Our First Trip to the AMAZON Venezuela and Brazil

MACHU PICCHU

Columbia Guyana

Ecuador Bolivia

Peru

Charles and Judith Moore January 9 – 19, 2010

www.charlieandjudith.com

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Table of Contents Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 2 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 3 Background......................................................................................................................... 4 Learning on the Go ............................................................................................................. 9 Highlights - Amazon......................................................................................................... 11 Highlights - Cusco-Machu Picchu .................................................................................... 23 Memories .......................................................................................................................... 35

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Introduction

Alumni of the Smithsonian National Board gathered in Lima, Peru for this trip, led by Cristián Samper, Director of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and ably overseen by Smithsonian Representative, Kirsten Johansen. Nineteen alumni and friends took advantage of this “Greatest Voyage in Natural History”, which was organized by International Expeditions, Inc. We explored the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve which covers vast areas of the Peruvian headwaters of the Amazon in Peru. As we were planning to undertake this journey, Judith and I couldn’t resist adding Cusco and Machu Picchu; happily, five others joined this extension. The entire trip exceeded our expectations by a wide margin. Despite the strong protest from my administrative assistant (who types this), Judith (who edits both text and photography) and our children (who are expected to read our travel logs), I’ve decided to recap this amazing travel experience. As in the past, it is done for my own enjoyment with the hope that I can share this tropical rain forest and cloud forest experience with our many friends. We may not have been as prepared for our journey as we usually are. With two point-and-shoot cameras with limited zoom capacity and only one set of binoculars, no bug spray and one small tube of sun block (courtesy of a friend), we were not exactly equipped to spend one week on the Amazon River. Still, we were with terrific leaders, guides and friends and learned so much – and managed to avoid severe sunburn and bug bites. Post–holiday-syndrome and Christmas exhaustion are certainly to blame for our omissions as the instructions from the Smithsonian and International Expeditions were clear – just ignored. In any case, we soldiered on. Judith read the account of Teddy Roosevelt’s journey down an unmapped tributary of the Amazon while on board La Amatista and figured if his entourage could manage without all the comforts of home, so could we. Following is a brief summary of the highlights of our trip.

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Background Peru “Land of Abundance” Size: Three times larger than California; third largest country in South America Population: Over 28 million, with approximately 9 million in Lima, the capital city Terrain: Western coastal plains, central rugged mountains (Andes), eastern lowlands with tropical forest Ethnicity: Indian (45%), Mestizo (a mixture of indigenous and European heritage) (37%), White (13%) Religion: Roman Catholic (90%) Languages: Spanish (official), Quechua (Ketch-u-a) the official language handed down from the Incas Government: Constitutional republic; Independence (1821); Constitution (1993) Amazon The Amazon River originates in headwaters high in the Andes Mountains and follows an eastern course for more than 4,000 miles across the South American continent. The Amazon Basin (which includes dozens of tributaries) includes parts of Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela and the Guianas (see national flags on cover). Peru ranks number 2 in size of the countries containing the Amazon Basin and in the % of each country in Amazon Basin. Thousands of years ago, the Amazon River flowed westward. Approximately 15,000,000 years ago the Nazca and South American geologic plates collided and led to the formation of the Andes Mountains. This collision caused the younger rocks at the mouth of the ancient Amazon to crumble and fold, blocking the waters of the westward- flowing Amazon which formed a vast fresh water lake. As the South American continent tilted to the east, the waters drained, passing between the

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Brazilian and Guyana Shields and emptying into the Atlantic. This shift resulted in the Amazon Basin as we know it. What’s amazing about the Amazon?

• The Amazon is by far the largest river system in the world. • Over two-thirds of all the unfrozen fresh water on earth is found within the

Amazon Basin. • It includes over 1,100 tributaries, seventeen of which are over 1,000 miles long. • The second largest river in the world, by volume, is the Congo, yet two of the

Amazon’s major tributaries – the Negro and the Madeira- each rival the Congo in total discharge.

• The water level of the Amazon may fluctuate over forty feet in width, not depth, throughout the year, the lowest stage occurring in August and September and the highest during April and May.

• The mouth of the Amazon is approximately 300 miles wide, and up to 500 billion cubic feet of water surge out to sea per day.

• The flow into the Atlantic in one day would sustain New York City’s fresh water needs for nine years.

• The river narrows to its deepest point (121 feet) near the Atlantic then widens enormously before flowing into the ocean. Silt deposited at the mouth has created the largest river island in the world, Marajo Island, roughly the size of Switzerland.

There are three classifications of Amazon tributaries:

1. “White water” rivers stem from Andes’ headwaters, beginning in mountain glaciers. The white foam of the rapids and falls is called “white water”. Huge amounts of sediment are picked up on the river’s passage to the lowlands. These sediments turn the water a yellowish brown. These rivers are often referred to as “brown-water” rivers.

2. The tributaries that flow through the ancient Brazilian and Guiana Shield areas cross surfaces worn down through erosion and now consist mostly of resistant formations that release little sediment into the waters. These waters are fairly transparent and are known as “clear water” rivers or, in Peru, they are more often called “blue water” rivers.

3. The “black water” rivers that rise in the northern tertiary lowlands are nutrient-poor and carry only minimal amounts of suspended matter. They vary in color from black or tea-stained to crystal clear. The tea color is due to tannin and organic material released from decaying vegetation. These are some of the purest waters on earth and have been compared to “slightly contaminated distilled water.” Most of the organic materials are picked up as rivers cut deep into layers where years of leaching have deposited organic materials from the surface soils. Black water lakes form tributary backwaters and are intensified by organic material and tannins from surrounding areas. When “black water” and “brown water” converge, there is a clear delineation where they meet. This is where the pink and gray river dolphins can often be found.

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The joining of these tributaries results in brown muddy water, the color of café au lait, which characterizes the main trunk of the Amazon. The extensive waterways and favorable climate conditions of the Amazon basin have fostered the greatest development of rain forest to be found anywhere in the world. Over 20% of the earth’s oxygen is produced in this area. The rich canopy of tropical vegetation is home to an outstanding percentage of the world’s bird species.

A “black-water” creek “Brown and black water” Cusco-Machu Picchu Cusco: We traveled from an elevation of 300 feet to 11,000 feet, from lush tropical foliage to the sparse scrub of vegetation of the Andean highlands. Called by the Incans, “the navel of the world”, Cusco is a beautiful town of red-tiled roofs set in the Vilcanota River Valley (later becoming the Urubamba River). Rolling green hills and the snow-capped peaks of the Andes Mountains surround Cusco, 11,000 feet above seal level. Often referred to as the archaeological capital of South America, Cusco is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. Almost every street has vestiges of Incan walls, arches and doorways with superimposed Spanish remains upon these ancient foundations.

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Cuzqueños in colorful, traditional garb

The legend of the Cuzqueños begins with their cultural hero, Manco Capac, and his sister/wife, Mama Ocllu. Together, they rose from the waters of Lake Titicaca and were presented with a golden staff by Inti, (the Sun), and told to travel north to Cusco (“the navel”) to civilize that region. They would know the spot when their magical rod sank easily into the fertile ground. So it was that Manco Capac established the first dynasty, Urin Cusco, around 1200 A.D. Cusco was the seat of the Inca administration and reached its peak in the 15th C. during the reign of Pacha Kuteq, the ninth Inca king. The Koricanha, “building of gold”, also known as the Temple of the Sun, was the principal sanctuary and, indeed the walls were covered with gold. Sacsayhuamán, a huge fortress on the hill above Cusco, was built to protect the Inca capital. Machu Picchu: When the Spanish conquered the Inca empire in 1533, one Inca prince, called Manco Inca, retreated with some of his people to a fortress hidden high in the wild mountains north of Cusco. Manco Inca and his sons ruled this tiny kingdom (known as Vilcabamba) for the following 35 years until the city was sought out and conquered by a Spanish military expedition in 1572. The last of Manco’s sons was captured and executed; and the abandoned citadel was reclaimed by jungle vegetation and soon forgotten.

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Machu-Picchu – Terraces and original stonework Hiram Bingham, a young American from Yale University, developed an intense interest in exploring the Inca ruins of Peru. In 1911, acting on the suggestion of a Peruvian historian, he uncovered the first traces of the archaeological treasures of Machu Picchu. Enduring hardships that included the sweltering humidity of the rain-drenched hillside and the dangers of deadly coral snakes and bushmasters, Bingham and his crew spent the following two seasons performing the arduous task of clearing away jungle growth and excavating burial caves. As more and more of the splendors of this ancient site were unveiled, Bingham became increasingly convinced that Machu Picchu was indeed the lost city of Vilcabamba. His assertions met little opposition until the 1960s when the true Vilcabamba was located even deeper within the Amazonian rainforest. Nevertheless, Bingham’s “Lost City of the Incas” remains one of the most breathtaking archaeological sites of all time, putting Cusco and the environs back on the “must see” list of every South American traveler.

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Learning on the Go

We have always been drawn to educational trips, including with the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum and Cornell University. An excursion entitled “The Greatest Voyage in Natural History” had to be perfect, and, indeed, it was. What did we learn? The education component began as soon as we landed in Lima with our visit to the private residence of the Deputy Chief of Mission, Jim Nealon and his wife Kristin. Nealon has been DCM in Lima since August 2007; before that he served in the same capacity in Montevideo, Uruguay. Jim has been in the foreign service since 1984 and has the personal rank of Minister Counselor. Before lunch we were treated to the recipe for and a demonstration on the making of pisco sours (the Peruvian national drink) and ceviche, one of Peru’s best known dishes and long a favorite of ours! Before our classic Peruvian lunch, Jim introduced his embassy staff who each gave terrific briefings on cultural affairs, patrimony, USAID, public issues, etc. No free lunch after all. Kristin demonstrates Judith and support staff Iris like plant growing in DCM’s the fine art of ceviche yard – Charlie’s first flower preparation picture On our voyage through the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, we had three wonderful guides/ naturalists: Jorge Salas, Robinson Rodriguez, and Victor Ramirez Arivalo, who were with us at every step and contributed in amazing ways to our learning process on the waterways, forests, in the dining room and with the music they provided at “happy hour” each evening. It’s important to note that all of the staff on La Amatista were tremendously helpful. They demonstrated their artistic skills by creating a different towel sculpture for each day we sailed. The journey was highlighted by lectures given by botanist and Director of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural history, Cristián Samper. In brief, he discussed:

Bio-geography of South America o Amazon River’s reversal of direction 50 million years ago with the rising

of the Andes o Isthmus of Panama’s closure 3.5 million years ago, separating the Pacific

and Atlantic Oceans o The tools scientists use to study organisms

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Ecology of a Tropical Rain Forest o Plants are at the bottom of food chain; a seed needs light, nutrients and

water o Seeds can become trees and build cellulose, a clinging vine, an epiphyte

(air plant) or hemi-epiphyte (send roots down to get nutrients, like figs) o Plants protect themselves through mechanical defenses, chemicals, or by

finding a partner (e.g., mutualism with ants) o Seeds are disbursed by wind, birds, primates and people

Why are there so many species? o Depends on habitat specificity, enemies, dispersal assembly,

environmental vulnerability and impact of seasonality (climate) o Since Darwin, we know a lot more about mechanisms of inheritance, age

of earth and fossils and genetic mutations o In the end, it comes down to speciation and extinction

Eco-systems and human well-being o Direct and indirect ecosystem services, including food, water, nutrients

and cultural and spiritual values o Human population diversity o Cultivated systems o Use of net primary productivity o Terrestrial biomes o Drivers of change: extinction of species, habitat transformation, over

exploitation, invasive species, pollution and climate change o Responsible options: includes institutional (regulations), economics, social

behavior, technologies and knowledge o 10% of planet involves protected areas (much more work to be done

especially marine-wise). George W. Bush accomplished more than all other U.S. presidents in history in terms of ecological awareness

o Choices made by society going forward will affect bio-diversity (global vs. regional and reactive vs. proactive)

Deforestation and climate change

o Amazon Basin being deforested for food for cattle and to grow soy beans o 50 million years ago, there was a tropical forest in Wyoming o 20 million years ago carbon dioxide was twice what we’re now trying to

achieve. o International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC)

Temperature rose 1º C. from 1850 to 2000 Goal is to limit change to 2 º C. Sources of CO2:

50% fossil fuels, 20% deforestation Rate of climate change is greater in Northern Hemisphere An investment of US $8-9 billion/year can reduce CO2

emission by 80% by 2020 (Brazil is ready to start funding their share)

Each ton of carbon avoided is worth US $5

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Our Expedition Leader, Jorge Salas (with background in politics and photography as well as being a naturalist) gave a lecture on the history of Peru, including:

o 3 natural regions: Pacific Coast, Andes Mountain Range, and Amazon Basin

o 24 political regions, 120 Congress persons o He estimates that population of metro Lima is much larger, approximately

14 million vs. 9 million o Pre-Inca culture o Incan empire and Civil War o Chilean War against Peru o 1969 military (Communism) leading to Agricultural Reform, leading to

Socialism o 1821 Peru an independent state o Alán Garcia (“young, slick speaker”)’ 1982 hyperinflation o Alberto Fujimori (Peruvian-born president of Japanese parentage in office

from 1990-2000 Keeping the Smithsonian’s mantra to ‘increase and diffuse knowledge’ in mind, we think we held up our end – from sea level to 12,000 feet above, from the most exotic nature the earth has to offer to the most beautiful religious art and architecture - we were there. We saw, learned and enjoyed every minute.

Highlights - Amazon – Sea level to 3,000’ 1. Tropical Rainforest - Birds!!! La Amatista For six days (and one night), we searched for birds in two 20 person twin-engine

(75 HP Suzuki) launches with guides and expert drivers, mostly through the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (largest protected wetland in the world; 100,000 population and over 450 bird species) It just doesn’t get better than that!’

Judith identified and recorded 86 different species.

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Great Black Hawk Black-crowned Night Heron

Yellow-rumped Cacique Wattled Jacana

Yellow-headed Caracara Oropendola

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Blue and White Swallow or White-winged Swallow Blue and Yellow Macaws

Swallow-tailed Kite in flight Horned Screamer – very noisy

Neotropic Cormorant Pied Lapwing

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Most of our bird watching took place on the “black water” tributaries and often, we had to cut our way through sea lettuce that completely blocked our passage. We even fished for small piranha and ate them!

Pepe and his machete Robinson with piranhas Our catch of piranhas

The best day (January 15) was our last, when we hiked and paddled through the rainforest for 6 1/2 hours, interrupted by two lakes. The scenery was unforgettable, as was the diverse foliage. We saw a capybara, a Menelaus’ Blue Morph Butterfly and an amazing spider “condominium”. One of our guides captured and showed us a poison dart frog. When we hiked on land, we wore “gaiters” (or chaps) to protect against chiggers and snake bites.

Blue Morph Butterfly Spider “condo”

→

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2. Other Tropical Critters

Along the way, we spotted 3-toed sloths (a); 4 kinds of monkeys (b): squirrel, saddle-backed tamarin, red howler and woolly; a capybara; iguanas (c); butterflies and one giant Rothschild moth (d); dolphins (gray and pink); leafcutter and army ants (e); frogs (f); turtles (g); snakes (h) and bats (i). (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (f) (f)

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(g) (g) (h) (i) (i)

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In the rainforest The trees, plants and flowers, accompanied by all the birds, insects and animals that protect them and co-exist with each other, were fantastic. One of our favorite flowers was the Bird of Paradise. We were also fascinated with all the epiphytes, termite nests and mistletoe. Termite nest Epiphytes Mistletoe

3. La Amatista

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Outfitted 10 years ago, the “cutest” little ship on the Amazon was extremely comfortable. This 28-passenger riverboat is staffed by a skillful and personable crew (13); all cabins are air conditioned with private baths and hot (well sort of hot) showers. She is 127 feet long and 28 feet wide; there are 3 decks: observation, upper and lower. We were on the lower deck and found it perfect for sleeping and gin rummy. The dining room offered amazing panoramic views.

Several of the crew played music every night during happy hour: Andean pipe, ukulele, guitar, maracas, camponya and several kinds of drums. It was fun, enhanced by lots of pisco sours. On several mornings at 6:00 am, our musicians/crew members circled the deck (minus the pisco sours) playing “Cielito Lindo” as our wake up call! We often went out on our launches as early as 6:30 am, returning for breakfast or taking it with us. We averaged two searches a day and were rained out only once. A trip at night was very exciting and was highlighted by spotting the largest lily in the world (a) and a baby Caiman (a variety of crocodile) (b). The stars were spectacular in the clear night sky.

(a) (b)

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4. River Villages

We stopped at and visited several river-side villages (population 200-250 each) In one, we inspected their new (funded by International Expeditions) water treatment plant; visited with their medicine man (curanderos) and entertained the villagers with our rendition of “Old McDonald” animal names in Spanish). Each village offered native crafts for purchase.

Our audience Harvesting manioc

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5. Research Stations

Control Points PV 1 and 2 on the Pacaya River

Amazon Yarapa River Lodge, privately owned by an eye doctor from

Syracuse, NY who has purchased and leased 500,000 acres. He generates 90% of his energy requirement from solar panels, imports water and catered food and makes his extensive facilities available to tourists and research groups (Cornell’s Ornithology Lab, for one).

Fried fish at camp Yarapa River Lodge

Aboard a launch

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6. Sunsets!!

Whether we were returning to La Amatista in our launches from a full day of bird watching or were already settled into “happy hour” with our crew musicians, the sunsets were terrific.

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Highlights - Cusco-Machu Picchu

On the morning of January 16, we disembarked La Amatista to fly to Lima and then on to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan empire and a jewel of Incan and Colonial architecture. 1. Chinchero

We arrived in Cusco late afternoon with light rain and a rainbow (the colors make up the stripes in the Cusco flag). With a population of about 600,000, Cusco is Peru’s 3rd largest city. Elevation at the airport is 11,000 ft. and we felt it! With our new guide, Harvey, we drove to Chinchero, which was even higher at 12,000 feet! A pretty rural drive, we passed fields of crops, especially potatoes. Peru produces more than 300 varieties of potatoes. Eucalyptus trees, introduced in 1800, are becoming a problem (like in Israel) because they consume too much water. Farmers in this area have been very successful in dehydrating vegetables, especially fava beans, corn and potatoes. Most buildings are adobe. Farming is done on communal lands, with the workers accounting for a higher-than-normal birthrate. As we entered Chinchero, Harvey pointed out the “flower” design of Inca stone construction. We were enchanted with a visit to the Chinchero Indian Market, complete with a cup of cocoa tea, designed to combat our altitude queasiness. We were introduced to the process of washing the wool and alpaca in soap before coloring it with different plant dyes (also used for medicine). Some of these dyes are a little “shaky” like those coming from youth urine (under 15 years) and parasites from the prickly pear cactus. The wool is then boiled for 30 – 60 minutes and hung to dry for 2 days. Not surprisingly, we were all willing buyers, and Judith and I purchased a weaving by Leonarda Pauecar, who patiently explained all the symbols used in making this piece. We drove back to Sol Y Luna in Urubamba, the most charming hotel/spa imaginable. I had more cocoa tea and then guinea pig for dinner!

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Sol Y Luna Charlie doing his usual weeding

2. Sacred Valley of the Inca (January 17)

We visited the small cobblestone-paved town of Ollantaytambo, founded in 1848, in an area of great military and sacred importance to the Inca. It is, perhaps, best known for its proximity to the great fortress of Ollantaytambo and the Temple of the Sun. This is an unfinished construction containing several rose - colored monoliths of a type of stone not usually found in this valley. The question is, how did they get here? We visited a tiny home practically “infested” with guinea pigs!, running about freely, a mounted condor’s wing and a “boom box” wired in from the street. For our benefit, I suspect, there was a tiny American flag in one of the niches. We arrived at Sacsayhuamán, an overwhelmingly impressive fortress, which is a true demonstration of ancient construction skills. This military complex, has a double wall in a zig- zag shape which some say imitates the teeth of the puma, whose head can be seen in the fortress wall. Sacsayhuamán was the focus of the Great Rebellion led by Manco Inca against the Spanish in 1536. Archaeologists estimate that tens of thousands of workers labored on this massive structure for up

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to 7 decades. Although the outer walls remain intact, the buildings in the complex (large enough for a garrison of 500 Inca warriors) have been destroyed. I walked only the first set of stairs; the rest of the gang went to the top, where the views, in all directions were magnificent despite a partially cloudy sky.

Ollantaytambo

3. Machu Picchu (January 18) We then boarded a special Peru Rail vista-dome car that took us 27 miles, dropping 2,500 ft. in elevation along the roaring Rio Urubamba, which eventually flows into the Amazon. Judith and I sat in seats 1&2 with a clear view of everything as we descended to the valley of Machu Picchu in an exciting 90 minute ride through pastures, flower gardens and a raging river that has defied boats of any kind.1 The adjoining mountains rise to 20,000 feet; we were intrigued with the upside down trumpet flower, the Tatona. We had lunch in Machu Picchu town (population 70,000; elevation 8,000 ft.’). Our bus ride to the base of the Machu Picchu peak was the wildest ride I’ve ever been on with hairpin turns taken at speeds I considered excessive with very little in the way of guard rails.

1 This would be the same river that flooded several days later stranding thousands of tourists on Machu Picchu.

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Río Urubamba Hidden from the world until 1911, when Hiram Bingham arrived, this Inca refuge in the mountains is breathtaking in every sense. The first glimpse of this startling and extensive construction of granite, (the guides call it “Muchu Pictures”) is unforgettable! 65% of the refuge has been restored. The Temple of the Sun contains, perhaps, the most perfect stonework found anywhere in the world. This temple would probably have served as an astronomical observatory. Some of the buildings have restored thatched roofs to give visitors an idea of how the enclave might have looked when it was inhabited by, perhaps, 1,000 people. It is just magnificent!! Temple of the Sun Machu Picchu Amazing rainbow

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The adjoining pasture terraces are as exciting as the granite construction. The grass, including between the stone in the walls, is “trimmed” by the grazing llamas. The area was formed and lived in communally (although “social position” did determine size and place of residence).

Sun Dial Guard House A resident llama, best smile Rufous-collared Sparrow

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At the top of our world

Our intrepid group

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The Inca culture is very evident. The architectural design and stone cutting is amazing (and without metal or the wheel!). We climbed everywhere; including to the sundial (aligned with 4 mountain gods) and Guard House; and the steps are really high! The Incas were short, thick chested (to take in more air) and bow-legged to handle extremely high steps. The views at every point, despite incessant heavy rain, were unbelievable. We spent the night at a delightful hotel in the town - the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel.

4. More bird watching and orchid exploring in the cloud forest – 3,000’-9,000’ elevation (January 19) At the Pueblo Hotel, in spite of the pouring rain, Judith and I took advantage of the 6:15 am bird watch with a great guide. We were fortunate to see, in flight, a female Cock of the Rock (national bird of Peru). In addition, we counted 13 new species:

5 hummingbirds 3 fly catchers 4 tanagers 1 tropical kingbird

Our walk through their orchid gardens was equally rewarding and drenching! Orchids were first found in China; then, further developed by the Greeks. We saw more than 20 species of orchids including one that had Salvador Dali’s goatee and one that was as tiny as a baby’s fingernail; very exciting!

Chestnut-breasted Coronets This orchid grows on the leaf

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“Waqauki”

“Rabbit ears”

“Salvador Dali” Tiniest Tiny orchids We did have to use the hotel’s hair dryer to get our clothes dry enough to ride back to Cusco. Even our playing cards got soaked!

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5. Trip back to Cusco

We re-traced our train ride and to make up for the inclement weather and crowded car, the crew presented a fashion show! Driving through a lovely valley, back on our bus, we passed three mountains with large glaciers, with elevations of 17,400 ft., 18,000 ft. and 19,200 ft. The vistas and pasture land set against the majestic Andes throughout the Sacred Valley are mesmerizing. We also passed the two lakes represented in the weaving we purchased in Chinchero.

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We arrived in the Plaza des Armas, just before closing time, at Cusco’s magnificent Cathedral, actually a complex of three distinct churches. Through the massive doorways on the left of the façade, one enters Cusco’s first church: Cusco’s Cathedral

The Triumph (El Triunfo) Church (1536) - Cusco’s first church built in honor of Spanish victory over the Inca in 1536.

The Cathedral – begun in 1559, it took more than 100 years to build and combines Spanish Renaissance architecture with Incan stonework. It houses (among many other treasures) the Maria Angola Bell, the continent’s largest, made of a ton of gold, silver and bronze.

Chapel of the Holy Family Church or the Jesús María, built in the 18th century. In 1650, a massive earthquake wrought significant damage to the construction; the entire complex has undergone a major restoration over the last 30 years (including a renewal of all the luxurious fabrics used to dress the holy sculptures). The place shines with gold and mirrors and restored art everywhere you look. Harvey, led us through the complex; Highlights include:

Cathedral Choir, with two-17th C. organs just restored and wood choir stalls with bare-breasted women, which turned out to be fertility symbols (curious in a choir probably made up of monks)

Painting of Last Supper by Don Marcos Zapata with Jesus and his disciples in Peruvian dress and feasting on Peruvian fruits and roasted guinea pig

Painting of Christ of the Agony (crucifixion) attributed to Sir Anthony Van Dyck (or Alfonso Ocana)

A statue of the crucified Christ (Our Lord of the Earthquake). This statue has become blackened over the years so that it is now called “The Black Christ”.

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The next morning, (somewhat drier as far as our shoes and clothing were concerned), Judith and I took off on our own and with a new guide named “Willie”, toured the Church of Santo Domingo, (Qoricancha). Built in 1450, on Incan foundations, this complex epitomizes a fascinating combination of Inca and Colonial art: Inca construction at the base level (andesite/ basalt with no mortar) and colonial construction on top using mortar between the building blocks. When the Spanish came, they covered the walls with plaster and added paintings to the ceilings. As we saw at Machu Picchu (except there they used granite), the precision in Inca stone cutting is unrivaled; we also noted the “trapezoid” (leaning in) construction and frequent niches for idols. The bell tower was destroyed by earthquakes in 1950. The museum has wonderful religious paintings, including of Cajamarca, where the Spanish first met the Incas, and an Incan painting of Christ with “bowed legs”. In the courtyard and outside the complex, there are beautiful flowers, including the Cantu, Peru’s national flower. The colonnades surrounding the courtyard (albeit exposed to the weather) were full of paintings, some demonstrating the Incan’s knowledge and passion for astronomy (their constellations all feature animals). We also visited the Incan’s Temple of Stars, which the Spaniards converted to a meeting room; and the oldest church, now beneath the original and astonishing Temple of the Sun (gold-studded walls with emeralds and turquoise).

Moores in Qoricancha

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Next up, the Museum of the Monasteries of de Santa Catalina. A former Inca Holy place, the monastery was founded by Lucia de Padilla for 24 nuns. The House of Chosen Women museum and convent was built in 1601 in Arequipa but moved to Cusco in 1605. The whole enclosure is a treasure. The liturgical vestments the nuns embroidered are outstanding, as is the Chapter House (conference hall) with its murals by the 18th C. Incan, Tadeo. There are four levels of murals: starting with the lowest- geometric designs, earthly pleasures, figures of sainted hermits, and angels and archangels. Their art gallery displays 17th and 18th C. Colonial art, including three paintings by Diego Quispa Tito, a 17th C. indigenous artist. Finally, we visited La Compañía de Jesús (dubbed by many as the “most beautiful”). Founded in 1571, with baroque façade, intricate interior, finely carved balconies and altars covered in gold leaf, this church also took nearly 100 years to build, in part because of the 1650 earthquake. We were impressed with its reredos which combines sculpture and paintings, and with its alabaster windows. We stayed at the Libertador Hotel which was very comfortable and well located. We would go back, to Cusco and to Machu Picchu, but perhaps in the dry season next time.

On the streets of Cusco

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Memories International Expedition’s agent who met us at the Lima airport on January 9 (to

take us to the SwissHotel for a 90 minute nap before starting this amazing journey) set the tone when I asked what characterizes Peruvians compared to the rest of South America. His answer: “We really like people and we try harder”. We found that to be true wherever we went. It also applies to their culinary pursuits. Peruvian food is terrific! Judith is in love with quinoa. We both fell in love with pisco sours and at extreme elevations, cocoa tea is very effective.

The Amazon is wide, deep (up to 75 feet), muddy and full of floating plant debris. Still, it runs through some of the most beautiful, mostly hidden spaces and hosts much of the most amazing wildlife and vegetation in the world. And we were only in the headwaters.

60 % of the Amazon water source comes from Andes snow melt, the balance from rain.

The tropical bird life is without parallel, and we saw a lot of it. The Amazon jungle is both beautiful and largely impenetrable. The competition

for light, nutrients and water is fierce. This and the dependence of tree life on insects and animals gave us a whole new understanding of biodiversity. The forest is also home to all kinds of medicines and poisons.

The Incan civilization, reaching its peak in 1530, does not get enough credit for its development in terms of stone working and agricultural output.

Hiram Bingham’s discovery in 1911 of the ancient ruins at Machu Picchu is awesome but we still do not know nearly enough about the civilization.

Cusco, the ancient capital of Peru, is a gem, especially in religious architecture and art

The ethnic mix of Peru- 45% Indian, 37% Mestizo and 15% White provides for a very interesting culture. Both Spanish and Quechua are official languages.

Potato farming, according to Peruvians, began in Peru. Today, 50% of asparagus imported to the US comes from Peru; 60% of Peru’s agricultural export comes from its Pacific coast region. Peru is third, behind Columbia and Bolivia in cocoa production (the government buys less than 20% for tea and medicine)

While Peru has had a “mixed” political history (Communism from late 60’s to early 70’s), it has a 90% literacy rate and requires all eligible citizens to vote.

In the words of a “new movie”, what we saw in both the rain and cloud forests “is complicated”!

And Judith continues to be the greatest travel partner and wife; in another movie reference, we’re really having fun with our “Bucket List”!

____________________ Charles H. Moore

Machu Picchu Aboard La Amatista