Randy bought me a Canon EOS 70D for Christmas and I have just taken it out of the box! I have joined a class at the Ramsey Adult School to help me figure out how to use this technological wonder.

The instructor wants us to set our own aperture, ISO and hmm….can’t remember what else.  Three quarters of the way through the field trip I was told I could use “Auto-Focus” so for most of the experience I was doing EVERYTHING manually. This was quite a feat for this point and shoot gal.

Here are some of my experimental shots. I would appreciate some feedback because I am not a good judge of if the “Three Pillars of Photography” are implemented!

It has been too long since I last blogged and this was meant to be a continued stream of consciousness. Now I realize, that it is hard to create new habits.

I’ll keep it short and hopefully sweet. The Peruvian people are varied…a mix of indigenous and immigrant. I was told all are Mestizos which is a mix. All were proud to share their country yet knew a photo of them was of great value…..a nuevo sol or two so to speak.

Lima, is the capitol of Peru and was the claimed the home city to the explorer Francisco Pizzaro. Sights here are primarily colonial or modern.  Little of the pre-Inca or Inca life is left. The Larco Museum houses some of the Pre-Columbian and Incan treasures.

The Lovers Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The Plaza Mayor…

The Larco Museum….

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The Catedral in Plaza Mayor in Lima…

The Magical Water Fountains….

And I broke the barrier and ate the street food!

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We stayed at a colonial style historic hotel called Casona Colon Inn in Puno. At one time it must have been the best hotel in town. It had beautiful wood trim, paintings and chimaeras.  The breakfast was the best. On our way to the Juliaca airport we drove out to the plains to see some lagos and the pre-Inca tombs of Sullistani. These tombs are conical towers called chullpas. These towers are placed in an area with magnetic powers. The single red rock is a special prayer rock. I left coca leaves and made some very special wishes there……

So, here are my favorite sites of the day. Mariska  was such a happy girl….

Internet and phone service was spotty in Peru for me so I was unable to post everyday as I had hoped. Here I am at home reflecting back on such a fascinating  place and trip.

Our day in Puno was day cruise to several islands in the lake. The first were the Uros Islands which are made of reeds.  Everything is made of tortora reeds: houses, boats, furniture….everything! They even eat the stuff!  We were hosted by a family with Juana as the matriarch. She invited us into her home and offered to have us try her clothes.  I could not resist:

 

Definitely my favorite colors!  Embroidery and other textiles are their main source of income so I had to buy one of Juana’s embroidered pillow cases.

The next island was very different. It was a farming community.  The scenery and the lunch were beautiful. The men wear a specific outfit with their cap indicating their marriage status. The father of the prospective son-in-law inspects the workmanship. If it meets the father’s criteria then the fellow can date his daughter.We ate fresh trout from Lake Titicaca in the open air overlooking the fields of flowers, sheep and quinoa growing.

That evening when we were back ashore we had dinner with a dance show and music.

We also took a walk to the main square.

Sad that tomorrow is the last day in Peru!

We visited Qorikancha, a monastery that was built over an Inca temple. We visited several museums, one of which housed the mummy’s of Inca royalty. Another housed modern art but in the courtyard there was an arts festival of local indigenous people. They were very gracious and insisted we taste their harvest of corn, potatoes and fava beans.

In the evening we had a buffet dinner and tried a Pisco sour and llama stew.  There were Andean musicians and dancers to entertain us as we dined.

Made it to Machu Picchu TODAY! I am thrilled beyond belief….the rain was on & off but only made the day mores special. Having lunch in Aguacaliente which is the modern city in the valley where the train back to Cusco departs in a few minutes…..More to come…. 

   

We left Cusco city today with a very small tour group going down the mountain into the valley toward Machu Picchu. On the way we saw lots of farming, alpacas & Incan ruins. 

Tonight we are staying in Ollytatambo which is one of the ancient Incan cities still inhabited in its original city walls. The in and had running water in their cities! There is running water in canals on almost every street. I can hear the water right outside the room…how peaceful.

Today we climbed up to the Temple of the Sun. The seasons were read by where the sun rose over the mountain. The Incans worshipped the sun, the water, the earth and the rainbow because of their gifts & beauty the bought the earth. 

Tomorrow we are off to Machu Picchu….a dream come true.  

   
    
 

Surrounded by mountains filled with Incan ruins and farmland, is the bustling ancient city of Cusco.  Cusco was once the capital of the Incan Empire and they considered it the belly button of the world.  The elevation in the city is about 10,900 ft. above sea level and the surrounding hills go to an even higher elevation. There are free coca leaves in baskets and urns of coca tea everywhere to consume to deal with adjusting to the altitude. Sorrochi pills, canisters and tanks of oxygen are available for those that are really having trouble adjusting.

The architecture and history of the city is varied. We had a city tour that showed us sights in and outside the city on our first day.  We got a first glimpse of the unique and amazing stonework of the Incas.

We stayed at the charming Amaru Hostal which was in a prime location. It is located on a cobble stone street the hillside from the Plaza de Armas up to the artsy San Blas neighborhood.  We walked down the Hatunrumiyoc street which means huge rocks laid by the Incas.  There was once an Incan nobel’s home there but the Spaniards built their Catholic Bishop’s palace over this site. Sadly, the Spaniards destroyed many of the Inca temples in their efforts to banish what they considered a pagan religion.

Here is the Plaza de Armas and the cathedral, Inglesia del Triunfo and Inglesia de Jesus Maria.

We headed to the hills to see the remains of Incan temples.  The Inca worshipped the Father Sun,Mother Earth (Pachamama), the rain and the rainbow. The Condor represented the life in the sky, the puma represented life that walked on the land, and the snake represented life under the earth.  These symbols were found in all holy places.  The solstices were measured by the sun and the stars and celebrated.

 

It is so wonderful to be reunited with my friend Cindy in such a new and different place! She is taking very good care of me with her Facility with the Spanish language & travel expertise. 

Today I walked for the first time through this varied city south of the equator. So many different neighborhoods! 

We went to the Larco Museum which houses ancient Incan artifacts going back to 1300 BC. The garden was stunning! 

The sunset view of the Pacific Ocean is from a cliff just outside our hotel.