Radioman Rides the World.......

Part of traveling is taking time to enjoy the surroundings, the people and the places. Cusco is an inter nation Destination in South America because to the proximity to Machu Picchu. It has a cool colonial feel in the heart of the city. It is also full of tourists from all over coming to trek, sightsee etc. Just the facts.

The Plaza de Armas is a great spot to hang out day and night.



Great architecture ......











And it has gathering places like the Norton Rats Pub with a long history of motorcycle travelers coming through.





I hung out their last night and met "V" from NJ and some of his local friends, and a few other travelers as well.


The colorful dress of the local Peruvian women with their bags tied over their backs....



more traditionally dress people around the park, but some is just based on tourism....



These nice ladies let me take their photo..... But of course they wanted some Soles for the privilege.... I hardly ever do this, but wanted a shot close up of the Llama's with their Earings to show someone owns them.





Lots of cobblestone streets



and sections that they are rebuilding by hand.



I like the stone facades and wooden windows.



Big fountain in the middle of the square.



Spent the day enjoying some sights and arranging more spanish school. I start tomorrow for 8 days of spanish classes.... Know that it will tax my brain, but be helpful in getting to know more, and be able to communicate!

I love the Llama with the tassel earring !!!
Plus I have a special place in my heart for Llamas and Camels ...
Thanks Mark.. Keep the wonderful photos coming ...

Well Radioman, I have been following since the beginning. You have pushed me over the edge. My sportbike is for sale, and I will be leaving my job. You may get asked a few questions but I hope I can create a report one half as entertaining as yours.

First question. How are you picking hostels/hotels? Is it just with that great thing called google, seat of your pants, lonely planet, adv etc?


Cheers

Shane

Shane, Thanks for following along

Hostels/hotels...... I use many different ways, if I can get them recommendations always are top of my list. Looking for sure bike parking is a must. I use ADV, Lonely Planet guides, google, and whatever I can find. In Mexico we used the guides to get us to an area of town then just looked around and decided.

If I have a long day or getting into a huge city I prefer to have something figured out for a day or two so that I can get settled then explore and change as needed. Part of the big reason I share the resources /prices links is to help others.

Best of Luck on whatever you decide to do!!

Great ride report

http://www.hostelworld.com/
Just in case you don't already have it Ride safe and enjoy

great report Mark. I'm insanely jealous.

keep an eye out for the white Nacho vanagon. their report today says they're in Ollantaytambo near Machu Picchu as well. their Facebook seems to have the most current info. (http://www.drivenachodrive.com)

I was wondering, as I didn't seem to read this info in the RR, how much were the language schools in mexico and guatemala?

Thanks I was not aware of that website.

Had to look back .... Sorry I thought I posted it. Several factors about individual or small classroom. I did some of both.

I paid $40 per day for home stay with two meals and 6 hours of spanish lessons per day in Oaxaca so about $3.50 hour for spanish classes with mix of single and classroom with two others

Guatemala was one on one spanish and I paid $112 for 8 days 4 hours a day About $3.50 per hour

Cusco I paid 433 soles for 7 days of 4 hours a day. It is $ 6.00 per hour. But with just one other person. My Oaxaca school was the best as far as learning the Grammar and base spanish. Guatemala was more conversational.

:eek1 Holy gigantic friggin' picture Batman! I think you can see that from space!

Staying in Cusco for couple weeks, so that I can take some more spanish lessons, explore and relax and then see Machu Picchu. Always lots of things you have to figure out like where to buy your tickets for the sights. Like the "Boleto Turistico Del Cusco" and then entrance into Machu Picchu and the Huayna Picchu (big hill next to MP that has great photo ops!) but you have to pay more and reserve a spot.

Since there are many Gringo's in town.... the local pubs are great to meet some other traveler. I was at the Norton Rats Pub.



Signed the Motorcycle Guest book!



At the pub, I met "V" from NYC area. Had a great set of conversations about life. Great guy who had been here meeting friends after doing the Inca trail hike. We talked about Fate, Faith, Soul and God for part for the evening! Cheers!



In the background was Leo who is the "tour agency" at my hotel and a really nice guy who rides a motorcycle. He got me playing Darts.... Did not go well but the second game was closer





By the way..... I am now here on the South America Map. Still a long way to Ushuaia and lots to see along the way!



While waiting for Spanish class I was reading about the area, and all the statistics ..... Amazing learning about all these places that i am traveling in. of course it's not always good news.



I needed a couple parts for the Scottoiler that I am about to install, so they sent them to me at my hotel. was so glad they arrived!



The next day at my Spanish class we took some time to walk to the San Pedro Market and use some of the Spanish we are learning. Helping to reinforce new Vocabulary!



The Market is broken into Sections. Here are the Ladies and their breads!



Lots of cool displays of products to buy.



Fresh Olives!



Fresh Queso (Cheese)



Black corn, Grains and Potatoes







Meet David from my class of two He is a young guy from Denmark. We stopped to have a typical disk of Rice and Eggs. Was a busy place, and lunch was 2.5 Soles (or under $1.00)



Was tasty!



David and our teacher for the next week.



After Class David and his buddy Mathias and I decided to get our Tourist sightseeing ticket and walk up to see Saqsayhuaman which are Inca ruins high above the city. The name is pronounced very close to "Sexywoman"

Up we go!



We start to have a really good view of the city of Cusco.



Then we climb higher into the actual ruins....

The huge stones placed together to create the walls are really interesting.



And we get a great view down to Plaza de Armas



A picture with all of us. Really liked hanging out with these guys!



Wanted to get some photos so Mathias climbs up on a big rock, but quickly a guard is yelling at him!!



he had to get down quick...



and settle for more acceptable photos!



Amazing the size of the rocks and how they are fit together!





The cuts are extremely straight and sharp.





Wahoo! Had to get a Jump in! Fortunately David caught my jump on the first try ! we are over 11,000 feet!



HUGE area.... Just try to imagine the Inca building this.



Then I got to get a photo with the guys and a very pretty Peruvian woman who was doing some sort of photo shoot!



Next we walked up to the Blanco Cristo. Sort a smaller version of one in Rio de Janero



God is watching over these guys! They are here to work at an orphanage !



Just a small view of Saqsayhuaman that looks over the city!



Another night I get a PM from Kito. A british guy who is riding solo around South America (and many other parts of the world). We met for a beer at the pub to share stories and Celebrate his Birthday!! Cheers David. Safe riding!



Also Put my sticker in the Moto rider Book!



Some Big Road Rallye taking place, as the Plaza was full of cheering fans of the road race!



Next night had to stop at the Irish Pub.




Just some of what I have been up to in Cusco the past few days!

Mark!

Been watching/reading along. Looks like you manage to have a little fun wherever you go.

Corn - do the different colored corns have wildly different tastes, or is it more subtle, like honey from different regions?

Keep on jumpin!

Yeah, that's a great question. I wanna know too



Mark, something wrong with this, not sure wha....wait--it's right side up

Hmm. All caught up already. Now what? Lol. Oh yes, I need to do all the stuff I neglected today as I got caught up on 25 pages of ride reports.

What a ride Mark, wow, what a ride!

Stay safe Mark, all the best!

Pete

Its better to travel well than to arrive.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

We've ridden a few miles since our last beer together in Cartagena Mark. See you found the Flying Dog in Miraflores.

When I got my Brasil visa a few years back they stamped the date when I applied instead of when it was granted a few weeks later. Two days before my flight I noticed I'd land one day late for entry. Delta nicely changed my flight a day earlier to Sao Paulo rather than Rio. Immigration said I was too late until I convinced them February only had 28 days. Whew! They almost turned my back at the Sao Paulo Airport!

Recently I flew to the USA for a few months and left my bike in Buenos Aires. Return October 28 and hope to ride with you again. BTW Argentina granted my bike 9 months so I could store it without funny business.

I do not know, but will ask my spanish teacher on Monday about these variety. I imagine they have different tastes and uses....

Whenever you travel, part of the journey includes all the logistics. In a international Tourist area like Cusco, it is a full on process. As you walk down through Plaza De Armas you are hit up by the touts for everything from Travel agent Tours, Restaurants, Massages, money exchange, money, pictures with locally dressed people and their Llama's etc. It is the way it works, you have money and they want to get some of it while you are here.

Of course the big reason to be in Cusco is Machu Picchu and the sacred valley of the inca culture. People come from all over the world to see one of the Seven wonders. The challenge comes with trying to figure out how much time and money to spend to see this place. As a long term traveler you need to watch what you spend in a different way than if you were on a couple week vacation.

After arriving I started asking around, reading, googling and asking advice from other recent travelers. Slowly getting a grip on all that needs to happen to make the trip there. Another motorcycle couple (csustewy on ADV) are on there way over from Lima later this week, so we decided to travel together up to MP. Since I am here, it is best that I make the arrangements as you need to purchase tickets in Advance for the entrance to Machu Picchu and also Huayna Picchu which is the big hill next to MP that gives you amazing view back, but is extra and has limited space.

Finally got it figured out. Booked the tickets online and then needed to go to the INC tourist office and pay with 6 hours to confirm the reservation. It costs S152 ($60.00) per person.

It is a nondescript office down a slight side street. Leo who runs the tour agency at the hostal I am staying at helped me with this and got the address for me.



But was able to get this part of the Machu Picchu visit done. Tickets in hand!!




One of the useful sites I found was this one:
http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/destinations/machupicchu/index.html

Young James sent me a detailed description of how to ride to the Hydro Electric plan need Aguas Calientes and park our bikes. Supposed to be a beautiful ride up the valley ......

Still logistics on lodging in Agua Caliente, bus ticket, train ticket or walking from Hydro to Aguas to get worked out but know that this will be an amazing sight to see!

Sunday off to do my spanish homework, review all my gear and get rid of stuff as needed, read, write and walk about town.

Did also meet up with David from the UK last night for dinner and a couple beers!

the devil's always in the details

I recall the Peruvians as being fun, genuine, loving people.
Honest thanks for keeping us lurkers up to date.

Great report, thanks for taking the time to tell us all about your travels.

Don't forget you could hop on/off an Antarctic ship here in the Falkland Islands. Leave your bike in Punta or Ushuia for example. Lan Chile flies here every Saturday from/to Punta Arenas, http://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-port-stanley-falkland-islands.html

I could put you up and loan you my WR250R while you're here.

Radioman,

I have been following your journey since day-one with admiration and respect. Your travels are inspirational to say the least, and yours is one of the best ride reports ever posted on Adv!

I've spent some time in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, and I can say without any hesitetion that the "back route" is the best way to reach Machu Picchu. Sure, trains can deliver you to Aguas Calientes quickly, and then you have an easy walk to the busses that take you to the entrance to MP.

My Recommendion:

From Cusco, ride to the Salt Pans of Maras (only 2 hrs, and absolutely amazing). From Maras, down the hill to Urumbamba. If you spend half the day being in awe of the thousand-year-old salt farming heratage (as I was) you can stay in Urumbamba. I stayed in a 5 Star resort there for $35.

From there, you can cross the awesome Abra de Malaga pass at 14K+ ft, make a left turn in Santa Maria, and ride to Santa Teresa (an incredible village where a mountain slide killed 60% of the town population), and store your bike there. Local cabs will take you to Hydro Electrica where it is a quick train ride to the base of Machu Picchu, Aguas Callientes.

Last year there was no extra charge for the ticket to Hyannas Picchu; it is allocated based on when you arrive at the trailhead and make your request. Due to the treacherous hike, only a limited number of hikers are permitted to attempt the climb each day. More tourists die here than nearly anyplace else in South America. Trust me, it is a sketchy hike at best, but the views are worth it if you are not surrounded by mist.

After Machu Picchu, I highly recommend the 3 hour ride to Quillabamba, a wonderful jungle village to enjoy the great food, friendly locals, and reflect on your trip to Machu Picchu.

All the Best,