Peru - From Galapagos to Lima in Peru

Dear Friends,

A short flight from Galapagos back to Quito and bus up north on Pan American Highway (starts as south as Ushuaia in Argentina) takes us to Hacienda Pinsaqui. We had one stop at Cotacachi, a small Indian village were they are specialists in making “bread-figures” that looks like flowers, people or animals. Once a year, around Halloween, they decorate the graves (with these figures) and talk to the “dead” about the past year.

The Hacienda is old, from 1790 and has an absolutely lovely garden, about 200 years old. General Simon Bolivar used to stay overnight when he was traveling from Bogota to Quito and back. We are celebrating Anders (one day ahead) in the bar with some traditional Indian music, Happy Birthday on Pan flute, cool!

On Anders real birthday, Dec 1, we spent the whole day in the Imburra province, started with a visit in Peguche at the house of a weaving family. We learned who to clean, color and weaving lamb- and Alpaca wool. In Cotacachi they are specialist in leader. In this village Eva bought a very nice birthday gift present to Anders, a leader jacket…….and one to Eva as well.

We also visited the market in Otavalo were the famous Otavalo Indians lives. They are traveling and selling their things all around the world. They are always dressed in their traditional clothes.

As we are on the Equator we have to try the egg-thing. Is the egg really balancing?? Yes, it does!! Try it yourselves!!

We were very late to the airport and our flight to Peru and Lima (but that is not really our problem, we are joining a “group travel”). After the short flight and about two hours in the airport of Lima (security and custom) we finally can check in to the five star hotel Sol del Oro and have Anders birthday dinner, in a trendy restaurant close to our hotel. On the following day we will have (within the Thabela group) a late morning. The bus leaves at 10!! So Eva can visit the gym and enjoy the breakfast, not in a hurry!!

We spent the day in Lima, learning about the Indian culture and specially the Inca culture, very interesting! Lima was founded 1535 by Pizarro, who was leading the Spanish conquest in Latin America and in particular the Inca empire, but was destroyed in an earthquake in 1700.

Before dinner we “had” to try “Pisco sour” it tasted like Caipirinha…….Una mas por favor! Time to sleep - tomorrow we fly to Inca land!!

EvAnders