Day 12

Saturday 13^th November 2010

Well it seemed that yesterday I had peaked too soon (or the rapid time differences were catching up with me!) so after a wander around Miraflores and some tea – Lomo Saltados (Peruvian fayre of beef cooked with onions and tomatoes) for me and pizza for Franky, I was ready for bed. The highlight of the meal was when Franky asked for large beer. The waiter asked if he wanted a large, large beer and Franky, never to be outdone in the drinking stakes replied emphatically ‘Si, Si’. Cue a litre and a half of Peruvain’s finest brew being brought to our table!!

We headed home in a taxi – another experience never to be forgotten! Peruvian taxi drivers disobey stop signs and traffic lights, disregard traffic lanes and never stop for pedestrians. We read that a 2005 university survey of 640 taxi drivers in Peru found that almost 40% showed psychopathic attributes including ‘aggressive, anxious and antisocial behaviour’ while the same guidebook advises that they are the safest way to get around the city after dark! It seems that is you want to leave the hotel in Lima you take your life into your own hands!

This morning we awoke (early) to another gloomy, grey day in Lima. It is actually quite warm (about 23^oC) but just really murky, After breakfast we headed back to Miraflores which is apparently where the rich folk of Peru choose to live and where the Peruvians choose to spend their weekends.

Miraflores is on the coast but due to the murky greyness the beach didn’t really have much appeal for anyone but the surfers so we had a wander along the clifftops instead.

We came across a number of parks.  Parque del Amor had a statue called El Beso or ‘The Kiss’ and a mosaic wall embedded with names and notes of love.

Parque El Faro or ‘lighthouse park’ contained… you guessed it! A lighthouse!

After exhausting what Miraflores had to offer we had another typical hair raising journey back to downtown Lima in a taxi.

Franky has gone for a ‘Frank nap’ so I’m taking the opportunity to write the blog. Later this afternoon we are meeting Paul, our tour leader, and the rest of our group who we will be touring Peru with for the next 2 weeks. We fly out of Lima for Cusco at 6am tomorrow morning so I can’t imagine it is going to be a wild Saturday night out on the town!

Day 11

Friday 12^th November 2010

Ok, so Lima isn’t as bad as it first looked, they say that cities look worse in the dark and they (whoever they are) are right.

Lima is actually a really beautiful city. We had toast and marmalade for brekkie with coffee and juice (starting to become standard for South America). We headed out for a mooch around and found that there is actually quite a bit to see without fear of death, rape or muggings etc!

We started at the Plaza Mayor and its here that the famous Francisco Pizzaro founded Lima. We meandered over to the Government Palace as the guide book informed us that the changing of the guard took place at 11:45. it turns out that today there happened to be loads of ministers from different countries arriving, we saw blokes from Italy and South Africa arrive but many more turned up. We’re not sure what they were doing but the army and police filled the square with their artillary (if you zoom on the second picture you can see another favela in the background).

On the eastern side of the Plaza Mayor stands the cathedral with its imposing twin towers. So we went inside for a bit of a butchers. The afore mentioned “Pizzaro’s” remains are on display inside, although a headless body, thought to be his were on display until tests in 1990 confirmed that the remains did not belong to him!

The cathedral itself was beautiful, and contained a crypt where all the important people of Lima e.g. Every Arch Bishop since the 1600’s has been buried.

We left for lunch and had an Empinada (like a meat pasty thing… 25p) and a beer. Lunch on tour rocks!

After this we had a little stroll over to San Francisco which comprises of a church and a chapel.

It also houses the catacombs that the Peruvians used as mass grave up until 1872. The bones packed crypt, is the site of an estimated 70,000 burials. It features rows and rows of bones, along with a circle of skulls and femurs deep in a well. The bodies were laid on top of each other, dusted with lime (this accelerates decomposition) and once decayed the bodies were sorted and stored……GRIM!! The smell in there today was unpleasant, imagine that 500 years ago!!

            (we were not allowed to take pictures so these are off a postcard)

We were shown the library which is home to a huge amount of books, some dated back to the 15^th century! It included many first editions.

(again a postcard)

We were not allowed to touch L

That concluded the education part of the day so we went to seek out Peru’s national drink the “Pisco Sour”. The Pisco Sour is:

3 parts Pisco (grape brandy)

Mixed with lime juice

Sugar syrup

Egg white

And some Angostura Bitters.

After a jug of that we decide to walk it off (stumble) and headed to the Plaza St Martin. In the centre is a statue which incorporates Madre Patria the symbolic mother of the country.

She should have been adorned with a crown of flames, know as Llama in Spanish. Instead she had a little Peruvian Llama – the animal- sitting on her head. The double meaning of the word was lost on the poor bloke who crafted it in Spain.

Its nice to know we’re not the only ones suffering with the language barrier.

After this we thought it only right to seek out some more Pisco Sours, to honour our Peruvian hosts.

on the way back I could have sworn we bumped into "The Simpsons"

Tonight we’re off to the Miraflores area. Its supposed to be pretty good!

Day 10

Thursday 11^th November 2010

Today has basically been a day of travelling and moving watches backwards and forwards. We started the day with breakfast in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. We lost an hour when we re-entered Brazil and flew to Sao Paulo. We then had 4 hours in Sao Paulo airport where we did very little except stand in endless queues to check in (queuing seems to be optional) and in immigration. From there we had a 5 hour flight to Lima, Peru and gained 3 hours back. So we are now 5 hours behind you guys at home. No complaints with the flight – another free bar and a surprisingly ample meal of roast beef, gravy, boiled carrots and RICE?!!!

Our first impressions of Lima weren’t great. The place looks like a dump, and Franky declared in the taxi that he hadn’t seen anywhere he would like to stay… but our hotel had been prearranged by the tour group we will join on Saturday so we didn’t have a choice about that! The inside of the hotel is fortunately much more pleasant that the outside – and it has a 24 hour bar, bonus! So we checked in and went to sample the local brew. After 2 large bottles of Cristal (Peruvian beer – sadly, not the Champagne drunk by the stars) we were ready for our beds – exhausted after a day of sitting around doing not very much!! We’ve just had breakfast and getting ourselves ready to head out and see what Lima has to offer…. We’ll keep you posted!

No pictures I’m afraid but we did spend some time editing our footage from Iguazu Falls so check out our video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqGfxMj_Q2c

Day 9

Wednesday 10^th November 2010

Look at it!! All plump and juicy dressed in bacon and red wine reduction, a cut of beef so fine I almost had a “when Harry met Sally” moment in the restaurant. With a helping of mash, a leek tart and a lovely bottle of red for company mmmmmmmmmmmm!!! (it would have been a great picture too if Suz was awake)

Ok well that’s enough bovine back slapping, let’s get on with today’s adventure.

We woke early (again) to a breakfast of, …erm…. Like pastry things, and was picked up to go to the Brazilian side of Iguazu. The national park itself was created in 1939 (I think that they mean it became a national park rather than some bloke going round planting tree’s and collecting animals) and boasts over 600000 hectares of trees, birds and big cats like the Puma and Jaguar. We didn’t see any big cats but the chances were slim, our guide has been doing tours for over 10 years and has only seen two Pumas and one Jaguar, which was dead.

The Brazilian side offers panoramic views of the falls and showed us just how vast they are, we didn’t really get a sense of that yesterday as we we’re right on top of them. The weather was a lot better today and we could see the abundant rain forest as far as the eye can see.

It was only a half day tour as there isn’t that much to do on the Brazilian side apart from take some pretty amazing pictures.

Although at the end of the trail you do get to go right up close to “the devils throat” and again we got soaked!

We met some Irish people on the tour that had come up from Buenos Aires, they told us about their time there which wet our appetite for our visit. They had also done the Inca trail, the bloke had been to the jungle beforehand and had somehow got parasites of the intestines. He ploughed on and did the Inca trail regardless but said it was really hard work, vomiting every few hours. This gives us hope that if a guy who was hospitalised for three days afterwards can do it, we should be fine.

They also took the helicopter ride over the falls which they said was amazing, she spoke of the views and the unbelievable amounts of forest, he said “woo hoo! I’ve just been in a helicopter, I feel like I’m in the A-Team”. We really wanted to do it, but we can't do everything or else we'll be home before Christmas!

We went into the centre of Puerto Iguazu for some lunch and happened upon and restaurant. They didn’t speak a word of English and although our Spanish is improving, we struggled. I asked for what I know, a pollo sandwich (chicken). Then the waitress asked me a few questions and I said “si” in a few different ways to pretend I knew what she was on about. I ended up with a fried chicken, ham, cheese, egg, lettuce and tomato sandwich. At least we can order beer!

We’ve just packed our things up as we are heading for Lima tomorrow. We’re not sure when the next time we will have an internet connection will be, so this may be the last post for a few weeks. We will keep a diary and post the lot next time we find wi-fi.

Day 8

Tuesday 9^th November 2010

We went for steak, it was amazing. A huge chunk of the finest Argentinean beef and a bottle of red wine, yum yum yum yum yum yummy……. Hic.

Today we visited the Argentinean side of Iguazu Falls (Cataratas del Iguazu)

 and it rained. It rained a lot. In fact the rain came down in such biblical proportions for at least a minute or so I was consider rounding people up and building an ark!!

“the animals went in two by two harrah harrah”!

The Argentinean side of the falls is the side where you get really close up. You start the day with a train ride up to the highest point of the falls and then there are bridges across the river to the falls which were built in 2001 (along with the railway).

The first bit of the falls was “Garganta del Diablo” (the devil’s throat) and you literally stand above the most powerful part of the falls as 18000 litres per second gargle and flow beneath you. It’s indescribably beautiful, an impressive mixture of noise and energy.

The rain had really started to come down by now and we were sodden. This made viewing “del Diablo” nigh on impossible, we took a few shots but the mist and spray that you normally get was multiplied with the rain, but the awesome power of the falls was still there and not something you could capture on film anyway.

We then took the train back down one stop and this is where you can walk along the next set of falls (or “saltos” as they say) the rain had eased of a little by now and we managed to get some pretty cool shots. Even standing above the smaller falls the amount of water gushing past was unbelievable.

We stopped for lunch and things started to brighten up, my socks were drying on the chair quite nicely when a cheeky Raccoon popped out for a spot of grub.

Then it got darker and darker and darker and the heavens opened with a vengeance!! After lunch we had pre booked to go on a tour of the jungle on something that resembled an army truck.

So we climbed aboard but the rain was so heavy we basically watched our knees travel through the Iguazu jungle for half an hour.

It was ridiculous and so to recognise this Suz had a laughing fit all the way round. This was part due to the pointlessness of driving through a jungle not being able to see a thing and part due to an Aussie lad who was taking cover underneath a chip tray.

We did stop briefly to be told that the rain was very, very important to the local eco-system and that all the trees and wildlife that we couldn’t see on account of the torrential rain were dependant on the rain – ironic eh?!

After this was the boat trip, this was supposed to be the highlight of the day, where the boat takes you into the heart of one of the falls and everyone gets wet, the joy. We’d been saturated for 5 hours by this point, my fingers had done that wrinkly thing when you’ve been in the bath too long.

We boarded the boat and we set off, the rain smashing us in the face like tiny needles. But amazingly the rain gave us a break and we started enjoying the adventure. We did a slow tour around the base of the falls for some photo’s

and then they take the cameras off you and put them in a water proof bag and they take you under the falls which is amazing!! He took us under two different ones and despite thinking we couldn’t possibly get any wetter, we did, the falls went straight down the neck of the jacket and filled us up, great experience. “I got filled up by Iguazu Falls”. I might make a badge.

We walked through our third and final trek which takes you to the face of falls and was really nice, the weather had cleared and despite our boots being full of water, we squelched our way round.

We headed home in need of a warm shower and a Frank nap. Everything is just soaked so we’re now in a hotel room in Argentina with the radiator and the air con on!!

It can’t rain like that again tomorrow….. can it?

We’re off out for steak and red wine again, don’t you judge us!!

Day 7

Monday 8^th November 2010

We survived the tour of the Favelas! To be honest it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the people of Rio would have you believe. They all have fresh water (well, the government pumps 1000 litres per house into a water tank on the roof once a week) they have electricity (well as you can see from the picture one of these gives them electricity)

they even have broadband!

The Favelas sprung up around Rio, built by the poor for the poor to live in. Ironically in any other country they would occupy the prime real estate locations as they sprawl up the mountainsides with fantastic views. However, building above a certain altitude is banned in Rio so that all the inhabitants can get access to green spaces. The Favelas sprang up on these mountainsides so the wealthy look out of their windows at the slums and the people in the slums look out across the city.

The Favelas are run by drug lords and there are quite a few around Rio, some are run by the same gangs some are not. The inhabitants can move between different Favelas but only if the one you’re going to is run by the same gangs. The drug lords pay the police to stay out and they do. However, there is no crime within the Favelas as the drug lords don’t allow it, for example anyone who gets caught stealing gets shot in the hand - so bizarrely we were completely safe!

The one we visited is called “Rochina” (pronounced Hoy-see-na) and has 300000 people living there, literally a city within a city.

Our guide Zezhino was born in the Favela to a Brazilian father and an American mother. Due to his Mum being American he and his three brothers had the ticket they needed to enter the USA and leave the slums behind.

Zezhino’s two brothers went to America and remain there to this day, Zezhino himself could never really settle into the American way of life. He tried living in Canada and San Francisco and became a massage therapist but always felt the draw of the Favelas as it feels like home to him. So, two years ago he packed in his life in the US and returned to his home in the slums of Rio de Janerio. He says he just wanted an easier life.

Zezhino now spends his days showing people around his Favela and trying to erase the stigma attached to his people that they are no good thieves. The truth is that most people work, some don’t, all the kids go to school, they have a hospital, a community centre, a very well respected and recognised samba school and a community sprit that we witnessed first hand to be very warm and caring. We didn’t feel threatened at all and everyone we met greeted us with a smile and a handshake and more than anything just wanted to practice their English with us.

We started at the top of Rochina. It’s hard to explain the size of the community. We sat on a rooftop trying to take it all in – slum dwellings for as far as the eye could see. There is one central road that winds up through the Favela and a maze of tiny alleyways and steps weaving inbetween.

The inhabitants of the Favela can get their hands on absolutely anything they need from within the Favela. We saw shops, restaurants, barbers stores, an estate agent, a bank, a travel agent, a dentist, a medical clinic, hardware stores, bed and furniture stores and even a builders merchants all crammed into 64 thousand square metres!!!

Finally the government have stepped in and are investing lots of money in the Favelas. Zezhino told us that this is due to the World Cup being held here in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. He thinks it’s sad that it takes these global events for the government to take action and try to at least make the Favelas safe (some of the uppermost shacks fall down from the hillside during torrential rain) when for so long they have refused to recognise their existence, I just think its good they are taking action.

Zezhino took us for lunch in a “kilo” restaurant where they lay a buffet out and you fill your plate, the people on the till weigh your plate and you pay by the kilo (funnily enough). The food was good and cost us less than £3 for a plate full of, chicken, beef, lamb, chips, some weird dry meat and rice combo, salad, a coke and a water. BARGAIN!!

We headed back to base on the Favela bus (which is run by the Rochina people, it’s basically a mini bus that you hop on and off of for about a quid). Having already left our ‘Cozy Corner’ apartment this morning, we said our goodbyes to John and Nina and waited for the cab to arrive to take us to the airport.

We flew to the ‘mega falls of Iguazu’ where we will be spending the next few days. We arrived at the Brazilian side of the falls and were met by Lillian who will be our guide for the next couple of days. We jumped in her car and left Brazil via roadside passport control, crossed a bridge, entered Argentina – and promptly gained an hour (so we are now 3 hours ahead of you guys! Just checked into our hotel and got free wifi in the Lobby so we should be able to keep you all informed of our antics. We’re heading our now for steak and red wine… when in Argentina it seems rude not to!

Day 6

Sunday 7^th November 2010

Suzi finally got her head off the pillow about 11 o clock but was still drunk until at least 1 despite another fantastic breakfast! We decided we would head off to the beach for one last time before we have to leave Rio. L

We decided to try Copacabana beach today and again saw the best......

... and the worst that Rio has to offer. It would appear that the Cariocas truly believe that one size fits all when it comes to bikinis and that so long as your nipples are covered it really doesn't matter if everything else is hanging out!- I would beg to differ!

I was restricted to under the brolly bathing due to my lack of respect for the Brazilian sunshine on Friday. Although it wasn’t so bad, I had Russell Brand's new book to keep me out of trouble, Suz was mainly asleep.

We headed back to the room for a shower before heading out to get picked up for the Football. We got picked up from a villa called Casa Bonita. When we got to the stadium it was a bit unnerving.

There wasn’t anything to put your finger on it was just generally quite an intimidating place. So we thought “well, we’re not going to beat them, so lets grab a beer and join in”.

The football itself was shocking!!! Just a really poor standard, bit like watching Bury, in the warmth. But the crowd were amazing, the atmosphere was electric, they was hundreds of flags waving and these inflatable bin bags that we all got given.

They just sang and sang all the way through, which for the football they we’re watching was amazing.

The team we’d decided to support eventually won 1-0.

The half time grub wasn’t up much, Banana Pastel anyone?? (actually turneed out to be salty ground beef in pastry)!!

At full time nobody leaves either, they just stay and bang the drums and sing. We got back to the mini bus to find Arten Senna reincarnated and behind the wheel. We drove home at break neck speed and we we’re more than a little concerned for our lives almost all the way, I was praying for a traffic jam.

We got back to Ipanema, pasty, white and a bit sick and decided to get a Domino’s pizza due to tiredness/ laziness and head back to the room.

Today we’re going for a tour of the slums (Favelas) with a guide who still lives there, if you don’t here from us again, we’re in a shanty town below Christ the Redeemer.

If we make it out alive, we’re catching a plane to Igazzu Falls at 5 o clock.