Final Transit » Peru

Photo Friday 03.08: Machu Picchu

Priyank — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:20:05 +0000

Machu Picchu, shaped like a condor

‘Photo Friday‘ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

↑ Machu Picchu, viewed from Huayna Picchu, can be seen shaped like a condor.

Huayna Picchu (meaning “Young Peak” in Quechua) is a mountain at the edge of the city of Machu Picchu. From here, Machu Picchu looks shaped like a condor bird. It’s a pretty impressive sight considering that architects carved this ‘lost city of the Incas‘ on top of a mountain.

Only a few visitors are allowed to hike to this site daily, so get your tickets early!

Checkout my backpacking stories and pictures from Peru.

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Photo Friday 02.09: Miraflores

Priyank — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:05:29 +0000

The posh borough of Lima, Peru

‘Photo Friday’ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

Three and half years ago I booked a spontaneous flight to Lima. I arrived at the airport and didn’t know what to do except that the guidebook tended to herd me towards Lima’s upscale Miraflores district. This is one of the posh neighbourhoods and I thought that would be a cool way to start the trip to Peru. And it sure was.

↑ Police car

↑ Avenue

The Huaca Pucllana ruins, with a giant pyramid, are located in Miraflores.

Photo Friday 02.07: Travel to the Andes

Priyank — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 04:20:19 +0000

Colca Canyon, Peru

‘Photo Friday’ is a weekly series showcasing pictures from around the world.

When I was traveling in Peru, I went on a 3 day trek in the Colca canyon with a group of 4 travellers. Besides seeing the Andean Condors from close proximity it was an exhausting 2 day hike to the bottom of world’s largest canyon.

While we were crossing a bridge at the floor of the canyon, someone was shooting a commercial for promoting tourism in this region of the Andes mountain ranges. They were delighted to see few foreigners and insisted that we participate in their video.

That’s how I became famous…

Photo Friday 02.01: Arequipa

Priyank — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 01:32:34 +0000

Arequipa, Peru

↑ Plaza de armas
Arequipa, about 8 hours south east of Lima, is known as the city of artists. I arrived here early in the morning on an overnight bus from Lima and was relieved to find silent streets and cool mountain breeze.

Check out more pictures from Arequipa photo gallery.

I spent a day strolling on the quite cobblestone streets and checking out little restaurants and shops on the way. In the morning, as I was walking outside a school, a guy asked me if I would like to come in and see some student performances. I didn’t understand any songs they were singing so after 30 minutes, I left. Later that day, I was pulled inside an auditorium to watch a Christian student band perform. Very random!

Photo Friday 01.16: Peru Rail

Priyank — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 04:13:25 +0000

Train to Machu Pichu, Peru

Peru rail, Ollantaytambo train station

Peru Rail, running from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, is the luxury train for visitors to Machu Pichu. The train, being a monopoly, is fancy but exorbitantly expensive and not something that a backpacker on shoe string would prefer to do.

Photo Friday 01.11: Floating Uros islands

Priyank — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:15:15 +0000

A pre-Incan tribe in Peru that lives on floating man-made islands

When I read about it, it sounded incredible and almost unbelievable – how could people live in the middle of a giant lake on islands made of nothing but reeds?

Kids navigating the maze of islands

But its true. About 3,500 people inhabit these islands and there is a school, radio station, entertainment area, and lots of boats among other things.

An Uros boat with faces of deities to keep the evil away.

The best thing was – if you cannot stand your neighbour, you can simply saw your territory off and make it a separate floating home. Done!

Photo Friday 01.08: Colca Canyon

Priyank — Sat, 15 May 2010 04:55:55 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Colca Canyon, Peru

Colca Canyon

Spiraling trails

Colca Canyon in Peru is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States, but its walls are not as vertical. I went with a group to the bottom most part, stayed overnight and It took four hours of relentless climbing to reach back the top.

The area is not described as “beautiful” by general standards, but there is something about these massive, cold, rugged mountains that was attractive. Perhaps it was the strenuous hike or maybe the humbling experience, I found the place extremely beautiful and inspiring. Read more

Photo Friday 01.03: Machu Picchu

Priyank — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:28:05 +0000

‘Photo Friday‘: Pictures from faraway lands.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, viewed from Huayna Picchu, can be seen shaped like a condor.
Postcard Picture of Machu Picchu site, with Huayna Picchu mountain in the background.

Machu Picchu, in the heart of Peruvian Andes, was constructed around 1460 AD, at the height of the Inca Empire glory. It was abandoned less than 100 years later as the Inca empire fell to the Spanish. Although the site is only 80km from Cusco the Inca capital, it was hidden from the Spaniards and the outside world until 1911. Consequently this site, unlike others, was not destroyed and plundered by the colonizers. It’s an entire self-sustaining city and how the Incas built such mammoth structures on top of an inaccessible mountain is a mystery.

Machu Picchu was in the news recently due to an unfortunate accident. Recently, the site was reopened to tourists. I was there in May 2008.

Year 2008 in review

Priyank — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:15:31 +0000

Annual reviews: | Year 2010 | Year 2009 | Year 2008

Fantastic year of travel: Bhutan, Israel, Peru, Russia, USA

I finished my one-year internship and returned back to classes this year. However, that also helped me save up some money and I was able to travel a lot this year. In particular, the second half of 2008 was amaaazing since I moved out and took 3 months off just to travel! Now I have been to 8 countries.

Israel

I started the new year in Tel Aviv, almost at the end of my Israel trip. It was a fun party, ending only at dawn.

Link to my Israel travel stories.

New York City

I got my US visitors visa this year so I was very excited to go to New York City. It’s a fantastic city, almost overwhelming but then I tend to like crowded cities so I enjoyed NYC a lot.

Peru

On a random day in winter, I woke up and lazily looked at the web promo email that Air Canada routinely sends. It’s nothing but a gimmick, but regardless, I ended up booking a flight to Lima, Peru. I had no clue where I was going, or the language, food, safety issues. I think that’s why I enjoyed all the hiking, exploring and getting lost.

Read about my experience of backpacking in Peru.

Killarney Provincial Park

Early summer / late spring was a nice time to visit the Killarney Provincial Park, although I was bitten by black flies all over and came back with lots of souvenirs.

Bike trip to Niagara Falls

Since my roommate and I shared several interests, we embarked upon a legendary 4 day bicycle trip to Niagara falls region. It was a fantastic trip and birthday, and I learned a lot about myself. I also crossed over to Buffalo, USA to get my immigration documents. Somehow I landed on the I-94 which is an interstate highway in USA, and it wasn’t fun!

Russia

Since the cheapest way to go to India was flying Aeroflot, I decided to take more time off work and school to make it a three month trip. I studied Russian which is very important if you want to enjoy the country, and it kept me yearning for more.

Check out my stories from travel in Russia.

Bhutan

Land of the Thunder Dragon, happiest country in the world, hidden deep inside the Himalayas and the only country where having an Indian passport is the best thing that could have happen to you. I was in Bhutan only for 2.5 weeks, but it was enough to see most of the important sights and fall in love with the country.

Bhutan travel stories

India

I spent about 6-7 weeks in India, travelling to Kolkata, taking a road trip to Bangalore and generally hanging out. I was going back after 3 years so it was quite exciting and gave me lot of time to reflect and think things over!

So that’s the summary of my travels this year. How was did the year treat you?

Annual reviews: | Year 2010 | Year 2009 | Year 2008

Andean Explorations – 23: Wrap up

Priyank — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:14:33 +0000

This blog post is part of my Peru travelog series. Click here for Index page
Previous post: Lima

Thankyou for staying with me as I traveled through Peru. The journey started from Miraflores in Lima, moved south to Arequipa, where we saw the mighty Condors and trekked in Colca canyon – the world’s deepest canyon. The travelogue then went to the Bolivian border at Puno, Fertility temple and lake Titicaca – the highest inhabited lake in the world which had the Floating Uros islands and overnight stay at Amantani and Tequile. My Peru travel blog then dived deep into the Sacred Valley, Cusco, amazing Incan sites and finally culminating at Machu Picchu – the lost city of the Incas. Lima was my last city in Peru.

(wow, so many links)

There’s lot left for the next trip – “there’s always a next time” (my favorite quote (and excuse)). The more I traveled in Peru, the more I felt in love with the place. I would ideally give this country 3 months to fully explore (If wishes were ~~horses~~ birds,… I would fly… lol)

To-do list:

Spend a fortnight in the rain forest around Iquitos
Surf the sand dunes at Ica
Take a plane ride and watch Nazca Lines
Spend a week trekking in the ranges around Huaraz
Explore the northern coast bordering Ecuador
Take a road trip thru Sierra
Spend more time in Sacred Valley

There’s lots to improve in travel writing. I am thankful for all your comments. I know some people who prefer to comment via email, and many others who read this anonymously. But this time, comeon show me some virtual love, write a comment and let me know how you felt. Thank you very much

cheers!
Priyank

This blog post is part of my Peru travelog series. Click here for Index page
Previous post: Lima