Deep in the Andes....

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Hola a todos!

The two other volunteers that I work with FINCA Peru and myself headed out last Saturday morning in hopes of exploring more of the Andes Mountains. It took us four hours in a cramped little combi (bus) with 20 other people on an unpaved and very rought road to get to the village of Vilcashuaman. I thought it was freezing and it was probably only around 30 or 40 degrees. I have become de-wisconsinized and a wimp. I don’t know how I am going to readapt for my next Wisconsin winter. In Vilcashuaman we got the chance to visit some Inkan ruins; one ruin called the Temple of the Sun (that the Spaniards built a church on top of) and a pyramid. We were completely surrounded by mountains and it was beautiful!

On Sunday we took a one hour bus ride to Vischongo, where we started hiking in search of more ruins and a lagoon we had heard about. We found the lagoon and ruins, which were pretty cool. In this part of the Andes you can find the largest flower in the world, the Puya Raimondii. At the lagoon, the gatekeeper told us that if we hike to the top of this mountain, we could find them. So we hired out his 12 year old daughter as our guide to bring us to the top of this mountain to find these “titanca” flowers. While we had to stop about every 10 minutes to catch our breath (I was heaving, we were pretty high in alititude), this girl didn’t even seem tired (which made us feel worse). After over an hour of hiking up this mountain we got to the top and found these flowers. They were pretty cool….and we got some great pictures! After our little mountain trek we decided we were done exploring and headed back to Ayacucho in another cramped little combi. It was a fun weekend but I think I am done with those little crazy buses (whipping around endless turns, fitting people everywhere that there isn’t space, driving like maniacs).

Hope you are enjoying the snow!

Love,
Megan

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Comments

[Grandma Schmitz]

Quite an education!
Hi Megan! Glad that you are taking advantage of your time in S America. After all that adventure will you be able to sit still again when you get back to Wis? Yes, we have plenty of snow, and it is getting colder again. Luckily I can mostly stay inside and sew, as I don't like cold weather either! Miss you! Look forward to your being safely home in WI again! Love, Grandma and Grandpa

[Aunt Carol]

Whoah Nellie!
Cool flower! I looked it up and it's the largest bromeliad. Bromeliads are also those bright flowers that grow on branches without needing soil in the jungles. Alex is out sledding tonight. He jumped through the snow this morning in his moccasins that he wears without socks. It was 20 degrees this morning and he only had on a hoodie! Mom-mom went skiing this morning in our new snow. Keep up the good work. Love, Aunt Carol

[U. John]

Happy St Valentines!
Megan loving the updates. I'm already looking forward however to seeing you once again in person. Glad you liked the flowers, they were my Valentines gift to you.