Some Of My Favorite Things

When we travel the we buy a lot of stuff.  The Wife is very practical.  Most of what she buys can be used such as table clothes, shawls, scarves, and small tables.  I tend not to buy much but I too have purchased things on our travels.  This used to mean T-Shirts.  I have since moved away from collecting T-Shirts.  Looking back I think I cherish things given to us as gifts.

I've mentioned a few of these things before.  In Peru I was given a glass llama and a small reed boat made by the Uros Indians.  The boat is one of my favorite mementos of my travels and has hung from my desk lamp ever since our return.  From our Jordan trip we were gifted two small camels - they sit on my computer speakers.

From our last big trip to China, Nepal, Bhutan, and India, we received gifts in India.  We received little carved elephants - one intricately carved with an elephant within an elephant and another colorfully inlaid.  In Tibet I bought a small stone with the Buddhist mantra on it.  In Bhutan I bought a small mask of Chagna Dorje, a deity signifying power and looking quite evil even though he is said to be benevolent.

But my favorite, after the Peruvian boat, is the one I bought in New Orleans: A Sugar Skull bobble head.

Sugar Skull Bobble Head from New Orleans.

I'm sure he was made in China is is just made of plastic but he makes me smile.  He has a prominent place on my desk next to my computer monitor and when I type with extra force he looks like he is agreeing with what I'm writing.  I think I'll keep him.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - The Last Day And Epilog

Our last day in Peru started with an early rise and a bus ride to the airport to catch a flight to Lima. We arrived late morning and we had the rest of the afternoon free. The wife and I wondered through the shops and made some last minute purchases including a couple of wraps endorsed by a couple of nuns in the shop.

That evening we went to a restaurant to have our last meal together as a tour group. A few of the group had already left as their tour was continuing in other parts of Peru. The restaurant was next to an archaeological excavation. The food was good.

We had to leave early as we had to catch our flight home. We said our goodbyes and got in a van with another couple that would take us to the airport. I was concerned that we weren’t going to make our flight but we made it. After a long delay in Miami, we finally made it home by noon on Saturday.

This trip was a big eye opener for me. The closest thing to an epiphany that I can say I’ve ever had. Here are a few random things that I learned on this vacation:

• This was the first guided tour that I’ve taken and it was wonderful. I kind of dreaded having to travel in a group on someone else’s itinerary. The actuality is that I saw things that I never would have seen if I’d planned the trip myself and the group added new perspectives and insight. I think the secret is picking a tour company that keeps the groups small. Our group was 20. Our tour guide said that this was considered a large group.

• You get what you pay for. This vacation was expensive but it was worth every Peruvian Nuevo Sol. The hotels were top notch. The transportation was comfortable and convenient. The tour guides were locals who knew their subjects intimately.

• Since I’ve been back I have not been able to just hang around the house. I feel like I need to do new stuff and experience more. This trip resulted in the many Mission trips, road trips, and hikes that I have posted about.

• There is internet access almost everywhere. I thought we would not have communication with home while we were on this vacation but every hotel we stayed at had internet access. Small villages out in the middle of the Andes Mountains had internet cafes. Peddlers walked around markets selling Compact Flash and Secure Digital cards for cameras. We were able to e-mail our friends and family every night.

• I found out that I like to take pictures. I took over 550 pictures on this vacation. I was concerned that I would fill my memory card. My new camera card will hold close to 1,100 pictures so it shouldn’t be a problem anymore. I am not the best photographer but every now and then I take a good picture. The pictures were very helpful in remembering what we did when - a good record of our vacation.

• Peru is eco-conscious. There are recycle bins all over, even in remote villages. They are planting trees both for firewood and to replenish what has been cut. They have reason to be conscious of the environment. Cities, towns, and farming are all dependent on the 10 rivers that flow from the Andes. These rivers are glacier fed and the glaciers are shrinking. Once the glaciers are gone and the river’s dry up Peru will be a desert. Lake Titicaca is also glacier fed and it will be impacted by the loss as well.

• Peru is adapting to the world economy by adopting new export crops. Peru came off as a modern country engaged in the global economy. This does not mean that there are no poor. The rich-poor divide is wider then ever.

• I started eating yogurt a year before going on this vacation in the hope that the good bacteria in the yogurt would strengthen my digestive system. It may have worked as I did not get sick on this trip and I am grateful. Other tour group members were not so lucky. It also helped that the hotels we ate at prepared their food well with tourists in mind.

This was the best vacation I have ever taken. There was good and there was bad but even the bad has a healthy glow looking back. It's been a year since we went and the memories, while still vivid, are starting to fade. The bad seems to be fading faster than the good which suits me fine. I am sure that I left out a ton of detail from this nine part series of posts. I tried to hit all the high points and I think I succeeded.

On our itinerary for the next 12 months we have a week in San Francisco (including several Missions in the area). Our next international trip will probably be Thailand … we’ll see. I can't wait to venture out again.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - Part Eight - Lake Titicaca

When I think of Peru I think of three things: Machu Picchu, Nazca Lines, and Lake Titicaca. I have always had a mild, underground fascination with the lake even though I knew very little about it. I basically knew two things. The first thing is that Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. That seemed cool to me for some obscure reason. The second thing is the name. I know of no one who can hear the name Titicaca without being transformed, even briefly, into Beavis and Butthead. Our guide said that there was a joke that Peru got the Titi side of the lake and Bolivia got the caca side. My lack of true knowledge of the lake meant that anything I learned would be a bonus.

We started early in the morning. I looked out the hotel window and saw the sun rising over the lake and the reeds. We joined the group down by the boat dock to board out boat that would take us out to the Uros Islands and Taquile Island. Two of the tour group did not make it as the altitude was doing a number on them. A doctor would visit them twice by the end of the day.

The boat left the dock and we made our way to the floating islands of the Uros. The Uros tribe live on large reed rafts made of Totora Reeds. They harvest the root block from the bottom of the lake. The root block floats like a cork. The squares of root block are attached together to make a large island. They then layer cut reeds in a criss-cross manner in multiple layers until the raft is close to six feet thick. Each island is occupied by one extended family. The Uros live their entire life on the islands living on the reeds and fishing. They trade fish and crafts for other need supplies with the mainland. The islands last about 50 years before they need to be replaced.

We arrived at one of the islands and got out of the boat. Walking on the islands felt like walking on a mattress - a little springy and bouncy. We sat down and the chief explained the history of the islands. The chief did not speak Spanish and our tour guide translated. As we sat and listened, a bird slowly made its way toward a bowl of fish that the chief was using to show the type of fish that they ate. He slowly crept up to the bowl, snatched a fish and was shushed away by the chief's wife. Turns out the Heron was a family pet.

After the demonstration it was time for dress up. The women were all taken into huts where they were dressed as native Uros. The men were given shirts, vests, and hats to wear. The women skirts, blouses, jackets and funny little hats. We all had a fun time laughing at how we all looked. We got our pictures taken. ( Ours was included in out Christmas card that year.) The Uros women then brought our their crafts so we could do some more shopping. The wife purchase a few things that are now decorating our family room. A few of us took a boat ride on one of the reed boats. As departing gifts, we were each given a small reed boat. I really enjoyed the Uros Islands. This was the high point of the day.

The boat then headed out to the island of Taquile. After what seemed to be a long time we arrived and we followed a path up the island past terraces. In the hazy distance you could see the mountains of Bolivia. The path lead to a house where we had lunch. While the house seemed primitive, I noticed they had a small solar panel charging a car battery so that they would have light and possibly radio at night. Taquile Island was a little disappointing in that we saw very little of it. We saw some houses but we didn't see any village. The people are known for their weaving and cloth but we had very little chance to see very much of that. This was probably the only disappointing part of this vacation.

After lunch we went back to the boat and mostly slept on the way back to Puno. A few of us went into Puno with our guide to do some more shopping before calling it a night.

Here ends Chapter Eight. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the Last chapter: The return Home and the things I learned.

Past Vacation #19 - Peru 2006 - Part Seven - Driving South To Puno

On day eight we got back on the bus and headed south to Puno. The drive was pleasant and we had a chance to see the Andes countryside. Our first stop was in the town of Andahuaylillas. The bus weaved its way through narrow streets, making some of us cringe, on the way to a 16th century church often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. The church was worth the harrowing drive. It is incredible. This was one of the wife's favorite places. Unfortunately, due to the age of the artwork, we were not allowed to take pictures. We were told that some art thieves would take pictures to show to their clients before stealing the actual art. Several paintings were stolen from the cathedral in Cuzco and only blank spots are displayed. Sad.

Next stop on our trek south was Tracqui, a pre-Incan ruin with 46 foot walls. It was pretty neat - something else I had never heard of. Further down the road we stopped for lunch. The selection was a little limited but it was enough to get me by. After we left one of our group realized she didn't have her purse. The bus was turned around, almost getting stuck in some soft sand in the process, and returned to the restaurant. The owner was standing outside with the purse in his hand when we pulled in.

The road eventually peaks at a light headed 14,222 feet. The bus stopped at the pass where there were vendors selling handicrafts. Our stop was short as we were on a schedule. The road headed down through the busy city of Juliaca.

Next stop was Sillustani. Just before we arrived, there was a foul odor on the bus. One of the members of our tour group, a particularly whiny one, had come out of the bus' bathroom. She was suffering from intestinal distress. The toilet had reverse flushed on her. I felt sorry for her ... sort of.

Sillustani is the location of the most perfectly preserved Chullpas. Here we met up with a new guide. He gave us a tour and a history lesson about the cylindrical funeral monuments in which mummified remains have been recovered. In a nearby lake we saw an island where a Vicuña reserve is located. Vicuña are endangered as their wool is prized by many.

We left Sillustani and stopped at a local farmer's home. They showed us around their humble home, showing us what a typical meal is and sold some crafts they made - We bought a rug shown in this picture. Peru is famous for the huge number of potato species consumed. They supplement their diet with a thin mud soup that provides needed minerals. Their little daughter, dressed in brightly colored clothes, was a delight and showed off for the cameras. This visit was a treat and a great way to end the trip south.

The day ended with the bus arriving at the Libertador Lake Titicaca Puno Hotel. The elevator wasn't working very well so many of us took the stairs to our rooms, not an easy feat at 13,200 feet. The lady who had been reverse flushed on took the elevator - the elevator got stuck - the alarm sounded for over 20 minutes before someone realized what the noise was. OK, now I really felt sorry for her.

We enjoyed dinner at the hotel in preparation for our adventure on Lake Titicaca tomorrow.

Here ends Chapter Seven. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the next chapter: Lake Titicaca, the Floating Islands of the Uros, and Taquile Island.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - Part Six - Return To Cuzco

On the afternoon of day six we met up with the rest of the tour group at the Aguas Calientes train station and boarded our train to Cuzco. During the train ride you see a lot of the Sacred Valley. The Andes are beautiful and covered in snow and glaciers. The train staff put on folkloric dances up and down the aisle. The dances were followed by a fashion show. I feel sorry for the male purser/model as there was an unruly group of women near the end of our car that hooted and hollered whenever he did his walk down the aisle. At the end, the passengers could purchase the clothes that were modeled.

We got off the train one stop before Cuzco and got on a bus to complete the trip to our hotel. The station we got off was closer to the hotel then the Cuzco station. We checked into the Libertador Palacio del Inka Cusco Hotel. It was a nice hotel. We enjoyed Dinner at the hotel before going to bed.

The next morning, day seven, we had the morning free. It was Sunday so the wife and I went to the Plaza de Armas, the central square, and went to mass at the cathedral. The mass was a very typical mass until they started playing the Battle Hymn Of The Republic. We asked our guide about it later in the day and she was surprised to learn about it's origin as an American Civil War hymn. She thought of it as any other church hymn.

At the end of mass we stood on the steps of the cathedral and watched a parade. The parade started with a military band followed by children ranging from kindergarten age up to the teens. A lady, noticing our delight in seeing the cute little kids, asked me in Spanish if our children walked in parades where we came from. I said no, not like this. The parade ended with a couple of interesting banners: one praising the relationship between Peru and Cuba and the other praising the Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara.

After the parade, we saw three girls in native costume, one holding a cute little lamb. We took their picture and then ... I screwed up. I had three coins. Instead of giving one coin to each girl, I gave all three coins to the oldest girl. What a mistake. The littlest one followed us asking for money. She was relentless. She kept getting in our way. Even the Peruvian people on the street were telling her not to harass us. I finally gave in and gave her the little change I had left - she had won. Sigh.

We walked around the neighborhood looking for shops to browse in. We ended up in the Hotel Monasterio where we were planning to have lunch. It turned out that the restaurant, the best in Cuzco, would not be open for a while and we were hungry so we decided not to wait. We headed back to our hotel. On the way back to the hotel we passed this delightful establishment. In Peru, Guinea Pig is served on special occasions such as birthdays. My real concern was the fact that soup and laundry were in the same establishment. I wouldn't trust the soup.

By the time we got back to the hotel we were tired. Cuzco is a little hilly and the altitude, 11,000 feet, really saps the strength. We ate at the hotel restaurant and went to the room to rest before our afternoon tour.

We boarded the bus which took us back to the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral where we received a formal tour (no photography allowed though). The rainbow flag that flies over the Plaza de Armas is the Cuzco Flag. Our guide was aware that the flag means something quite different in the States. She also pointed out that the order of the colors are a little different for the two flags.

After the cathedral, we left the city and visited several nearby Incan and pre-Incan Ruins. The first were the ruins of Tambomachay, location of natural springs and aqueducts. We asked our guide if the water was drinkable. She said Yes - for her. No - for us. We knew what she meant. The second set of ruins we went to was Kenko, a religious center. Here we saw altars dedicated to the Sun. Finally, the third site was Sacsayhuaman (sounds like Sexy Woman). The zig-zag ruins are build with huge stones. The Spaniards raided the site for stones to build the cathedral in Cuzco.

We returned to the city, stopping at an overlook on the way, and ended up at an orphanage. General Tours tries to add a visit such as this on all their tours. They want to give back to the country where they are conducting their tours. We watched the orphans dance and sing and listened to the Sisters who ran the facility. Some of the tour members had brought gifts for the children and others provided a donation. I wasn't sure about this part of the tour but it turned out to be a nice change of pace and we all enjoyed the visit.

That evening we ate at the Tunupa restaurant located on the Plaza de Armas. The buffet was good and the music and dancing was entertaining. We bought a CD from the band that was performing - they were pretty good. The deserts at the buffet where yummy delicious.

Here ends Chapter Six. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the next chapter: The Road To Puno.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - Part Five - Intipunku and Waynapicchu

The next morning, day six, I got up early in preparation for two hikes with four people from our tour group. I got ready (bug spray and sun screen) and went down to eat some breakfast before my hike-mates arrived. I made one miscalculation on this trip. Plastic bottles were not allowed in the ruins and only glass bottles of water were available. I had only one plastic bottle to take care of me the whole day. Not a good plan. I met the other hikers (the girl from Colorado, her dad, and the Sioux City Doctor and one of his daughters) and we headed up the trail to the Gate of the Sun.

My plan was to reach the gate, known as Intipunku, before the entire ruin was in the sunshine. The hike is roughly a mile long with a 1,000 ft vertical climb. As I hiked up the trail I kept looking over my shoulder checking to see where the sun was. On the way up I passed a group on the way down - their guide was whistling Simon and Garfunkel. I reached the gate just in time. The sun was just reaching the bottom of the ruins. I had beaten my fellow hikers but they soon joined me. Many of the people at the top were hikers who had walked up the Inca trail. The sun gate was the main entrance to Machu Picchu and what a view you see as you pass through the gates. The ruins shined in the sunlight. We were very lucky as Machu Picchu is often shrouded in clouds and mist in the morning and we had gorgeous blue skies.

I noticed one of the Inca Trail hikers wrestling with something under her sweatshirt. She ripped out her bra and threw it on the ground in disgust and hooted with relief. Ha! Always wear comfortable under garments on long hikes.

We eventually made our way back down to the ruins, running into the rest of the tour group who were getting ready to go to the Gate of the Sun. I gave my half bottle of water to the wife before I went to the Waina Picchu trailhead. Waina Picchu means Young Mountain (Machu Picchu means Old Mountain). The number of people on Waina Picchu is limited to 400 per day. We made it with plenty to spare. We signed in (they take you name and the time you started) and headed up. The climb was grueling. The vertical climb is less than the Gate of the Sun being only 672 feet but the trail is nearly straight up. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the terraced ruins at the top. The dad of the Colorado girl shared his water with me which was my salvation. He was having difficulty climbing and separated from the rest of us telling his daughter that he was going back.

Near the top we took pictures of each other on the edge of a cliff overlooking the main ruins. The Sioux City doctor was a little nervous at us standing so close to the edge.

The last portion of the climb is in a small rock cave and up a ladder through a hole in the cave roof. People were lounging on the rock taking in the amazing views from the top. There were a set of Inca steps near the top. The steps are simply stones that protrude from the wall. There is nothing under those steps - a shear drop. We found a place to rest for the return trip. Just before we left, the dad of the Colorado girl showed up - he had made it after all. He was a tough coot.

The trip back down went fairly quickly - down is almost always faster then up. I met up with the wife and went into the lodge to have lunch. I think I surprised the waiter when I downed several bottles of Sin Gas. I was pretty dehydrated and I still had a long train trip later in the day - I didn't want my legs to cramp up as they sometimes do when I don't drink enough water.

We finished out lunch and caught the next bus down to Aguas Calientes. I was a little sad about leaving Machu Picchu. What a wonderful place. We walked through the busy market on the way to the train station. The wife but an embroidered cloth celebrating a new wedding to give as a gift to a newly wed couple in our tour group. We arrived at the train station a little early and waited for the rest of the tour group to arrive.

Here ends Chapter five. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the next chapter: Our train trip back to Cuzco, our tours of Cuzco, Sacsayhuamán, and other ruins in the area.

Past Vacation #19 - Peru 2006 - Part Four - Machu Picchu

Day 5 started early and full of anticipation. We were going to Machu Picchu where we would spend the next two days. Machu Picchu was the crown jewel of this vacation. This was the reason I was here. It did not disappoint.

We woke early and took a bus to the train station in Ollantaytambo. We boarded the train that would take us to Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the closest town to Machu Picchu and can only be reached by train or helicopter. The train stops at a couple places along the way to drop off hikers who were walking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We arrived at Aguas Calientes and walked to the bus that would take us up to Machu Picchu. The bus lets you off at the Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel at Machu Picchu - I will talk more about it later.

We passed through the gates and we saw the awesome sight of Machu Picchu. The ruins are built of stone. There is no mortar holding the stones - they are simply cut so they fit together tightly. The views are incredible. It is hard to explain to someone who hasn't been there. It has a very spiritual feel to it. We spent the morning touring the ruins. The aqueducts still discharged water in parts of the ruins. Our guide pointed out different architectural features.

The tour was interrupted so that we could eat lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. We ate some good food and listened to Incan pan flute music. After getting our fill, we continued our tour of the ruins. We saw the clever solar observatory using pools of water to image the sun. We saw the temple of the condor. We saw the astronomical clock said to have mystical powers. We also saw our first alpaca up close. The strange thing is, Machu Picchu is too low for these animals - the ones living here today were brought in for the tourists. Alpaca, and their cousins the Llama, Vicuña and Guanaco, usually live at a higher altitudes.

In a garden amongst the ruins were examples of indigenous plants including the Coca plant. We wandered the ruins. Everything was fascinating to me. One holy stone mirrored the mountain in the background. The mountains were important to the Inca as they believed the Sun God, Inti, lived at the top of the mountains.
At the end of the day everyone got on the bus to go back to Aguas Calientes - everyone except the Sioux City folks, the wife, and I. Our travel agent had told us about the Sanctuary Lodge and we were lucky enough to get reservations. The Sioux City folks had a more difficult time but were lucky when there was a last minute cancellation at the lodge. The lodge has 31 rooms and is situated so that you cannot see it from the ruins. After the rest of the tour group left, we went back into the ruins and wandered around a little. The sun went down early as Machu Picchu is surrounded my high mountains. There was a fairly large crowd of people who stayed to see the sun set over the mountains. The ruins close at dusk so we had to return to the lodge just after sundown.
That evening we enjoyed a slideshow showing the various plants and animals in the region and history of the ruins. While we ate dinner we discovered that another guest at the lodge was from Ventura - he was a teacher - he knew someone that the wife knew - her magic strikes again. Drinks at the bar were free which we enjoyed immensely. We were tired from our long day so we headed for our room. I kind of regret not sitting in the lounge as there was a big fireplace and I am sure the conversation with the other travelers would have been interesting but we were both bushed.
We did do one thing before going to bed. We went outside and laid on lounge chairs and looked up at the stars. The night sky was clear, there was no moon, and the number of stars was staggering. The milky way arched overhead and was surprisingly bright - a result of the altitude, 7,970 feet, and the lack of city lights to wash out the starlight. This just added to the spiritual feel of the place. The wife had never seen the milky way before that night and she saw her first shooting star. The temperature dropped quickly and we reluctantly went back inside to escape the chill.

I went to bed early as I was planning to get up early the next day. Before our tour group split up at the end of the first day, one of our tour group approached me and asked me if I would go to the summit of Wayna Picchu with her. Her father didn't want her to go on the hike alone. I didn't even know you could go up there so I said sure. We agreed to meet early in the next morning and do the hike to the Sun Gate followed by the hike up Wayna Picchu.
The day was full of wonder and awe and this post just scratches the surface. There is so much to see and experience - so much that is hard to get into writing.

Here ends Chapter Four. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the next chapter: Day 2 at Machu Picchu with hikes to the Gate of the Sun and Waina Picchu.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - Part Three - Sacred Valley Of The Incas

On day four we had an early start at 4:30 am. We were bussed to the airport to catch an early flight to Cuzco, the historic capital of the Inca empire. The flight was uneventful though it was cool when the plane rose above the unbroken coastal cloud layer. Cuzco is located high in the Andes mountains at an altitude of 11,500 feet. We were met by our local guide. She led us to a bus and we immediately left the city and headed to the Urubamba Valley, better known as the Sacred Valley. This was a good thing because the valley is lower in altitude and driving into the valley helped us acclimate to the high altitude.

We stopped at an overlook and took in the view of the Sacred Valley. It was very beautiful. The weather at this altitude was very different from the coast. Instead of the gloomy overcast there was a clear blue sky and warm sun. We continued down and stopped at the market town of Pisac. Pisac, located at 9,745 feet, is home of a bustling market where all sorts of handicrafts and foods are sold. We were surprised to find out that we only had about an hour to shop at the market. We expected they would want us to shop more. We rushed around and shopped our tails off. We bought a blanket, a couple peruvian hats (Chullos), and a clay Mary (I dropped it while we were still in the market but it didn't break - well it didn't break too much - D'OH!) before we got back on the bus.

The bus eventually stopped in the town of Yucay and we checked in at the Sonesta Posada del Inca Sacred Valley. The hotel was a former 18th century monastery and the place was really cool. The hotel had a large outdoor buffet - a very impressive spread. The food line was long and part of the line was in the hot sun. A few of our group may have gotten sick from food at this buffet. The wife and I, fortunately, did not.

After lunch we got back into the bus and we drove to Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is one of the best examples of an Incan Town. The streets are narrow - many too narrow for cars. We got out of the bus and headed for some ruins near one end of the town. At the base of the terraced ruins we were told we were climbing to the top. We were tired and the altitude (9,190 feet) was affecting most of us and the prospect of climbing the steep stairs was daunting. Our guide was skilled though and she coaxed us up one terrace at a time. It was worth it. It was a good preview of what we were going to see at Machu Picchu. From the top we could see the entire town of Ollantaytambo and the valley where it was located. I looked down upon the town bull ring. By the time we got back to the bus I had a headache. On the way out of town we were joined by a couple of boys in their traditional clothes. They sang for us in trade for a ride on the bus.

We got back to the hotel and went to our rooms to rest before dinner. In the lobby of our hotel they offered free coca tea which is said to help with altitude sickness. The wife and I did not partake in the tea. I kind of regret this since I won't have another chance anytime soon and I am curious. Not really sure why I didn't try it. Paranoid I guess.
We ate dinner at the hotel. The food was pretty good. After dinner I bought a cool vest as I expected it would be cold the next morning. We packed a smaller bag like we did on the Nazca trip as we were not going to take our big bags on the next leg of our adventure. As we unpacked in our room, the wife discovered that her shampoo bottle had exploded due to the difference in altitude soaking her clothes in Infusium 23. Since we were heading for Machu Piccu early the next day, we scrambled to find someone to wash her clothes. The people at the office and our guide were very helpful and the wife's clothes were cleaned and pressed before we had to leave.

This day was a good transition from the awesome Nazca lines and Ballestas Islands and the highly anticipated Machu Piccu. As we went to bed I still had a headache. I hoped this was not going to be an ongoing problem as we would be going higher in altitude later this vacation.

Here ends Chapter Three. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the next chapter: Our train trip to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - Part Two - Nazca Plain and Ballestas Islands

On the morning of day three we boarded a bus and drove south. The bus was big and each of us could have had our own seat. On our way to Nazca we learned that a large part of Peru is Desert. From the coast to the Andes Mountains, the country is sandy desert. Ten rivers flow from the Andes to the ocean and cities, towns and farm land sprout along the river oases.

As we drove down the Pan-American Highway, the desert was dotted by shanties and tin shacks. All countries of the world have their poor. Peru is no different. One thing I found very interesting is that Peru is embracing Globalization by introducing new crops for export - one crop being Asparagus. The Peruvian people seem very forward looking.

Our first official stop was in the city of Ica. We arrived a little early and our air tour of the Nazca Lines was not ready for us so we stopped for lunch at a resort. We enjoyed a buffet lunch and music. The outdoor restaurant was great. The music, played on traditional bamboo pan flute, was wonderful. They played a mix of Peruvian and western music (including ABBA - HA!). This was the first place where I heard the Simon and Garfunkel song that haunted me the entire vacation.

After our excellent lunch we visited a regional museum. I didn't take any pictures here and I kind of regret it. Most of the rooms were full of stuff similar to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum exhibits we saw in Lima but the last room was different. This room, the bioanthropology room, displayed mummified remains including the elongated skulls of people whose head was bound with boards at birth resulting in a deformed, almost alien looking, skull.

After the museum, we were informed that the Nazca air tour was ready for us. The weather had cleared out since morning so the viewing would be spectacular. We were bussed to the local airport where we were divided into two groups. The wife and I were in the second group. While the first group flew we toured the airport and had a chance to get a close up look at an Andean Condor. The plane returned and it was our turn. I had read about the Nazca Lines since I was a little boy. I had always been fascinated with UFOs and other stuff little boys are interested in. One theory about the lines is that they were built by aliens as landing strips. I am much more skeptical today (University education does that to most people) and there is ample proof that this awesome feat of artistry is man-made - a testament of the skills of the pre-Incan civilizations.

The flight to the Nazca Plain and the famous Nazca lines was about 15-20 minutes. The figures are amazing - the largest being over 900 ft long. The lines were made by moving the rocky surface aside exposing the lighter soil below. The plain, part of the northern Atacama Desert, is dry and virtually windless which has allowed the figures to last at least 1,300 years. Today tire tracks from tourist cars and motorcycles are a bigger threat to their existence then the forces of nature. Our tour pilot was hilarious. First he would bank hard to the left then hard to the right to give all the passengers the best view possible. He was obviously having fun. I spent most of the flight with my eye to the view finder of my camera praying that the pictures would come out. If they didn't, I would have missed a lot. Fortunately for me most of them came out. In the pictures you can see the Spaceman, the Monkey, the Thunderbird, the Spider, the Hummingbird, and the Hands. Here is the Alien Landing Strip. On the trip to and from the lines I took some great pictures of the desert landscape - some of my best pictures if I say so myself. We were all happy to get back onto Terra Firma - all the bank-right-bank-left-ing was a little too much for some people and my stomach was a little queasy after that amazing roller coaster ride over some of the best scenery I have ever witnessed.

We got back on the bus and made a brief stop to the Huaca China Lagoon. Legend has it that a maiden was bathing in the water was discovered by a hunter from another tribe. Her tears became the lagoon and her robe, billowing as she ran from the hunter, became the dunes that surround the oasis. The maiden is said to have transformed into a mermaid and lives in the lagoon. Today the lagoon is a vacation spot for many Peruvians and the dunes are used for "Snowboarding."

That evening we spent the night in Paracas just north of Ica on the Pacific coast. Our guide said we should wear jackets and hats for the next morning. She emphasized the hats. The next morning we got on a boat and headed out to the Ballestas Islands. On the way to the island we got a view of the mysterious Candelabra of the Andes. The Ballestas Islands used to be used as a rich source of guano. Every seven of so years, workers from the Andes would be hired to collect the bird droppings that, after seven years, would be feet thick. The guano was used as fertilizer in Europe. The islands are now part of a nature reserve. Colonies of sea lions, pelicans, cormorants, boobys, and penguins live on the islands. The need for hats and jackets soon became apparent as waves of birds flew overhead and do what birds do best - guano. As our boat cruised around the islands, huge flocks of birds - I mean THOUSANDS flew overhead in waves. I have never seen so many birds in one place at the same time. When I looked up and saw the wave upon wave of birds, I was completely full of awe. On the way back to shore we were escorted by some dolphins.

Later that day we went into Paracas and did a little shopping. During our last meal in Paracas, the guide pointed out that my birthday was only a day away. She also pointed out that our Doctor from Sioux City had just celebrated a birthday. Everyone sang Happy Birthday but, since we really weren't on a first name basis yet, the song faded into incoherent mumbling when it was time to sing the names. We all got a laugh out of that. A chocolate tort was brought out, we blew out our candles, and we all partook of birthday tort. The Doctor and I were given cool gifts from our guide. We drove back to Lima and went to bed early as we had to get up very early the next morning to catch a flight to Cuzco.

Here ends Chapter Two. Pictures can be found here. Coming up in the next chapter: Our flight to Cuzco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and Ollantaytambo.

Past Vacations #19: Peru 2006 - Chapter One - Lima

Our last vacation was our best so far. Peru was life altering. I am not exaggerating. We learned so much - about Peru and about ourselves - on this trip. This trip is too much for one post so I will divide it up into several chapters. Chapter One covers our arrival and our first day in Lima, the capital of Peru.

How we chose Peru for our next vacation destination was very convoluted. I started looking at ways to visit Easter Island. After investigating flights and stuff, I decided it was going to be difficult to plan. During my investigation, my target shifted from Easter Island to the Galapagos. That too turned out difficult to fit into our budget and schedule. Then I saw a tour that included the Galapagos and Machu Picchu. This led me to look at Peru. The more I looked at Peru the more I was interested. I discussed this with the wife and the target was set. All our previous vacations had been self planned. Peru was a little too complex ... well, a lot more complex than our other vacations. We decided to visit AAA to enlist their help in planning this trip. Our AAA travel agent gave us a General Tours brochure. After looking through the Peru trips, we decided on exactly what we were looking for: Grandeur Of Peru.

The vacation started with a flight to Lima via Miami. We arrived in Lima late (10-11 PM). We met with our tour guide outside baggage claim. She took us to a van and asked us to wait as there was another party on our flight that had not cleared customs yet. After a very short wait, a family of four (Parents and two older teenage daughters) entered the van. We exchanged greetings. The wife's magic struck again when we discovered that the family was from Sioux City, Iowa where my brother-in-law lives. Later in the trip we discovered that the father is my brother-in-law's veterinarian - It's a Small World after all ...

On the way to our hotel, the guide informed us that the next morning was free. She pointed out nearby restaurants and shopping. She checked us into the hotel and we went to bed. We slept in a little before venturing out to explore the area around the hotel. The hotel was located in a nice commercial area of Lima surrounded by stores and restaurants. All rooms had views of the Pacific Ocean. It was July so it was the middle of winter in Peru. Peru is fairly close to the equator so the temperature was pleasant - in the 60s and 70s. Weather in Lima and most of the coastal areas was overcast - what would be called June Gloom here in southern California. This really didn't detract from the experience.

Early afternoon we met up in the lobby and had our first chance to meet our tour mates. Our tour group was only 20 people. It turns out that everyone got along with everyone very well, everyone was on time, and there were no personality conflicts - great. We boarded a bus where another guide took us around the city. As we drove through Lima, the guide pointed out the Spanish colonial architecture with some of its Moorish influences including the enclosed balconies overhanging the narrow streets. We visited the Cathedral, the San Francisco Convent, and the Rafael Larco Herrera museum. This was a great way to start the tour. We all had time to meet each other and the pace was relaxed. We immersed ourselves in Lima and Peruvian culture.

The Cathedral was impressive. Many of the pictures I took inside did not come out as it was dark and camera flashes were not permitted. We learned how the indigenous people incorporated their religion into the catholic religion introduced by the Spaniards. We learned about Francisco Pizarro, conquerer of the Incan empire and founder of the city of Lima, whose remains are interred at the Cathedral. A beautiful Cathedral.

Next we drove to the nearby Convent of San Francisco. The church/convent is painted a bright yellow. Cameras were not permitted inside. This is unfortunate as the catacombs under the church were fascinating. Bones and skulls were arranged in patterns. I have never been surrounded by so much evidence of death but the fascination of it all overwhelmed all other feelings.

After the convent we went to the Rafael Larco Herrera museum. The museum is full of pottery, textiles, gold, and other artifacts of Incan and pre-Incan civilizations. The warehouses full of pottery was a little surreal. It is fortunate that so much well preserved examples exist for people to study.

We returned to the hotel and that evening we had dinner together at the hotel and learned more about each other. A delightful evening of pleasant conversation and good food. After dinner, our guide told us to pack smaller bags for our trip down south to the Nazca Plain. This caught everyone by surprise. Fortunately for us, we brought two collapsible bags with us, originally intended to hold all the treasures we were going to buy, that were the perfect size for the the one night stay away from Lima. I recommend similar bags when you travel for such unexpected situations.

Here ends Chapter One. Pictures can be found here. I will add pictures as I post each chapter. I took over 550 pictures though I doubt I'll post them all. Coming up in the next chapter: Nazca and the Ballestas Islands.

Peruvian Boats

One of my favorite pictures. These are fishing boats tied off the island of Taquile in Peru's Lake Titicaca. It reminds me of Mediterranean scene. Of course, I have never been to the Mediterranean so I really wouldn't know a Mediterranean scene if I saw one but it is what I would imagine it to be. I took the picture on the way to the home where we ate lunch. The walk was up hill and, at over 12,500 ft altitude, was exhausting but I was able to get this picture which made it worth my while.

Notre Dame, Mary, and Wiraqocha

I mentioned in an earlier post that the wife builds a shrine next to the TV when she watches Notre Dame football. While most of the readers may already be aware of this, a few of you may not be familiar with the wife's football habits. Here is a picture of the shrine. The main components are a Fighting Irish Leprechaun figurine, a statue of Mary draped with a rosary, and a lit candle ( a green candle, of course). The rosary was purchased at the Notre Dame bookstore during our visit in 2004 (Purdue vs. Notre Dame - my last live game - Notre Dame lost). The Sun in the background was purchased in Taos, New Mexico back in 1998 and has been on the speaker ever since.

The statue of Mary is from Peru. We bought her in a market in the town of Pisac. My clumsiness resulted in Mary being dropped before we even got back on the bus but fortunately the wife managed to repair her when we got home. There is some significance to the shape of Mary's vestments. When the Spanish conquered the Incas, they converted all of the natives. The natives were recruited to build the churches and statuary. The local artisans would combine the Christian symbols with their own Incan symbols. The triangular shape of Mary's vestments represents the sacred mountains where Wiraqocha, the Sun God, and the Moon Goddess lived. Mary is often shown with a halo - a Christian symbol that also represents the rays of the Sun at the top of the mountain. I guess its appropriate that the Sun is in the shrine since that is the most important god to the Inca and fits in with the symbolism of the Mary statue.

The shrine seems to be working since Notre Dame is having a winning season. Go Irish!

Peru - Uros Boat

Sometimes, its the simple things that are important. When we visited the floating Islands of the Uros, as we were getting ready to leave, we were given a small reed boat necklace as a parting gift. It is a very simple gift - nothing fancy or expensive. It is not even unique since all twenty of us received one. But for some reason, that small boat meant more to me then all the other treasures we bought in Peru. Maybe it was the altitude - Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world at 12,507 feet. Maybe I was tired of the non-stop traveling we had experienced over the last 10 days. Maybe I'm just weird. That little boat, which now hangs from my desk lamp, represents the awesome memories I collected of our 2006 vacation and will always have a special meaning for me.


People have asked me why I had such a great vacation, what made it so memorable? I don't have an adequate answer. I've thought about it and I just can't put my finger on it. My memories have that dreamy, happy glow to them. Even the bad spots, and there are always bad spots, are remembered fondly. I returned from that trip with a new outlook on life - I want to travel more and experience more. For some weird reason, I feel new.

Peru - Sin Gas

When I went to Cancun and Mexico City back in 2003, I had the misfortune of getting Montezuma's Revenge. Actually, since I probably got it near Chitzen Itza, I probably had the Mayan Trots. Anyway, when we went to Peru, I wanted to make sure that I didn't come down with anything that might ruin my experience. I had my Imodium and I was carrying Cipro but it turned out that I didn't need them. I credit the Sin Gas. For those who may not be familiar with spanish, Sin Gas has nothing to do with Christian misdeeds. Sin Gas simply means without gas i.e. non carbonated bottled water. The other option was Con Gas. So you could be a sinner or a con man - we all had a little laugh about drinking Sin Gas. I also credit the great hotels we stayed at. They made sure that everything was clean and safe for our weak american intestines. A few in our group weren't as careful but, all in all, we made out pretty well.

Peru - Birthday Llama

I had my 43rd birthday while I was in Peru. I started the day getting up at 4:30 am and catching a flight to Cusco. After arriving in Cusco, we took a bus to a market in the town of Pisac, our Hotel in Yucay for lunch, and finally a visit to the ruins at Ollataytambo. Our guide in Lima (and Nazca and Paracas as well) was on the ball and, having seen my birth date on my passport, arranged a small celebration in Paracas the night before. We celebrated my birthday with a gift and cake. My birthday was shared by a fellow traveler (from Sioux City, Iowa) who had a birthday three days earlier. Our gifts were crystal and silver Llama figurines - very cool. The Chocolate tort was very yummy as well. Everyone sang happy birthday but, since not everybody knew each other's first names, when it got to the part of the song where your name was suppose to be inserted, the song became a mumble, which made everyone laugh.

Peru -That's not a Simon and Garfunkel song!

On our second day in Peru we took a bus down to Ica where we were going to fly over the Nazca lines. Since our plane was not ready, we stopped at a nearby resort to have lunch. While we were eating, the musicians started playing a song on their flutes that sounded like a Simon and Garfunkel song. After that, everywhere we went I heard the same Simon and Garfunkel song. It was driving me crazy. Someone was even whistling it at the Gate of the Sun at Machu Piccu. I wanted to hear Peruvian music but instead I got Simon and Garfunkel. We were all laughing about it after hearing it repeated so many times. Finally, while taking a boat ride on Lake Titicaca, I heard the song again and it occurred to me that maybe Simon and Garfunkel 'borrowed' the melody from Peru. When I got back home, I did some investigating and , sure enough, the song, "El Cóndor Pasa", is based on a Peruvian musical play.

Makes me smile just thinking about the misplaced frustration I felt listening to that song. But then, everything about Peru makes me smile. What a great vacation.

Peru 2006

My wife and I went on a great vacation this summer. The planning started over a year ago when I was looking into going to the Galapagos and Easter Islands. After looking at all the literature, we decided it was too expensive and would take too long. We know our limit on the road is around 10-14 days. Looking into alternatives, I suggested Peru.

Why Peru? Well, when I was a kid, I was interested in UFOs, Ancient Astronauts, and all the other bogus stuff that kids can sometimes be interested in. Peru is full of that stuff - the Nazca Lines and Machu Picchu are the major ones.

I went to AAA and asked about Peru tours since planning this trip alone seemed a little overwhelming. One of the suggested tours caught my eye - General Tours' Grandeur of Peru. The tour was 12 days (2 travel days and 10 days in Peru) and covered Lima, the Nazca Lines, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Puno, The floating Islands of the Uros, and Lake Titicaca. The only thing it really didn't cover was the Amazon portion of Peru which suited us fine since neither of us were interested in the jungle. We booked the trip in December 2005 with a departure date of 16 July 2006.

All I can say about the trip is that it was awesome. It beat all expectations and the funny thing is, it was the small things that made it wonderful. My jaw dropped when I saw the waves and waves of birds flying near Ballestas Island (near Paracas). The incredible view of Machu Picchu from the peak of Wayna Picchu - Wow. The fun game of dress-up on the floating Islands of the Uros (I wasn't sure about this but it turned out to be fun).

This was my first experience on a multi-day guided tour and I wasn't sure what to expect. I was afraid that I wouldn't see all that I wanted to see. I thought the tour would be slowed down by slow tour members and that there would be a lot of whining from malcontents. I was totally surprised. Our tour consisted of 20 people - 20 people who were never late, never complained, and got along remarkably. I know we were lucky. Talking with more experienced tour members indicated that this group was better then normal. The tour guides said that we were one of the easiest groups they had ever had. This made for a more enjoyable experience for everyone.

I took over 550 pictures. Only a few captured the awe and majesty that I saw.

This trip really touched me deep down. The Travel bug has bitten me hard and I can't wait to plan our next vacation. I only hope it will live up to Peru.

--To Be Continued? --