Peru: Spanish Intensive and Cultural Immersion

Arriving yesterday, I did not realize the impact the heavy rains over the weekend had on the entire country.  Thousands of people have seen their homes washed away, Cuzco was without piped-in water for a few days, and thousands were stranded in the area around Machu Picchu with an ever dwindling supply of food and water.All day, and yesterday, helicopters have been flying overhead in Cuzco, rescuing stranded tourists from the area around Machu Picchu.  Apparently, the cash machines ran out of money as they could not be refilled from other cities, and people were running out of money to buy food and water.  I believe most of the tourists have been airlifted out, though I suspect a few remainl.  However, stranded tourists are the least of the problems created by the flooding.Thousands of people have lost their homes, and there was a large donation drive set up in the Plaza de Armas all day today.  From what I´ve gathered, these people have lost everything, and the things most desired are tents and sleeping bags to shelter the now homeless families.  ¨We are the world¨by Michael Jackson and company echoed through the square all day, and when I arrived to donate a large case of bottled water, I received applause from all those volunteering.  It was encouraging to see many tourists bring armfuls of donations to help the masses affected by the flooding.This is the situation.  Moving on…My intention is to move on from Cuzco in the next few days, however every time I peruse flights to Lima I get terrified and shift my attention to something else.  I have been in and out of Cuzco for nearly a month, and I am charmed extremely by this city.  Walking past ancient churches and through cobblestone streets on a daily basis is an experience I have not had before, and it is invigorating and inspiring.  I am curious to explore the north of Peru, for it has pre-Inca ruins that are nearly as inspring as Machu Picchu.  The Incas ruled Peru for about 100 years, the pre-Incan Wari Indians ruled the area for over 1000 years.  Their ruins are intriguing.My last day of classes are tomorrow, where my teachers have warned me in advance of a crying spell that will most likely come over them.  I do not know when I shall leave Cuzco, as it is terribly difficult, but the time will most likely come sometime next week.Stay tuned.

Tags: 1, cuzco travel blog, flooding peru, john fineforkc, peru, peru travel blog, prescott college

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 at 2:26 pm and is filed under 1. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.