Penguins, Sea Lions, and Camels, Oh My!

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We stayed in Cusco long enough to rest and get our laundry done. Everything we wore on the trek was in dire need of soap, water and a clothes line. We also visited the children at the hospital a couple more times.

We took an afternoon bus from Cusco, Peru and arrived back in Arica, Chile the following morning. A very friendly cab driver took us from the first bus terminal to the second where we again jumped into an old Chevy and headed across the border.

In Arica, we stayed at a hostel that is run by a couple. She is Chilean and he is a Kiwi. (We learned that nickname for New Zealanders from the Aussies on the trek.) There we observed the Chilean independence celebration and saw some beautiful ocean waves. We missed a world surfing competition held earlier in the month. Mostly we just walked around the town and took photos. Near the main plaza is a wonderful church that was designed by Eiffel in the 1800s.

From Arica we took another overnight bus to La Serena. There we stayed at a German ran Hostel. We had scheduled a trip to an observatory near there, but it was canceled due to overcast skies. However, we did get to take a boat trip to Isla Damas. It isn’t too far off the coast and the ocean was fairly calm, so we didn’t even get wet while riding in the open fishing boat with the other turistas. There are three islands close together and they are all part of protected area. Two of the islands are nesting habitat for Humboldt Penguins. We saw penguins, sea lions (named lobo del mar or sea wolves in Chile), a couple dolphins, but only briefly, and many sea birds. In route to the coast we also saw wild donkeys and guanacos which are South American camels. In addition we were very blessed to see the desert in bloom. According to our guide, drought conditions have existed for the past four years and the wild flowers hadn’t bloomed in some time.

I am often struck by the similarities to the landscapes of western North America, yet each location has its own unique beauty. I think the same is true of people. Though each of us develops individual traits, influenced by genetics and environment, we carry a common spirit. We all stand in awe of God’s creations from delicate wildflowers and newborn babies to majestic mountains, sunsets, and wild creatures. Each of us finds solace in these varied expressions of Divine love.

Some of the best lessons from our travel experiences are these:
• The present moment is all that is available to us and we always have choices as to how we perceive it.
• People everywhere respond well to smiles and expressions of gratitude.
• When we have faith, we can call anywhere home.

Stay tuned for the next installment from the traveling amateur philosopher. We will be reporting from Pucon at the base of the active volcano Villarrica. Chao. We miss you all.

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Photos

Squinting with the Cabbie
Notice the bright blue car door on the left. That is the full color of the collectivo we rode back to Chile. It took lots of spray paint, but resulted in a very cheerful color.

Comments

[Jayne]

Beautiful
Again, beautiful scenery and narrating your travels and pictures w/us. But most importantly to me, are the wonderful 3 lessons you've learned on your journeys, when you get home and I get there, I hope and pray just a dusting of those beautiful lessons rub off on me! (I M.M.S.)