Q'orikancha fine inca stonework, Cusco
On the road to Chinchero...Salkantay poking its head over golden hills and potato 'chakras'
the ruins of Chinchero, an extensive Inca site with still worked agricultural terraces, temples, steps carved into sheer rock and the peeling whitewash colonial church plonked right on top of the strong Inca foundations. Local women use the open areas of the ruins to dry their potatoes in the sun, as can be seen in the foreground. This requires rotating every potato every few days while they dry and shrivel up in the sun. This is a local andean technique called 'chuña'...sun dried potatoes!
Agricultural terraces of Chinchero, which were still being worked by the local campesinos with the snow capped Salkantay in the distance
Andean patchwork between Chinchero and Moray
Concentric circles and curves of the ruins at Moray, believed to have been some sort of agricultural experimental site as to what crops would grow at what temperatures...kind of like an ancient CSIRO!
ruins of Moray
Embedded steps to climb between the terraces - each terrace is separate and less maintenance, less erosion
Ciclistas at 'la Estrellita'...Ali, (sorry my big head got in the way!) Monika, Audrey, Remi, Gerben, Benno and Anna
Anna and Francisco our friendly host at 'la Estrellita'
Our Japanese ciclista friend 'Hiro', shared with us some good Japanese food, sake and some biking routes around Cusco
Oh yes we are!...our first bit of acknowledgement as cyclists in 3500km of riding in Peru!...the day out of Cusco
the ruins of 'Rumicolca', Inca ruins of a gate and aqueduct system built on top of the pre-incan Wari ruins, south of Cusco
Sicuani street art...kind of appropriate on the eve of the world cup finals that have preoccupied our past month of cycling
Red hills rising out of the golden altiplano hills after Sicuani
Aguas calientes....no not near Machu PIcchu but near Abra La Raya...a 40 degree soak in sulphur waters at 4030m..not a bad way to end the day!
early morning dip
Steaming!...at 6:30am it's still below freezing outside but toasty..."stop taking a photo and jump in!"
Apparently the world's smallest volcano, right here in Peru! (or so the Peruvians say)...we can't bring ourselves to tell them it's only a 'geyser'! but easy to climb and watch the water bubble out the top!
Our furry four-legged cycling cycling companion for the ride to Abra La Raya from Aguas Calientes. It was the first dog on our whole trip that when asked "do you want to come with us to Argentina?"...he ran along with us for 8km
Ali making new friends at Abra La Raya 4330m our final 4000 plus metre pass of Peru...yeah! Very dready alpaca and friendly shepherd boy who supplements his income with tourist photos!
Hola! Dready Alpaca Abra La Raya
Carlos y Sonia de España - the first spanish cyclists we have met on the trip and an interesting meeting on the eve of the world cup final Spain v the Netherlands. At least they were happy the next day!!!
red faced Caracara...a scavenging falcon of the altiplano
wide open altiplano riding to Ayaviri
Hotel courtyard pets in Lampa....'baaaa baaaa' was the wake-up call...these 2 guys found a friend and a warm place to sit with Anna
Our first views of lake Titicaca...lots of reeds, waterbirds and snow capped peaks in the distance
We made it!...Lake Titicaca just before Puno
Islas Uros or 'Los Islas Flotantes' (floating islands), Lake Titicaca near Puno
One of the friendly girls with her handdrawn postcards of the islands
More bathroom cooking action in Puno!...not sure what Ali is doing with the shampoo bottle?..but he is firing up the MSR ready for some tea. If hotels don't have a terrace or outside area to cook, we have to resort to this...
'Chullpas' or Inca funerary towers in the foothills surrounding Lake Titicaca....these ones at Molloco are in the process of being reconstructed, unfortunately not with the same fine craftsmanship of the Inca - stones were crudely cut and chipped with fake snake and puma carvings...a bit rough around the edges. There were several just dug up and left with their stone foundations which looked a lot more original and authentic
Our last night in Peru - we found the quietest and friendliest hospedaje in Juli. Anna even squeezed in some knitting in the chilly afternoon air
'There's a storm a brewin'...grey skies and eery cloud over Titicaca approaching the turnoff to the border with Bolivia
Storm over TIticaca..we were lucky with tailwinds for the most part alongside the lake
Peruvian roadside warning markers...it's flat, and straight, 'dead straight' (excuse the pun). In 40km between Juliaca and Puno Anna counted more than 160 fatality markers...that's 4 crosses for every kilometre!!! Crazy!
Adios Peru! Bienvenidos a Bolivia!...another drama free border crossing, no fees, 90 days (just have to ask!) and our 13th country! Does Anna look happy to be leaving Peru?
Just after the border crossing...yep, it's raining in Bolivia too! Lake Titicaca near Copacabana
the moorish whitewashed cathedral in Copacabana, Bolivia
the blessing of the autos in front of the cathedral Copacabana....flowers adorn the autos, petals are showered over the bonnet, beer is sprayed over the windscreen, the tyres and bumper...and then the whole famiy gets smashed together (note the little girl and the beer crate)...and then they will get home safely! Kind of ironical given that most of the carnage on the roads in latin america is caused by alcohol and drunk drivers
Copacabana from above on Cerro Calvario
Another sweet four legged companion - she didn't want to turn back to Copacabana even after 15km of climbing
Ali enjoying a classic days riding high above the lake between Copacabana and 'el estrecho de Tiquina'
Nevado Llampu on the left at 6362m and Nevado Ancohuma at 6427m rising out of the blue of Titicaca
Anna and some epic lakeside riding with Lake Titicaca and the Cordillera Real
'El estrecho de Tiquina', the narrowest strait on the lake where ferries take buses, vans and cyclists across to the eastern side of the lake, Illimani is the peak on the horizon on the right which looks out over the city of La Paz
Audrey de Francia, whom we met near the crossing of 'el estrecho de Tiquina'
'el estrecho de Tiquina'...flexing and flimsy boat crossing 5 bolivianos (80 cents) for us and the bicis...and we didn't even sink!
Lake Titicaca and the Cordillera Real looming in the distance
afternoon views over Lake Titicaca...a tour bus had stopped here too and they took our picture
Sunrise over our lakefront camp, Huatajata
Blue sailed fishing boat working the waters at sunrise
Kicking back on a 'reedboat' couch at Huatajata
Lake Titicaca
Getting closer....La Paz should be just below that snow peak at the end of the highway...
Eat my smoke!...suck back the clean altiplano air
Some colour to the altiplano scene
Cordillera Real rising out of golden fields of rubbish
ever increasing collectivo traffic approaching La Paz
an industrial tribute to 'el Che' in El Alto
Our first breath taking view of La Paz
Ali descending the 'autopista' from El Alto to La Paz some 500m lower at 3600m
There she is!...the huge canyon where the city of La Paz sits with Nevado Illimani imposing herself as a spectacular backdrop!
