Ay caramba

As I begin my third week in Chile, I am finally, finally getting around to updating this thing. In my defense, the photos from my last weeks in Peru have been locked up on a dead computer since I last posted, and it didn't seem to make much sense to update this without catching up on Machu Picchu, Puno, Lake Titicaca, and Arequipa.

SO. Here we go.

Out of concern that you did not get the full cuy experience...

Splitting one three ways was definitely the way to go. And to be honest, I let Patrick and Christine carry the bulk of the burden. We softened the experience with a plate of alpaca (delicious).

 But it was still fairly gruesome all around.

Almost everyone goes to Machu Picchu via train. Christine and I decided to go the cheaper and more adventurous route of "by car" (meaning by creepy uncomfortable white van). We failed to foresee the difficulties of a 9 hour car ride through winding mountain roads, and how this might affect fellow passengers with weak stomachs. Oh well; we made it to Aguas Calientes in the end, and woke up at 3:45 AM the next morning to get in line to take the bus up the mountain.

 The morning started out foggy and chilly, but cleared and warmed up later on in the day.

 The money shot. The mountain behind the city is Wayna Picchu and the reason we woke up so early--only the first 400 people in the gate each morning get to climb it. I only made it halfway up before we had to head back to our sad little van, but it was beautiful all the same.

 Goals for next time, if I am so lucky: (1) Take the train, and (2) summit the mountain.

Five of us from the TEFL program hopped a night bus down to Puno to see Lake Titicaca. Here we are at the beginning of our adventure: Christine, me, Keith, Patrick, and Katharine.

 First stop were the floating islands of Uro, man-made islands formed from something like peat covered with reeds. Apparently once a storm blew the islands into Bolivia, which caused all kinds of problems because the inhabitants didn't have visas. The islands are anchored now, however.

Our boat in between islands:

 After Uro, we hopped back on our (normal) boat and headed to Amantani Island, where we stayed the night with a host family. According to everything I'd heard, we were to expect freezing, freezing cold, no running water, and no electricity. Much of that was true, but we had an electric light in our bedroom. That felt like cheating. The danger that no one else seems to have reported lies in the cuisine on the island. After a month in Peru, we were all pretty tired of two things: rice and potatos. What did we have for lunch on the island but a slice of fried cheese (delicious) and a plate of potatos. At this distance it looks delicious again, but it was a tough meal for everyone involved.

 Ladies knitting and spinning wool. I would do fairly well here, I think.

 We climbed to the highest point of Amantani (an Incan temple to Pacha Tata, Father Earth) for the sunset.

 The next morning, we went to Taquile (note: not Tequila) Island for a delicious lunch of lake trout. Here I am with my new best friend.

 And then we headed back to Puno. There must have been some huge celebration--this street dance/procession/parade/whatever lasted the entire 6 hours we were in town that evening, with no sign of stopping as we caught our 10 PM bus to Arequipa.

 Arequipa is beautiful. It is overlooked by three volcanoes and is much more European-feeling than Cusco. Everyone goes to Arequipa to see Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, but this was impractical for our two days in the town (this is also on the 'next time' list), so we just wandered around, went to many museums and restaurants, and enjoyed the wonderful weather.

 Arequipa's Plaza de Armas:

We also found Christine a job in Arequipa--she is a for-real TEFL teacher!

Catching up on Chile will have to wait for later, but there you have it. So long, Peru! Nos vemos.