12. February 2012
Flashlight
11. February 2012
“Traces in the sand”
31. January 2012
“Don’t go to Lima!”
That’s what most people say when we are talking about going there. Or they advise us that if there is no way around it to at least pass it as quickly as possible. Since we changed our route because of the rainy season in the mountains there is no way for us to avoid Lima but instead of cycling through it we figure it will be wiser to take the bus so that we will not have to go through areas about which we’ve been told: “don’t stop no matter what!” So we decide to take the overnight bus from Tujillo and to be even more safe, let alone comfortable we opt for the super luxury VIP (they actually call it that!) version.
A good choice! After mounting the bus and sitting down we realize that this is going to become the most comfortable bus ride of our lives. Everything has an air of going first class on a plane, the seats are huge, there is even enough leg space for Markus, and a good looking stewardess provides us with food, drink, a blanket and a pillow. Wow! So all in all we make it fairly well rested to Lima.
The drop off station is San Isidro one of the finest districts of Lima. Our bikes make it in one piece, the luggage is complete and so we are quickly on our bikes to find a place to stay in Miraflores, another recommended district. This is the place to go to for good food and a vibrant night life. On the third try we find a place, not exactly cheap but very comfortable with the best showers on our trip, a balcony, a minibar and the best breakfast buffet so far. The buildings in this district are mostly finished and the clean streets are lined by a mixture of old colonial style and hyper modern upscale houses. The plan for the following days is to eat well and a lot and do some of the things that tourists do.
So we visit the Plaza de Armas, are lucky to witness the changing of the guards, and we go for long walks in Miraflores and Barranco which has a “Puente de los Suspiros” (bridge of sighs) popular for first dates. There are narrow cobblestone streets lined with a variety of small cafes and good to excellent restaurants. We sit down, sip on Pisco Sour and do people watching enjoying the European flair. For dinner we sample the good restaurants and Markus has cuy (guinnea pig, tastes like duck he says) and I enjoy my causa (peruvian style potatoe salad, delicious) and a tuna dish which is mouth watering! At night the city really awakes and all the trendy bars and dance clubs open up. For us it is time to return to our crispy clean sheets maybe we will stop by at the bar for a night cap.
Thanks Lima, for this unexpected experience!
17. January 2012
Peru is a Dangerous Country?!
For days we have been cycling in the desert, struggling with strong headwinds, welcoming every little shop that sold cold drinks (of which there are not so many on the road) passing slum like areas, sometimes people literally living in the dirt on landfills looking for useful trash. Mostly we received warm welcomes, kids playing in the dirt and old people sweeping in front of their modest homes alike were waving at us shouting a friendly “hola” or “buenas dias”. In front of one little shop a women got some chairs from inside so that we wouldn’t have to sit on the curb drinking our coke.
After a long an strenuous ride on one of those days, around lunch time, a big, new, and good looking restaurant appears in the middle of nowhere. We are hungry and tired and want to get out of the wind so we are pulling in. In the middle of our lunch a bunch of police officers enter, obviously having lunch themselves. One of them is walking up to us, telling us that this is a dangerous place, asking us where we are heading and advising us to wait until they are done eating so that they can escort us through town. Well, we think, another nice story to tell at home. Since this is Peru lunch is an important meal and they are taking their time while we are long finished. After a while we don’t want to wait any longer and we tell them that we are getting back on the road. “no problem”, he says “there will be another car waiting for you”. And indeed, we have barely pulled out of the restaurant as we are being followed by a police car, obviously willing to give us protection. As we are turning right to Puerto Malabrigo they are pulling over telling us to be careful and that they are going to be be there the next morning, here at the crossroads, to escort us the rest of the way out of town.
The last 16 km are fun because for once we can turn out of the wind and with an average speed of 22 km/h we are swishing to our destination. It turns out to be a nice hotel with a balcony and sea view and it is peaceful and quiet here. We are cooking our dinner on the balcony, have a good nights sleep and by morning we have forgotten about our new police friends.
The wind has subsided mostly so even the 16 km ride back to the crossroads is easy. On the way back we are blessed by a nicely dressed middle aged woman with flowers she wants to take to her Lord. She is shaking our hands, admiring what we are doing and wishes us a warm “¡vaya con Dios!”
About 200 m after we have turned right, back into town, they are there again, a police car, going slowly behind us! We wave and they wave and professionally they are guiding us out of town. As we have reached the carretera Panamericana again they pull over, tell us to be careful especially of the trucks and wish us “Buen viaje”. Never felt so safe riding my bike before!
Cycling along, every now and then we are passed by more police cars and we are wondering if we are being handed on along the way to Huanchaco, our destinaton for today.
17. January 2012
Coffee with a View
Café con leche made from Peruvian coffee, no coffee concentrate. Today is Monday and the road that separates me from the beach is nice and quiet. Sometimes a bus passes by and the conductor, who collects the money while passengers get off the bus, loudly advertises the next stops. Overlooking the scene from a terrace of a restaurant I am reminded of one of the touristic locations at the North Sea, Duhnen for example. But here we are having pleasant 25 degrees Celsius, the water is always lapping the shore and although there is not much wind right now there are wonderful waves which are loudly crashing on the beach.
On the other side of the road there is a tricycle, two wheels in front, one in the back. Between the front wheels there is a bight yellow box from which the man under an umbrella of the same color is selling ice cream. In order to take a good picture of the beach I have to hold the camera low so that the sagging electric lines don’t appear in the picture. There is a palm tree that has reached the cable a long time ago and is now resting tired and grey on the line.
The restaurant is run by a Dutch guy who has been living here for a couple of years and who is craving European food. Here at the other end of the world he is offering good vegetarian food and good “real” coffee. I guess his guests are mostly tourists, some of their outfits reminding me of the hippies long ago.
The people here are a bit taller than those from the mountains. Nearly all of them are beautiful with their tanned skin and thick black hair. Men and women walk a lot here so most of them are lean with muscular, well formed legs. The kids with their big brown eyes are on summer vacation. Here at the coast that is is the best time and so there are many children who are using those two free months for big and small adventures.
And somewhere in this world there is me with my new red T-shirt which says “Peru” in white letters. I have finished my coffee and my stomach is rumbling. I am going to get Alexandra who is napping in the hammock next to our tent. We are going to go and find a nice restaurant for lunch. Sometimes we are longing for familiar, maybe even German food but I am relaxed and depending on what the menu says I might try one of the many foreign dishes that are being offered.
“La cuenta, por favor”
11. January 2012
New Year’s Eve Tour
Today is supposed to become a good day! It is New Year’s Eve and we want to cross the border into Peru. We are mounting our bikes early since neither Arenillas nor our accommodation has proved to be inviting. Unfortunately this place is not a good farewell from Ecuador which has housed us well so far and whose kind people always helped us. For us it is a good motivation to get on the road in the unfamiliar heat to ride the 100 km on nearly sea level. And – we are also driven by a longing for the ocean. After the narrow mountain roads and the intense green of the jungle we are dying to roll on a flat road breathing the salty air of the Pacific.
We are whizzing out of town reaching the border easily after 28 km. On our left lie the first modern looking frontier buildings, the immigration officials are whistling at my blonde wife as usual, and we are rolling on a perfect road across a bridge that was built with European money and next to the two flags of Ecuador and Peru there is a European one as well. In front of us the border is materializing. An official is sending us to a small shed. Unfortunately nobody is home and another, not very busy official needs to call him via radio. He has barely parked his bike and glanced at our passports as he sends us back to Ecuador. We are missing the necessary exit stamp. So we turn around and ride 3 km back. Now, on the other side of the road we automatically see the frontier buildings and the signs of the Ecuadorians. Before, we would have had to make a turn. A layout of the road that is not easy to understand for the average German traveling cyclist.
Back on the Peruvian side we are finding friendly words for the Ecuadorians who were efficient and helpful and are at least using their new frontier buildings while we are standing in front of a shed filling out our papers. Behind us the new buildings lie deserted in the sun. Finally we are just happy to have found friendly officials on both sides, we are now allowed to stay in Peru for 180 days, a timeframe we needed a visa for in the USA. And soon we are rolling on Peruvian asphalt.
“I have always had the dream of traveling the Andes of Peru, going up an altitude of 4000 m along a stretch of 300 km through all climate zones on this planet – by bicycle!” I have arrived in my dream, it is real! As we are seeing the ocean on our right we make a brief stop. Alex smiles seeing that I am struggling with tears of joy. After many miles we have reached the Pacific Ocean a second time – this time on the southern hemisphere. For moments like this we are making this trip, fighting against tropical heat of the jungle and stuggling over mountains.
In Tumbes, the first city in Peru we discover the first differences to Ecuador. There are numerous tuk tuks which are called mototaxis here. The streets are bustling and unfortunately there is more trash at the side of the road. We are getting a new calling card, find an ATM that works and go for lunch. And – surprise – the food is much better. Yippee!
Shortly after we are reaching our campground south of Zorritos. We set up camp under a palm roof, jump into the ocean and are being carried back to the beach by the waves. Tonight we signed up for the New Year’s Eve dinner in the restaurant with good wine and pisco sour. We are welcoming the new year with a bonfire on the beach, raggae music and interesting people.
What a day! Thank you Peru, for this wonderful welcome.
