Easter Week Visit - Cartagena

David and Paul came for a visit during the Easter week. We had a leisurely programme planned which took us on the next day - after the first welcome-night in Bogota - to Cartagena de Indias. There the idea was to soak up some Caribbean flavour, sunshine and warmth.

As laying on the beach was not in the guys' agenda, we opted for some sightseeing in Colombia's most prestigious gem. Even if only the toes were dipped into the sand, the Colombian feminine beauty left the guys chuckling. ;)

Lunch - meat for men, ceviche for me

Also I learned during my second visit to Cartagena that there is more to see than just the famous old city. Up the La Popa hill we drove to visit an old monastery, a beautiful building overlooking the city.

"No happier is the one who has more, but who needs less."

 

Castillo de San Felipe

The second monumental place to see was the Castillo de San Felipe, a fortress built by the Spaniards during the colonial times. The castle is located on the Hill of San Lázaro in a strategic location, dominating approaches to the city by land or sea. The castle is spectacular for its grand entrance and its complex maze of narrow tunnels. UNESCO listed the castle, with the historic centre of the city of Cartagena, as a World Heritage Site in 1984.

Paul playing the Guacharaca with señor Luis.

Guacharaca is a typical Colombian instrument used in many kinds of occasions. It is usually made out of the cane-like, hollow trunk of a small palm tree, having small ridges on its surface. Played with a metallic fork, which is scraped along the instrument's surface to create its characteristic scratching sound.

The guacharaca was invented by native American Indians from the Tayrona culture in the region of la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia as an instrument to simulate the guacharaca (or Ortalis ruficauda) bird's singing. Today, however, it is mostly played by Vallenato and Cumbia musicians who adopted the instrument, and nowadays, it is most often associated with these musical styles.

After the sightseeing, we were thirsty, so the natural course of events took us to the same beach bar where another guest sat last August.

As the weather was not on our side and the strong wind kept knocking our drinks over and sprinkling us with sand, we decided it was time to go get freshen up. We did see some of the other important monuments, such as the Café del Mar, La Cocina del Pepino and the walled city, but as those activities took place at night time, there is no photographic evidence about them. You just have to take my word for it! :)

... to be continued...

Machu Picchu

The adventurous tour to Machu Picchu starts early. There are several ways to reach the ancient Inca town - Inca Trail and PeruRail among the most common.

In January, 2010, heavy rains destroyed the beginning part of the railway from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, and still years later busses are used to replace the connection.

As our travel agent did a schedule miscalculation, we missed our train. We had to negotiate to get in the next Vistadome train, to which we had tickets, but luckily there was space for us.

In the luxury version of the train, you are offered some refreshments and entertainment, and souvenirs are available for purchase on board, as if on plane.

The wild Urubamba river.

The train ride is just beautiful, albeit a bit scary as it runs on the verge of the river bank.

Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes, a village deep in the valley connects the ancient ruins with modern world.

To arrive to the site the following journey was required from Bogotá:
2 flights. 4 car/bus rides. 1 loooooong train ride. 10 minute hike.

After 15 hours of travelling we've finally reached the goal.

We've reached Machu Picchu!

Machu Picchu, pronounced in Quechuan language [ˈmɑtʃu ˈpixtʃu] (translates to "Old Peak"), is a 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 metres above sea level. It is an icon of Inca civilisation and it is believed that "the lost city of the Incas" was originally built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472).

The Incas built the estate around 1450, but abandoned it as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction.

(Source) 

The clever architecture and different innovative solutions used in Machu Picchu were ahead of their time.

Machu Picchu was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, and was voted as the New Seven Wonders of the World. 

Machu Picchu is vulnerable to threats from a variety of sources. While natural phenomena like earthquakes and heavy rains can play havoc with access, the site suffers from the pressures of too many tourists. In addition, preservation of the area's cultural and archaeological heritage is an ongoing concern.
As Peru's most visited tourist attraction and major revenue generator, it is continually threatened by economic and commercial forces, and there is a growing concern over the hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting the site every year.

(Source)

The site was never on my must-see list, but now, after seeing it I can tell that it is a remarkable, impressive piece of history that leaves one speechless. Yet, I am still not convinced whether it is worth the money or the hazzle.

Going back to Aguas Calientes, we did not want to use the seemingly dangerous Hiram Bingham Highway used by tour buses to and from Aguas Calientes, so we decided to hike down.

Back in Aguas Calientes, from where the long journey back to Cusco - train, bus, taxi - started at dusk.