Viva El Peru, Carajo!

We spent the past two weeks in a town called Pisco, about four hours south of Lima on the Peruvian coast, volunteering with an organization called Pisco Sin Fronteras.  There was a devastating earthquake here in 2007 (8.0 on the Richter scale, lasting three minutes) which killed over 500 people.  PSF has been here ever since, building and rebuilding homes, working in schools and spearheading a variety of community outreach programs.  The organization is pretty much run by the volunteers.  Everyone chips in each day with cooking and/or cleaning chores, and comes up with fun and interesting ways to raise money "para los ninos".  We worked hard and had a lot of fun, helping with everything from building modular homes to teaching English.      

www.piscosinfronteras.org  They could always use help.  Money is nice, but even if you have any used (and functioning) tools, whether they be garden gloves or skill saws, send 'em on down. 

Julie helped paint this anti-bullying mural on a wall outside a school.  Immediately after she finished, some kids came over and started teasing her.

Dave and Paul wrecking stuff. 

Pisco, Peru at sunset

Can't believe it's Halloween already!  And of course, it's been a while since we've posted anything.  We crossed into Ecuador from Colombia back on August 31st, and caught up with our catermaran buddies Luke, Ruth and Jen in Quito. After exploring the city a bit we made our way to the Galapagos.

Quito, Ecuador

The old balance-an-egg-on-a-nail trick at the equator museum.  Other experiments included seeing water go straight down the sink instead of clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Latitude: 0-0'0"

The Galapagos Islands are truly unbelievable.  It sounds cliche and you've heard it all before, but here we go anyway: we swam with sea lions and turtles and sharks (!), hung out with marine iguanas, giant tortoises and more sea lions, and saw all kinds of funky birds including blue-footed boobies (blue feet!), flamingos, pelicans, huge albatross (remember Orville from The Rescuers?) and magnificent frigatebirds puffing out their red chests and looking for love.  Unreal. 

Magnificant Frigatebird, puffing out his chest to attract the ladies. 

Blue Feet!

Marine Iguana swimming back to shore after chowing down on some algae

Continuing South, we stopped in a very cool town called Cuenca.  Not as bustling or commerical as Quito, Cuenca reminded us of Xela, Guatemala (the first stop on our travels back in March) and it gave us a better glimpse of Ecuadorian culture. 

a tribute to horse-shoe makers in old town Cuenca

Our friend Katie had lived and studied in Cuenca years back. She put us in touch with a co-worker, Elizabeth, who grew up in Cuenca.  Elizabeth then put us in touch with her father, Juan!   Juan went above and beyond to make us feel welcome.  He picked us up from our hostel, gave us a tour of the city and the family farm (where he had a killer collection of saddles, boots, and bull-fighting memorabilia), and took us for a hike through a national park.  Later, he invited us to lunch with his family followed by late afternoon coffee, cake and songs on his guitar!  Although we are having fun on the road, we haven't spent time with (any) family in a long time, so our day with Juan really made our visit to Cuenca special.   

Julie and Juan in Parque Nacional Cajas, near Cuenca, Ecuador

Juan's newest farm hands

After Cuenca, we spent a few days in Vilcambamba before catching a bus over what other travelers told us was the "most laid back border crossing in South America".  We thought this meant that we would be free to ride our machines without being hassled by The Man, but it actually meant that it was the most unorganized and messy border crossing in South America.  The crossing officer was also the owner of the local mini market, the only mechanic and cop in town, and the village idiot -- and nobody knew where he was.  They directed us to his house, where he answered the door and told us he was on his lunch break.  This gave us an opportunity to...wait. 

Next, we get dropped off in a town called San Ignacio (don't ever go) where we have no choice but to spend the night.  Next morning, bright and early, we take a minibus, moto taxi, and two collectivos (a collectivo is basically a station wagon with nine passengers squeezed in, not counting the driver, who, come to think of it, might have been the border crossing guy from the previous day) to Chachapoyas.  On the way there, we run into a major construction roadblock -- nobody is allowed to pass for at least three hours.  All of the sudden a mini van pulls up in front of every car waiting in line.  Our driver inquires, hurries back, and tells us to load our stuff into the min van: we're getting through!  We pile into the van.  Then Julie, white as a ghost, points out that we are squeezed in with, and pretty much sitting on top of, a coffin!  We'll tell you the rest in person.  Better yet, let your imagination run wild.  It is Halloween, after all.

Vilcambamba, Ecuador

Chachapoyas (or Chacha) is a quaint little town in the northern highlands, surrounded by cloud forest, and it was a godsend after border-crossing hell.  It also gave us an opportunity to explore Kuelap, which is the largest stone structure in South America and known as "Machu Picchu of the North."   The Chachapoyas  ("people of the clouds") were, apparently, fierce warriors.  They were one of the last tribes to stave off the Incas during their expansion, due in large part to Kuelap's inaccessabilty high up in the cloud forest, the 40 foots walls surrounding the village, and a narrow entranceway that forced their attackers into single files, making them easy to defeat.       

Even cooler about Kuelap is that hardly anyone ever visits.  We were the only gringos.  The other tourists were a bunch of local school kids who had the day off for the first day of Spring (September 22nd).  They actually took pictures of us !   

view of the Utcubamba Valley from Kuelap, Peru

tomar fotos de la gringa alta

A brief visit to Trujillo and a stop-over for a couple of days of beach time in Huanchaco, turned into five or six days -- we can't remember.  We do remember that we love the ocean and it's always tough to move on. 

Trujillo, Peru

Inca Cola: it tastes as disgusting as it looks

Huanchaco, Peru

fisherman still use these narrow reed boats nicknamed caballitos de tortora (little horses)

We did eventually move on to Huaraz (at 10,000 feet) for an awesome four day trek through tiny villages and past beautiful lakes and massive peaks in the Cordillera Blanca.  In town, we noshed at the awesome outdoor markets and found a brewery owned by a Steamboat Springs beer geek. 

village along the Santa Cruz trek 

 Lagunas Ichiccocha y Jatuncocha

chicas representan: Denver, Antwerp, Paris y Barcelona

Punta Union, 15,617 feet 

"Paramount Pictures presents..."    Mount Artesonraju

streets of Huaraz

still gross

After sampling some nice beers at Sierra Andina Brewing Company, we hopped on a night bus to Lima and sampled some amazing grub.   Peru's capital wins hands down for street food in South America (beating out even Cartagena, which we thought impossible).  Fresh ceviche, oh so tender anticuchos (beef hearts on skewers), sweet turrones and sandwhiches of roast pork, turkey and llama meat piled high on East Coast syle rolls.  Delicioso!  The people were very cool and the Pisco Sours weren't bad either.


busted in Lima



On our way out of Pisco, we got our first real taste of an earthquake (6.9) that only lasted seconds and, although it was enough to freak everyone out, nobody was hurt.  We arrived in Cusco late last night, and are now on our way out to help the Peruvians celebrate All Hallow's Eve.  There's no place like home, but we'll make do.

Feliz Halloween!