Peru to Easter Island 2008 travel blog

Last morning in Cusco

Back courtyard of the Monasterio

Main courtyard of the Monasterio

Andahuaylillas Church, known as the Andean Sistene Chapel

Courtyard in front of Andahuaylillas Church

The high terrain

Can you imagine farming on these steep terraced hillsides?

Can you imagine farming on these steep terraced hillsides?

Ruins of a huge temple at Raqchi.

Ruins of a huge temple at Raqchi.

Ruins of a huge temple at Raqchi.

Ruins of a huge temple at Raqchi.

Roadside flowers where we stopped for lunch.

Snow on the mountaintop in the high pass.

The high pass.

Beautiful things for sale at the high pass.

Protest by blocking the road with rocks over public transport issues.

Lovely stone church at Pucara

Lovely stone church at Pucara

Lovely stone church at Pucara

Sunset in Puno

Sunset in Puno

Sunset in Puno


I took a last chance to get photos of the Hotel Monasterio before bidding this lovely place a fond adieu.

Cusco to Puno by Motor coach:

Today we set out early to go from Cusco to Puno by motorcoach. We stopped several places along the way to visit museums, ruins and have lunch. The altitude was crazy, because we left Cusco at 11,000 feet, crossed a high pass that topped-out at 14,500 feet, and ended up in Puno, which is at 12,000.

At one point I asked a guy in a fleece and flip-flops if his feet weren't cold. He responded that Peru isn't cold - Ireland is. So it's all a matter of perspective.

Lake Titicaca is the highest-altitude navigable lake in the world, and is roughly the size of Puerto Rico. There was a fantastic sunset just as we arrived at our hotel. The Libertad is a bit of a time warp. It was built in 1970 and seems never to have left it. On the up-side, this was the more minimal version of the time.

Monica joined us for a bit of dinner before being rushed off to the airport to head home. After dinner, Holly and I shared the sauna with someone we guessed might be from Russia, and we were clearly raining on his parade, so we tried the "hot tub". I put that in quotes, because it was lukewarm at best, and the jets were VERY cold. We didn't stay long at all, and we certainly weren't tempted to try it again.

From the guide:

Motorcoach journey through the Peruvian Andes to Lake Titikaka - South America's most extraordinary overland trip takes you to Puno passing through striking highland scenery and picturesque Andean villages.

Bus Departures: Cusco - 8:00 am, Andahuaylillas - 8:40 am, Raqchi - 11:00 am, La Raya - 14:15 pm, Pukará - 15:30 pm, Puno - 16:30 pm

Libertador Isla Esteves, Esteves Island, Puno, Phone: 0115151367780, 2 Passengers, 2 nights in Twin Standard Rm

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