Peru 2019- Lions in Peru Part 2
Travel notes-
We made it safe and sound to Lima- by now everyone is checked in to the hotel and off to their rooms- we are staying in the city of Miraflores (a suburb of Lima- think Overland Park to the greater Kansas City Metro) - we were a little late into Lima because of a mechanical delay in Miami that was longer than it should have been because the rain prevented them (the mechanics) from working on the problem-
everyone hopefully will be caught up on rest by the morning- The layover in Miami featured lots of phone time, movie watching, book reading, nap taking, eating and even some poker (jolly ranchers were the stakes)
The airport immigration and customs went well- we did have to wait on baggage because a number of us were forced to check bags in when the overhead bins filled up- The traffic in Lima was not as chaotic by the time we arrived but the ride was still an adventure as man darted in front of the bus and fell in the street- Our skilled driver was able to avert an accident with his quick reflexes-
Alvaro our guide met us at the airport and gave us a hint of all the great things to come-
The arrival into Miami this morning was stunning- I will attach a picture later-
We made it safe and sound to Lima- by now everyone is checked in to the hotel and off to their rooms- we are staying in the city of Miraflores (a suburb of Lima- think Overland Park to the greater Kansas City Metro) - we were a little late into Lima because of a mechanical delay in Miami that was longer than it should have been because the rain prevented them (the mechanics) from working on the problem-
everyone hopefully will be caught up on rest by the morning- The layover in Miami featured lots of phone time, movie watching, book reading, nap taking, eating and even some poker (jolly ranchers were the stakes)
The airport immigration and customs went well- we did have to wait on baggage because a number of us were forced to check bags in when the overhead bins filled up- The traffic in Lima was not as chaotic by the time we arrived but the ride was still an adventure as man darted in front of the bus and fell in the street- Our skilled driver was able to avert an accident with his quick reflexes-
Alvaro our guide met us at the airport and gave us a hint of all the great things to come-
The arrival into Miami this morning was stunning- I will attach a picture later-
Day 1- Lima
We had a long and adventurous day- Our local guide was engaging and amazing as she was able to weave a narrative that involved the students in the learning process about Lima and Peru- she gave us a language lesson that traced words such as Cusco, condor and jerky back to the native Incan language. She had the students examine the space and shape of housing to reinforce basic weather patterns of the region. Flat roofs, no storm water drainage system and bright colors work in a desert area that is composed of fog most of the year. In fact, we learned that Lima is one of the largest desert cities in the world behind Cairo. We saw the colonial influence of both southern Spain (with a hint of Moorish influence) and the French. We learned that Peru was a huge fan of the liberating influence of Simon Bolivar.
We visited the Cathedral of San Francisco and its monastery. We saw the old library and the old bones as we ventured into the Catacombs. Both were interesting in their own way. Parts of the collection of bones had been reorganized into collections in boxes like lego blocks. The church was decorated for the Pentecost. We saw an amazing ritual parade of people celebrating this Catholic tradition.
We also visited the pre-Inca museum known as the Larco. Again our guide engaged the kids in learning by asking them to look at medical, information processing, and ritual symbols in the artifacts that we were able to explore at this private collection.
After lunch we were off to see a soccer match of the national team verses Columbia. And although Peru lost our students were winners for witnessing this cultural phenomenon known as football- We had chicken for dinner and all is good as we have to wake up early to fly to Cusco.
We visited the Cathedral of San Francisco and its monastery. We saw the old library and the old bones as we ventured into the Catacombs. Both were interesting in their own way. Parts of the collection of bones had been reorganized into collections in boxes like lego blocks. The church was decorated for the Pentecost. We saw an amazing ritual parade of people celebrating this Catholic tradition.
We also visited the pre-Inca museum known as the Larco. Again our guide engaged the kids in learning by asking them to look at medical, information processing, and ritual symbols in the artifacts that we were able to explore at this private collection.
After lunch we were off to see a soccer match of the national team verses Columbia. And although Peru lost our students were winners for witnessing this cultural phenomenon known as football- We had chicken for dinner and all is good as we have to wake up early to fly to Cusco.
Traffic in Lima is a tab stressful as you can see in the image below
Walking the streets of Lima brought us a great variety of sights, smells and tastes- in fact we would have roasted chicken for dinner
The images below are of the Cathedral of San Francisco including the catacombs below the church and monastery complex
The pictures below are from the Pentecost celebration in the central square in Lima, Peru outside the presidential palace
Larco Museum- watch the slide show by clicking on the picture below |
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last couple of images from day one and our stroll through the streets of Lima
Many of us went to the match between Peru and Columbia's national teams- this picture was taken by Caleb
Our first dinner- Chicken. (it would not be the last time we saw chicken as part of the menu of this trip-
Day 2- Cusco- We are starting to catch our groove
Today we were literally busy from sun-up to sun-down which seems appropriate since we visited the Temple of the Sun (more on that later). The day started with a planned seven o’clock departure that did not quite materialize. I was proud of our students as most of them made it down to the early bird morning meal. Yesterday we learned that Lima was a desert and that it never rains but as I looked out my windows in the morning it sure looked like it had showered as the pavement was wet and it appeared water was dropping off the powerlines (which by the way there are a lot of and seem to be wired in a somewhat chaotic fashion much like the driving here). But- I learned that this was not rain just the heavy mist of the fog off of the pacific.
We meet the other group from Indiana as they finally arrived after midnight last night. That same storm that grounded us in Miami for an additional two hours kept them from landing on time and making their flight. They could not get out until the next day in the late afternoon. We were a little delayed getting out of the hotel as we discovered that you could not just leave your hotel room keys in the room you actually turn them in at the desk. So several rooms had to locate their keys.
The trip to the airport was a little over and hour and a half. But it was an impactful hour and a half as we got the full Lima traffic treatment. I am guessing that most of your kids will never want to drive the streets of Lima. But they did learn from these crack (you choose the meaning) drivers as we did not witness road rage as much as road tetris. They saw that the horn can be a communication device and not the harbinger of hate and scorn. We also got to experience a fairly chaotic airport security system but at the same time witness a logical boarding method. Finally, an airport applies logic- they boarded the window seats first then the middle seats and finally the aisle seats.
They fight was a bit delayed but we finally made our way to Cusco. To help the kids acclimatize to the elevation we were taken directly to lunch. Lunch also featured a number of cultural dances and songs. Even a few of our students danced- Drew, Eva, and Tiffany to list some of our future “dancing with the star” headliners. We spent a good two hours here before we braved the 10,000 plus feet of Cusco.
We the hiked to the Temple of the Sun and had to make it through the Llama handlers. Here you have to get through a gauntlet of women wanting to hand you the cutest collection of baby llama this side of Lima. You take one in hand then you get to hand over some cold hard cash. Once we braved this “torture” we stepped foot in what had been the Temple of the Sun. This complex was built and completed by the emperors and they were not even allowed in the walls from what I gathered- just the high priests. The building of much of the grandeur of the royal city happened under the leadership for the 9th Inca who was known as a great builder and even nick-named himself the “Transformer of Earth.” The walls of the complex were covered with two-inch-thick gold covering and the actual temple housed the mummies of the previous emperors who were taken care of as if still alive. Of course, this way of life would all come to an end under the Spanish who would destroy the Temple (Use the salvaged stone for churches and stuff) and destroy the mummies in an attempt to eradicate this belief system that I should point out still encouraged human sacrifice. The legends and writings of the Temple seemed larger than life.
Speaking of larger than life we next visited the site of Saqsaywaman. Ask your kid what the word sounds like but promise not to get mad at them. This was a site that is really hard to imagine and comprehend when you see the size of the rocks present. According to our guide only about 20% of the original site remains and what does takes your breath away (or maybe that was the altitude)- anyway this was the place for the sun festival where each year llama sacrifice. Other sacrifice (human) would be made if necessary. She then told us that the human sacrifice sometimes involved children. When I was in school there was a debate if the Spanish of the time period over blown tales of sacrifice was to justify their treatment of the people of South America. But as our guide pointed out one benefit of global warming are melting glaciers that have uncovered mummies of these children. The rest of the time the kids spent exploring this amazing complex and then we headed to the sacred valley.
Lots of sites and stories through the windows of the bus as we headed to the hotel including cross parties and stories of guinea pigs named crunchy.
We meet the other group from Indiana as they finally arrived after midnight last night. That same storm that grounded us in Miami for an additional two hours kept them from landing on time and making their flight. They could not get out until the next day in the late afternoon. We were a little delayed getting out of the hotel as we discovered that you could not just leave your hotel room keys in the room you actually turn them in at the desk. So several rooms had to locate their keys.
The trip to the airport was a little over and hour and a half. But it was an impactful hour and a half as we got the full Lima traffic treatment. I am guessing that most of your kids will never want to drive the streets of Lima. But they did learn from these crack (you choose the meaning) drivers as we did not witness road rage as much as road tetris. They saw that the horn can be a communication device and not the harbinger of hate and scorn. We also got to experience a fairly chaotic airport security system but at the same time witness a logical boarding method. Finally, an airport applies logic- they boarded the window seats first then the middle seats and finally the aisle seats.
They fight was a bit delayed but we finally made our way to Cusco. To help the kids acclimatize to the elevation we were taken directly to lunch. Lunch also featured a number of cultural dances and songs. Even a few of our students danced- Drew, Eva, and Tiffany to list some of our future “dancing with the star” headliners. We spent a good two hours here before we braved the 10,000 plus feet of Cusco.
We the hiked to the Temple of the Sun and had to make it through the Llama handlers. Here you have to get through a gauntlet of women wanting to hand you the cutest collection of baby llama this side of Lima. You take one in hand then you get to hand over some cold hard cash. Once we braved this “torture” we stepped foot in what had been the Temple of the Sun. This complex was built and completed by the emperors and they were not even allowed in the walls from what I gathered- just the high priests. The building of much of the grandeur of the royal city happened under the leadership for the 9th Inca who was known as a great builder and even nick-named himself the “Transformer of Earth.” The walls of the complex were covered with two-inch-thick gold covering and the actual temple housed the mummies of the previous emperors who were taken care of as if still alive. Of course, this way of life would all come to an end under the Spanish who would destroy the Temple (Use the salvaged stone for churches and stuff) and destroy the mummies in an attempt to eradicate this belief system that I should point out still encouraged human sacrifice. The legends and writings of the Temple seemed larger than life.
Speaking of larger than life we next visited the site of Saqsaywaman. Ask your kid what the word sounds like but promise not to get mad at them. This was a site that is really hard to imagine and comprehend when you see the size of the rocks present. According to our guide only about 20% of the original site remains and what does takes your breath away (or maybe that was the altitude)- anyway this was the place for the sun festival where each year llama sacrifice. Other sacrifice (human) would be made if necessary. She then told us that the human sacrifice sometimes involved children. When I was in school there was a debate if the Spanish of the time period over blown tales of sacrifice was to justify their treatment of the people of South America. But as our guide pointed out one benefit of global warming are melting glaciers that have uncovered mummies of these children. The rest of the time the kids spent exploring this amazing complex and then we headed to the sacred valley.
Lots of sites and stories through the windows of the bus as we headed to the hotel including cross parties and stories of guinea pigs named crunchy.
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Day 3 Notes- The Sacred Valley- Learning about Andes Mountain Living-
The Sacred Valley lived up to its name today. We started by making a trip to the Maras Salt Flats. They are not far from the city we stayed in last night (Urubamba). Our guide told us that this area has been used for salt since pre-Incan times and are currently shared by the families of the town of Maras. The families work with a particular salt pond and harvest it for use and sale. It seems very labor intensive and doesn’t seem to be a huge income maker but the area is spectacular and the variety of salts were interesting. Alvaro told us that if is one of the few places in the world to produce pink salt. I tried some of the smoked salt which was delicious. What made the experience all the more compelling was the drive in to the salt ponds. It is located in a valley in a mountain with a rustic road to access the area. The Standard Peruvian road is small and we were in a bus that was not- so when you meet up with traffic on switchbacks the experience is intriguing.. One student reminded m that he watched a father with a baby in one hand and a shovel in the other trying to harvest the salt in one particular pond. He was pounding the salt so hard it produced echos up the valley. This was an amazing site.
Our second stop was a guided weaving experience. We meet a group fo village women that showed us the traditional manner which they weaved: including taking the fleece an turning it to thread, how they died it, how they weaved it and how they marketed it. They were pretty good at the marketing side as a number of us left with some sort of product. We were also visited by a pair of young alpaca during the visit which lead to a few photos- the materials produced by this community weaving guild was breathtaking. About thirty years ago this village started working with tourist groups and most likely have saved their skills and talents for the next generation. We also learned that each small community usually has its own fashion element which are many times focused on the hats people wear.
We had a buffet style lunch that featured a variety of Peruvian fare. This lead us to the site of Ollantaytambo. This is a site and city. The city is still laid out on the ancient Incan grid system and the site was a temple and food storage area during the time of the Inca. It served as a strong hold in battles with the Spanish including a significant victory where he flooded the Spanish. The Incan Leader would later retreat to the jungle retreat (Vilcabamba) before eventually falling to the Spanish permanently. We learned a little about folk life in the region including that the People in Peru have domesticated over 3,000 types of potatoes, that people in this area place statues of two bulls and a cross on their roofs good luck and stability in the home, and that the typical Incan home was in a courtyard with four other homes and families. This site was never finished and we still wonder what it would have looked like. We did see and hear several more festivals in town today. In fact when one cannon fired while we were at Ollantaytambo our guide Alvaro announced- “ watch out the Spanish are back.” With out skipping.a beat. The man is funny.
The final event before dinner was the soccer match that we had with another EF group ad a number of our Peruvian guides. Our Lawrence High kids played well and had fun. Speaking of fun I certainly had fun today and need to go to bed as tomorrow is Machu Picchu day-
Our second stop was a guided weaving experience. We meet a group fo village women that showed us the traditional manner which they weaved: including taking the fleece an turning it to thread, how they died it, how they weaved it and how they marketed it. They were pretty good at the marketing side as a number of us left with some sort of product. We were also visited by a pair of young alpaca during the visit which lead to a few photos- the materials produced by this community weaving guild was breathtaking. About thirty years ago this village started working with tourist groups and most likely have saved their skills and talents for the next generation. We also learned that each small community usually has its own fashion element which are many times focused on the hats people wear.
We had a buffet style lunch that featured a variety of Peruvian fare. This lead us to the site of Ollantaytambo. This is a site and city. The city is still laid out on the ancient Incan grid system and the site was a temple and food storage area during the time of the Inca. It served as a strong hold in battles with the Spanish including a significant victory where he flooded the Spanish. The Incan Leader would later retreat to the jungle retreat (Vilcabamba) before eventually falling to the Spanish permanently. We learned a little about folk life in the region including that the People in Peru have domesticated over 3,000 types of potatoes, that people in this area place statues of two bulls and a cross on their roofs good luck and stability in the home, and that the typical Incan home was in a courtyard with four other homes and families. This site was never finished and we still wonder what it would have looked like. We did see and hear several more festivals in town today. In fact when one cannon fired while we were at Ollantaytambo our guide Alvaro announced- “ watch out the Spanish are back.” With out skipping.a beat. The man is funny.
The final event before dinner was the soccer match that we had with another EF group ad a number of our Peruvian guides. Our Lawrence High kids played well and had fun. Speaking of fun I certainly had fun today and need to go to bed as tomorrow is Machu Picchu day-
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Day 4 Notes- Machu Picchu- student views
Today we left a most beautiful lodge/hotel in Urubamba. But with what was in store for us today no one had a problem leaving our comfortable confines. Alvaro has our schedule down to a science. We left by 8:30 and arrived at the train station with little or no wait time for the ride to Aguas Calientes which is a small town off of the Urubamba River. It is known for its hot springs but in reality it is the hub for the tourist market of Machu Picchu. The train ride was through a beautiful range of landscapes ending in the mountain cloud forests that make up our destination today. Our train was configured with a glass ceiling to view these landscapes. We passed by the 19.000 glacier topped peak known as Veronica which is surrounded by other snow-capped subordinate peaks that were of equal beauty.
Machu Picchu really needs to be seen to be truly appreciated and today we learned lots of history and mystery, but I thought instead of sharing that tonight that I would share with you a few of the student and teacher reactions- The students I didn’t get to write tonight I will share with you the next day-
Enjoy reading-
Machu Picchu Reflections-
Pictures don’t do it justice, the views that you get are truly stunning and incredible.
Sam Gordon-Ross
Machu Picchu has been on everyone’s mind since the beginning of this trip. When we reached the top I knew I was never going to experience anything like this again. Just as Sam said pictures will never do it justice and I feel that if anyone has the chance to partake in seeing Machu Picchu they should.
Collen Bailey
Machu Picchu is a place that is truly breath taking, and we’re not exaggerating when we say so. You probably can’t use the same words to describe the Statue of Liberty, or the Eiffel Tower, to explain how amazing Machu Picchu is. Our tour guide even told us to remember that this isn’t just any ordinary landscape. He told us to remember to pinch yourself, I can now confidently say that Machu Picchu is pretty pinch me.
Ally Sul
I took as many pictures today as I have all of the previous days combined. I have been looking at pictures of the place for nearly 9 years and I finally got the chance to go to this magical place.
Drew Dean
As much as I like pictures, you really have to just sit and soak it in.
Ben Cohen
As cool as the pictures of Machu Picchu are, they can”t do justice to the amazing-ness of seeing in person.
Connor Ireland
Al (our guide) was the highlight of the trip to Machu Picchu telling us many jokes and telling us more about the real beauty of Machu Picchu and going into lengthy detail
Trenton Snyder
The size of Machu Picchu is breath taking. You will see pictures of it, but they don’t show the true size of the place.
Ethan Gaddie
Seeing pictures is not the same as seeing it in person. Pictures do not show the true beauty of Machu Picchu.
Nick Davies
The scale of Machu Picchu is something you have to see for yourself. Pictures just can’t describe it. I also think it was amazing that it was found, as it is so far out of the way of sight for anyone just walking along.
Salvador Good
I was surprise because it was how I expected it to be from all the pictures and so much more. Being there it felt unreal.
Evagelina Ruiz-Chavez
Our guide reminded everyone to stop in the silence for 20 seconds and think of nothing else (not time, hunger, home, significant other, etc. ) just soak in the beauty of the structures nestled in the natural environment.
Angelina Perkins
No matter how hard you try to tell the beauty of your experience, no one will truly know until they see for themselves. Life is a journey, know that your child is enjoying every moment of it.
For that moment in time, we stood free, together….On Top of The World.
Tiffany Saturday
Walking up through the jungle you would never anticipate what you are about to experience. The moment you step through the gate you are transported to a whole new world. Pictures can’t even begin to do justice. Its the kind of moment that you will always remember.
Gary Schmidt
Walking up to Machu Pichu was like a dream. Getting to see the amazing views that you only usually get to see in pictures was completely breathtaking. Seeing everything made me feel like I was in a movie or a dream, words cannot describe the way that I felt.
Caleb Mondi
Being at the top of Machu Picchu was a breathtaking moment. I’ve seen pictures of it but seeing it in person made it 10x better. Its crazy how much detail they put in it! I’m very blessed that I got to see it in person!
Braxton Olson
Trying to comprehend the time invested, planning, astrologically implemented designs, and remoteness of it all was beyond comprehension. Machu Picchu was by far the greatest accomplishment of mankind I have ever had the privilege of seeing.
Seth Israel
Seeing Machu Picchu in person was breathtaking. It felt so different actually seeing something that big and beautiful in person. I’m so grateful I was able to experience the whole thing, including the walking through the jungle just to get there.
Keely English
Click on the picture below to watch the slide show on Machu Picchu
Day 5 Notes- Pottery, shopping and Llama time
Today we left Aguas Calientes at 8:30 and said goodbye the land of Machu Picchu. I did have one more student comment to share with you from last night before I get started on today’s notes-
We had a light breakfast (the lightest yet) that would require snack back-up to help us make it through lunch. We walked down to the train station for our second time through one of the most beautiful train rides in all the world. On this route you go through so many distinct ecological zones-from jungle forest to arid highlands. We arrived back to Ollantaytambo and hopped on our bus to pick up our bags in Urubamba at our old hotel and catch a ceramics demonstration. Pablo Seminario opened a ceramics workshop that is dedicated to researching the history, the designs and the application of techniques from the ancient cultures of Peru (both Incan and Pre-Incan). He and Marilu Behar are working to create a space that continues the ancient ceramic traditions with members of the community. We saw the work space and watched a short video and saw some of the locals demonstrating the techniques. It was an ok interaction for most of the students, but I got lucky as I was exploring Pablo’s personal studio workshop that low and behold who came in…..none other than Pablo himself. He explained some of his ideas and philosophy and he even told me he was an architect in Cusco in the 1970s and early 1980s before he took on this journey. It was very insightful.
After lunch in Urubamba we traveled to the market town of Pisac- Here the students had an hour and a half to wonder the stalls and shops of lots of dealers. Most of the stalls seemed to offer similar stuff but I think everyone was happy with purchases or browsing. My favorite moment is after I discovered a roof top balcony most of the group was soon up there enjoying the backdrop of the Andes and the hustle of the shoppers and merchants. The view was amazing though as the backdrop of the mountain had terraces carved in its side virtually to its peak. On the peak set a stack of Incan ruins. In the twilight sky in one corner we could see the moon and on the other the sun. It was a near perfect moment of collective reflection.
On the way to Cusco we stopped by a Llama farm and learned and feed: Vicuna, Guanaco, Huacaya, Suri, O”ara, and Ch’aku- all members of the llama family with ties to the camel. I did forget to mention that we passed a small town that featured several restaurants that featured deep-fried Guinea Pigs on a stick- all in road side stands. It was an odd site before heading in to Cusco for dinner. Have a good night- Your students are either out for Salsa lessons or watching the NBA playoffs-
We had a light breakfast (the lightest yet) that would require snack back-up to help us make it through lunch. We walked down to the train station for our second time through one of the most beautiful train rides in all the world. On this route you go through so many distinct ecological zones-from jungle forest to arid highlands. We arrived back to Ollantaytambo and hopped on our bus to pick up our bags in Urubamba at our old hotel and catch a ceramics demonstration. Pablo Seminario opened a ceramics workshop that is dedicated to researching the history, the designs and the application of techniques from the ancient cultures of Peru (both Incan and Pre-Incan). He and Marilu Behar are working to create a space that continues the ancient ceramic traditions with members of the community. We saw the work space and watched a short video and saw some of the locals demonstrating the techniques. It was an ok interaction for most of the students, but I got lucky as I was exploring Pablo’s personal studio workshop that low and behold who came in…..none other than Pablo himself. He explained some of his ideas and philosophy and he even told me he was an architect in Cusco in the 1970s and early 1980s before he took on this journey. It was very insightful.
After lunch in Urubamba we traveled to the market town of Pisac- Here the students had an hour and a half to wonder the stalls and shops of lots of dealers. Most of the stalls seemed to offer similar stuff but I think everyone was happy with purchases or browsing. My favorite moment is after I discovered a roof top balcony most of the group was soon up there enjoying the backdrop of the Andes and the hustle of the shoppers and merchants. The view was amazing though as the backdrop of the mountain had terraces carved in its side virtually to its peak. On the peak set a stack of Incan ruins. In the twilight sky in one corner we could see the moon and on the other the sun. It was a near perfect moment of collective reflection.
On the way to Cusco we stopped by a Llama farm and learned and feed: Vicuna, Guanaco, Huacaya, Suri, O”ara, and Ch’aku- all members of the llama family with ties to the camel. I did forget to mention that we passed a small town that featured several restaurants that featured deep-fried Guinea Pigs on a stick- all in road side stands. It was an odd site before heading in to Cusco for dinner. Have a good night- Your students are either out for Salsa lessons or watching the NBA playoffs-
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Day 6 Notes- Return to Cusco
Tonight’s notes will be brief- The group visited a learning center (school) students in need of extra help and support- I will get you the name on a later email- from what I could gather it is sort of like a boys and girls club organization, but here the skills are as basic as teaching and providing kids a place to brush their teeth. Each of our students received a picture from one of the students at the center- there were not a lot of kids present today due to celebrations to be detailed soon- but first the group visited a chocolate factory and one of the highlights here according to the students were the number of free samples they received as well as a little bit go the history of chocolate and chocolate production. From here the group ventured to the city center of Cusco and witnessed more of the fine driving skills of Javier. At the center the group explored the open air markets which are not your average American farmer’s market. They took in about twenty minutes which was a limit for some. Lunch was the next thing the students searched for and a few of our brave ones tried guinea pig with mixed reviews. A large event had many streets blocked in Cusco today. It was some sort of parade that every time I thought I figured out what was going on I would see a group that did not fit my calculations of what was going on- But it was a thing of beauty- Thousands of young people and a few old were marching in groups performing dance and music numbers in very elaborate costumes. It was one of the highlights of my day. The other highlight was being able to spend my birthday with such an amazing group. I could not have had a better day in evening. I am proud to say I know and share great relationships with everyone I am traveling with- thank you to all the people responsible for these people.
On a side note we do have two other groups sharing the hotel with us now and I am happy to say the world is an interesting place.
On a side note we do have two other groups sharing the hotel with us now and I am happy to say the world is an interesting place.
Click Play on the picture below to watch the slide show-
This was an amazing day. I spent my afternoon free-time exploring the central plaza- I walked through the main Cathedral .... add more
Day 7 Notes- Enter the Amazon
Today was an early morning start as we left the hotel in Cusco at 5:20am. You can imagine we had lots of bright and smiley faces. We got to the airport in time but it was close but not as close as our next flight as the security and passport control line was the longest I have ever seen but luckily also one of the fastest moving- We made it out of the big city and were off to the Amazon. We landed in Iquitos about 11:30. This is an interesting town as there are only two ways to get here according to our guide- plane or boat. There are no roads leading to the city as it is surrounded by several great rivers including the Amazon. There are not many cars here so you might think that the traffic would be less chaotic than the other places we visited in Peru but you would be wrong- lots of motor bikes and scooters both the tree wheel and two wheel versions. No rules applied to these roads either. Our guide told us the three major industries in the area are oil, timber, and tourism. The biggest boom historically was the rubber industry which of course left scars typical of colonial legacy. We reached the river and moved to a new form of transportation the boat.
Our lodge was an hour and a half boat ride away and was really cool with all the things that we saw including our boxed lunch which was delicious. Once we got to the lodge and received our rooms we went on a nature walk through the jungle and we saw several interesting things such as the walking palm tree, the poison dart frog, some strange toad that looked like a leaf and the paddle boat tree. At the conclusion we walked to meet a tribal group known as the Yagua (thanks to Emily for tracking down the name) and they performed a couple of welcoming dances including one that involved us as participants. After the dance they brought out the blow-guns and after a demonstration allowed the students to try. They did well. After the demonstration we had an opportunity to shop and you would never guess the number one purchased item- yep- mini blow-guns.
After a great dinner we did an hour long evening boat ride. We saw a number of really cool things including a moth-butterfly, fishing spider and a miniature King Fisher to name a few. The day was good- looking forward to more good stuff as we move forward.
Our lodge was an hour and a half boat ride away and was really cool with all the things that we saw including our boxed lunch which was delicious. Once we got to the lodge and received our rooms we went on a nature walk through the jungle and we saw several interesting things such as the walking palm tree, the poison dart frog, some strange toad that looked like a leaf and the paddle boat tree. At the conclusion we walked to meet a tribal group known as the Yagua (thanks to Emily for tracking down the name) and they performed a couple of welcoming dances including one that involved us as participants. After the dance they brought out the blow-guns and after a demonstration allowed the students to try. They did well. After the demonstration we had an opportunity to shop and you would never guess the number one purchased item- yep- mini blow-guns.
After a great dinner we did an hour long evening boat ride. We saw a number of really cool things including a moth-butterfly, fishing spider and a miniature King Fisher to name a few. The day was good- looking forward to more good stuff as we move forward.
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Day 8 Notes- Piranha, Anteaters and Snakes OH MY!
The Amazon has been amazing for us. Today a group of us were led on an early 6am birdwatching tour- I was proud of how many of our group got up for this optional activity. It is hard to explain the feeling of drifting in a boat at day break with the sounds of the birds and the insects of the Amazon surrounding you. It is a placid and engaging experience at the same the time. The number of birds we saw was amazing and what is more amazing was the ability of our guides to identify the birds sometimes only by the sounds or outlines in the dark skies. We saw parrots, herons, a roadside hawk, black collared hawks, a yellow-bellied caracara, vultures, amazon king fishers, a red capped cardinal, a few Greater Ani, social flycatchers, and more. We also saw also saw a male and female iguana sunning themselves in the tops of two trees- and as we were watching the iguanas a troop of squirrel monkeys came screaming through the trees.
We got back for a wonderful breakfast with the best French toast I have ever had. (sorry mom) Our guides Willie and Raul are fantastic guides who were even more amazing on our afternoon float. We saw were the Napo river merges with Amazon. This is where we saw the river dolphins, both gray and and the pink variety. There was about a five-minute period that our boats were completely surrounded by playful dolphins. There were a couple of huge pink males that emerged from the murky waters as we sat there in the gently rocking boats.
After the dolphins, we made an attempt at interacting with piranha. I use the word interaction because some of us were catching them and a few of us like me were only feeding them. We caught several variety of piranha with the most common being the red bellied piranha. A couple of them were pretty big while many of them had tails that had been nipped off by their friends. Some of us also caught some catfish and trout- again I was involved with feeding said fish. After the fishing option, we headed back to the lodge for the eating option which also involved the fish we just caught. They were delicious.
In route to the fishing hole we came across our first close up visit with a sloth of the three-toe variety. We watched as it slowing moved from branch to branch and finally from tree to tree. This was pretty amazing.
After lunch, we had a brief break. Some of us took naps, some of us relaxed in the hammocks, other played cards and a few played spoons. It was nice.
Our afternoon ride was an experience for all- some good and some bad. Our snake lovers liked it while those that experience anxiety at the mere mention of the word were a tad nervous as we visited and handled a 16-foot Anaconda. For our non-snake people, we had options of holding sloths, anteaters, and a marmoset. You might guess that we had a hard time leaving this spot, but eventually we moved on to hunt for the giant lily-pads. The lake we explored was on an island that was linked to the Amazon during the high-water season by a series of channels. The wildlife viewing was fantastic.
Finally, we had dinner and finished the evening with a night walk. The walk to dinner was a little scary as a tarantula had set up camp next to the door to the dining hall. We would see a couple a more of these on our night walk. The walk was full of cool things to see such as the tailless whip scorpions, the giant land snail and all kinds of bugs. Our guide Wille started to poke sticks into holes and pulling out a variety of tarantulas. It was a perfect way to end a great day.
Update- We get an extra half day in the Amazon as our flight was cancelled and we got to moved back to the 7:30 slot. This puts us in Lima at 9:30 and we have to catch our connector by 11:30 or so- We should
We got back for a wonderful breakfast with the best French toast I have ever had. (sorry mom) Our guides Willie and Raul are fantastic guides who were even more amazing on our afternoon float. We saw were the Napo river merges with Amazon. This is where we saw the river dolphins, both gray and and the pink variety. There was about a five-minute period that our boats were completely surrounded by playful dolphins. There were a couple of huge pink males that emerged from the murky waters as we sat there in the gently rocking boats.
After the dolphins, we made an attempt at interacting with piranha. I use the word interaction because some of us were catching them and a few of us like me were only feeding them. We caught several variety of piranha with the most common being the red bellied piranha. A couple of them were pretty big while many of them had tails that had been nipped off by their friends. Some of us also caught some catfish and trout- again I was involved with feeding said fish. After the fishing option, we headed back to the lodge for the eating option which also involved the fish we just caught. They were delicious.
In route to the fishing hole we came across our first close up visit with a sloth of the three-toe variety. We watched as it slowing moved from branch to branch and finally from tree to tree. This was pretty amazing.
After lunch, we had a brief break. Some of us took naps, some of us relaxed in the hammocks, other played cards and a few played spoons. It was nice.
Our afternoon ride was an experience for all- some good and some bad. Our snake lovers liked it while those that experience anxiety at the mere mention of the word were a tad nervous as we visited and handled a 16-foot Anaconda. For our non-snake people, we had options of holding sloths, anteaters, and a marmoset. You might guess that we had a hard time leaving this spot, but eventually we moved on to hunt for the giant lily-pads. The lake we explored was on an island that was linked to the Amazon during the high-water season by a series of channels. The wildlife viewing was fantastic.
Finally, we had dinner and finished the evening with a night walk. The walk to dinner was a little scary as a tarantula had set up camp next to the door to the dining hall. We would see a couple a more of these on our night walk. The walk was full of cool things to see such as the tailless whip scorpions, the giant land snail and all kinds of bugs. Our guide Wille started to poke sticks into holes and pulling out a variety of tarantulas. It was a perfect way to end a great day.
Update- We get an extra half day in the Amazon as our flight was cancelled and we got to moved back to the 7:30 slot. This puts us in Lima at 9:30 and we have to catch our connector by 11:30 or so- We should
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The students were all in for a surprise when the shed was opened up to reveal a 16 and a half foot anaconda- A few of our students wouldn't get close to the snake-
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Day 9 notes- Last Call
It is hard to believe that this trip is coming to an end Today was an amazing day. It is was so amazing because we had several extra hours in the Amazon and our lodge due to flight cancelations. We visited a school in a small village and before we knew it about half the village of 106 were there looking at us- the strange visitors. We did a meet and greet with the school students. We shared names and information with each other. Our students were surprised by the size of some of the families these students were a part of. Our guide told us family size varies greatly in the country. The Urban areas are much more the smaller family sizes like you would find back in Lawrence. These kids came from very large families. Each group sang a song or two from the other- including our school song. We finished our visit with a soccer match that ended in a shoot-out with Collin putting in the winning score. It was so much fun to play on a soccer field with so many young and old plus a few chickens and a dog. The game had many more smiles and laughs than goals scored but when you think about it that was the goal of the game.
When we returned from the lodge we had a final lunch plus we meet a river dolphin specialist. She is doing research on the pink river dolphin and it was interesting to hear about her data and findings and learn about the huge amount of human stressors on this population.
Our final airport experiences was challenging with long lines and chaos of lack of organization(due to two nights of previous cancelled flights) but we made it through and will arrive in KC by 12:30 and should have luggage by 1:00 at the latest.
Thank you all for participating in this journey. A big thank you for all of the people behind the scenes that helped to make this experience possible for students. AND A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL GUIDES ALONG THE WAY ESPECIALLY ALVARO.
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