Because some friends in the Spanish school are leaving, and a few others are departing to Machu Picchu after tomorrow, so we have a dinner out tonight. After that, we go to a bar, which is surprisingly modern, despite it is hidden in all this old colonial building surfaces. I have a frozen lemonade, which looks just like one of those drinks you get on a sandy beach in Thailand, a huge fat glass of frozen lemonade with cherry, half slice of an orange, and a slice of star fruit at the rip of the glass. Just missing an umbrella, I may think that I am in Hawaii. Oh oh...The rip is red-sugar coated too. Yes the kind like a margarita, when the girl bring me the drink, I am like, holy shit, I hope I can still sleep after drinking that humongous thing. They are going to another dance club afterwards, but after I finish my frozen lemonade, I decide to take a taxi home with a german girl who stays with a family not far from mine. I have a morning class the next morning.
This is the first time I go out since I came to Cuzco. I have heard a lot about how Cuzco has many bars and clubs because of the tourists. Now I can see how and why. It's true that there are lots of things to see in Cuzco and around Cuzco, but at the night times, there are really not much to do. Many people select Cuzco to study Spanish, like me. There are also lot of people using Cuzco as a base to visit the nearby Scared Valley and Machu Picchu. So, at nights, especially the young ones love to go dancing at club or gathering at bars. I don't really want to stay out too late, since I am living with a family. One of these nights though, I do like to go to the reggae bar, where they play live music. Maybe this weekend, who knows, since Amanda will in Machu Picchu. I don't have any plans myself. Mark, a Canadian guy, talked about bring some cheese and crackers to one of the closest Inka ruins, and just enjoy the day. I might join him. And we may go to the reggae bar at night.
There is a detour coming up again, the school sometimes run a week of lectures in some rural villages, maybe an hour away from Cuzco. On Oct 18-24, there is opening to do that in a small village called Toray (which is not far from Pisac Inka ruin), it requires 6 persons or more in order to actualize. Anyway, now there are already 13 students signed up, so I pretty much we are doing it. At first, I was not going to do it, as my Machu Picchu trip is on Oct 24, it's sort of overlapped, but my whole class has signed up for it. I might as well join them too, as I would like to visit Pisac anyway, and it will be my last week of Spanish lessons, I rather stick the same classmates so I have to get used to someone new again. And I inquired that I can probably take a bus back to Cuzco on Friday the 23rd, so I won't miss my Machu Picchu trip.
Finalized my Lake Titicaca (over 3800m - one of the highest lake on earth) trip, instead of taking a train (Andean Explorer), I will take a tourist bus instead, combining some tours along the 9 hours journey. I really wanted to take the train in the beginning, because it is one of the highest tracks on earth, over 4000m. But its fare has skyrocketted to US$220 for the journey, there no backpacker class anymore. The bus I am going to take is called Inka Express, with panorama windows. I walk in their ticket office and inquire about the cost, the price on my Lonely Planet is US$25 (in 2007), and the service lady tells me US$45. I say, $45! (exclamation marks flying off my mouth). She shows me a copy of some other people booking online, the listed price is US$50, but because I walk in, there is a discount... mmmh... that's what I am like. So, I say, it is a big difference from my Lonely Planet guidebook, which says only US$25. I know it gonna be higher, because US$25 is the price 2 years ago. But another US$20 seems a lot. She says, ok because I have the book and it says different, she would give me US$40. Like buying a fish, in market price. I bet it can go cheaper, especially if the seats are not filled in at the end. But I think I accept her offer. It's a long bus ride, including lunch buffet, beverages on the bus, an english speaking guide, entry fees to some museums along the road, and will stop for one of two Inka sites, and alpaca protection area...etc. Instead of taking an awful long bus ride, we will stop every so often to see something. Maybe it's not a bad idea. Besides I actually checked two more agents, the quote they give me is like US$50 too, and no tours included, but it's a first stop nonstop bus. I guess they expect you to do some bargaining, but anyway, I can accept US$40 with drinks, lunch and tours. After all, although I am carrying a backpack, I am really not that kind of hardcore backpackers. I am getting old, I guess.
Photos here: Day 10
