Spinning through the world
On the last day of the amazon vacation I took a boat to Panacoche lake to fish for piranha.
One last night hike…
Napo is a pretty special place and what makes it special is the community effort and commitment.
In the early morning, I went to the tower to look for the monkeys and birds that are active right at dawn.
After the sunrise hike and breakfast, we went to the cultural center to learn about the kichwa customs.
After lunch, we went back to the Añangu river to look for giant river otters. No luck today but we saw a lot of other cool things. I got to help row the canoe. The poor guide now knows I hate to sit still.
These coatimundi babies were trying to get across to where momma went. One went up one direction and the other climbed up a vine but fell down into the water – twice. Poor thing….
After dinner was a little night hike.
The clay lick at Yasunà (which in Spanish is called a saladero) is a natural mineral-rich area in the park where parrots, macaws, and other wildlife arrive to consume clay. This behavior helps them neutralize toxins found in their diet of fruits and seeds.
We woke up early in the morning to get there and see flocks of parakeets (yellow crowned, yellow tailed, and blue headed) in the first clay pit and macaws and parakeets in the second location. They eventually cover the walls of the clay banks and are something spectacular to watch. We were fortunate to not have to wait too long for the birds to arrive.
Along the way we saw other animals like this little owl.
Red howler monkey
This is the blue Morpho butterfly but the blue is on the inside of the wings. When it flies it is hard to get a good picture.
Poisonous mushroom.
Later in the afternoon I went to watch the sunset at the top of a very tall tower. Unfortunately there was a very hard rain before and fog covered over the area. I did see a red howler monkey pair.
The Napo Anangu community is an Indigenous Kichwa community. They are located in Yasunà National Park in the Ecuadorian Amazon. They are committed to conservation and sustainable ecotourism. They operate the Napo Wildlife Center, There is a lodge at the Napo wildlife center and also the Napo Cultural Center. Both are renowned eco-lodges that provides employment for locals and preserves the rainforest.
Yasunà National Park is a Biosphere Reserve, and is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, The park contains vast oil reserves,which is troublesome as there is drilling in parts. There are also other groups of indigenous peoples who still remain uncontacted today.
The next morning we opted to pay for a different tour to the wildlife center in search of the giant river otter. In the video you can see it in the first few seconds. They are fast and elusive.
As we were watching red howler monkeys and a baby climbed a branch directly over our heads. As we were trying to get pictures we saw that it had started peeing. It missed but was pretty close to the boat. Mono travieso which means naughty monkey.
We saw a variety of monkeys on this trip and it was easier to capture videos than pictures.
On our final leg of the holiday vacation, we spent a few days in Mendoza which is known for its amazing wines.
The first day we went to Bodega Clos de Chacra for tasting, tour, and lunch.
Lunch was 7 courses (siete pasos). Great food and a lot of wine. Good thing we had a driver!
Needless to say we did not do anything else the rest of the day….
The next day we visited a few wineries. Cruzat is one of the few wineries that produces sparkling wine.
After 2 more wineries, we stopped at Rincon Gieco for a sandwich and wine tasting (by this point I didn’t want any more wine.)
Next is sailing here in Potrerillos, Mendoza followed by a return to Santiago and then to Quito.
I went to Abu Tahai for sunset. So beautiful. The cemetery is near the archaeological site.
I rented a bike one day and rode across the center of the island. Harder than I thought and very sunny. But I made it to Anakena Beach, had a swim and some pineapple juice and made the trip back. One way is 1.5 hours stopping for pictures.
Vinapu
.irador Rana Kau
Orongo
This is on the other side of the volcano Crater. There is remains of Rapa Nui houses from the 1700’s and reconstructed houses to show what they would have looked like. Here the birdman competition would happen. A representative(s) from each klan would go to the island on a log like surfing to retrieve the egg of the sooty tern.
Ahu Huri A Urenga
Puma Pau
Ahu Akiv
Maoi generally face inland. This looks like it is facing towards the water, but there would have been a village in front of it. The maoi always face towards the people as they represent mana and enlightenment.
So what if there was an alternative explanation to the Rapa Nui culture disappearing?
A theory is the inhabitants of Rapa Nui could have attempted to move to another island They were skilled Polynesian navigators capable of long ocean voyages. Why it is not likely:
1. Rapa Nui is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world.
2. By the time of their decline, deforestation meant that they lacked materials for constructing large seafaring canoes.
3. They also had less capacity for organizing expeditions.
It has been an amazing 5 days here. Relaxing and so peaceful. Not overly touristic but just enough.
Rapa Nui is a Polynesian island where a unique and sophisticated culture developed. The moai, carved from basalt, were created to honor ancestors and chiefs, representing spiritual and political power called mana. By the 17th century, the culture suffered from overpopulation and resource depletion (mainly trees) which led to conflicts and decline. Europeans from Chile began to arrive in 1722. The brought leprosy and took many natives including tribal leaders in their slave raids. Many of the past stories were lost with them.
It is worth the time to take a full day tour and learn the history.
Anakena Beach
Hanga Tetenga
These relics showed maoi that were knocked over most likely by warring klans. The red scoria rock was used for the topknots (hair).
Ahu Tongariki
These maoi were toppled by a tsunami. A Japanese crane company owner donated a crane and a lot of money to restore the maoi.
Ahu Akahanga
Moai cultural dance at Te Moana
We had dinner at a restaurant that also has a cultural show. The dancers and singers were very talented and told the story of a king who dies, a moai statue is made and he receives eternal power.
A walk through town reveals other maoi.
We arrived in Santiago, Chile on my birthday. In Peru before I boarded they allowed people over 60 to board first. That is a great present in itself! I handed out chocolates to people on the plane and was rewarded with a glass of wine and some standard plane snacks…
At the hotel, I gave gifts of chocolate and I had a plate of truffles and chocolate covered strawberries.
Always fun when you run into people from school unexpectedly in your second country of your trip….
Not much was open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day which gave us time to enjoy the sights without many crowds. We are glad to be in a bigger hotel (with a pool).
Fuente neptuna
Sculpture park
Museo de arte bello
Forest Park
Funicular to the summit of San Cristobal Hill.
Bonus, discount for those over 60…
Some sights around Santiago
Parroquia de la Veracruz in Lastarria
For dinner on Christmas Day I had the Chilean version of crab cake in a bowl with lots of melted cheese. Pretty tasty…
Tomorrow I leave for Easter island (Isla de Pascua or Rapa Nui).
Cusco was the heart of the Inca Empire from the 13th to the 16th century. After the Spanish conquest in 1533, Cusco became a colonial city. Its Inca foundations were added to with European influences, which are seen in its baroque churches and plazas. What is interesting is after a devastating earthquake, 30% of all of the Spanish builds collapsed but only one block of Incan blocks cracked.
Views around Cusco.
We took a city tour to look at local Incan ruins.
Saksaywaman was an Incan temple complex that was renamed after conquest by the Spaniards. It means eagles feasting due to the amount of dead bodies from the battles. The Spaniards dismantled the Incan temples to cut the blocks and make churches instead.
Q’enqo is a mausoleum for the dead. The dunes below are super cold. The platform is used for disemboweling and stuffing the insides with plants while the cubicle spaces are used for storing remains. The flat stone is many degrees cooler than the surroundings.
Tambomachay is a place for rest from runners. These people delivered news between incan villages. The springs and spaces provided rest.
Puma pucara was a place to check in when moving between incan villages. This was found where the road separated in 4 different ways.
On the 23rd started the Christmas markets here. Some great artists and also selling typical wares.
On the last night we also took a cooking class. Always a lot of fun.
Machu Picchu, is a masterpiece surrounded by breathtaking mountains. It was built in the mid-15th century during the reign of Emperor Pachacuti. It is high in the Andes, and is a testament to the Incan architecture and use of agriculture including aqueducts for water flow through the city.
The town was abandoned in the 16th century during the Spanish conquest when the people fled to Vilcabamba (the Spaniards destroyed that city). The Incans destroyed a portion of the Incan trail so Machu Picchu could not be found. A farmer later found it but did not realize its importance. It remained largely hidden until American explorer Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911. The terraces for agriculture and temple foundations were intact.
The route to get there seemed complicated but actually was quite easy though long. After 1.5 hr van ride on windy roads, followed by a 1.5 hr train ride with spectacular scenery, the final 25 min to the site from Aguas Caliente was with it. It truly is a beautiful place to visit.
After 2.5 hours of exploring we took the bus back to Agua Caliente to have a delicious lunch and walk around. Then followed the 1.5 hr train ride and 1.5 hr van ride to return to Cusco. A magnificent but long day.