Nov 12, 2009 - cusco without altitude sickness

Hola! Buenas Tardes. Tomorrow brings more sightseeing at 500m lower than where we are now, so we should feel even more active, we start trekking on saturday eek! We both really love cusco, its vibrant, friendly and yet ancient and traditional. ... The buildings all have inner courtyards, in the colonial spanish style.Hola! Buenas Tardes. Tomorrow brings more sightseeing at 500m lower than where we are now, so we should feel even more active, we start trekking on saturday eek! We both really love cusco, its vibrant, friendly and yet ancient and traditional. ... The buildings all have inner courtyards, in the colonial spanish style....

Nov 12, 2009 - las puertas siempre estan abiertas

The amount of weird connections Mom and I had with our fellow trekkers is amazing…first it was randomly being on the same trek as Jeff and Marra from San Diego. Sure enough, it turns out that Judy, the adoptive mom, does consulting work for the CDA school district and we had actually planned on visiting the orphanage ourselves! We made plans to meet up with Andrea and Chris later in the week to buy food and cook dinner for the 20 girls living in the orphanage in Anta, just 30 minutes outside of Cusco. ... The first few we asked refused to drive all the way to Anta, so we just hopped in the first one that agreed and when he quoted the price (50 soles) we didn’t think twice, we were just happy to be on our way finally. ... At the time we couldn´t figure out why he was so talkative and friendly, stopping in several places to help us find the orphanage and making sure we made it inside safely…but after we found out the ride should only have cost us 10 soles it made sense why he was in such a chipper mood.The amount of weird connections Mom and I had with our fellow trekkers is amazing…first it was randomly being on the same trek as Jeff and Marra from San Diego. Sure enough, it turns out that Judy, the adoptive mom, does consulting work for the CDA school district and we had actually planned on visiting the orphanage ourselves! We made plans to meet up with Andrea and Chris later in the week to buy food and cook dinner for the 20 girls living in the orphanage in Anta, just 30 minutes outside of Cusco. ... The first few we asked refused to drive all the way to Anta, so we just hopped in the first one that agreed and when he quoted the price (50 soles) we didn’t think twice, we were just happy to be on our way finally. ... At the time we couldn´t figure out why he was so talkative and friendly, stopping in several places to help us find the orphanage and making sure we made it inside safely…but after we found out the ride should only have cost us 10 soles it made sense why he was in such a chipper mood....

Nov 11, 2009 - Peru: Cusco - Champs Meet

This past Friday we had the Cusco region Championship Swim Meet at the Wanchaq pool. ... Swim season is now over for us as we prepare to leave Cusco and explore the rest of Peru. ...

Nov 10, 2009 - ¡muy bien señores!

Knowing that you have to wake up at 430am to spend the next three nights hiking to Machu Picchu is somewhat detrimental to a peaceful nights sleep, we were both exhausted but thrilled on Friday morning when we hopped on the bus to Ollantaytambo and met the rest of the trekkers in our group. Our first day in Cusco I could barely climb one flight of stairs without passing out, and there we were sprinting up steep Inca Steps with no hesitation. ... Several in our group, including Mom, got sick just as we were boarding the train back to Cusco—we think the water supply on our last day or two might have been contaminated. ... I escaped the worst of it, but Mom is recovering in the hotel room today.Knowing that you have to wake up at 430am to spend the next three nights hiking to Machu Picchu is somewhat detrimental to a peaceful nights sleep, we were both exhausted but thrilled on Friday morning when we hopped on the bus to Ollantaytambo and met the rest of the trekkers in our group. Our first day in Cusco I could barely climb one flight of stairs without passing out, and there we were sprinting up steep Inca Steps with no hesitation. ... Several in our group, including Mom, got sick just as we were boarding the train back to Cusco—we think the water supply on our last day or two might have been contaminated. ... I escaped the worst of it, but Mom is recovering in the hotel room today....

Nov 5, 2009 - Cusco at last!

We arrived in Cusco with some major symptoms of altitude sickness. ... Both of us felt extremely tired, had headaches, and even a little bit of nausea.We arrived in Cusco with some major symptoms of altitude sickness. ... Both of us felt extremely tired, had headaches, and even a little bit of nausea....

Nov 2, 2009 - Peru: Cusco - Dia de los Muertos

We celebrated All Saints and All Souls days this weekend, which in Cusco is called "Dia de los Vivos" (Day of the Living) and "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). ... On Dia de los Muertos, we went to the cemetery to celebrate the dead, along with most of Cusco. ... We held a small service for our Aunt Marilyn, who recently died of lung cancer.We celebrated All Saints and All Souls days this weekend, which in Cusco is called "Dia de los Vivos" (Day of the Living) and "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). ... On Dia de los Muertos, we went to the cemetery to celebrate the dead, along with most of Cusco. ... We held a small service for our Aunt Marilyn, who recently died of lung cancer....

Oct 30, 2009 - Peru: Cusco - Swim Meet

We had the first round of the Cusco Regional swim championships on Friday. ... Both Cayman and Kendall did very well despite the lack of organization.We had the first round of the Cusco Regional swim championships on Friday. ... Both Cayman and Kendall did very well despite the lack of organization....

Oct 21, 2009 - Peru: Cusco Baloncesto

Jason, Cayman and Kendall play basketball every Saturday at the Parque Zonal with the family that owns our apartment.Jason, Cayman and Kendall play basketball every Saturday at the Parque Zonal with the family that owns our apartment....

Oct 19, 2009 - Cusco Peru

In Cusco angekommen, sind wir wieder im LOKI Hostel abgestiegen. ... Nachdem wir unsere Waesche zum Waschen gebracht haben, eine neue DVD gebrannt und unsere Emails beantwortet haben, haben wir uns auf den Weg in die Stadt gemacht um einen Tour-Operator fuer unseren Inka-Trail zu finden.In Cusco angekommen, sind wir wieder im LOKI Hostel abgestiegen. ... Nachdem wir unsere Waesche zum Waschen gebracht haben, eine neue DVD gebrannt und unsere Emails beantwortet haben, haben wir uns auf den Weg in die Stadt gemacht um einen Tour-Operator fuer unseren Inka-Trail zu finden....

Oct 19, 2009 - Cuzco & Machu Picchu

Unser erster Stop in Peru war in Cuzco von wo aus wir zum Highlight unseres Trips in die verlorene Incastadt Machu Picchu aufgebrochen sind. ... Ich denke auf den Fotos wird klar dass der Ort beeindruckend ist, aber dann wirklich dort zu sein und von einem Peruaner zwei Stunden lang die Geschichte der Stadt erklaert zu bekommen war schon sehr beeindruckend! Seit gestern Abend sind wir zurueck in Cuzco wo wir uns im Hostel noch einen Tag erhohlen werden bevor es dann zu einer anderen Incastaette weitergeht - den Linien von Nazca --------------------------------------------------------- Our first stop in Peru was Cuzco from where we started a three-day-inca-jungle-trek up to Machu Picchu. ... The tourgroup consisting of us two, two irish guys and a malteser (haha) was picked up at the hostel in the morning to go mountainbiking for a few hours before we were brought, up a very, very windy mountain road, to the town that we spent the first night in.Unser erster Stop in Peru war in Cuzco von wo aus wir zum Highlight unseres Trips in die verlorene Incastadt Machu Picchu aufgebrochen sind. ... Ich denke auf den Fotos wird klar dass der Ort beeindruckend ist, aber dann wirklich dort zu sein und von einem Peruaner zwei Stunden lang die Geschichte der Stadt erklaert zu bekommen war schon sehr beeindruckend! Seit gestern Abend sind wir zurueck in Cuzco wo wir uns im Hostel noch einen Tag erhohlen werden bevor es dann zu einer anderen Incastaette weitergeht - den Linien von Nazca --------------------------------------------------------- Our first stop in Peru was Cuzco from where we started a three-day-inca-jungle-trek up to Machu Picchu. ... The tourgroup consisting of us two, two irish guys and a malteser (haha) was picked up at the hostel in the morning to go mountainbiking for a few hours before we were brought, up a very, very windy mountain road, to the town that we spent the first night in....

Oct 3, 2009 - Peru: Cusco

Here's a selection from this past week in Cusco. ... The kids took a backstrap weaving class in the village of Chinchero, we went to see Cusco's Cienciano futbol team lose to San Lorenzo of Argentina and we rode quadrimotos (ATV's) -- partially in a hailstorm -- for Cayman's 14th birthday. ...

Sep 29, 2009 - Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

We started our journey to Machu Picchu at Kilometre 82 (the start of the Inca Trail) and although the walk was gentle on day 1 to ease us in, the weather was not so kind and we arrived at our first camp for the night all wet and soggy! Day 2, which we were told was the hardest day, lived up to our expectations! It was really tough as we had to go up by approximately 1000m to get to the highest point on the trail (approx 4200m/13,700ft). ... Although day 3 is mainly downhill it was the longest day and we were getting tired now and going down, although easier on your breathing, is much harder on your legs! We were all very glad to get to our last camp for the trip - plus there was the extra bonus of it being the first place where we could have a shower! After sharing a tent with Adrian who hadn't had a shower for almost 3 days it was a relief to my nose as well! Finally day 4 arrived and it was just a few hours walk to Machu Picchu! It was so amazing to get the first glimpse of the "lost city" although when we finally arrived we were so tired it was hard to take it all in! Anyway, we made it and it is very satisfying! Not only the physical challenge but the camping - with the lack of showers, cold nights and the toilet facilities along the way were disgusting! But it was worth it. ...