Journal Peru

A visit to the beautiful waters of Lake Titicaca will defiantly provide you with an unforgettable experience.  This unusual lake is situated at quite a high altitude, almost 4000 meters above sea level and is located between Peru and Bolivia.  The lake also holds the record as the highest commercially navigated lake in the world and is the biggest lake in the area of South America.

Many thousands of tourist come each year to see and experience Lake Titicaca as part of their holidays to both Peru and Bolivia.  The lake is quite large covering an area of approximately 8.5 km2 and is also visible from space.  The natural feature of the lake has been described as composing two large basin areas that are connected by a narrow straight through the middle.  The water that ends up in Lake Titicaca is from melted glacier ice, rainfall and from the five large rivers that feed into the lake system.  The lake also features more than 30 islands that are dotted in various locations around the lake area.

Tourist that take the time to visit and follow some of the history of this area will learn that Lake Titicaca was a very sacred place for the ancient civilisation of the Incas.  It has been said that the first Inca King was born near the lake and that Lake Titicaca was where the world was created.  Studies of Inca mythology have concluded that Incas believed that Viracocha the Inca god stepped from the waters of the lake and created the sun, the moon and the stars and also the first people.

Visitors to the Lake Titicaca should base themselves in the town of Puno which is located on the banks of the lake on the Peru side.  The town of Puno is said to be a beautiful place to visit with many tales of folklore originating in this town.  The town is also close to other attractions in Peru including Macchu Picchu and the beautiful town of Cusco.

Tours around the lake offer some great photo opportunities of this area as well as provide access to the many islands that are dotted around the lake.  The best way to see all the island and the many ruins that they hide is to join one of the many tours that leave daily from Puno.  Many of the islands have hidden ruins dating back to the Incas which you may miss if you decide to visit these places without a tour.  Lake Titicaca is defiantly worth a visit if you are planning to holiday in Peru or Bolivia and remember to take your camera.

The small town of Huacachina is a beautiful little town that is located next to a natural oasis on the outer fringes of the desert.  The area is surrounded by great sand dunes which are part of the appeal for tourists that visit this area.  The town of Huacachina was built around the oasis in the 1920s and was very popular with people who travelled from all over the world to soak in the oasis waters which were rumoured to have health and medicinal properties.  Today the town of Huacachina is still popular with tourists but some of the areas that were built during the boom time for the area have started to look fairly neglected.  This area still attracts people who wish to experience the oasis but many people now visit and stay at Huacachina to experience some of the adrenaline activities and as a stepping stone to other nearby attractions such as the Nazca lines.

The town of Huacachina is located quite close to other areas that are popular with tourists such as Cuzco, Arequipa and Nazca.  There are also quite a few activities to participate in while staying in this oasis town.  Dune buggy rides are a popular activity with many tourist operators offering the opportunity to ride up and around the huge dunes that are present around the township.  The area also hosts sand surfing competitions with tourists able to hire sand boarding gear to try the sport for themselves.

As well as the activities in the town of Huacachina this area is also a great place to base yourself if you are planning on seeing the Nazca lines.  The town of Nazca and the famous Nazca lines and desert pictures are located quite close to the oasis town which makes it easy for day trippers to experience the mystery of the Nazca.

The Nazca lines and pictures were thought to have been created in the time that the Nazca Indians inhabited this area.  The lines and shapes would have taken some time to complete due to their size and detail.  There are many theories about why these lines and pictures were created but no one is quite sure why they were done.  The best way to see the lines and the pictures is to charter a plane or organise a flight through the many tourist companies that are located in Nazca.  The flight over these ancient and mysterious lines and pictures is well worth the money you will pay.

The city of Huancavelica is the capital of the Huancavelica region which is often described as the poorest cities in Peru with many areas populated with shanty town type housing and a large population of Indigenous people make up the population.  The city is spread over a large area and varies in altitude from over 5,000 meters in the mountains to 2,000 meters in the areas of the valleys of Huancavelica.  This area of Peru can be quite a challenge to get to for many travellers but once you make it to this city there is much to like in regards to the friendly people, the architecture and the history that is everywhere in Huancavelica.

This city has a cruel and sad history with many indigenous Peruvians loosing their lives to the mining activities that made this town.  After the Spanish had moved in and taken this area the local people were used in the mines to extract the rich sources of mercury and silver.  This activity was dangerous and many people lost their lives.  The current town of Huancavelica was founded officially in the late 1500s and has definite colonial history that is reflected in the many buildings and churches that are present in the town area of Huancavelica.

Tourists that are planning on visiting this area of Peru should think about visiting during the dry season which is between May and October.  This area can be very cold with wind coming off the tops of the mountains.  Apart from the colonial style influences of architecture Huancavelica also has great little markets and many activities that are centred around the main square in the middle of town.

The accommodation is quite reasonable and the prices are quite cheap compared with other areas of Peru.  To cater for the tourists that move through this area during the dry season there are a few great places to eat and as with the accommodation much of this is located in the town centre.

Huancavelica is a great place to visit especially for those travellers who are looking to add to their Peru experience by travelling somewhere that is a bit off the beaten track.  Many tourists don’t visit this area as sometimes it can be quite a challenge to organise travel to Huancavelica but those who persevere will be rewarded with an experience that will be both memorable and rewarding.

When people holiday in exotic countries their general  wish is to emerse themselves in the culture and enjoy the sights and experiences that are sometimes off the beaten track.  Many of these types of experiences are the ones that you will remember for years to come.  For those people who are visiting Peru, it is worth checking out the Rio Amazonas which is a restored riverboat that cruises the waters of the Amazon River.

The Rio Amazonas was brought over to Peru from Scotland in the early 20th century and has been fitted out for day cruising and also has accommodation for those travellers that are looking for a longer paddle boat experience. The river boat is the traditional wood panel boat with three levels of accommodation and plenty of space for travellers.

The Rio Amazonas has weekly cruises along the Amazon River to the boarders of Brazil and Columbia.  They offer a range of activities and experiences for tourists which is sure to suit most tourists.  The staff on board conduct activities such as wildlife observation and fishing as well as stop offs at local communities where travellers can meet local people and enjoy traditional food and dance.

The river boat has a maximum capacity of 40 guests at any one time so it is advised that you book ahead to get a place.  The accommodation is basic but does offer backpacker style or a master suite cabin.  If you are looking for something a little different to do on your next trip around the Peru area then this might be something different to experience.

Inventor Eduardo Gold has embarked on an ambitious idea to coat a mountain summit in white paint in an experiment to see the effect on melting glaciers in the area.  The work has already begun and Gold and his team of painters have received $200,000 through an environmental grant organisation to complete the project.

The World Bank has money set aside each year to fund environmental projects all over the world.  This year there were 26 winners including Gold and his team each receiving money to fund projects that it is hoped will benefit the environment.

The extinct glacial area that has been chosen as the site for the project is the Chalon Sombrero which in its day provided water for the valley below and several rivers in the area.  The theory of the project is that the white surface on the top of the mountain will reflect the sun’s rays which should in theory cool the area around the mountain top.  The simple science behind the idea is that a change in the albedo (or reflectivity of a surface) means that the surface doesn’t absorb as much heat and doesn’t emit as much infra red radiation which is a problem when it heats greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Many of the people who live near the glacier and have watched it slowly melt away are optimistic that the white paint may cause a return for the glacier.  The villages in this area rely on water from melting glaciers as well as melting snow so any idea that can return some of the extinct glaciers will also potentially return life to some of the villages that rely on this water.

Although there are some people who feel that this project is not the best way to spend the grant money, we will all have to wait and see whether the white paint is enough to change the microclimate on the mountain and promote new glacial ice forming.