Travlin´ with ladies

The last five days since Machu Picchu, I have spent with Vanessa, from Basque country in Spain, and Sara, from Austria. All of us have been traveling alone for quite some time and fate brought us together. We ended up all going to visit two islands on lake Titikaka, the worlds largest high altitude lake, at 4,000 meters above see level. The first, Amantani on the Peruvian side, we traveled over 4 hours on the lake and stayed at the home of a family there. We experienced a most beautiful sunset, walked the ancient paths of the island and laughed a lot. This laughter is a theme the continues over the span over our travels together. The next day we traveled to Copacabana, barely made it, with ten minutes to spare across the Bolivian border, and took some needed hot showers and slept in warm beds. We went to the Isla del Sol the next day, expereinced some pre-incan ruins and took a long 10 km hike at over 4,000 meters high across the Island. There were spectacular views, friendly people, and a delicious fish lunch. From there, we traveled to La Paz and they convinced me to stay another day as our plans have merged so well into one, if only for a brief time. We spent our day and night laughing and singing and dancing and shopping and walking. I could not have asked for better traveling companions. Tonight I go to Cochabamba.

Machu Picchu

I decided to bite the bullet, the bullet being an expensive few days, and travel to Machu Picchu, Inkan ruins from the 15th and 16th centuries. I arrived with the other over-zealous tourists at 6 am while still foggy, and climbed to a magnificent view, that I could not see at the time. As the fog lifted the view took my breath away. Within the sanctuary there are many temples and monuments, temple of the sun, an image of a condor, a sun dial, and more. There are the remains of homes, workshops, a central plaza, and guardians stantion, terrazes for agriculture and to prevent soil erosion, a well planned city. There is also a one hour climb up Wayna Picchu for a strenous, well worthwhile climb, more ruins, and a magnificent view. I spent the whole day from 6am until 4pm at the site, climbing, resting, taking pictures, more climbing, listening to toher peoples guides, and dreaming about the people who once lived there. Tonight I head to Puno and Lake Titicaca.

Keep on Truckin (Busin in my case)

Hey, Just a brief update on my travels. I left Finca Llurimahua last week, which had an anticlimatic ending where I felt closure and the desire to return one day to this area where the communities there are really working hard to develop alternative, sustainable, viable, and local development for their futures. I traveled down to Cuenca, Ecuador, a beautiful city, and stayed with Kurt Dorfzaun, 82 and kind. He made me welcome in his house and gave me a moment to rest. From their I crossed the Ecuador, Peru border at Huaquillas, which amazingly went smoothly by taking CIFA international bus company. I have spent the last 3 days with my friend Kate in her volunteer site, a small town called Casa Blanqueada outside of Tumbes, Peru. The people there are incredibly friendly and open and kind and trying to improve their own community slowly but surely hopefully. Tomorrow is Purim and I will celebrate by going to the beach and celebrating there. I wish everyone out there in the world reading this a wonderful week and please write me so I can hear from you.