Puno, Peru

We climbed over the mountains today, descending at Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Located at 3830 m above sea level, Puno is the highest altitude of any place we slept on the journey.

After spending a night in Puno, we will head out by boat across Lake Titicaca. En route to Taquile Island we will visit the floating reed islands of the Uros people.

I am most excited about an overnight homestay that is sure to provide an opportunity to learn more about rural life in the Peruvian highlands and to participate in local traditions.

Tomorrow we set sail on Titicaca Lake, the largest lake in the world above 2000m, and the views from both Amantaní and Taquile Islands are stunning. I learned that the locals are famous for their weaving so I plan to purchase many gifts here! From there we head to Amantani where we will stay overnight with a local family and enjoy a competitive soccer match with the locals.

The following morning we will visit the floating islands of Uros en route to Puno.The Totora reeds that grow in the shallows of the lake are used for making everything from the islands themselves to the model boats that the islanders sell. The islands are made up of layers upon layers of reeds; as the layers closest to the water start to rot, they are replaced with fresh reeds on top. The reeds are also used to build their boats, which if constructed well will last up to 6 months.The people of Taquile Island's unique culture, style of dress and lifestyle make for a memorable visit. The men of the community do all the knitting, as this is strictly a male domain, while the women do the spinning.

Colca Canyon

Two days ago we traveled a rough, rutted road through high plains flanked by extensive Inca and pre-Inca terracing that goes on for miles, en route to the Colca Canyon—one of the deepest canyons in the world- many say more impressive than our Grand Canyon.

Along the way we passed through one of the highest peaks in the Andes and just ahead was a lake with a 3 mm ice sheet covering the top! Peru is one of the most cold, dusty, dry places I have been, and the backdrops are stunningly beautiful. As I boarded the bus to Chivay from the peak I could see a small tornado forming in the distance. I ws starting to get a little light headed so my guide offered me some coca leaves to chew (hence the fabulous photo of me with a green tounge) and he assured me that it was "completely safe and drug-free."

My first stop overnight stop in the canyon is Chivay, a picturesque village where we took a dip in the local hot thermal baths, watched live Andean music at a peña, and contemplated having a llama steak...I decided to stick to my diet of all things vegetarian (plus bacon).

Our hotel was brand new and super clean but FREEZING. They brought us an electric heater and hot water bottles for the bed and still my thermometer marked 12 degrees Celcius.

Two nights gave us time to take short hikes to acclimatize to the altitude. We took a tour around the canyon, stopping in fascinating villages and at “miradors” (scenic lookouts), where we saw at least 6 Andean Condors soaring over the majestic Andes. Other unusual animals we saw along the drive included 3 different species of camelids: alpaca, llama and vicuña.

While hiking in the canyon I encountered a large stinging insect about the size of a tiny hummingbird with a stinger at least 3/4 of an inch long. Needless to say, my bug spray wasn´t sufficient.

Arequipa and Nazca, Peru

I am having a ball with my new friends. A lovely woman from Darby, England has become my best friend in South America. We´ve been traveling together for 4 days now, and we have 18 to go. Last night we took an overnight bus from Nazca to Arequipa.

Nazca was amazing. The beautiful patterns etched into the earth are a stunning mystery and I was surprised how clear they are from my vantage point in the sky. We flew a terrifying Cesna plane (i.e. my seat was not bolted to the floor...and it would rise into the air each time we hit turbulence) over the lines. Then we went to a lovely museum lecture about Maria Reiche and her adventures exploring the nature of the lines.


Peru’s second most important city after Lima, Arequipa maintains a traditional colonial style and more laid back pace in comparison with the capital. Sitting at 2325 m (7626 ft) above sea level and surrounded by the Andes mountains, this delightful colonial town is filled to the brim with trinkets and alpaca sweaters. Arequipa was built from a very light coloured volcanic rock called sillar, so older buildings dazzle in the sun, giving the city its nickname, “the White City.”

Today we woke up on the bus and immediately checked into a hotel for a shower. Then we ran to the Convent of Santa Catalina, a gorgeous building dripping with charm and antique finishings. It was a welcome respite from the outside world and a unique view into a by-gone way of life. We stopped for a capuccino in the courtyard before returning to the artisan market to buy more trinkets. Kiara, you´re going to love your present.

We stopped for lunch at a gorgeous place along the main square and my placemat, tempura shrimp on a white plate, looked so real that I took a picture of it with my beer. The photo in the placemat paled in comparison to the food we actually ate. Peruvian food is the best - finally a place where I can get the spicy food I crave so sincerely.

Dinner was a fantastic surprise! We went to the home of a local family and ate a traditional and special meal that cooked underground for 2 hours! This family explained the detailed process of digging a hole in the ground, laying down burning hot stones, then leaves, then meats, many varieties of potato, and vegetables. My friend gave them a heads up that I am a veggie so they added special fruits and veggies for me including a lovely spiced apple. I was deemed the godmother of the ceremony so you can see me offering coco leaves to the gods on top of the mountain of earth that completed the ceremonious oven.

Spectacular mountains surround Arequipa, the most famous of which is El Misti Volcano, at 5822 m (19096 ft) with its beautiful snow-capped peak. We´ve also been enchanted with nearby volcanoes Chachani and Pichu Pichu. Tomorrow we´re leaving Arequipa for a camping trip in Colca Canyon. Hopefully we´ll spot some condors.

Lima, Peru

Yesterday I left Quito and arrived in Peru. Lucky for me, June 24 is a holiday and today there will be a big festival in the streets. Known as the City of Kings, Peru’s capital city Lima was founded by Francisco Pizarro on the Day of the Three Kings (Epiphany) in 1535.

First I am going to visit the Plaza de Armas is the heart of old Lima, to see the Cathedral, Government Palace and Archbishop’s Palace. The Cathedral dates back to the 1700s and houses the remains of the conquistador Pizarro. I plan to watch the changing of the Palace Guard in the afternoon and then walk the streets surrounding the Jirón de la Unión to get a feel for their Spanish-colonial architecture. There are so many fine museums in and around the city, it will be hard for the art historian in me to decide on which to see. I think I will visit the Museo Rafael Larco Herrera, which houses an impressive collection of pottery, mummies and textiles from the Paracas and Nazca cultures. And of course I will be sure to try a ceviche, for which Lima is well known.

This afternoon I'm hopping on a bus for our short trip down the coast to Pisco. An important port town, Pisco gives its name to the white grape brandy produced in the region. Yes, of course, I won’t pass up this chance to sip on a tasty and frothy Pisco Sour. I will visit the Ballestas Islands to see more sea lion colonies, Humbodlt penguins and a variety of other birds. Tomorrow I will catch a bus south to Nazca. On the way I will pass by the colonial town of Ica. Ica is known for its huge sand dunes. In nearby Huacachina, there are a ton of sand dunes and am going to try a local past time: sandboarding. Apart from the dunes, Ica is famous for its wines and there are several wineries and distilleries in the area. (yes, of course I will visit just a few...)

On Thursday I am going to see the Nazca Lines. The lines consist of patterns and pictures etched in the ground, crisscrossing a wide area of flat desert. Some of the lines measure up to 32 miles in length, and yet remain perfectly straight. The depictions of birds, insects and animals are only recognizable from the air. Who drew the lines, and why, is something modern archaeologists can only theorize about, but current beliefs suggest that they may be part of complex agricultural calendar. The desert area was originally home to the ancient Paracas and the Nazca cultures, which preceded the Incas by more than 500 years. After my flight, I will visit the Pre-Inca desert cemetery site of Chauchilla, with 1500 year-old mummies, bones and pottery on the desert floor.

Love to all of you who are reading the blog!

Otovalo, Ecuador

After my trip to the Galapagos, I traveled with Rissel, one of the naturalist guides, to Quito. He is a native Ecuadorian so he was able to show me the best of what central Ecuador has to offer.

Because this weekend was the summer solstice and Quito is on the equator line, the setting was beautiful. There were practically no shadows the entire day.

On Saturday we had a lovely dinner at a chic restaurant built under a glass roof decorated with stenciled stickers in Quito.

On Sunday we hired a taxi for the whole day. We started with a trip to Otovalo, a lovely and traditional town about 1.5 hours from Quito. There we saw the local people in their centuries old costumes and tried the local cuisines of boiled, puffed corn and mashed plantains. We skipped the pig in the storefront.

We walked through the food market and shopped for more trinkets (mom, you´ll love yours, too) Then we went to Cotopaxi and bought some leather goods, and we ended the day at La Mitad del Mundo, the middle of the world. We were able to do some activities that one can only do a the center of the world ... like hopping back and forth between hemispheres.

We stopped by a tiny lake on the way home for one final boating adventure and some awesome photos of the winter sky.

I was so lucky to have found such a generous and knowledgable friend in Rissel.

Galapagos Islands

Check out these photos from the Galapagos Islands. Thanks to my naturalist guide for the awesome underwater photos.