Last Thursday I moved to my new home for the summer in Brewery Gulch. It is a wonderful home in the Gulch owned by two artist friends, Chuck and Maralyce. Chuck is a photographer and Maralyce is a clothing designer. They own a gallery here in Bisbee called Panterra Gallery. They have a website if you’re interested in checking it out.  Just google Panterra Gallery in Bisbee.

I am happy to be settling into a home for a few months. I have everything that I need here…internet access, big screen tv to watch movies, filtered water, washer/dryer, a front porch to watch the early morning light, a comfortable bed, good energy, a great kitchen, peace and quiet.

My Spanish class ends on Tuesday. I’m doing a presentation on Peru for the final. Once the class has ended I start my next phase here in Bisbee. I’ll have time for more social life, swimming and aerobics, cooking, reading and contemplating my next adventure. Will I go back to work in the fall or travel?

So for now I watch my nickels, live conservatively, enjoy life here in southeastern Bisbee and wait.

It’s taken me a week to bring myself back here…at least enough to be able to write a short post. ..part of me is still in Peru and South America.

I arrived on Saturday and Sunday my body refused to let me do much more than lie on the couch and sleep. I could only get up for about 10 minutes then I had to lie down again. It was a strange feeling having my body in control…after three and a half months of traveling I could travel no more.

This week has been a transition. Sometimes it feels like a pinball is bouncing around inside of me and I’ve been nervous and insecure. I’ve felt vulnerable and out of sorts. It’s a strange experience having part of me in one place and the other here….and my insides don’t have their usual protection. Talk about swimming around in a new fishbowl!

I am staying in a sweet, peaceful and lovely apartment in the lower half of my friend Sandy’s house in Bisbee. No words can say how appreciative I am to have this space for myself for a few weeks. It is the perfect place for me to re-enter. I wake up to birds chirping and the sun shining. I sit out on the deck outside my door and watch the sun rise up off the mountains of Mexico and Arizona…watch the colors change. It’s kinda like the sun rising on my new life here with its new colors, shapes and friends.

I am happy to return to Bisbee…I felt this strongly as we drove from Tucson to Bisbee through the desert to this small community tucked away in the Mule Mountains not far from Mexico…it is a hideaway in a state of its own.

I started an intensive Spanish class on Monday. We are in class from 8:30 – 3:00 each day with about 3 hours of homework. It was a quick jump from returning to immersion in Spanish class but it has worked out well. The structure and focus is helping me and I love being immersed in Spanish…it reminds me of Peru and Ecuador.

I miss my friends, the culture, exploring new places but I know I will continue traveling. For now it is time to settle for a time back ‘home’.

This afternoon I fly out of Quito to Los Angeles then tomorrow morning I fly to Tucson where a friend, Mark, will pick me up at the airport and take me back to Bisbee completing the circle.

I am glad I´ve had two days in Quito…it has helped me start the transition to leave South America. I have loved this trip and I´ve had some amazing experiences. I´ve learned a lot about myself and two countries, Ecuador and Peru. I visited incredible sites and had wonderful experiences that have changed my life. I am curious to discover what my experience will be when I return to the U.S. and Bisbee. Time will tell.

I hope to return to South America. I plan to continue my Spanish studies this summer. I will be staying with friends and housesitting this summer in Bisbee. I am not sure of my plans for the fall. That is unknown at this point.

I will continue my blog and update previous posts and finally add photos for the last two months. Take care my fellow travelers…follow your heart and enjoy your life.

Sunday was my last night in Cusco. Jo, Lisa and I had returned to Cusco from Machu Picchu in the afternoon and we agreed to meet at 7 pm for dinner. Jo knew a good restaurant where neither Lisa nor I had been. It had comfortable seating and good food and we enjoyed a glass of wine, dinner and dessert. Afterwards we played Hearts, a card game I used to play when I was a child. We had played while we were in Aquas Caliente and we all enjoyed it. Jo had the cards and that night Lisa won the game. But no one really cared who won…it was the comraderie and the happiness that mattered.

It was a fun evening and I felt happy to be with these two amazing women who both have traveled the world over the course of many years. I learned a lot from them and we had wonderful times traveling in the Sacred Valley together. I will miss you both.

I will add more later…

Lisa, Jo and I caught the local bus from Cusco to Urubamba Friday morning. We then took a collectivo to Ollantaytambo which arrived there mid morning. Jo and I went immediately to the Hearts cafe to order large mugs of good coffee and a big breakfast. Lisa chose to go to her favorite local restaurant where she could get a typical Peruvian meal. After a relaxing breakfast we walked to the train station and took the train to Pueblo Machu Picchu which is also known as Aquas Caliente because it has thermal baths located next to a small river running next to town.

Taking the train to Pueblo Machu Picchu

The train at Aquas Calientes also known as Pueblo Machu Picchu

The hostal where we had our reservations turned out to be a dismal affair. So Jo and I set off to look for another hostal while Lisa watched our bags at a cafe overlooking the small plaza. After looking at four places we decided to take a room in a hostal that had four beds and a clean bathroom with a shower with hot water (we ran the water to make sure). All for $5 per night per person. We were staying two nights so it was a good price for us.

The trip to Machu Picchu was an expensive one for all of us. It cost $70 for the roundtrip train ride, $? for the entrance ticket into Machu Picchu, $? for the bus to the entrance and we also had our food and lodging expenses.

In the late afternoon Lisa wanted to take a soak in the local hot water tubs which were located next to a small river running next to it. So the three of us hiked to the springs which were located just outside of town. Lisa and Jo changed and went into the tubs. I decided to wait in the adjacent bar and watch our things. The tubs were filled with locals and they didn’t look clean to me. Lisa and Jo stayed in them for only a short while. Then we walked back to our room.

The tubs at Aquas Calientas

On the way we looked for a restaurant where we could have dinner. Each restaurant had someone ourside talking about the food and the price. Both nights we were disappointed. We fell into bait and switch tactics which were being used all over town. We caught on and demanded to get what was promised but it left an unpleasant taste in our mouths.

After dinner we went to a very nice restaurant, ordered drinks and played Hearts for a couple of hours.

The next morning we lined up on the street next to the river at 5.30 am to catch a bus to Machu Picchu. Some people walk from A.C. up Inca steps to the site which takes from 1 to 2 hours. We decided to take the bus. We arrived at the site and entered it by walking along a narrow path until the site suddenly opened up in front of us. I saw green, many ruins, high peaks, and felt a profound energy.

My first sight of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was an incredible experience. We arrived before 6 am and hiked in the forest on Huayna Picchu in the morning up and down Inca steps with great views stopping at small ruins to rest, have a snack and even to meditate…we ended up at the Temple of the Moon then retraced our steps back to Machu Picchu.

Jo walking down Inca steps on Huayna Picchu

Close up of Inca steps on the way to the Temple of the Moon

By that time there were many tourists but not so many as I thought…but we definitely didn´t have the place to ourselves. I did get some time to connect to the site and its sacred geometry and the stones that have been resting there for so long. It is a profound and magical place and I feel that I am still reaping the rewards of my visit. It is still with me in my body, spirit and mind.

The classic view of Machu Picchu

Peru itself was a profound experience. I am still having difficulties finding the words to describe my experience…hopefully I will discover them.
For me it was astounding that there existed a society that built a place like Machu Picchu…that held in high importance the land, nature, sacred cities and buildings and all else. To know that people actually were able to do that for awhile gives me hope that it may exist again in a new way…that we can build societies that hold sacredness dear in their hearts and literally to build their lives around those principles.

Sylvie and I took the evening bus from Puno to Arequipa. The bus was comfortable but we were both very cold because these type of buses don’t have any heat. I was huddled under my blanket with it pulled up over my head.

We arrived in the Arequipa bus station at 12.30 in the morning, got off the bus and found a ’secure’ taxi to take us to our hostal which was near the center of the old town. Silvie had made a reservation at a local hostal. When we arrived at the hostal Sylvie rang the bell for about 10 minutes. Finally we managed to wake the owner (who was not very happy) and he opened the door for us. We were expected we thought. Sylvie had told him we would be arriving after midnight but we arrived later than he had expected so he had gone to bed. Fortunately our taxi driver waited for us until we were safely inside the hostal.

The main plaza in Arequipa

The next morning we had breakfast on the balcony of a large building overlooking the main plaza. The plaza was very pretty with a large fountain in the middle. Most of the buildings were white because they were built using the local white rocks…a very different look from Cusco. The city also felt open not having the narrow cobblestone streets that Cusco has.

Arequipa lies in the Andes Mountains with the snow-capped volcano El Misti overlooking the city.

Having breakfast on a balcony overlooking the main plaza

In front of the fountain in the main plaza in Arequipa

The people of Arequipa are said to be very independent and strong minded.  I hoped that we would be able to visit the Santa Catalina Monastery which is a small walled city with a colorful history. There are still nuns living in the convent. But we didn’t have enough time to explore and then catch our bus to Colca Canyon.

The entrance to the Santa Catalina Monastery

We took the local bus from Arequipa to Chivay a small village on the edge of the Colca Canyon. It was a 4 hour bus ride through desolate country with some areas heavily covered with rocks. the city of Arequipa has been destroyed many times by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes and we saw the results of this activity in the landscape.

A highlight of our bus ride was sighting a vicuna grazing next to the road and packs of domesticated lamas.

Vicuna (copied from Wikipedia)

As we climbed higher up the mountains I saw high alpine meadows fed by springs and many rock cairns created by the local people.

Rock cairnes high in the mountains above Arequipa

We arrived in Chivay late in the afternoon and booked into our hostal which cost us around $5 each. It was clean and comfortable but definitely a budget hostal.

Rumi Wasi Inn

We walked to the main plaza of Chivay and had a coffee at a very nice restaurant overlooking the plaza.

The plaza at Chivay

The town is surrounded by many terraces most of which are still under cultivation. It is winter here so many fields have been harvested and we saw locals digging potatoes on the bus ride into town.

Local people harvesting potatoes outside of Chivay

The next morning we arrived at the bus station in Chivay at 7 am to catch the bus to Cruz de Condor, a well known point overlooking the canyon, to look for Andean condors. The bus left a little after 7.30 and we arrived at the condor site a little before 10 am after stopping in three pueblos along the way. We saw condors flying overhead but they did not stay for long. We were very late in arriving at the site. But I did get a few photos.

A male Andean condor flying overhead

A female Andean condor. Look at the wingspan!

The site was spectacular. The canyon is considered the deepest canyon in the world with a small river snaking far below and high steep mountains rising sharply to snow capped peaks. Amazing. It was breathtaking. We both wished we had had more time to spend here.

Colca Canyon from Cruz de Condor

We returned to Chivay on the local bus sharing the ride with local women dressed in embroidered skirts and hats, children and tired men.

A local woman carrying her trade goods to catch the bus.

At the bus station we booked a bus back to Arequipa at 4 pm. We were lucky because there were only a couple of seats left and it was the last bus out of town. We had dinner in Chivay and took a motorcycle taxi back to the bus station.

Motocycle taxis in Chivay

Looking back at Chivay through the bus window.

We arrived back in Arequipa just in time for me to catch my overnight bus to Cusco which was departing at 8.30 pm. Sylvie had an extra day to spend in Arequipa so she was taking the all night bus the following evening.

My bus ride back to Cusco was comfortable and unexciting. I arrived in Cusco at 7 am and took a taxi back to my hostal. The next morning Lisa, Jo and I were leaving for Machu Picchu.

Sylvie and I took the 9 am bus from Cusco to Puno on Saturday May 16. We left Cusco and drove out through the Sacred Valley following the river south. The road rose high up into the mountains where we saw alpaca grazing. We arrived in Puno in the afternoon and took a motorcycle taxi to our hostal, Hostal Manzano.

Bicycle taxi in Puno

Our original plan to visit Bolivia ended when I discovered that, for Americans, it costs $135 for a visa. For Europeans it costs nothing. All because of politics between the U.S.A. and Bolivia. Bolivia kicked out the American ambassador last year because Evo Morales believed he was supporting the opposition in demonstrations and in elections. So we decided to stay in Peru and visit Puno and the islands located on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca.

After settling into our hostal we walked into the main part of town where we found a small plaza and not much more…Cusco has spoiled us. We splurged on a good dinner and walked back to the hostal after stopping at a bakery that had brightly painted cakes in a display case. It is interesting to note that Puno is the highest city in Peru at 12,421 ft and is located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is an old mining town which now caters to tourists.

Hostal Manzano in Puno

Brightly colored cakes in a bakery in Puno

The next morning at 7 am a van picked us up outside our hostal. We decided to take a tour of the islands with All Ways Travel, a tour company recommended by SAE (South American Explorers) and Lonely Planet. We transferred from the van to a small enclosed motor boat…like a trawler…and headed out of the harbor towards the Uros islands.

Sylvie sitting in the back of the All Ways Travel boat

After an hour and a half of motoring in sunny weather on calm seas we pulled up to a very small reed island inhabited by a couple of Uros families. We disembarked and sat in a circle while one of the Uros men showed us how the islands are built and anchored to the lake bottom.

Uros reed floating reed island

The island we visited has been receiving visitors for only 3 months. Most of the Uros people don´t like to have tourists visit and the ones that do have been overrun with tourists. All Ways Travel intent is to work with the local people to help them earn money but at the same time be respectful of their needs and culture.

The island we visited is floating and made of reeds…it is tiny, the reed mats are soft and move slightly when you walk. At the base of the island are large blocks of reed roots and dirt cut from huge reed stands in the lake. These blocks are tied together to form the base of the island and then layers and layers of dried reeds are put on top. In some areas they add more reeds and build small reed houses. These houses are tiny, without windows and have one door opening inward towards the center of the island. The Uros also build reed boats with curving bows and sterns. They used to tie the reeds together with other reeds but now they use plastic cord which makes the boats last longer.

Uros reed boat with girl sitting at the edge of the island.

Reed bundles drying with reed boat tied up to the island in the background.

We took a ride in the reed boat around the island. One of the men who live on the island stood in the back of the boat and moved a large paddle back and forth to move the boat forward. It took some effort with 15 people on board but he made it look easy.

Uro man paddling the reed boat. Isn't he gorgeous?

After we left the reed island we traveled a few hours on the lake to another island, Amantani, where we were met by a group of local women dressed in colorful clothes with long black embroidered veils hanging down from the crowns of their heads.

Amantani women wearing their black veils

Sylvie and I were assigned to Lucy, a young local woman, who we followed up many steps to the village at the top of the island. We left the main dirt path and crossed a small field, went through a wooden gate and through a neighbor´s yard and finally arrived at her small mud house. Her husband was in Puno working for two months at a bakery. Her small son, Daniel, was in the courtyard with his older cousin. Lucy showed us our bedroom with two beds and a window. The bedroom had an iron door with a lock and the window had bars on it. This seemingly idyllic village obviously has had a few breakins.

Sylvie playing ball with Daniel and his cousin at the house where we stayed. Our room is at the top of the stairs.

After we were settled we played with the children in the small courtyard. Sylvie, a volleyball player, played ‘children’s’ volleyball using a very small ball. It was fun, we laughed and the children giggled. We were shown the toilet which was in a small mudbrick room. The room was immaculate. After using the toilet we were told to dip a bucket into a large container of water and pour the water into the toilet to flush it.

Lucy's house

Lucy and Daniel

Lucy prepared a lunch for us that was cooked over a wood fire in the back of her kitchen. The family lived simply and seemed happy. There was a large field outside the house that had been harvested and some items were drying in the sun. There was also a mother sheep tethered to a stake nearby. Her baby stayed close while the mother munched on grass. There was also a bowl of water within her reach.

Corn drying on the ground in Lucy's courtyard

After our lunch of soup, potatoes, a slice of tomato and tea we left to join the tour group further up the hill. We hiked to the top of a hill called Pachamama. Adjacent to the hill was another hill named Pachapapa (I think, I need to confirm this). Pachamama is a deity revered and worshiped by the indigenous people of the Andes. Pachamama is the earth mother goddess who gives life to the people.

Stone archway over the trail to the top of Pachamama

Alexander our guide on Pachamama

At the top of the hill there was a rock wall that encircled a sacred site that was locked. We sat on rocks at the top of the hill marveling at the beautiful vistas of Lake Titicaca, other islands and snow capped peaks across the water in Bolivia.

Sacred site at the top of Pachamama

On top of Pachamama at sunset

We stayed to watch the sunset and then walked back in the twilight arriving  after dark. After a small meal Lucy dressed us in local traditional clothes and we walked to the local community hall where we danced to a local Peruvian band and watched folk dances. Lucy was an enthusiastic dancer…we couldn’t keep up with her and we told ourselves it was because of the altitude of 13,000 ft.

Sylvie in traditonal clothing

The tour group at the community hall. I look stuffed because I have four jackets on underneath because of the cold.

The next morning we departed Amantani traveling by boat to Taquille Island. We landed at the non-tourist end of the island and walked on a beautiful trail through fields and along the coastline to a white sand beach.

Taquille man with red and white hat indicating that he is single

We saw only locals. The men of Taquille have a unique way of dressing. They wear black pants and white blousy shirts looking almost like Spaniards. They wear a finely woven belt wrapped around their slim waists. On top of their heads they wear knitted hats with pointed tops that hang down ending in a pom pom. The color of the hats indicate the marital status of the man. Red and white means that they are single. An all red hat indicates that they are married.

Taquille children sitting by the side of the path

A view of the island and beyond from the path on Taquille

On Taquille Island with Lake Titicaca in the background

It was paradise at the beach. I took off my shoes and walked in the water. It felt heavenly. It was warm and the group relaxed for a few hours. Alexander, our guide extraordinaire, swam in the very cold water.

The beach at the end of Taquille Island

Afterwards we had a demonstration by three local men of a Taquille folk dance and then we all lunched on a terrific trout dinner at the community center located above the beach.

Taquille men demonstrating a local folk dance.

Trout dinner on Taquille Island. Yum.

We had an incredible trip. We motored back to Puno in the afternoon and arrived around 5 pm. Later that evening we took the night bus to Arequipa.

Sunday I moved out of the house of the Peruvian family where I was staying. I moved back into the hostal in the San Blas district where I stayed for a few days when I first arrived in Cusco.

Sunday afternoon I walked to a westernized cafe called Jacks to have something to eat. It is a little more expensive than other places (by my standards) but pleasant and clean with good food. The place was packed with a line out the door. I waited for a table and when one opened up the waitress asked if I minded sharing the table with another person. I didn´t mind and that is how I met Lee.

Lee is originally from the UK and now lives half the year in Ibiza and the other half in Bali and Thailand. He is a jewelry designer and has been visiting Cusco for about one month. We got along really well and had a very interesting conversation about change and living, philosophy, healing and other topics. He invited me back to the hostal where he´s been staying…a large compound on a quiet street. The entrance from the street consists of two large wooden doors. When opened there is grass and flowers surrounding a two story building that includes rooms with baths, a kitchen, living room and other facilities.

He ended up showing me and then teaching me the use of poi balls. Poi balls were originally used by the Maori in New Zealand. You hold one in each hand circling and spinning them around your body, making movements like a dance. Very meditative and fun. We spent about one hour and a half doing this. Lee has a set that can be lit so that the ´dance´ is done with fire! If you´re interested check it out on YouTube. Just type in poi balls or fire poi. Know that it will be no time soon when I will be using the fire balls!

The next day after school I met Jo for lunch. We walked up to Lee´s complex and Jo ended up renting a room for a month there. Afterwards I called Pablo, a man who is a yogi-healer-mystic who Lee had recommended. I made an appointment for a healing the next night. Later that night I met Lee and we went salsa dancing at a club near the Plaza de Armas. It was fun. Lee had been taking salsa lessons so he knew what to do. I didn´t so I just participated in a group dance.

Lee and I said goodbye and exchanged emails. He was leaving the next day to go back to Ibiza.

Tuesday I met Sylvie, a student at the Spanish school, in the afternoon and we walked to the bus station and bought tickets to Puno for Saturday morning. We´re planning a trip the end of this week to Puno and Lake Titicaca and then on to Ariquepa and the Colca Canyon.

Later that night I had dinner with another new friend, Mary. We bumped into each on the street and decided to have dinner together. Then at 7:30 pm I met Pablo and we took a taxi to his home nearby. He is married and they have a 5 month old baby girl. I had a powerful healing session combining rieki, Inca healings, chanting and far east sound vibrations. Pablo was very insightful and I am glad I decided to go for it. It´s not something that I do lightly. I am cautious but I trusted my intuition and it worked out.

Synchronicity at play in my life these days. Much more to come. I am through with school so I have more free time now. Tomorrow morning I am meeting Pablo at 9 am and he is going to teach me how to breath and meditate. That should be incredible…high up on a Cusco hill near Sachsawanam, close to the sky with feet planted in the ground of this wonderfully spiritual place.

Today is Mother´s Day. I was invited to join Martha´s family for dinner. All of her extended family was there and we shared tamales, papas helado (an ancient potato dish), cake and champagne. There were toasts to the mothers (including me) and much laughter and conversation.

Martha's family (part of it)

I´m still not sure how many children Martha has…at least 5…all girls except one son, Victor, the youngest. She has one grandson, Alexander. I took a group picture (which doesn´t include everyone including Alexander) and I will post below.

Martha's family (and me) on Mother's Day

Martha is much loved by her family who appreciates her. She is a true matriarch. I know that she has had at least two husbands but she is single now. I really haven´t been able to sort it all out but it doesn´t matter.

When I was sick last week she took care of me bringing me tea and Vicks VapoRub. She also boiled eucalyptus leaves in a pot and put it in my room for me to breath. It felt good to be mothered.

Her family brought her candy and cakes and there will be a presentation for mothers at her two youngest children´s schools. A big family but probably very different from the family life where she grew up. Her three oldest daughters are not married, one is divorced. They all live at home. In the past they all would have been married by now with children. They all work and have cell phones. It is a very different world.

Martha told me that when she was young there were condors flying in the skies above Cusco and many birds everywhere. Now they are all gone. But there were very bad times in the past. Times of high inflation, little food and murders by the government. Times are better now but still need to improve.

My stay with this family has enriched my life. I was forced to use the little Spanish I know to converse so we did the best that we could to communicate. But we communicated in other ways. People are the same everywhere…hearts know and share automatically.

The last day my bed has pulled me…I´ve been sick and in bed for two days. This morning I dragged myself out and headed to school for my Spanish lessons. I feel better and on the road to recovery. Being sick away from home is no fun.

The Spanish classes are ok and I am learning a little. It feels like I am opening new places in my brain, new channels and ways of thinking. It is taking awhile for my brain to set up this new system of thinking. But I am making progress but I don’t know if it due to living in Spanish speaking countries or the lessons.

So what is pulling me? Right now it is Lake Titicaca and I am planning a trip there with a friend from school. Sylvie is from Switzerland, the French part and is learning her fourth language. We´ll take the bus from Cusco to Copacabana on the Bolivian side and stay there for a few days and then travel to the islands in the lake: the Island of the Sun and maybe the Island of the Moon. We plan to hike around the islands and stay in hostals for a few days. Then Sylvie will return to Cusco and I plan to travel to La Paz before returning to Cusco on May 24.

I haven´t gotten to Machu Picchu yet. I´ve visited some amazing ruins in the Sacred Valley and done some wonderful hikes in the Andes. For some reason Machu Picchu is not calling me. It has become a major tourist site so avoidance of the crowds is a necessity. I know it is also a profound spiritual site. It is very expensive to go even on my own without being on a tour. Soooo I will wait and see. If the pull comes, I will go.

So what pulls you? This is an interesting conversation for me and I´d like to hear your comments!