A Magical Vacation in South America

An abridged version of this story was published in the Weekender, a supplement of The Star on 5 February 2011.

Story by Dr. Gan Siowck Lee
Photos by Mr. Chow Yue Cheong

Other friends on this trip: Chow Yue Wah, Foong How Yam, Ho Suet San, Tony Lee, Lum Chee Heng, Ng Boon Puey, Irene Ng, Sylvia Wong and Queenie Wong.

(For a photo version of this travel story, please go to
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/113453409290577346205/album/AF1QipPIIWBlDBMbO2g_OyZ-50_enFLI4RKKMteqAjx3?authKey=CPDg0Zi_4LjynQE

Preamble
To most people, including myself, South America (SA) seems so far away….The very thought of having to spend hours, if not days, just to get there can really put one off. But, after watching a tantalizing National Geographic documentary on the TV about Iguassu Falls, and the impressive PowerPoint slide show a friend sent me of the mysterious lost Inca city of Machu Picchu (MP), distance is longer an issue. I made up my mind to just go, and started to plan and organize the trip in January 2010. Before long, ten other enthusiastic friends decided to hop onto the bandwagon to embark on this “epic” journey.

We were all set to go in May, supposedly the best time to visit SA. But it was not to be, as an unexpected big flood in Peru in January literally derailed our vacation plan! The railroad from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (where MP is located) was devastated by torrential flood, and tourists had to be airlifted out of the badly flooded town of Aguas Calientes nearby. We were forced to postpone our trip to August, the second best time to visit SA. :-(

To cut the long story short, we finally landed in Rio de Janeiro on 8 August. Yes, after about 24 hours in the air, and another 6 hours or so in transit in Singapore and Paris. Phew….The following is a brief account of some highlights during our magical vacation in that far flung continent called South America. We hope it will convince some of you that this continent is worth at least one visit in your whole lifetime.

Brazil (Rio de Janeiro and Iguassu Falls)
Our first stop was Brazil, formerly part of the Portuguese Empire. We started our sight-seeing in Rio de Janeiro, where its residents have proudly proclaimed: God made the world in 6 days and on the 7th He created Rio! It is indeed a marvelous city, spectacularly set between lush green jungle-covered mountains and beach-lined blue Guanabara Bay. It’s a bit like Honolulu, but unlike Waikiki, its lovely beaches along the Atlantic coastline seem to be relatively unspoilt by mass-market tourism. We made brief visits to famous beaches such as Leblon, Copacabana and Ipanema of the “Girl/boy from Ipanema” fame. Of course, we didn’t miss the opportunity to pay homage to Christ the Redeemer, the iconic towering statue (38m high) on Corcovado. We also visited the charming Sugar Loaf Mountain. From the vantage points of these two mountains in the city, we were able to get a breath-taking panoramic view of Rio, which I now conclude, is indeed one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited! Next, we made a day trip to the very scenic imperial summer residence of Petropolis, where a museum and the tombs of Brazil’s first Emperor Dom Pedro II and his family members remain till this day.

Brazil is celebrated for its vibrant music and dance forms, with samba being the best known. Most of us have either heard of or seen on TV, the famous annual carnival parade in Rio which is, believe it or not, five days of relentless partying! Well, too bad we arrived in Rio a few months too late for this so-called “greatest show on earth”. We had to contend ourselves with just a brief visit to the Sambodromo, where the parade takes place every year, and where young people are trained in the art of samba dancing in various schools around there. We met a samba master at one of the school’s souvenir shop, and were thrilled to get some professional tips from him to pose as Samba dancers in a photo shot. We then spent one evening at Mio Ipanema for a scrumptious Brazilian barbecue dinner, followed by a spectacularly colorful Plataforma Samba show, a scaled-down version of the annual carnival parade. It was an unforgettable evening! Football is Brazil’s passion, it was a bonus that we managed to see from a distance, Rio’s Maracana Stadium which can hold 200,000 people, and is said to be the world’s largest football stadium.

My main aim of going to South America is, of course, to see the Iguassu Falls. From Rio, we took a short, pleasant flight to Foz do Iguassu which is located on the far Western Brazil-Argentina-Paraguay border. It is one of this continent’s most popular tourist attractions, and indisputably one of the world’s greatest natural sights. On the Brazilian side, we took in a panoramic view of the falls, which form a spectacular 2700m wide semi-circle. At the park’s visitor center, the waterfalls filled us with awe as we -- some clad in rain coats – watched the water foam plunging down from a height of 72m! The following day, we crossed over to the Argentina side -- without any hassle at the immigration point -- to get a more intimate view of some of the 275 interlinking waterfalls there. These falls which stretch over 3 km are surrounded by luxuriant subtropical forest. Most of us were speechless when we arrived at the famous Devil’s Throat, where 14 separate falls merge to form the world’s most powerful single waterfall i.e. in terms of the volume of water per second. It is like a gigantic boiling and bubbling cauldron! Yes, its thunderous roar made our human voice quite inaudible and irrelevant. In fact, we heard the deafening noise long before we could even see anything! :-0

Argentina (Buenos Aires and the Tango Show)
From Iguassu Falls, we flew into Buenos Aires (BA), the 8th largest city in the world, with elegant European-style boulevards and Parisian cafes, where the spirit of Europe is never far away, so to speak. This capital city of Argentina, the birth place of tango that is aptly dubbed “Paris of South America”, is one of the most enchanting in S America. The wide tree-lined avenues (with Av. 9 de Julio being the widest in the world) and architecture were definitely inspired by those of Paris. Yet, BA is still very much its own city, with its characteristic and distinctive barrios such as bohemian San Telmo which is home to the best tango shows in town; football-crazy La Boca with its colorfully painted streets; and exclusive Recoleta, site of the magnificently grand cemetery where the rich and famous are buried, including Eva Peron. We made brief visits to Plaza San Martin -- where we had a history lesson about San Martin, amazingly, the Liberator of Argentina, Brazil & Peru from Spanish rule! – and Plaza de Mayo. We caught a glimpse of Casa Rosada, the Pink House, which I think is featured in the movie Evita, starring Madonna. We enjoyed all these sights and sounds, capped by a dinner of world famous Argentine steak and wine which was followed by an unforgettable tango show at the Viejo Almacen.

One doesn’t know what tango really is -- not even if you are familiar with ballroom tango dancing – unless you see a traditional tango performance in Argentina. The dancing was gorgeously sensuous, with four handsome couples kicking and flicking their legs (without hurting one another!) with precision and in perfect unison, all on a small platform shared with a band playing the keyboard, guitars and accordions for accompaniment. We were simply mesmerized! Our heads nodded and our jaws dropped in amazement. But here is a secret: for some members in the group, this was partly because they were so tired after a long day and a good dinner that they were dozing off occasionally! Yes, in spite of the lively music and the fabulous performance! Last but not least, Buenos Aires is also a shopper’s paradise, where we managed to purchase top-quality leather goods at very affordable prices, mostly from Florida Street which is practically next door to our hotel!

Peru (Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca)
We arrived at our next destination, Lima in Peru, after a 4-hour flight from BA. Peru is touted by many travelers as a dream country, because of its varied and fascinating sights and sounds. Lima, its bustling capital city is, in my personal opinion, one of the most atmospheric cities in SA. It is an interesting and fascinating mix of Inca relics, colonial architecture, superb museums, old churches, and glamorous shops. Having experienced long periods of changing fortunes over its fascinating history – too lengthy to be described here – it is now an emerging hotspot in this southern continent. Among the many sites, we visited the Church of San Francisco, a monumental complex of Spanish colonial art, with its basilica of 21 altars, a convent with ornate cloister and many rooms decorated with paintings and 16th century tiles from Servilla. There are also the beautiful Moorish arcs to admire, and the mysterious creepy and musty underground catacombs that intrigued us.

We also visited the more modern parts of the city: The Main Park in Miraflores, and one of the most exclusive residential areas San Isidro Olvar, with olive groves cultivated from imported Spanish olives in the 16th century. Our local tour guide told us that some of these old olive tress are still thriving today! (By the way, the Malaysian Embassy is located just nearby, among homes of the rich and famous in Lima.) We made brief visit to the San Martin Square (again, as in Brazil, to commemorate San Marin), the Love Park, the City Hall and old streets with charming colonial mansions and Moorish balconies. After a long day of sight-seeing, I was so worn out that I decided not to go for a seafood dinner with the group. Instead, I had empanadas in my comfortable hotel room, purchased from a little bistro nearby. I swear it was the best pasty I have ever tasted!

We flew from Lima to Cusco, the ancient heart of the Inca Empire, a uniquely beautiful colonial city built amidst the magnificent ruined temples and palaces of the Incas. The whole city is literally dotted with archaeological sites, with new finds being regularly discovered, much like Xi’an in China, I think. We visited Pisac, with imposing Inca ruins on the mountain sides which present excellent examples of Inca architecture and splendid scenery. We also visited the colorful Indian market offering a wide range of handicrafts and plenty of ammonites for sale. The photographer in our group, who happens to be a geologist, couldn’t resist parting with an equivalent of RM 200 or so in exchange for one such fossil specimen, to add to his collection. Much to his dismay and our surprise, it was later confiscated at Lima airport --quite unceremoniously -- just before our departure for home. :-(

From Cusco, we travelled by coach through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to Ollantaytamboo, where we would take the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes (AC). En route to Ollantaytamboo we stayed overnight at Hotel Posada del Inca Yucay, which deserves a special mention here, because it is the most sublime accommodation I have ever experienced in all my vacations abroad! It was a monastery 500 years ago, with lovely landscape and beautiful gardens and an ancient charming little chapel to boot. The next morning, we visited Ollantaytamboo with its old temples and spectacular terraces, and enjoyed the unique views of the Urubamba Valley. In the afternoon, we boarded the Vistadome train to AC and MP, another highlight of our South America tour.

Of all Peru’s archaeological attractions, the most famous and dramatic is undoubtedly the lost city of Machu Picchu, set amid dense forests north of Cusco. For us, the train journey by itself was a spectacular experience. We climbed up switchbacks, passed high Andean peaks that surround the Sacred Valley, and finally plunged down the deep ravine of the rushing Urubamba River to the foot of the ruins of AC. (You can take this same train ride, virtually, by clicking on
http://www.perurail.com/en/routes_and_maps.php?des=1

Upon arrival in the evening, we checked into the El Mapi hotel before venturing out to the town square for some sightseeing and shopping. AG is a small charming and quaint town, with narrow uneven streets lined by little colorful souvenir shops, bars and restaurants, and surprise, surprise, Internt cafe’s. That evening, we were caught in the midst of a carnival-like municipal election campaign in town, where we were “entertained” by both revelers and campaigners chanting, singing and dancing on the street, all the way to a big stage in the town square! BTW, we had our first taste of pisco sour in the hotel. It nearly knocked some of us out!

Early next morning, we walked to the nearby bus station to catch the shuttle bus to Machu Picchu (MP), an ancient city that was built entirely from granite. It was a short 20-minute bus ride through winding and dusty road, but we arrived in time to catch sunrise at MP. It was indeed a spectacular and awe-inspiring sight! We walked and climbed steps around the complex the whole morning, marveling at and examining the ruins of old Inca temples, astronomic observatories, sun dials, Inca houses and agricultural terraces. It was quite tiring and challenging, certainly not suitable for the faint-hearted or those physically unfit. In the late morning, when it got a little sunny and hot, we went back to AC and spent the rest of the day shopping for T-shirts and handicrafts.

We left the following morning back to Ollantaytamboo by the Vistadome train. From there, we travelled by coach through the Sacred Valley via a different route to get back to Cusco. En route, we stopped by at a small pottery where I bought a handmade Inca soup bowl. Then we visited Maras, an old village set on a plateau surrounded by hills. We enjoyed the sight of the famous white salt pans, very extensive, and look like snow under the bright sun. An hour later, we arrived at Moray, a complex of circular terraces hidden among the hills. The view of these terraces -- a sort of agricultural laboratory in ancient time -- against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains surrounding it, is unforgettable! Before our arrival in Cusco, we visited the beautiful village of Chincero with its charming ancient colonial church, Inca ruins and impressive surrounding landscapes.

By the time we arrived in Cusco, it was night fall. We got up early next morning to tour the city and its ruins. Cusco was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, from the 13th to the 15th centuries when most of its amazing stone structures were built. After the Spanish conquest, many of the Inca palaces and temples were destroyed, but their foundations were retained and later put to good use in the construction of colonial buildings and churches. This has made Cuzco city a rich and unusual mixture of Inca and Colonial architecture. Not surprisingly, the city and its ruins is today a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. We visited Korikancha, the ancient Temple of the Sun on top of which the Spanish built the impressive Convent of Santo Domingo; and the Cathedral on the Main Square of Cuzco. Our tour also included a visit to nearby Inca ruins: the fortress of Sacsayhuaman – easier pronounced and remembered as "sexy woman"!-- a fortress with series of huge imposing stone structures expertly fitted together without the use of cement! Before leaving Cusco, we managed to squeeze in a visit to a local shop to purchase genuine 100% alpaca woolens that Peru is famous for. Now that I have the prized and superbly soft alpaca wool shawl to keep me warm on my occasional sojourns to colder countries abroad, what shall I do with my other old woolens?

In the afternoon, we flew to Puno to visit Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest and one of the longest navigable lakes. Upon arrival at Puno, during our coach tour en route to the lake, we made a brief stop at a local farm house to snap photos of the unique –- and very cute! -- South American camelids, such as the llama, alpaca and vicuna. Our coach excursion continued on to Chullpas de Sillustani, the site with funerary towers dating back from the 13th century, the highest among them is about 12 meters. The wonderful view and Lago Umayo (Umayo Lake, actually a lagoon) which is nearby, made this quick tour a very special experience.

We stayed the night in a lovely hotel located on the shore of Lake Titicaca, where we got to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere and the spectacular landscapes that surround it. The following morning, we departed from the hotels’ private pier on our boat trip to experience the magnificent scenery of Lake Titicaca and its beautiful attractions, such as the floating islands of the Uros Indians, and their unique caballitos or boats, both of which are made of reeds. (It was on this boat trip that my high school geography lesson practically came alive! Lake Titicaca is no longer just a strange-sounding foreign name in my text book many years ago.) We visited one of these islands, with houses also made of reeds, and learnt about the ancient traditions of the Uros. Then our boat continued to the fascinating Island of Taquile. Upon arrival we hiked around this idyllic island, inhabited by some 1,500 Quechua-speaking Indians, and famous for its hand weavings and an ancient communal way of life. We were told that there are no policemen, electricity or dogs on this island! We enjoyed a scrumptious lunch (with delicious grilled trout, no less!) at a local “restaurant” which is actually more of a rustic farm house. After lunch, it was another short hike down the mountain to the lake where we took the 4-hour boat ride back to our hotel in Puno.

We bid adios to beautiful Lake Titicaca and Puno early next morning to fly back to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima, we visited the Barranco Indian markets to buy more leather goods – which Peru is also famous for -- and souvenirs, and even went to Wong’s Supermarket to buy local food stuff such as quinoa grains, corn snacks and Peruvian chocolate! Before departure to the airport to fly home, we had a gourmet lunch at the renowned Señorio de Sulco restaurant, where every course came in a few varieties of small portions, delicious and beautifully presented. This lunch was indeed a befitting grand finale to our magical vacation in S America!

(For a photo version of this travel story, please go to
http://picasaweb.google.com/siowcklee/MyMemorableTripToSAmericaAug2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCPDg0Zi_4LjynQE)

For foodies, please read on....

South America, a cornucopia of culinary delights
For Malaysian travelers who are also compulsive foodies, a travel story is somewhat incomplete if there is no mention of food. From all the dining and wining of more than 2 weeks there, we now conclude that S America is a cornucopia of culinary delights. In restaurants offering the famous Argentine steaks (best in the world) or Brazilian beef (when in Brazil), we were often presented a diagram of bovine anatomy for ordering our food, because their large and delicious steaks came in many different cuts with specific names.

As S America is the original home of maize and the red hot chilli pepper, all kinds of corn snacks, maize tortillas and spicy condiments were aplenty. For some of our group members with typical Malaysian fire-eating habit, salsa with red hot chilli pepper chopped and blended with all kinds of other ingredients, was the favorite side dish at every meal, especially in Peru.

Then there were the ubiquitous empanadas, a classic snack available throughout SA in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are actually small pies or pasties – baked or fried, much like our curry puffs – except they are filled with generous portions of meat, chicken, fish, cheese and/or or vegetables. Heavenly delicious!

There is also the now world famous Peruvian cuisine, including the quinoa soup which has found its way to my kitchen and dining table ever since! Last but not least, whether you like Chinese food or not, you must try Chifa when you are in Peru. The term Chifa refers to both Chinese food and Chinese restaurants. Chifa is quite different from Chinese food in Malaysia or China for that matter. It is a fusion with Creole Peruvian cuisine, and not surprisingly, its unique and exquisite taste makes it very popular in Peru. We enjoyed their Chifa fried rice very, very much!

Other than the deliciously juicy meat of all kinds that the meat-eaters in our group overindulged in at various barbecue meals, also aplenty is a variety of freshly squeezed “genuine” fruit juices found everywhere. They are so readily available, from hotels’ breakfast offerings, to juice stalls in every nook and corner of the street (especially in Brazil) where these drinks are made to order! In addition to the usual and familiar orange, mango, papaya and passion fruit juices, there is also the currently much vaunted graviola (sour sop or durian Belanda) juice, said to be a great cancer cure these days.

In addition, there is the coca leaf tea that is offered free to tourists in hotels in Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puno, to help alleviate altitude sickness. Topping the list of drinks, is of course, the deceptively sweetish but lethal and moreish Pisco Sour. It is a delicious cocktail of Pisco (Peruvian grape brandy), crushed ice, lemon juice, sugar, egg white and angostura bitters. This was the welcome drink that nearly knocked some of us out at Hotel El Mapi in Aguas Calientes!