The Amazon embraced us. Rather than writing a lengthy discourse about this magical place, I am simply going to list all of the firsts I experienced on this last leg of our journey.
During our three days in the jungle:
Category Archives: South America & Caribbean
As the Collas and Incas Lay Dying – Contemplating the Ruins of Sillustani
Continuing our pre-Inca and Inca cultural immersion, one of today’s highlights was a visit to the ruins of Sillustani, a burial site consisting of funerary towers located on a lakeside peninsula high in the Andean plateau.
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The Land of Lake Titicaca
As we made our way to Lake Titicaca yesterday, on a “highway” that we Americans would consider just a regular road except for the llamas, alpacas and mountainous landscape all around us, we stopped at the town of Racqui, the home of another sacred Inca temple called Wiraqocha.
What the Incas Have in Common with Asterix & Obelix
The highlight of yesterday’s sightseeing was an excursion to another Inca ruin, Sacsayhuaman, which served primarily as a religious site until the Spaniards invaded, when it became a fortress to defend against the Conquistadors. The foreign explorers, who arrived in Peru looking for El Dorado after hearing that its people were covered in gold, handily beat the Incas because the Incas were not warriors. Indeed, it sounds like any victories the Incas enjoyed against the Spaniards were due more to luck than any real strategic skill. They focused on agriculture and the worship of their gods, and were generally a peaceful people unless provoked or unless the indigenous tribes refused to accept their rule.
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Rendered Speechless in Machu Picchu
Awesome. Breathtaking. Spectacular. Those words and others came immediately to mind as I caught my first glimpse of Machu Picchu, right before my very eyes.
Sacred Valley and the Power of Women
Last evening a “paco” (which means priest in the local dialect) performed a tribute to Pachamama, aka Mother Earth, in an old church located on the grounds of the hotel, which was once a convent. Using locally farmed ingredients such as coca leaves, quinoa and rice, as well as cookies and sprinkles – because, according to him, women like sweets and Mother Earth is a woman – he created a colorful sacrificial package for the Andean peoples’ revered goddess, which he then burned while performing a ritual chant. As an atheist, I generally have no use for such spiritual gobbledygook. However, when such a ceremony is performed in a setting as magnificent as this, it’s hard to resist the mystical incantations of a millenias-old civilization.
The Center of the World: Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Like roosters, we were up at the crack of dawn to catch our flight to Cusco. In what was one of the most gorgeous approaches to an airport I’ve ever experienced, we flew into the city with the Andes on either side. It was as if the mountains were hugging the plane and it was beautiful and humbling.
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Religion and Sex in Lima, Peru
Yes, that’s correct. Most people wouldn’t link them together, but those were the two main themes that emerged from our glorious day in Lima.
Perú, Aquí Vengo*
In a few short days, I will be leaving the girls and my husband to their own devices while I go with my mom to Peru.
Machu Picchu in May
It’s a done deal. After talking about taking a once in a lifetime trip with mom for what seemed like years, we bought our plane tickets and booked our vacation to Peru for two weeks next May.