modernism in miraflores

Well i was starting to think that my search for modern architecture in South America was going to come to nothing. Although i am aware that there are good modern buildings dotted around, i have been backpacking and so unable to reach them, until i arrived in Lima. I stayed in the fairly affluent district of Miraflores and as i travelled to the hostel i was overjoyed to see that the area was made up almost entirely of modernist buildings- fantastic! So needless to say i spent the next day wandering around enjoying them..... Miraflores, a modernists dream.

Please note that i have hada recent problem with my camera so the photos below are not up to scratch!

machu picchu

It would be a poor show to travel to Peru and not acknowledge the impressive and ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu. We walked the 'classic' Inca trail, one of many trails that were built by the Inca's to connect the regions of their empire- the trails stretch from the northern capital of Quito in Ecuador right down to Santiago, Chile.

This is one experience i know i will never ever forget. Our guide was knowledgeable about everything from the flora and fauna to the Incas themselves and showed a genuine passion regarding his subject. I have to say i was astounded by the landscape surrounding us; the peaks soaring to over 5000metres high are jagged and intimidating; this twinned with the moody, ever changing sky made the valleys seem like magical other-worldly places. The walk took us over high passes and down into deep valleys, in both the sun and the rain encountering various Inca ruins, each as impressive as the last. To trek through this landscape for three days before finally arriving at the site of Machu Picchu made the moment of arrival almost euphoric, its really difficult to describe but i now understand a little of how people feel on a pilgrimage and i can see how it could be life changing.

The scenery is magnificent as are the ruins that we encountered on the trek. I was so impressed by how advanced their building techniques were- as i mentioned in an earlier blog on Cuzco, the stones are all actually carved, some having eight or nine different edges and then fitting together without any mortar. And for this ancient city to be constructed in such a remote place, well it's just mind boggling!

Below: enjoying the vernacular architecture







Patallacta viewed from above

Ruins of Phuyupatamarka

Inca terraces

And of course Machu Picchu

red tiled roofs of cusco

Cusco makes no secret of what it is all about- the centre of the once formidable Inca empire and now a haven for tourists and backpackers. After the fall of the Inca empire at the end of the 16th century the Spaniards built the new city on the old Inca walls; the original stone walls are huge and the detailing of the stone so impressive because they are each carved into subtle shapes, fitting together like a jigsaw. A beautiful city.

the floating islands, lake titicaca

How about this for ingenious! These islands are made entirely from totora reeds which grow naturally in lake Titicaca. The reeds are used to construct the actual land, the houses, the boats and are home to the Uros tribe.

There are over 40 of the floating islands and they can be added to or taken away as the need arises. The islands are part of the Titicaca National Reserve, created in 1978 to preserve 37 thousand hectares of marsh reeds in the south and north sectors of Lake Titicaca.

The floating islands are on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca and are accessed from the Peruvian city of Puno.

..... and then there's me, enjoying the local fruit and general pace of life on these islands!!

chincana, isla de sol

Here are some pictures of Chincana- a labyrinth of pre inca stone walls and tunnels.

Iisla de sol, bolivia

To the visitor, the Isla de Sol on Lake Titicaca (Bolivia) is paradise, just paradise.

The island is blessed with vast blue skies, sparkling waters, no cars and due to its altitude boasts spectacular sunsets on a daily basis. For the inhabitants however it is more difficult to earn a living from such an infertile and remote place. Despite the difficulties it was clear there was a strong sense of community on the island and also an accidental approach to sustainable living. The people have developed their own building techniques and use the donkey to get around and they are some of the happiest people i have come across. The island is at present experiencing a bit of a boom in tourism which is perhaps changing things for the islanders- at the moment this is a good thing as the money is absorbed directly into the island economy but who knows what will happen to the place in the future when the developers move in.

Lets hope they don't.

.....and at long last some men actually doing some work in this country!!!!!!

named and shamed

Officially the worst Itallian restaurant in South America.

buses of sucre

Well, these buses just had to get a mention. I mean i really loved the buses in Buenos Aires with their colourful stripes and disco numbering but these ones are miles ahead- absolutely loving them. I hate to say it but i have become a bit of a bus geek........ a bus spotter!!!

rural boliva

We arrived in Bolivia in a town called Uyuni in the South. Bolivia is the poorest of all south American countries and also the highest; we got the bus from Uyuni through to Sucre and stopped on route in a town called Potosi which is infact, at 4090m about sea level, the highest town in the world! It is also known as a mining town and was once the worlds largest producer of silver. Unfortunately though it is said that the conditions in the mines are terrible and the life expectancy of a miner is around 10 years. The town itself showed signs of its past glory but is now run down. We then continued on the bus to Sucre, a beautiful colonial city. I have included below some pictures of the rural buildings we passed on our journey.

Below: a pic outside a small town refering to Buth Cassidy- i must look this up. Is this where they had their final showdown?

Just for fun

Having fun on the salt flats of Bolivia.......

Adobe in Chile

In Chile we took the bus to a small town called San Pedro de Atacama. It is the most touristy place we have been so far and a very interesting little village. The whole village is adobe and all the buildings are at a small human scale- it is like an oasis in the middle of the Atacama Desert. All the surrounding villages are also adobe and sit well in the landscape, responding to the contours of the land. The surrounding landscape is also quite magnificent with hot springs nearby and a volcano towering over the village.