Andean Adventures: Peru, Part 2

Hello from Bolivia! I have a rather slow internet connection, but am doing my best to upload some photos from the past week.


It has been a phenomenal vacation so far!



After my week in Pampas-Huaraz, Mindy (college roommate), Kelvin (residency friend), and Chamreun (Kelvin´s friend from jr high), met me in Lima for the next part of our adventure in Peru.



Quick pics from my wandering around Lima, where I visited the San Francisco Monastery, Inquisition Museum, and China town!



I love how everything in Peru has the -ito suffix!





We headed south on a bus to Nazca, which is famous for the Nazca Lines, mysterious sand art drawings made in the desert sand, which are quite impressive when viewed from the overflight. They were likely made between 900 BC and 600 AD, but no one knows the significance!


Mindy and me before the flight


"The astronaut" (looks like ET!)

Unfortunately, the overflight, complete with "now left, now right," left most of us very nauseated and some of us (i.e. me) with the experience of losing breakfast....

here is me with my barf bag...

Despite vomiting, we had great food in Nazca, including ceviche, which I could easliy eat, and love, for every meal...




We spent the afternoon in Nazca being quite adventurous and hiking up to the Cerro Blanco, supposedly the world´s highest sand dune. Although we got started late in the day, making our guide, David, nervous we (girls) wouldn´t hike fast enough, we made it in time to do-try some sandboarding, which quickly became sand-sledding. Although our hike back was entirely in the dark, and our shoes, clothes, ears, and mouths were filled with sand, it was an awesome experience! Even Mindy, who was not super thrilled about the idea to start with (her quote was, and which shows how good a friend she is, was "I am 0% interested in that, but I will 110% go with you!") had a good time :)


Kelvin-Chamreun

stone towers at the top

We then overnight-bussed it to Cusco for time to start our 4d trek in the Lares Valley. We were with a company called Chaska, and I cannot say enough great things about them. We four were paired with two Australians, Daniela and Lily, who were so fun, and the whole staff, including Susana and Huber, our guide, were outstanding. The food was amazing, the scenery spectacular, and the company just as great. Although Chamreun got pretty altitude sick, and the hiking (combined with rainy-haily-cold weather) was certainly not easy, we all made it up and down the mountains, which included 2 passes of 4450 and 4900 meters (just over 16,000 feet, which is the highest I´ve ever been!) . Although she totally schooled us, even Mindy, who has summited 34 of Colorado´s "fourteeners" (14,000 ft peaks) and Mt. Kilimanjaro, was challenged at times.



Our group (Daniela, Mindy, me, Kelvin, Chamreun, Lily)



with Kelvin

Huber and me



Llamas!

Clothing discrepancy!

Al fin

The Valley (Daniela likes taking diagonal pics!)

After the three days of hiking, we spent the fourth day visiting Machu Picchu, the Lost Incan city.


Enjoying mojitos in Aguas Calientes





Although I had been there in 2005, Machu Picchu is one of the most spectacular sights I have seen in the world, and certainly not overrated. We hiked Wayna Picchu and got great info from our wonderful guide, Huber.











Sudoko on the train back to Poroy.




Today, Mindy and I made our way to Puno and then to Copacaobana, Bolivia, where we will visit la Isla del Sol tomorrow and then continue on southbound (the boys are headed to Argentina).


Lake Titicaca sunset



Back to the states on 11-1-09. We are getting kicked out of internet!
Miss you all!
Love from Bolivia!!