Santa Cruz Trek in Pictures

Alpamayo (the peak on the right) at sunrise.

The scenery on the way to the high point of the trek.

The high point of the trek and Talluraju in the background.

Us, with Talluraju behind.

A condor flying above us. These birds are like small airplanes. They have wingspans of 15+ feet! We were incredibly lucky to see a group of them fly right over us.

The Quebrada Santa Cruz.

One of the donkeys that carried our gear.

Kim walking along the Quebrada... lindazo!

Alpamayo in the background and mountains across the valley in Kim´s glasses.

Lupine... the flower and the person (Kim´s outdoor school name).

Sleeping while we can get it.

It was sad leaving Trujillo. I cried. There are so many good memories. I´m missing strange, everyday things:

· Eugenia´s home cooking
· The combi drivers who took me to Huanchaquito every day: ¨La A, la A. HuanCHAgo! HuanCHAgo! Vas? Sube, sube, sube. Spera, spera, spera. DaLE!¨ That was the money collector´s way of communicating with the driver. ¨Dale¨ means give it, or hit it so the driver knows when he can start again. I think I´ll bring that term to the Lake to tell Dad or Uncle Bill to start driving the boat while waterskiing...
· I miss lots of the things my students used to say, like Fiorela´s counting: ¨Uno, dos, tres, cuatro... cINco... dos?¨ or Angel after I gave him his midday snack, ¨Plofesola! Glacias¨ or Diego´s singing when he got too antsy in his seat.

At the same time, it was awesome to arrive in Huaraz with friends to welcome us. One hike down (see Brian´s previous post) and we have a 4 day hike coming up tomorrow. I don´t think I´ve every even camped for more than 4 days... but I´m starting to like this whole hiking thing. We´re even thinking of heading up to some snowy areas.

It´s beautiful here. We have about 8 more days, and then LAURA COMES! This trip is going to be awesome!

To be continued.......

Poem for Churup

We tried it once in March

And the lake was not to be.

Rain, thunder, altitude and time in our way.

Now we are back in May.

Bluer than blue skies.

Nevada Churup rising high above us.

The lake a brillant blue-green.

Mountain air thin and fresh.

Feeling alive!

A great hike, a great day.

Que lindo: Churup

Back In Huaraz!

After two nights on buses we made it to Huaraz this morning. Our friends Teo and Rex picked us up from the bus station and we ate breakfast with the view of the Cordillera Blanca in the picture above. We even have the same room we stayed in last time we were here!

Kuelap in Pictures

On Monday through Wednesday we went to Chachapoyas and visited La Fortaleza (Fortress) de Kuelap. It was incredibleand as impressive as Macchu Pichu. An amazing ruin of a very interesting culture, and there were barely any tourists (we saw less than 20). There is too much to write about right now, so hopefully the pictures tell part of the story.

Kim at the base of the incredibly high fortress walls.

Ruins, cloud forest, and llamas inside Kuelap... que fuerte!

Kim and Brian waving from an old window.

Kim in the main entrance to Kuelap. It narrows down to only fit one person at a time and was used to fend off invaders.

A puma inscribed in one of the bricks in the entrance.


In front of the main entrance to Kuelap.

The sky in Chachapoyas.

Chao Tortas

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

We´ve said goodbye to our Peruvian home and friends in good fashion: stretching out our goodbye party over 2 nights. We´ve found a wonderful community in Trujillo and while we can´t wait for our travels to start, it was hard saying goodbye to everyone: the kids especially. While our role in their lives was small, we were able to make small, positive changes. The kids in my class now play games that I learned at Outdoor School like ¨Rock, Paper, Scissors, Splits¨ and ¨Evolution¨. I learned a ton from the kids and I hope the best for them: Jorge Luis the artist, Sergio the poet, Manuel the comedian, Fiorela the independent-six-year-old (she may end up president of Peru one day... once she finally starts to recognize the numbers 3 and 7), Diego the scientist and Julissa the artisan worker. So much potential. Then there´s Erika and Cintia - the biggest challenges of the class. They need more help than I was able to give... while they were total pains in the patoot, they were also the hardest to say goodbye to. They have a tough road ahead of them. The class is being left in great hands, however: a commited teacher and good friend, Deisy; and a Canadian volunteer, Ivanka, whose energy, non-profit experience and brains are the amazing combo to keep the class in shape. I´m excited to hear about how the class comes along in the future.

I guess that´s it. During our last week in Trujillo, Brian and I tried as many cakes from Amaretto as possible, ate at our chicken sandwich place almost every day, and finally tried all the flavors of ice cream at our Huanchaco ice cream spot. I know Dad: ¨A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips¨... but hey - Brian and I are doing a 5-6 day trek here in a couple days so I figure I should pack on the calories while I still can. Mmmm.

Chao y Gracias

Our going away party! Party decorations, Aji de Gallina, Torta de Tres Leches, corsages in American flag colors, and hats identical to the ones that Señor Bruce himself wears every day. Dinner followed, of course, by dancing: it was quite the party.

We´ve made some amazing friends.

Pelo Bonito

"Best Hair" 2001 Libertyville High School

(See comments in this blog from a couple days ago)

Happy Mother´s Day From Cajamarca

Plaza de Armas, Cajamarca

This weekend we decided to check out Cajamarca. It is about a 7 hour bus ride into the mountains northeast of Trujillo. We arrived early Saturday morning and read about the sights to see around Cajamarca, and quickly learned there is a lot of history. Our first stops were to check out the colonial church and hospitals of Belen. We hired a guide (in Spanish) and it was very helpful to learn a bit more about the history. Our last stop of the morning was the El Cuarto del Rescate (¨Ransom Room). This is where the Incan king, Atahaulpa, was held ransom for gold and silver. The Spanish conquistadors captured Atahaulpa in Cajamarca. The history of the Spanish conquest and downfall of the Incan Empire is fascinating and it began right in Cajamarca. Here is a link if you want to read more (we recommend it!).

After grabbing a snack we hopped on a micro to the Baños del Inca. This is where Atahaulpa was before being lured to meet with the Spaniards in Cajamarca. Now it is a complex of different rooms with hot water from natural springs directed into bathtubs. It was amazing. We soaked for about an hour. Next we went for an hour long walk through the countryside to the pre-Incan ruins of Ventanillas del Otuzco. These were burial sites carved into a cliff face. It was interesting and the walk there was a lot of fun. We really appreciated being able to speak Spanish because we asked for directions about 8 times. It was a great day.

Today we woke up early and booked a tour to Cumbe Mayo. This is another pre-Incan archeologic site located about 12 miles from the city of Cajamarca. It consists of an aqueduct that strectches for 9 kilometers. There is not a lack of water in Cajamarca. The aqueduct was made for ceremonial purposes. Much of the 9 kilometer aqueduct was cut into rock! Once we got back to Cajamarca we decided since we are only here once we should take advantage of it. So we went back the to the hot springs at the Inca Baths (after calling our Mom´s, of course). The rest of the day was spent walking around Cajamarca. This town is really nice. Tons of history and archeology, cheap, and barely any tourists. In a few hours we´ll be heading back to Trujillo for our last week of volunteering.

Here are some pictures from today. We hope everyone had a great Mother´s Day.

Pre-Incan petroglyphs on the aqueduct at Cumbe Mayo.

Colonial church on the Plaza de Armas.

A rainbow at sunset!

Sunset on the street.

Recent Developments

Here are some new developments in photos:

My class in Huanchaquito. As my life changes, so does theirs. I´m learning a lot from these kids.

Brian and I finally saw the famous and enormous Chimu ruins, Chan Chan.

Brian picked up a new sport... Sandboarding!

It´s a lot colder. Pobresita Arenita...

One other good one: Brian has picked up the nickname of Pelo Bonito, or Beautiful hair. Hilarious. I´m sure you all can imagine how that got started. I can´t wait to see what a beauty he´ll be in 2 months! (Marla: it might be a good idea to set an appointment with Maria for when Brian gets back...)

As for me...

Mancora changed me. Surrounded by hippies and beach, I felt that I was being taken back to my Oregon roots: a local down the road weaved my hair into dreads and in one of the street markets, I had a local ink artist tattoo a hibiscus on my lower back. I feel great. Happy Mother´s Day, Mom!

Just kidding!

Really, things are pretty normal around here. I thought of the title ¨Recent Developments¨ back when it felt like everything was changing: our mentor, friend, and faithful leader Bart retired from his position as Volunteer Director to move on to new projects in Buenas Aires with his lovely lady Marjiolijn; Brian and I decided to stay in Trujillo for 2 more weeks after a kind invitation from Bruce himself; I turned 24; and a new wave of volunteers were on their way.

Now, our two weeks are almost up. The new (and fantastic) volunteers are here and working hard. And Brian is now running the show as our Director (he has to have a cell phone - haha!). Things are good. The only major development lately with me is that I did get my hair cut: 4 soles, 10 minutes, and a free chocolate bar. Awesome.

Still, as our time is running down, ideas are flowing like never before.

· We´ve started a guest/guide book in Bruce Peru: a work in progress of sorts. Brian and I have written down some of the tips and cool places we´ve learned about while we´ve been here with the hopes that future volunteers will use these pages to get to know the city better and then add pages of their own. Additionally, when we leave, we´ll write a little blurb about how much we love the place.
· Brian and I are working on a manual for future volunteers and staff to use as a reference. It´s fun to think back and figure out the clearest way to communicate all that we have learned over the past two months.
· We´re also working on developing a project in Huanchaco that would hopefully develope a sustainable, local tourist industry and help the local fishermen and farmers to develop the Huanchaco food market. We´re hoping to do something like the initiatives in Ballard or around Portland where a store could put a sticker in their window that says that they promise to buy products from the local workers. We´ve hooked up with some locals who are also interested in the idea and are hoping that the enthusiasm continues.

That´s about that, I suppose. I´m appreciating more and more everyday the great community we´ve developed around us here in Trujillo. However, my mind will still drift to images of New Seasons Market in Portland, or Greenlake in Seattle, or even my white pants that my mom and I found at Anthropology right before I left on this trip. Cultus Lake, the hanging out with the Sanders family in Seattle, Lydia´s wedding, and other summer excursions are also lingering in my mind in anticipation.

We still have so much to see and learn on this trip and I truly can´t wait for it! Laura´s coming to travel with us in Arequipa and Lake Titicaca; we´ll have another tour though Huaraz (yes!), and then many more surprises to come once we´re in Bolivia. Still, when the time comes, I think I will be ready for the comforts and familiarity of the Northwest, as well as the future opportunities of applying all that I have learned here to more local and personal projects.

As a side note, here´s a recommendation for a fantastic book that Brian and I have been reading (Thanks Donee for leaving it in Bolivia!):
· Whispering in the Giant´s Ear by William Powers. A great read regarding the changing global economy though the eyes of Bolivia.

Ecuador (very briefly) and Mancora

This past Thursday was a ferriado (holiday) in Peru, so we had a four day weekend to do a bit of travelling. We needed to extend our Peruvian visas, and the easiest way is to leave the country and return. So Wednesday night we set out from Trujillo via an overnight bus to Tumbes (about 30 km from the Ecuadorian border).

We heard different stories on what the protocol is for extending our visas. The most reliable sources at Bruce Peru seemed to agree that you have to spend one day in Ecuador before returning to Peru. Everyone, including the Lonely Planet, warned that this particular border crossings is a bit sketchy. So the plan was to spend a night in Guaycuil, Ecuador. But our plans began to change when the moto-taxi we flagged down in Tumbes took us to the border contrary to our request to take us to a bus station in town. The driver told us a bunch of lies saying that the bus station we were looking for in Tumbes didn't exist, etc., and we ended up taking the expensive way to the border (not by choice). The good news is that we spoke to the Peruvian migration officier and found out we were allowed to get both exit and entry stamps (and new visas) in the same day.

We made our way to the Ecuadorian migration office, a few kilometers from the actual border, got our passports stamped a couple times and were crossing back into Peru within a half hour. The border town was interesting. There is free trade between Ecuador and Peru, so there were carts stacked high with all sorts of fruits: bananas, mangos, pineapples, and more. We found a cheap colectivo to take us back to Tumbes and he even stopped and waited for us at the Peruvian migration office. By 11:30 am we had new visas and were back in Tumbes.

(Here is a picture of the border. Peru on the left and Ecuador on the right, with a really horribly contaminated stream in between.)

We quickly grabbed a combi from Tumbes and within two hours were in Mancora. According to the Lonely Planet Mancora is Peru's "worst kept secret". It is the most "resorty" town along the north coast of Peru. I also happened to see an article in today's New York Times about Mancora (check out this link), so it isn't getting any less popular! We quickly found out why this is an attractive spot for backpacking travellers and Peruvian tourists.

The beaches are beautiful and the Pacific is warm in Mancora. The water is crystal clear and the weather is hot. It feels more tropical than any other place we have visited in Peru. We were lucky to get a place to stay at Laguana Camp. It is a hostal that is comprised of different bungalows, hammocks everywhere, and a really layed back owner who we chatted with a lot. Here are the highlights of our two and a half days in Mancora.

• Having fresh squeezed juice with meals. All the restaurants served homemade juice and it came in a small pitcher with a straw for about 4 soles ($1.50). The fruits in season were papaya, pineapple, banana, orange, passionfruit, and others... yummy!
• The beaches: white sand, swimming, surfing, beautiful sunsets, and even some decent people watching. The only downside: we both got a bit sunburned yesterday.
• Hanging out with Eduardo (owner of Laguna Camp) and chatting about random subjects in hammocks and around bonfires while drinking a few beers. The Laguna Camp was away from the busy Panamerican Highway where parties in the street and semi-trucks passing through somehow co-exist. The only sounds we heard were the waves.
• Eating fresh fruit on the beach. One morning we had bananas, mandarins and the best mango ever. We were covered in as much juice as we were sunscreen and we didn't care. The mango tasted like a dessert for breakfast.

Mancora was nice but in our minds Huanchaco (our local beach near Trujillo) is more our style. We loved the warm water and tropical climate, but Mancora is a bit more of a tourist trap. You have to be more on the lookout for people trying to rip you off. And after many weekends in Huanchaco we have friends and our favorite places, which makes it a special spot.

Brian after some surfing.

A gecko friend we found in our bungalow.

Another beautiful sunset.