The last time I wrote, we were getting ready to head off to Cotopaxi National Park. Ecuador enjoys well made primary and even secondary roads, but the small, cobbled roads leading into the country are another adventure. We arrived at Hacienda El Porvenir just a few kilometers from massive Volcan Cotopaxi after bouncing our way up about 1000 meters and along 15 kilometers of those aesthetically pleasing though bone jarring cobbles. At 3800 meters, we were again in the thin air of the mountains. The hacienda is a retreat of peacefulness boasting of its lack of modern distractions such as TV and internet though who would need such things with the beauty of the changing vistas all about us. We wandered around through the surrounding countryside, the kids rode horses, and we visited with a variety of folks from several different countries. On our last morning, we drove into the national park and hiked up to the climbers refuge at 4800 meters and then onto snowline another 100 meters higher. We were within 1000 meters of the summit but that would have to wait for another adventure. On the way out, our guide toured us through the backcountry to the ruins of an Inka outpost on the path between Quito and Cusco. It was an awesomely desolate place and I had a hard time imagining people regularly moving through - the changes that time has wrought.
As we passed back through Quito, we made a quick change of clothing as we headed to the Galapagos Islands. Sitting on the equator some 1000 kilometers west of the coast of Ecuador, the 140 or so islands are the visible tops of extinct and active mid-ocean volcanoes. For all I have heard of the Galapagos Islands, nothing really prepared me for the experience we had there. As volcanic islands, the landscape is harsh and hard won by the plants and animals that made it there over the millions of years since the land erupted above the waves. Even people initially suffered there due to the lack of fresh water and conspiracy of ocean and wind currents that seemingly increased the distance to the mainland. And while life is more convenient and the land- and oceanscapes more accessible, everywhere we looked reminded us how quickly it could become uncomfortable. No doubt, this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.
We booked an 8 day tour on a sailing catamaran. I had never spent any significant time on a sailboat but we all quickly adapted to the space saving design of the boat. Fortunately, we had calm seas. Each day, our guide directed us to a new region and provided us with a science class's worth of information. We saw tortoises, land and sea iguanas, and birds - all of those finches that diversified and specialized into new species providing Charles Darwin the initial evidence for the theory of evolution, as well as many other ocean going birds that call the Galapagos home (at least during the breeding season). In the water, we watched sea lions frolic, manta rays fly by beneath us, white and black tipped sharks patrolling the depths, schools of multicolored fish communing, and sea turtles flapping their way about the wide ocean. We also saw the effects of introduced plant and animal species, both good and bad as we hiked around the various islands. Poking up through the vegetation that has forced its way onto these islands was lava in as many different forms and shapes as could be imagined. And above everything I felt the persistent tension of sun, wind, and ocean continually shaping these islands and all that call them home. The ocean is a big place able to absorb many a care and I understand better now why humans have gone to it not only for adventure but also for peace of spirit. It was with regret that our time came to an end in the Galapagos Islands and I hope to go there again someday.
We returned to Quito, where we said good-bye to my mother and her man, Steve. Initially they were a bit unsure about the boat and rigors of exploring the Galapagos, and even the bone shaking cobbled roads of backcountry Ecuador, but after it all they seemed to be very satisfied with their effort and left with tales to be told among their friends in suburban New York. We turned back to the mountains for our 2 week volunteer experience in the village of Cariacu.
We arranged to stay with a family for two weeks in the village of Cariacu near Cayambe National Park. We were to help with trail maintenance around the National Park, and teach English in the local school. We drove up another roughly cobbled road to the village. As a visitor, I admire the quaintness of the cobbles, though would (as the locals do) abhor the roughness as a barrier to progress if I used those roads everyday. As soon as Gabriel, local community activist and our host, learned that Lucy and I are medical professionals our job description changed. He asked us to talk with teachers, parents, and students about health care issues, and with the local medical staff about their clinic. All of this would have been fine in English but I am definitely still under-powered in Spanish and felt a bit frustrated with the task. We made it through though on Lucy's rapidly increasing linguistic talents. When we weren't visiting the school or medical clinic, we helped Gabriel, Isabel and their family milk their cows and do the other chores about their small farm. The kids especially enjoyed milking the cows and drinking the fresh milk every evening. Day by day as we met more folks in the community, our faces became more recognized. In the afternoons we helped the neighbor kids with English. We enjoyed choclo (Andean corn from the cob often fried) with habas (broad beans), and ate cuy (guinea pig - an Andean traditional food with deep roots in Inka culture), listened to traditional Ecuadorian mountain music played by Gabriel and his family, and hiked in the country. Though two weeks is a very small amount of time to make any significant change in healthcare, it is a good start to investment within a community. At the end of our time, we felt part of the family and neighborhood - a lovely way to end our visit to Ecuador and our year-long adventure; and begin the transition back to our lives in the United States.
At dinner this evening I asked the kids if they enjoyed their year of travel. Aidan said yes and Charlie said "sort of". As our homebody who wanted to stay with his grandparents rather than join us, he never was quite sure about what we got him into. For all that we have done, and despite my efforts to travel our children into young adults, they have remained children with all of their wild energy, goofiness, and rebellion. And that is just how it should be. When I posed the question, "So...what's our next adventure?", Aidan is looking forward to meeting with friends he made while we were in Cusco and Charlie is looking forward to staying home - until we jogged his memory with specific fun things he did. Well, just maybe, he would come along with us again...
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Leaving Cusco and on to Ecuador
Even after three months of living in Cusco, the time of leaving came as a bit of a shock. For all of the places we have visited, we spent the most time in Cusco and became the most "at home" there. Whether visiting with our landlord Javier and his parents, walking the narrow cobbled streets weaving around the ever present dog bombs, or dodging cars seemingly blind to the presence of pedestrians, we felt as comfortable as if we were in our hometown. As a reminder of my youth, I became completely accustomed to walking in the rain again, which is something I learned to avoid after living in the desert for so many years. Now it impresses me how a place can imprint itself so much on one's soul.
It is not that Cusco is especially more beautiful than other places we visited. It is really about the people we met who showed us a side of this part of Peru we could never have seen had we merely traveled through on our way to somewhere else. Elizabeth, Alain, and Iris at the South American Explorer's Club first opened the door of the Cusquena and Inka cultures to us. Our teachers at Amauta School patiently taught us culture and history through language. Our friends Nathalie and Rusbell and their children Killa and Qori shared days, evenings, and dinners with us. Just as we had pulled all our hair out trying to home school, John and Maria Renee rescued us by opening their one room school to our boys. Jane at Jack's Cafe welcomed us with wonderfully prepared (and safe - even the salads!) food. This whole community of folks made our time in and around Cusco unforgettable.
As I walked through the alleys of the old city for the last time, running my fingers over stone walls meticulously crafted by Inka laborers,which have withstood innumerable tremors for over half a millennium, I realized it is the sharp edge of leaving that pares an experience to its essential qualities. Despite leaving our friends with no set date for reunion the satisfaction of having been part of a community that might continue to grow won the day and made it much easier to catch our next flights to Lima and Ecuador.
We dropped out of the clouds and landed on a runway that suddenly appeared, arriving in Lima for a one night layover. We planned this as a transit stop on the way to Quito, Ecuador to break up the flights and to take advantage of the highly acclaimed ceviche Lima is known for. We booked a hostal in Miraflores. While sections of Miraflores were beautiful and the local ceviche as excellent as advertised, the hostal was forgettable and a pleasure to leave. Even the lovely walk through a beautiful park on a high bluff above the Pacific could not move us to spend more time in the big city. It was time to go to Ecuador.
Quito! Squeezed between a mountain ridge and a volcano, this largest of colonial cities grew up from the ruins of the northern reaches of the Inka empire to become the capital of the Spanish conquistadors. Nearly straddling the equator, the indigenous people understood that they lived in a special place on earth naming it Quito - Quichua for center of the earth. To ease our sensory overload caused by arriving in a big city, we were met at the airport by Heather, volunteer coordinator for the project we are volunteering with during the last two weeks of our time here. Not only did she ensure we found the hostal we booked, but she gave us a quick primer on safety. It seems that Quito has a reputation for petty crimes against tourists and Heather made sure we understood how to move about the city and hold onto our stuff. Nothing like the shock of reality to make us feel welcomed in our new place.
Contrast that feeling of vulnerability to the big smiles and warm reception we received upon entering our hostal. Ornelia and Ali made us feel completely at home in this old colonial house - maybe we could stay inside for our entire stay? After the arrival of my mother and her partner Steve we made our way out into the streets. With Heather's and Ali's advice in mind we found our way into the central historic city by ourselves and then with Felix, our city tour guide. From the vantage of the balcony of the Basilica, we could see such a mix of colonial architecture built upon the organization of the indigenous people vanquished by the conquistadors and then rebuilt after earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; and then beyond all of that to modern Quito stretching to the north and south. During our walk today, the streets of the old city were closed to cars and filled with people strolling about or riding bicycles, musicians playing, and jugglers entertaining - so vibrant and energetic, and very much fun.
Just like we discovered in Cusco, getting out of the city is the best way to see the city with fresh eyes. We made three separate day trips: one to the cloud forest at a preserve called Bella Vista, one to the equator where we discovered the magic of the middle line around the earth, and another to Otavalo, a pueblo that hosts the largest artisanal handcrafts market in all of South America. At Bella Vista we saw many different species of hummingbirds and gained an appreciation for the vast diversity of life that exists in Ecuador. Aidan was especially intrigued by the hummingbirds and donned his red rain jacket becoming a massive flower to them. They swarmed around him and even landed on his fingers resting on the bird feeders. At the equator, we balanced raw eggs on the head of a 16d nail (try it yourselves you non-equatorians) and watched water drain straight down a sink without spinning, while just a mere 10 feet to either side of the line the water swirled the usual counterclockwise (north) or clockwise (south) directions - very cool! In Otavalo we touched and bought some of the vast diversity of hand work produced by the peoples of the Andes Mountains. I know I had a very different sensory overload than what I experienced when we arrived in Quito - so much to see and do, with such little time left on this journey.
For the next several days, we will leave Quito to visit Cotopaxi National Park - at nearly 20,000 feet the highest active volcano in the world. We are looking forward to hiking, mountain biking, and enjoying the mountain environment there before we head to the ocean world of the Galapagos Islands.
It is not that Cusco is especially more beautiful than other places we visited. It is really about the people we met who showed us a side of this part of Peru we could never have seen had we merely traveled through on our way to somewhere else. Elizabeth, Alain, and Iris at the South American Explorer's Club first opened the door of the Cusquena and Inka cultures to us. Our teachers at Amauta School patiently taught us culture and history through language. Our friends Nathalie and Rusbell and their children Killa and Qori shared days, evenings, and dinners with us. Just as we had pulled all our hair out trying to home school, John and Maria Renee rescued us by opening their one room school to our boys. Jane at Jack's Cafe welcomed us with wonderfully prepared (and safe - even the salads!) food. This whole community of folks made our time in and around Cusco unforgettable.
As I walked through the alleys of the old city for the last time, running my fingers over stone walls meticulously crafted by Inka laborers,which have withstood innumerable tremors for over half a millennium, I realized it is the sharp edge of leaving that pares an experience to its essential qualities. Despite leaving our friends with no set date for reunion the satisfaction of having been part of a community that might continue to grow won the day and made it much easier to catch our next flights to Lima and Ecuador.
We dropped out of the clouds and landed on a runway that suddenly appeared, arriving in Lima for a one night layover. We planned this as a transit stop on the way to Quito, Ecuador to break up the flights and to take advantage of the highly acclaimed ceviche Lima is known for. We booked a hostal in Miraflores. While sections of Miraflores were beautiful and the local ceviche as excellent as advertised, the hostal was forgettable and a pleasure to leave. Even the lovely walk through a beautiful park on a high bluff above the Pacific could not move us to spend more time in the big city. It was time to go to Ecuador.
Quito! Squeezed between a mountain ridge and a volcano, this largest of colonial cities grew up from the ruins of the northern reaches of the Inka empire to become the capital of the Spanish conquistadors. Nearly straddling the equator, the indigenous people understood that they lived in a special place on earth naming it Quito - Quichua for center of the earth. To ease our sensory overload caused by arriving in a big city, we were met at the airport by Heather, volunteer coordinator for the project we are volunteering with during the last two weeks of our time here. Not only did she ensure we found the hostal we booked, but she gave us a quick primer on safety. It seems that Quito has a reputation for petty crimes against tourists and Heather made sure we understood how to move about the city and hold onto our stuff. Nothing like the shock of reality to make us feel welcomed in our new place.
Contrast that feeling of vulnerability to the big smiles and warm reception we received upon entering our hostal. Ornelia and Ali made us feel completely at home in this old colonial house - maybe we could stay inside for our entire stay? After the arrival of my mother and her partner Steve we made our way out into the streets. With Heather's and Ali's advice in mind we found our way into the central historic city by ourselves and then with Felix, our city tour guide. From the vantage of the balcony of the Basilica, we could see such a mix of colonial architecture built upon the organization of the indigenous people vanquished by the conquistadors and then rebuilt after earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; and then beyond all of that to modern Quito stretching to the north and south. During our walk today, the streets of the old city were closed to cars and filled with people strolling about or riding bicycles, musicians playing, and jugglers entertaining - so vibrant and energetic, and very much fun.
Just like we discovered in Cusco, getting out of the city is the best way to see the city with fresh eyes. We made three separate day trips: one to the cloud forest at a preserve called Bella Vista, one to the equator where we discovered the magic of the middle line around the earth, and another to Otavalo, a pueblo that hosts the largest artisanal handcrafts market in all of South America. At Bella Vista we saw many different species of hummingbirds and gained an appreciation for the vast diversity of life that exists in Ecuador. Aidan was especially intrigued by the hummingbirds and donned his red rain jacket becoming a massive flower to them. They swarmed around him and even landed on his fingers resting on the bird feeders. At the equator, we balanced raw eggs on the head of a 16d nail (try it yourselves you non-equatorians) and watched water drain straight down a sink without spinning, while just a mere 10 feet to either side of the line the water swirled the usual counterclockwise (north) or clockwise (south) directions - very cool! In Otavalo we touched and bought some of the vast diversity of hand work produced by the peoples of the Andes Mountains. I know I had a very different sensory overload than what I experienced when we arrived in Quito - so much to see and do, with such little time left on this journey.
For the next several days, we will leave Quito to visit Cotopaxi National Park - at nearly 20,000 feet the highest active volcano in the world. We are looking forward to hiking, mountain biking, and enjoying the mountain environment there before we head to the ocean world of the Galapagos Islands.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Cusco
It is a lazy Sunday at the end of the rainy season - a good time to catch up on our time here in the capital city of the Incan empire.
Qosqo as it was known to the Incas means "naval" in Quechua, the indigenous language of this region. Situated in a beautiful valley at 3300 meters, Qosqo was at the center of the expansive Inca empire that extended as far north as Quito, Ecuador and as far south as Santiago, Chile. An extensive road network connected the far reaches of the empire and included the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu as well as many other pathways, many of which still present themselves as well-bordered and distinctive trails.
Of course, we knew very little of all of that when we arrived. Mainly, we chose Cusco based on the many favorable recommendations of friends and people we met along our travels; and because we wanted to learn Spanish. We had heard that in all of South America, Peruvians speak the clearest and purest Spanish. Since we are mountain oriented people, we chose this mountain location rather than the big city, coastal environment of Lima.
School! It has been years since I have been in a formal school situation. I discovered quickly that it took some getting used to when I was not always keen about the assignments I had to complete each day. After some gains and many frustrations I settled on private lessons because I learned I was pretty content to listen to my four or five other classmates as they spoke providing me cover so I didn't have to speak. It is hard to learn a spoken language without speaking and I can no longer hide when I am the only student in the class. Lucy, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem jumping into conversations, improving her speaking ability rapidly. We included the kids in language school also but Charlie developed an "on strike" posture when he discovered his only classmate was his brother. Aidan reluctantly is hanging in there though he doesn't believe how much he will benefit from this education when he returns to school in the States.
After so much day-to-day travel in New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina, we have settled into home life here. Out typical day starts with a 20 minute walk through colonial streets of Cusco to school, after which we stop at the local bakery and market to pick up our lunch fixings. Though we live at 11300 feet, Peru's location in the tropics provides it with ample sun, warmth, and rain to grow wonderful vegetables, avocados, mangoes, and many other very tasty treats. We haven't suffered from a lack of food diversity. In fact, Peru seems to be leading a culinary awakening in South America. Since we like to cook and eat, we have enjoyed the diversity very much.
So you don't think we are only living an academic life, we have also been exploring the local and more distant areas around Cusco. In a short twenty minute walk above our apartment, we can arrive in several different and lovely places. In one direction, we arrive at the ruins of two different Inca temples, thought to provide places of purification for pilgrims before they entered the holy city of Qosqo. In another direction, we arrive at Saqsayhuaman - the massive fortification and religious center that rivals Stonehenge in its architecture. When the Incas laid out the plans for Qosqo, they envisioned the shape of a Puma, one of their revered animals. Located above the city, Saqsayhuaman represents the head of the Puma, with the body formed by the city below in the valley.
When we wish to expend less energy we walk 15 minutes into the center of Cusco, to the Plaza de Armas and can appreciate the long history of the Inca and Spanish colonial presence; as well as find restaurants, museums, shops, and anything else we've needed while here.
About a month and a half ago, we traveled to the village of Paruro, about 2 hours south of Cusco. Though we thought we were having a fine time in the city, it was nice to get out of the city to the countryside. Paruro is a rural village situated several valleys away from Cusco. We participated in village life by helping to make chicha, a fermented corn drink that was very important to the Incas, baking the local style of bread, helping to harvest choclo (corn on the cob with huge kernels and very different from Olathe sweet corn), and enjoying a traditional meal of Cuy (guinea pig) and a few of the 3000 varieties of potatoes grown here in Peru. We came away with a very different view of Peruvian life than we had formed during our time in Cusco.
Over another weekend, we joined with our dear friends Nathalie and her children Killia (Quechua for Moon), and Qori (Quechua for Gold) heading out to the country, but this time in an entirely different direction. Unfortunately Rusbell, Nathalie's husband, was drawn away by business and couldn't join us. We headed west to the Apurimac River Canyon. Even though we are located fairly south in Peru, the Apurimac River is a tributary of the Amazon River, which begins its journey to the Atlantic Ocean way in the north of Peru. The original plan was to travel by horse and foot to a lodge located in an isolated valley where we would have to the opportunity to observe Andean Condors flying overhead. Like its smaller cousin the California Condor, the Andean Condor has struggled for its survival due to habitat loss throughout the region. As we made our way up the dirt road to the staging area for the horses, we were thwarted by one of the numerous landslides that occurs during the rainy season. We made the best of the the delay with a hike up a ridge that afforded us a memorable view of the Apurimac River canyon, cut deeply through the mountains directing the river northward toward the mighty Amazon. The next day we made our way around the landslide, and after 7 hours of horse riding and hiking over 14000 foot ridges where we saw nobody, we arrived at the lodge. We all enjoyed the solitude of the place and mark this area as a place to which we would definitely return if we ever have the chance to come back to Peru. We made our way back to civilization by the same method of horse and foot, again having to divert around another landslide. With sunshine and clear skies, the view of the surrounding Andes Mountains made the journey go quickly.
We completed our most recent adventure just this past weekend. Joined by our friend Kari, who came to visit us for two weeks, we spent eight days trekking through the mountains northeast of Cusco. The first trail, called the Salkantay, is an alternative route used by the Incas to access Machu Picchu. For the first five days, we walked through cloud forests and over a 15000 foot pass, past the third highest mountain in Peru, Nevado Salkantay. We arrived in Aguas Calientes, the town on the Urubamba River at the base of the high mountain ridge where Machu Picchu is located. After visiting Machu Picchu and contemplating the fantastic 360 degree view of mountains and the intricate architecture of the extant structures, we trained to Ollantaytambo for the second part of our trek. Ollantaytambo is another Inca pueblo and retains much of the original town plan as devised by the Incas. While preparing for the next three day trek, we spent the morning looking about the ruins and enjoying the ambiance of the central square.
Our next trekking goal was the pueblo of Lares, located on the the other side of another 15000 foot pass. As we started our trek climbing up through small villages, the valley above us were green and vast. The only people we saw for the next two days were llama and sheep herders, living in small stone huts with thatched roofs. The valleys were massive, the mountains stretched as far as we could see. We greedily and happily absorbed the solitude, the most we have had during our entire time of travel.
Lares is located at a junction of roads leading both up to the highlands and down to the jungle. As a result, the market is filled with colorfully dressed villagers and their goods from both locales. At once, we saw mounds of potatoes and choclo from the highlands, as well as fruits and other jungle produce. Such diversity in one place! We also had the pleasure of finishing our trek in the Lares hot springs. It is true luxury to be able to soak in hot water after walking for several days. After such a fine ending to the trek and despite the allure of the market and the hot springs, we drove back to Cusco over yet another 15000+ foot pass cut by deep and tumultuous rivers. After settling back to our apartment for a couple of days, we said good-bye to Kari, sending her off with memories of eight days of trekking and tours through many of the museums and ruins here in Cusco.
What's left for us? With several weeks remaining here, we get to go back to school, visit with the friends we have made, make a few more tours to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and contemplate our next stop in Ecuador where we will visit Quito, the equator, the Galapagos Islands, and a highland village where we will live and volunteer for the last two weeks of our stay in South America. Of those adventures, stay tuned...
Qosqo as it was known to the Incas means "naval" in Quechua, the indigenous language of this region. Situated in a beautiful valley at 3300 meters, Qosqo was at the center of the expansive Inca empire that extended as far north as Quito, Ecuador and as far south as Santiago, Chile. An extensive road network connected the far reaches of the empire and included the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu as well as many other pathways, many of which still present themselves as well-bordered and distinctive trails.
Of course, we knew very little of all of that when we arrived. Mainly, we chose Cusco based on the many favorable recommendations of friends and people we met along our travels; and because we wanted to learn Spanish. We had heard that in all of South America, Peruvians speak the clearest and purest Spanish. Since we are mountain oriented people, we chose this mountain location rather than the big city, coastal environment of Lima.
School! It has been years since I have been in a formal school situation. I discovered quickly that it took some getting used to when I was not always keen about the assignments I had to complete each day. After some gains and many frustrations I settled on private lessons because I learned I was pretty content to listen to my four or five other classmates as they spoke providing me cover so I didn't have to speak. It is hard to learn a spoken language without speaking and I can no longer hide when I am the only student in the class. Lucy, on the other hand, seemed to have no problem jumping into conversations, improving her speaking ability rapidly. We included the kids in language school also but Charlie developed an "on strike" posture when he discovered his only classmate was his brother. Aidan reluctantly is hanging in there though he doesn't believe how much he will benefit from this education when he returns to school in the States.
After so much day-to-day travel in New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina, we have settled into home life here. Out typical day starts with a 20 minute walk through colonial streets of Cusco to school, after which we stop at the local bakery and market to pick up our lunch fixings. Though we live at 11300 feet, Peru's location in the tropics provides it with ample sun, warmth, and rain to grow wonderful vegetables, avocados, mangoes, and many other very tasty treats. We haven't suffered from a lack of food diversity. In fact, Peru seems to be leading a culinary awakening in South America. Since we like to cook and eat, we have enjoyed the diversity very much.
So you don't think we are only living an academic life, we have also been exploring the local and more distant areas around Cusco. In a short twenty minute walk above our apartment, we can arrive in several different and lovely places. In one direction, we arrive at the ruins of two different Inca temples, thought to provide places of purification for pilgrims before they entered the holy city of Qosqo. In another direction, we arrive at Saqsayhuaman - the massive fortification and religious center that rivals Stonehenge in its architecture. When the Incas laid out the plans for Qosqo, they envisioned the shape of a Puma, one of their revered animals. Located above the city, Saqsayhuaman represents the head of the Puma, with the body formed by the city below in the valley.
When we wish to expend less energy we walk 15 minutes into the center of Cusco, to the Plaza de Armas and can appreciate the long history of the Inca and Spanish colonial presence; as well as find restaurants, museums, shops, and anything else we've needed while here.
About a month and a half ago, we traveled to the village of Paruro, about 2 hours south of Cusco. Though we thought we were having a fine time in the city, it was nice to get out of the city to the countryside. Paruro is a rural village situated several valleys away from Cusco. We participated in village life by helping to make chicha, a fermented corn drink that was very important to the Incas, baking the local style of bread, helping to harvest choclo (corn on the cob with huge kernels and very different from Olathe sweet corn), and enjoying a traditional meal of Cuy (guinea pig) and a few of the 3000 varieties of potatoes grown here in Peru. We came away with a very different view of Peruvian life than we had formed during our time in Cusco.
Over another weekend, we joined with our dear friends Nathalie and her children Killia (Quechua for Moon), and Qori (Quechua for Gold) heading out to the country, but this time in an entirely different direction. Unfortunately Rusbell, Nathalie's husband, was drawn away by business and couldn't join us. We headed west to the Apurimac River Canyon. Even though we are located fairly south in Peru, the Apurimac River is a tributary of the Amazon River, which begins its journey to the Atlantic Ocean way in the north of Peru. The original plan was to travel by horse and foot to a lodge located in an isolated valley where we would have to the opportunity to observe Andean Condors flying overhead. Like its smaller cousin the California Condor, the Andean Condor has struggled for its survival due to habitat loss throughout the region. As we made our way up the dirt road to the staging area for the horses, we were thwarted by one of the numerous landslides that occurs during the rainy season. We made the best of the the delay with a hike up a ridge that afforded us a memorable view of the Apurimac River canyon, cut deeply through the mountains directing the river northward toward the mighty Amazon. The next day we made our way around the landslide, and after 7 hours of horse riding and hiking over 14000 foot ridges where we saw nobody, we arrived at the lodge. We all enjoyed the solitude of the place and mark this area as a place to which we would definitely return if we ever have the chance to come back to Peru. We made our way back to civilization by the same method of horse and foot, again having to divert around another landslide. With sunshine and clear skies, the view of the surrounding Andes Mountains made the journey go quickly.
We completed our most recent adventure just this past weekend. Joined by our friend Kari, who came to visit us for two weeks, we spent eight days trekking through the mountains northeast of Cusco. The first trail, called the Salkantay, is an alternative route used by the Incas to access Machu Picchu. For the first five days, we walked through cloud forests and over a 15000 foot pass, past the third highest mountain in Peru, Nevado Salkantay. We arrived in Aguas Calientes, the town on the Urubamba River at the base of the high mountain ridge where Machu Picchu is located. After visiting Machu Picchu and contemplating the fantastic 360 degree view of mountains and the intricate architecture of the extant structures, we trained to Ollantaytambo for the second part of our trek. Ollantaytambo is another Inca pueblo and retains much of the original town plan as devised by the Incas. While preparing for the next three day trek, we spent the morning looking about the ruins and enjoying the ambiance of the central square.
Our next trekking goal was the pueblo of Lares, located on the the other side of another 15000 foot pass. As we started our trek climbing up through small villages, the valley above us were green and vast. The only people we saw for the next two days were llama and sheep herders, living in small stone huts with thatched roofs. The valleys were massive, the mountains stretched as far as we could see. We greedily and happily absorbed the solitude, the most we have had during our entire time of travel.
Lares is located at a junction of roads leading both up to the highlands and down to the jungle. As a result, the market is filled with colorfully dressed villagers and their goods from both locales. At once, we saw mounds of potatoes and choclo from the highlands, as well as fruits and other jungle produce. Such diversity in one place! We also had the pleasure of finishing our trek in the Lares hot springs. It is true luxury to be able to soak in hot water after walking for several days. After such a fine ending to the trek and despite the allure of the market and the hot springs, we drove back to Cusco over yet another 15000+ foot pass cut by deep and tumultuous rivers. After settling back to our apartment for a couple of days, we said good-bye to Kari, sending her off with memories of eight days of trekking and tours through many of the museums and ruins here in Cusco.
What's left for us? With several weeks remaining here, we get to go back to school, visit with the friends we have made, make a few more tours to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and contemplate our next stop in Ecuador where we will visit Quito, the equator, the Galapagos Islands, and a highland village where we will live and volunteer for the last two weeks of our stay in South America. Of those adventures, stay tuned...
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Cusco, Peru
Hola Amigos,
Greetings from Cusco, Peru located in a broad Andean valley at 3400 meters. The city was founded as the center, or naval, of the Inkan Empire, which spread from Quito, Ecuador in the north to Santiago, Chile and beyond in the south. From the Inkan stonework that is the foundation of every major building in Cusco to the sounds of Quechua, the language of the Inkas and primary language of Cuzquenans, we are reminded of the highly organized and successful Inkan culture. Now completing our sixth week here, we are lucky to even be here. When we originally planned our trip, we allotted no time in Peru. After conversations with many people, we decided to spend the bulk of the time we have in South America here in Cusco and have been very happy with our decision thus far.
But we didn't come directly to Cusco from Santiago. We spent a week in Mendoza, Argentina. It is a beautiful route from Santiago to Mendoza, crossing the Andes through a pass on a road that snakes its way up via twenty-seven switch backs and then rolls down the eastern slope through terrain reminiscent of the western slope of our own Rocky Mountains. Mendoza is in many ways climatically and geographically similar to Grand Junction. It lies in an area that would be dry if not for irrigation from the Mendoza River. As a result of the irrigation, Mendoza is well known as a wine and fruit region. The mountains that rise to the east, including Aconcagua the western hemisphere's highest mountain, are rugged and sharp. Like Grand Junction, summer temperatures can get pretty roasty but the streets are deeply shaded by rows of Plane trees, allowing cafes and restaurants to spill out onto the cool sidewalks. We filled our days with walks through the city, eating at restaurants serving traditional Argentinian barbecue or the excellent fusion of Argentinian and Italian food developed by the many Italian immigrants and their descendants who make up a significant portion of Argentinian society. We toured by bicycle some of the vineyards and olive groves found to the south of the city, always flanked on the west by the nearly 7000 meter snow covered peaks of the massive Andes. On another day, Aidan and I spent a long morning rock climbing with local guide Mario on ancient granite walls in a canyon of the Mendoza River. We could still see evidence of the flash flood deluge that occurred when a dam upstream failed bringing the whole reservoir cascading down the narrow canyon, scrubbing away villages along the way. The road up the canyon was never fully repaired, leaving a scarred reminder of the disaster. Though it is impossible to say we experienced Argentinian culture in the six days we were there, we thought it worth the effort to have traveled there. Like all the places we have visited our time in Mendoza ended when we climbed onto the mass transit (bus form this time) for our eight hour return ride back over that beautiful pass to Santiago.
Back in Santiago we prepared ourselves for the next leg of our trip. After two weeks with us, Lucy's mom returned home and we pointed ourselves north to Peru. Though we Skype and email our family and friends frequently, Peggy's visit provided very tangible proof that despite our year away we are still connected to our home and the family that defines our home. We were all sad to wave good-bye to her as she drove away in a cab to the airport.
On the map, Peru is just north of Chile but Chile is a VERY long country. The flight took four hours and dropped us in Lima. While we do these flights pretty well now, it still is a bit of a production to move ourselves through airports and negotiate a new city. Fortunately this time we arranged to be picked up by the folks running the hostel where we were staying. It seems that in big cities like Lima or Quito, it is prudent to be met at the airport to reduce the chance of being separated from the little that we carry with us.
I can say nothing of Lima. We stayed in a hostel close to the airport because we were flying to Cusco the next day. The hostel folks were very nice, helping us to feel comfortable. This particular hostel worked well for us because the kids had a pool table and TV with movies. What more could kids want? Hostel life is unlike any hotel. Usually the folks staying there are enthusiastic to share their experiences making the hostel a living "Lonely Planet" source of information. The other very big bonus of staying at a hostel is the budget friendly cost for the four of us. Now when we seek a place to stay for a night, we search the list of hostels in TripAdviser.com first and then move on from there.
Now that I have brought this blog up to our current location, I will make just a few comments about our initial impressions upon arriving in Cusco. As the airplane carved a steep banking turn to access the narrow approach into the airport, I had a good feeling in my gut. The mountain air here is lean, especially for lungs that had been at sea level for more time in the past year than in the last twenty. Our landlord, Javier, met us at the airport as a courtesy, rather than as a deterrent to fast hands. All of these things added up in my head to create a very optimistic sense for the next three months here in Cusco.
Hasta pronto (to quote my friend Tadd),
Paul
Greetings from Cusco, Peru located in a broad Andean valley at 3400 meters. The city was founded as the center, or naval, of the Inkan Empire, which spread from Quito, Ecuador in the north to Santiago, Chile and beyond in the south. From the Inkan stonework that is the foundation of every major building in Cusco to the sounds of Quechua, the language of the Inkas and primary language of Cuzquenans, we are reminded of the highly organized and successful Inkan culture. Now completing our sixth week here, we are lucky to even be here. When we originally planned our trip, we allotted no time in Peru. After conversations with many people, we decided to spend the bulk of the time we have in South America here in Cusco and have been very happy with our decision thus far.
But we didn't come directly to Cusco from Santiago. We spent a week in Mendoza, Argentina. It is a beautiful route from Santiago to Mendoza, crossing the Andes through a pass on a road that snakes its way up via twenty-seven switch backs and then rolls down the eastern slope through terrain reminiscent of the western slope of our own Rocky Mountains. Mendoza is in many ways climatically and geographically similar to Grand Junction. It lies in an area that would be dry if not for irrigation from the Mendoza River. As a result of the irrigation, Mendoza is well known as a wine and fruit region. The mountains that rise to the east, including Aconcagua the western hemisphere's highest mountain, are rugged and sharp. Like Grand Junction, summer temperatures can get pretty roasty but the streets are deeply shaded by rows of Plane trees, allowing cafes and restaurants to spill out onto the cool sidewalks. We filled our days with walks through the city, eating at restaurants serving traditional Argentinian barbecue or the excellent fusion of Argentinian and Italian food developed by the many Italian immigrants and their descendants who make up a significant portion of Argentinian society. We toured by bicycle some of the vineyards and olive groves found to the south of the city, always flanked on the west by the nearly 7000 meter snow covered peaks of the massive Andes. On another day, Aidan and I spent a long morning rock climbing with local guide Mario on ancient granite walls in a canyon of the Mendoza River. We could still see evidence of the flash flood deluge that occurred when a dam upstream failed bringing the whole reservoir cascading down the narrow canyon, scrubbing away villages along the way. The road up the canyon was never fully repaired, leaving a scarred reminder of the disaster. Though it is impossible to say we experienced Argentinian culture in the six days we were there, we thought it worth the effort to have traveled there. Like all the places we have visited our time in Mendoza ended when we climbed onto the mass transit (bus form this time) for our eight hour return ride back over that beautiful pass to Santiago.
Back in Santiago we prepared ourselves for the next leg of our trip. After two weeks with us, Lucy's mom returned home and we pointed ourselves north to Peru. Though we Skype and email our family and friends frequently, Peggy's visit provided very tangible proof that despite our year away we are still connected to our home and the family that defines our home. We were all sad to wave good-bye to her as she drove away in a cab to the airport.
On the map, Peru is just north of Chile but Chile is a VERY long country. The flight took four hours and dropped us in Lima. While we do these flights pretty well now, it still is a bit of a production to move ourselves through airports and negotiate a new city. Fortunately this time we arranged to be picked up by the folks running the hostel where we were staying. It seems that in big cities like Lima or Quito, it is prudent to be met at the airport to reduce the chance of being separated from the little that we carry with us.
I can say nothing of Lima. We stayed in a hostel close to the airport because we were flying to Cusco the next day. The hostel folks were very nice, helping us to feel comfortable. This particular hostel worked well for us because the kids had a pool table and TV with movies. What more could kids want? Hostel life is unlike any hotel. Usually the folks staying there are enthusiastic to share their experiences making the hostel a living "Lonely Planet" source of information. The other very big bonus of staying at a hostel is the budget friendly cost for the four of us. Now when we seek a place to stay for a night, we search the list of hostels in TripAdviser.com first and then move on from there.
Now that I have brought this blog up to our current location, I will make just a few comments about our initial impressions upon arriving in Cusco. As the airplane carved a steep banking turn to access the narrow approach into the airport, I had a good feeling in my gut. The mountain air here is lean, especially for lungs that had been at sea level for more time in the past year than in the last twenty. Our landlord, Javier, met us at the airport as a courtesy, rather than as a deterrent to fast hands. All of these things added up in my head to create a very optimistic sense for the next three months here in Cusco.
Hasta pronto (to quote my friend Tadd),
Paul
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Chile
It is hard to believe it has been almost a month since our last post. It seems the time has flown by until I think of where we have been and what we have done. Then I realize how full each day has been.
We left rainy Auckland, New Zealand and landed in sunny Santiago, Chile after a very long 14 hour flight. I could do without anymore of those endurance events but at least the movie selection helps to pass the time when sleep is squeezed out by the company of economy seating. The cool thing about flying east across the international dateline is that we arrived in Santiago several hours before we left Auckland. Maybe if I keep doing it, the grays on my head will turn brown again.
Our plan was to spend one night in Santiago, then return to the airport for the 4 hour flight to Punta Arenas, in the way south of Chile. We were meeting our friends Amy and her son Keino to backpack in Torres del Paine National Park in southern Patagonia. Having endured several large changes in timezones and the related jet lag, we stayed up all day (no small effort with cratering kids), and were in bed by 7pm. Our flight was scheduled for 2pm the next day. So much for well structured plans; we were up at 2am thinking it was time to go. We all finally managed to get back to sleep and then were abruptly awoken by the cleaning service at noon. We pulled ourselves together and were out the door in about 20 minutes, to the airport by 1pm, and on the flight by 2pm. Phew...that was a close call. Oh, and did I mention that Charlie managed to maintain his record of vomiting in every country we had visited to that point - just when I thought we were out of the hotel lobby there went Charlie keeping his record. Even as we were congratulating him for the consistency of his effort, we had to clean him up before we could get to the airport.
Puntas Arenas seemed like the end of the world. When I think that Magellan sailed through this region in the mid-1500s braving the continuous howling winds, not knowing that he would eventually be the first to circumnavigate the world, I found it easier to disregard the chill I felt as we walked around town for the evening. The winds seem to blow straight from Antarctica with the cold of the icefields wrapping around everything touched. We saw very little of Punta Arenas because we left the next morning by bus for Puerto Natales. From there we would make our way to Torres del Paine National Park.
Why Torres del Paine National Park? In the 80s and 90s, I read about first ascents of some of the towers in Torres del Paine. Ever since I saw those pictures, I have wanted to see those towers for myself. The plan was for Amy, Keino, Lucy, and Aidan to walk the entire "W" trek that provides views of the most spectacular peaks in the park. Charlie and I would do a simpler version of the "W" trek and meet the other four each evening. Overall, the plan worked very well. Each evening we talked about the places we walked and the views we saw as we relaxed in the very comfortable Refugios. Because we were there during the summer solstice, evenings were really long providing plenty of time for the stories to keep flowing. Though I didn't do the entire walk, the views I had were among the most beautiful I have enjoyed from anyplace I have ever traveled. The combination of glacial carving and soft rock has resulted in the most sculpted cluster of mountains I have ever seen. I know I used a lot of superlatives in this description but what else can I say? Go there yourselves, then you can try to describe it differently. Aidan proved to be a very good hiker, covering as much as 16 miles on some days. That portends for good backpacking when we get back to Colorado.
Our time in the deep south of Chile was fairly short. We flew back to Santiago on Christmas eve. Expert planning by Lucy and Amy set us up to catch a bus to Vina del Mar on the Pacific Coast of Chile and arrive in our apartment in Renaca by the mid evening. Only problem was we didn't have any dinner planned and all of the restaurants were closed for Christmas Eve. Slightly desperate, we walked through town along the beach past snoozing sea lions. Maybe we cashed in a luck card but around 10pm we found a small empanada shop nearing closing time. The owner took pity on us (maybe after he saw the fatigue and hunger on our kid's faces) and stayed open a little longer to make us a sack full of empanadas. The wine shop next door was open (no closing for the purveyor of alcohol) so the adults could enjoy a little vino with the Christmas Eve empanadas. What could be better? Having supped, "we settled down for a long winter's nap".
The next morning, we were all surprised to see that Santa had found our Christmas Lamp (Charlie Brown would be very jealous), placing gifts for all the kids around the base. After a little Christmas breakfast, we strolled the beach front past the still snoozing sea lions. The town was completely changed; all the restaurants were open, all the townspeople were out in the summer sunshine, the surf rolled in. For a northerner, this was the funkiest Christmas I have ever had. But we were with our friends so what could be better?
Several days later we made our way back to Santiago where we first said good-bye to Amy and Keino and then two days later, hello to Lucy's Mom. During those two days, we stayed in a hostel located in Barrio Brasil, a neighborhood with clean and manageable streets and small restaurants, close to the central Plaza de Armas in the heart of Santiago. From our hostel, we could walk to Cerro Santa Lucia for a lovely view over Santiago, or to the more hip Barrio Providencia filled with restaurants and cafes.
Peggy came to visit with us for two weeks. We were happy that Peggy made the huge effort to travel so far to visit us but Aidan and Charlie were especially excited to see their grandmother, whom they were both missing very much during our time away. We went back to the beach at Vina del Mar, staying in another apartment a few blocks from the beach. The apartment was in a 23 story building that afforded us an especially fine view of the world's second largest New Year's Eve fire works display. The display takes place in the large harbor that fronts Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, set off from 10 barges on the water. The entire coast for miles was aglow with wildly colorful fireworks. And we didn't even have to leave our building to ring in the New Year, which made it possible for Aidan to be part of the festivities and for Charlie to sleep in our apartment below us.
As much fun as the beach was, the coolest and most interesting experience for me was the day long walking tour we did in Valparaiso. In the 1800s, next to San Francisco, Valpo was the most important port on the west coast of the Americas. It was the first large port after ships rounded "the Horn". At the tip of South America, Cape Horn was the last hurdle for mariners between the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and was notoriously difficult, often greeting ships with gale force winds and wild seas. I bet Valparaiso looked like a paradise to sea weary sailors. In its heyday, Valparaiso was a queen of cities, with everything a world port had to offer. Its fortunes changed though when the Panama Canal opened in the early 1900s. With ships no longer having to "round the Horn", Valpo began a slow and steady slide toward decay. But somehow it avoided a total decline and its former regal presence was still apparent as we walked around the city. I suspect it's been the artists (including Pablo Neruda) who, having long considered Valpo home, maintained an elegance to the city even as its fortunes declined. The art scene is alive and vibrant and was very apparent to us as we walked past colorful murals painted on walls lining the streets. Sure there is a gritty side to Valparaiso, but as a native Porteno, Leo our guide glided us through the city filling us with stories as only a native can tell them. While I found the peaks of Torres del Paine National Park beautiful beyond anything I had ever seen, my favorite cultural experience occurred because of that walking tour of Valparaiso and placed it on my list of places to return to and explore in more depth someday.
We spent several more lovely and lazy days along the coast enjoying the seashore before we climbed onto a bus destined for Mendoza, Argentina. But that is another story for another evening...
Ciao,
Paul
We left rainy Auckland, New Zealand and landed in sunny Santiago, Chile after a very long 14 hour flight. I could do without anymore of those endurance events but at least the movie selection helps to pass the time when sleep is squeezed out by the company of economy seating. The cool thing about flying east across the international dateline is that we arrived in Santiago several hours before we left Auckland. Maybe if I keep doing it, the grays on my head will turn brown again.
Our plan was to spend one night in Santiago, then return to the airport for the 4 hour flight to Punta Arenas, in the way south of Chile. We were meeting our friends Amy and her son Keino to backpack in Torres del Paine National Park in southern Patagonia. Having endured several large changes in timezones and the related jet lag, we stayed up all day (no small effort with cratering kids), and were in bed by 7pm. Our flight was scheduled for 2pm the next day. So much for well structured plans; we were up at 2am thinking it was time to go. We all finally managed to get back to sleep and then were abruptly awoken by the cleaning service at noon. We pulled ourselves together and were out the door in about 20 minutes, to the airport by 1pm, and on the flight by 2pm. Phew...that was a close call. Oh, and did I mention that Charlie managed to maintain his record of vomiting in every country we had visited to that point - just when I thought we were out of the hotel lobby there went Charlie keeping his record. Even as we were congratulating him for the consistency of his effort, we had to clean him up before we could get to the airport.
Puntas Arenas seemed like the end of the world. When I think that Magellan sailed through this region in the mid-1500s braving the continuous howling winds, not knowing that he would eventually be the first to circumnavigate the world, I found it easier to disregard the chill I felt as we walked around town for the evening. The winds seem to blow straight from Antarctica with the cold of the icefields wrapping around everything touched. We saw very little of Punta Arenas because we left the next morning by bus for Puerto Natales. From there we would make our way to Torres del Paine National Park.
Why Torres del Paine National Park? In the 80s and 90s, I read about first ascents of some of the towers in Torres del Paine. Ever since I saw those pictures, I have wanted to see those towers for myself. The plan was for Amy, Keino, Lucy, and Aidan to walk the entire "W" trek that provides views of the most spectacular peaks in the park. Charlie and I would do a simpler version of the "W" trek and meet the other four each evening. Overall, the plan worked very well. Each evening we talked about the places we walked and the views we saw as we relaxed in the very comfortable Refugios. Because we were there during the summer solstice, evenings were really long providing plenty of time for the stories to keep flowing. Though I didn't do the entire walk, the views I had were among the most beautiful I have enjoyed from anyplace I have ever traveled. The combination of glacial carving and soft rock has resulted in the most sculpted cluster of mountains I have ever seen. I know I used a lot of superlatives in this description but what else can I say? Go there yourselves, then you can try to describe it differently. Aidan proved to be a very good hiker, covering as much as 16 miles on some days. That portends for good backpacking when we get back to Colorado.
Our time in the deep south of Chile was fairly short. We flew back to Santiago on Christmas eve. Expert planning by Lucy and Amy set us up to catch a bus to Vina del Mar on the Pacific Coast of Chile and arrive in our apartment in Renaca by the mid evening. Only problem was we didn't have any dinner planned and all of the restaurants were closed for Christmas Eve. Slightly desperate, we walked through town along the beach past snoozing sea lions. Maybe we cashed in a luck card but around 10pm we found a small empanada shop nearing closing time. The owner took pity on us (maybe after he saw the fatigue and hunger on our kid's faces) and stayed open a little longer to make us a sack full of empanadas. The wine shop next door was open (no closing for the purveyor of alcohol) so the adults could enjoy a little vino with the Christmas Eve empanadas. What could be better? Having supped, "we settled down for a long winter's nap".
The next morning, we were all surprised to see that Santa had found our Christmas Lamp (Charlie Brown would be very jealous), placing gifts for all the kids around the base. After a little Christmas breakfast, we strolled the beach front past the still snoozing sea lions. The town was completely changed; all the restaurants were open, all the townspeople were out in the summer sunshine, the surf rolled in. For a northerner, this was the funkiest Christmas I have ever had. But we were with our friends so what could be better?
Several days later we made our way back to Santiago where we first said good-bye to Amy and Keino and then two days later, hello to Lucy's Mom. During those two days, we stayed in a hostel located in Barrio Brasil, a neighborhood with clean and manageable streets and small restaurants, close to the central Plaza de Armas in the heart of Santiago. From our hostel, we could walk to Cerro Santa Lucia for a lovely view over Santiago, or to the more hip Barrio Providencia filled with restaurants and cafes.
Peggy came to visit with us for two weeks. We were happy that Peggy made the huge effort to travel so far to visit us but Aidan and Charlie were especially excited to see their grandmother, whom they were both missing very much during our time away. We went back to the beach at Vina del Mar, staying in another apartment a few blocks from the beach. The apartment was in a 23 story building that afforded us an especially fine view of the world's second largest New Year's Eve fire works display. The display takes place in the large harbor that fronts Vina del Mar and Valparaiso, set off from 10 barges on the water. The entire coast for miles was aglow with wildly colorful fireworks. And we didn't even have to leave our building to ring in the New Year, which made it possible for Aidan to be part of the festivities and for Charlie to sleep in our apartment below us.
As much fun as the beach was, the coolest and most interesting experience for me was the day long walking tour we did in Valparaiso. In the 1800s, next to San Francisco, Valpo was the most important port on the west coast of the Americas. It was the first large port after ships rounded "the Horn". At the tip of South America, Cape Horn was the last hurdle for mariners between the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and was notoriously difficult, often greeting ships with gale force winds and wild seas. I bet Valparaiso looked like a paradise to sea weary sailors. In its heyday, Valparaiso was a queen of cities, with everything a world port had to offer. Its fortunes changed though when the Panama Canal opened in the early 1900s. With ships no longer having to "round the Horn", Valpo began a slow and steady slide toward decay. But somehow it avoided a total decline and its former regal presence was still apparent as we walked around the city. I suspect it's been the artists (including Pablo Neruda) who, having long considered Valpo home, maintained an elegance to the city even as its fortunes declined. The art scene is alive and vibrant and was very apparent to us as we walked past colorful murals painted on walls lining the streets. Sure there is a gritty side to Valparaiso, but as a native Porteno, Leo our guide glided us through the city filling us with stories as only a native can tell them. While I found the peaks of Torres del Paine National Park beautiful beyond anything I had ever seen, my favorite cultural experience occurred because of that walking tour of Valparaiso and placed it on my list of places to return to and explore in more depth someday.
We spent several more lovely and lazy days along the coast enjoying the seashore before we climbed onto a bus destined for Mendoza, Argentina. But that is another story for another evening...
Ciao,
Paul
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)