Roads truly fascinate me. They connect our world and transform the places we live in. I would highly recommend reading The Routes of Man by Ted Conover. I love the introductory quote in his book , "Every road is a story of striving: for profit, for victory in battle, for discovery and adventure, for survival and growth, or simply for livability. Each path reflects our desire to move and connect. Anyone who has benefited from a road--can testify to the importance of good roads. But when humans strive, we also err, and it is hard to build without destroying." This photo was captured as we ride in the back of trucks into Nacion Q'eros in the Peruvian Andes. Until recently, the people of Q'eros lived high over these passes out of touch from the modern world. The road is transforming these communities. They now have access to amenities that were once unknown. It is amazingly complicated. Should we even visit? I always feel a sense of guilt and malaise visiting Q'eros. Who are we to say what these people can and cannot have? We tend to romanticize their simple way of life in a magical landscape....but we ignore the hard realities. Where do you go if you get sick or injured? Where do you go for a good education? How do you diversify your diet when you can only grow potatoes in such a high climate? These are things a road can bring; however, with the road comes ideas of consumerism, competition, extraction of resources, a cash economy, a loss of traditions etc... It is amazing to ponder. So go check out the book The Routes of Man. It's a good one.
Workers carrying salt in Salineras to be stored and later be sold in the markets and around Cusco. Incredibly physically demanding work.
One of my favorite things in the Andes are the textures. The various ores, sediments and rock types create such a fascinatingly unique landscape.
