Sean & Delcia´s South American Adventure

Hey Everyone,

Well, just two days remain before we fly back to the States. Although we are ready to settle down, our return still feels far off since we have gotten so used to being down here and travelling. Regardless, I think it will be quite an adjustment returning home, requiring lots of trips to the bakery and eating of tropical fruits to help us slowly make the transition.

(Picking up some bread at one of the thousands of bakeries in Quito. We love being able to get fresh bread almost anytime of the day. Additionally pleasing is that Quito seems to have some of the best bread we have had throughout our trip. We´ll definitely carry a few pieces back with us to enjoy this treasure a little longer.)

Well, helping our transition back has been that we have spent the last week relaxing in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. We have been staying with friends I made while doing a study abroad here in 1998. I have kept in touch with them and it is great to be able to reconnect. It has also been very restful for us since we have been seeing less sites and focusing more on just cooking and hanging out with these friends.

(Me and Hernan, one of my host uncles from when he lived in Quito. We became very close friends starting from when we first met. During my 6 months in Quito as a student, we went running in this park up to five times a week, something which now makes me tired just thinking about . He is a great guy and has been taking us around the city as well as housing us for a few days. As a side note, it is fascinating to me that the valley below us in the photo has temperatures up to 20 degrees Farenheit hotter on a sunny day than we we are standing, even though it is just 20 minutes away by car. This is one of the coolest things being in the Andean countries, where the combination of altitude and being near the Equator make for drastic changes in climate in very short distances.)

(Making my debut as goalie at the birthday party of my friend Pedro´s son, who is shown in the photo. Suffice to say, I was quickly replaced by another little person less than half my height after allowing three goals within minutes of the game´s start. I guess my talent is hidden more deeply than I thought .)

(View of the south of Quito. The city stretches out in the valley below the mountains you see on the right. Like many cities around the world, it has grown a great deal in recent years. While I have fond memories of it when I studied here, I now find it a little too crowded and polluted for my liking. Unfortunately, levels of crime here have risen highly over the years, also making Quito pretty unsafe in many respects.)

(A strap on the chair at a restaurant which you attach you purse or bag to in order to prevent it from being stolen. It is really sad that such measures have to be in place. It is also annoying to constantly have to be on guard to prevent from being pickpocketed or robbed, something which you unfortunately deal with in pretty much any large city in South America, although Quito seems especially bad.)

(View of the statue known on the Virgin del Quito, located on the Little Bread hill (El Panecillo) in the historic area of Quito. This neighborhood is among the largest preserved colonial areas in all of South America. Recently restored and heavily patrolled by police, it is very delightful to walk through.)

(More colonial architecture in Quito´s historic center.)

Well, there is much more to share but I´ll devote the rest of this entry to other photos from our terrific trip to the Galapagos. I´ve divided the photos into categories for each specie we saw. I hope you are able to get a piece of the amazement we experienced through viewing them.

Beautiful Birds

More than any other animal we saw on our trip were birds. Although there are not a large number of species on the archipelago due to its distance from the continent, those that exist there are very interesting, especially for their relative fearlessness of humans.

Boobies

While there name leaves many things to the imagination, these captivating birds were among the most commonly seen along are trip. Three species exist in the Galapagos: Blue Footed Boobie, Nasca Boobie, and the Red Footed Boobie. Interestingly, all three species have different mating and gestation periods as well as different feeding patterns. These and other things about the islands really made us ponder on evolution and how the world came to be.

Blue Footed Boobies

The most common type of Boobie we saw, these were also the prettiest after the Red-Footed Boobie.

(Two Blue Footed Boobies courting one another. Fortunately, we were on the islands while their mating was occuring. It was very interesting to see how the male Boobies, which are slightly smaller than the female ones, would sing to the females by making a loud whistling sounds. They would then spread their wings like the Boobie is doing below. As a sign of their fearlessness of humans, the Boobies would barely notice you if you got close to them, a trait which unfortunately can mean tourists getting too close to them.)

(Male Blue-Footed Boobie trying to attract a female.)

(A male Blue-Footed Boobie keeping his mate´s eggs warm. Unlike some other bird species I am familiar with, the Boobies have the male protect the eggs. The Blue-Footed Boobies also don´t make a nest. Rather, they dig a small hole in the ground and circle it with their dropping in order to protect it from insects. While you might think that all boobies make similar nests, the Red-Footed ones built theirs in trees, probably because they have different predators on the sole island they inhabit.)

Nasca Boobies

Only on one island did we see this type of Boobie.

(This type of Boobie flies the farthest out from the shore to search for fish. Interestingly, it does not have colored feet like the other two species.)

Red-Footed Boobie

While we did not see this type of boobie since they live on a island far away from where we traveled, I´ve included a photo of them since they are so beautiful.

Magnificant Frigatebirds

After the Blue-Footed Boobies, this was the other most commonly seen bird on our trip, although they only inhabit the Northern islands of the archipelago.

(Two male Magnificant Frigatebirds, with the one on the left having his sack inflated. The males do this to attract females during the mating season.)

(A group of frigatebirds in flight. You can see the male with the outline of his red sack.)

(A female Magnificant Frigatebird.)

Florescent Flamingos

Unbeknownst to me before we went to the Galapagos is that flamingos also reside in certain areas of the islands. These are Carribean Flamigos, the same species while exist in Florida. Their bright pink color, which they get from eating pink shrimp, sure contrasts with the dry, barren environment in which they live.

(Three Flamingos in a saltwater lagoon. Sadly, the Galapagos Flamingos number only about 500 due to the fact that like other Flamingo species the females lay only one egg. They also may not reproduce every year. An additional factor is that these Flamingos are also extremely hard hit by the El Niño phenonom. This event, which occurs roughly even seven years, brings heavy rains to the island, thereby devastating the local shrimp population.)

(A Flamingo with a sea iguana, in center, swimming near it. I´ve shown more photos of this and other types of iguanas below.)

Other Birds

(Also numerous are Pelicans. Here is a Pelican in the water. Another bird, which can´t get wet due to its type of feather, sits on the Pelican´s head after it has swallowed many fish hoping to catch one that spills out from the Pelican´s wide beak.)

(The Albatross, the largest bird on the islands.)

(The pretty Galapagos Dove.)

(A Great Blue Heron sunning itself.)

Well, there are many other bird photos in our photo gallery if you´d like to see more.

Reptiles

One thing that immediate takes you aback in being in the Galapagos is the large number of reptiles, especially Sea Iguanas, that you´ll come across. Since they most often ignore you, it definitely makes you feel like you are treading on their turf.

Sea Iguanas

This specie of iguana feeds on algae and kelp. It inhabits the shoreline of the islands.

(Sea Iguanas on the island of Española. Since a red type of kelp is available on this island, these iguanas have reddish parts to their skin. As cold-blooded species, they also group together to stay warm.)

(A close-up of these Española Sea Iguanas.)

(A sea iguana making its way across a beach.)

Land Iguanas

(A Land Iguana sunning itself at a breeding center. Unfortunately, this species of iguana is threatened on many islands due to the presence of wild dogs, cats, rats, goats, and pigs. The park service has tried to eliminate these introduced animals. In doing so, however, it has found that this too can have unforeseen consequences. For instance, when it killed off the wild dog population on a particular island, it found that the wild cat population there grew. Thus, it is extremely challenging, if not impossible, to completely rid the islands of the foreign animals.)

(One of the few Land Iguanas we saw. In the background is a Frigatebird. Seemingly, many of the species on the islands got along in the presence of one another.)

Lava Lizards

(Close-up of one the many Lava Lizards we saw.)

Well, before signing off, we wanted to share a few photos of some of the magnificant sea life we saw while snorkeling. These were truly some of the most incredible experiences I have ever had, such as being surrounded by a kelidoscope of tropical fish along with sea turtles, sea lions, and sharks making their appearances. Since we don´t have an underwater camera, we took the photos below off the web.

Galapagos Underwater

(A White-tipped Reef Shark, one of the common sharks we saw while snorkeling. Although they are harmless unless bothered, it was nevertheless a little nerve-racking when one passed not too far from Delcia and slowly peered at us.)

(One of the many sea turtles we swam with while snorkeling. It was thrilling to be so close to these gentle creatures. We really had to pinch ourselves to absorb all the amazing things we saw around us.)

(This type of Parrotfish, called so because their mouths are shaped like beaks, was among the most beautiful fish we saw. I could have stared at these for a long time, just taking it their brilliant colors.)

Well, thanks for following along with our incredible travels through South America. I´ll probably send out one more blog entry when we get back to share some final thoughts and photos from places I never wrote about. Well, please tell the sun to crank it up so we can get a warm welcome upon our return .

Lots of love from Quito,

Sean and Delcia

(A view of what may be the world´s most unique post office, located on a small island in the Galapagos. Here, pirates placed a barrel some 200 to 300 years ago in order leave and pick up mail from Europe. Nowadays, tourists leave postcards for other tourists who live in their same country to pick up and hand deliver or mail for them upon their return. We grabbed a few to surprise the fellow Washingtonians to whom they are directed. Amazingly, we also found two license plate holders for Pacific Lutheran University, where Delcia studied, decorating this site. It sure make you feel like the world is small.)

Hey Everyone!

Well, I feel almost as if Delcia and I have gone to the moon and back after having spent most of the last two weeks in the Galapagos. It is truly a world within itself. There is so much to tell about our experience there that I´ll have to split it between this and our subsequent blog entry. In this one, I´ll share about the landscape and some of the animals we saw. In a subsequent entry, I´ll fill you in on the many amazing birds and sea life we witnessed. Really, it was a trip of a lifetime and we feel very fortunate to have been able to visit such an incredible place.

Right now, I write from South-central Ecuador in the lovely colonial town of Cuenca. Delcia and I arrived here two days ago after returning from the Galapagos through the port city of Guayaquil.

(As you can see, the Galapagos islands lie far from the Ecuadorian mainland, at some 600 miles away. This makes travelling to this archipelago very expensive, both for its 23,000 residents and others, since you can really only get there by flying.)

Well, upon arriving in Cuenca, a city we both have fond memories of from when we visited it in the past, we were happy to learn that there was a celebration going on in the center of town as part of Corpus Christi. While this festivity is Catholic in origin, here what was most evident was the selling of sweets - all kinds of them - everywhere you could look in the city´s central plaza.

(A sweet seller with her goods. As you could guess, the kids in the area were on their best behavior for their parents.)

(Woman walking to the center to sell ice cream.)

Aside from resisting the temptation to join the kids and adults in the candy craze, we spent yesterday wandering this lovely city, which has preserved much of its colonial architecture.

(One of the several churches that dot Cuenca.)

(The pretty river that runs along Cuenca.)

Galapagos Amazement

Well, in having grown up with visions of the Galapagos as a magical land bounding with life and intrigue, as well as having been urged to visit these islands by all the travellers we had met who had gone there, Delcia and I took the risk of flying to this archipelago without having a tour booked in advance. You can of course visit the four inhabited islands on your own, although we had heard that it is much better to do so on a cruise, which also allows you to visit many other areas you can only go to with a cruise guide.

The only catch in going to the Galapagos is the cost. Delcia and I were extremely fortunate to have been able to book a cruise directly with a cruiseship in just an hour after having arrived. This saved us half the cost of booking the tour from the Ecuadorian mainland. Nonetheless, my dreams for a diamond-studded Rolex will have to wait, since this is close to what it costs to take even the cheapest cruises in the Galapagos .

(View of one of the prettiest beaches we visited during our trip. It is located on the island of Floreana in the southern part of the archipelago, which has a population of just 100 persons. With such lovely beaches, the Galapagos could easily be a resort destination, although this of course would compromise much of its remaining biodiversity which is already under serious threat. I´ll elaborate much more on this point later.)

Well, our flight from the mainland took us to the most inhabited island of the Galapagos, Santa Cruz, where the largest city in the Galapagos of Puerto Ayora also exists. Although I had read about the relatively high human population on the Galapagos, it was somewhat an adjustment at first to see newly paved roads and large development in an area imagined to be "untouched" in many ways. This said, most of the islands are largely unihabited, yet have severely been impacted by humans, such as through introduced animals like cats, dogs, goats, and insects. These latter species now live widly on many of the islands and wreck havoc on the already fragile balance of life. Combined with the toll the islands take from a large tourism industry and much illegal fishing by locals and foreign boats within the marine park´s waters, it is extremely sad to see how the biodiversity which makes this place unique is slowly disappearing.

(One of the many landscapes of the Galapagos. As relatively young volcanic islands, which were created millions of years ago by underwater volcanos, and being far from the continent, the Galapagos are relatively barren in terms of plant life. That which is there are plants which were able to survive the salt water trip to the islands or be blown by the winds. Then, they had to be able to take root in the hard volcanic rock which makes up the island floor.)

(A cactus tree that is common on many islands. Interestingly, this same type of cactus is found elsewhere in the world. Only in the Galapagos though does it grow as a tree.)

(The volcanic landscape on another island.)

(Delcia sitting in a tunnel made by lava.)

(The beautifully clear and turqoise waters which we saw throughout our trip. In the background you can see the barren landscape on a small island.)

(The happy couple with two (inactive ) craters in the background.)

Well, Delcia and I were fortunate to be able to visit many areas of the Galapagos given that we took a cruise for six days that brought us to different parts of the archipelago. In addition, we spent four days on the main island of Santa Cruz. In having been able to visit many areas of the archipelago, we were thus able to observe how the plant, animal, and sea life different from one island to the next. For instance, in the north-western part of the archipelago the waters are cooler than those in the south-eastern section. As a result, the north-western islands allow for a breed of penguin to inhabit this area, a species more rarely seen in the south-eastern islands.

(Two cute Galapagos penguins sunning themselves. These are the only species of penguin to be found outside of artic areas. One of the most amazing experiences we had on our trip was having two of these penguins swim underneath us as we were snorkeling.)

(A juvenile Galapagos penguin, on the left, and an adult one. Like many of the animals in the Galapagos, these were practically unafraid of us, allowing us to get very close to them. Being able to nearly touch animals in the Galapagos was incredible, although we felt that many tourists aren´t as closely monitored by their guides as they should be in terms of getting too near and even touching animals sometimes .)

(Our little (for Galapagos standards) cruiseship called the Rumba. Holding ten passengers and a crew of five that included a guide, this boat was very comfortable, although it was rough riding on the seas at times since the ocean can be pretty rough in places.)

(Our crewmates for the last three days of our cruise. We all bonded as a group which made the trip even more special.)

While on our cruise, we were happily busy nearly all the time. We usually started our days with a visit to one of the islands. Later in the day we would go snorkeling one or two times along of the shores of an island or in a lagoon. During the afternoon, we would usually have another land visit to an island. While we had downtime, we would read more about the islands or just look at the views from our boat.

(A Galapagos shark, the biggest shark species in the area, swimming next to our boat. Fortunately, none of the shark species in the archipelago are dangerous, although it´s easy to forget when they swim within feet of you, something Delcia and I experienced on two occasions while snorkeling.)

(A parrotfish, in center, and other smaller fish swimming next to our boat. We would see these kind of fish nearly everywhere we anchored since they feed on the algae growing on the hull of the boat.)

Galapagos Wildlife

Aside from its moon-like as well as tropical landscape, the real highlight of the Galapagos is its animal and sea life. At the convergence of two main ocean currents, the cooler Humbolt current coming from Antartica and the warmer Panamanian current coming south from Panama, the Galapagos marine is one of the most complex and unique in the world given its mix of artic and tropical sea and aquatic life.

On land, its isolation from the continent has made it so very few animals have been able to make the journey there. As you know, some of those that have been able to take root are reknown for their ability to adapt to different landscape and divide into many subspecies. For the rest of this entry I´ll share of our photos of just two species - sea lions and giant tortoises. In the next entry, we´ll delight your eyes with pictures of the many beautiful birds, fish, and reptiles other species we saw.

Sea Lions

At the top of our list for amazing animal experiences during our trip was interacting with the lovable sea lions. Before coming to the islands, I confused sea lions with walruses. I also didn´t realize how friendly and personable these creatures are. Being completely unafraid of humans, they seem also like raccoons in the Galapagos landscape, being able to easily adapt to humans and nature alike.

(A sea lion hanging out on a fisherman´s boat. Goodness, these creatures are so endearing, you wanted to hug them whenever you saw them.)

(Another sea lion at the outdoor fish market. Since they fish at night, sea lions mostly sleep during the day. This poor thing fell asleep while trying see the fish get cut .)

(Like humans, sea lions know a good spot to rest when they see them.)

Of course, the best place to see animals is in their natural environments. It was easy to spot sea lions since they called many of the beaches we visited home. By far the greatest thrill of our trip was having them swim with us while we snorkeled. They are very curious and come nearly face to face with you before twirling around you with the grace of a fish. On one of our snorkeling trips Delcia and I were far away from our group. We stopped to look at each other and right in front of us saw four sea lions, one large one and three smaller ones who wanted to play. We were in bliss as they swam around us for the next few minutes, appearing and disappearing through the depths of the waters.

(A sleepy sea lion pup up close. This one was hidden in some bushes and then came out to observe us. Sea lion pubs actually can wait on the sea shores for a few weeks while their mothers are out fishing. They then drink enough milk to last them until their mothers can return to visit them again. They actually nurse until they have at least six months and can be as large as their mothers.)

(Two sea lion pubs striking a pose. Actually, from what we learned, they are draining salt water out of their noses. At the place we saw these two, there must of have at least 15 pubs in all and another 10 adult sea lions scattered around.)

(Several sea lions snuggling on a beach. It was amazing how many of them there were at this site and how close you could get to them.)

(Two sea lions snuggling on the above beach.)

(Who said you could only rest on land .)

Terrific Tortoises

Another favorite animal of ours were the giant tortoises. Being so huge and different looking from most other animals we have seen, we really couldn´t get enough of observing these gentle giants.

(An adult tortoise who walked from a good distance away to come check us out. With shells that are seemingly too heavy for their bodies, adult giant tortoises can only move very slowly, each step seeming the equivalent of a Olympic weightlighting heaving a barbel above their shoulders. Seeing them really made you think about how we are adapted to our environments, since these creatures could not survive in an environment with any large predators. Sadly, this is now the case as wild dogs, cats, pigs, and goats roam many of the Galapagos islands. These introduced animals, while the national park is trying to eradicate, have made it so that giant tortoises can only reproduce in the wild in a few locations. For the others, the only way to keep their threatened population numbers growing is by breeding them.)

(Several female tortoises at a breeding center.)

(The massive male tortoises, also at a breeding center. Sadly, we only saw a few tortoises in the wild and these were along the side of the road. Not a good place for an animal that moves like a slow robot.)

(Solitary George, who is the last of his species of tortoise. Like the famous finches Darwin observed in his visit to the Galapagos, the tortoises from each island are different from one another. Some islands even have many different species on them. You can see how George´s shell is more raised than some of the other tortoises we have shown. The reason for this is that the cactuses from where he originates are tall, making it so the tortoises there must extend their necks to reach this food source. Since the Spanish saw tortoises as such when they arrived in this archipelago, the Spanish named the Galapagos after the spanish world Galapar which means something like riding a saddle.)

(Female tortoise using its feet to hold a green it is eating. As you can see, its feet are large like an elephants as well as very padded to deal with the rough volcanic terrain.)

(Cute baby tortoise we saw at a breeding center.)

Well, in having taking over 1,000 photos during our amazing adventure on these islands, there is much more to share with you. I´ll send out a companion blog entry in a few days. For now, Delcia and I are getting ready to head northward to Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, in just a few hours. We will spend the last week of our travels there with friends of mine I made while doing a year-long study abroad in Ecuador way back in 1998.

Wishing you many amazing adventures,

Sean and Delcia

(Taking in the sunset on North Seymore island, in the central part of the archipelago.)

Hey Friends and Family!

Well, relaxed and warm, I write from a small beach town on the Ecuadorian coast. Although it has been easy fun ever since we arrived in this area, getting here was anything but. Basically, Delcia and I ended up having to spend over 40 hours on consecutive buses after we got stuck on a highway in Peru at 4 am due to a mudslide having washed away the road ahead of us. We later learned that a 6.4 earthquake had struck the area just minutes before, which caused this landslide. Unharmed but very tired, we returned the 8 hours to our departure city, and having grown fond of action movies, we decided to endure a few more by catching the next bus over to Ecuador .

(A view of the moto-taxis that scurried through the streets in one of the small Peruvian towns we passed after returning from the mountains to the coast due to the landslide. Although we didn´t see any of these contraptions in Brazil, Argentina, or Bolivia, they seem to be pretty common throughout Peru as well as the few coastal parts of Ecuador we have visited.)

Crossing over into Ecuador was symbolic for us in many ways. First, it is the last country we will visit on our trip, (that is unless I join the AC/DC tour moving through the continent. If you´ve seen my beard lately, you´d know I´m a sure fit .) Also, we have both done study abroads here and feel much nostalgia for the country. Another major transition coming here was seeing the drastic change in environment, since much of the coast of Ecuador is stunningly green, filled with remnants of tropical forest and sprawling banana plantations in the southern part where we currently are. This stands in sharp contrast to the dry, desert-like landscape of most of Peru´s coastline, except the northernmost part bordering on Ecuador. Speaking of green, Ecuador adopted the US dollar in 2001, which takes you aback when first making purchases, but makes for easy comparisons to US prices.

Our first destination in Ecuador was it´s largest city of Guayaquil. Although not a major tourist destination, we chose to stop there for a day since it is the second-best place in the country to book last-minute tours to the Galapagos, after the highland capital of Quito. Without no deals to be found, and not particularly enjoying the very sketchy and dangerous downtown area where our hostal was located (which we learned at nighttime doubles as the red-light district), we quickly left for the more relaxed, and safer, environment of the small beach town of Puerto Lopez, where we have spent the last few days relaxing away on some beautiful beaches. (As a side-note, we did end up booking airline tickets to the Galapagos which leave tomorrow. Our hope is to be able to book a last-minute tour once we arrive and save half the cost.)

(A view of downtown Guayaquil from a lighthouse in a redeveloped area of the city.)

(A historic, and newly improved, area of Guayaquil. From what we know, these and many other redeveloped areas of Guayaquil were until recently extremely run-down and dangerous. Over the last few decades, the local government has invested money in their upkeep while at the same time allowing local residents to keep their homes and businesses. In walking through one of them, it was neat to see how vibrant they were, especially as they seem to maintain their community feel.)

(The multi-colored buildings in Las Peñas, Guayaquil´s most famous of its historic, redeveloped areas.)

(The beach where Delcia and I have whiled away the hours the last few days since arriving in Puerto Lopez.)

(A view of the dry tropical forest and coastline along the walk to the above beach. Actually, this beach is located within Ecuador´s only coastline park called Parque Nacional Machalilla. This area protects the remaining five percent of Ecuador´s tropical dry forest, which is said to have once existed along much of the tropical coastlines from Ecuador up to Central America. Interestingly, just a few minutes from this arid landscape exists lush tropical forests in the nearby mountains. Although a relatively small country, Ecuador is the most biodiverse in the world for its size, since it packs in coastline, mountains, the Amazon basin and more.)

(Some men in Puerto Lopez playing Ecuavolley, the Ecuadorian version of volleyball where each side has three people. It is super popular here, maybe as much as the national sport of soccer.)
Marveling Over Peru´s Moche Culture

Well, before our bus marathon to the Peruvian highlands and back to the coast, we spend a few days appreciating the marvelous art and ruins left by the Moche people, an extremely accomplished civilization that controlled a large area of the North Peruvian coast from roughly 200 to 800 AD. We had seen many Moche art pieces in different museums thoughout the country and were thrilled to be able to see where this interesting culture took root.

(An owl-person deity of the Moche. They actually made these human/animal combinations for a wide range of creatures such as crabs, fish, spiders, and deer. As you can tell, they were extremely skilled potterers.)

(A Moche sculpture representing a particular man. By documenting their culture through pottery and paintings on pottery, a good deal about this civilization is known even though they had no writing system.)

(A group of several thousand Moche heads and other pieces in the storage area of a Lima museum. As you can see, each piece seems to portray a different person in a rather lifelike way.)

Interestingly, the Moche seemed to not leaving any aspect of daily life out of their pottery, such as by making art portraying different sex acts, as well as men with enormous penises. They are thought to be the only ancient culture to make such art.

(Definitely grabs your attention, no? If you´d like to see photos of other such Moche pieces, just look at our photo gallery.)

Well, if there beautiful pottery was not enough, the Moche were also extremely skilled metalsmiths. Due to the recent unearthing of the tombs of some of their major leaders, a small sample of their treasures have come to light.

(An ear plug worn by a Moche ruler that was buried along with him. Since I had to take this photo off the internet since we couldn´t take pictures inside, you can´t see that the necklace this figure is wearing is made up of small owl heads! Really, the detail on these and the other pieces we saw was facinating. As a testament to this ruler´s power, he was buried with literally tens of other pieces of jewelry. Accompanying him for this journey, but most likely resistant to doing so since they were sacrificed, were his wife, three concubines, a priest, a guardian (to watch over his tomb), a lookout person buried above his tomb, as well as his dog and a llama.)

There were so many more amazing pieces at the museum which showcases them in Chiclayo. Although I couldn´t find anymore photos to show you, Delcia and I were able to visit some other Moche marvels, such as one of the pyramids they built near the city of Huanchaco.

(Although badly damaged, you can get a sense of what this large pyramid would have looked like with the stone mountain, which the Moche worshipped, behind it. This pyramid is actually made up of six different layers, since each Moche ruler built a new layer on top of his predessesor´s pyramid.)

(Beautiful adobe stucco and painting located on what was an inside wall of the pyramid.)

(Bricks that were used to build the pyramid. They bear the symbol of their producers, since this was the way that families or communities could prove they were keeping up with their quota to the rulers. I figure that the group that used the smiley face may have liked making all those bricks .)

(A hairless breed of dogs which were bred several thousand years ago in Peru and who were resting near the pyramids.)

(Alejandro and Karin, two friends we made on our Huaraz camping trip, who we travelled with to the Peruvian coast and with whom we visited a few sites together. Since Alejandro is Peruvian it was great to be able to have him answer many questions for us such as why there are so many police checkpoints in the country and to get his help in decifering restaurant menus .)

Well, now that we are rested after our retreat on the beach, which we know we could easily continue doing throughout the remainder of our trip, we move back to Guayaquil in order to catch our flight to the Galapagos tomorrow. It seems like such a dream that we can hardly believe it will all take place. Well, once we drink a few coconuts to help us wake up following our flight there, we´ll let you know if we made it or not.

Sending many greetings from Ecuador,

Sean and Delcia

Hey Friends and Family!

Well, my mind is spinning from all the diverse things Delcia and I have seen and done over the last two weeks. Since last writing, we have been moving fast from the high mountains of the Andes down to the coastal deserts, then back to the Andes and now back at the sea once again. Whew. Throw in there a visit to Peru´s capital of Lima, a hiking trip through the second highest mountain range in the world and visits to some of humanity´s most accomplished ancient civilizations and you can see how all this can take you aback. In a nutshell though this is part of travelling in magnificant Peru, which aside from being one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet, is also a cradel of civilization for numerous ancient cultures.

(Here is the route we have taken since leaving the former Inca capital of Cuzco a little less than two weeks ago. Being roughly three times the same size as California, you can see how we have covered large distances as of lately.)

Right now, I write from the coastal city of Chiclayo, where Delcia and I arrived last night. We plan to spend today here visiting some world famous museums which showcase the gold and other finds from the tombs of some of Peru´s previous coastal civilizations. Just to give you a sense of how many archeological sites, artifacts, and artwork are present in Peru, it feels like wherever you dig here you have a chance of hitting something. In fact, just on the Peruvian coast, some archeologists estimate there are 2,000 archeological sites. From these, literally hundreds of thousands of artifacts have been unearthed, providing intriguing clues into the lives of these various cultures.

(A view of the city known as Chan Chan, located close Trujillo, a large coastal city Delcia and I just visited. Although now severely eroded by the wind and rain, Chan Chan is the largest adobe brick city in the world. Originally, it covered over 15 square miles and had a population of roughly 60,000. Sadly, this city has now been reduced to about 8 square miles in size, with some areas having been occupied by locals and constructed upon .)

(A view of the main plaza in the only excavated and preserved temple within Chan Chan. The Chimu people who built this site were governed by a series of emperors, who each built a seperate temple for themselves. Owing to their grandeur, this one very temple covers an area of roughly 15 city blocks! Not an ancient people, the Chimu ruled a massive area of the Peruvian coast for over 800 years until they themselves were conquered by the Incas in the early 1400´s. Under Inca occupation, they were allowed to keep some of their ways. With the Spanish conquest, however, it seems that their civilization came to an end, with Chan Chan tragically falling into ruins ever since.)

(Delcia standing next to one of the walls within this Chan Chan temple. Like this one, most of the walls in the temple stood at over 35 feet. Similar to the Incas, the Chimu were also advanced architects and built Chan Chan to withstand earthquakes. As a testament to this, when most of nearby Trujillo was demolished by an earthquake a few decades ago, Chan Chan remained unchanged.)

(A close-up of one of the designs in this temple´s main courtyard. While not the most noble creature to us, this representation of the coastal squirrel shows its high status for the Chimu. They held it in prestige because they observed that such squirrels can predict when the El Niño phenomenon is going to occur. This change in the climate which occurs every few decades can wreck havock on normal rain patterns, resulting in massive flooding along the coast and droughts in the highlands. It has been theorized that particularly severe El Niño effects have brought about the demise of many of Peru´s previous coastal civilizations. This is because during this temporary turmoil rulers no longer could provide needed resources to their people. The Chimu are also thought to have experienced such instability right before the Inca conquest, which helped the Incas in their campaign.)

Well, as you can see from these photos, this region is extremely dry. In fact, it is one of the most arid areas on earth. To supply food for their population, the Chimu and other peoples constructed sophisticated irrigation canals that brought water from the nearby Andes. In addition, they fished the rich coast of Peru, which due to the currents which run along them, make it among the most abundent in sea life worldwide.

(The tortora reed boats which the Chimu and other coastal peoples used thousands of years ago, and are still in use by their decendents today. It was really cool to see how these small boats could cut over the waves. As a side-note, it was interesting to learn that as a seafaring people, the Chimu worship the moon and not the sun as did the Incas. Since they saw the moon as female, they also periodically sacrificed men in her honor. Knowing this, I feel happy just learning about all these things after the fact, no? .)

Well, since we were on the beach, we had to take some strolls along the ocean. In doing so, the other day, we met another resident of this area, who quickly showed us around.

(The sweet pup who befriended us. All we did was give him a caring look and the next thing we knew he was by our side for the next half hour. We even entered a market for five minutes and when we left he was there again by our sides. Like in Bolivia, he is wearing a tag to show that he has had a rabies vaccine. Although this was a touching experience, it is also very sad to see so many loving dogs on the streets here.)

Well, before catching some waves along the coast, Delcia and I were reaching new heights by hiking through the Cordillera Blanca (White Range), which lies just a few hours to the east and is the second highest mountain range in the world, after the mighty Himalayas.

Walking Through a White Paradise - Exploring the Mountains Around Huaraz

Like many of our travelling highlights, we were recommended to go to this place by numerous travellers. While we were feeling a little tired about being in the mountains after having spend nearly four months in the Andes, we are thrilled we didn´t pass up on this area. It is truly a natural wonderland, filled with massive mountains, turquoise lakes, and everpresent wildflowers.

(A few peaks of the Cordillera Blanca from the top of our hostal in Huaraz, the largest town in the area. The city itself isn´t the most beautiful since it was completely destroyed by an earthquake in the 1970´s. Its surroundings though make you quickly forget of anything it could lack .)

Well, to get a sense of the area, Delcia and I took a four-day hike in one part of the range known as Santa Cruz. It is the most popular hike in the area and know we surely know why given all the beauty we crossed in the few days we spent there.

(Several peaks we saw on the car-ride to the start of the trek.)

(Another view from the above site. On the left is Huascarán, the highest mountain in Peru at over 22,000 feet, and for whom the national park we visited is named.)

(Since the above lookout was so incredible, we took a video of it which you can see here. It shows the above mountains as well as some turqoise lakes which lay in the valley below. Being in such a place clearly showed me why indigenous Andean cultures revere mountains as gods and goddesses.)

With such a beginning to our hike, we knew we were in for something special. Suffice to say, nearly all along our journey we were constantly awed by the beauty around us.

(A small house near the beginning part of the hike. The hike actually began and ended in two different villages, which existed before the park was created. This has created some problems since at the ending part of the hike the villagers have allowed their livestock to graze, making you every step a potentially smelly one. Nonetheless, the beauty of the area quickly makes you overlook this smelly situation .)

(A cute little lamb who met us along the journey. As you can see, it is baaing, although a baby lamb sounds almost exactly like a human baby when it does this. This particular one was so loud that it had our group of eight fellow hikers along with our guide laughing and smiling as it constantly cried out, seemingly because it didn´t feel like walking .)

(A rosey sunset on our first night of camping.)

(Hiking through the snow-capped peaks on our second day.)

(The impressive view that met us after reaching our highest point on our second day. It was literally astounding to be so close to these glaciers, some of which you could hear cracking.)

Along with enormous mountains, turqoise lakes and waterfalls, the hills around us were beautifully decorated with wildflowers.

(Another view of beautiful mountains on our second day.)

(A cactus flower which greeted us as we journeyed from the high mountains into lower, more desert-like areas.)

(Another shot of some beautiful flowers we passed. Seeing them definitely gave you a surge of much needed energy, especially since our food portions were at times meager.)

(Our mighty mules which carried the majority of our load taking a much deserved break. These friends definitely helped make our trip easier and much more enjoyable.)

(The hikers and our guide, in the middle of the first row, at the end of the hike. Apart from the spectacular scenery, these folks made the experience terrific for their great company. It was especially cool to learn about our differences in cultures and politics since the countries represented were England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the US and Peru.)

Well, as you can see, this is an incredible area. If you´d like to view more photos of it, just check out our photo gallery.

Not to be outdone by the peaks, we also happened upon some great cultural heights in Huaraz. By this, we saw dancers and musical performers paying tribute to their respective group´s sacred cross as part of Sacred Cross Day. At first we thought it was just a group of young people rehearsing for an event, but then with seeing groups similar groups scattered throughout the city, we finally made the connection that it was an actual celebration.

(A group of dancers entertaining crowds as part of Sacred Cross day. From what we know, this day celebrates different crosses set at the top of local hillsides, which the residents consider as sacred sites.)

(A close-up of some of the above dancers.)

Well, I know this entry is getting long. Before we sign off though we wanted to share a few photos from our time in Lima, the Peruvian capital, where we got our first taste of the Peruvian coast after arriving from colder Cuzco.

Getting a Taste for Lima

Well, in order to avoid the 20 hour bus ride from the former Inca capital of Cuzco, Delcia and I flew to Lima, crossing the mountains and deserts to arrive at this seaside metropolis. Upon arriving in the Peruvian captial, which is home to roughly 1/4 of Peru's 28 million people, we were immediately put at ease by the warm breezes and hotter temperature of the area. It was also neat to see the different cultural ways and Spanish accent of the people there, not to mention picturing ourselves in short-sleeves after months of sweater-wearing in the Andes .

Well, since crime in Lima seems as common as the numerous Chinese restaurants which dot its landscape, we decided to stay in one of the recommended upscale neighborhoods. While we have been in such areas in all the countries we have visited, we were shocked by how large and wealthy these areas were in Lima.

(A view of the Lima coast from the upscale neighborhood of Miraflores. What we really liked about this neighborhood is the beautiful, manicured walkway it has along the cliffs overlooking the sea. It also had several nice parks, and not to mention, many great restaurants. Unlike in many Brazilian cities, however, where the poor shantytowns border on wealthy areas, in Lima it seems that these neighborhoods are far from the upscale ones. This made you feel like you were kind of in a bubble, although in travelling to other parts of the city, you definitely also saw some of the harsh poverty which traps the bulk of Lima´s population.)

(Delcia catching some rays in a cool park in Miraflores. It is called the Lover's Park and has tiled quotes and poetry about love, as well as a large statue of a heterosexual couple kissing, all around the area. As you might guess, it was a very lovely experience . Oh, by the way, Delcia´s arm is slowly improving but she still has yet to get back to her razor blade juggling .)

Well, near the top of our list for site-seeing in Lima was looking at some good plates of food, since Lima is considered the gastronomic capital of the Americas for its innovative dishes. Fortunately, we had the help of our friends Bill and Sarah whom we met in Brazil and who lived in Lima for three years to assist us on our quest. As true cuisine comrads, they gave us the local scoop on where to eat. Ah, my tastebuds are still salivating over these seafood sensations.

(A plate of cerviche (fresh fish marinated in lime juice), which is covered in spicy sauce and accompanied by carmelized sweet potato and fried banana chips. Since cerviche is one of the most reknown foods in Lima, we wasted no time in trying it. Suffice to say, you won't be surprised if you find me on a plane back to Lima sometime in the near future.)

(A plate of sushi, using potato instead of rice. With strong African (due to slavery) and Asian (particularly Japanese and Chinese due to immigration) as well as indigenous and European influences, Lima cuisine has been known for its fusion of many ingredients long before this ever became the rage.)

Well, between eating, we walked off our bellies seeing some sites, particular those in the historic center of the city.

(The Lima presidential palace was decorated for a Mother's Day event, since we visited it on this very day. At this particular event, there was a concert being held for mothers. Nonetheless, nearly every place we visited in Peru before and after Mother's day was having concerts and other public events for mothers. Perhaps due to the strong importance of family here, these types of holidays are celebrated much more publicly and festively than they are in the U.S.)

(A famous monastery in Lima being protected by a tank. We really couldn't figure out why a church needed such protection, maybe locals are mad since they never pay taxes. .)

(This guy definitely made us feel a little safer pulling out our camera in front of the church it was guarding.)

(Passing through the gates of Lima's Chinatown. As I mentioned above, Lima, as well as Peru in general, has tons of Chinese restaurants, partly due to it having the largest population of Chinese descendents of any South American city, at over one million persons.)

Well, we could have easily spent more time in Lima, but as you have seen we wanted to cover alot of ground. With so much to do and see (as well as eat here), it feels like you can always be up to something. Alas, this is the job (he, he) we signed up for.

Sending many greetings from Precious Peru,

Sean and Delcia

Hi Everybody,

Well, if there is ever a place to have to settle down for a few days, you really can´t beat Qosco. Although Delcia and I knew it was an incredible city, we have been able to appreciate it more this last week, albeit for an unplanned reason. You see, after returning from Macchu Picchu about five days ago, we had originally intended just to spend a few hours in Qosco before heading out on a five-day hiking trip. What made us stop in Qosco was that Delcia undid her splint and found that she could barely move her injured right arm. Fortunately, there is good medical care here and they were able to help her regain some of her mobility, which we learned is constrained if one has a limb immobilized for too long. Now, she has to do stretching exercises for her arm several times a day until her full mobility is achieved, something which should take about a month. This sure cuts into our vertical rock-climbing plans, but we´ll just have to postpone these a bit .

Although our need to stay in Qosco for Delcia to get medical care meant that we had to slow down our schedule a bit, in the end it has been great since we both were feeling a little fatigued in general. It also has allowed us to take in more of the sites, both everyday and extraordinary, of this rich city.

(The Seven Snakes street which, like many others, has Inca stonework as the foundation for buildings, with colonial architecture on the top. I really like the snakes slithering on some of the rocks. Can you spot all seven?)

(One of the many churches the Spanish built here, often with materials used in Inca constructions.)

(Large Inca stonework forming the foundation of a now Catholic church. When I first saw these stones I thought the were imitations since they are so absurdly large. Only when I touched them closely did I learn that they are real. This stonework is really one of the most impressive we have seen in Qosco. Go figure then that they belong to the former palace of one of the Inca rulers.)

(Sean and Guillermo, a Spanish friend we made, keeping some stones in place. This actual stone has 12-sides. Definitely gives me some ideas about how to build my palace when I return to the US. The only problem will be cutting those darn rocks, but I guess I´ll have time if I don´t find a job too soon once I get back .)

Marvelous Macchu Picchu

Lying just around four hours away from Qosco, Delcia and I visited surreal Macchu Picchu as well as some of the other large and incredible Inca sites before we settling down in Qosco for Delcia´s medical care.

These sites are set in such beautiful, and in regards to Macchu Picchu, hard to reach places, that just observing the nature around them is a moving experience. Equally endearing is that the Incas built their structures to embrace the natural landscapes, making them feel part of nature itself. Like most any Inca work, they also made seemingly static materials like stone into fluid elements, creating structures with gargantuan rocks that seeminly only giants could build.

(Seeing Macchu Picchu at just around six in the morning. Set on top of a mountain in a cloud-rain forest, Macchu Picchu is a very magical place. Interestingly, it is unknown what the original purpose of this site was. Some think it was a military complex while others theorize that it was a royal retreat. Regardless, it is an incredible feat.)

(Seeing Macchu Picchu from Wayna Picchu, the picturesque mountain which sits behind it. It was also a tough climb getting up to this lookout, but fortunately the clouds parted a bit for us, so that we could glimpse the famous city below.)

(A small area sitting below Macchu Picchu. You can really see how the area is surrounded by jungle)

(A close-up view of the residential area of the site.)

(The only circular structure at Macchu Picchu. The stonework on this one was incredible, meaning it probably had a very significant purpose, since you see the best stonework on the most important buildings.)

(Looking out from an area that sits above some of the site´s complexes.)

(One of the many examples of how Inca architecture flows with its natural environment.)

(The Macchu Picchu guardians. In all, there are about 20 llamas which live on the site, and pose for your photos like in this one.)

Well, we feel like we could go to Macchu Picchu every day and never get tired, although the two-hour climb up to it through sweaty forest could deter me a bit . Anyhow, it was truly a blessing to be able to see it.

Other Incredible Inca Sites

While Macchu Picchu steals the show, the Incas also built many impressive "cities" throughout the greater Cuzco area.

Ollantaytambo

This site lies about an hour from Macchu Picchu in a town that bears the same name as the site. Interestingly, this town is thought of as a living Inca village since it has continually existed since Inca times, is inhabited by decedents of the original dwellers, and is built on top of Inca foundations.

(The steep terraces which form most of the site. It is actually thought to be a religious center, with the spiritual buildings covering an area above these terraces.)

(Some humongous stones, thought to have religious significance, which stand on a platform high above the site. It blows my mind how they could have got them so high up, as well as cut them so perfectly.)

(More incredible stonework at Ollantaytambo.)

(A mountain, opposite the Ollantaytambo site with small, food storage areas built by the Incas. They sure didn´t try to make things to easy, no?)

Pisac

Set on top of a mountain which divides the Andes from the Amazon basin, this site is thought to have been an administrative check-point for goods and persons moving between these places. In case you didn´t know, the Incas built a sophisticated systems of roads, one of which passes through this site. To communicate from one part of the empire to the other, they also had a network of relay runners, who in each running short distances, could cover over 100 miles in a day! It is said that the Inca royalty ate fresh fish using this network, although the coast lies about three days away from Qosco. Gives me some motivation for working out, which we have really slacked on in this high Andean altitude .

(Circular terracing at Pisac, with larger buildings set in the upper left corner.)

(The countryside sitting below Pisac. As you can tell, it is set a gorgeous area.)

Moray

Situated in a protected valley close to Ollantaytambo, this site was used by the Incas to experiment with agriculture.

(Expert architects, the Incas built this site to produce micro-climates at each terrace level. To achieve this, they had an intricate irrigation and drainage system built into terracing which allowed humidity to rise with the suns rays. In order to test crop´s ability to grow at different altitudes and environments, they also used soil from different areas, such as the highlands and jungle, to test the effects on crops. Through these and other methods, the Incas were able to produce over 1,000 different types of corn, over 50 different varieties of potato, and many other improvements to their food supply. In the Cuzco valley alone, over 50 different kinds of corn are still grown.)

(Quinoa and Kiwicha, two Andean grains, growing on one of the terrace platforms.)

(The two travellers above the Moray site.)

Maras

As if there were no more surprises, the Incas also produced their own salt using salt pools. Actually, the water for these pools runs through an underground salt mine. When it reaches the surface, it carries the salt with it. Through evaporation, people can attain the salt.

(The Maras salt pools from afar.)

(A close-up of some of the pools. Now run by members of the local community, these people attain the salt by allowing a small amount of water to fill the pools at a time. Then, they let the water evaporate, only possible during the dry season here, and do this successively until they have a large amount of salt to dig out of the pool.)

Saksaywaman

The closest Inca site to Qosco, actually sitting on a hill above the town, this is one of the most impressive for me since the stones used here are massive, some weighing hundreds of tons! This site was used as a military barrack and actually was the scene of a large battle between the Spanish conquistadors and the Incas when the Incas tried to defend themselves from these invaders.

(A far-away view of the Saksaywaman fortifications. They are actually shaped like the head of a puma since the Inca emporer Pachacutic, who began the Inca´s conquest of other tribes, envisioned Qosco in the shape of a puma, with Saksaywaman as its head.)

(Here you can see how the fortress walls of Saksaywaman look like teeth.)

(Delcia standing near a massive rock. It seems humanly impossible that they could move such rocks, as well as cut them perfectly to stay together without mortar.)

(More impressive rockwork at Saksaywaman.)

(A nice view of Qosco from this site.)

Well, I know this has been a ton of photos to view. As you can see, we are really in an incredible place. Today, we fly to Lima where other big things, like sprawling cities, as well as the ocean await.

Sending many greetings from the center of the Inca empire,

Sean and Delcia

Hello Friends and Family,

Well, it seems like we really can´t go wrong on this trip, I guess if you don´t count the recent 11-hour bus ride we took which above all featured four hours of home-made Peruvian bullfighting videos . And we thought bad action movies were the limit. Anyhow, these types of ´cultural´snapshots definitely give you some conversational material, if not make you appreciate the most basic of things, like toilet paper in bathrooms, a real important issue for us now. Who would have thought we could be so easily impressed?

Talking seriously though, we feel extremely fortunate to have been able to have done so many great things throughout this trip, including in this last week. With a sense of great privilege, we write you from Cusco (or Qosco as it is spelled in Quechua, the indigenous language of the area), the former capital of the Inca empire. It was here that the small Inca tribe began its conquest of other groups in the early 1400´s until its control spanned from the South of Colombia to the North of Chile and Argentina, an area about the size of Western Europe.

(The center of Cusco, which is made up of mainly colonial architecture, some of whose buildings are built on top of former Inca sites as well as use stones from various Inca buildings. Given that this was the capital of the Incas, there were massive structures everywhere, the least of which were the palaces each of the 14 Incas emperors built for themselves.)

Being here you are surrounded by history. For instance, many buildings have Inca structures as their foundations, especially churches. In order to show their conquest, the Spanish had to destroy the most important Inca temples and build their own on top of these.

(The most richly decorated former temple of the Inca´s was this site of Qoricancha (House of Gold since it was literally covered in gold until those darn Spanish arrived. You can see the Inca stonework as the foundation with the Spanish architecture on top. Interestingly, the Incas knew how to construct their buildings to withstand earthquakes, which are rather frequent in this area. Since the time of the Spanish conquest, many earthquakes have toppled Qosco´s colonial buildings yet most of the Inca ones have stayed intact.)

(A close-up of the curved stone wall from the above site.)

(One of the most striking qualities of Inca architecture is that they used no mortar to hold their stonework together. As you can see in the photo, there is really no gap between the blocks, some of which weigh tons.)

Well, really we feel that we could stay here weeks in order to appreciate the little of Inca structures that the Spanish left. As such a large civilization, however, there were so many constructions the Inca´s built both in Qosco and in the surrounding areas, such as Machu Picchu, that the Spanish probably gave up trying to destroy it all. While on the one hand it´s incredible to see some of the Inca´s achievements, it is also deeply sad to be able to view only a fraction of what remains in terms of the architectural achievements and artwork produced by this accomplished empire. Although we have seen plenty of oppression of indigenous persons throughout our trip, it is also very disheartening to see the Inca´s descendents in very subservient positions here such as beggers or dressed in their traditional clothing so that you can pay them to take a picture, although it should be mentioned that the Incas similarly oppressed other groups through forced labor and forcing most of them to use only the Quechua language among other tactics.

Besides being rich in history, Qosco is also very fun to explore, with many car-free alleyways and cobblestone streets.

(A walkway with Inca stonework on the bottom and colonial architecture on top.)

We arrived here three days ago after spending about a week in and around Arequipa, Peru´s second largest city, which just 10 hours west of here near the Pacific coast, feels so far away given that it´s climate is hot and dry. Like so many other journeys in the Andes, it was amazing to see the transition from the rough Andean highlands to the deserts of Arequipa in just a short-span of time.

(Arequipa is blessed with a beautiful natural setting. In the photo, you can see the active volcano of El Misti, sitting behind the city. On other sides of the town, there are several other volcanoes, some of which are snow-capped.)

Well, during the short time we spent in Peru´s ´White City´as it is known since many of the older buildings are constructed out of volcanic rock, we strolled many streets and appreciated some of its beautiful old structures.

(The carved front of one of many of Arequipa´s churches.)

(Getting a hand with our site-seeing from a friendly door-knocker. You´ll also see that Delcia has a cast on her arm. I forgot to mention in our last entry that Delcia actually fractured a bone in her right-forearm when we were biking in the Bolivian Andes. Some two weeks after the fact (since we were travelling in the jungle and were hoping her arm would heal), we got her arm checked out in La Paz. Fortunately, the injury is not serious and she should be able to take off her cast in just under a week. Nevertheless, it has made things a little more trying, although Delcia has been using the opportunity to practice her one-arm push ups .)

One of the most interesting places we visited in Arequipa is a former nunnery, which is famous as being the only surviving of its kind where wealthy nuns (it used to be a sign of honor for wealthy Spanish families to send their second daughters to nunneries) lived in opulance and even had slaves, yes slaves! Well, the pope put an end to this, at least the slavery and living in separate homes parts, when he learned of this in the 1800´s. Although still functioning as a nunnery with some 20 nuns living in cloisture, this site, with its beautiful layout and colors, is now open to the public.

(A walkway in the nunnery. As you can see, there are lovely flowers in many places.)

(One of the many reddish buildings there. Interestingly, the colors chosen for this site (red, blue, and white) had symbolic meaning: red for the earth, blue for the sky, and white for the heavens (I think .)

(The nice pastel blue of a nunnery wall. Almost makes me think of joining, ok, just for a trial membership .)

Aside from great scenery and architecture, Arequipa is also known for its great food, something Perú as a whole is also reknowned. This has been a nice change from Bolivia, where although the food is good, there are not as many great vegetarian dishes.

(An Arequipa dish called ocapo which features boiled potatoes covered by a peanut sauce as well as fried cheese. Ahh, very good indeed. As we travel farther north towards Lima and the coast, we´ll also have to savor some ceviche (seafood marinated in lime juice), just for the cultural experience of course.)

To work off our meals, we took a break from Arequipa for a few days and journeyed six hours northeast to the Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world. (The deepest, the Cotahuasi, is located some six hours farther, but both are over twice as deep as our Grand Canyon.) There, we had a fabulous time trekking to different villages in the canyon where you could cheaply stay and eat in small hostels.

(One of the small villages located in the canyon. Although very peaceful, it is a hard-life living in these areas since nearly everything needs to be hauled in by mules, since there are no roads going down the 3,000 feet elevation drop from the nearest town to the canyon bottom.)

(The Colca river which runs though the canyon´s bottom, and which carved it out. While most of the canyon is very dry, the area close to the river is full of life and green.)

(The terracing structures perfected by the Incas and still used by locals.)

(The only town of size in the canyon is Tapay, which sits high up, backed by snow-covered peaks. It was worth the hike getting there, not only for the views but also the incredibly friendliness of the people, something we encountered throughout our hiking in the area.)

(The beautiful Andean peaks which met us upon finishing our grueling, four-hour, straight uphill hike out of the canyon. It showed me I still have a way to go in my training for those 2016 Olympic games .)

Another spectacular site in the area is a viewpoint over which many condors nest. We weren´t sure if we would see any but were wowed by how many flew near us.

(A juvenile condor in flight. The cool thing about this lookout is that the condors fly nearly eye-level to you.)

(Although they are hard to make out, here are 10 condors flying in the same area. It was very magical to see so many at once.)

Well, that´s it for now. Outside the church bells are ringing, which I´ll use as a sign to get ready for our next excursion which will take us to several Inca ruins today and the base of Machu Picchu tonight. Tomorrow, we will then visit the famed site itself. We´ll try to enjoy ourselves though in all this grueling work .

Hoping all is well for you and your families.

Love,

Sean and Delcia