2013 Peru-1 Planning and Preparation

2013 Planning and Preparation STRIVE-Peru • Peru Background Information • Accommodations • Sample Itinerary • Packing • Communications • International Travel Arrangements • Fundraising Information • Medical Information and Forms Peru Background Information From the tropical rainforests of the east, to the majestic Andes and central highlands, to the arid deserts along its southern coast, Peru has something for every traveler. Reminders of its multi-layered history range from ancient Inca terraces and towns to colonial Spanish centers with extravagant cathedrals and open plazas. Interspersed throughout are the colors and costumes of Peru’s array of indigenous peoples, mixing traditional Andean ways with modern developments and practices. Geography: Located on the Western coast of South America, just south of the equator, Peru shares borders with Ecuador to the North, Colombia, Brazil, and Bolivia to the East, and Chile to the South. Its capital, Lima, is located on the Pacific almost directly in the center of the country’s 1500 miles of coastline. Over a quarter of Peru’s current population of 30 million people live in Lima, with other population hubs including Arequipa and Trujillo. Peru's central highlands, where the Sacred Valley is located, is part of the Andes Mountain range. These mountains and valleys form the part of Peru called La Sierra. Some of the world’s highest mountains can be found here, like Huascaran (22,200ft) and Yerupaja (21,765ft). The Andes extend from Ecuador well into Chile. In the center of this chain of mountains lies the mysterious lost Inca city of Machu Picchu, a few hours from the city of Cusco, Peru. Close to Machu Picchu is the beautiful Valle Sagrado, the Sacred Valley, where the town of Pisac is located. Culture: The culture of Peru is by far one of the most diverse in South America. Due to the natural isolation of the region (both the enormous Andes mountains to and the Amazon River Basin discourage overland travel), Peruvians have been successful at preserving many cultural practices for thousands of years. Even after the invasion by 2 the Spanish conquistadors, many elements of Peru’s ancient cultures are still evident today. Approximately 45% of the people of Peru are indigenous South Americans – that is, ethnically, they are not related to the Spanish who came to the continent in the 16 th century – and about 37% is mestizo (a combination of both indigenous and of Latin descent). The cultural capital of Peru is generally recognized as Cusco, where the foundation of traditional Incan heritage and culture is most evident. In addition, many villages located in the highlands have also preserved much of their heritage, often represented visually and vibrantly through colorful costumes and traditional hats. History: The Inca, sometimes called the people of the sun, were originally a warlike tribe living in a semi-arid region of the southern sierra. In the early 1400s, the Inca moved north into the fertile Cuzco Valley. From there they overran neighboring lands and by 1500 the Inca Empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean east to the sources of the Paraguay and Amazon rivers, and from the region of modern Quito in Ecuador south to the Maule River in Chile. This vast empire was a theocracy, organized along socialistic lines and ruled by an Inca, or emperor, who was worshiped as a divinity. Because the Inca realm contained extensive deposits of gold and silver, it became in the early 16th century a target of Spanish imperial ambitions in the Americas. In 1532 the Spanish soldier and adventurer Francisco Pizarro landed in Peru with a force of about 180 men. Conditions were favorable for conquest, as the empire had been debilitated by a just-concluded civil war between the heirs to the Inca throne, Atahualpa and Huascar, each of whom was seeking to control the empire. This internal dissension, combined with the terror inspired by Spanish guns and horses—unknown to the indigenous peoples until then—made it relatively easy for only a handful of Spaniards to conquer this vast empire. The Spaniards met Atahualpa, the victor in the civil war, and his army at a prearranged conference at Cajamarca in 1532. When Atahualpa arrived, the Spaniards ambushed and seized him, and killed thousands of his followers. Although Atahualpa paid the most fabulous ransom known to history—a room full of gold and another full of silver—for his freedom, the Spaniards murdered him in 1533. The Spanish destroyed many of the irrigation projects and the north-south roads that had knit the empire together, speeding the disintegration of the empire. By November 1533 Cuzco had fallen with little resistance. In addition, the indigenous population declined rapidly as a result of new diseases brought by the Spaniards, diseases to which the Inca had no immunity. Members of the Inca dynasty took refuge in the mountains and were able to resist the Spaniards for about four decades. However, by 1572 the Spaniards had executed the last Inca ruler, Tupac Amaru, along with his advisers and his family. Despite the Spanish domination and plunder of Cuzco, it remains Peru’s cultural capital. Declared a cultural world heritage site in 1983, and sitting at an altitude of over 11,000 ft, 3 Cuzco (current population approx 350,000) is a city where past and present collide. Within the same urban environment exist pre-Colombian monuments such as the Korikancha (Temple of the Sun) and the Amaru Cancha (fence of the serpent) alongside architectural highlights of the Spanish, such as the Cathedral and Plaza de Armas. Cuzco is also surrounded by impressive archeological remains such as the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Ollantaytambo compound, and picturesque towns such as Pisac (where you’ll be headquartered), Calca, and Lamay, which still preserve the traditions of their ancestors. The intricate fortresses and agricultural terraces found throughout the Sacred Valley are amazing examples of the masterful craftsmanship of ancient construction. The citadel of Machu Picchu remains, of course, the highlight of many trips to Peru as it was never discovered by the Spanish and thus remains an almost fully intact example of incredible Incan achievement. And even in the last few decades, history is being made in Peru. In November 1995 anthropologists announced the discovery of the 500-year-old remains of two Inca women and one Inca man frozen in the snow on a mountain peak in Peru. Scientists concluded that the trio was part of a human sacrifice ritual. Artifacts from the find unveiled new information about the Inca civilization, including a better understanding of their community structures, along with religious and sacrificial practices. Language: Peru has two official languages: Spanish and Quechua, the most popular indigenous language. Spanish is used by all coastal Peruvians, the government, the media, and in education and formal commerce, although there is an increasing and organized effort to teach Quechua in public schools. One of the biggest obstacles to increasing the use and knowledge of Quechua in Peru is that many of the native speakers of Quechua are illiterate. Thus, Quechua remains essentially an oral language. Until more work is done in terms of teaching written Quechua, it is unlikely to rival Spanish as the major language of the country. However, in the Sacred Valley, many of the indigenous peoples continue to speak Quechua as their primary language, and in the Pisac area you will certainly have some interactions with Quechua-speaking people. But don’t be shy! Most are happy to teach you some basic phrases and greetings. Many of you have studied Spanish in school, so will have a far larger vocabulary that can be covered in this brief an introduction. However, for those who study another language, we’ve included some basic phrases, which will be helpful during your stay as few locals outside the hotel grounds (and even some working in the hotel) speak English. Notes on Spanish pronunciation: In Spanish, all vowels are pronounced the same, no matter where they fall in the word (in sharp contrast to English). This means that, in 4 theory, once you have learned how to pronounce the vowels, you can say nearly any word In Spanish with a fair degree of intelligibility. • In Spanish, A is like the 'ah' in 'haha', or 'awe'. • In Spanish, E is like the long a, like the 'a' in 'hay'. • In Spanish, I is like the long e, like the 'ee' in 'keep'. • In Spanish, O is more or less a short 'o', the 'o' in 'or'. • In Spanish, U is like the 'oo' in 'zoo'. In Spanish, some of the consonants are pronounced differently as well. • In Spanish, H is silent. Hotel is 'O-tell'. • In Spanish, J is the 'H' sound. Pajaro (bird) is ‘PAH-ha-roh’ • In Spanish, Ñ is a sound like 'ny'. Montaña (mountain) is ‘mon-TAH-nyah • In Spanish, RR is a rolling 'r'. Perro (dog) is peh-rro (rolled) • In Spanish, G is said with an 'H' sound in front of E or I– gente (people) is HEN- tay o In front of a 'U', it is ‘gwa’ like guacamole o And a ‘G’ sound in front of all others. Gusto (pleasure) is GOO-stoh Yes -- Si. Please -- Por favor No -- No Thank you – Gracias Hello -- Hola No thank you -- No gracias Goodbye -- Adios Thank you very much -- Muchas gracias My name is... -- Me llamo... Nice to meet you -- Mucho gusto How are you? -- Como estás? Pardon me – Disculpame How Much does it cost? -- Cuanto Help! -- Auxilio! cuesta? I am lost – Estoy perdido Where is...? -- Donde está? May I use the bathroom? --Puedo usar el baño? I don't understand. -- No entiendo Where is the bathroom? – Dónde está el baño? Do you speak English? -- Hablas inglés? Please call a doctor.

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