I can't believe the time has come for me to leave this unbelievable place...a bitter sweet feeling to say the least. We had a toast tonight to an incredible journey full of laughter and smiles. This place is indescribable...one of a kind...and I wouldn't have wanted to be here with anyone else but the people I have met along the way. From Raul to my core group of friends...people shape who you are...these people and this place have changed me...I have been able to see things through a bigger lens. I've been blinded for so long, living in my Elon, North Carolina bubble...where I'm comfortable...It's my home...However, I have another home now...Peru. I have seen so many things in the past 24 days that people long to see in a lifetime. What a beautiful place, what beautiful people. I hope I am meant to return here again someday, but if I'm not, I will always hold the memories I have made here...the memories that have shaped me, the people who I have grown to love and will love forever.
Thanks to all of you who have enjoyed this journey with me from afar. I hope I could share with you a small glimpse of this place with you, although words don't do this place justice. I love you all. Here's to Peru.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Machu Picchu
Quote of the day: " There will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever- improving path...But this, far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb." -Winston Churchill
Last day at Machu Picchu...WOW. Yesterday was a 4 a.m. wake up call. I didn't even remember picking up the wake up call. We were out the door and off to the bus station at 4:45. We then waited for an hour in the dark at the bus station just to get to the gates of Machu Picchu and wait in line even longer.
There are 2 hikes you can do...Machu Picchu mountain which is straight up the whole way in stairs...or Waynapicchu, where you have to sign your life away before going on the hike. Bex and I chose this one for the experience and to be out of our comfort zone....Only 400 people a day get to go on this hike, that's why we had to get there so early. We got lost for a little while in the ruins before reaching the starting point of Waynapicchu...but once we reached the starting point, we were up, up, up, and away. Raul said if you are afraid of heights, he highly advised you not to go. For most of the hike,there were ropes attached to the side of the mountain that you had to use to thrust yourself up the mountain. It has never felt so good to reach the top of a mountain before. Once you reach the top, you can either go down the way you came or go past the great caves...For the record, it was wet and rainy when we started the hike and didn't know if we would be able to see anything because in the cloud forest, you never know what the weather will be like. Luckily, once we reached the top of Waynapicchu, the sky cleared up and we could see the range of beautiful green mountains around us.
Anyways, we decided to go back down the long way...past the great caves...where the Incas buried their mummies. Bex and I took a picture in one of the tombs...a little sketchy if you ask me, but really awesome to be there. We thought we were hiking down the mountain, which we were for some of it...down some ladders and lots of slippery stairs...until we reached the caves...then we had to go back up the mountain to get somehwhat closer to the finish line. We were huffing and puffing to say the least. We were also ready to eat lunch..I think I ate my snickers bar in 2 bites. Then, we started the hike of the sun gate. We pretty much speed walked the whole way...and it was raining the whole time. We made it up in 30 minutes and down in 30 minutes...It was worth it....Everything is worth it here.
We were going to hike Machu Picchu today, but it was really rainy and cloudy, so we decided for our own safety, we would just explore the ruins for one more day...getting lost in and out of the Incas incredible masterpiece....Now we are about to get on the train back to Cuzco...My time here is quickly approaching it's finish line...although I will be sad to see this journey end, I know God-willing I will be back here again someday.
Looking forward to hearing from all of you when I get back to the states. Love always.
Last day at Machu Picchu...WOW. Yesterday was a 4 a.m. wake up call. I didn't even remember picking up the wake up call. We were out the door and off to the bus station at 4:45. We then waited for an hour in the dark at the bus station just to get to the gates of Machu Picchu and wait in line even longer.
There are 2 hikes you can do...Machu Picchu mountain which is straight up the whole way in stairs...or Waynapicchu, where you have to sign your life away before going on the hike. Bex and I chose this one for the experience and to be out of our comfort zone....Only 400 people a day get to go on this hike, that's why we had to get there so early. We got lost for a little while in the ruins before reaching the starting point of Waynapicchu...but once we reached the starting point, we were up, up, up, and away. Raul said if you are afraid of heights, he highly advised you not to go. For most of the hike,there were ropes attached to the side of the mountain that you had to use to thrust yourself up the mountain. It has never felt so good to reach the top of a mountain before. Once you reach the top, you can either go down the way you came or go past the great caves...For the record, it was wet and rainy when we started the hike and didn't know if we would be able to see anything because in the cloud forest, you never know what the weather will be like. Luckily, once we reached the top of Waynapicchu, the sky cleared up and we could see the range of beautiful green mountains around us.
Anyways, we decided to go back down the long way...past the great caves...where the Incas buried their mummies. Bex and I took a picture in one of the tombs...a little sketchy if you ask me, but really awesome to be there. We thought we were hiking down the mountain, which we were for some of it...down some ladders and lots of slippery stairs...until we reached the caves...then we had to go back up the mountain to get somehwhat closer to the finish line. We were huffing and puffing to say the least. We were also ready to eat lunch..I think I ate my snickers bar in 2 bites. Then, we started the hike of the sun gate. We pretty much speed walked the whole way...and it was raining the whole time. We made it up in 30 minutes and down in 30 minutes...It was worth it....Everything is worth it here.
We were going to hike Machu Picchu today, but it was really rainy and cloudy, so we decided for our own safety, we would just explore the ruins for one more day...getting lost in and out of the Incas incredible masterpiece....Now we are about to get on the train back to Cuzco...My time here is quickly approaching it's finish line...although I will be sad to see this journey end, I know God-willing I will be back here again someday.
Looking forward to hearing from all of you when I get back to the states. Love always.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Chinchero
Today we visited Raul's hometown of Chinchero...born and raised. A quaint town in the Andes. Home to the center for traditional textiles where both his Mom and Grandma works. It is a place where women weave the finest clothes, socks, hats, scaves, you name it, in order to preserve the designs of the Incan culture. There were all different kinds of women, young and old, but with the same thing in common, preserving a culture. We watched them weave for awhile and we had a tour of how they make the yarn from alpaca wool to the dying of the wool to make beautiful colors. After our tour and walking around for a bit, we all got to try weaving ourselves. It was really hard to catch on to at first, and my helper laughed at me often....but then, I started to get the hang of it and probably sat there weaving for a good hour. We got to keep our design. Sitting there, weaving with women who have done this their entire life was a humbling experience...to be immersed in such a crtical part of Peruvian history and culture was a gift.
After weaving, we went to Raul's aunt's house for lunch right across from the textiles center. I tried guinea pig for the first time. They brought it out on a plate...the entire guinea pig...full body picture. If I hadn't have seen that, it probably would have made it taste a little better, however, since I saw a childhood pet in front of me on a platter, it didn't taste as good as I would have hoped. After lunch, we toured Chinchero, visited the town square and the church that Raul was brought up in...it was beautiful perched in the Andes looking over Inca ruins.
We then toured Moray ruins which was yet another intricate Incan design of architecture. We then drove past the Salineras salt complex where there were buckets full of salt as far as the eye could see. Pretty cool.
Tomorrow we are off to Macchu Picchu...as Raul calls it...the new 8th wonder of the world. We will be arriving by train and will be there for 3 days so I won't have access to a computer...but don't worry, I will take pictures and soak it all in so I can tell you about it when we return. I can't believe we are finally going to Macchu Picchu tomorrow. It's been 2 years and counting. Feel so fortunate God has provided me with this opportunity.
I love you all.
After weaving, we went to Raul's aunt's house for lunch right across from the textiles center. I tried guinea pig for the first time. They brought it out on a plate...the entire guinea pig...full body picture. If I hadn't have seen that, it probably would have made it taste a little better, however, since I saw a childhood pet in front of me on a platter, it didn't taste as good as I would have hoped. After lunch, we toured Chinchero, visited the town square and the church that Raul was brought up in...it was beautiful perched in the Andes looking over Inca ruins.
We then toured Moray ruins which was yet another intricate Incan design of architecture. We then drove past the Salineras salt complex where there were buckets full of salt as far as the eye could see. Pretty cool.
Tomorrow we are off to Macchu Picchu...as Raul calls it...the new 8th wonder of the world. We will be arriving by train and will be there for 3 days so I won't have access to a computer...but don't worry, I will take pictures and soak it all in so I can tell you about it when we return. I can't believe we are finally going to Macchu Picchu tomorrow. It's been 2 years and counting. Feel so fortunate God has provided me with this opportunity.
I love you all.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Andes
A day in the life of the Andes people. A beautiful life. A hardworking life. A simple life. The vollage of Patakancha welcomed us with open arms after driving almost an hour up the mountain to 14,000 feet and hiking the rest of the way. We brought bread for the children because it is like candy/a major treat for them. We helped out a local family with their land...we each planted a tree. Each tree had our name. They said they wanted us to come back when our trees were fully grown so we could experience the reward of planting something so beautiful. We then helped plow a potatoe field. They made it look so easy, we made it look so hard.
So fun story of the day...Bex and I really had to go to the bathroom at Patakancha...of course there were none around so we had to go next to one of the potatoe fields out back. It was an experience to say the least...most of all because due to going to the bathroom next to a field, we managed to get Peruvian poison ivy...It burned right away and felt like someone was scratching you. We had to rub the same plant where it had touched us before to help soothe the pain. We laughed it off, but it really hurt at the time :-)
We ate lunch in honor of Mother Earth at a local family's place...cooked from the ground over stones...we had lamb, potatoes, and corn. It was delightful. We left the hotel at 7:30 a.m. and got back at 8:30 p.m. It was nice to put myself in other people's shoes for a day, who I respect and admire due to their hard work and dedication towards life and their family.
Tomorrow we will be going to a weaving workshop. We get to weave ourselves with the locals. If it's as much fun as sewing, as we say in the south, "It will be a good ole' time."
8 more days. Hope you all are well. Peace out.
So fun story of the day...Bex and I really had to go to the bathroom at Patakancha...of course there were none around so we had to go next to one of the potatoe fields out back. It was an experience to say the least...most of all because due to going to the bathroom next to a field, we managed to get Peruvian poison ivy...It burned right away and felt like someone was scratching you. We had to rub the same plant where it had touched us before to help soothe the pain. We laughed it off, but it really hurt at the time :-)
We ate lunch in honor of Mother Earth at a local family's place...cooked from the ground over stones...we had lamb, potatoes, and corn. It was delightful. We left the hotel at 7:30 a.m. and got back at 8:30 p.m. It was nice to put myself in other people's shoes for a day, who I respect and admire due to their hard work and dedication towards life and their family.
Tomorrow we will be going to a weaving workshop. We get to weave ourselves with the locals. If it's as much fun as sewing, as we say in the south, "It will be a good ole' time."
8 more days. Hope you all are well. Peace out.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sacred Valley
Leaving Cusco was bittersweet...I was sad to leave the city but excited to explore the Sacred Valley even more. Explore..that we did. Our bus dropped us off at the top of the Andes about 2 hours away from Cusco. We hiked down the mountain for hours in the rain, but it was well worth it. It was one of the Incas major strongholds, carved right into the mountains. There were not hand rails and the trail went straight down, over a bridge, through a tunnel, and weaving in and out of the side of the mountain. The views were breathtaking. We were actually in the clouds. We hiked to our lunch in Pisaq...I don't know if food has ever tasted that good. My new favorite Andean cuisine is ricotto relleno...stuffed peppers with meat. Soooo good. After lunch, we drove another hour and did one more hike for the day so we could further understand how inteligent and influential the Incas really were. What an amazing civilization.
We are now staying at a beautiful hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Andes. Bex and I have llamas outside of our window :-) We were more than excited about being able to wake up to them for the next 3 days. Tomorrow, we will be driving through the mountains to learn from and help the local people. A day in the life of the Andes people.
Prayers from the Sacred Valley.
We are now staying at a beautiful hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Andes. Bex and I have llamas outside of our window :-) We were more than excited about being able to wake up to them for the next 3 days. Tomorrow, we will be driving through the mountains to learn from and help the local people. A day in the life of the Andes people.
Prayers from the Sacred Valley.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Last Day in Cusco
Thought for the day: God give me the joy in the tasks that press, in the memories that burn and bless; In the thought that life has love to spend, in the faith that God's at journey's end.
As we are aproaching our last 10 days of this life changing experience, I just wanted to acknowlege that God has been with me every step of the way. I see him in the beauty of this place, I see Him in the kindness of the people here, I see Him in His major plan He had for me to come to Peru a year later than I wanted to make this experience that much sweeter.
For our last day in my favorite city...we had our second to last spanish class of this course...It is bittersweet because Bex and I's teacher is absolutely awesome...We then toured a bunch of the ancient Incan ruins and realized how inteligent and unique the ancient Inca civilization was...they built extravagant temples and held ceremonies at the highest places in the city. We were standing on top of Incan ruins, looking down at the beautiful city of Cusco below. The orange roofs of every house, the futbol stadium, and the Andes mountains in the distance where objects that stuck out to me. Once again, another beautiful place in Peru. I haven't found a place here that I wasn't amazed by.
Journeying farther into the sacred valley tomorrow. Love. Love. Love.
As we are aproaching our last 10 days of this life changing experience, I just wanted to acknowlege that God has been with me every step of the way. I see him in the beauty of this place, I see Him in the kindness of the people here, I see Him in His major plan He had for me to come to Peru a year later than I wanted to make this experience that much sweeter.
For our last day in my favorite city...we had our second to last spanish class of this course...It is bittersweet because Bex and I's teacher is absolutely awesome...We then toured a bunch of the ancient Incan ruins and realized how inteligent and unique the ancient Inca civilization was...they built extravagant temples and held ceremonies at the highest places in the city. We were standing on top of Incan ruins, looking down at the beautiful city of Cusco below. The orange roofs of every house, the futbol stadium, and the Andes mountains in the distance where objects that stuck out to me. Once again, another beautiful place in Peru. I haven't found a place here that I wasn't amazed by.
Journeying farther into the sacred valley tomorrow. Love. Love. Love.
Cusco
First of all, happy belated birthday to my beautiful twin sisters...Kelley and Maggie. The sisters who have inspired me along the way...the ones who besides God, I wouldn't be here in Cusco today. They developed my love for Spanish and that is why I'm here mostly...because of them.
So yesterday and today are kind of similiar days. We start off with Spanish class at our Maximo Nivel School 5 minutes walking distance from our hotel. We have the same teacher that we did in Arequipa and I absolutely love her. We found out yesterday that we was only 28 years old but having the time of her life teaching Spanish to kids like us...She lives here in Cuzco. It is such a beautiful city. Located in the Andes...but still has the hype of a ancient Incan town. It reminds me a lot of Salamanca where Kelley and Maggie studied abroad because it is quaint and clean with awesome people. Cuzco is Raul's town as well. We got to meet his 1 year old son yesterday and his wife...His son looks exactly like him and loves his Daddy just like we do. If you haven't noticed already, Raul is the man.
I have to go to class, so sorry this was so short...Today is our last day in Cuzco...We will touring ancient Incan ruins today. They were great architects that's for sure. Oh by the way, Cuzco is in the Sacred Valley...so I'm finally here..the Sacred Valley. What a beautiful place.
Love from Cuzco.
So yesterday and today are kind of similiar days. We start off with Spanish class at our Maximo Nivel School 5 minutes walking distance from our hotel. We have the same teacher that we did in Arequipa and I absolutely love her. We found out yesterday that we was only 28 years old but having the time of her life teaching Spanish to kids like us...She lives here in Cuzco. It is such a beautiful city. Located in the Andes...but still has the hype of a ancient Incan town. It reminds me a lot of Salamanca where Kelley and Maggie studied abroad because it is quaint and clean with awesome people. Cuzco is Raul's town as well. We got to meet his 1 year old son yesterday and his wife...His son looks exactly like him and loves his Daddy just like we do. If you haven't noticed already, Raul is the man.
I have to go to class, so sorry this was so short...Today is our last day in Cuzco...We will touring ancient Incan ruins today. They were great architects that's for sure. Oh by the way, Cuzco is in the Sacred Valley...so I'm finally here..the Sacred Valley. What a beautiful place.
Love from Cuzco.
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