Market Day

Market day in Urubamba. Beautiful, delicious, organic and oh so colorful. Always so much healthier here.

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Hardened Hands

You don't always have to capture someone's face to tell their story. Hands reflect a life lived. Here, Basilia organizes the various Ullucus into several piles. One for her soups. One for seeding and one for feeding the pigs.

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Wrinkles

"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been." Mark Twain is one of my favorites; but he falls short here. Wrinkles indicate a life lived. They are products of smiles, tears, anger, hardship, grief, joy, love and the range of emotions only gained through experience.

This woman forever captivates my spirit. She was sitting in Amaru, Peru drinking homemade chicha (corn beer). By best buddy Yieber and I approached her and started chatting. Quechua being Yieber's first language provided us direct insight and instant connection. She spoke of a arduous life lived at high altitude, working in the fields, being a mother, a grandmother and just embodying what the human experience is for so many campesinas living in the high Andes. She even scolded me for not taking the glass of chicha with two hands and informed me, I wouldn't be having many babies if I continued accepting with one hand. Her countenance explains it all. Authentic. Straight forward. No complaints about being poor or living such a difficult, physical life....just a matter of fact attitude with some sagely advice intermixed.

Here I sit, aware of my privilege. Consciously grateful to be able to travel to such places and hear other's experiences. The takeaway... infinite. I crave these interactions. Profound gratitude resides in my very core. I have fostered incredibly special relationships with people around the world who grew up very different than I did. They have shaped my perspectives and left an indelible sense of curiosity and compassion for the human spirit. I look up to those who have persevered through true adversity with a sense of dignity and generosity that is utterly remarkable and admirable.

Those wrinkle aren't solely evidence of myriad smiles. They are boundless emotions worn on a face of a life lived. I hope one day, I'll have as many wrinkles.

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Mystical Mountains

A mystical scene at camp in Carhuacocha as the clouds lift after dumping snow up high and a solid 2-3 inches of cold rain in just a few hours time.

Aniseto, our horseman returns from checking on our burros grazing above to make sure they hadn’t gone too far.

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Basilia at Home

Basilia sits in her home in Chonta as we all gather for a simple breakfast and morning conversations.

Her family asked me to get some photos her… as she’s in her later 80s now, and they want to make sure they have images of her.

I’ve known her for 6 years or so, and I’ve seen her slow down, but just after I took this photo and returned to the house I was staying, I saw her quickly walk by the dirt road with a bundle of firewood that must have weighed 20 pounds. A tough and resilient woman indicative of so many in the high Andes.

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Chonta Morning

Mornings in Chonta. Wake up to the sounds of roosters cackawwwing, the songbirds dancing across the flowers, the fresh, cool dry mountain air tickling your face, and the faint sounds of baaaaah as the sheep are shepherded to the fields for a day of grazing. It's a daily scene in a small mountain community in the Peruvian Andes. Life is simple here. To many of us, it’s lackluster. It's difficult. It's connected. Here, a family heads out in the early morning taking the sheep to the pampa. The boy kicks his soccer ball, the girl plays with the dogs and mom chugs along stoically but with intention. Soon after I captured this photo, they sat down to eat soup...and before taking a bite, they brought it over to me and offered me some first. Whattt? A family that has very little offering what they have to a gringo riding his fancy mountain bike down the road. I happily obliged and enjoyed a 20 minute conversation with them about their animals, life and teaching a few English words to the children. Remarkable how generous and connected with the land these folks truly are. It's spiritual and special. We should all take note.

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Back Breaking Work

Back-breaking work. A woman work's her family's salt pool in Maras, Peru. She is squeezing the moisture out of the salt before letting it sit out in the sun to dry. This salt mine has been worked since Inca times owned cooperatively among the families of Maras. The salt comes from a subterranean stream. The water comes out at a spring by the mines. The flow is channeled into many tiny canals that direct the water gradually downslope to the numerous terraced pools. Almost all the pools are less than four meters square in area, and none exceeds thirty centimeters in depth. They are shaped into polygons with the flow of water carefully controlled and monitored by the workers. The altitude of the pools slowly decreases, so that the water may flow through the myriad branches of the water-supply channels and be introduced slowly through a notch in one sidewall of each pond.

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Keeping Tradition Alive

Demonstrating traditional weaving techniques in Chinchero at the Center for Textiles. Stunning work and mesmerizing work. Each weaving incorporates a story, utilizes natural dyes, completely hand woven and an incredible homage to a fascinating and intricate tradition.

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Chonta Greetings

6:30 in the morning for a stroll in Chonta, this man rides a steep precipitous hill to pull up next to me.

“Hola amigo, buenos dias. Estas tomando fotos?

I reply. “Buenos dias senor. Si estoy tomando fotos de la naturaleza y tu pueblito.”

“Ahhh”, he seems very intrigued. “Saca una foto en mi caballo. Nosotros somos muy guapos y fuertes.”

I say of course. I direct him into position a bit with the beautiful green foggy morning light. I snap a few photos and he’s more than happy with how he and his horse look, saying they indeed do look very handsome.

We spend a few more minutes chatting, and I tell him the families I’m staying with, how many years I’ve been coming here and how his small community has really impacted me and it’s amazing beauty. He says he was up at 3:30 and rode down to check on the animals and small farming plots. He points to where they are, and they look impossibly difficult to get to and probably 4-5,000 feet down the steep cliffs.

Just another humble morning for him and his incredible and steady animal. I’m in awe of what he’s already accomplished by 6:30. I thought I was early out of the gate out for a walk.

With a tip of the hat and quick nod he says, “nos vemos la proxima caballero.” He adds...I’m welcome to join him another morning. I might take him up on that, but I’m a novice horse rider at best. Guess we’ll see on my next visit. Knowing me, I’ll give it a go and be humbled per usual with an insatiable respect for this land and it’s people. It’s all about learning, experiencing, connecting and presence. A lifelong quest.

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Basilia

Basilia, 83 years old. Grandmother of my second family member Carolina. A powerful soul who lives by herself in Chonta and takes care of everything on her own. She still rides a horse to go check on the cows, takes the sheep to graze, maintains a garden, tends to the chickens, weaves beautiful tapestries, makes chicha (corn beer), cooks and is almost completely self sustainable. Remarkable. An encyclopedia of ancient traditions and true connection with the land.

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Soul of a Child

This picture was taken in the small Amazon community of Asuncion de Quiquibey in Bolivia. There's no way for me to ever know what this little girl was thinking but you're moved be her presence.

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La Jefa with Cuy

Laughter permeates the quiet tucked away cobble stone alley on the ancient streets of Ollantaytambo. Yieber quips,

“I think people are drinking Chicha.”

He walks over to an unassuming door and smiles. A group of locals is gathered in an open courtyard chicharia at a woman’s house. She sits proudly underneath family photos, dried corn, ojotas pinned on the wall (tire sandals) and other fun heirlooms. Beside her is a huge qeros (the vat where they make and store chicha). We are cordially invited in. She pours us a couple cups of corn beer which requires two hands to hold. There’s a group of locals curiously watching us …two gringos and Yieber). There’s also an entertainment party of four drunk stooges mumbling all kinds of gibberish ranging from imitating Vladimir Putin to one saying he can drink a ton because his intestine is 25 meters long. The Jefa, or woman who runs the place has a cordial yet strong presence. She’s in charge and everyone knows it.

It’s my kinda scene. Such a fun place to stumble upon. I live for these experiences.

We hear cuys…guinea pigs in the room scrambling on the floor in the next room over. I ask the Jefa if she can show Lindsay them as Lindz has wanted to try eating this cute local delicacy. She happily takes us into the room and I ask for a photo. She quickly grabs two cuys from the floor and hold them proudly. Lindsay says they are so cute. The woman replies with a wry smile…’yes….and they are delicious!” We laughed joking about them for the next few minutes…Lindz decided to hold off on trying the cuy for now.

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Twirl

Weekends in Cusco are for dancing, music and color explosions in the streets. Slowing the shutter down a bit to capture some of the energy and motion.

La Morenada.

This dance comes from Bolivia. It's believed to stem from a mixture of African and indigenous roots. Similar to the United States, Africans were enslaved in the silver mines in Potosi. These dances were created as forms of expression and to sustain through incredible hardship.

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Tomas

Tomás, a shaman who hails from the remote homeland of the Q’eros sits in Pisac overwhelmed by the noises and actions of the street. Since the Qero’s have become more we’ll known for their healing powers and mystique among travelers and backpackers...many of them have ventured out of their remote homes in the Andes to try and eek out a living by providing various rituals most famously Ayahuasca ceremonies. It’s a slippery slope of commodifying culture but also a way to perhaps share and preserve their traditions while also allowing them a viable outlet to use their ancient knowledge to make out a living.

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Carrying Lena Home

A woman in Chonta returns home in the late afternoon with a bundle of lena, or firewood. Collecting firewood in the high Andes is difficult as many people live above tree line.

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Fresas and a Smile

The simple pleasure of buying fresh healthy and organic strawberries at the local market for trail snacks. Tough to beat.

The larger strawberries or fresas are just snacked on while the smaller versions are used to in strawberry chicha (corn beer) called frutilladas. Rico!

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Rope

A steady grip on the tethered rope. High in the Andes around Ausangate life is tough. The working relationship with the people and their animals is paramount to survival.

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Chinchero Alley

Wandering the ancient streets of Chinchero, I was snapping a photo of this beautiful alley when an elderly woman came out of her home and slowly descended the cobblestone street. A timeless scene of everyday life in an Andean town….and to ponder these foundations were built over 600 years ago by the Inca and remain as precise and beautiful as ever…it’s mind blowing stuff.

And then..:the second photo. I was appalled to look across from town and see that the Chinchero International Airport was in full swing of construction. It will supplant the Cusco airport and allow for many more visitors and flights…but at a huge expense. I plan on writing a big piece on this, but I actually got emotional as I watched this scene across the way as the huge machinery combed the sacred land all for short sighted tourism dollars and unsustainable numbers inundating this special pocket of our world. This place is going to change oh so soon and scenes like this will become photo memories.

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Mornings in Ollantaytambo

Mornings along the ancient Incan streets of Ollantaytambo. The oldest inhabited Incan settlement.

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Isla Del Sol: A Day in the Life

Isla del Sol's interstate. On the island situated in the middle of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, there are no roads or motorized vehicles. To get supplies to houses, restaurants, hotels etc..., locals must take their mules down to the boat docks everyday and load their mules up and then make the long journey up the steep hillsides. Furthermore, the island is situated at roughly 12,500 feet. If you want increased lung power, sculpted legs and to shed a few pounds, go to work with these people. The ultimate tried and true weight loss plan.

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Market Day Huaraz

My life is shaped by the urgent need to wander and observe, and my camera is my passport.”– Steve McCurry.

What's the first thing I do whenever I get back to Peru? I head for the market. It's the heartbeat of all the cities especially on Sundays.

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A Mountain Life

This boy's intense stare and weathered face says it all. Life in the high Peruvian Andes is difficult. The Q'eros people, the wisdom keepers of the Andes, are the last direct blood descendants of the Inca and still live a very traditional life. tucked away from much of our modern world.

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Overlooking Her Home

My best friend Yieber's Mom looks over the ancient salt pools of Salineras. The community of Maras, where she lives owns this place. She's been working the pools her entire life. I can only imagine what she thinks when she overlooks all of them after a life spent in these pools.

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Mother's Day

Mothers take a break from working in the fields to drop by the school to watch their children show their appreciate and love for them on Mother's Day in rural Peru. It was truly special and humbling to be invited by the head of the school to enjoy the festivities. I absolutely adore how inviting the Andean culture is and how systems of reciprocity (ayni) and community are paramount. It doesn't matter what class, gender, creed or color you are....they welcome you with open arms and love. In our current political climate here in the US, it is a poignant reminder that we all share this planet together, we all deserved to be loved and being truly human and kind is beautiful. If only some of us had the ability and/or willingness to travel and push our comfort zones, our perspectives would shift, and we would be a lot more tolerant. I am infinitely grateful for what I have been exposed to and am lucky to have a brother and dearest friend in Peru...Yieber

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Powerful Gaze

Life is too complex to ever pretend to capture in a singular frame but when trying to catch a glimpse of the story, I really try to take my time, observe and FEEL before clicking the shutter. I focus in on the subtleties, behaviors and what draws me in. It's one thing to look into someone else's eyes, but it's all the more powerful when you reach for the soul and connect in a more poignant way. Photo taken in Cusco while wandering the streets.

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Blind Soul

A blind man beautiful plays from the heart creating music that soothes the soul. Amazing.

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”-Helen Keller

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Inline

Weekends in Cusco are always magical. The streets are shut down to cars and dancing and music ensues. A way to celebrate, remember and share culture. This dance comes is called the Morenada and comes from Bolivia. It's believed to stem from a mixture of African and indigenous roots. Similar to the United States, Africans were enslaved in the silver mines in Potosi. These dances were created as forms of expression and to sustain through incredible hardship.

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Juliana and Alex

Alex (1 year old) on his mother Juliana's back. Juliana comes down to Ollantaytambo from a remote community at 14,000 feet every week and stays for 3 days in a small rental unit selling her handicrafts in town. Time spent away from her husband and farming fields just trying to make ends meet. .
.

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Shepherd's Life

Daily business in Misminay, Peru. Taking the sheep up the mountain to graze. Life is slower, quieter, more difficult yet intrinsically connected with the land...and that is pretty damn special.

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Nervous Eyes

At a Mother's Day celebration at a school in Maras, Peru, students prepare to perform a traditional dance for their Mothers, who have taken breaks from working the fields to come see their children show their appreciation for them. This girl kept looking over at her teacher with nervous eyes as she was readying for her performance.

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Sacrifice

Nicolas in Nacion Q'eros watches along unfazed as the community slaughters two sheep for a Pachamanca. Pachamanca's in Peru are a way to bring the community together to celebrate each other, the earth and the sustenance it provides.

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Working the Land

Another Sunday afternoon above Huaraz. A family spreads hay and works the fields. Hard work is a way of life here but on Sundays after a few hours....they will celebrate together by playing a game of futbol, drinking some beers and chicha and hanging out together. It's all about community.

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Market Energy

The vibrant energy of the Urubamba Market

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All Smiles

"The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.” Wade Davis

Aunt and niece high in the Andes beneath the sacred peak Apu Ausangate. Salt of the earth people.

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Humble Life

Daily scenes near Racchi, Peru. Increasingly, many of us are more disconnected than ever from our natural surroundings. By 2050, it is expected that 70% of the world will live in urban environments. Often, people ask me what first drew me to the Andes of Peru. Well...many still live in connection with the earth, they celebrate it and embrace duality and community. Furthermore, they accept the challenges. Fierce sun, frigid nights, very little money, no grocery store, walking miles and miles to school, growing their own food, living at altitude, lack of access to healthcare, the list goes on....Through it all, they remain. They persevere and are the most humble and generous people you will ever meet. They embody the essence of life. No need to romanticize it, but we have a lot to learn from these cultures, and I have happily found myself feeling more present and at home in this areas than I ever have in any comfort zone, chain store or superficial material culture. Thank you. Truly.

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All In A Day's Work

All in a day's work at over 14k feet. No matter the weather. Life is tough here. No getting around that but there’s a beauty to it that we all can resonate with or crave just a bit more of.

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Fruit Shopping

Nothing beats these markets. The produce and fruits are incredible, and the prices are affordable for all. If you really want to see a culture, you have to spend intimate time in the markets just basking in the kaleidoscope of colors and energy.

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Petting Time

It's hard to not give the pups some love. A member of the Peruvian Army gives these dogs some petting love before marching in the streets of Cusco.

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Cusco Rainbow

The beginnings of a double rainbow in Cusco after a strong thunderstorm. This woman walked up and said what are you taking photos of. I showed her, and she turned around and goes oh wow!

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Jose Condori

Jose Condori, who is in his late 60's grew up at the base of Apu Ausangate. He has lived his entire life in the high Andes of Peru. He is a rugged yet gentle soul whom I proudly call a compadre. His strength is truly humbling

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Seven Million Wonders

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million." -Walt Streighti

This picture was taken in the remote community of Quico Chico in Nacion Q'eros, Peru. It resonates with the arduous mountain life but the colorful beauty of tradition.

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Gleam

My friend Fortunato's son, who is an incredibly charismatic kiddo is always helping where he can. He's always got a gleam in his eye.

He even once offered to try and push our box truck when the battery died getting behind it and pushing with all his little might.

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Life in Chonta

Life at nearly 14,000 feet. Imagine it. Day in and day out, the intense sun scorches your skin. The frigid, dry air penetrates through every pore into your bone marrow. Your animals are your livelihood. No matter the weather, you must take them up and down at least 2,000 feet every single day to graze. You sit for hours watching the world go by. Entertainment is what you create. Clothing, you usually make it. Food, yep...you got it again...you grow/raise it. House...surprise surprise....all you by hand using clay from the soil and thatch from the pampa. For heat, not many trees this high. You collect dried llama and cow poo to burn and cook. The list goes on. Life here is incredibly hard. No getting around it; however, it's connected. These are the wisdom keepers of the Andes. Us living in the 'modern' world are so disconnected from this lifestyle. Often we cringe at the thought of having to endure such conditions; however, we can learn a lot from these people. Resilience, connection, generosity, family, spirituality, hard work and respect for the land. I continue to admire. This particular family was taking their sheep out to graze for the day. 8 hours spent herding them, sitting, waiting and watching. Amazingly, the mother pulled a hot container of potato soup an offered me to join the three of them. I obliged and we spent a half hour laughing and chatting a bit about life.

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Hair Check

While during a pause in the parade, a sisters perform a quick hair check.

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Confidence

A commanding presence. After a day of playing and gifting school supplies to the students in Misminay, this young guy got up to passionately recite a song about Peru and offer his gratitude to our visiting students.

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Carhuacocha Mom

This woman lives an isolated life along with her 3 kids on the shores of lake Carhuacocha in the Huayhuash. Her husband works as a farmer and horseman for trekkers and climbers in the region. This was taken in 2021 when COVID is still gripping the country with very little tourism. We chatted about how her husband's work has run dry with no tourism at all. I bought some freshly harvested potatoes from her farm for our group to help support where we could. Let's hope her family can get back to work soon because living out on these fringes is a tough life even in 'normal' times.

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Another Day

Another day at work on Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca, Bolivia. A woman heads down hundreds of stairs with her little girl in tow and her pickaxe to harvest potatoes in her small chakra (field). I really appreciate the austerity of this photo. It defines another day in the life.

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Balancing Act

From the fantastic organization in Montenegro, Bolivia called EnseñARTE (Teach You). They take street children and children who live in extreme poverty and introduce them to circus arts. The kids come every afternoon to practice their crafts including: juggling, unicycling, aerial acrobatics, balancing acts, etc... They perform in various places in and around Cochabamba, Bolivia. A number of them have been sponsored to travel to the United States and even received scholarships to Universities in the U.S. and Bolivia. You can visit their Facebook page here and follow or support them in any way you choose:
https://m.facebook.com/PerformingLifeBolivia/

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