Our trip through Peru was aggressively-paced in general. That is somewhat the nature of the game. Goal is to cover a lot of ground efficiently and productively. Sometimes when you look back at how it all played out it seems a little incredible what we did. The stretch beginning on the morning of November 9th was one of those periods where it was all moving pretty quickly.
It started with a flight from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco. Then a ~2-hour transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. And we had a deadline for reaching Ollantaytambo because we needed to make the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. In the end it all worked, but that transfer between Cusco and Ollantaytambo was interesting. The roads are full of obstacles. Speed bumps. Potholes. Piles of rocks from small landslides. And of course general traffic. When the clock is ticking and the driver is trying to navigate all that as quickly as possible, passenger comfort takes a back seat to making time. So I was too busy holding on to the door handles to snap any pics or videos of that ride. Therefore this post will focus on the train ride to Machu Picchu Pueblo as well as some scenes from around the town. (Side note: I've always thought of the town as Aguas Calientes since we stayed there in 2006, but I see it has in fact been known as Machu Picchu Pueblo for a while; maybe just a semi-recent re-branding emphasis going on).
(Scene from the tracks in Ollantaytambo)
We had tickets for Peru Rail's Vistadome Observatory service, which includes some interesting extras like a live band, a traditional folk performance, the bar car, and a little platform on the back of the train where you can take in full views of the scenery.
There was a complimentary snack box (not pictured probably because I tore right into it and wolfed down my quinoa crackers). Should you wish to order additional food & drink, they have a handful of options for you.
Before getting on the train I had done zero research on what tickets we had or what the whole thing would entail. So I was surprised when I saw the band set up.
I had noticed a few musicians hanging around the platform in Ollantaytambo and momentarily wondered what their story was. But in Mexico City it is not uncommon to come across groups of músicos, often mariachis, headed to or from a gig. So I noted the instruments cases and then kept wandering around the rest of the scene.
Soon enough they broke into their set, playing some smooth classics like "Perhaps"
And that was generally pleasant. A smooth jazz club rolling through the Andean scenery. Nice.
Then set list progressed from smooth to popppy. Fun(ish).
At some point there was an interlude for the traditional dance performance.
And most of the passengers were enjoying the vibes, getting up offa that thing.
I maybe should have seen where this was all going, but I was still a little sad when I heard the first few notes of the Macarena.
A little smooth jazz soundtrack for my trip to Machu Picchu? Sure, why not. A wedding reception line dance with a group of randos I don't know? Not for me, Clive. Felt like a good time to head to the back and enjoy the scenery.
After we got into Machu Picchu Pueblo the next 24-36 hours were spent visiting hotels, hiking Machu Picchu (and Huayna Picchu), strolling the streets, and having some hit or miss food experiences. I'll post separately about the two restaurants I tried. And the Machu Picchu visit will get its own post, too, of course. Here I'll share a handful of pics and comments.
First, yes, the town is touristy as can be. But I still like it.
Scenery and setting are stunning.
Plenty of places to stop, people watch, soak in the vibes, and enjoy a casual meal or drink while anticipating or reflecting on your Machu Picchu experience.
Of course there is the Mercado Artesenal. My observation after spinning around the aisles is that the nicer shops seem to be the ones closest to the train station entrance.
In my wanderings later in the evening I passed by a stretch of casual food stands. I believe they are along Calle Wiracocha, which is on the east side of town further away from the river. Wish I had known about this area before I sat down for lunch at Museo del Papa (more in a future post).
Also, random item here, but I liked how the street dogs seemed to be fairly well taken care of. Saw a number of them posted up around town, like these guys.
After spending two days in Lima (see previous posts about the food tour and evening in Barranco, we headed to Puerto Maldonado, which would be our access point to the Peruvian jungle experience for a couple of nights. First day of this segment was busy, flying down from Lima and then visiting a handful of the region's typical eco-lodges. The hot jungle is not particularly my comfort zone, but it was interesting.
Part one was the short flight from Lima. The PM airport is small and efficient. Land, deplane on the tarmac, figure out which of the 2 baggage belts is yours, then get on your way.
I took a very quick video of the ground transporation area. First time I can recall seeing tuk tuks as an option leaving an airport.
From the airport we then had maybe a 90-minute ride to "Puerto Filadelfia". First hour of that is via local paved roads. Final 1/2 hour is a dirt road, but it's in pretty good condition. We rode in comfort, taking this recent model Hyundai van with solid a/c.
You can get the gist of the scenery for the first hour in this clip:
And below is a glimpse of the dirt road segment. Honestly it was a more comfortable ride than what we later experienced heading from Cusco to Ollantaytambo on 'paved' roads.
We emptied out of the van at Puerto Filadelfia, which is where we'd meet our boat shuttle over to the first lodge. Best I can tell the 'puerto' is this one building that can set you up with a quick coffee or bottle of water. It's also a covered place for the tuk tuk drivers to hang out under.
Here's a look at the Tambopata river that we'd be heading down:
We had help getting our bags down to the boat, which was appreciated.
Had to grab a quick video of my first boat ride in the 'Amazon' (guess it technically counts as being in the general Amazon rainforest region, but the river is the Tambopata).
Our first stop was Chuncho Lodge (note: google suggests it is a 5* property; it is not). Chuncho is the gentleman giving us some backstory during that boat ride clip above. According to Chuncho he was single-handedly responsible for getting Puerto Filadelfia built. After spending about 90 minutes with Chuncho, I can believe it. But I also believe Chuncho is a classic entrepreneur / sales type, so there might have been some extra mustard on that hot dog. Regardless, his property is lovely and charming and seemingly in a state of perpetual improvement. Here are few common area shots:
Chuncho treated us to a nice traditional lunch which was tasty. And the staff we engaged with were all very warm and helpful. Vibes felt like a family place where they take good care of you. If I were to head back to Puerto Maldonado for some jungle time, I'd be comfortable staying with Chuncho.
After saying goodbye to Chuncho we hopped another boat, this time heading to Wasai Tambopata Lodge.
Once you get up those stairs and you get an immediate impression that you're at a lodge of a different level.
Wasai is a bigger hospitality operation than Chuncho. They also have a 'lodge' (hotel) in PM proper, which is where we stayed the next night. (Strong a/c there and comfy beds. Not the best restaurant offering.) We got a property tour and saw that if you're looking for jungle comfort in an aesthetically pleasing setting, Wasai is a great option.
We had one more stop on the day, which was Refugio Amazonas. Refugio would be our base for the 'night' since it is further up river and somewhat closer to the Macaw clay lick experience we had on the schedule starting at 3:30am (!) the next morning. Our friends from Wasai dropped us off and after a good walk through the jungle at dusk, we arrived at the Refugio door step.
And for me, that was the high point of the Refugio Amazonas experience. The property is beautiful. And the common area lodge / restaurant is inviting. However the 'room' design is very open. Your 'room' has a net ceiling, but comes with zero in the way of exterior walls. No screens / windows / walls. Nada. So whatever is out in the jungle has full access to your room. While there is netting around your bed to protect against bugs, my guess is if something larger wanted to get into bed with you it could. And that includes some of the larger bugs that were racing around the bathroom. The design also implies (guarantees?) that if you turn on any light whatsoever (e.g., your phone, laptop, maybe a bathroom light to try and pull out your toothbrush), you are immediately flooded with flies, moths, etc. If your idea of communing with nature extends to the point of inviting into your pitch-black airspace whatever is in that jungle, then Refugio Amazonas gives you that opportunity in a very stylish fashion. I guess I was lucky in that I only found 3 massive cockroaches and a frog in my room. But then, I was only there for 6 hours. I also had to listen to one of my neighbors come back to his room around midnight -- maybe after enjoying some drinks in the lodge's bar -- then cough loudly a few times before going to bed and snoring loudly the rest of the night. Again, no walls, no ceiling, no audio privacy whatsoever. I'm sure people have heard less pleasant sounds coming from their fellow lodgers. But since I had just six hours to potentially rest before being off to the next activity, the disruptive snoring was unpleasant enough.
So, that will wrap up my thoughts on my stay in the jungle. For what it's worth I do also post some lightweight content on IG, like these shots from my walkabout in the town of Puerto Maldonado.
After a pretty full day of exploring and touring, my colleague and I still rallied on our last night in Lima to visit the Barranco neighborhood for dinner and shopping. Barranco was not on my radar during previous visits to Peru (one in 2006 focused on Machu Picchu, the others quick business trips circa 2015 in a previous life chapter). But in my prep for this trip Barranco popped up multiple times as a 'must-visit', so I needed to check it out. Though I didn't have time for as full of an exploration as I'd like, based on my quick spin through the area it would definitely be my preferred base for any future stays in Lima.
Barranco lies along the coast just to the south of Miraflores and is known for being a bit more relaxed, bohemian, comfortable, and creative than its chic, busy neighbor to the north. This post from Tara at The Better Beyond provides a nice summary. And you can sift through various YouTube videos as well to get an idea of the vibes. From our location near Parque Kennedy (INNSiDE by Melia) it took roughly 15 minutes via Uber to arrive at the Parque Municipal de Barranco, which we used as our jumping off point to roam around.
My first target was La Feria Unión de Barranco, which closes at 9pm on Thursdays. I wanted time for a quick lap to see if there was anything I needed to bring home with me. It's a cool place with a variety of indie boutiques, cafés/food stalls, and stands selling elevated versions of traditional souvenirs.
My colleague (who is younger and cooler than I am) was pleased with what she was seeing, and picked up a sweater or scarf of something if I recall correctly. I found what I was looking for, too:
I have had my eyes peeled for a new mouse pad the past few trips I've taken but surprisingly didn't see anything. Guess mouse pad souvenirs are not in fashion anymore. But this trademark yellow Inca Cola number is now brightening up my office, replacing the dingy 2010-era Aol pad that was years past its expiration date.
Pleased with our market visit we followed the lights and murals over to the famous Bridge of Sighs.
El Tio Mario called to us like a beacon, so we allowed ourselves to be drawn in and enjoyed a traditional meal with friendly service.
While the food's appearance may be alarmingly simple, man it was tasty and hit the spot after a long day. Not pictured is the aji salsa I asked for to give it a little punch.
For dessert we tried the classic Suspiro de limeña which was delicious.
Bravo, El Tio Mario.
We walked the meal off taking in the sights for a few blocks heading north along Avenida San Martin before hopping an uber back to the hotel. Had a flight to the jungle at 10am the next morning. So that finished the evening. And I'll finish this post with a couple more vibe shots from our walkabout.
