ANDEAN EXPLORER

We all gathered by the train for a dance and music celebration and then squeezed into the bar area to be given our keys by Javier. Javier had been the head guy on our rail trip to Machu Picchu and we were happy to see his face as he gave us our keys. Of course we were in the next to the last car so walking to and from the bar and restaurant was quite the hike…narrow skinny long hike! The Andean Explorer is South America’s first luxury sleeping train. We would be spending two nights on the train. With two potential sunrises!

All the rail cars were named after plants. Yareta is a velvety chartreuse cushion plant which is native to South America and very slow growing. It grows in the Puna grasslands of Peru. Our room had two small twins and a bathroom you could almost turn around in. We also thought it was a hoot we could hear the room next door chatting in English through the vents…but with my hearing it was a mumble!

As we left Cusco, we notice how many people on the side of the rails were aware of the train coming through and were excited to see it. Some even took photos! This was basically the first running of the train for a few years and it runs across the Peruvian highlands into the Altiplano. It is the most extensive high plateau outside Tibet This is also where the Andes are the widest. The Altiplano area water goes to Lake Titicaca and never makes it to the Atlantic or the Pacific. The Andean Explorer runs all the way to Arequipa the white city and then you can do a return trip to Cusco if you so choose and of course pay for it! We however didn’t take the train to Arequipa but departed at an off the wall stop so we could enjoy the Colca Canyon with the Condors and then drove to Arequipa, overnight and then with a flight back to Cusco.

When you look close at the some of the trees you’ll note a few eucalyptus. Like the USA, they were imported but unlike the USA they utilize them in building and furniture. If you say America in Peru it means all the Americas as in South America so USA is probably a better description as we are all Americans!

Traveling through cities we noticed people, dogs, homes and tiny cars as the sun began to cast its deeper golden shadows. Its hard to choose the best photos as so many are as stunning as the scenery. The beauty of the Peruvian countryside as we headed up the the top of the world…or so it seemed…revealed hard working farmers, eager kids who loved seeing us, colorful buildings and churches and beautiful golden hills. We encounter a truck on the tracks and had about and hour delay so we arrived at the top of the river just at dusk – in time to see the local “makers’ and artisans. When we reached 15,700′ we stopped for these artisans and then began our trip across the Altiplano into Puno and Lake Titicaca to arrive late at night. Our softest scarves were purchased very inexpensively from these wonderful artisans. I want to go back just to fill up a suitcase with more! Carry on is important…but maybe an extra bag purchased locally for the last trip home?

We could enjoy a drink, spend time in the Observation car at the rear and enjoy the panoramas over the snow-dusted La Raya mountains. The food was very well designed Peruvian Andean fare. The chefs knew how to use the local ingredients to create delicious potato or corn or quinoa along with a delicious meat or bird.

We were able to meet up with an Italian couple with their two children who were also in their fashion business in Milano. They were about Larkin’s age and she did do some chatting with them in Italian. They of course spoke excellent English. A few days earlier they were awakened in the Sacred Valley where we were suppose to be and spirited back up to Cusco during the strike so they had something to do during the strike. We hear it was quite the adventure for them. We were also able to enjoy dinner with them in Colca Canyon at Las Casitas.

Sunrise over Lake Titicaca – a short walk down the pier as the train had pulled into a pier on the lake late in the night. It was an early, cool morning with coffee and tea and burning logs if we wanted to stay warm. Breakfast awaited us when we walked back to the train. We had a few hours before we boarded boats to head out to the floating islands of Uros near Puno in the Lake.

Oh my the glorious colors. It was enough to visit and enjoy them sharing their life for extra money, but I’m glad we didn’t stay overnight. Lake Titicaca is the largest high altitude lake in the world. The Uros people are mysterious and maintain traditions of pre-Inca as well as the Inca Empires. Andean culture consider Lake Titicaca as the cradle of the Sun and the Inca Empire. Lake Titicaca also borders Bolivia. We learned the history of why Bolivar has no access to the Pacific – neither Peru or Bolivia like the Chileans (we heard) and when the Chileans started a war Peru fought but Bolivia gave in. When the the Bolivians gave up, they lost access to the Pacific. I have not read up on whether this is a true account or not, but it does seem plausible.

We had two boats with our train group and we went to different islands for a presentation. We laughed when they said they were not families on each island necessarily, but friend groups and if they didn’t agree with one family/friend group they simply sawed them off the island and let them float away. About 4,000 people are thought to live on the islands. We were told after a storm, the kids got ready for school only to find their island school had floated off! The Seventh Day Adventist have made sure these indigenous people have access to education! That didn’t surprise me. They did have some services with solar and toilets and other amenities which you can spot in some photos.

The islands are made of Totora which is a reed that grows in shallow places. They also use these reeds for boats, furniture and houses. Every 20 days the men add new layers of these reed linking them with ropes and stakes. The Uros Islanders eat the soft white part of the totora that provides them with many of the nutrients they need to survive. They also hunt and fish, raise Ibis for eggs etc and they are known to go to Puno and bring food staples back also.

Their embroidery was incredible but I didn’t bring enough cash to take anything home. It takes a long time hence the high price and once again, since we went carry on, its probably a good thing!

We had some time after the Uros Floating Islands to walk through the market on the pier before we took off to continue our journey. They have the cutest llama and alpaca soft fuzzy creatures! Then we took off to stop at Lake Saracocha for the overnight so a sunrise would await. I figured – NOT – as we had to hike at this high elevation more than 13,000′ and we still had caves to visit. Larkin made it up to the hill above the lake and our train with the few who did the hike and she took some good photos!

Larkin ended up having breakfast with Cenzo the Dad from Milano. His family, like me, snoozed longer but I did get up in time to see a little of the sunrise and then enjoy breakfast.

The train continued until we stopped at the Sumbay caves at marker 331. The caves are on the back slope of the Misti volcano at an altitude over 13, 500′. When the train stopped we slowly walked down as a group. Natives had met us to be able to hike down and we were also accompanied by dogs who like a pack had to fight as to who was boss. The Paleolithic cave has about 500 painted figures that can be viewed behind a chain link fence. Once again, the hike up and back was slow and deliberate seasoned with high consumption of water. The caves were discovered in 1968 and are now considered a Cultural Heritage of the Nation of Peru. The pictographs represent human figures, camelids, pumas and foxes. They were difficult to distinguish. The caves may also have been a religious center.

Next up a good portion of us exited to head to a Belmond property, Las Casitas in the Colca Canyon. The road into and out of the Sunbay Caves is not easy. It is not on many canned tours but is easily accessible from the train stop.

After we departed the train and gathered our luggage we met our individual guide and van. Our lady was Gaudy and we enjoyed her company too over the next two days. We were happy to finally get one of Belmond’s promised massages and I must admit our lady was spectacular. A great way to end the day. I often try to take a screen shot of where we were. It looks like the middle of nowhere…with no trees at this altitude to be seen.

One does really feel on top of the world as one descends into the Colca Valley. The high plains had all the camelids that the local tribes raise for their valuable fiber. Vicuna’s are the softest and smallest camelid and a highly protected animal. They only live in these mountainous regions at altitudes between 12,000 and 16, 000′. They produce small amounts of extremely fine wool and it is very expensive because the animal can only be shorn every three year and has to be caught from the wild. It is now the national animal of Peru and appears on the Peruvian coat of arms.

Our hotel room had its own sitting area with our two twin beds. We could waltz in the bathroom it was so huge. We both took turns taking baths in the tile tub. No major water shortage there!

Our next journey – into the Colca Canyon and the flight of the Condors!