Salt Pools of Maras, Peru

After recovering from our altitude/intestinal disagreement with the local food from the first few days in Cusco, we finally were ready to do a day trip. About an hour outside of Cusco, near a town called Urubumba, there are salt rivers that flow out underground salt springs. The people have a system of terracing and directing the water flow to catch it in pools, let it evaporate, and harvest the salt. With only a handful of workers, they manage 3800 pools, directing the water and harvesting them. We talked to a guy who told us that each pool averages 25 kg of salt a month (works out to 3100 kg per day).

Lima, Peru

Well, the trip has finally started. As it turns out, Lima is not the nicest city out there. Apparently this is common knowledge amongst travellers. We arrived at the airport at 12:30 in the morning, pretty spent. Hopped in an airport taxi (less sketchy at night) who said he knew where our hostal was. As we have since discovered, yes I know where it is doesn´t mean a whole lot in this country. After taking us through some of the shadiest areas I´ve ever seen, he started asking people on the side of the road if they knew the street. The first few pèople had no idea, and mark and I were getting a little worried. In the end, a bum sitting on the curb gave us exact directions to the front door.

The hostal was really nice, and was in one of the few nice parts of Lima. After ditching our stuff, we headed out for a drink. Literally under 5 minutes out the door, as we walked through Barranco square (nice little plaza), a guy started shooting the shit with us, and proceded to offer us "cannibus"...no we´re okay...."cocaine" (in hand)...no no, we´re fine..."ahhh, chicitas." Maybe later.

Headed to the ruins of Pachacamac about half hour outside Lima the following day. The ruins themselves were nothing special, however the busride there was a days worth of entertainment. The bus system is private, and they run like cabs. Every bus has a loud ass dude leaning out the door heckling you to get in his bus instead of the other 3 lined up at the same stop. We asked him in terrible spanish if the bus went to the ruins..."ya ya, Pachacamac". So we got on, not entirely sure we were going anywher near pachacamac. In the end, we got off at the main enterance. The sites along the way were pretty shocking, with Lima being a hole, and only getting worse as you exit the city. Entire villages of squatters were builting into hillsides, garbage and stray dogs everywhere, no electricity or water.

The next day went to check out some of the plazas and markets. Their main market was unreal. Think of anything you could want, and you could find it here. Not only could you find it, you could find 20 stores right next to one another who sell it. Apparently here in peru, instead of setting up shop where there´s no competition, they all set up shop right next to one another. And the shoes...as far as the eye could see.

I´ve never seen anything like it. After that we checked out the president´s house. He lives large.