Peru Trip Day 10 - Lake Umayo, Lima, flight home

Wednesday November 2, 2011

Wake-up call 7:00 am. Bags out at 8:00 am. Departure from hotel at 9:00 am. 
James feels a little better.

First stop is to look at a real local market ... not a tourist place. We are asked to be very discreet when taking photos. People do not like to have their photos taken.

Potatoes on the corner. There are hundreds of different potato varieties in Peru.

The white things on the left are dehydrated potatoes. The Incas and natives before them had developed good systems on how to preserve food so it can be stored for a long time. As long as 10 years or so. After all, even today refrigerators and freezers are not so practical where there might not even be electricity.

A wonderful variety of different fresh  fruits and vegetables.

Sweet cucumbers (?)

Got permission to photograph. The child was really cute. Would have loved to take a close-up.

Dehydrated llama meat.

Remember the "Ceremony for Pacha mama" we had on day 3?  click here
Well, we had been told that those offering packages can be readily bought. And here they were. It looked like these were to celebrate a marriage.

Several butchers cutting meat to specification.

Beef heads. Really?

All women have beautiful long braided hair. But how do those bowler hats stay on which only seem to sit on top of the head?

Special bread in form of a swaddled baby. Today All Souls Day was celebrated. Flowers, bread and other offerings were brought to the cemeteries.

from the Odysseys itinerary: Early this morning we visit the mysterious round or square stone burial towers (chullpas) at Sillustani, overlooking Lake Umayo. Built by the warlike non-Inca Colla tribe, the towers here represent the best surviving examples of this impressive type of architecture.

For more information  click here.

Eliseo explains it to us.

Those 'fingers' on the shore of the lake look like rice paddies but are really for growing potatoes. Although the sun is strong and warm during the day it gets below freezing at night and the water surrounding the beds prevents the potatoes from freezing.

Picture taking for 'un soles'.

On day 3 at the end of the 'pacha mama' ceremony we were each given one of those little sacks to offer whenever appropriate. As we can't take home seeds and leaves etc. (US customs would have a fit)  James and I saw it very fitting to have our own little ceremony at this beautiful place.

As it was All Souls Day we scattered the contents thinking about and praying for all our loved ones who have already gone from us.

I am sure some in our group thought that the ceremony on day 3 was total nonsense. But does it matter how you pray and how you show our Creator God and Father that you love him? 

Lake Umayo. So peaceful.

And down to the bus again.

Tail down? Must be an alpaca.

On the way back we stop at this house.

The man is holding a Vicuna with llamas and alpacas in the background. Typical twin oxen (made from clay) on top of the entry arch way.

We were invited into the court yard.

Some were even brave enough to try the bread and cheese.

It is a rather barren countryside at this altitude above 12,000 ft. but the sheep,llamas and alpacas seem to find some grass to eat. 

This lady had knitted shawls and we bought three. Her child was a bit shy.

Guinea pigs  in the next court yard ...

... in the corner.

Mary must have bought something too. She had to sit on her suitcase to be able to close it.
(Just happen to see it from my seat in the bus)

from the odyssey itinerary: 
Following our visit we transfer to the airport

for our late afternoon flight to Lima, arriving this evening. Upon arrival, we claim our luggage and

transfer it to the LAN terminal. We then check in at the airport hotel where we have time to rest and

relax. Dinner tonight is on your own before returning to the airport and boarding a flight to the U.S.

Since we were the first to come from the plane arriving in Lima, Sheila asked James to hold up the sign so she could take care of our luggage.

We spent a few hours at the Costa Del Sol Ramada Lima Airport (Day Room) and have a meal.


James had a lasagne which was more like a shephard's pie. The first food he had eaten in the last few days! He is feeling much better.

I had ravioli filled with salmon and shrimp on a bed of spinach. Good choice.










Our plane from Lima to Houston is delayed but finally leaves shortly before 1:00 am. We were lucky to be upgraded to business class and even had a little sleep. We miss our connection in Houston but are automatically booked on the next.
Arriving in Nashville around noon on Thursday.