Mar 5, 2019 - Conoce y disfruta del departamento de Huánuco en Peru

La hermosa región de Huánuco se sitúa en el área norte del centro de Perú. Esta hermosa tierra cuya altitud es de apenas 250 metros sobre el nivel del mar es hogar de inmensos paisajes naturales, valles nevados y cordilleras que le dan un valor natural importante a la región, así como le permite tener condiciones idóneas para atraer a turistas de todo el mundo durante todas las épocas del año. Huánuco posee una parte de la extensión de terreno abarcada por la selva peruana, así como también toma una porción importante de la sierra peruana,...

Feb 26, 2019 - Winding up our Peru Journey

We are coming to the end of our Peru odyssey. Today we pack for the trip to Lima, which will be a quick overnight and then the longer flights to get home to Seattle (which will undoubtedly required more repacking). It has been a trip filled with explorations of the mountains, of the past, of new and different flavors and inspirations. I am still mulling over a few things; such as why purveyors of clothing throughout the Andes all want me to buy an alpaca sweater with alpacas conga dancing across my chest. (Like that is a good look for...

Feb 24, 2019 - Pre-Inca exploration day

Today we were on the go all day escorted by Obar who did not speak a lick of English. We started out at breakfast meeting Marthe and Paul from Montreal. He's Paul "the Greek" and Martha is from this town. We enjoyed a nice meal together and were joined by a kind of surly man (it may have been the time, 9am) who also grew up in Pimental. It turns out that Martha and surly man had family aquantences. Small world. When we asked for a drivwer recommendation a conversation ensued, not only who, but how much. Martha won out and we engaged Obar...

Feb 23, 2019 - In Pimentel, soaking up the sun

Hello to all! Barb and I are spending our last few days here in Peru at the beach, soaking up the Vitamin D before we head home; I hear that there may be more snow on the way?!?!? Actually I am no longer much of a sun bather; I mean when I was growing up in California I used to lay out determinedly in the sun slathered in Cocoa butter; which essentially turned me into a giant fry zone, or we would spray ourselves in baby oil with Iodine mixed in (to attain that attractive orange/brown color). Today I slathered myself in sun block instead,...

Feb 21, 2019 - We go exploring: Machu Picchu and beyond!

Sorry for the delay, we have been having a few busy and physically challenging days, and the thought of gathering thoughts, much less photos, was too daunting... Yesterday we explored Machu Picchu, an Incan Citadel high in the Andes. We left our hotel at 4 am (ugh) in a driving rain ( double ugh) to take a taxi for 1 1/2 hours to take a train for 1 1/2 hours to take a bus for 40 minutes, to finally arrive at Machu Picchu. The ruins are spectacular, to have survived for the past 500 years in this climate is a testament to Incan ingenuity. It...

Feb 18, 2019 - Exploring Cusco

Today was the perfect day to explore Cusco. The weather was mild with no rain. We mapped our route of the Museums that appealed to us and visited three of those while the fourth was closed. Barb and I are famously fastidious museum guests. We start at the beginning and go the end, examining each exhibit and read every explanation that is available. I do say that the quality of the museums was good, the exhibits well organized and English was provided. Although, why is the explanation on one exhibit three pages long in Spanish and only one...

Feb 17, 2019 - Climbing (down) to Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Today we rode a bus from Puno and headed at last into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, The mountains were appropriately misty and mysterious. We descended about 1000 feet in elevation, and thankfully our headaches have disappeared. Our little hostel/hotel is perfectly situated one block off of the main square; the Plaza de Armes. It is a lovely park filled with families playing and spending time together. The Cathedral looms over one wall of the plaza, and the Jesuit church occupying the square to it's left. It appears that they have had a...

Feb 15, 2019 - Puno: we are REALLY in the heights!

So, as many of you know, Barb and I tend to travel a bit on the cheap side; as an example, our current hotel is costing $26/night. For two people. I have always found the rooms to be clean, the staff welcoming and friendly. In fact the only time I have ever seen bedbugs was in a pricy hotel room in Vancouver, Canada. However, where I find this always to be a gamble is in... the bathroom. Specifically, the shower. Call it a foible of mine, but it can be 110 outside and I still do not want a cold shower. This is often a source of amazement to...

Feb 14, 2019 - Traversing the plain to Puno

We left Arequipa at 8:45am; a much more civilized hour, if you ask me, and traveling the byways of Peru to land in Puna. This is where Lake Titicaca is located, and at 12556 feet elevation feels quite challenging. My legs feel like heavy weights, I feel lightheaded and headachy. On the plus size no nausea and vomiting, which I am told can be common initially. The sensation will pass hopefully soon; Barb and I have been upping our caffeine and chewing the local coca leaves, which is supposed to help. We shall see... We left Arequipa (a mere...

Feb 11, 2019 - Arequipa trekking

Yesterday we wandered around Arequipa; partially to check out the town and partially because neither Barb nor I are terribly spatially aware and the streets are tiny and ancient and tend to change names every 50 meters or so... We saw several nice churches; lots of gold leaf and lots of bleeding subjects, then we went on a city walking tour of 2 hours, which wound up lasting about 4 hours... It was interesting, we saw where the original city was "founded" in 15 something by Spaniards. I am sure that the local population was glad to have...

Feb 10, 2019 - The long, long ride to Arequipa

Well we made it to Arequipa, after a bus ride of it turns out 19 hours - it was a very comfortable bus, but ugh! Barb and I spent some time watching American films badly dubbed into Spanish with English subtitles and eventually without sound. It is so odd to see familiar actors sounding so differently than expected. We spend quite a bit of time discussing possible plots and concepts gone astray... Arequipa is lovely; built out of the local volcanic stone, which is white in color, so much of the old city is white, with bold accent colors....

Feb 9, 2019 - Enjoying Lima

We had a wonderful, if steamy day here in Lima. The cab drivers keep saying that it must seem quite hot for us and we keep explaining that it is currently REALLY cold and snowy at out home. I suspect that Peggy Moe is very sorry that she lent me her down jacket for the trip!! We visited the San Fransisco church and Monastery, with catacombs and a huge library; looking much like a Harry Potter creation. It seems a bit ironic that the Catholic church was busy expressing horror about the way the natives sacrificed and buried their dead in a...