Havana is split into 3 major areas – El Vedado, Centro Habana and La Habana Vieja. We started at Vedado, crossed over to Centro Habana (or Central Havana) and ended at La Habana Vieja (or Old Havana).

Vedado

Vedado is the new or modern area of Havana which serves as the Business district and the Urban neighbourhood. El Vedado means “The Forbidden Zone”, as it was once a Military area during the Spanish rule and closed to public. Post liberation from Spanish, this area became a favourite of the US Investors, leading to a posh buildings in different classical styles, which still exist today.

One of the main attraction or landmark here is the Plaza de la Revolución or the Revolution Square. This is the central Square of Havana, where key people like Fidel Castro used to address the Cuban people. Many important buildings surround the square, the most prominent one being the Memorial to José Martí – Cuban National hero who liberated Cuba from Spanish rule.

Facing the same, in the opposite end of the square, are two buildings with images of two other great heroes of Cuba. On the left is Ministry of Interior, with image of Che Guevara and his famous words – “Hasta la victoria siempre” or “Until everlasting victory always”.

On the right is the Ministry of Communications, with image of Camilo Cienfuegos, another Cuban revolutionary hero and Fidel’s friend, with his words “Vas bien, Fidel” or “You’re doing fine, Fidel”

On our way to the next destination,  our guide and driver stopped briefly at a calm and quiet area of the city, full of greenery. This was the Parque Almendares, the only major green area of the city. It has a lot of history and mystery attached to it. Now certain sections are used for recreation by the people in the city, but some bear witness to strange offerings and rituals of the followers of Yoruba Religion, practiced primarily by Afro-Cubans. They are descendants of erstwhile slaves who were brought from West Africa. Their religion is now integrated with Christianity, but still retain many strange rituals, which appear like voodoo or Black magic to most.

Another famous landmark in this neighbourhood is Hotel Nacional de Cuba. This is one of the luxury hotels in Havana with a lot of History. Many world leaders have stayed here on diplomatic visits. This Hotel also played a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, with Anti-Aircraft guns and Bunkers manned in it’s compound during that time. Fidel himself used to visit this place and observe the American fleet from the bunkers here.

This area of Vedado has many luxury Hotels. Another one is Habana Libre shown below, viewed from entrance of Hotel Nacional.

Centro Habana or Central Havana

The Central part of Havana is not a Tourist friendly place. Sandwiched between Vadado in the west, Old Havana in the East and the famous Malecón Seawall in the North, Central Havana is a crowded, run down residential district. This the place we decided to stay, as there are many economical and well maintained Air B&Bs here.

North of Central Havana lies one of the iconic landmarks of Havana – the Malecón – an 8km long seawall and road along the coast. A walk through here is a must,  especially when the tide is high! Prepare to be drenched by the high waves splashing on to the seawalls. At night this area becomes alive, as it a popular place for local people to spend their evenings. They spend time chatting, playing instruments or munching on some freshly prepared snacks cooked on stalls that open up as night falls.

Habana Viejo or Old Havana

This is the most visited and touristy part of the City – primarily because of the vibrance, the architecture and history. The border between Central Havana and Old Havana is the Paseo del Prado, a promenade that starts from Malecón and runs inward. This avenue is richly decorated on both sides with classic lamp posts, marble benches and lined with trees in some sections.

As we move inward from Malecon through the promenade, we come to the Central Park, surrounded by ornate buildings.

From here the Pedestrian part of Old Havana starts.From here the Pedestrian part of Old Havana starts. You can walk through myriad narrow lanes, lined with bars, souvenir stalls, bakeries, street performers and of course, tourists like us!

Each building and alley had a story behind them and it was great to listen to them from our guide as we walked by them.  The photo opportunities in this part of town are unlimited!

The best place to get a panoramic view of Old Havana is the View point at the base of the statue of Christ of Havana. This statue can be seen from most places in the city and is located on a hill overlooking the Havana bay in the Casablanca neighbourhood.

Vintage Cars of Havana

It would be a crime to move on if I don’t mention a word or two about the vintage cars of Cuba. As you may have seen in the pictures above, there are many 50s-60s era American cars in the street of Havana. After the Cuban Revolution when communists came to power under Fidel Castro, a trade embargo was placed on Cuba. With no local manufacturing facilities and heavy taxes, owning new cars became a dream for most Cubans. But there were many cars already on the streets, from the American period before the revolution. So the Cubans kept on maintaining them till date. Recently, when Cuba opened its doors to tourism, they became a sensation. The moment you step out of airport, you get a feeling of being transported back in time to the 60s, when you see all the classic cars plying the streets!

Important things to keep in mind before visiting Cuba

Bring Money in Cash as Euro or GBP – It is highly unlikely that your Debit or Credit card will work in Cuba due to the ongoing trade embargo. We tried unsuccessfully to withdraw cash using cards issued by Citibank, State Bank of India and ICICI Bank, when we ran out of cash. (We survived couple of days thanks to our guide who trusted us and agreed to accept part of payment later once we leave Cuba!) US Dollars are not favoured and has an extra surcharge for conversion. Currencies that are popular are CAD, GBP or EUR. So best is to bring cash (always budget some extra) and exchange them at the counter in the Airport before leaving – and count the bills.

Mobile Roaming  most likely would not work –  Cubacel is the only Network on the Island and our Vodafone SIMs didn’t latch on to the same. There are coin operated pay phones in the streets at regular intervals. Our host was kind enough to let us use his land-line or desk phone for an emergency.

Internet is slow and expensive, limited to Public places – Internet is regulated by the government and individual connections are not allowed. They are available only in Public WiFi Hot Spots, access to which is provided basis Recharge cards. If your Hostel is offering you internet, it is illegal, routed from Hot Spot areas.

There are 2 currencies – CUC and CUP – operate with care – Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) and Cuban Peso (CUP) are two currencies in circulation in Cuba. As a foreigner, you are supposed to use only the former – CUC – for your transactions. This is roughly pegged at par to the US Dollar. CUP is used by locals, and is at a rate of 25 CUPs to 1 CUC. The CUC currently notes have Monuments while CUP notes have Portraits – easy way to check that you are not duped.

Where to Stay – Hotels are very expensive,  and cannot be booked online on booking sites like Hotel.com or Booking.com. However, there are many affordable, clean and safe Bed & Breakfasts, which can be booked online via airbnb.com. The ones listed on Trip Advisor, may not be listed here, so you would have to reach out to the host directly to enquire for availability. You must plan in advance or the good ones get booked out!

About Coba

Coba was once a thriving Mayan city with up to 50,000 inhabitants during it’s peak. Most of the construction here happened between 500 – 900 AD. Now the village surrounding the site have little over 1000 people. It is located just 40~45 minutes North of Tulum.

Visiting the site

The site is vast and structures are spread out. We hired bikes from the hut right after the entrance (50 MXN per bike) to minimise the effort and time required for the visit. The bikes are numbered and there are designated parking spaces near each structure. You can also hire services of a Bike Taxi if you are too tired to cycle. But the road is flat and an easy ride.

The first structures you’ll come across are located right next to the Bicycle rental – Grupo Coba. A massive Pyramid called La Iglesia or The Church is the most prominent structure. You have to wait for the climb, this one is protected.

Cycling on, you reach the next set of ruins – The Ball court. The Mayan Ball game was played here. A ball from rubber was used for this game, and contestants tried to keep it in play using their hips, with the objective of putting them through the hoops on either side of the court.

The next major building was the Observatory. This had a circular base, as opposed to the rectangular base of the Pyramids. This was to keep track of the celestial bodies like Sun, Moon and Stars and synchronise the calendars.

Finally, we arrived at Nohoch Muul Pyramid. This was the last stop. Nohoch Mull apparently means large mound. One look at it and we were like, “Are we REALLY going to climb that ? The mound is REALLY tall!” And it is. At 42m or 130ft, it is the tallest Pyramid in the Yucatan Penninsula.

However, going up was easier than we thought. There is a big rope anchored in the middle, which was used for support. The stones were loose in some places, so we had to watch every step we took, as we climbed higher and higher. Once you reach the top, you are greeted by one of the most beautiful vistas.

Now came the difficult part – Climbing down. It turned out to be far more difficult than climbing up. We had to go down one step at a time – sitting down at each step and crawling downward.

Luckily we made it down without an incident Successfully completed Coba visit! Yaay!

What follows after a tiring climb ? A refreshing dip in a ‘Cenote’

A Cenote is a natural sinkhole found in Yucatan, formed when the limestone ground collapses to expose the groundwater below the surface. There are over 7000 such Cenotes in the Yucatan Penninsula. For the Ancient Mayans, it was a mysterious and sacred place, associated with the underworld. Certain cenotes were used for Human sacrifices, while most of them served as a source of freshwater for the region devoid of any major rivers or lakes!

Just few minutes away from the Coba site, there are 3 beautiful cenotes, perfect for a refreshing swim after a tiring day of sightseeing. They are Choo-Ha, Tamcach-Ha and Multun-Ha. Interesting names! I’ll refer them as Cenotes C, T & M for ease, please bear with me Cenotes C & T are located in same property while M is located slightly further away in a different property. They can be found on Google Maps, near Coba. By the way, visiting a Cenote is not free ! They are preserved and maintained by the owners of the property in which they are located, so they charge a small fee. At the entrance of Cenotes C & T, you can make the payment and get the tickets. Visiting one cenote is 55 MXN per person, but you get a discount of 10 MXN if you purchase all three together. We didn’t know which Cenote was which, so bought the combo ticket.

Cenote Choo-Ha

This was our first Cenote experience. There were shower/change rooms with curtains outside and a place to rent life-vests (@ 35 MXN pp). We  showered, changed to swimwear and entered the cenote. Viewing from the outside, the entrance is just a hole in the ground with winding wooden stairs leading you downward into darkness!

When you exit the stairs you enter this big chamber! There are two pools, one on the right which was large and occupied by a few people, and a small one on the left which was empty when we came.

Got the pool on the left for ourselves for few minutes, before another couple arrived. Because of that we were able to get a pic of ourselves

Cenote Tamcach-Ha & Multun-Ha

After exiting Cenote C, we got back in the car and drove a few hundred meters to the next Cenote in the property. This one seemed more crowded as there were lot of vans and cars parked outside. Once inside, we knew why! This Cenote was in the shape of a giant, deep well, with stairs taking you all the way down to the water level! At 5m & 10m height from the water level, the stairs had diving platforms. Both adults and kids were having the time of their lives running up, diving and repeating. Rahul decided to jump from 5m board. And trust me it is higher than it looks!

The last stop was Cenote M, located in a property a km away from the ticket booth on the same road we came from Coba. This one was also crowded, primarily because it was well lit, deep and clear, enabling people to have a good snorkeling experience there.  However, we were so exhausted after the first two cenotes, so just clicked a few pics and left.

Before you go, don’t Forget to…

Carry lots of water – There is only one shop at the very end that sells food and drinks, that too at a premium. Best is to carry a bottle or two in a day pack.

Wear proper shoes – As you saw, climbing up and down the pyramid is tricky due to the huge stones. To minimise the chances of slipping and hurting yourself, wear proper shoes and avoid sandals or slippers.

Arrive early in morning or just after lunch – As with any monument, best way to visit is in the morning. But incase you can’t make it, try visiting after lunch. The heat keeps most people away.

Bring bath towels, soap and swimwear – If planning to swim in a Cenote, you have to take a shower first and rinse off all the synthetic chemicals on you body – Hair gel/Make Up etc – as the cenotes are delicate. While showers, restrooms and changing rooms are available before going down, there are no other amenities. So bring your own.

Research Cenotes to Swim – Do a bit of research on what kind of Cenotes you prefer to visit. Cenote C is perfect for non-swimmers to take a dip and enjoy the cool waters and avoiding the crowd. Cenote T is perfect for people who like to jump from high platforms into water. Finally Cenote M is perfect for those who want to snorkel in a cave.

Reaching Coba

Best way to reach Coba is to be a part of a Tour group that starts from the major tourist centres. The other options is self drive. The Coba village is just 45 minutes north of Tulum. After visiting Coba if you wish to get to the Cenotes, you have to go outside of the town for a few Kms. The entrances are well marked or you can navigate there via Google Maps.

Staying in Coba

Coba is a small town and best visited while being based out of the nearby towns. We continued onwards to Chichen Itza, our next destination, after swimming at Cenotes, and stayed there. About that in next post. Stay tuned

Answer – Tulum, Mexico.

Tulum is a bohemian beach town located less than 2 hours south of the popular resort city of Cancún in Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

This town is famous for is laid back and backpacker atmosphere, giving a feeling of Mexican beach town – a stark contrast to the very commercial resort zone in Cancún! Tulum is a perfect place to just relax on the beach, sip a cocktail or two and enjoy Mexican food.

However, the major attraction that draws tourists from the region are the Mayan Ruins here. This is a unique archaeological site, as it is sandwiched between the Carribean Sea and the Tropical Yucatan Jungle.

Tips for Visiting Tulum Ruins

Tulum Ruins are relatively small and can be covered in just 2 hours. Many people visit Tulum Ruins as part of a day tour from Cancún. But this means you arrive at the site along with hoards of tourists around 10am.  So the best option is to arrive at Tulum just before the opening time of 8am. For this, either you start early from Cancún or stay overnight at Tulum. This allows you skip the tourist hoards and get the ruins almost for yourself, presenting opportunities to snap some great photographs without any people filling the frames! The temperature and humidity would be conducive as well, as it peaks closer to noon.

If you are reaching by means of a rented car, the official parking lot is a reliable place to keep your car, but it is expensive – 70 MXN ! Compare this to the Entry ticket at 65 MXN per person. There is a 5 minute walk from the Parking area to the Ticket Counter. This can be covered in a tractor pulled train for 20 MXN per person if you are in a hurry.

How to Reach Tulum?

The closest well connected major airport is Cancún. From here you can either rent a car and self drive to Tulum. We opted for this option and rented our car from National Car Rental. Otherwise, you can opt for a Private Transfer to Tulum offered by many Travel Agents, bookable online in advance. Or if in already in Cancun city, you can take Tourist bus that runs this route.

Where to Stay?

Being close to the protected environmental zone, most accommodation in Tulum are Eco-friendly and expensive. We stayed in a small Boutique hotel, with just 8 Rooms and a Private Beach called Piedra Escondida. Nightly rate was ~Rs 18K including breakfast. The room was right on the beach and had beautiful unobstructed view of the beach. Another reason for choosing this hotel was the Private Parking lot offered by the hotel. If you see the Google street maps, you’ll realise that the hotels and shops are located on either side of a one lane road. So parking is difficult to find.

In this post rather than giving a definitive guide to the city, I am covering top tourist attractions one could squeeze in a day. London, infamous for its gloomy weather didn’t help me in getting good pictures, especially on a winter day.

Westminster Abbey 

Located to the west of Palace of Westminster, the Abbey is one of the UK’s most religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and burial sites for British Monarchs.

Palace of Westminster

Palace of Westminster, commonly known as ‘Houses of Parliament’ has the status of UNESCO World heritage site for its gothic architecture and style. The most famous part of the palace is the clock tower which houses the Big Ben. This iconic palace lies on the north bank of river Thames in central London and is open to visitors for tours, debates or committees.

London Eye

London eye is situated right in the tourist heart of London and gracefully rotates over River Thames, opposite the Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben. Also known as the Millennium Wheel, it has become a global icon in a short period of time. Visit to London will be incomplete if you miss this giant symbol.

For one rotation, the eye takes 30 mins and peak hour queues are lengthy. Hence, if you plan to get for the ride, do book your tickets in advance. We had very less time and weather was not great for a visit.

Tower Bridge

It is the most popular landmark for both locals and visitors alike. This beautiful structure is best viewed from a distance, across the river, to appreciate its beauty and observe the unique operation. There are seats in the surroundings To see the inner workings one can take a ticket and enter.

Once you view it from a distance, do take a walk on the bridge. It is a must do! . It’s an easy, walk. One can spend hours at this place, with facilities

Our must see destination!

Located on Easter island (Or Rapa Nui) are more than 800 Stone monolithic figures, called Moai. While Archaeologists and Historians have come up with many theories, they not yet know exactly why or how they were made! The most ‘out-of-the-word’ explanation is that they were made under the influence of Extra-Terrestrials – which Rahul likes to believe. He has been wanting to visit the Island ever since watching the old Jonny Quest Episode and then learning more about the same in multiple Documentaries. So when we planned our trip to South America, it became a must see destination.

Story Behind the Moai

So, who are the Moai ? In short, they are believed to be representations of Chieftains of the Native Tribes on the Island. They were erected when a Chief died. Each Tribe had a Ceremonial Platform, called the Ahu on which the Moai where raised. The more Richer and Powerful the Tribe, larger and bigger were the Ahus and Moais they built.

The First Moais resembled stone blocks. As time progressed, Moai building technology also advanced and more intricate and lifelike designs were made. You can see evolution of the Moai in the following picture (From Right to Left)

The latest ‘design’ had eyes, made of Coral Stones. They also had a ‘Top Knot’ meant to represent the hairdo of the Chieftain. The following is a reconstruction of a Moai.

The largest Ahu can be found in Ahu Tongarikki – There are 15 of them, located against a great backdrop of the Pacific Ocean and the Island Coast.

Most of the Ahus are located on the coast, with Moais facing towards the centre of the Island. This is so as the elders can shower blessings on the Islanders living there and their Farms for good produce. However, there is one Ahu, situated inland. Here the Moai face towards the sea. Any guesses why ? The Tribe that built it where Fishing Tribe. They live near the coast and work in the sea – so directions are reversed!

Decline of the Moai

The First European ship arrived in 1722. The Islanders were astonished by the fair, clothed folks with advanced technology. Disillusioned and disappointed with their beliefs, they toppled the Moais. When James Cook arrived in 1774, many Moais were in toppled state – many remain in that state still.

We still didn’t say how they were built or transported right ? That’s the biggest mystery. We know where they were built though – in the quarry at extinct Volcano of Rano Raraku. The Artisans made base models and were customised to suit needs of the Tribe that came shopping You can still see many incomplete Moais lying there – even a huge 22 foot one!

Large Moai – Under Construction when the ‘factory’ shut

Rise of the Birdman cult

Many years after the Moai phase elapsed, the Birdman Competition rose to popularity. An annual contest, where specially trained athletes representing each tribe would compete in a life or death contest to get the egg of the Manu Tara bird from the small Island Motu Nui off the coast, braving the sharp cliffs and rough sea.

Other Points of Interest

Apart from the Moais, Ahus and Birdman related places, Easter Island has beautiful landscape. If you have time, you can visit Anakena Beach for a refreshing swim!

Useful Travel Information

Getting there

In spite of its remoteness, Easter Island is a popular Tourist destination and has an Airport with daily flights to Santiago in Chile. There is also a weekly flight to Tahiti – the only International connection. We flew in from Santiago on the daily LATAM flight. Tickets are on the expensive side and flights are full, so do book in advance.

Getting around

You don’t need more than 3 days on the island. It will take 2 days to cover all the main attractions and is best to join an organised group tour. On the third day, you can rent a car and explore the island on your own. We were crunched on time, so stuck to the 2 day itinerary and explored the Island with Tours A  & B from Easter Island Travel. You can read our review here.

Accommodation & Food

Being so remote, cost of living is on the higher side on the Island. We stayed in a B&B 10 minutes away from the town centre (Read review here). There are restaurants in town where you can order a meal or Super-markets from where you can buy stuff and cook at your place.

The Salt Flats begin on the outskirts of the small town of Uyuni in Bolivia. The major highlights can be covered in a one day tour. But there are combo packages which take you deeper and higher into the Altiplano region. We opted for the 3 Day/2 Night Tour and went ahead with Red Planet Expedition – one of the most highly recommended tour operators. In this post I’ll try to share the first day’s experience – which is more about exploring the Salt Flats.

Getting to Uyuni

To explore the Salt Flats, first you have to reach Uyuni. To get there, you need to either take a morning flight from La Paz or an overnight bus. We took the bus (Todo Turismo).  Either way, you reach the town in the morning, just in time to freshen up and start the tour on the same day – around 10.30am. The town is very small, but has establishment that cater to basic needs – Supermarket, Restaurants, Hostels, Money Exchange etc. We arrived at 7am, took a cab for few Bolivars to the office of our Tour Operator – Red Planet Expedition. We freshened up, made the payment for the tour, had breakfast and bought essential supplies from the town (Like Drinking Water, Snacks etc). By that time, the 4×4 was prepped and ready to go!

First stop – Train Cemetery

This region is very rich in minerals and is an important source of revenue for Bolivia. Railway lines were laid in the past to transport these minerals across the border to Chile to ship it out. Train Locomotives were brought from Britain. But the routes didn’t operate long and were abandoned eventually. All the locomotives were dumped in what is now popularly termed as Train Cemetery or Graveyard. This is the starting point for all Salt Flat tours.

Onwards to the Salt Factory

Last stop before venturing out into the Salt flats was a local market for lunch, refreshments and some souvenir shopping. Here they showed us how Salt is mined locally- yes, for consumption – in small scale. Salt is made into bricks in the field, transported to the factory, powdered and purified.

Finally…We reach the Salt Flats!

Yes! It begins here. As our 4×4 crossed the market, the landscape began to change. From brown the colour kept fading till it became pure white! We have entered Salar de Uyuni!

Perspective Photographs

If you Google Salar de Uyuni, there are high chances that you will come across many strange photographs that appear unreal. Since the land is absolutely flat & white, and horizon is empty due to vastness, here you can take amazing trick photographs!

Rahul researched in advance, learned the science behind it, even had some props ready. But it is not that easy. It is difficult to take these photos with a DSLR, Mobile Camera works best. And to get the shot right, you need some coaching (from the very able driver/guide) and some practice! Trust him with your Mobile phone and he will create magic!!!

Fish Island or Isla Incahuasi

After having had fun with Perspective photography, we continued the drive through the salt flats to reach Isla Incahuasi, otherwise popularly known as Fish Island! When the prehistoric lake existed this was an Island, now a hill. In an hours time you can climb to the summit for stunning panoramic views! The Island has Giant cacti that can reach up to a height of 10m! Their wood can be used to make furniture!

If you look closely at the rocks/soil on the island, you’ll observe they are of coral origins. Yes, this was a coral island long long time ago, now they are fossilised!

Sunset

Sunset on the salt flats is a surreal experience. From bright white the landscape fades away as the sun disappears below the horizon.

If you have opted for the Day Tours, usually you head back to Uyuni. But we had 2 more days of exploring the Altiplano region beyond, so we continued to our night camp.

Staying in a Salt Hotel

I have heard of ice hotels in Scandinavia, but a salt hotel ? Yes, we spent the night in a hotel made of salt bricks! The ground was rock salt, while bed and walls were made of salt bricks. Since we were a couple, we got a whole room with attached bathroom for ourselves. Everything was gas powered here. I wanted to take a bath and there was not hot water (although they mentioned it would be available). Then Rahul went and said something in Spanish and finally after some time got Hot water. But it was a bad decision to take a bath! As soon as I got out I started freezing. However, it didn’t last long and we had a good night sleep!

Crossing Peru-Bolivia International border by land

Our first stop was border town of Yunguyo. Here we alighted from the bus and carried our belongings to the Peruvian Immigration office (See Control de Migratario office below). Unfortunately there was no power and we had to wait for a while before we could finish our exit formalities. So we exchanged our Peruvian Soles and US Dollars for few Bolivars at the Exchange nearby. Once we got the seal on our Passport, we grabbed our luggage and walked towards the border (the Arch you can see in the distance). Pushing and Pulling heavy luggage at this altitude is no easy task mind you! Both of us were panting vigorously by the time we reached the gate.

Once we crossed the arch, we were received by the Bolivia Hop guide and escorted to the Bolivian Immigration counter. It is possible to get a Visa on Arrival for Indian citizens here. However we had managed to get a free Tourist visa from the consulate back home, so the process was same as in any other airport – Fill the Entry form, submit the same with Passport and get the stamp.

Once everyone in the group got their Passports stamped, we boarded the bus on Bolivian side. Now this bus was a different one than the one in Peru side, as vehicles cannot cross here. Slightly lesser in terms of comfort. In an hour or so we reached Copacabana, a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian side. We had arranged a Tour to Isla del Sol, one of the Islands on Lake Titicaca. First we had our lunch at a restaurant overlooking the lake and then set off to Isla del Sol.

Visit to Isla del Sol

We boarded the boat at 2pm for Isla del Sol. We cruised through at a steady pace and reached the island in 30-40 minutes.

We got down at this small jetty on the southern side of the island.

The water was very clear near the shore, and dark blue from a distance. Although it looks tempting for a swim, water here was cold <10°C!

The boatman gave us 1 hr on the Island. We had to walk across the whole island, through the pathway to Yumani village on the northern side where he planned to pick us up at 4pm, for the journey back. At slowest pace he said we wont require more than 45 mins, including time for photo stops. But what we didn’t factor is that the lake is at an altitude of 3800m and the island is at a higher level than the same which meant some climbing.

But it was worth it. The first stop on the way was the Incan Ruins of Pilka Kaina, a two level stone complex which you can enter.

Afterwards the path cut across the island in a more or less same level. So we utilised the time for some photo-sessions! The view of the lake from here was stunning!

We were able to make time and soon the village came in sight.

When we saw the jetty, our boatman was already waiting there, waving vigorously at us asking to come down fast! Looked like he wanted to go back home fast – in factwe reached back in lesser time than before We observed the sunset on lake Titicaca from the jetty and soon the bus arrived to pick us up for our onward journey to La Paz, capital of Bolivia.

After 3~4 hours, we reached La Paz. The bus dropped us in front of the hotel where we were staying for the night.

We stayed in Casa del Abuelo, a small B&B located on the street next to the ruins. Our room opened to the street and beautiful view of the moutains.

We started the morning with tour of the Ruins of Ollantaytambo. This was the last stronghold of the Incas during the Spanish invasion. The complex served as a Military Fort while offering spaces for Religion and Agriculture.

From the top of the ruins, you get to see the whole valley, with Ollantaytambo town at bottom.

There were clear sections for farming, religion, administration and military. All these had thatched roofs once, all gone now.  Some more pictures in the Gallery below –

It is here we first noted the beauty of Inca Architecture. The huge stones are locked against each other as they have been welded together. They even withstood earthquakes! All this was done on hard stone without help of modern technology!

On our way down we came across some Quinoa plants. These were one form of staple food for the Incas. They were once harvested in these grounds. Extra grains were stored in granaries, like the one you see in the distance in the mountain.
 

After exiting the ruins, we walked around the old town a bit. The streets and houses have not changed at all. Many people still stay in the ancient stone houses that Incas built, just the roofs have changed.

Then we walked into the town square. The views from every corner of this town are just stunning!

That’s all Ollantaytambo has to offer. There are many shops where you can bargain and get some souvenirs. It is advised you buy them here, as the prices are cheaper than in touristy Cusco.

Flying into Cusco

Cusco is situated at an altitude of 3400m or 11200ft (similar to Ladakh in J&K, India). As it is a major destination, it is well connected via air, road and rail. Fastest way to reach is to fly.

However, flying from city like Lima which is at sea level is bound to cause Altitude sickness. So we decided to visit Cusco later and headed straight to Ollantaytambo, a small town in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Since it is located at a much lower (<2800m) it would be easier to acclimatise while having reduced effects of altitude. We had carried medicines for altitude sickness, but fortunately didn’t face any issue.

We arranged our transfers through a reputed company called Taxidatum. The driver was waiting for us at the airport with a sign board. This was not a straight transfer to Ollantaytambo, but combined with 3 stops on the way – Chinchero, Maras and Moray. As we left Cusco town, the road started to descend through scenic valleys. Our first stop on the way was picture perfect!

Chinchero Village

After a while we entered the village of Chinchero – a small Andean village in the Sacred Valley which also is a main market place for local products. Both sides of the narrow cobblestone paths are filled with souvenir shops selling Alpaca wool products.

The village is situated on a hill. Soon we realised that climbing here is no easy task! The air is thin and you start panting very fast. However the climb was short this time and the view was worth it. Imagine waking up to a view like this from your home every day!

Salt mines of Maras

Next stop was the Salt Mines or Salineras at Maras. Usual visitors have to alight at the entrance and walk down the long route. But we were short on time. Knowing that, our driver who was a local talked with the officials and took us in car itself till the inside!

This is how the Incas produced salt. Being so far away from the sea, they found that the spring water coming out from this mountain had high levels of salt. So they channeled this water into multiple ponds, made on the hill side. The water evaporated under the sun and salt was ready for the taking!

 Ruins of Moray

The last stop before reaching Ollantaytambo was Ruins of Moray. We reached just in time before the site closed for the day!

This is a very special site as it demonstrates the technology the Incas possessed in medieval times. The site consists of concentric steps that reduce in diameter as you go deeper. As you go each level down, the temperature decreases! This enabled them to regulate temperatures and grow crops more productively!

As we left Moray the light was too good to resist taking few pictures. The Andean foothills are so pretty!

We reached Ollantaytambo by dusk and checked in to the hotel. More about it in next post!