Peru
May / June 2007 - Peru, Bolivia and Chile
Capital

Lima

Area

1,285,220 km²
(30.9x Nederland)

Time

UTC -5

Language

Spanish, Quechua

Highest point

Huascarán - 6,768 m

Flag

The flag was designed by the South American independence fighter José de San Martin and adopted on February 25, 1825. Red represents the blood that was shed during the struggle for independence. white represents courage and peace. The coat of arms contains the Vicuña, the Cinchona tree and the cornucopia.


Itinerary
Currency

The Nuevo sol (named after the Solidus, used in the Roman Empire) is the currency in Peru. It was introduced on January 4, 1991. Depicted on the banknote is a national hero: José Abelardo Çuiñones Gonzáles. During the war with Ecuador in 1941 his plane, an American P-64, was hit in an attack on an Ecuadorian position. Instead of briging himself to safety with his parachute, he sacrificed himself by crashing his plane on the enemy position.




Highlights

The reed islands of the Uros in Lake Titicaca near Puno are very touristic but well worth it. This year there are 32 islands that all want to earn something. When entering the area two islands are assigned. This way, all islands can welcome tourists. The construction of an island takes six months. An island lasts about 20 years and there is room for seven families. Among other things, a demonstration is given of how an island is being built and of course the souvenirs are also present.

Ruins of what must have been an important Inca place are located in Raqchi, on the road from Puno to Cusco. There are approx. 100 Colca's (food storage) The Colca's lie in a straight line and have a diameter of 10 meters. The Remains of the temple are special because of the use of adobe. The monumental village of the same name has a souvenir market where the saleswomen wear traditional costumes.

By train to Aguas Calientes, a very touristic place and the base for an excursion to Machu Picchu. If you have time then walk along the railway to climb the Cerro Putukusi with beautiful view of Machu Picchu. This ascent is very steep and you have to climb several long ladders Not recommended when it rains because the ladders are slippery. Take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu. Get up very early in order to avoid waiting in a long queu. Once in Machu Picchu sit on one of the terraces and watch the clouds drift over the ruins. The ruins were discovered in 1911. A Peruvian boy was leading explorer Hiram Bingham to the site.



Make an excursion to the circular cultivation terraces of the Incas in Moray. The terraces, which act as a kind of bowl between the hills, were created to acclimate crops to higher altitudes. At Maras there are thousands of salt basins against the hill. The salt water spring that rises on the hill feeds the basins through small channels. Once a basin is filled it is plugged. A month later, when the water has evaporated, the salt can be extracted. In Ollantaytambo lies an impressive Inca ruin. This is the only place where the Incas were victorous over the Spaniards.

Cusco, the Quechua word for navel, was the capital of the Incas. A beautiful city with a mix of Inca architecture and that of the Spaniards. When the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro conquered the city in 1533, he ordered demolition of the existing temples and palaces to its foundation to place colonial buildings on top. The way on which the large stones fit together shows the craftsmanship of the Incas. Make sure to be in Cusco at the end of June. Prior to the Inti Raimi festival there are several parades with floats and dance groups. Don't forget to visit the beautiful cathedral. Above the city lies the Sacsayhuamán temple. In 1535 Manco Capac II with an army of 100,000 Incas tried to recapture Cusco on the Spaniards. He didn't succeed.