Huanchaco, Peru

Lalya, Laura, and Jordan....awesome girls from Cali




Perro caught in fishermans line

The caballitos that the fisherman use

Cooking arroz de leche

Arroz de leche con pasas..so yummy

We got in to Huanchaco this morning after an overnight bus from Huaraz and we walked along the beach. The sun finally peaked out for a few hours. Its a tiny town with lots of character. You can walk from one end to the other in 20 minutes.

We are now staying at Casa Suiza at the North end of the beach...but we walked by Hostal Naylamp today during out tour and took a look. Its at the south end of the beach and is much much more backpacker friendly with a huge courtyard, pet turtles, hammocks for all, and a secure area for those with their own tents for 10 soles (3 USD) and a fire pit. We have our own tent so its a sweet deal. Its also right across the street from the beach.

SO we made reservations and we are picking up and walking there in the morning. Libby says she will teach me how to surf, so when its sunny and warm out were going to rent our wet suits and hit the water. Huanchaco is known for its fisherman going out in caballitos made of straw. They look like a hybrid btw kayaks and elves shoes.

So, today we sat along the wall on the beach, drank a cusquena (the beer of Peru), talked with an older woman who has lived in this town her whole life, and watched fisherman bring in their catch. They were surrounded by locals trying to buy the fresh catch. There were baskets of crab, corvina, all sorts of fish fighting to get back into the water. The fisherman were all older men, barefoot, and full of smiles as they sorted their finds.

A few hours later in the day, those same men were napping under their caballitos in the sand. For dinner, we went by a hole-in-the-wall restaurant recommended by these locals (we ask the locals lots of questions) where they had a few tables, live folklorica music with a man and his acoustic guitar, and a parilla, a huge outside grill. We ordered corvina with pinneapple and it was so delicious. Tenka, our eager server, said it was caught hours ago. It was the best meal I have eaten since I got to Peru (for $8). ´

We have been hanging out with these 3 Americanas, Lalya, Jordan, and Laura from California. We made homemade arroz de leche lastnight. SOOOO good. Rice pudding. I couldnt stop eating it. By the time we had all eaten the whole pot of it, we were sick. Then I woke up craving it again this morning. Tonight, were thinking pancakes or chocolate fondue!!! I love food.

Tomorrow or the next day, Libby and I are heading south to Trujillo (12km) to check out their annual festival downtown. We have heard theres lots of traditional dance and costumes involved. Well see.

Getting a little lost ouside of Huaraz, Peru

Saturday, September 18

We wanted to go to these Incan ruins today so we waited a while for the combis (local mini buses) at the bus station. It never came so we shared a cab with a local Andean couple. On the ride I told them where we were trying to go to the Ruinas de Wilcahuain and the woman told Libby we were going the wrong way and the taxi driver stopped the car in the middle of the road between the town of Huaraz and Monterrey (8km away) and they all told us to get out and follow this trail right up this steep hill they were all pointing to off the road. So we did.

The trail went up and up for alomost an hour and we didn't really have a clue where we were going but the trail was beautiful tucked behind white eucalyptus trees and small houses. So we stopped at this house where two old men and one very old woman were outside talking. The old woman didnt respond to Libby. We think she was blind because she didnt seem to notice us. There were all these tiny puppies running around. A woman breastfeeding a young girl stood in the doorway smiling and laughing at us gringas wandering around in their backyard. The old man, Rudolfo, told us directions so we continued back up the so called trail. If we would pass someone in their yard, to make sure they wouldnt get freaked out we would ask them for directions, which way to the ruins.It was a beautiful trail.

We didnt pass many people, but those we sawe were mainly farmers. All were very nice and seemed confused as to why we were there. By this point, were were accustomed to being ñaughed at.- So we started to get into a more populated area another hour later and this blue VW bug comes puttin´ down the gravel road. He slowed down when he got next to us and we realized it was the same old man, Rudolfo, who had given us directions earlier. He laughed at us and told us we didn't know what we were doing and that he would drive us to where we could catch the combis to the Ruinas. So we got into his old bug and coasted down the road. He was really nice and took us all the way to the right bus stop. He was a retired math professor and he was so sweet!

The combis here are little vans that a million people cram into. When one that didn't look too crammed finally passed we got in and everyone was laughing at us and telling us where to sit. Libby crammed herself between this old man and woman and I sat on her lap. About 30 minutes of putting up this steep dusty hill, we got off at the ruins de Wilcahauin yay! we talked awhile with the guy collecting money for the ruins and his 8 yr old friend, Miguel followed us into the ruins and offered to give us a tour for a tip of course. He was so good. Without him the ruins would have just been a bunch of empty tombs. He described everything very well. He said he'd been doing this for 5 years now. So I don't know how old he was, but he looked really young, maybe 8. We left the ruins in another bus and went back to town. It's so cool here up in the country. It's just a bunch of farms, farmers, sheep, pigs, dogs, little kids and gravel roads. Everyone is so friendly.

Huaraz, Peru

September 14

We spent 9 hours northbound on a bus lastnight from Lima to Huaraz. The ride was like nothing I have ever seen. We passed though the desert Andes and then ended our trek in white capped glacier mountains. The route followed the Pacific Coast line for much of the trip. I had never before been on a road tucked between the view of the ocean and mountains.

We got in fairly late, checked into our hostel, Albergue Churup Hostel. It is run by a local family and they dont speak English. Its nice not being in a hostel where everything is in English. Libbys Spanish is improving daily. She gets really excited to speak with the locals. For 25 soles ($8 USD), we have a cozy room to ourselves, kitchen, fireplace, internet, living room with another fireplace, and a sunny courtyard and the owners and staff seem all too willing to get you hooked up on a guide to hike Cordillera Blanca or mountain biking.

There is so much to do here, from what I have read in the short time i have been here. We got in late and walked down the street to find some food and ended up at this chill little dive that served wood fired pizza and really cold beer. mmhmmmm! Gustavo a young peruvian who worked there also gave us tips as where to get the best hiking. Meanwhile the restaurant gatito, little kitten, was nestled in my lap. We both started feeling dizzy and headachy..no the guys at the place didnt slip something in our drinks...we were feeling typical altitude sickness. Asheville is at 2,300 meters above sea level, Huaraz is between 5,000_6,000. Today we both feel alittle better, but the mate de coca tea we had for breakfast is helping! Its tea made from the coca leaf and helps altitude sickness and is tasty.

We are heading down to the plaza ..Huaraz is a chill little town with hardly any tourists at all...to find breakfast and a sweater! I think we{ll be here for awhile. On the outskirts of town there are indigenous quechua speaking communities that wear traditional dress and English bowlers hats.

The market during the day is filled with colorful fruits, vegetables, and meats (swarming with busy flies). The majority of the locals with their produce were older women, sitting and talking with one another. They dont seem to pay much attention to us. I prefer that over constantly being sold something like I am a tourist. I wish I could have taken more photos of the beautiful Andean women with my eyes, but I cant and always having your camera out isolated me fron talking to the people.

Starting in Peru

I am traveling South America with my good friend, Libby. My bank account allows me to travel for about 3 months. We have no plans except to arrive in Lima, Peru.

We arrived in Lima on the evening of September 10th. After a long day of travel, we checked in to The Point. Its not the coziest hostel every, but it doesnt encourage much exploration beyond the hostel living room and bar. Lima is not the prettiest town.

Every taxi ride here in Lima has been very scary, its like they are all playing bumper cars...really they bump eachothers bumpers, honk, and cut off on the regular! So, Libby and I are completely unprepared for the weather in this part of South Americais cold. Very cold. The warmest thing I have is a fleece. Right now I am wearing boots, jeans (with holes in them), and my fleece. During the day, its chilly and at night im lucky I have blankets. If we go any further south, Im going to have to invest in an Alpaca sweater and scarf. Or, I may head North to Colombia and el sol

!About that....Libby and I have talked to many people here at the hostel everyone from the backpackers to the Peruvians working here, they all have different suggestions as where to go next. We dont know whether to start north or south!! We now have 2 contacts in Lima. The first is Libby's good friend Molly-her Uncle Kevin Flaherty. He has lived in Peru off and on for 25 years teaching and doing mission work. He took us out to lunch and was so unbelievably helpful. He is a scholar. He told us about the history of the country, its politics. He told us where he recommended going and where to go and how to get there safely. We were loaded with so much valuable information today.

I left feeling alittle nervous about being in a place and not understanding what hardships most the people endure on a daily basis and how to enjoy myself in this country with respect to the people and their land while being extremely careful and resourceful. I dont know if I quite understand yet. He gave us his number and email and told us to contact him for anything. I will ask him if its alright to give his info to you all.The other contact is Jeannette. She is the cousin of Sarahs co-worker Maria Segura. She is american, living in Lima. We are having coffee tomorrow.

Look at a map of peru, this will make more sense.....A young swedish couple here just got back from the jungle up north, called Iquitos. They had a great time. Took a plane to Yurimaguas, then a 3-day boat. Stayed in hammocks on the 3-level boat and hiked in the jungle. Apparently its WARM there too!!! woohoo.Then everyone is telling us we absolutely have to go south to Arequipa for moutain biking, hiking, ...then spend at least a week in Cuzco which apparently is a cultural mecca.We dont know and we plan on hanging out in Lima until we decide. Neither of us feel sure of either direction. On one hand, we would like to travel towards the equator, on the other, we might as well suck it up and see it all. We may just flip a coin in a few days.

There is even a chance I will work with an org. called 'Properu' for a week or two then travel north and then take a flight to Colombia or Panama!!! I can do whatever I want! But I only have enough money for a few months, so I need to make a decision.

The water purifier and insect repellant are the only logical things I brought. It rocks! I can drink out of the faucet. I would trade all my tank tops and shorts for one of my many scarves!! Anything else....yeah, whether they are Irish, Swedish, South African, or German they want Obama to win!!! For many reasons, but everyone is following this elections. They all say its extremely important for their country.