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Fin del Mundo

Thursday, March 22nd, 2007

End of the World… Tierra del Fuego, Argentina and Chile.  I am in Urushaia, Argentina one of the most southerly places on earth.  It is the end of the world because this is the furthest migration from Africa.  It feels like it, too.  Urushuaia reminds me of Juneau, Alaska.  My first day here was spent on an outing to see penguins near Estancia Haberton.  We took a bus and then a boat to an island in Beagle Channel (named after the boat Darwin sailed on).  There were two kinds of penguins to entertain us – Magellanic and Gentoo.  The surrounding mountains with galciers and snow, waterways and forests are beautiful.  The leaves are starting to change.  Fitting considering it is the first day of autumn.  Sunset was after 8:00 PM – first time I have seen that since last June in Vermont.  The weather exists here.  One minute it is raining the next it is sunny.  The temperatures are cool… maybe cold for someone who has been in warm weather for months.  My alpaca sweater from Peru is holding up well to it.  Hiking and kayaking in Tierra del Fuego National Park tomorrow.  More paddling the next day at a lake.  Lots of activities here and it feels really good to be out of the city and back to nature.  The end of the planet is really nice…

Sacred Valley

Tuesday, March 20th, 2007

I would say that the Sacred Valley around Cusco, Peru is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.  Jillian and I enjoyed a day seeing half of the valley and I definitely wanted to see the other half when Mark and I got to Cusco after leaving Arequipa.  We hired a driver which costs about $50-60 for the day.  I could not handle the idea of doing a bus group tour and given that the private car option is only about $15 more per person based on two of us, it suited us well.  Cusco had become half gringo land between my first visit with Jillian during February when the Inca Trail is closed and March when it had reopened.  It’s still a great place, but the solitude we enjoyed in February was fading quickly.  I can’t imagine being there in June-August.  It looks like I will be there again in late April or early May and I bet it will be even crazier.  The same goes for the day trips to Sacred Valley.

[read on]

Arequipa and Colca Canyon

Monday, March 19th, 2007
I went to Arequipa after I recuperated from an odd and fast-moving illness that started on the bus ride from Trujillo to Lima.  I met my friend Mark in Arequipa and we ended up hanging out together in Arequipa, Colca ... [Continue reading this entry]

PHOTOS!!!

Monday, March 19th, 2007
Technical difficulties have been overcome after a lot of bloodletting.  This may get fun enough that I will do more soon.  In the meantime, the 148 photos of the women, men and children of Cusco should keep you busy.  One ... [Continue reading this entry]

EST

Friday, March 16th, 2007
Biggest, Highest, Furthest, Grandest... It is amazing to me the claims made everywhere about their local geography.  Nasca has Cerro Blanco which they claim to be the world's tallest sand dune at about 1400 meters.  Namibia claims the same, too, ... [Continue reading this entry]

I Hate Reverse Culture Shock!

Friday, March 16th, 2007
You're suppose to get culture shock when you visit cultures unlike your own.  Well, my experience over the past nine months has been just the opposite.  I get fairly crushed when I go to the areas where the culture is ... [Continue reading this entry]

Nasca Lines

Friday, March 16th, 2007
Yesterday I checked off an activity that has been on my list of to-dos for over thirty years!  I took a flight over the Nasca Lines.  By the way, I'm going with "Nasca" over "Nazca" after learning that this is ... [Continue reading this entry]

Trujillo to Lima

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007
Two weeks ago I took a bus from Trujillo to Lima.  I had been told that the Peruvian coast was horribly boring and I was better off taking a plane.  I was also suspect about these recommendations because some people ... [Continue reading this entry]

Serpost – Correo del Peru

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007
I had a bit of a crazy travel day yesterday.  I left Cusco to get to Nazca (there is a sign at the entrance of town that says ¨Nasca¨followed by another ten meters away that says ¨Nazca¨... I don´t get ... [Continue reading this entry]

Northern Peru Pre-Inca Societies

Saturday, March 10th, 2007
I went to Trujillo on the nothern coast of Peru to see the famous ruins of the Moche and Chimu civilizations.  Trujillo is in a desert and it is the second largest city in Peru with two million residents.  It ... [Continue reading this entry]