Drifting, dreaming Tara in solitude…in a habit 24/7…nah. Tara you are blessed with a cup of colours running over…drifting…dreaming…looking in & out...what a life!
No nun--You're right! Well, I have loved 10-day, silent Buddhist retreats, but I think you're right--no nunnery in this life. I'll stay with my great life, dipping into the dream life, and then out to the dancing one. Best to have it all!
Vibrant, alive and peaceful I enjoy visiting convents and monasteries also. Love your stories and the photos...well...they speak for themselves. We loved our time in Arequipa.
Arequipa's treasures So glad you enjoyed my blog and your time in this amazing city. I think it has the best collection of sacred spots for us monastery mavens. Oh those yummy colors!
stunning OMG Tara the photography is amazing!!! I love the stories as well and now I am really sad we missed this place....I was really keen but purely for costs reasons we had to skip:-( such a shame!!! great blog, again!!!
Beata
An amazing place Glad you liked the photos and stories, Beata. It was like being in a surreal sculpture sometimes. I must admit I walked by it many times before I decided to spend the hefty $12. Here, you can enjoy the place for free!
Wow, tara! Do you know that "Tarâ" in my language means "let's go"? As in vamonos! And that's exactly how i felt after reading your blog. I need to re-read it again. Just breezed through it while i'm on the road but just had to drop you this line. I love how you write, the pictures you take and how you travel. There! Very often, i rad and never bother to drop a comment. I'd do better next time. See you on this site again. Soon.
What's in a name? Thanks, Lili--I'm so glad you enjoy my work. I also love the way you travel (in your amazing family groups) and blog. Great to hear that Tara means "let's go" (in Tagalog, I guess). In Gaelic (from my mom), it means high, craggy mountain; in Farsi, it means pure, and in Japanese, it's cod fish. I imagine Lili, like Tara, a simple sound, exists in lots of languages. See you soon in the blog sphere!
time of year Your experience looked great!!! thanks for the blog, but was unsure what the term "low season" meant. could you expand? looking to go in May and looking for cheap trip going solo. Would you be kind enough to advise on hotels or other ways to navigate region. I thought apartment would be good to have central hub for daily trips. You were there for months and I would like to do same. Thankis again and look forward to reply.
Cusco travel Hi Bob, high season is June-Aug and maybe Jan and Feb. May is great! I generally just take the cheapest hostel option in the Lonely Planet or on a hostel booking site. An apartment seems like a good idea, but I've never been willing to go through the trouble of finding one or the expense of paying for one. Cheapest/best way to get to MP is the hydroelectric option on public transport. Read travel books in your library and other blogs--that's what I do. Have fun!
You are pachymama! I'm finally getting around to reading some blogs and I keep coming back to yours because I just love how you captured Cusco. Made me very whimsical, I too bit the bullet and did the touristy thing and I am not regretful. Another museum nerd like me!!
Pachamama--wow! That's quite a compliment, Andrea--thanks! So glad to know another museum nerd. Really, we learn so much in museums that I can't imagine visiting a place without learning about it in this hands-on, visual way. I even visit little, sincere regional museums with their lovingly preserved funky bits of the past. Maybe we'll meet in a Cabo museum, looking at cow skulls someday.
UNCOVERING THE FACADE The conqueror building over the sacred sites of the vanquished...amazing how often it happens in history. Hard to not think they thought they benefited from doing so. Amazing architecture, gilding, carvings, artefacts and textiles from Cusco, Tara. Nice to see you are uncovering the history, the facades, the beliefs and religiosity of the locales you inhabit...can't accuse you of just smelling the flowers!
Peeling back the layers Yes, David, I think each conqueror assumes their way is best, including the Inca who did their fair share of imposition on others. Cusco was perhaps the richest place I've visited in South America in terms of history and museums to tell that story. It is perfect for someone who has a serious case of the curious.
Trots of a different kind... :) Loved this blog Tara. I've come to realise that death and grand buildings (and what they represent) are usually directly proportional; although some countries/religions hide their deadly history better than others.
Suffering and beauty Actually, I was a bit flippant in my last reply to your thoughtful observation--sorry. I've actually known the suffering behind architectural beauty for a very long time. At home, I often lived near our beautiful mission, built with labor from indigenous people. When young, I felt angry about the exploitation, but as I aged, I learned to hold my feelings in balance--compassion for those who suffered and appreciation for the beauty created. As Ren said, it's important to remember this.
Death and grand buildings.. Very interesting observation, especially since I know you, like me, are a fan of architecture! I rather agree since it takes wealth to build large structures, and in most societies that wealth has come at the expense of others. Oh dear, perhaps I should feel guilty, but I can't quite muster it--I love the buildings too much! But I will keep this in mind.
I´m a one-way ticket, slow traveler, relishing the freedom of the open road and trusting serendipity to guide my journey. When I was younger, I used to travel for a year at a time. Then a few years ago, I roamed Europe and North Africa for three and a half years and liked that even better.
On August 1st, 2010, I left my peaceful Mission Canyon paradise in Santa Barbara's mellow summer and emerged from a couple of planes a day and a world later in the teeming, sub-zero streets of Buenos Aires´winter. Now, with the Andes, Amazon and Galapagos between here and home, will three years be enou... full info
rand
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Arequipa
Lovely photos. Your commentary, as usual, is so thoughtful and fact-filled. Thanks.