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Iguana sea mail #247212 10/24/16 09:22 PM
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Ngaire Online OP
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Just finished packing for Iguana and decided to start a thread for this next adventure. We leave early Thursday. Been a while since I have been to Machu Picchu so looking forward to the pre cruise trip.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247213 10/25/16 04:06 AM
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Just getting started with laundry etc. We leave very early Friday morning and arrive Lima late that night so will likely see you on Saturday morning. Can't wait! Safe travels to all.
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Helen

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247214 10/25/16 07:13 PM
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Wishing all the Iguanas a fabulous time and safe travels.
Your pre-cruise to Machu Picchu will be great, it is such an amazing site.


Marcie

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247215 10/26/16 07:52 AM
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Safe travels and YAY, sea mail!


Karen

Live long and prosper
Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247216 10/26/16 08:37 AM
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Have fun at Machu Picchu, and I will see you in Quito! Looking forward to it.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247217 10/26/16 09:17 AM
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Have a great time on Iguana and the same for all of you lucky ones going to Machu Picchu. Can't wait for sea mail! I know this is a part of the world I will never be able to see, so hoping for lots of great photos too. Ngaire, will you PLEASE save me a pin?


Kathy
Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247218 10/26/16 11:38 AM
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Kathy - We will make sure you get a pin! thumbsup

We're packed! It's been such a long wait for this trip, but it's finally almost here! We leave Sunday.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247219 10/26/16 01:07 PM
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Thanks, Kim! I don't have to tell the two of you to have fun - you have fun wherever you go. Enjoy every priceless minute wave


Kathy
Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247220 10/26/16 01:50 PM
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We will do our best! Hope to be able to post a lot, but I don't know how good the internet will be.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247222 10/27/16 11:00 AM
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Love Machu Picchu. Find a quiet place and just sit for awhile and take it all in. The changing of the light can make it magical. There is a great spot not far from the gate with a bench that gives an unbelievable panorama view. Squint a little and imagine all the people as being the original people. Have a wonderful time and don't forget the coca tea. It does help.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247223 10/27/16 02:51 PM
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Oh how I wish we were going. It has been on our bucket list forever. We will so enjoy reading all your seamail. Have a wonderful time.


Sheila and Ken
Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247224 10/27/16 06:48 PM
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Sheila and/or Ken, the more I travel the longer my bucket list gets! I meet people like you along the way and hear about even more great places that I just HAVE to see!
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Helen

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247225 10/27/16 09:38 PM
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Helen….I know exactly what you mean. Wish it was possible to do it all.


Sheila and Ken
Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247227 10/28/16 11:41 AM
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I forgot that the Galapagos trip is this year. You all will have a great time! We loved the Silver Galapagos trip.


Leslie

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247229 10/28/16 12:58 PM
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Ngaire Online OP
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Sitting in the Belmond Miraflores Hotel this is a lovely area of Lima. We have been to Lima before of course. These are some things here in Mira Flores we have not seen before.

So we are going out shortly to visit the cathedral close by. Also Huaca Pucllana ruins and a shopping center in larcomar. The group are all coming in tonight. We leave early in the morning for Cuzco and then down to the Sacred Valley.

This was a very easy flight. On the same time zone as Dallas. Left at about 10.00am via Miami and got here at 9.00 pm. Good nights sleep and set to go.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247230 10/28/16 06:32 PM
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Just back from our outing. The Belmond Miraflores is a lovely hotel and have a taxi service in very nice cars and you can charge the fare to your room. I wanted to go to certain things to see if they were worth visiting when we come back in January 2018 prior to our Lima to BA Mariner cruise.

I checked the regular taxi fares from the Miraflores Park Hotel to the Huaca Pucllana ruins. It was $12. Then I asked the hotel what the charge would be with their taxi - same price $12 in a nice Mercedes vehicle with an English speaking driver. What a great deal. So off we went to the ruins.

The ruins were a little bit interesting with the mud bricks constructed vertically instead of horizontally. There were a few figures made of the mud clay depicting daily life of the people who lived here. The temple was built around 500 AD. I would not bring a group of people to see this ruin though not up with the impressive ruins we have seen elsewhere. Plus you cannot just walk around you have to go on a tour. I do not like that I like to be able to wander. The guide was good though and talked JUST enough so we knew what we were seeing.

On the way back we had a great driver who lived in Houston for 15 years. We asked for a tour to an area called Barranco. A hot spot at night this is an "old town" area close to Mira Flores. I had heard about this area before, lots of old traditional buildings. We enjoyed our short drive by tour.

Then we went to see a highly rated shopping center called Larcomar just a five minute walk from the Mira Flores Park Hotel. LOTS of restaurants and shops and built on the side of the mountain over the coast road and a stunning view of the ocean. The mall is multi level,mostly outdoor, and very interesting. So close and worth a quick visit for sure.

Hang gliders have been flying all day right in front of our hotel, over the ocean and the Larcomar shopping mall. So they were great to watch from the mall. I was told it was $80 for 50 minutes as a tandem ride.

We enjoyed a very reasonable dinner at the mall with a lovely view of the ocean.

Then while I was doing some work this morning Ken went for a walk. He wanted me to see the Virgen de fantima church just a block from the hotel. He was right this was a beautiful church. Very tastefully done and lots of frescos and stunning stained glass windows. We see many churches this is one I will remember. They were preparing for a funeral and the flowers were absolutely beautiful.

Now back at the hotel and looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow and starting our trip to Machu Picchu.

Unfortunately the weather forecast is NOT good. Lots of rain and this is not normal for this time of the year. Keeping my fingers crossed we get some good weather gods smiling on us during our trip.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247231 10/28/16 06:56 PM
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We stayed in that hotel Ngaire. It was really very nice.Saw the mall and did a culinary tour that was exceptional!

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247232 10/28/16 08:41 PM
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Photos from Miraflores, Peru:

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Huaca Pucllana ruins.

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Larcomar Center.

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Virgen de Fatima Cathedral.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247233 10/29/16 12:12 AM
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Well we are here too now. But it's midnight and we started out at 3:30 in the morning. A very long day. The line for immigration was very long and the traffic was terrible so we did not get to the hotel until almost 2 hours after we landed, We checked in , had a cocktail,and some Peruvian bar snacks and are now in our room. It is alovely hotel but we will not be able to enjoy any of it as we are out of here at 730 in the morning. I was surprised when the driver who picked us up said only Ngaire was here before us! All the other couples were on flights that arrived even later than us? Gonna be some very fatigued people tomorrow I think. Cusco here we come!
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Helen

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247234 10/29/16 10:16 AM
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Great to hear from you Helen! The tough travel day for us will be when we land in Lima at 5:30 am then in 24 hours have a 5:30 am flight to Cusco. Keeping fingers crossed for some windows of good weather in Machu Picchu. And we cannot wait to get on the Silver Galapagos!!!

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247235 10/29/16 12:26 PM
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Great to hear from you all. Helen and Jerry must be exhausted. Have fun!

I have been looking at weather in Quito and baltra. Quito is very cool--highs in the low 60s and lows in the 40s. Way cooler than here right now. Baltra seems to be about the same temp all the time-lows in high 60s and highs in mid to upper 70s.

I will bring a jacket!

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247236 10/29/16 06:27 PM
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We flew this morning from Lima to Cusco. We went to what was essentially a living museum, first: dozens of the cutest alpacas and llamas and vicuña I have ever seen. I really had no idea there were so many varieties of these guys but they seemed very expressive and I swear each one had a different face. Loved that! Then we saw various craftspeople, mostly women making different things in their native costumes. Bathrooms were of course inside the store selling all,the things these people were making so the shoppers among us had a ball.

Then we were off to a hacienda /now restaurant. This was down a long dirt road and it must have a pretty good reputation or I have no idea how anyone would even know it was there. The food was all locally grown and it was wonderful. Also my first ever Pisco sour! Yum!

We have now checked into our hotel for the next 2 days. Hoping to get some sleep tonite since our plans for tomorrow don't start until 11:20.

Weather- wise, Ngaire' s mojo is working fine , it was a beautiful day. Warm during the day but a little chilly now. Definitely a light jacket, Rachel.
------------------------
Helen

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247237 10/29/16 07:34 PM
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So happy you're posting seamail and that everyone is arriving safely.

Helen, I'm almost positive that we went to the same "living museum" (good description), with the alpacas and llamas and the women in their native outfits. I loved seeing all those sweet animals. Great photo opts.

Glad that Ngaire's mojo is working, fingers crossed that the good weather continues and everyone handles the altitude well. Thanks for taking us along.


Marcie

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247238 10/29/16 09:07 PM
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Pisco sour is one of George's favorite drinks. Delicious! Are you going to try cuy?

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247239 10/29/16 09:27 PM
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Rachel is cuy the Guinea pig? Is so then answer is not a chance. I had a long-haired Guinea pig when I was in high school and he was the cutest thing. I would not eat his brethren. We did see the ladies on the streets with them roasted on sticks. Not my cuppa tea for sure! Fred says he is going to have one before we leave here.
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Helen

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247241 10/30/16 08:12 AM
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Woke up to a stunningly beautiful day. No wind, bright sunshine and blue skies. Soly Luna has the most fantastic grounds and it all looks so lovely in the sun. Love the grounds not so much the rooms. Wish they would update their rooms.

Horse show and lunch at Soly Luna then it is off for a tour this afternoon. Will report back later.

Ngaire

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247242 10/30/16 01:08 PM
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Cuy is indeed guinea pig. Jon ate it when we were there. He thought it was ok. Sort of like eating squirrel.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247243 10/30/16 06:08 PM
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Can't get my head around why one would know what squirrel tastes like.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247244 10/30/16 06:25 PM
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Here in Texas, eating squirrel was pretty common for many of us. We grew up hunting squirrel to eat - our Grandmas mostly fried it or made squirrel stew. Wasn't really one of my favorite things to eat - a bit too greasy and gamy!

I used to have guinea pigs as pets as a kid as well, so I could not bring myself to try the cuy when I visited Bolivia and Peru!


Cindy
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Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247245 10/30/16 09:07 PM
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What a great day and many thanks to LCTs Freddie for his suggestion to go to Seminaria ceramica. What an interesting place .,we met Senor Seminaria and he told us he has pieces in the Fields Museum in Chicago as well as the Smithsonian. I bought 2 vases and a fruit bowl, remains to be seen how the heck I am going to get that home but it all works out eventually, doesn't it?

We went to the salt ponds which was pretty interesting and the Incan concentric circles which were fascinating. My knowledge about the Incan culture is pretty pitiful. Our guide (also named Freddie) offered a blessing to Mother Earth and played his flute and it was all pretty special.

But the highlight was a stop along the road on the way back to the hotel. There was a family working their field. They wore traditional garb and had obviously been working all day. There were 3-4 small children and a baby and 3-4 adults. Donkeys and oxen. Our Freddie spoke to them in their language and they welcomed us warmly to come take pictures which we all did. We gave the kids coins and cookies and offered cash tips to the adults who were so happy to accept. Freddie thanked us for doing that and said it was likely the happiest they had ever been. My husband jerry said he turned back to wave as we were leaving and saw the matriarch literally jumping with joy.

At dinner tonight some had an appetizer of "crispy Guinea pig legs". These were the most pathetically tiny little legs .......

Tomorrow we take the train to Macchu Pichu . Ngaire's weather mojo continues to hold!
----------/---
Helen

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247246 10/30/16 09:47 PM
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Thank you Helen for taking the time to write about your day. It was a most interesting read. I would also be passing on the Guinea pig's legs!!


Sheila and Ken
Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247247 10/30/16 09:55 PM
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Very interesting account of squirrel cuisine, Lonestatlady! Thank you!
Florie, Lori, Richard, Alice and I are on the plane in Dallas heading to Lima!!
Ngaire better leave some of her weather mojo for us to pick up!

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247248 10/30/16 10:05 PM
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I grew up eating squirrel. Yes, very similar to guinea pig.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247249 10/31/16 05:48 AM
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What a great day we had yesterday. Sunny with clouds around but we had perfect weather.

In the morning ken and I went to look at two other new hotels. Tough choices Sol y Luna has its charm and one of the others has great views and better rooms.

Most of the others went to the pottery place that was recommended by Fred. They absolutely loved it. Purchases were made. In fact they raved about it so much that at the end of the day we dropped off the group and went there for a brief stop to see it as well. For future groups we will add that to the program.

Then the Paso horse show and a multi course lunch that was very good.

We visited the salt plains - fascinating. Then the Moray, Built by the incas. A natural bowl like depression that was terraced to grow medicinal plants. Each level created micro climates to grow different varieties of plants.

We also drove through a little town called Maras. Neat central square with lots of activity.

The highlight of the day was a family plowing a field. We hopped out to take pictures but our guide talked to them and we were motioned closer. They had on traditional clothing we took pictures and had a fun time. The family was a little tense at first but then warmed up and were all smiles. We all gave them money at the end. They were so happy. Just had a different feel for us than people posing for a picture for money. We were pretty generous I think we enjoyed giving even more than they enjoyed receiving.

Great guide I will request him every time. Good food last night.

This morning we leave for Machu Picchu. Overcast a few patches of blue sky. Supposed to rain in the am only, but with the luck we are have no maybe it won't rain at all.





Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247250 10/31/16 06:31 AM
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On our way to the Sacred Valley:

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Feeding the LLamas and Alpacas.

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The Shop where we visited the LLamas.

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Almost there.

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Lunch at the Hacienda.

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Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247251 10/31/16 07:34 AM
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[Linked Image]
Grounds at Sol y Luna

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Sol y Luna
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Sol y Luna
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Sol y Luna
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Paso Horse Show
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Paso Horse Show Dancers

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Lunch at Sol y Luna

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Lunch at Sol y Luna with our great guide Freddy

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247252 10/31/16 07:35 AM
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[Linked Image]
Salt Plains

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Our little family we visited in the field

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247253 10/31/16 08:01 AM
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So glad you all are having a wonderful start to your adventure. In 2014, Crystal and I took this trip. We stopped at the same llama and alpaca santuary. I found it diffucult to decide what to buy in the shop. Too many pretty things. I was amazed at the number of different potatoes grown in Peru. Who knew there were so many varieties!!

Ngaire, it's sad to hear that Sol Y Luna's rooms are not up to your expectations. Our casita was lovely and we wished we could have stayed longer. I remember the coffee at breakfast being amazing.

You all are going to love Machu Picchu. I will also recommend that little bench that Pam mentioned. It's a great place to take in the site.

If you get a chance, you can get your passport stamped at the entrance of Machu Picchu.

Then on the the Galapagos!!!!! I think Javiar is your expedition leader. We remember him as one of your favorite guides. He grew up in and around the islands as his dad was a boat captain. I hope he tells you his Steven Spielberg story!

Loving all the pictures, Ken. Thanks so much for posting these. It brings back wonderful memories of our time there.


Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247254 10/31/16 08:17 AM
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Hi Beth

The rooms are okay I was just expecting them to have been updated in the last eight years. They are exactly the same as they were when we came about 8 years ago. I had heard they had updated so that probably was my reason for disappointment.

They have done a lot of new things to the public buildings. Two months ago they opened a big extension with a pool and outside dining and lounge area. That has really added a lot to the main lodge area.
It is a lovely place no doubt and the grounds are stunning.

I am struggling with the decision of which property to use. The new Inkaterra the views are absolutely stunning. There are mountains in the background at Sol y Luna but not like the views from the Inkaterra. Choice between lovely grounds or a lovely view.

Re: Iguana sea mail [Re: Ngaire] #247256 10/31/16 05:41 PM
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Quick note. Super day. Bright sunshine in the morning partly cloudy and a perfect temperature at Machu Picchu. Couldn't have been better. More later

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