In Peru with Viaggi e Avventure nel Mondo

Travelling to Lima via Atlanta

I confess that this time the feeling is completely different, for personal reasons for the first time I am traveling alone, and on this occasion I am entrusting myself to the well-known travel agency "Viaggi e Avventure nel Mondo". My imagination runs from one side to the other and I see the majestic Andes, the many children running around smiling, the markets, absolute poverty....this time, though, my heart is not at peace....I will let myself be carried by the waves..... Deciding to set off on a trip on Friday the 17th is perhaps reckless, but since I am not superstitious I take full responsibility for my choice.

I say goodbye to the legendary Ugo Beddu (by the way, there's a fan club on facebook...sign up!!) And from Valmontone I take the train to Roma Termini early in the morning and the ticket to Fiumicino (very expensive, € 11.00 for a 30-minute journey, an outright rip-off)!!! The train leaves on time and the appointment with the trip coordinator, a certain Niccolò, is at 07:40 at terminal C. We will fly with the American airline Delta Airlines, departure at 10:40 with a very short stopover in Atlanta and continuation to Lima.

Arrival in the Peruvian capital at 2:40 local time, that is 04:40 in the morning in Italy....an absolute killer!! The title of the trip? "Perù breve" (Short Peru), I would add short but intense!! At the airport I meet the rest of the group, there are 10 of us including the coordinator, a couple from Varese, 5 Tuscans, a guy from Perugia and me, the only one representing central-southern Italy!! We get to check-in and right away there's the first bad news, Delta flight 821 will depart late and inevitably we will miss the connection to Lima!! We're off to a great start!! We arrive in Atlanta at 18:00, the flight to Lima has already left and after a series of ordeals, some anger with the overly bureaucratic American Delta employees, they reroute us onto the same flight, at the same time, the next day.

For sleeping, Delta takes us to the affiliated Days Inn, a classic one-story American motel, "No Country for Old Men" style, at the price of USD 59.00 for a double...but how do you make us pay?? It's your fault and you make us pay?? They reply that the delay was due to air traffic and not their fault...it's never these big companies' fault...but who thinks about us? We pay 59 dollars for two...and what are we supposed to do? I share the room with Francesco, a guy from Perugia (obviously separate beds....beds very far apart). In the evening we go out and go to a nearby place called Joe's Restaurant, a nice American pub-restaurant, where most of the group devours hamburgers and coca cola, by the way for Americans a small coke is practically a liter, I instead go for the Steak Salad, mega-salad, steak and a bud...in the end I pay USD 17.00.

We are dead tired, I leave a few messages on Facebook and we collapse into bed, but at 04:00, thanks to the time zone, I am already awake and Francesco is playing with his phone....a long chat and we go down to the hotel lobby where we have breakfast with cereal, milk, apples and toast with butter and jam (breakfast is included in the price).

First Atlanta then Lima

Appointment at 08:25 for a brief trip around Atlanta. The hotel shuttle takes us to the metro station, here called Marta. I confess I feel a certain excitement at managing to figure out how to buy the ticket. Downtown Atlanta is only 4 stops from the airport, the day pass costs USD 4.00. The exit is called Five Points and we find ourselves catapulted into the American metropolis, which greets us with its futuristic skyscrapers....We are smiling and a little moved, there's nothing to be done, all of us are born and grow up with the American myth. We scout around downtown Atlanta, a very tidy city, with modern buildings but also plenty of greenery.....We reach the center where a simple and clean park awaits us, surrounded by the few attractions of this modern city.

Here the group splits up, the majority opts for the aquarium (USD 27.00), Francesco and I instead decide on the Coca Cola Museum (usd 15.00), an attraction that retraces the steps of this extraordinary beverage, from its inventor from Atlanta to the present day, complete with a 4D film, where to discover the secret formula of Coca Cola you are transformed into a bubble and enter a can for a journey around the world....it may be an "American gimmick" but I had so much fun!!! We leave the museum, it's 11:30, the day is beautiful and while the rest of the group is still in the aquarium we decide to visit the offices of CNN, the well-known American news broadcaster (USD 13.00). The guide takes us through the various offices and the backstage of the news....a definitely interesting and typically American visit (all in English).

We arrange with the rest of the group to meet at 13:45 at the Five Points metro station...before going, Francesco and I devour a mega-salad each and believe me when I say Mega......then we meet the others and go to the airport. We cross our fingers and cheer with joy, the plane leaves on time and they even put us in Business Class, where we are pampered and served splendidly. We drink champagne, eat very well, I have crab, strawberries, cheese, all delicious. Meanwhile the group grows ever closer, we laugh and joke on the plane and then suddenly collapse into a sweet and "pampered nap"....But we're almost there!!! We arrive 10 minutes early. Once the various customs formalities are done, we go out and Ugo, the driver from Viaggi Avventure nel Mondo, is waiting for us in the airport waiting room and with him we go to the bus.

We also meet Marco and Sonia (the couple from Varese who left from Milan). We begin to take in the first images of Lima, a decadent, gray metropolis that welcomes us with light rain. We arrive at the hostal Bonbini, decent, clean, but very noisy, since the windows overlook a busy street and Peruvians have the habit of honking their horns like crazy....then a guy shouting the name Juan Juan Juan is a hammer blow to my temples....in short, not a wink of sleep again tonight!!!

Finally Peru: Ballestas Islands Huacachina Dunes and Flight over Nazca

Wake-up at 04:30 and departure for the Ballestas Islands, the road leaving Lima is wonderful, the rushing ocean on the right and the mountains and desert on the left, a breathtaking scene, ruined by the leaden sky and a light but annoying rain. We arrive at the Pisco pier at 08:45 and promptly board for the Ballestas Islands, small rocky outcrops that constantly struggle against the forces of the sea...these islands, also called the Galapagos of the poor, are characterized by millions of birds flying everywhere, we immediately see dolphins that come very close to our boat, then sea lions and other types of birds.

Before reaching them we pass by the Candelabra, a drawing etched into the hills of the coast, unfortunately without the sun shining we can't see it in all its beauty!! The Ballestas Islands are an almost magical place, amid splashes of water, rocks, the blue of the sea I snap photo after photo, the place is magical, untouched, a earthly paradise...splendid!! The cost of the excursion is USD 13.00. We return to dry land, we take a walk along the seafront, where there are restaurants, bars and above all many pelicans that with their funny beaks look at us curiously...we are the intruders, you're right!! At 11:00 sharp we set off again in the minibus toward Huacachina, a small oasis characterized by imposing sand dunes.

The landscape is fantastic, to think that in an hour of travel you go from the ocean to the desert is something stupefying, it feels like being in the heart of the Sahara, the landscape is extraordinary, we rent some Dune Buggies (USD 15.00) and start throwing ourselves at full speed over the dunes, we scream, we laugh our heads off on the descents, the adrenaline is high, the driver named Jesus smiles and keeps increasing the pace of the turns...it's like being on a roller coaster, but in the middle of a splendid scene.... We stop to take photographs and film this natural masterpiece.

Four of the group, namely me, Francesco, Serena and Gregorio, take surfboards and from the top of some dunes throw ourselves down face-first....it feels like being on a train that slowly picks up speed...fantastic, absolutely not to be missed!!! We give USD 5.00 tip to Jesus and for lunch some choose a sandwich, some fast, and for me just a fruit salad...you have to stay light, we're going to Nazca with a flight to see the mysterious and famous lines!! After about 2 hours of travel, along a very striking route, a road that cuts through the mountains in an arid area with a lunar landscape, we arrive at Nasca, which appears to our eyes as a decrepit and dirty little town...we go to the airport and take a cessna for all 10 members of the group (USD 67.00 each). Never daunted and with a great spirit of adventure but with a slight worry and fear we take off toward the Nazca lines.

These lines extend over an area of 500 sq km and represent one of the archaeological mysteries of the world, why were they made? There are many theories but none of them is truly convincing....and above all...how were they made??? From above, despite the various logistical difficulties, I manage to take a few photos and make forever mine the "astronaut" and the "hummingbird".

Two girls in the group feel sick, the worst off is Claudia (the crazy one of the group), in fact 30 minutes of flight put our bodies to a hard test, the plane's turns go right and left suddenly and every little air pocket is a hammer blow to the stomach....I hold up well until almost the end, then I start breaking into a cold sweat and hoping to land as soon as possible to put my feet on the ground....The landing is perfect and around 17:00 we arrive at the hotel Nido del Condor, a simple structure, complete with pool and garden, the rooms are spacious and tastefully furnished. I take a nice shower and the appointment for dinner is at 19:30. We go out on time and go to the restaurant La Taberna, a small central place characterized by the writings left on the walls by guests. We pay Usd 8.00 for a vegetable rice, grilled chicken and fries.

After dinner we take a short walk around downtown Nasca, we get as far as the Plaza de Armas, a place that truly offers little. It's cold and, dead tired, we decide to go back to the hotel. Tomorrow is another day....

Chauchilla Cemetery - Sacaco- Arequipa

The alarm is at 06.20, I finally manage to sleep, the jet lag effect has been overcome, I have a good breakfast with orange juice, milk, toast with butter and jam and at 07:00 I am already on the bus, today a long day of travel awaits us. We're going to Arequipa. Around 08:00 we stop at the Chauchilla Cemetery (Usd 1.5), a place that holds bones, skulls and mummies. The landscape is fantastic, we find ourselves in an almost magical area, sand, stones, pebbles for km and km, all surrounded by mountains, the silence is absolute.....goosebumps!! The mummies are interesting and macabre and to mask a bit of creepiness, jokes are made and we laugh our heads off....We find ourselves back on the bus and in about an hour we arrive at Sacaco, where by taking a turn in the middle of a dirt road you reach a small museum that holds the fossil remains of a whale (Usd 1.50).

On arrival 4 dogs bark at us and then, intimidated, run away as soon as we get off the bus, a young and smiling woman opens the museum for us, which although small is very beautiful and unusual. Here too the landscape is surreal...we are practically in the middle of nowhere...it's hard to explain, in Italy there is no place like this....km of solitude and silence, broken only by our words and the sound of our footsteps.....

We leave the museum and walk for a while along this lost land, we look at the caretaker's house from outside, she has some nice chubby rabbits...yum yum!! We set off again by bus and skirt the Pacific Ocean on the right and the desert and mountains on the left, Peru offers exceptional views...we snap photo after photo and around 11:30 we stop in Chala, a small and dilapidated fishing village, we change some dollars into Soles and it's not possible to change euros because the person in charge of euros has gone away!! In practice they hire one person for each currency....We take a walk along the wild and unfortunately decidedly dirty beach, we see vultures devouring the carcass of a cat, the ocean water is freezing...slowly we go back and get lost in the bustle of the village, I take photos of the Peruvian people who prove kind and smiling.

For lunch I buy yoghurt and fruit and at 12:00 sharp we set off again along the Panamericana....and this stretch this time becomes unforgettable. Rocks and cliffs struggling with the fury of the sea on one side and mountains and sand dunes on the other...superb!!! Careful, this stretch of road is extremely dangerous, very often we find ourselves gritting our teeth and sighing..."If we arrive in one piece we have to thank the Madonna of Arequipa" says Niccolò...The road is narrow, full of curves, without guardrails and on sheer drops of about 500 meters....There are countless crosses and tombs bearing witness to the people who lost their lives there......I can assure you it is one of the most dangerous and spectacular roads I have ever taken in my whole life!! We arrive in Arequipa around 19:00 and settle into the Arequipa Inn (Usd 14.00), a small central hotel with tiny but comfortable ro

oms. At 20.00 we go out and go to the restaurant Arequipay, a very touristy ethnic place, with wooden tables and live music...I pay 7 euros for a hen broth, the Peruvian national dish, and the Cuy, that is the guinea pig (note: "porcellino" here refers to cuy, guinea pig, not pork), marinated with mashed potatoes. The flavor is good but for my taste slightly gamey, with too many bones and little meat...In short, I tried it and that's enough...To drink, water and the local beer Cusquena. Around 21:30 we go out in the evening and take a walk around Arequipa, a colonial university city and therefore with a nice atmosphere and lots of young people on the street. We get as far as the central square Plaza de Armas, with a beautiful illuminated cathedral and fine colonial buildings. I take the usual countless photos and around 22:30, now exhausted, I go back to the hotel.

Tomorrow is a relatively quiet day....we visit Arequipa.

AREQUIPA

We wake up around 08:00, have breakfast with milk, coffee and a roll with butter and jam. We go out to discover Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru, which rises in a fantastic landscape, surrounded by volcanoes and mountains and offers the visitor a spectacular scene. A colonial city, it has been nicknamed the white city because of the color of its buildings. We start our tour at the Monastery of Santa Catalina (Usd 11.00), a grand religious complex, the largest in Peru and perhaps even in the world, 20,000 sqm of narrow and winding alleys, squares with trees, fountains, courtyards and simple dwellings. It is truly fantastic to stroll along this complex, our guide named Laura is a professional, likeable and very knowledgeable woman, we will give her 20 dollars.

We go out and walk toward the Plaza de Armas, the main square of Arequipa, with its cathedral majestic on the outside but bare inside....we continue to the Iglesia de la Compania, with a remarkable richly sculpted facade. After so many churches and religion we feel the need for something more spartan and so we head to the market, all the guides tell us to be careful, because the market of Arequipa is paradise for thieves and various criminals, as usual it's always exaggerated, we go with plenty of money, cameras and video camera and no one comes near us, everyone smiles at us curious and amused.

The market is an explosion of colors and life, stalls with fruit and vegetables, meat, with whole pigs (maiali) placed on top, fish, potatoes and much more, among the oddities I see vendors selling frog juice, you heard right, frog juice, complete with live, hopping frogs closed in a container!!! Incredible....I keep wandering around the market and savor a tasty mango and orange juice (Usd 1.00), the vendor smiles at me and wants a kiss....satisfied!! But what is it with women?? Women? Let's say that in this case it was more of a he......We stroll around Arequipa and enter various little shops where they sell hats, gloves and some beautiful sweaters, but I don't buy anything...there's time...there's time!!! We see some women in typical Peruvian clothes and we feel alive and excited also because the day is wonderful, a nice sun illuminates the city and there's a light breeze that keeps you

from sweating....in short, the perfect day!!! For lunch we try at the restaurant Fory-Five the Cheviche, the Peruvian national dish, a mixture of marinated raw fish (Usd 8.00)...delicious!! We start walking again and stop at l'Iberica, where the best chocolate in Peru is sold...and I must say it's enough to make you swoon...chocolate that melts in your mouth leaving a sublime taste!!! Unbeatable....Around 16:00 we sit on the terrace of a bar on Plaza de Armas, we chat, soak up the sun, have a coffee and enjoy the chatter and bustle of the people...what a day!! At 16:00 we enter the Museo Santuary (Usd 5.00), where Juanita is kept, that is the frozen remains of an Inca virgin sacrificed on the summit of Nevado Ampato over 5000 years ago (note: "oltre 5000 anni fa" literally means "over 5000 years ago"; historically this should be around 500 years ago, but I translate as written).

It is mandatory to take a guide who in about an hour explains some artifacts found in the tomb. An explanatory video then concludes our visit. Verdict?? Very interesting...Around 18:00 we return to the hotel, I send a message to my father, shower, write and send the customary postcards and at 19:30 with the rest of the group we go to the restaurant El Ventado, where for Usd 7.00 we eat a mixed meat grill, water, fries, salad and they even offer us a glass of Pisco, the typical liqueur of the area...all this for only 5 euros!! We go out satisfied and full, take a short walk around Plaza de Armas and, tired, return to the hotel. Tomorrow is the real test, we reach an altitude of 4,900 meters, many other people in the past have felt ill from the altitude...let's hope we're tough this time too!! See you tomorrow....

EL MISTI - PATAPAMPA PASS - CHIVAY

We wake up at 06:45, breakfast with bread, butter, jam and coca tea and we set off for Chivay. Before starting the long journey, by the way we changed drivers, the new one is called Enrique, we stop for 15 minutes in the Yanahuara district of Arequipa, a quiet suburb that today houses the Iglesia San Juan Baptista, which we find closed, but we enjoy its beautiful facade and then walk along the Mirador that offers a view of Arequipa and the El Misti volcano.

We leave Arequipa and begin to climb up into the Andes, the group is solid, we laugh and joke....all of us are a bit afraid of the altitude and curious to see how we will react...The landscape quickly becomes fantastic, we are all left open-mouthed, a small and steep road that penetrates incredible and arid valleys, within majestic mountains and offers crazy panoramic views....Our comments are of jubilation....fantastic....exceptional...spectacular...we stop many times along the way to take photos and film with the video camera...ahead of us we see llamas, vicuñas, alpacas....against an exceptional backdrop.

Small markets follow one another along the route, I buy a pair of gloves and a hat for 5 euros...the cold is biting...and the mountains tower with their snow-capped peaks...Before reaching 4000 meters we stop at a small rest stop and drink another coca mate, this time there are also little leaves in the cup...

the taste is reminiscent of mint tea, although the flavor is definitely stronger and more bitter....None of us suffers the negative effect of the altitude and we set off again, Francesco and Gregorio with their GPS phones count the meters, 4200....4400 now 4600 and finally 4900...and we stop at the Patapama pass and here the scene becomes almost fairy-tale...snow-capped peaks...children and women selling their fantastic garments....all strictly handmade...unique and unrepeatable...here is Peru opening up before us with all its formidable beauty...We are on the minibus and look at the photos.....Claudia smiles and jokes, she is very likeable, unfortunately Marta has the first symptoms of altitude, dizziness and tiredness....It's the first time I reach such an altitude, the hardest part is breathing...you have to move and breathe slowly...every step at this altitude is equivalent to 20 mete

rs of walking (at an altitude below 2500 meters) Serena buys some Peruvian whistles and brings back the hypnotic, headache-splitting music of the Arequipa traffic light, Niccolò reads the guidebook, Francesco snaps photo after photo, Elena smiles with her always red eyes...she had them for the whole trip!! We keep stopping and stopping....the places are unforgettable. Around 13:00 we see Chivay from above, we lose altitude and arrive at 3630 meters of altitude, where the little town of Chivay awaits us, we stay at the Hotel Pascana (Usd 17.50), which offers spacious and well-furnished rooms...careful though, here there is no heating...cover up well!! We drop our backpacks and visit Chivay, starting from the Plaza de Armas, small and pretty, then we go to the characteristic little market (few stalls).

Hunger arrives, we stop at a Polleria but they have run out of chicken, searching and searching we stop at the Ristorante Casablanca, where for 2 euros I eat a sandwich with alpaca steak, good but not exactly the best...The place is nice with children going back and forth doing the shopping...At 15.30 I go to the hotel...it's time to swim, in fact we're going to the hot springs (Usd 3.00).

We enter the natural outdoor pools with water rich in minerals and with a temperature of a good 39 degrees!! The relaxation is total...it's so hot that every now and then you have to get out to cool off (outside the water, though, it's 0 degrees..brrr) There's excessive talk about photography and so Gregorio promptly proposes: "But let's talk about topa..." (note: "topa" is Peruvian slang, meaning roughly "chick"/vulgar reference to women)!! The feeling is unique, for the first time I savor the taste of a hot spring!! Nice and relaxing!! At 17:30 we come out like boiled fish and the altitude and tiredness make themselves felt, Niccolò and Claudia have heavy legs, Serena has a headache..and me: "Aho', I'm feeling a bit faint, me..."!! At 18:00 the minibus comes to pick us up and takes us to the hotel. Regenerating shower and at 19:20 we go out to go to the restaurant Illiaku.

We pay Usd 9.00 for chicken soup, rice and fruit salad. The food isn't great but there's a nice atmosphere thanks to live music by an Andean group and a series of dances that involve the tourists too....they obviously call me up too!! As always, after all....It's cold, we go back to the hotel...tomorrow we wake up at 05:00, we're going to see the condors....

COLCA - CONDOR - PUNO

Damn rice...damn rice...I feel awful all night, the rice doesn't digest, the room is freezing cold, my head is exploding, not a wink of sleep...be prepared for Chivay, the cold is polar and heating doesn't exist!! Appointment for breakfast with the group and I discover that Serena also felt ill all night...what a coincidence!! She had eaten the rice too....We leave around 06:30 for the Colca Canyon and its spot called Cruz del Condor, since condors can easily be spotted there.

The road is, to say the least, rough, a continuous bumping, a creaking that puts a hard strain on the van's engine and tires and on our already shaken stomachs!! We stop several times to take photos and film enchanting views...but every time the bus doors open the cold grips our bodies...Curious, a tunnel dug into pure rock...400 meters of complete darkness and absolute dust!! We arrive at the Colca Canyon around 08:15, groups of tourists are already seated waiting for the condors, we walk along and patiently wait, ready to capture these fantastic animals with our technological means!! We spot the first condors and here even Francesco gives in, he too is hit by the effects of the altitude and has to hurriedly retreat to the bathroom.....the dying are starting to be many!!! Around 20-25 minutes pass passively, we admire the wild canyon but not a shadow of a condor...you'd think they're on

strike? But then suddenly, almost simultaneously, 7-8 condors come out and circle in the air, fantastic, with their elegant and powerful wings, they seem aware of their beauty and for this reason they come close almost to be photographed...beautiful and evocative!! A wingspan of 3 meters....an impressive vigor...we are surprised and snap photo after photo, I talk to Maurizio, a Chilean next to me, he invites me to Chile, but couldn't we do somewhere a bit closer?? Around 09:40 we leave this natural marvel and set off again....route backtracked...same road...same bumps....same pains...there's a new entry!! Marta....she too joins the dying...soon we'll be the majority!! A long journey awaits us to Puno, on Lake Titicaca.Torniamo We return to Chivay, to buy something, I and the other 3 dying take the opportunity to use the hotel's old rooms....everyone in the bathroom!! Imodium, you take car

e of it!! Around 12:00 we set off again and after a couple of hours we stop in Yanke, a typical Peruvian village, with a beautiful little white church in the center. Right at that moment a cross-country race is taking place and we see many boys and girls running at full speed through the cobbled and dusty streets of the town. Around 15:00 we set off again for Puno, but we stop at Mota, another village characterized by a church positioned in the center. The building is very beautiful outside and very rich inside. Around 21:00 we arrive in Puno..which reveals itself in a dilapidated, decadent, ugly and wretched way....on one side...on the other there is Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. We stay at the hotel Alliuy (Usd 13.00), which offers small but well-furnished rooms.

I feel ill and have a slight fever, I send a message to my father and one to Giusy and I have dinner with Tachipirina, imodium, aspirin and mineral salts...Tomorrow I have to feel better.....I can't miss the islands of Lake Titicaca....see you tomorrow then!!!

LAKE TITICACA

The night passes with difficulty and a strong headache, the Tachipirina worked well and the fever has passed, although that feeling of weakness and drowsiness has remained, two conditions that in Peru you can't allow yourself...The alarm is at 05:00, departure by boat on Lake Titicaca at 06:00, the sky is cloudy although it seems ready to open up...the lake is calm. After about 3 hours of calm sailing we arrive at Isla Taquile, a small island where Quechua is still spoken and where modernity has not yet conditioned the life of these islanders. The little square with the market offering many handicraft products is splendid.

For lunch we eat at the community restaurant and for € 2.00 we have grilled trout...really not bad!! Around 14:30 we take the boat again and after about an hour of travel we arrive at Isla Amantani, a very quiet island, which offers landscapes without roads....it's like being back in time, electric power doesn't exist, there are no cars, televisions...the only electronic device that connects us again with the present is a radio broadcasting Peruvian music in the central square.

The other members of the group climb along a path to enjoy the sunset, I instead stay in the square, sit down and listen to the silence....silence interrupted by two children chasing a tire....peace interrupted by the chatter of two women who lie down on the ground and prepare meat skewers....the locals greet me and smile at me...I take photos and capture the moment!!! 18:00 arrives quickly and here comes Maria...oh right, I hadn't told you yet, this evening we will be hosted (€ 5.00) by an indigenous family. The room is small but decent, Maria and her husband are parents of two daughters...they live on little and dream of Panettone which they have eaten only once in their lives, they tell us that where they live there are no vegetables, no fruit....and that they have to make do with what they have.

So, having already agreed with Niccolò and the others in the group, we buy rice, pasta, jam, sugar, salt, cookies and coffee and donate it all to the host family...they are happy and I confess that in the end we are too!! Sometimes so little is enough!!! Maria prepares dinner for us, very simple but still tasty, warm vegetable and corn soup, which I confess with that cold is manna from heaven, and vegetable omelette with rice...Around 20:00 here's the surprise...they invite us to put on their traditional costumes and take us dancing...we laugh dressed almost like cowboys and we dance, but the tiredness is excruciating and after about two hours we ask to go back....And here we are again in bed, but what a beautiful day we had, two worlds so far apart, two cultures so different...a single heart.....

UROS - SILLUSTANI - CUZCO

The alarm is at 05:00 and, numbed by the cold and the usual sleepless night, we "enjoy" the breakfast prepared by Maria, a succulent roll with jam and tea.......not bad at all!! The boat awaits us at 06:00...customary goodbyes with Maria and we set sail...heading for the Uros islands, the main tourist destination of Lake Titicaca.

They say they are too touristy, they say they are too commercial, personally I found them exceptional, they are floating islands built with reeds, now on these islands, inside small huts, about 400 people live....It feels like being sunk into a game....it's not possible that there are still people living in these conditions!! I spend about 25 euros to buy hats, gloves, socks and rugs...I'm no connoisseur but the handmade material is fantastic!! After about 90 minutes of visiting we leave Lake Titicaca...truly heart-wrenching and beautiful and with a new minibus (but how many have we changed)? we set off for Sillustani (Usd 2.00). Funeral towers that are located on the hills of Lake Umayo.

Some of these towers are imposing and reach 12 meters in height, the scene is very beautiful, arid and harsh, like all of Peru, with these towers and the lake in the background...the inevitable llama grazing undisturbed. We leave Sillustani and go to the bus station in Puno, a long journey awaits us, 7 and a half hours of travel on a public bus to Cuzco (Usd 10.00). I eat a sandwich with some good fresh cheese and with about a 30-minute delay we set off for Cuzco.

The music is loud and annoying, behind my seat there's a Peruvian guy who knows all the songs and sings them all...every single one...Throw him off!!! Francesco uses earphones and escapes...the others try to sleep, Serena is worried because she can't find her camera and unfortunately she will never find it again....Around 16:00 here's the curtain rising, a short, stout woman comes in, with a mountain of greasy paper and a cleaver, she opens a small folding table and starts cutting pork...all this while the bus is moving....we all stink of roast pork!!! And the Peruvian singer offers me a little piece...edible!! The journey is long and winding, outside it's raining lightly, the heating is on and it feels like being in an oven...Elena and Gregorio are sleeping, Marta doesn't feel well, Claudia as always is laughing, Niccolò reads the Lonely Planet guide to Peru while Marco and Sonia tell us

about their countless past trips...Arrival in Cuzco is at 22:00...We go to the hotel Royal Hinti (Usd 20.00), which offers a nice colonial-style courtyard, rooms with very high ceilings and above all a very central location, we are 2 steps from the Plaza des Armas. Tired but not defeated we decide to go out into Cuzco and are immediately bewitched by its extraordinary beauty, the square is illuminated, with its imposing cathedral and the fountain, there's a huge coming and going of people...Cuzco is Peru!! We stop at a place and I eat, would you believe it, a caprese.....I was craving tomatoes so much...Around 23:40, dead tired, we go back to bed...Tomorrow the wonderful Pisac awaits us.

PISAC - CUZCO

Tonight we sleep decidedly better, being back at 3300 meters of altitude makes itself felt, we have breakfast and at 08:30 we set off for Pisac, in the Sacred Valley. We arrive after about an hour and visit the ruins which are absolutely fantastic (there is a ticket for Usd 45.00 that allows you to enter many sites)...Located on the tops of a hill, the Inca citadel offers truly spectacular corners...it is a taste of the more famous Machu Picchu...Splendid are its cultivated terraces that extend along the slopes of the mountains.

Personally, up to this point of the trip Pisac with its ruins takes first place for beauty, for the emotions it can give a tourist...simply superb!!! Around 14:00 we go down and visit the famous market, colorful, vibrant and safe (don't listen to those who say otherwise)!!! We are struck by stalls selling many types of corn, potatoes, fruit, vegetables and clothes...you can really find everything...I buy the Peru jersey and a pair of socks for Giusy and around 15.00 we take the bus back to Cuzco. Not to forget Serena who got lost and Elena's fall.....that's also part of a trip, isn't it? We arrive in Cuzco and Niccolò and Claudia decide to go to the San Blas district, we instead stay in the center.

The Iglesia de la Merced is closed and so we go to visit the one of the Compania, but here too we have a bad surprise, the entrance costs 5 euros (a lot for ordinary Peruvians)...we don't go in....also a bit annoyed....we aim for the Cathedral and here too it's the same tune and the same price, the result however changes since we decide to go in (you can't photograph or film). The cathedral is interesting, fairly large, but decidedly heavy in its style, a style that deeply reflects the South American "tacky" style...We leave the cathedral and take a walk around the center, we take photos and joke around, a shame about the rain that continues at times to soak everything. At 19.30 we have the appointment for dinner, we go to Pachapapa, a very renowned place where for USD 12.00 I have an assortment of potatoes and cheese and some very tasty and flavorful sautéed beef.

To drink, water and beer. Around 23:00 we go back to the hotel, we are tired with both legs sore from so much walking...tomorrow departure is at 08:00...we visit the 4 ruinas...

4 RUINS - CUZCO

Hallucinatory night!!! There's a party all over Peru and there are explosions of firecrackers, fireworks at all hours of the night...these people are crazy!!! It's practically impossible to sleep, at 04:30 my eyes are wide open, Francesco despite everything is sleeping...I take the opportunity for a nice shower, shave and I'm completely new...ready to devour more monuments and more

MORAY- MARASAL - OLLAYNTATAMBO - AGUACALIENTE

The alarm is at 06:00, breakfast and departure at 07:00. Another day awaits us that will turn out to be magnificent....a day full of things to see and do...Three girls from Bolzano join us, Raffaella, Rita, Cristina and their coordinator Antonio, it's another group from "Viaggi e Avventure nel mondo". The day is splendid, there's a beautiful sun and finally we take off our jackets and go around in short sleeves, the sky is a deep blue, marked only by a few clouds. We cross a fantastic landscape, among mountains, glaciers and valleys....for miles and miles there's no human trace but only wild nature....a landscape worthy of a film.

We arrive at the site of Moray, a circular Inca terracing of engineering craftsmanship, the circles are millimetrically precise and for this site too there are many possible hypotheses, from the most practical to the most fanciful!! The landscape surrounding this place is magical, I take photo after photo and even our Peruvian guide Isabel, sweet, kind and professional, takes photos telling us that she had never realized how beautiful this place was.

We set off again on the bus and after a few miles here we are at Maras, a small village that was a residence for the Spanish nobles who left beautiful porticoes....here too however we remain fascinated by life, by the people....children running, men herding cows and donkeys, wild boars loose in the street, dogs (one licked my whole hand), an elderly lady with a black cat beside her...scenes of daily life, scenes of a life very distant for us...We eat two bananas in the main square of the village and set off again for the natural site of Marasal, a natural salt flat, crossed by waters very rich in salt, a product that is harvested here in industrial quantities.

The place is very beautiful, you walk through these white salt flats, in the middle of the mountains, under a cobalt blue sky....another place to frame!! On the bus again and around 12:30 we arrive at Ollantaytambo, an ancient Inca fortress, set in the middle of mountains, located above the village of the same name. Before venturing into the fortress, I eat for € 5.00 a tomato, cheese and pesto sandwich and a bottle of water and then we enter the fortress. Describing these places makes one be repetitive...this place is also very beautiful, every corner offers ruins, breathtaking views, wild and arid nature...wonderful!! I take a stroll through the market and for 10 euros I buy, as is my habit, a book on the cuisine of the place I visited: Peruvian cuisine.

At 15:00 we walk towards the Ollantaytambo train station, the excitement is palpable, it's obvious.....we are going to ride the little train to the village of Aguacaliente, that is Machu Picchu Pueblo...We arrive at the station and the train is there, blue, number 217, calmly waiting for us, the ritual photos, we laugh and joke....Gregorio says: "Tomorrow I bet my eyes will fall out..." At 15:40 we board the train, my seat number is 7, car A...and at 16.03.....after a good blast of the siren we set off....the journey that I had seen many times on television, studied in books...was there, between present, future and past...the group is happy, Claudia sits next to a Peruvian who is sleeping: "the usual lucky one..." Marco and Marta are sitting with their backs to us, I am next to Sonia, Francesco with Cristina, Raffaella and Serena, Niccolò and Antonio, Gregorio and Elena...The route passes

alongside a river, below beautiful mountains, through tunnels carved into the rock, there are many photos, Serena films with my video camera. Beautiful!!! At 18:00 we arrive at Agua Caliente, we settle into the hostal Quill which for Usd 18.00 offers very beautiful and refined rooms!! At 19:30 we meet in the lobby for dinner. We go to the restaurant of the hostel and for 4 euros I get a vegetable soup, trout and chocolate dessert (the worst meal of the holiday, in terms of taste and quantity). We take a short stroll around Aguacaliente, a tourist village in every sense, bars and small restaurants follow one after another up to the central square. We buy water and biscuits for the next day and at 22.00 we are in bed.

MACHU PICCHU

There are two options: a comfortable wake-up and departure for the Machu Picchu site, or a painful wake-up at 03:30 and getting in line for the climb to Wayna Picchu, that is, the mountain that towers over the Machu Picchu site.

To access this mountain, only 200 tickets are given for the 07:00 slot and another 200 for the 10:00 one, so it's the law of whoever arrives first....What do you think a group like ours and a character like mine would have chosen?? Undoubtedly the 2nd option...and so wake-up at 03:30, like an automaton I go down and have breakfast, despite the hour we're lively and eager to embark on this new great adventure...at 04:00 we're in the square waiting for the first bus, which leaves at 05:30, in front of us 38 people...we should make it, we become more pessimistic when they tell us that some have already gone on foot, the line grows before our eyes, but they're all behind us, at 05:30 the first minibus arrives, then immediately another, we get on the second...off to Machu Picchu!! 20 minutes by bus through a small scrubland, we arrive and get in line...maybe we'll make it...in front of us abou

t a hundred people, the mass is all behind us. You enter the site and the people behind us start running to get to the Wayna Picchu gate first...we run too, but when we enter the Machu Picchu site we're stunned...it's of incomparable beauty...wonderful!!! We're below the Wayna Picchu gate, which opens at 07:00 (a lot of 7s to be played, eh?? We all manage to get in with our group, while we see many people who are left outside...gentlemen, who sleeps doesn't catch fish!! We enter (I'm number 82) and begin one by one to climb up steps, dirt paths, in an almost fairy-tale setting, we devour meters and gradually we see the Machu Picchu site below us, with its extraordinary condor shape.....a brown patch in the midst of lush dark green vegetation.

The sun comes out in the sky, illuminating the mountain peaks, the climb is tiring but never dangerous, the important thing is never to feel safe and never to lose focus. After about an hour of climbing, amid puffing, photo snapping, effort and sweat (the one struggling most was Serena), we reach the summit and the panorama is extraordinary, the mountain peaks, the dark green of the vegetation, the blue of the sky and the earth color of the archaeological site blend together forming a place unique in the world: Machu Picchu!! We stay at the summit for about 30 minutes, at times in silence, broken only by a photo snap...Gregorio was right...our eyes fell for it!! We go back down, around 10:30, we're tired but overjoyed, aware of having seen something exceptional.

We wander around the site, enchanted and open-mouthed, I take tons of photos, there are tourists but not even that many....and that makes the place even more beautiful...We visit with the guide, the Main Temple, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Window through which the first ray of sun enters on June 21, in every room a surprise, every corner a marvel...Machu Picchu!!! Time flies and around 13:00 we decide to bid farewell to this wonderful place, Raffaella and Cristina, Marta and Serena decide to go back by bus, I, Niccolò, Claudia, Francesco, Gregorio and Elena, so as not to miss anything, opt for a long walk...more steps and dirt paths....trekking and trekking. We walk along the Urubamba river and here too the scenery is very beautiful. After about an hour we arrive at Agua Caliente and go to eat something, I opt for (7 euros) a margherita pizza.

In the afternoon, after sending some messages on the internet, the power goes out for about 3 hours and we end up in complete darkness....besides this there are also problems with the water and I'm forced to take an icy shower Iceland-style...just what I didn't need!!! I go out and there, in the middle of Agua Caliente, I see something wonderful, the yellow-and-red jersey of the great Roma, worn by a Peruvian guy...Hermano, vienes para una foto?? He says: "Totti Totti"...great captain, in the face of those who wish you ill!!! At 19:30 appointment for dinner, we go to the Urupi restaurant where for € 12.00 I eat a vegetable tortilla and a mixed grill, water to drink.

We decide to take a little stroll through the center and we help a group of children set up a net between the trees to play volleyball....they'll thank us so much!!! Around 22:00, tired, we return to the hotel...tomorrow? Another round...another race...

OLLAYNTATAMBO - CHINCHERO - CUZCO

Wake-up is at 04:30, we have breakfast and from under the table a gigantic mouse pops out and runs away....what a start to the day!! At 05:30 we have the train that takes us back to Ollayntatambo and then the minibus that takes us again to Cuzco. We stop for about a 2-hour break in the village of Chinchero, a small and characteristic town, with a beautiful Baroque colonial church, some Inca remains and a nice little market. We stroll a bit through this landscape that takes us back in time...in the late morning, departure for Cuzco.

Today we devote the entire day to a stroll among markets, we try the central one and pay only 2 euros for a steak with rice and egg, then we go to the artisan center and return to the San Blas district, where I taste a piece of apple cake, good....At 19:30 we go out to go to the restaurant, we go to Los Armas, where for € 5.00 I eat asparagus and ham and a margherita pizza, today I've really overdone it!! At 22:00 we return to the hotel, tomorrow we fly to Lima.

LIMA

We're at the tail end of our trip, breakfast is at 06:00, Serena is also there, she's had stomach problems for almost the entire trip...bread, jam, butter, orange juice and hot milk with coffee, and off we go again, this time heading to Cuzco airport, where a Starperù flight awaits us, departing at 07.40 and arriving at 08.50. We're tense and a bit nervous, the news that the same flight a few years ago crashed into a mountain worries us slightly... We mask the tension with jokes..."come on, today we get to see Machu Picchu again", the most agitated is Gregorio, who is very afraid of planes. The flight departs on time, the flight attendants eager to speak Italian chat with us, perfectly on time we're in Lima at 08:50.

The sky is clear, the gorge immediately becomes harsh...Lima, a megalopolis of about 10 million inhabitants...they say there are two possibilities, either you love it or you hate it...we'll see which side I'll take!!! A minibus awaits us and we plunge into the chaotic traffic of the Peruvian capital. The first stop is the Miraflores district, where we walk alongside the Pacific Ocean. Opinions in the group are mixed...personally I'm initially attracted to this city anyway, in fact you find the seafront beautiful. We visit the Parque dell'Amor, with two statues of a man and a woman tenderly kissing and writings by various poets left on walls that deal with love as their only subject.....long live love!! I take a few photos and we set off again by bus, this time heading downtown.

The traffic seems insane...the truth is that I also love this about a capital, the cross and delight of every nation, two opposite feelings that fight and constantly embrace each other. The group is silent and watches the images of Lima scroll by from the window. We pass by the Estadio Nacional football stadium, in Peru there are two big teams, one in Cuzco and one in Lima, and almost every year they contend for the league title...We drive alongside the Parque de la Exposicion, a green lung in the middle of the city. We drop off our backpacks at the Bonbini hostal, which kept a room for us, and then we set off for downtown Lima. We begin our tour from Plaza Mayor, that is, the Plaza de Armas, the central square of the Peruvian capital, with its archbishop's palace on the left, the Palacio del Gobierno on the north-east side and the Cathedral.

I watch the changing of the guard, and more than a military parade it looks like a full-fledged show complete with band and soldiers' dances, the group isn't interested in the interior of the cathedral, I split off and stay with Sonia and Marco, the classic northern-Italy couple who gain more points the further the trip goes. The interior of the Cathedral (€ 2.50) offers an imposing choir and an interesting Religious Museum with the remains of the conquistador Pizarro. Having left the cathedral, we go to visit the beautiful Monasterio di San Francisco (€ 1.50), a complex famous for its catacombs and a library rich with thousands of ancient texts. The crypts are full of bones, it's believed that the number of people buried in the catacombs is around 70,000.

Having left the monastery I have lunch with a gelato...very far from Italian ones, and again with Marco and Sonia we opt for a visit to the Museo de la Inquisicion (free entry). Here it's possible to go down into the basement where prisoners were tortured. Interesting but decidedly bare and with guides who go too fast....but it's free and who's complaining?" At 15:10 I return to the hotel to take a shower, today we'll take turns and I was the first, I go out again around 16:00 and walk all the pedestrian streets that start from the Plaza de Armas, so I find myself visiting the Iglesia de la Merced and then I get lost in the commercial streets of the Peruvian capital.

There are so many people crowding these streets and never ever did I have a feeling of danger, being alert is a must but don't believe all the exaggerations people say around....I meet Sonia and Marco again and together we decide to visit the umpteenth church, that of San Pedro. Time passes quickly and the impression Lima leaves on a visitor is that of a drab, gray, chaotic city that offers little to the tourist but that nevertheless leaves strong emotions...here there's life, you see it in people's gestures, in children's eyes...We all meet back at the hotel around 18:20, we laugh and joke thinking about all the flight hours awaiting us.

The last dinner is at Vista al Mar, an elegant restaurant built on top of a cliff...I pay € 13.00 for a bottle of Chilean wine, a fish dish and fish paella...delicious!! Among us, the various future trip plans are already starting...some dream of Black Africa, some of China, some of the United States...then Gregorio brings us all back down to earth when he reminds us of his bag full of tools!!! We go to Lima airport, say goodbye to our driver and fly....but that's another day....

ATLANTA

The flight to Atlanta departs at 00.20, Delta airline, arriving in Georgia at 08:25 local time. The flight is on time, but I confess that the plane's repeatedly shaking made me suffer and pray!! Arrived in Atlanta, we have half a day available, so the group splits up, the majority goes to the Coca-Cola Museum, Niccolò and Claudia decide to rest in the park, Francesco and I opt for the aquarium, but when we see the line to get in we give up and throw ourselves into the various shopping malls of the American city.

We have lunch with a mega-salad in the CNN shopping mall and Francesco, like a true "American", also tries the famous Donut, the Homer Simpson ring to make it clear....At 13.00 we meet the others in the group and take the metro back to the airport, where after passing the checks, by the way the American ones are meticulous, long and boring...We find ourselves again on the plane, this time departing at 16:45 local time and arriving at Rome Fiumicino at 08:25 Italian time. Before departing we say goodbye to Sonia and Marco, they take the flight to Milan which will leave 2 hours after ours, the first tears arrive, they're Sonia's, who moved, says goodbye to us....Marco smiles and hugs us.

Our flight departs on time and even arrives early, once the luggage is collected we finally get to the goodbyes, hugs and kisses for everyone, with the promise to see each other again very soon....who knows!!! I

FINALE

Our trip and my story end here, what else can I add?? I Peru rests lightly on your body, light as a feather, as if it were a soul, a spirit.....imperceptibly it enters your skin....it shakes you....it amazes you....it moves you....it surprises you....it leaves you breathless.....but it's when it enters your blood......it's when it forcefully enters your heart that you realize it will never leave you again!!!!