I am typing this blog from the Internet Cafe overlooking the main plaza with the fast computers, not the posh one with good lattes and leather furniture and too slow computers. (see photo for view) Using the internet is much like checking into this tourist town. Buyer beware. The town was created solely to service the tourists going to Machu Picchu. By the sounds of construction outside at the moment, tourism must be booming. Before leaving Canada I had booked a hotel here in the Machu Picchu town. I searched the hotel-bookers site for a clean room with reasonable rate. A [View Full Entry]

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This blog is about the non-tourist parts of Pisaq. I took photos that suit the geography classroom. I am curious about the quality of life of the people who live in these communities. The Sacred Valley is a hotspot for tourists around the world. The Peruvian government or the people who own LAN airplanes and PeruRail are charging premium rates to transport tourist to and from MachuPicchu. They are making a lot of profit. To support the demands of tourists from Europe and North America infrastructure has been built and services established, e.g. hotels with hot showers, five star restaura [View Full Entry]

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I must have died and gone to heaven. I´m in the Peru version of Banff, surrounded by Inca buildings, in blasting hot weather, booked into a jewel of a hostel, and in an Interet cafe with fast computers!! At this point I am thinking....´MachuPicchu who?´ I want to stay here. In fact, I´m taking an overnight bag to A.C., running up that Machu hill, and coming back here. I´ve picked a room, and if it is free I´m booking it for 3 to 5 days. I couldn´t have imagined a better place to stop, and sit, and totally chill. Well, the [View Full Entry]

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*clapping hands* I did it! Got over my nervousness of going alone to local bus station and traveling on crowded bus to Pisaq. Once I figured where to line up, I had my money ready for the bus ticket. I didn´t have to say a word; when the clerk saw my blue eyes he said ´Pisac´and I said ´si´and paid my three soles for a window seat. 3 soles is about $1:25 and for that you drive through beautiful mountain country for an hour to get to the Sunday market at Pisaq. Actually, I do not like markets, I prefer to [View Full Entry]

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Happy Valentine´s Day! The pubs here are decorated with red balloons and roses. I have a date with a guy from London tonight and we are going to visit the Irish and British pubs. I know, I know, I´m suppose to immerse myself in the local culture. I did a bit of that this morning when getting lost on the way to the train station. Cusco is a tourist mecca and I will put energy into seeing local culture when I am in the rural regions. Backing up....my day began with the challenge of figuring out the shower faucet. Strangely, the [View Full Entry]

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I missed my plane to Cusco. Ironic actually, as it dawned on me that my early rise and taxi to airport had gone smoothly. I checked my bags, stood in line to pay the airport tax, asked someone where gate 11 was and had time to munch on a banana. How peaceful it was to sit near the gate that would take me to Cusco. I thought about the date, Friday the 13th and was grateful for the good luck. Then we were called to board the plane. The flight attendent pointed out that this was the wrong plane. I pointed [View Full Entry]

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Hola! Wish you were here, all those people stuck in the Northern Hemisphere. We could compare sunburns. Nope, I am not complaining. It is hot and humid here, and the beach is one street away from my hostel. I did all those backpacker things in the morning...you know, find bank machine that works, grocery store, travel agent, stamp vender, and BEACH. I have taken many photos of flowers for all my Canadian buddies who have snow, then rain, then snow, etc. I have sunburn on my feet, legs, face and chest, and it feels good. (she says until the pain starts) [View Full Entry]

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In a few days I will leave winter and fly to Peru and summer. I have not been to South America and I'm looking forward to seeing the stars in the southern hemisphere. Today I played tourist in my home area and tried to capture winter in Nova Scotia. Within a week I should be at an Internet cafe uploading photos of Peru. I might even complain of the heat as my body gets over the shock of leaving frigid winter temperatures for double digit summer heat. [View Full Entry]

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I have been home for less than a week and typically the weather has changed dramatically. Wait another day and it will change back, at least until winter has truly settled in. Everything is good here. Animals were well taken care of, gases prices dropped forty cents and all friends and family are fine. Canadian politicians have gotten lively. The minority government, extreme-right-from centre party, has lost the confidence of many people. The other parties attempted a coup, creating a coalition of the slightly-left of centre party, the really-left of centre party and the Quebec separatis [View Full Entry]

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Christmas spirit is alive and well in London. [View Full Entry]

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