Cruising over the Andes in Peru

Thursday May 24: The flight from Milan to Lima with KLM via Amsterdam, costs around $ 1000, impeccable service and the perfect time (we even arrived a half hour in advance.)
We'll collect the car to Budget at the airport in Lima, a Nissan Sentra brown, which looks like a old car late 70s, but in fact is new and registered in February. After almost 24 hours of travel (including the transfer to Milan), the Sentra seems extremely uncomfortable. The first contact with Lima is enough to make us understand that driving in Peru are almost nonexistent. Now we also learn that in Peru just go straight sooner or later you will arrive at your destination.
Having traveled the main streets of Lima in the timetable of the tip and having experienced the thrill of travel between the hordes of mass transport somehow managed to get close to the district of Miraflores and Waterfall bean nell'avenida Diez Canseco, right at 'Hostal El Patio, Diez Canseco, 341 Miraflores, Lima Tel 51-1-444-2107, hostalelpatio@qnet.com.pe (mini suite for 45 USD) that we had booked via the Internet. The place is cozy and comfortable considering who is in the heart of the district of Miraflores. Dinner at restaurant "La Trattoria" a little expensive, but the place is worth, the homemade pastas are a delight. The owner is surprised, "How come you are coming from Italy and once to eat pasta?" But to us who come from Africa and we spent only 3 days in Italy, a good meal and what you need.

Friday May 25: Waking quiet, let's go to the office's budget to see if there is chance to make a car more comfortable, but unfortunately nothing available, the kind lady tells us that the Nissan Sentra with mechanical gearbox, and at l 'ideal car for the provinces, who knows? Having no alternative we keep the Sentra and partly on the Carretera Panamericana and surprise today Sentra seem particularly comfortable, a bit of trouble for the occupants of the seat back to pull out a foot shod with boots, but otherwise not bad, probably yesterday we were really very tired after the journey. Stop for lunch at Brisas de Mar, one of the many local restaurants along the Pan-American just before Pisco, strongly discouraged, yes there beak!
Stop in Ica for a coffee and a slice in the Plaza de Armas and starts to Nazca, let's visit to the lines for the return. Hotel Alegria in Nazca is a great surprise, well located, clean, quiet and very economical especially for the service (27 USD per room). Hotel Alegria J. Lima 168, alegriatours@hotmail.com.
"El Porton", a few meters from the hotel disappoints us instead as dinner. The climate is freschino a sweater not hurt.

Saturday May 26: The stage of today provides for the transfer Nazca - Arequipa, we start with an early morning visit to the cemetery Chauchilla (about 30 km south of Nazca), 12 graves were dug in which order parts of the bones found at and part of the mummies that have to kept incredibly long braids. The graveyard is strewn with the bones scattered everywhere, pieces of fabric, pieces of cotton used for the mummies. Let us take the Panamerican Highway and head south, the landscape turns out fantastic, the road winds between the ocean and the desert coastal sand dunes along incredibly high. The road is sometimes sommesra the sand, and meet roadmen busy moving this sea of sand. In a passage not protected from ocean winds dunes have almost completely flooded the road, fortunately in action here's a bulldozer who has opened up my road. For lunch, stop in the Attic "Don Oscar, good for seafood, and here we make the first" Chicharones de Marisco "followed by fresh curls (to accept). The Pan American after Ocone climbs to the cliffs, with no side protection becomes really rather impressive, but the ocean views are fantastic. Get lost with stops for photos and we arrive in Camana shortly before sunset. We're awfully late, but we can not miss the parade of costumed children in the main square, next to me the official photographer to take some colorful photos, which will ship later. We "touch" the last three hours away in the dark and considering the way el'intensificarsi traffic of trucks and buses in the evenings, best to stay calm and take a few more minutes. To Arequipa Hotel Casa del Melgar, tel 054 to 222,459, lacasadelmelgar@terra.com.pe - 40 USD per room, not least to our expectations. We had seen pictures on the Internet, but actually the place is, you are immersed already in the atmosphere and the history of eighteenth-century white city. Well chosen! We are quite melted after about 600 km, but there is still time for a dinner at "Camaroncito", not bad. First approach to the Peruvian wine, a little disappointing after the good memories of the Chilean and Argentine wines.
May 27 Sunday: day visit to Arequipa, the monastery of Santa Catarina with its warm colors, the museum Andino, where we were lucky enough to find on display the mummy of Juanita, often sotratta for analysis in laboratories. The mummy found only a few years ago following the melting of glaciers on a volcano in the vicinity of Arequipa, is particularly well preserved and intact.
Dinner at "Gypsy", nice environment and good food.
Monday May 28: We planned the trip so gradually abituari altitude. Two days in Arequipa in 2800, a night in Colca Canyon in 3300 and then 2 days in Puno 3800, 2 days in La Paz 3600, then attack the 5000 meters in Bolivia. But today we have the first approach to 5000 with the passage of Patapampa (4910). The road to Colca changed from Yura and surround the volcano Chachani and Misti. A Canaus you leave the road to Puno to Chivay to take the crossing, go up for several kilometers, through the national reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca where we cross the first groups of vicuña. Just before the passage of Patapampa, we will be around 4500, at Mari is the brilliant idea to photograph the alpacas. We approach and begin to descend into the valley to bring the herd. The lift car will incur fatal, the altitude sickness begins to be felt as a severe headache. It goes up again we come to pass (almost 5000) and when it gets out I feel very light, starts to turn around and he almost senseless not to fall to the ground. I take color only after they attacked the alpaca steak at the restaurant "Pozo del Cielo" of Chivay 2000 feet below. Excellent ice cream Chirichuelo. On the advice of the premises and then we throw ourselves with the mate de coca, which seems to help overcome the altitude sickness. Chivay after the road along the canon is unpaved, but the landscape is enchanting. The different views of the Canyon mirador permit and Inka terraces still used for agricultural, stop at the famous Cruz del Condor, where the last condor linger in flight in the late afternoon.
Reach Cabanaconde, mountain hamlet with the air relaxing. The road starts from the church and reach the hotel Kunturwassi (reservas@kunturwassi-Colca.com) -50 USD per room) is on the verge of practicality and to avoid leaving a few pieces of the Sentra in this remote desert valley of Peru, all downstairs and climb on foot. Pant reminds us immediately that we are still the Olte 3000. The coasters are lined by Cabanaconde

 

Tuesday May 29: From the terrace of Kunturwassy there is an excellent view over the Cordillera Chilca and the village below that awakens slowly. Retrace again the road along the southern side of the Colca River Po and spend a mountain villages, (yank). Regained the 5000 meters Patapampa step, this time without too many problems. At the junction of Canaus grant us a sandwich el'ormai inevitable mate de coca, accompanied by a fluffy alpaca who likes to empty the sugar and rummage through the bags of the customers. Let us take the main road towards returning to Puno in the natural reserve of Salinas and Aguadas Blancas, a step back to 4500, but now makes us more chance? We are in Lagunillas, a series of high mountain lagoons, a haven for many birds including flamingos.
FIESTA! Entrance of Juliaca we run into another fiesta. Here too a fair of colors and costumes. Several bands and dance groups perform on the track all'aoerto of a basketball court. Stalls, pancakes, fried fish and lots Cusqueña, the local beer. We can allocate to Puno and after surviving the chaos of the center of Juliaca, drowning in a bike taxi, we are ahead of Titicaca. Puno shows his Puma which dominates the city from a hill. Lodging at Posada Don Giorgio, dongiorgio@titicacalake.com ($ 30 double), modest but very close dall'Avenida central Lima, the pedestrian zone of Puno. The owner speaks Italian and is very helpful. We confirm the excursion for the day following the floating islands and Taquile, then dinner all'UKUKU's that welcomes us with a great hot embers entry. Nights of Puno (3800 meters) are particularly fresh (sweater and jacket, we are in winter).

Wednesday May 30: Excursion to the floating islands of the Uros people and the island of Taquile on Lake Titicaca. 17 USD per person excluding meals, (10 soles which is paid directly to the family with whom you dine on the island of Taquile). Starting at 7:15 and return at 17.30. Dinner at Porton Colonial Puno, disappointing!