Aspen, Colorado

After South America I went to Aspen, CO for the annual Pompei fly fishing trip. Much fun was had at the thrift store...purchased a fabulous hat for Chicago.

Mom and I had lunch downtown at the fountain in the middle of a huge cotton storm. Yes, the cotton was blooming and the sky looked as though it was snowing incredibly large snowflakes.

Dad and I went fishing a handful of times and were lucky to release at least 30 fish per day.

The music festival was fantastic as always and we were delighted that Copeland was featured for the Sunday concert.

Amazon Jungle, Peru

Today we fly from Cuzco, high in the Andes, to Puerto Maldonado, deep in the lowlands of the Amazon jungle.

We will travel by motorized canoe to our lodge in the Tambopata Rainforest Area, which holds the world record for the most bird sightings in one area. About half of Peru is located within the Amazon Basin, however, due to its isolation, not a lot of it is available to the casual traveller. Our lodge is an eco lodge with no electricity, primitive cabins with lots of mosquito nets, and delicious local food.

Puerto Maldonado is the region’s principal city and is situated at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers, and is a bustling, booming tropical frontier town. Its principal activities are gold mining, Brazil nut collecting, timber extraction, agriculture and ecotourism.

After arriving at the Cusco airport we found all flights had been cancelled because of the transportation strike, but after most people left the airport, they decided to reinstate a flight and we negotiated our way onto it. We arrived and took a two hour afternoon boat trip by motorized canoe to our jungle lodge.

We had the chance to see bird species typical of the river or forest edge such as Black Skimmers, Pied Lapwings, Capped Herons, Jabiru Storks, Roadside Hawks and several species of kingfishers, swallows, and flycatchers.

The Tambopata area includes habitats ranging from the Andean highlands around the rivers' headwaters through some of the last remaining intact cloud forests to the lowland rainforests of the Amazon basin. The area is renowned for its diverse plant and animal populations and include over 1,300 bird species (including 32 parrot species - 10% of the world’s total), 200 mammal species including 4 species of primates, 90 frog species, 1,200 butterfly species and 10,000 species of higher plants—all protected within the reserve.

Some of the more famous residents are the Harpy Eagle, the prehistoric looking Hoatzin, tapir, peccary, jaguar, ocelot and playful river otters who live in the area’s oxbow lakes.

While we never saw a river otter, we did spot lots of red howler monkeys, small tamarindo monkeys, and we even went cayman spotting at night. Caymans are small alligators and they can be spotted from far distances by their reflective eyes. We took a 9 pm boat cruise down a pitch black river and our guide used one strong flashlight to spot five caymans and a HUGE land rodent called a capabarra (sp??) that weighed nearly 60 kg!!

Our guys played another friendly game of soccer with the kitchen crew who reluctantly agreed to each take 3 gringos on their teams, and by the end of the weekend we were all good friends.

My favorite part of the jungle journey was being woken by a huge tribe of howler monkeys, the world's loudest land animal, who sounded like a mix between gurgling water pipes and eerie ghosts from a horror movie.

Trek to Machu Picchu

Pictures include the tiny green plants that made a spongy hiking terrain near the top, a typical highlands family, the interior of one of their homes, the beautiful weaving I bought from one of the local mothers, the view from the top of Wayna Picchu, and my hiking team.

The 3-day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu was physically challenging, freezing cold, super dusty, but worthwhile.

It is a 36-km hike, with 3 high passes to be crossed, one of which reaches an elevation of 4600m. Our local crew of seven llamas, 5 porters, a cook and a guide looked after us well for the duration of the hike. Porters and llamas carried the majority of the gear for the hike, we only had to carry a small daypack with water, rain gear, snacks, a camera, etc.

We passed through dozens of active local communities that maintain Inka customs for planting and living even today. My favorite was an 80 year old man named Maximilliano who had 7 children and a dozen grandchildren, all of whom lived on his compound. We approached them on the second morning of the hike and we were graciously invited to enter his main living quarters. Much to our surprise, 6 of them shared the sleeping quarters with 24 guinea pigs who ran amok on the floor and underneath the food storage places. check out the photos of his family and house.

We admired breathtaking views at every step as we move from high plateau areas to dense cloud forest. We were lucky to have clear days and we were rewarded for all our work with beautiful views of the Urubamba Valley below.

After 3 beautiful and challenging days of sleeping in temperatures two degrees below zero, we were delighted to have one night to shower in a hotel before arriving at Machu Picchu. I regret that I got food poisoning that night and spent literally the entire night running to the bathroom. But that didn't curb my enthusiasm to take the 5:30 am bus to MP.

There is no way to describe the feeling of the first views of Machu Picchu, as the mist rises off the mountains early in the morning and the famous ruin appears in front of me. I took nearly 200 photos in the first 10 minutes of arrival.

Machu Picchu is both the best and the least known of the Inca ruins. It is not mentioned in any of the chronicles of the Spanish conquistadors and archaeologists today can do no more than speculate on its function. The local Quechua farmers in the area knew of Machu Picchu for centuries, but it was not until an 11-year-old boy led the American historian Hiram Bingham (who was in search of Vilcabamba) to the site on July 24, 1911, that the rest of the world became aware of its existence. At that time the site was covered in thick vegetation, and Bingham and his team returned in 1912 and 1915 to clear the growth. Over the years, much work has been done on excavating and studying the site.

Luckily we were some of the first people to arrive and we secured some of the rare tickets to hike to Wayna Picchu, the highest mountain in the ruins. We had stunning views from the top but the way down was TERRIFYING! The steps to descend were not even five inches deep and my feet barely fit on them sideways, not to mention there was a sheer cliff on the side and not even a flimsy rope to hold onto. One wrong step....and goodbye Briana. So I took my time and crept closely to the mountain and in the end I was proud to have completed it.

I was lucky to have a great hiking team and to meet a fantastic new friend from San Francisco.

Cuzco and Ollantaytambo, Peru

The trip from Puno to Cuzco took the better part of a day, with stark, beautiful scenery en route as we traveled through the high Altiplano region.

Cuzco is the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city, and the hub of the South American travel network. Inca-built stone walls line most of the central streets and we didn't have to go far to see other major Inca ruins. It is a city steeped in history, tradition and legend.Every year Cuzco attracts thousands of travellers who come to delve into its noble but tragic past. This city flourished as an Inka tribute to excellence until the Spanish conquistadors invaded in 1532 and Catholicized the plac.

We took time to relax and explore this fascinating city for a day and acclimatize to the high altitude. Cuzco’s numerous colonial churches are one of the city’s most common sights. The Cathedral was started in 1559 and took 100 years to build; it is also one of the city’s greatest repositories of colonial art. I also really enjoyed the Inka art museum and had a private tour from one of our local guides who used to be a docent there.

While most ruins are just outside of the city, the main ruin within is that of the Coricancha, once the Inca Empire's richest temple. Today the ruin forms the base of the colonial church of Santo Domingo. During Inca times this temple was literally covered with gold, but within months of the arrival of the first conquistadors this incredible wealth had all been melted down. It is left to us imagination to envision the magnificence of the original structure.

After our day in the city we headed out to Ollantaytambo, Saksaywhuman, and Pisac, some of the Inka ruins within hour drives from Cuzco and along the way we stopped at a llama farm and tried some chicha, local beer brewed from corn.

Lake Titicaca, Peru

Pictures include the sunrise view from my room on Amantani, the home in which I stayed on the island.












Women weavers of Uros, the reed islands, the reed boats, the reed islands.












Lunch spot on Taquile Island and view from the window of little girls´s room







We climbed over the mountains a few days ago, 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´ve slept on the tour...until the Lares Trek to Machu Picchu.









My friends and I dressed in traditional costumes, local weavers, and the island of Amantani.


After spending a night in Puno, we headed out by boat across Lake Titicaca. En route to Taquile Island we passed by the floating reed islands of the Uros people, destined to return the following afternoon.

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. Despite the short distance that separates the two islands, Amantaní is quite distinct. Its soil is a rich terra cotta red, due to the high iron deposits, and the colour contrasts brightly with the deep azure blue of the lake and sky and the greenery of the local crops.

On Taquile Island we had a stunningly fabulous lunch of quinoa soup, an omlette, and trout served upon a long banquet table overlooking the water. (Check out the view from the little girls´room).

Then we cruised to Amantani Island to meet our "mamas." Yes, Mary and I were adopted by an adorable family on the island who treated us to a homestay and provided us an opportunity to learn more about rural life in the Peruvian highlands. My top five moments:

1. Watching our Dutch, Swedish, American, and British friends play in a lively soccer match against the locals (who, mind you, are used to running quickly at an altitude of nearly 4K meters above sea level) The first picture is many girlfriends, wives, and mamas watching the boys from the stands.
2. Donning a traditional Amantani costume to wear to the IncaTeca (the Inca version of a discoteque) My mama dressed me in four colorful felt skirts that resembled a petticoat, an embroidered blouse, a lovely black scarf, a knit hat, and a super tight belt that wrapped around three times. (Oh yeah, and it was about 45 degrees F so I had a fleece underneath and my hiking pants...so hot!)
   
3. Watching the locals doing traditional dances at the IncaTeca.
4. Having breakfast in my mama´s home and watching she and her mother cook on a very provincial stove with basic tools while squatting over a semi-open flame. We ate at a proper table while they squatted in the corner, eating and cooking.
   
5. Speaking Spanish with the grandfather who was tickled to practice his Spanish since he usually speaks the local native Quetchwa.
   

After our home stay we headed back the the lake. Titicaca is the largest lake in the world above 2000m, and the views from both Amantaní and Taquile Islands are stunning, but both paled in comparison to the interesting and totally unique reed islands of Uros.

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. They actually cut the roots of the reeds into manageable squares and tie hundreds of them together to make the island and then drop anchors into the water to stabilize it. We were able to watch a new island under construction.

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.