Peru and Bolivia Landscapes, Cityscapes and Nature
Chonta
The agrarian community of Chonta nestled in between some amazing mountain ranges. This area is becoming more and more known by outsiders due to the Condors that make their home in the nearby Apurimac canyon seen in the background.
Introspection
Gina, a dear friend and fellow Guide takes in a few quiet moments to reflect and appreciate the surrounding beauty in Upis camp beneath Ausangate.
Feeling Small
Perspective. One of my students, Ethan stands in the valley beneath the might Cordillera Vilcanota range in southern Peru.
Stairway to Heaven
This must be what it looks like. Deep in Nacion Q'eros as we work our way up to the summit seen in the background. The summit is sacred, and we would hold a special ceremony celebrating the earth at the top.
Pink Window
The beautiful ancient streets of Ollantaytambo. The oldest inhabited Inca city
Limatambo Garden
My good friend Carolina's mother's house in Limatambo. A beautiful little Eden.
Choclo
Shucking corn. Choclo is used in a variety of dishes in Peru. It can be roasted. Eaten on the cob, put in soup and is also used to feed the chickens and pigs.
Onwards to Q'eros
The one road into Q'eros is quite rugged but with its implementation years ago, it has dramatically changed the communities way of life.
Classic Sacred Valley
A very classic scene above the Sacred Valley with a llama, the agricultural fields, and the most famous peak Veronica looming behind
Discomfort
The ultimate car suffer test. After completing our 9 day trek around Illampu and the Camino del Oro, we finish in a remote mining area...2 land cruisers pick us up and shuttle us on the anywhere from 9-24+ hour drive (depending on road conditions and rainfall) to Guanay on the Rio Beni. The road is devastatingly rough, and I think I might have had a concussion from nailing my head so hard on the roof. Also, we emanate some pretty lovely body odor after hiking through the mountains and rainforest for 9 days, so putting 9 people in a car made for 5 is a test of our zen abilities.
The road passes through "no man's" land. You drive through a lawless mining region where the earth has been stripped of many resources. It is remarkable gazing out the windows at the permanent scars left behind by humans on our planet. It really gets you thinking. I can't quite imagine or comprehend what life would be like here....living in this environment...possibly going against your moral compass in order to feed your family. Or, is this where pieces of my computer or car came from? Did I just aid in scarring this landscape and promoting human rights abuses?....... The moral of this picture and story? This is the way to travel. It opens your eyes, makes you question things, alters your perspectives, invigorates your inner activism, smacks you in the face (literally and figuratively), puts you in true discomfort....and this is truly where the greatest learning takes place. So when you travel...get out there!
Misminay
Overlooking the Sacred valley from the agricultural community of Misminay in the Cusco department.
Maiz Morada Dye
Natural dyes made from Purple Corn in Chinchero to be used to weave amazing tapestries and textiles.
Corn Harvest
Corn harvested and drying in the sun in Misminay, Peru
Sandoval Reflections
Reflections looking into Lake Sandoval in Madre Dios in the Peruivan Rainforest
Roads
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.
Heavy Loads of Salt
Workers carrying salt in Salineras to be stored and later be sold in the markets and around Cusco. Incredibly physically demanding work.
Cherup
Laguna Cherup above Huaraz, Peru
Abra De Lares
House Guardian
A dead cat's remains are placed on top of a house in hopes of protection for the family.
Vilcanota Reflections
The mighty Vilcanota Range reflected in a small pond.
Layered Limatambo
Isla Del Sol
Views from Isla Del Sol, Bolivia in Laguna Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake on earth at over 12,000 feet.
Rest Before The Descent
Taking a few moments to enjoy the views before descending down to the Sacred Valley floor below.
Tunnel Vision
I could get used to this sort of tunnel vision! Looking down across the Sacred Valley from high on the Lares Circuit in Peru.
Pisac Ruins
Treacherous Bridge
Crossing this bridge in the remote Bolivian jungle isn't for the faint of heart.
Rugged Q'eros
Herding House
A traditional rudimentary herder's house in the high Andes. These houses are used for short periods of times when members of communities head to higher ground with their animals to take their animals grazing.
Misminay Clothes Line
Incan Precision
the incredible precision of the Inca is seen here at this door in Ollantaytambo.
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Salineras Illuminated
Verdant Terraces
Just outside of Ollantaytambo verdant terraces grow an abundance of produce.
