La Primera Semana en Suda America

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¡Hola todos!

Estoy en Peru con mi primo Brandon...oh sorry... I will try my best to write in English.

I don´t know where to start with the story of this trip so I will start at the beginning.

Ever since 6th grade, when I learned about South America and the Andes, I´ve had a strong desire to travel here. To see the Andes and the land of ceviche, arroz con pollo, and chicha morena. Two years ago Brandon and I were camping and we were talking about how we both wanted to go to South America for a summer. That was the summer before my senior year of College and I knew that after school I would be broke so I decided that I would work for an entire year to save up for the trip. We made plans to go during the summer of 2008 and we stuck to that promise. Six months ago we bought a ticket to Lima, Peru and from there on our trip was set in stone.

On June 6, 2008, we flew to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; then to Bogota, Columbia; and then to Lima, Peru. Brandon´s dad, Butch travels almost 5 days a week, every week, so he had a lot of points towards the Marriott...So as a gift, he got us a room in the Lima Marriott. What we didn´t know was that this particular Marriott was voted the best hotel in all of Latin America. So, people thought we were movie stars. And it was way too much for us backpackers, but I'm definitely not complaining. We owe Butch big time. Especially since we decided to stay three more nights, after meeting some Limeños at a discoteca the first night.

For the next four days, we traveled around the city with Jose Victor and Fiorella. They helped us get taxis for the local instead of gringo prices. We saw the Iglesia de San Francisco where there are more than 25,000 people buried below in catacombs. It was crazy, all the bones were catagorized by type of bone and in some areas they were set in artistic patterns. Then we saw the changing of the guards at the presidential house. Then Fiorella invited us to her house to eat Ceviche for the first time. It was absolutely incredible! I had a lot of fun speaking in Spanish, and sometimes in very slow English, with her grandparents.

After four days of seeing Lima, we decided that it was time to part with our friends and go see the rest of what Peru has to offer. We took a bus to Ica and then to Arequipa, and then we traveled in another bus to Cabanaconde where we hiked to the bottom of the deepest canyon in the world; Cañon del Colca.

I will publish pictures again after we go to Cuzco.

Ciao y tengan un buen verano,
Phil

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Photos

The Marriott
This is the view of the Marriott from the beach. Que bonita¿no?

Nuestros Amigos de Lima
José Victor and Fiorella

El Parque del Amor
There were a series of very elaborate and beautiful parks along the cliffs overlooking the ocean in Lima. This was the most elaborate and beautiful.

Changing of the gaurds
The changing of the guards at the Lima Municiple building was a huge spectacle. A band played while two groups of soldiers slowly walked in cadence and changed position.

Huaycachina
We took dune buggys outside of Ica at an Oasis called Huaycachina. In the first minute our buggy broke down and this large one. We helped push the large one back and then got another buggy to pick us up.

Sand Boarding
It´s harder than snowboarding but still pretty fun.

Arequipa
This is the Plaza de Armas and the Iglesia de San Francisco

Cañon del Colca
This is the deepest Canyon in the world. We hiked down it in 2hrs. and back up in 3.5hrs. with 40lb. packs. My calves are killing me.

The Oasis
The reward for the trek was this oasis. There were three pools filled with river water. It was very hot at the bottom of the canyon so it felt really nice.

Cañon del Colca
Huge Cacti big vertical. Prettty cool

Tuk Tuk in Ica
The taxis in every town were different. In Ica they looked like the Tuk Tuk from Thailand

Comments

[Steph]

Looks like fun
Looks like you are having fun...ENJOY IT!!!