Huacachina

The sandy gringo playground of Huacachina, with its massive sand dunes and sunny weather, beckoned us to stay and play on the coast a while longer before heading inland to the Sacred Valley.  A short four hour bus ride southeast of Pisco, it would be our last short bus ride for awhile.  We actually arrived in nearby Ica, home of many bodegas(wineries), and a quick cab ride to Huacachina.  By now, we had mastered the art of dealing with South American taxis.  Step #1: Never ask how much the ride costs. Step #2: In your best and most confident Spanish, state your destination as if you're the mayor of the town. Step #3: Hand them exact change and only what you think is a fair price. It is helpful to get advice on this beforehand. Step #4: Say 'gracias' and walk away.  The result? They will either chase you down screaming for more money or, more likely, they will pocket the money and drive away.  A couple of times we've been asked for an extra sole, about $.30, but we haven't been ridiculously overcharged since.  Driving into the tiny oasis of Huacachina (less than 200 people live here permanently) we were blown away by the size and beauty of the massive sand dunes which tower over the town.  Our hostel, complete with swimming pool!, was located at the base of one of these sandy monsters and offered a constant reminder that we weren't in Portland anymore.

Huacachina is known for high-flying, death-defying, rollercoaster-adventure rides through the sand, and we couldn't wait to strap into a dune buggy and conquer these behemoths of the desert.  Excited and a little nervous, we paid our 'sand-tax', whatever that is, and started to climb our first dune.  While most roller-coasters will slowly take you to the top of the ride, pause for a moment over the edge, and then send you plummeting down the tracks, this was a completely different experience.  There were no tracks, we went blazing up the dune at full speed, then over the dune at equally full speed, to end up staring down the vertical face of a massive dune, while going full speed.  Throw in a couple turns at full speed, a few more dunes, and all of a sudden we were smack in the middle of a desert with miles and miles of sand dunes in all directions.  As if this wasn't enough excitement, our driver pulled over at the lip of a dune, waxed up some sandboards (think smaller snowboards with velcro straps) pointed at us, and then pointed down.  Once at the bottom of this dune, walk twenty feet, and there's another, and another.  We had the option of going on our bellies or strapped in feet first.  After Oliver fell and ate sand on the second dune, we both decided to stick strictly to our bellies.  This would prove to be a good decision as the dunes kept getting bigger and bigger.  Needless to say, this was one of our favorite tours so far and had us wishing we could do it again and again.

The next day was our bus to Cusco but since it didn't leave until the evening we decided to kill some time by touring some of the local wineries, know for producing some amazing piscos.  A form of grape brandy, pisco is the national liquor of Peru and is best known in the tasty cocktail Pisco Sour.  We would be taken on a winery tour by a friendly Quechuan, the self-proclaimed Mr. Inca. We got the full range of Peruvian wineries as we visited a major producer of wine and pisco with vats the size of rooms, as well a local bodega still producing pisco in the traditional indigenous fashion.  This second was a cross between a wine cellar and an antique museum, with relics spanning centuries strewn haphazardly next to giant clay fermentation bottles.  Buzzed and happy, we headed back to Huacachina to gather our packs and ready ourselves for the overnight bus ride up the Andes.

Ready to ride!

Laura face first down the dune!

At some points we had to walk but mostly we got around on our bellies.

Taking a break before our next vertical plunge down the face of a dune. 

See those tiny specks down there? Those are people! These were some seriously high dunes.

We took the late afternoon tour for sunset views!

Laura and Mr. Inca mashing the grapes.

Learning the secrets of pisco distilling.

Wine and pisco cellar/antique museum.

All those jars are fermenting different wine and piscos and we got to try a bunch, including the ever popular 'panty-dropper.'

Oliver making a call on the 'Inca phone.'

Islas Ballestas

Heading further south of Lima, our next stop would be the small town of Pisco.  As 80% of the city was destroyed in an earthquake 4 years ago, there wasn´t much to hold our attention.  The real draw for us was the nearby port of Paracas from which we headed out to tour the Islas Ballestas, or "the poor man´s Galapagos." A group of islands comprised mostly of rock formations jutting out of the sea, these islands are an important refuge for thousand-strong colonies of blue-footed boobies, cormorants, pelicans, and guanay guano birds.  Never before had we seen so many birds in one place.  Of course with lots of birds come lots and lots of bird shit.  We wore our hats to shield us from droppings and surprisingly escaped unscathed.  In addition to the birds, we were also treated to fur seals and sea lions who loved showing off for the cameras, diving from the rocks and frolicking near the boats.  In a strange sight to see in such a warm climate, groups of Humboldt penguins also strutted around, jostling for position among the other fauna.  At one point in the tour, a group of French tourists started shouting, "Medusa, Medusa!" which we came to learn meant "jellyfish" when we saw their humongous heads and tentacles drifting gracefully by our boat.  Our camera definitely got a workout as we tried to capture the grand display of wildlife mere feet from our boat.
One of the other highlights of this tour was the Paracas Candelabra, a giant geoglyph scratched into the side of the Paracas peninsula.  At 595 ft tall and consisting of 2 ft deep trenches carved into the hillside, it is large enough to be seen from 12 miles at sea.  Pottery found at the sight dates to 200 BC but nobody knows why or who built the massive glyph.  Some theories hold that it was a representation of the trident, a lightning rod of the god Viracocha, seen in mythology throughout South America, while others range from Masonic symbolism to extraterrestrials.  Nevertheless, the mystery surrounding the glyph only serves to heighten its impact.
While the real Galapagos islands were way outside of our budget this trip, our visit to the beautiful Islas Ballestas helped to satisfy our desire to see some of the native wildlife that the South American coast has to offer.

Ahoy! Heading out to the Islas Ballestas.

That´s a lot of birds.

And more birds.

Penguins??

Lazy buggers.

These two loved the camera. They would climb up to jump off. Then repeat.

Seriously, there were a lot of birds. 

Medusa!

Paracas Candelabra.
Ancient trident of a god, or signpost for aliens? You decide.

Lima

With a last wistful look back at Ecuador, we crossed the border into Peru to begin the next leg of our adventure.  In doing so, we would encounter greater distances, far more tourists, higher prices, and new landscapes.  Since Peru is huge, almost twice the size of Texas, we really had to prioritize what we wanted to see and do.  So we made the painful decision to skip the northern Peruvian coast, with its mysterious ruins and rugged towns, and jump on an 18 hour bus to Lima.  Andean highlands turned to flat coastal desert as we crossed the border and, after a quick stop in Piura to shave Oliver´s increasingly unruly beard, we nervously boarded our first overnight, and longest to date, bus.  After encountering a wide range of buses in terms of quality and reliability, we decided to splurge on the ritzy Cruz del Sur, a two-tiered cruiser with (almost) fully reclining seats, dinner service, WIFI, movies, and bingo! (Although the numbers came much faster than we could possibly translate and then find on our boards so, no, we didn´t win.)  We arrived in Lima the next morning still tired and with low expectations for the city we´d been told was dirty, dangerous, and not worth the stop.  What we found, however, was a diverse metropolis with a modern edge, a foot in the past, and really good food.  We would stay in Miraflores, an upscale district of fantastic restaurants and beautiful parks.  However, our hunt for indigenous ruins would take us through the underbelly of Lima, miles and miles of shanty towns just outside the city.  While we have seen poverty before, never on such a large scale.  The contrast between the prized districts of central Lima and these forgotten squalors was astounding.
Top on our lists of ruins was the citadel of Pachacamac, the most important religious site on the Peruvian coast for over 1500 years and an enormous complex of temples, oracles, houses, etc. from different periods of time and cultures.  As no English-speaking guides were available (we couldn´t afford one anyways) we decided to play archaeologists and "discover" this vast area for ourselves.  Pachacamac, or "Earth-maker", was a feared god who could cause earthquakes and other cataclysms, and the temples were built in his honor.  The oracles were consulted by chiefs from all over the Andes and as each culture came to power, they built upon the others, concluding with the dominating Incan Sun Temple.  Needless to say, the site was quite impressive.
Closer to our hostel, we also visited the ruins of Huaca Pucllana, a site of adobe pyramids and houses constructed in the 6th century A.D. The largest structure is 500 meters in length, more than 100 meters wide and 22 meters high, in a massive pyramid style.  Comprised of small adobe bricks set in a "bookcase" style and numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the entire ruin is surrounded by the modern city of Lima, making the contrast between the old and the new ever-present.
Our time in Lima was not entirely spent on archaeology, however.  We soaked up plenty of metropolitan life, going to the movies (in English with Spanish subtitles!), shopping, and gorging at the delicious restaurants of Lima.  The highlight would be our splurge visit to Astrid & Gaston, where we would try such local delicacies as alpaca and cuy, or guinea pig, and delicious cocktails crafted with pisco, the national drink of Peru.  Our favorite South American capital so far, Lima satiated our minds, sense of adventure, and bellies.

No more beard! and the coast of Lima.

Oliver "discovering" the temple of virgins at Pachacamac.

Laura "discovering" the Temple of the Sun at Pachacamac.

Laura worshipping the sun god atop the pyramid.

Oliver even found some artifacts!

The archaeological duo at work!

Random jazz-ercize class on a closed street in Miraflores.

Huaca Pucllana with Lima in the background.

Atop one of the many structures in Huaca Pucllana overlooking Lima.

Vilcabamba

Dubbed the "Valley of Longevity"due to its aged population and relaxing vibe, Vilcabamba spoiled us like rich vacationers rather than the budget-strapped backpackers we are.  Tucked away in the southern highlands, this small village was our last stop in Ecuador and our last chance to be pampered at ridiculously cheap expense.  Our "hostel" was more like a resort, complete with free breakfast buffet overlooking the valley, swimming pool, hammocks, bar with billiards/ping-pong, life-size chessboard, and spa with massages priced to steal.  Whether drinking jars of their house wine, reading books in hammocks, or merely wandering down the hill to town, we felt like retirees soaking up the good life.  The main highlight, though, would be a fantastic 3 hour horseback ride through the valley.  As neither of us had experience riding horses, we were a bit nervous to start.  Our minds raced with questions such as, "Do they bite? What if they just start running?" and, "Should we be wearing helmets?" We would have nothing to fear, however, as our young Ecuadoran guide knew his horses and the horses knew the way.  With low whistles, he could bring them to trot, which was surely as painful for us as the horses, or coax them up a steep dried-up riverbed.  Not to say that the ride went without a hitch.  Oliver claims that the circles his horse, Paloma, would turn was his doing, and poor Laura´s Tequila was relegated to the back by the rest of the pack, a spot he happily accepted as he moseyed along, stopping to eat, daydream, etc. and then running to catch up.  The ride would take us through town, over a river, up a ridge, around the valley and leave us with great memories and sore butts.  The latter, however, would be treated by the magical, yet firm, hands of the ladies of the spa.  In the end, we spent less time in Vilcabamba than we could have, for the road calls, but it was definitely time well spent.

Our hostel was surrounded by gardens.

View of our walk into town.

We met a donkey on the way.

Oliver and Paloma.

Laura and Tequila bringing up the rear.

View from the saddle.

Strolling back to town.

They finally made it!

Relaxing with drinks and cards.

Cuenca

"The Jewel of Ecuador", Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador but with the feel of a small colonial town.  Compared to the high activity of Banos, we mostly relaxed and took in the charm of its windy cobble-stone streets, romantic plazas, and sprawling markets.  One of Oliver´s goals in Cuenca was to find a nice Panama hat, made of tightly woven straw, which the city is known for producing.  After browsing and haggling our way through the markets, he finally found one we both loved.  We toured the Museo del Banco Central "Pumapargo", which had a number of ethnographic exhibits, though the real draw was the "tsantas", or shrunken heads.  Photography was banned, but we can tell you they were quite creepy and small.  The real highlight of Cuenca for us was a romantic dinner at La Vina, a delicious Italian restaurant where we gorged on real pizza, bruschetta, pasta, and wine.  Happy and full, we strolled back to our hostel passing beautifully lit plazas with many other couples walking arm in arm.  Cuenca was colonial Ecuador at its most romantic.

Hat museum.

Found the perfect fit.

Llamas!

Banos

Relucantly, we said our farewells to the beach and headed inland to the highland town of Banos.  Unfortunately, there was no direct route and, after a few hours pouring over maps and talking to other travelers, we figured the best way would be to wing it and rely heavily on the "drovers".  Buses in Ecuador work in two man teams, the driver, you can guess what he does, and the "drover", the person who hangs out the door yelling out destinations, herding people onto the bus, collecting fares, etc.  Throughout our trip, these helpful daredevils have been indispensable, guiding us to the right bus, the right stop, and generally helping us "gringos" not get too lost.  Since getting to Banos from the coast required 4 changes of buses, mostly in small towns, we owe them a debt of gratitude more than the $1/hr that bus travel in Ecuador costs.  After 12 hours of traveling we finally made it to Banos but, since it was dark, we would have to wait until morning to be treated to the beautiful scenery this little mountain getaway has to offer.  There is something to be said about the size and diversity of Ecuador if, within 12 hours, you can go from balmy Pacific coast to cool Andes mountains.
We got our first glimpse of the beauty of Banos when we went to breakfast on the rooftop terrace of our hostel.  Steep volcanic mountains, meandering clouds, and a beautiful waterfall grace this quaint highland village.  Since Banos, meaning "baths" due to its ever-popular thermal springs, is tucked away in a small valley with access to volcanos and the nearby Amazon jungle, the number of activities offered is head-spinning. We are not sure whats more ubiquitous, tour companies or massage parlors.  We would take advantage of both in the coming days.  Oliver would take an unforgettable, though at times frightening, bike ride from town to the Amazon basin.  This 61 km ride would take him past soaring mountains, tiny Andean towns, through lush jungle and thick cloud forests, and ultimately end where the Andes meets the Amazon.  Meanwhile, Laura, who doesn´t enjoy bicycles, relaxed with a facial in town.  We would team up later to take on the Amazon, spending our Thanksgiving hiking through jungle, making friends with monkeys, swimming in a waterfall, visiting a shaman in an indigenous village, canoeing down a river, and feeling grateful that our normal lives do not include mosquitos and hunting with blow-dart guns.

View of Banos from Mirador del Virgin

Many, many steep stairs...but we´re still smiling!

Thermal hot springs, complete with waterfall.

I think that means "DANGER".

Getting closer!

After five hours of riding through sun and rain, the Amazon basin.

A dream come true for Laura, monkeys!

Lazy monkey.

Taken moments before he ate the hat.

Refreshing break after hiking through the rainforest.

Learning to hunt.

Laura swinging like Tarzan over the jungle. Looks scarier than it was..sort of.