Places to visit in Peru

The Uros Islands are just one of the amazing sites in Peru. The islands are located near the Andean city of Puno. If visiting Peru is on your bucket list and your travel dates are flexible check the airfares frequently. I have never unraveled the mysteries of airfares. I have seen some flights to Peru for under $500. I find it less expensive to book the land portion of travel myself. I contact hotels directly and booking tours locally. Only a valid passport is needed. Visitors to the Andean region (Puno, Cusco, Machu Picchu) should take it easy the first couple of days to adjust to the altitude.

1. Lima: In Lima, the capital city, head to Plaza de Armas, where the Government Palace is located with a colorful Changing of the Guard at noon. Be early to get a good viewing spot. Also on the Plaza is the Cathedral of Lima and the Archbishop’s Place which was built in the 1600s. Take note of the intricate carved wooden balconies.

2. Cusco: The Incas thought Cusco was the center of the world. The city is a jumping off point for visiting Machu Picchu but don’t miss the Plaza de Armas with a beautiful cathedral and where there are usually llamas, alpacas, vendors, and Andean musicians. Take note of the foundations of the older buildings which were built by the Incas. The Spanish built on top of them.

3. Machu Picchu: There are several ways to get to the iconic Machu Picchu. The hale and hearty can take a multi-day trek along the Inca Trail. Most people take either the tourist train or the luxurious Hiram Bingham train. The last part of the train trip is a heart stopping bus ride from switchback to switchback.

4. Nazca: The Nazca lines are one of the world’s mysteries.  They are only visible from the air. There is a fun four-wheel tour over the massive sand dunes.  The small plane dipping and turning over the Nazca Lines and the four-wheel ride that charges up one dune and down another are exciting to say the least.

5. Trujillo: Trujillo is a coastal city north of Lima. Near Trujillo is Chimu, the capital of Chan Chan, the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas. The city was made up of large plazas, temples, and large tombs for their nobility. The Chimu Kingdom reached its peak in the 15th century and then fell to the more powerful Incas. It is another of Peru’s World Heritage sites.

6. Arequipa: Arequipa, lovely colonial city, is home to Monasterio de Santa Catalina which is frozen in time. For centuries it was closed to the public. It is the jumping off point for visits to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world and twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.

7. Puno: The city is located on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world accessible by

the train from Cusco. The main reason to visit Puno is to take a tour to the Uros Islands where the villages of the pre-Inca people are on floating reed islands.

8. Amazonia: There are several places in Peru to enter Amazonia. Most travelers head to Iquitos for a river cruise. However, Manu National Park, another UNESCO site, has a large expanse of virgin forest and is less visited. Don’t expect to see a lot of wild animals including snakes in the Amazon.

Great train trips

There is something about the mournful sound of a train that calls for one to hop aboard and see the world. Some trains are legendary such as the Alaskan trip from Anchorage to Fairbanks and the Australian Ghan that now goes from Darwin to Adelaide. There are many trains worldwide that offer excellent experiences. Some travel short distances while others cover a whole continent.

1. Denali, Alaska: Maybe you won’t see any of Alaska’s famed wildlife on the ride between Anchorage and Fairbanks but scenery from the double decked dome rail cars will mesmerize as it enters the Nenana River Canyon and crosses the Tanana River on one of the world’s longest single-span bridges.
2. Fort Bragg Smoke Train: The California train chugs through towering trees, tunnels, over bridges and past open meadows on what is known as the “Redwood Route” following the same route it has since 1885. On the Northspur Route a barbecue in the redwood forest is included.
3. Polar Express: Nearly every state has a Polar Express that takes the young and young-at-heart to the North Pole while the book of the same name is read, cookies are served, and songs sung. When it arrives at Santa’s workshop, the jolly fellow boards the train and gives those who believe a bell – just like in the book.
4. Verde Canyon: Located in Arizona near Jerome and Sedona the train runs from Clarkdale to Perkinsville through the walls of Verde Canyon, near ancient Native American sites, with bald eagles watching from their nests.
5. Greenfield Village: Some historic villages have incorporated trains as part of preserving their heritage. Such is the case of Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village in Michigan where visitors can tour the village on a train pulled by one of the village’s historic steam or diesel locomotives.
6. Adirondack Railroad: Hop on board the train in Utica, New York, and head to Thendara through the forests, past pristine rivers, breathing the fresh mountain air while enjoying the beauty of the six-million acre Adirondack Park. Relive the golden age of railroading when the Adirondacks played host to the rich and famous on their way to the Great Camps.
7. Strasburg, Pennsylvania: Ride through Pennsylvania Dutch Country on the Strasburg Railroad that started in 1832. It didn’t purchase its first passenger car until 1861 when President Lincoln made his inaugural train ride to nearby Lancaster and nearly 5,000 people showed up to cheer for Lincoln during his four-minute stop in Leaman.
8. Peru’s Hiram Bingham: One of the most luxurious train trips is aboard the Orient Express train to the mystical ruins of Machu Picchu. The day starts sipping mimosas while watching folk dances followed by gourmet meals with a guided tour of the ruins, along with the excellent service one comes to expect of the Orient Express.
9. The Little Trains of Wales: There are several narrow gauge steam railways in Wales, some of which have been in operation for over 100 years. They have been lovingly restored and maintained. They offer a leisurely ride through the beautiful countryside, past lakes to small picturesque villages.
10. Australia’s Legendary Ghan: One way to get the feel of the immensity of Australia is to take the Ghan between Adelaide and Darwin witnessing the varied landscape and traveling through the vast barrenness of the Outback. The entire trip of nearly 2000 miles takes about 24 hours.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites have been deemed to be of such important cultural and natural value that they need to be preserved and protected for future generations to enjoy. John and I have visited these and many others, the rest are all on my “Bucket List!” For more location on the World Heritage list check whc.unesco.org or www.worldheritagesite.org.

1. The Statue of Liberty: A must visit for all Americans. It has become a symbol of freedom to people all over the world. A gift from France, the Roman Goddess of Freedom sits on Liberty Island in New York Harbor and has welcomed thousands of immigrants to our shore.

2. Iguazu National Park, Argentina and Brazil: The spectacular Iguazu waterfalls are located in a tropical rainforest forming the border between Argentina and Brazil. The falls are 265 high and nearly 9000 feet long and made up of many cascades.

3. Brugge, Belgium: The quaint city of Brugge is an excellent example of a place that has preserved its historic center with many Gothic buildings clustered around the town square. One of the many fascinating things to see is the Michelangelo’s “Madonna and Child” in the Church of Our Lady.

4. Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. The massive site has the remains of the various capitals of the Khmer Empire that spanned from the 9th to the 15th century. Most impressive is Ta Prohm Temple with huge roots laced around the buildings.

5. The Rideau Canal, Canada: The 125-mile canal system was constructed during the 1800s. The system connects Ottawa, Canada’s capital to Kingston on Lake Ontario. The 1800s was the canal building era in North America and the Rideau is the only canal from the era that is still fully operational with most of its structures still in use.

6. Easter Island, Chile: The island, also known as Rapa Nui, was most likely settled by Polynesians around AD 300. They established a culture that was free from outside contact for several centuries during which they carved enormous stone figures called moai. How they were able to do this and why is still the topic of much controversy.

7. Prague, Czech Republic: Prague is home to many historical structures that span from the 11th to the 18th century including Hradcani Castle high on the hill above the Vltava, the Charles Bridge and the amazing Astronomical Clock. Many of the buildings were erected in the 14th century during the time of Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor.
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8. Machu Picchu, Peru: The Inca city high in the Andes has jaw-dropping views of the valleys below. Referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas” there is still a debate as to the exact purpose of the difficult to reach site. It is one of the few places not discovered and looted by the Spanish Explorers.

9. Bath, England: Founded by the Romans as a thermal spa, Bath became an important center during in the Middle Ages. Bath is the oldest of England’s principal tourist destinations and has been welcoming visitors for centuries

10. Hoi An, Vietnam: Hoi An was a trading town from the 10th to the 19th century. Because the old city escaped the ravages of the wars it is well preserved and shows the influence of local and foreign cultures.