests is owned by an English family (a photo of the hostel can be seen below). Lots of British touches, including a large union flag celebrating the marriage of Wills & Kate!

Ecuador also has a number of active volcanoes and last night we were able to watch some eruptions near to the hostel. Only small scale stuff, but it does make you realise how vulnerable many of the towns and villages are.

The other thing Ecuador is famous for is of course the Equator and today we were able to stop on the Equator where there is a giant sun dial to mark the spot. Officially back in the Southern Hemisphere for the rest of the trip.

Off to the Galapagos Isles tomorrow for a 5 day boat trip aboard the good ship Darwin. The Galapagos Isles have long been on my wish list of places to visit, so it will be great to be able to experience the amazing bird and marine life first hand. Be prepared for lots of wildlife photos!

Anthony     

Rose Cottage

A local waterfall

Center of the world!

Giant sun dial, with the truck in the background

Popayán

Hello from Popayán in South West Colombia. Popayán is a former regional capital set 1760m up in the green mountains. It is full of historic churches, colonial architecture and students, being a major University city. The historic centre is also in suspiciously good condition having been fully restored after a major earthquake in March 1983 that destroyed much of the city. The fact that the city is in a high risk earthquake zone (there are numerous active volcanoes nearby) means that the architecture is very low rise, mainly two storey buildings in rococo Andalucian style.

I have only had one free day to explore the city and surrounding area, so I was up early this morning to explore the historic quarter while it was still quiet and cool and then up into the mountains to visit a natural hot spring and bike back to the city. The springs were really relaxing if you put the smell of sulphur to one side and the 30km mainly downhill bike ride back was great fun even if the curse of poorly maintained hire bikes struck again (buckled wheels and dodgy gears).

If I have learnt anything while travelling in South America, it is that if you want to use a half decent mountain bike you have to bring it yourself. They have zero concept of bike maintenance and safety out here, which is very, very frustrating as a mountain bike simply will not fit into my backpack!

Tomorrow we are off South towards the boarder with Equator. I have really enjoyed my time in Colombia and would highly recommend a visit. You are stuck by how friendly everyone is. I think this is partly because it was off the tourist map for so long and therefore everyone is really happy to show foreign visitors what Colombia has to offer. The old stereotypical view of drug cartels, domestic terrorists and goalkeepers with crazy hair is all very 1990’s and the country has moved on a long way over the past 20 years. It is also the only South American country where cycling is a big sport, so on this alone it gets my vote!

Anthony 

Coffee

Hello from Salento in the heart of coffee country. A very relaxing 4 days up in the mountains of central Colombia, where we stayed at the rather up market (certainly for Overlanders, there was hot water and even a pool!) Hacienda Venecia coffee plantation for two days and have been in Salento for the past two days. Salento is a small town surrounded by stunning scenery and lots and lots of coffee plantations.

During our stay at Hacienda Venecia I went on a very informative tour of the coffee estate and enrolled on a coffee tasting course.

10 Colombian coffee facts you probably did not know

1) Colombia is the world’s 4th largest coffee producer after Brazil, Vietnam & Indonesia. Strict export quality controls are employed to ensure that only the best quality coffee is exported. This means that the domestic coffee is actually rather poor. Only Arabica beans are grown as these thrive at higher altitude and have a higher net worth on the export market.

2) The central part of Colombia (the main coffee growing area) enjoys two wets seasons and two dry seasons, meaning that two coffee crops per year are possible. Productivity is therefore much higher in Colombia than most other coffee growing countries.

3) Coffee originated in Ethiopia, East Africa and was introduced to South America by the Dutch in the 17^th century.

4) Professional coffee tasters learn 36 different flavours/aromas to help them dissect individual coffee tastes. One of which is roasted coffee beans? Other flavours include rubber, pipe tobacco and basmati rice.

5) It is OK to keep coffee in the freezer as long as it is in an airtight container. Roasted coffee is only about 0.5% water and therefore crystallisation is minimal.

6) Arabica beans contains less caffeine than Robusta beans and an espresso contains less caffeine than percolated coffee as the water takes only 20 seconds to pass through the coffee, rather than several minutes. It takes a while for caffeine to be absorbed by the water.

7) A coffee plant should be productive after 7 years and will produce fruit for approximately 27 years. New plants are planted in a different location to prevent soil erosion.

8) Due to the geography (steep mountain sides) and multiple harvests, all Colombia coffee is harvested by hand. The fruit is picked when it is fully ripened and bright red.

9) Colombian coffee beans are sorted by size, density and colour to determine quality.

10) Export quality Colombian coffee is very nice and will keep you awake at night after 4 cups!

Next time you are in the tea & coffee isle in the supermarket, try some finest Colombian coffee.

Anthony