End of the world and the stories of two girls

Tony Blair being interviewed by the police got about the same coverage here as confirmation that the world as we know it will end in the next couple of generations!!

This trip has bought home just what a marvelous, interconnected and fragile world this is (a few years ago the valley in the picture was filled by a massive glacier) . Everywhere we have been is experiencing unusual weather patterns and we have seen the damage being done by man on both the big and small scale. Even relatively benign tourism harms what we have come to see, whether it is the introduction of alien species or the ever widening of paths on popular treks.

We have also seen the remains of vast civilisations that must have thought that nothing could hurt their world. The Inkas can´t have known that those first Spanish boats were going to lead to the decimation of their whole culture and population in less than 100 years. And I bet the tribes on Easter Island thought that they had so much wood that it would last for ever. Within 100 years the last of them, including the king, were carted off on a couple of boats as slaves. A complex culture lost for ever, the only thing left was the Moais.

I fear we are no different and that we will keep bickering over religion, trade (and cash for honours) and ignore the very real danger we all face.
Defuncta Correa

In the middle of a desert a cluster of stalls, restaurants and even a hotel has sprung up. All because of a girl who probably never existed.

During the 1800 civil wars Deolinda followed her sickly concript husband´s battalion on foot carrying food, water and her baby son. When her meagre supplies ran out she died in the deserts of San Juan. Some time later passing mule traders found her son was still nursing at the dead womans breast. This was just the first of a series of miracles attributed to Deolinda and the creation of the shrine of Defuncta (literally defuct) Correa on the hill where her body was susposedly found

Devoties leave gifts in exchange for her supenatural favours. The hill is now covered with eloborate models of homes, bits of cars, and pictures of happy families. In the 17 shrines built to house particlar favours there are models of lorries, real bits of factory equipment, hair pieces, umbilical cords and wedding dresses. Even gold discs from successful performers and complete cars including a 1920s Ford and a 1930s Mercedies Benz.

When we where there 100s of peeople where paying trubute, kneeling before a model of Deolinda and leaving yet more gifts ( the minimum seems to be a bottle of water and some food). It´s a remarkable place, with a very weird atmosphere, made even more impressive because belief in Deolinda is activily discouraged by the Catholic Church and the State. Still it is one of the most important beliefs in Argentina and roadside shrines to Deolinda can be seen all over the country.

Juanita

500 years ago a girl child was selected, by the Inkas, because of her perfection - intelligent with a beautiful blemish free body. She was trained for years for the great honour that was going to be bestowed on her - to be sacrified to the mountain god at the top of one of the biggest monutains in South America. She was only 13 when she was taken to the moutain by the high priests. Close to the summit 4 younger children where sacrifieced and left in shallow graves. Juanita was taken right to the top. It is diffcult to image what it was like climbing at 6000m in the freezing cold and oxygen starved air knowing what was going to happen at the top. She was dressed in the finest cerimonial robes but allowed to carry a doll , some personal jewellery and her bag that at some stage she had mended with neat little stiches. This beautiful girl was given a drug and some beer then killed with a single blow to the head. Her body quickly covered in snow and froze.

In the 199os a nearby volcano erupted and melted the ice and her body and goods where recovered all in perfect condition. Juanita is now in a musuem in Ariquipa. She is kept frozen in a case and looks as if she is just sleeping. Her skin, hair and clothes are the same as the day she died. You can see just how beautful, young and innocent she was. Seeing Juanita and her personal things was one of the most moving things we have seen on this trip and we are not alone. We keep meeting people who seem to have to talk about seeing her.

Can´t breath again

Now we are in the Andes again we are getting Mate de Cocoa. A herbal tea made out of cocoa leaves that is meant to help with altitude problems. We have also been shown how to chew it by wrapping it in a bit of lime rock. Its horrible like this and makes your mouth numb. Apparently if you chewed 5Kg of leaves you might get a mild buzz

Went to Canon del Colca a beautiful area full of canyons and the Cruz del Condor - A viewpoint where you can sit and watch condors soar below you, magic. This is such a beautiful area, dotted with lovely villages, that I wish we had spent longer than 3 days.

Wherever you go in Peru you stumble upon festivals. Some might just be a few school children dressed up and stopping the traffic. Others are massive affairs. Puno has a 5 day festival celebrating the rising of the Inca god out of the Lake Titicaca. Sunday consisted of 12 hours of processions representing various gods . All accompanied by loud unmusical brass music (with pan pipes of course). The highlight was the sacrificing of an alpaca and offering its heart to the Inca gods. Nice to see the Catholics haven't got it all their own way.

We were on a trek (traveler for country walk) and came across a walled cemetery filled with people. It was the Day of the Dead. Whole extended families come to have share a picnic with a dead loved one. They put food and drink on the grave so they can all share. Musicians are hired to play music and sing songs with the dead. It all involves a lot of beer and spirit drinking. Great fun way to remember your relatives. All the graves had crosses on them but the Andean people pick and mix religion as they feel fit
















Stayed with a family on an island on Lake Titicaca. No motorised transport, electricity or plumbing. The family cooked all our meals in a tiny thatched hut on dung fires. Their children took us to the top of a mountain to see the view and Inca remains. On the way back we found a store that sold rum and acted as the local bar. We took the chidlren in with us for an Inka Cola. Climbing back down to the house was fun in the dark but they took complete control holding our hands and guiding our steps. They where only 8 and 9

Englishman with another new hat on floating Island in lake Titicacca

PS Isnt the news from USA great. I know in the big picture it doesnt make much difference but I feel it is a little bit of justice to Bush and his cronie

One moment I was happy running round my wheel..........

Marilyn about to devour a sweet little guinea pig.  She has also eaten Alpacca. Not the one in the picture but I bet it was one of its babies.
















When we started this trip we had little interest in the pre-Inca civalisations but we are begining to realise what fantatic cultures they were. We took a flight over the Nasca lines. They cover over 180 Square miles and include animals, geometric shapes and straight lines. They where created over a period of 700 years, starting 3000 years ago. They can only be seen from the air and although there are theories no-one really knows what they were for.

The Nasca people used to create mummies and bury them in shallow graves. Most of these have been robbed and you can see human bones and cloth scattered over a huge area. However. some have been saved and the indian in the picture is 1000 years old. There is virtually no rain on this plane
BUSES
Having done over 120 hours on South American buses we feel we are now in a position to pontificate on the service
1. There are two types of bus service. Luxury express with names like Cruz del Sur and Ormeno Royal Class. These buses have reclining seats, drinks and food service, toilets and tread on the tyres - other buses dont
2. Luxury buses hardly ever leave at a time you want
3. Timetables for all buses are for decorative purposes only. Buses often leave an hour late and arrive two hours late. No-one explains why and no-one makes a fuss
4. By law all buses must show violent films. A minimum of 100 bloody, gruesome deaths is considered a minimum.
Non-luxury buses
5. Your bags are tagged and you are given a corresponding ticket. However, this is just to give the driver something to do. Anyone can take any bags they want. So every time the bus stops everyone gathers round the windows to make sure their bags are not getting nicked. If there is any suspision everyone dives off to protect their bags
6. Pickpockets and other toe-rags love buses. There are loads of scams includuing sending children under the seats to get into your rucksack on the floor by your feet
7. Buses only stop to let people on and off. If you are desparate for a wee you have to jump off and go by the side of the road. Marilyn´s record is 8 hours without a pee
8. The floors sometimes get wet but I am sure it is only condensation
9. You get the authentic smells of Peru by taking the bus
10. You can buy just anything from cola to full meals on the buses. Sellers ride on the bus for a few miles and then get off and wait for the next bus going in the opposite direction.
When we have a long trip in front of us we tend to get a bit nervous especially if travelling a night. However, (touch wood) we have had always arrived in one piece. The buses are fantastic value for money costing about 1$ an hour
SOME OTHER STUFF
1. Marilyn has asked me to point out that she went down every sand dune perfectly. On the other hand I wasnt positioned on mine properly and it started to buck eventually hitting me on the nose and sending me sprawling into the sand. By the way the sand dunes are massive., including the biggest in the world at 2078M, Ben Nevis by comparison is 1344m
2. Even engineers and other educated people in Peru cant get jobs so they become taxi drivers. In major towns 14 out of every 15 vehicles is a taxi
3. We love live music but every band in peru reminds us of Ipswich high street. We hear that bloody ´´Id rather be a sparrow than a snail´´ song at least 30 times a day. marilyns daughter, Lucy, has suggested that if we could kill the pan pipe leader all the rest might fade away
4. Peru only has squeek cheese that is impossible to eat because of the noise it makes in your mouth
We are now carrying on further down the Southern peruvian desart and then going back up into the Andes to Arequipa

Lima and an Oasis

This is a sight you dont often see. Marilyn about to sand board down a massive sand dune. When you got to the bottom the buggy picked you up and took you up to the next one. Felt a bit like Wallis and Grommit on the moon
...................................................................................














We loved Lima despite what everyone had told us. We where only going to spend one day but ended up spending 4 .

Some thoughts on Peru.

1. It has casinos designed for me and marilyn. Great gambling and little men who give M another free G&T before she has finshed the last one

2. Peru has had some terrible terrorism in the past. The Shining Path killed 60000 people. So it is not surprising that security is high. In the bus terminal you have to give your passport when buying a ticket and you go through a metal detecor and then a security guard waves a wand over you. All very impressive. Why then does the bus stop 100yds outside the terminal and let hoards of people on who have massive amounts of stuff bought at the market and dont have tickets. Oh yes they never check women either

3. Why do 10 post card stamps for the UK cost exactly the same as a room with en suite and 100 channel cable TV in a modern hotel in Lima?

4. Lots and lots of poverty but some of the most luxurious buses. We travelled super VIP. Not just vip but super vip. We had seats that turned into proper beds, stewardess service, drinks, food etc. But it did cost 6 times more that the normal fare

5. There are Catholic churches everywhere. Filled with peasants giving as much as they can. Why then do Nuns travel Super VIP?

6. Why does no one in a Catholic picture or statue ever look happy ?

They had a bad  day!

The view from our Lima bedroom showing the security fence and the raised sentry box

So did he!

Vultures and sand

One of the poor sods who were buried with the lord at a massive site at Sipan
Chan Chan city to 100,000 people

I bought a panama hat in Ecuador (they have always been made in Ecuador but got the popilar name when they where made for the workers on the Panama Canal). I think I look cool but Marilyn just laughs everytime I put it on




Carried on down the Andes into Puru and then turned left towards the coast. The difference was total from snow capped volcanoes and lush valleys to desert. Sometimes there was nothing but sand in all directions.

The N Peruvian towns have a neat way of getting rid of their rubbish - just dump it alongside the road outside of town. This way visitors can get a really good feel for the town´s cuisine, main industies and domestic animals long before they actually arrive. They even get the chance to observe the local vultures

The bigger towns a realy lively and the people very friendly. The preÍnca ruins are amazing - massive pryamids and whole towns made of mud bricks. They survived because they were buried by the desert sand.

From Truijllo we are doing the 8 hour bus ride into Lima