Machu Picchu

Testing the waters of the Room of the Mortars.

View of the three temples, quarry and agricultural terraces.

The trouble with trying to travel in the rainy season in Cuzco and Machu Picchu is that sometimes the weather stymies you. However, we were lucky. Our first day in Cuzco, we walked in the main square of the city (local cathedral), toured the local ruins (Temple of the Sun, several local wari/raised ceremonial platforms) and only encountered one rainfall. It was brief but heavy. Sasaywuman was the most intriguing with its irregular symmetrical stone construction. Our guide was a local Quecha Indian who put an environment spin on his tour as do many aboriginal groups i.e. the whole return to Mother Earth what is owned to her and try not to poison the world.

Field separating the royal/sacred quarters from the common residencies.

It is recommended to spend at least one day in Cuzco to acclimatize. Mr. Hippo and I had some symptoms: decrease appetite and a mild headache. However, after a good night sleep, we felt better.The next day, we started early for Machu Picchu. In fact, we have been up almost every day around 5-6am (quite early for me) during this vacation. There is only one railway line (Orient Express) into Agus Caliente, the town from which all buses then leave for the summit. After a 3.5 hour train ride and 20 minute bus ride, we were there. Heavens, what a grand site! We were met by our guide and took a 3.5 hour tour. Paul must have snapped a picture a minute and in fact filled a 4Gig.

View of all of ruins from the guardhouse.

Only 35% of Machu Picchu has been revealed and more surprisingly, it was only recently (1911) properly re-discovered and properly excavated by a Yale scientist called Hiram Bingham. Questions about its origin and final abandonment still remain a mystery. However, the citadel was thought to be designed as a self-sufficient city. There are agricultural and resident terraces. An open field separates the common residencies from the royal and the sacred realm. A series of sixteen ceremonial baths/fountains also subdivide the agricultural from the urban sites.

Machu Picchu appears to have been abandoned before it reached its completion as its quarry appears to be still in working state. I had arranged to spend an extra night at the only hotel near the ruins: The Machu Picchu sanctuary lodge. The reason is simple: to take in the ruins without the troughs of the 2500 daily guests who flood the site. The lack of crowds adds immensely to the ambience. Our guide states that in the dry (and high season), the citadel is literally packed wall to wall with tourists. In fact, UNESCO has been lobbying to limit the number of guests as scientists and archaeologists have stated that the deterioration has accelerated particularly with climate change. One of the local trials to another terrace citadel called Waywu Picchu has already had a limit of 400 guests per day.

Our late afternoon tour was considerable more pleasurable and we scoured every nook of the residential quarters leaving the royal and sacred sites for our second day. A word about our guide, he is local archaeologist who was able to illuminate many new details about the site i.e. the room of the mortars. What looks to be the mortar portion of “mortar and pestle” has been revised to an astronomical observatory. After the discovery that this room had a thatch room, the theory was revised again. Today, what was thought to be mortars are likely to be the base of two statues (which are in fact located in Yale University). Of course, the local archaeologists, geologists and art historians are keen to have these statues as well as other artefacts of Machu Picchu returned...if nothing else to facilitate study of the site.

All our meals and drinks including alcohol were included in our stay at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. The building was formerly the home base for the local scientists who excavated and restored the ruins. There is a lovely letter from the grandson of Hiram Bingam in the lobby. The food at the lodge was spectacular as befitting a five star hotel. For lunch: Sea bass ceviche followed by a succulent pork tenderloin. Mr. Hippo had new potatoes (there are over 400 potato species in Peru) with baked salmon with proscuitto. We even had some lovely Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. For our evening meal, we had dined on grilled alpaca, scalloped potatoes with sea bass (with baby veggies) and smoked trout with lemon chilli pepper and olive oil. This was accompanied by a bottle of 2005 Argentinean Norton Malbec Reversa simply yummy. The end to a perfect day!

Lima

Except for some turbulence on the flight from Houston to Lima, the trip to Lima was uneventful. I had come all the way to Lima and who should be seated next to me but another Canadian. A sprightly elderly lady who in her retirement has been re-born as a world traveller. Last year, she worked in a mission in Brazil and this year, it was a week in Chimbote. How adventurous and exciting!

Our arrival at the airport was greeted by the sea of Peruvian humanity. We negotiated a taxi to the Gran Hotel Bolivar at just after our arrival at the midnight hour. We passed in a cab through the very sketchy parts of Lima before arriving at our hotel in the Plaza San Martin. The Gran Bolivar is a grand old lady and the hotel has become somewhat of time capsule of the late 19th century. 12 foot ceilings and magnificent hardwood floor inlays line the rooms and the halls of the hotel. The stain glass ceiling and the antique model T-ford in the lobby are also part of its unique charm. It is faded glamour however, the rooms are sparse with antique like furniture. There is neither air-conditioning (but the rooms are cool even in the summer) nor internet access. All of this is advertised on the web so consequently of no surprise to Mr. Hippo and I. However, it is close to all the sites of Colonial Lima from the Monastery of San Francisco, Catheral of Lima, Church of La Merced and Plaza San Martin.

On our first day, it was a long day of walking to all the sites. We also encountered a labour strike which blocked some part of the downtown core, hassled only once by a beggar and got lost a couple of hundred times getting to abode pyramid called Huaca Huallanmarca (Sugar Loaf to the locals). A ceremonial centre for the Hualla people dating back to AD 200) . This well preserved mummy was the highlight.

By late afternoon, we returned to the Bolivar and had their special drink, the Pisco Sours, at the bar. This is a local sweet brandy produced in Peru and served cold with crush ice. A great drink to relax with on a hot humid afternoon. Mr. Hippo was not feeling too well and headed to bed thereafter while I had dinner at the local restaurant consisting of a seafood chowder and ever popular fried potatoes with more pisco sours of course. There are over 2000 types of potatoes in Peru! No wonder Sir Walter Raleigh had to take some back with him to England all those years ago.

The many conflicting images of winter in Ontario

While January was certainly cold, the winter of February 2009 has certainly turned out to be most confusing.

A two day meltdown ensued as the temperatures climbed into the double digit centigrade. This was compounded by a solid 24hr deluge which resulted in several river and creek banks overflowing. Several fields temporarily became small swimming pools for the local fowl.

Contrast this to this picture taking just a week before when nearly 20cm of snow fell in a day. Is freak weather the future for us in Ontario?

Of course, nothing really celebrates winter more than Winterlude in Ottawa. Three February weekends packed with all things we love about the season: skating, skiing, ice sculptures, maple treats, ice slides, bed races on the canal, ice fishing. Mr. Hippo and I decided to break our cabin fever and took in this year's festivities with our friends who live there with their two children.

So when will this winter end? If the prognostications of Wiarton Willie and Punxsutawney Phil are to believed, not for another six more weeks. However, with this current pattern of wild weather, it may well be when pigs fly.

A patch of colour

In the middle of another snowy winter, this gorgeous (and huge) flower arrangement was a well-appreciated gift from one of my patients. It complements my office furniture and my ever growing "office" garden. I hope I can make is last for a while. Just for perspective, that is 26in LCD screen.

Moments at the Inauguration

First the gathering, then the swearing in and then the inaugural speech.

Memorable surely with many moving quotes of which my favourites were:

"Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths."

and just because it is minus 23 degrees tonight:

"In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Really things that make you go...hmmmmm.

I was quite stuck by the humour of in the Benediction by the Reverend Dr Joseph E Lowery toward the end of the ceremonies:

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen. "

What a day!

Amazing Asian

Well it was a long time goal but at last, I have taken a cooking class. Sure, it was for a style of cooking that I knew much of but I did learn a few new tricks. In this case,a recipte for shitake mushroom-nappa-onion pot-stickers (a fried dumpling actually). It was surprisingly easy and definitely delicious!

In the course of about 3.5-4 hours, Ms. Crowded House, her sister, Desi and I cooked up and ate fried dumplings, seared tuna, lobster-shrimp-veggie stir fry and mango-coconut pudding.

The teared tuna "plate dressing" consisting of fresh snow peas shoots, sesame seeds, fried lotus root chips and a sesame oil-lime vinaigrette was certainly the most visually appealing and complemented the seared tuna divinely.

After consuming two glasses of Shiraz and slaving over a hot stove on one of the coldest nights of the year, it was joy to eat the fruits of our labours. Now perhaps, I'll tackle French cuisine.

Technical update

The computer in exam room and the computer my secretary uses finally ground down to a halt (both within a week). The monitor on the former simultaneously fizzled (more like sizzled at the moment of demise) while I was with a patient.

So it was a week of shopping for two new hard drive and a rapid update on the state of computer technology. Who knew there was a Core 2 Quad now? New 1Gb RAMs were installed into the remaining office computers as well. How exciting it is to be working at warp speed again.

Some good meal out and in

I tend to eat most of my meals at home (lunch, dinner and breakfast, if I remember of course). One of the perks of living with your parents and about 2 minutes from work. My honey, my mother and I all love to cook. My honey hippo is the master of the BBQ. My mother cooks the best of Asian and Asian fusion stuff. I tend to do a mix of Asian and Western dishes. However, I do take in a few restaurants.

Last week, for Dad's birthday, we went to The Host, an Indian Restaurant. Between the goat curry, Tandoori chicken and prawns, aloo gobi, butter chicken, and the spiced and garlic nan, it was a feast to behold and to savour. Still salivating about the memories.

Then the second best meal was at the Owl of Minerva, a Korean restaurant which has nothing to do with the Greek goddess of wisdom. The highlight was the pork bone soup which was a warm,spicy, and hearty dish that warmed me down to my boots. Great recommendation from Ms. Crowded House and her husband!

Recently I did make two more dishes from Supper works: the tomato cream basa and coconut crusted chicken fingers. Both were delicious as well as being quick and simple to make...a testimony to the Supper works mantra. Tonight, I am trying my hand at a prime rib roast with red wine porcine mushroom sauce.

Med School Reunion

It snuck up on me. This anniversary was coming around and I could feel its shadow looming. The surprise of its arrival however, is really an incredulous form of denial. 10 years had passed since I graduated from medical school. 10 years since the class of Meds 98 were swearing the Hippocratic oath together on that humid day in May.

Thankfully, my biggest worry that I would not be able to recognize someone in the class did not come to pass. There was a little more snow of the roof for some and a somewhat portly disposition for others. We all looked a reasonable semblance of our younger selves.

No difference was this experience from other reunions I have had with memories relived and stories exchanged. The re acquaintance of old friends may have been touched with some sadness of the lost years but this was matched by the delightful rediscovery of old friendships. We have matured well...look how far we've come.

TIFF: Easy Virtue

This was a lovely and "easy" film to watch. The Noel Coward script had been reworked but the story held true. Colin Firth and Kirsten Scott Thomas were the anchors of the cast and it was a fine effort on the part of Jessica Biel. Catchy Cole Porter (and the like) tunes matched with gorgeous period costumes add to the fun. The director announced Mr. Firth's arrival on stage with "Ladies do you have you underpants ready....." (so British and so Cheeky).

TIFF 2008

Movies seen today: Burn after Reading, Blindness, Rain, Ghost Town, Miracle of St. Anna

Movies recommend to date: all in the above list.

Movies highly recommend: Blindness. The movie was dramatically re-edited from its previous screening at Cannes (where is was poorly received). However, now that the voice over has been lifted from the movie, and other scenes more tightly woven, the movie comes together well. Strong performances from Julianna Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover and stellar cast. The movie captures the essence of the book: the descent into hell of a nameless society loses its sight literally and metaphorically (morally). The graphic nature (murder, rape) of many scenes were portrayed with restraint. There is really too much to content to be adequately portrayed on film by Don McKellar's script does a respectable job.

More reviews to follow in the coming days.

I took a look at my cousin's blog and found this very interesting meme which came from The Omnivore's Hundred (which originates at Very Good Taste).

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you've eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich (stable for breakfast still today)
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (apple, strawberry, gooseberry)
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries (strawberries literally in a field in Newfoundland)
23. Foie gras (thanks to my sister)
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi (mango not salted alas)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (Med school graduation party)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (eaten in Bangkok and paid for this later that night)
43. Phaal (also paid for this later)
44. Goat's milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth US$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S'mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs' legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (absolutely not....not sure if I would even if I was dying of hunger)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I have eaten/drank 71 of the items which is not really surprising as I am food obsessed, willing to try anything once (except Roadkill), grew up on two continents and love to travel. The best thing is I have another 28 items to try!

Lucky number 8

Michael Phelps has now won eight gold medals at this year's Olympic games. 8 is a lucky number in Chinese as it is a homonym for prosperity. The Beijing Olympics commenced at 8am on the 8th day of the 8th month of 2008. At Milton Hospital, there was a new record set in 2008: 8 deliveries in a 24 hours period. Not bad for a hospital who average is 3 per day and has only 11 postpartum beds. Unfortunately, unlike Phelps, there won't be a million dollar pay cheque for Milton.

The night the lights went out....

Our first time at Supperworks was a lot more fun than I anticipated. Red and I were somewhat apprehensive but after "assembling" a few meals, we both relaxed and got into the swing of it. Her choice of the Kid's Mac and Cheese dish was however the most challenging to assemble as it required use of a microwave to heat the milk and cheeses followed by some serious blending!

The Pulled Chicken was the easiest to assemble by far (and I did two full meals). The best smelling pre-cooked dish was the Korean Orange Spice Flatiron steaks. As a wicked thunderstorm raged outside, we sipped on our glasses of wine and snacked on shrimp dip as we put together our meals. Then, the inevitable happened, the lights went out and did not come back on.
This led to measuring ingredients by flashlight before the staff of Supperworks lit the towers of candles which I suspect had been use primarily for decoration until this night.
Checking to see if the ground beef was properly mixed as the greatest challenge even by candlelight. Of course, the proof of the meal quality is in the eating which I'll be checking out (and reporting on) in the next few weeks.

Babu goes to the happy hunting grounds....

FOUR FEET

I have done mostly what men do,
And pushed it out of my mind;
But I can't forget, if I wanted to,
Four-Feet trotting behind.

Day after day, the whole day through--
Wherever my road inclined--
Four-Feet said, 'I am coming with you!'
And trotted along behind.

Now I must go by some other round--
Which I shall never find--
Some where that does not carry the sound
Of Four-Feet trotting behind.

--- Rudyard Kipling ---

Another fallen tree story

My cousin's recent post about cutting down a tree in her neighbourhood: http://www.toomanythoughts.org/blog/ gave me cause to reminisce about a dark and stormy night nearly 9 years ago when the Great Oak in front of my house apartment in Hamilton finally came to a end.

It had been raining for most of the month of April and most of us who lived in the apartments of this old 100 year old house noticed that there were a few green leaves and twigs on the Great Oak in the front yard. The rest of the neighbour trees appeared to springing to life with light green foliage or flowers. On this dark and very rainy night, I returned to my home after dinner with some friends to find that the streetlights on my street were off and the police had block off the road.

I parked on an adjacent street and as I approached my home, I saw the fallen tree which crushed one of my house neighbours. They were a couple from Argentina who were doing their PhDs at McMaster university. I learnt later that they had just returned home as well and as they entered the front door of the house, there was a loud crack. The couple turned around to witness the crush of their car by the dying oak. It was naturally quite fortunate that they were not in the car itself.
At about 11 pm, the city of Hamilton municipal crew came along and started the clean up. One crew chain-sawed the branches while another crew fed the pieces into a wood chipper. The noise was horrendous and lasted well into the early morning hours. Since we could not sleep, most of my house neighbours came out to watch the clean up with a few glasses of wine.
By morning, this was all that remained of the Great Oak and later, another truck came to take the trunk away as well.
The Argentina couple stared in disbelief at the state of their car. There was significant structural damage that the car was deemed a write-off by the insurance. In fact, they used copies of these pictures to get their full claim.

Competitveness

A: Hey, I can fill that in about 10 minutes.
B: Really, well the last time I was here, the bag was done in 5.

A: Squeezing or no squeezing
B: No squeezing

A: Let's get the nurse to watch the timers today.
B: You're on.

A: Who would think blood donation could be a competitive sport?
B: You realize we're talking about how fast we could exsanguinate, eh?

A&B are both health care professionals too.

Western Skies

It was a great idea having the SOGC conference in Calgary this year but I was thinking it would have even been better if it was in Banff! However, with scenery like this, everyone may be staring at the outdoors and no one would be at the lectures and workshops.
Another benefit of the conference was catching up with old friends from residency, medical school and other conferences. With the absent provincial sales tax, there was plenty of incentive for shopping (and plenty of success too). There were some splendid meals at "Catch" and the Belvedre. These oysters at "Catch" were quite yummy as was the steamed snow crab and Dungeness crab legs drenched in chilli butter which I had for the main course.
Calgary itself was also in prep mode for the upcoming stampede. Faux rodeo stalls and straw on 8th Avenue as well as the ever increasing number of men and women in cowboy garb. We got out of town just in time before the madness was to begin. A quick but relaxing trip out west.

I've got Tiger Woods' injury

It had to happen of course on my vacation but thankfully on the last day of diving in the Red Sea. With my full scuba gear on, I stepped from the MY Fraser into the Zodiac. Poof! That was it, the last remaining shreds of my right ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) were gone as my right knee collapsed. A moment of brief pain followed by a few hours of numbness and swelling.

As I suspected and confirmed by my orthopedic surgeon and my MRI last Wednesday, I have completely torn my ACL ligament. There are some strain on the collateral ligaments but no fractures. After two weeks of physiotherapy, I can walk reasonably well but limp a little after long hours of ambulation especially after call.

What awaits me, possible surgery to reconstruction of the knee particularly if the mensical tears worsen (manifested by increased pain and grinding in the knee) and if the knee becomes more unstable over time. Arthritis is more likely in the right knee over time.

As I hobble about last Thursday night during a 3am delivery, the husband of one of my patients asked me what was the matter with my knee. I pondered about the extent of my answer....ACL tear, how it happened, prognosis but my immediate answer was "I've got Tiger Woods' injury." Of course, Tiger is a world class golfer and I am at best an avid diver. My injury was sustained after a relatively minor and low impact activity (walking into a Zodiac) as oppose to repetitive high velocity drives that probably left Tiger with his injury.

This husband replied "So, do you get to take the rest of the year off too?"
My retort was "No, sadly, I'd be lucky to get a month off to rest after the surgery!".

Thus perhaps illustrating the greatest difference between Tiger and myself.

Red Sea Diving...

This was my second liveaboard dive trip to the Red Sea. This time I was accompanied by my Honey Hippo and we were going to the middle part of the Red Sea (as oppose to the Northern segment). The tour was called "Simply the Best" because quite simply the wildlife on these reefs is the best (for now). The sites are quite remote and accessibly only by safari boats after a 6-8 hour trip. The three most famous reefs are the Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstoun. And they did not disappoint. Everything from the very small wonders to the biggest creatures were seen. This above picture was of an octopus who crawled as far back in to its hole as it could go. It was quite upset as it turned several vibrant purple and blue shades too.
I love the clownfish/anemonefish too. At Daedalus reef, we chanced upon a cluster of anemones at about 15-17m at one particular spot dubbed "Anemone City". Loads of the residents were about as well as few of their babies.
Daedalus reef is known for its large pelgaic creatures and at this time of the year, the hammerheads were in full swing. In fact, at Daedalus reef, we saw sharks on almost every dive and one day, on all four dives. This ranged from the oceanic white tip sharks (accompanied by their pilot fish) to Gray fin reef sharks to a rare thresher to the famous hammerheads (which are quite often seen at this reef at this time of the year). The above (and video clips on next posting) are from the first day of diving at Daedalus. This began with a 5am wake up call to our dive briefing on this day and we were in the water just after 6am which quite a feat for a non-morning person like myself. As we hovered in the ocean blue a few metres away from the sight of the reef, we saw our first hammerheads swimming ABOVE us bathed in the glow of the morning sun. Now that's a site with waking up for! This was just the start of a glorious day of diving.
The Brothers are two islands in the Red Sea which are so named for their similarity in shape. The large of the two, Big Brother has a lighthouse it. Both are renowed for their fabulous soft and hard corals, marine life (large and small) and clear waters...simply the best diving anywhere with the concentration of things to see! Big Brother also has two wrecks on it: The Aida and the Numidia.
This shot was taken at Little Brother. It is of several masked butterfly fish and as one of my friends has commented, it appears to have been taken in an aquarium. The reef that day was indeed awash in radiant beams. This is what much of the diving was like....in the fish bowl presay with the other marine life.