Earthly Connection – Part 2

After an exciting day of site seeing it was time to get down to work. For the next two day it was only going to be me and the family working on the farm in Tingana. On the weekend two of the members of the group Activismo en San Martin (the place that I am working for) were going to join us. This was going to be my first experience working on any type of farm so i could not wait to get started.

What made working on this farm so exciting and fulfilling was that everyone worked together. The whole time I was here I did not what the time was or sometimes even what day it was. I work up most of the time when I heard the family get up or from our natural alarm the roster. I woke up every morning greeting the family and my first job was to get oranges for the juice. The husband was making a pole for getting down the oranges in the tree when I got up. The pole was very simple; at the end of it a “v” shape notch was cut into it. He then led me to the orange tree that I was going to get the oranges from.

It is funny that even though I do not Spanish that well and the family does not know English well we are still able to communicate. He showed me very quickly how to them get the oranges down from the tree. The best oranges are at the top of the tree and usually at the ends. I did try climbing the tree but found that there were a lot of ants in the tree that I did not feel like messing with. Using the stick is easy; you find the orange that you want and place the “v” cut out on the stem he orange is on. Then you twist the twig and it comes off very easy and it is a pretty quick process.  

After I collected the oranges I headed to the kitchen to give them to the wife. She then piled them while I went out and helped with the coffee seeds. After the seeds are de-husked you have to rinse them with water and then drain them into a mess bag. Firstly you have to take out all the seeds that are floating on top of the water. These seeds are not good enough for the exportation of the seeds and are sold at a lesser price to the local community. Yes we foreigners get the better of the coffee seeds then the local community here. They get the lower grade although here in Perú coffee is not consumed a lot as much as in North America. After the draining of the seeds you then take the seeds to a tarp that is stretched out on the ground. Here is where the seeds will dry in the sun for four days and then will be shipped out to other companies to process them and then packaged for sale.

After getting all the seeds out on the tarp it was time for breakfast. The wife took a rebar piece and started to hammer it on the side of the house. This was the signal for the family that it was time for food. At breakfast I got to have a taste of my hard work in the morning collecting oranges. Man the orange juice tasted amazing and so fresh, probably one of the best orange juices I have ever had.

After a good hardy breakfast I got my tutorial about picking coffee seeds from the tree. It is very similar to another type of picking fruit and it is very relaxing. It was nice not to work under pressure and in a stressful environment. You just go from tree to tree picking away making sure to only grab the reddish fruit from the coffee tree. It is also nice to work in a secluded area without any cars, transit and people everywhere. It is you and nature. You take moments from time to time to here the forest come alive with all the animals that inhabit the forest. There are a lot of bugs that do bother you and at times I would find myself very cautious when picking the fruits. I always made sure that I did not grab a spider or a bee.

After getting buckets full of fruit I dumped the buckets in a area attached to the de-husker. The area will fill up with water later to soften the husks of the coffee fruit before they are taken off. After a good mornings work I headed in for a good meal and then relax just outside of the kitchen and watch the animals play. Though the work is not hard it was hot out and I have not worked in two months. So I grabbed my ipod and listened to some music and thought for a bit.

I have been doing a lot of thinking on this trip, it has really influenced me. Up to this point I have experience so much in my travels and sometimes you do not get a chance to reflex upon what you have experienced. There have been many times that I have thought about becoming a farmer. In Perú you experience many events where it brings you closer to the realities of how food is processed. In Huancayo I was able to experience the treatment and the selling of animals in the big Sunday market and also got to learn much about herbs and other plants I am new too. Also in Huancayo there is a very big market of fresh produce that is sold by the local farmers of the valley. Here is where you grow and even stronger connection to food because you get to talk to the farmer or the workers of the farm first hand. Now in Tingana I was experience the relationship with humans and the farm itself.

After a good thinking session I then headed back to work to another part of the farm where there was more coffee seeds. IK was able to get a good amount of work done and when I finished I met up with the husband and we both headed in to the kitchen for dinner. Here in Tingana I really got to practice my Spanish and it has been interesting hearing the different accents and speech patterns of each area in Perú. In the coast Peruvians speak very fast and very relaxed. In the mountains the people much slower and are very serious when they talk, they a pretty straight to the point. In the jungle the speech is slower than the coast but faster and more relaxed than the mountains and it is much more understandable for me.

After dinner we relaxed around the table drinking tea and they were asking a lot of questions. I answered as best as I could and it seemed that I was getting the message through and I was listening very well. After the healthy conversation with the family we all headed into the house and went to sleep. It was a good day of work and getting out my thoughts that I think was much needed. I like to think a lot and if I do not get the time to think it all out I find that it is hard to function sometimes and I can get a little stressed out. Working with in a very quiet and calm setting soothes you and makes you very calm, like nothing in the world can bother you at that point.            

Earthly Connection – Part 1

Well it has been about two months now that I have been in Perú. I have traveled to many parts and have experienced the different faces. I have experience the Coastal Region culture, the culture of the Andean Region and the cities that have heavy influence of tourism. I am glad to be out of the tourist loop and find myself in another side of Perú. I am currently in the Capital San Martin – the City Moyobamba – which is located at the transition zone where the jungle meets the Andean Mountains.

On my arrival to the department San Martin I was rushed around to get from Tarapoto to Moyobamba by taxi. The next day in Moyobamba I had a meeting with the group of permaculture here and then was off to an eco-tourist area within the jungle. At first I was questioning what I was getting myself into. The family that I was going to stay within the reserve did not speak a lot of English. Also I was never briefed on what the plans were in the reserve and the schedule of activities. So I sucked it up and decide to have faith in the people that I was going to stay with and with the group of permaculture that I have recently met.

The bus ride from the city of Moyobamba to Tingana (the eco-tourist reserve) was an unpleasant one. The bus was hot and the road was not in good condition. I was cramped holding all the equipment that I brought and was really sweating. In these situations you just got to deal with it and remember that it is all about the experience. In Canada we have the luxury of very well paved roads and good buses. It is a good eye opener for what we take for granted. It was a relief when we arrived to the boat loading area. I was glad to get off the bus.

We then entered a boat that was going to take us to the reserve where I was going to volunteer. The boat ride was very pleasant and very scenic, but for the second this trip I forgot my memory card for my camera. I was taking lots of photos but then realized that there was no card in the camera. There was no turning back to get the card so these next post I am going to try to be as descriptive as possible.

The river we were going up was an extension of the Amazon River. Unfortunately I will not be in the thickness of the Amazon Forest but I am in an area that has had lots of deforestation. The main rive that I was traveling up did not have many trees surrounding the area but the sky was amazing. In the distant you can see the foothills of the Andean Mountains covered in greenery and just above and behind them you have the scenic clouds. In that moment everything is still and quiet. The only sound that disturbs the scene is the motor that is operating the boat. We were going up stream and even the river looks calm the current is very strong.

Along the river we stopped at one of the friends of the family to purchase some fresh sugar from them and the local rum. The sugar looked much like the texture of pumpkin pie but very sweet. When we arrived they were just finishing crushing the sugar cane for the next batch of sugar and rum. Then the family offered me to try some of the local rum. I did not know it was rum until it hit my lips. There is another drink out there that is sold on the streets that is just the juice of the sugar cane which I thought this was. They defiantly like their rum strong because it was like paint thinning and felt like my mouth was on fire.

After the short stop we then head back up the river. The only indication that shows where to go to Tingana is a small little sign that points to a small little off river that leads into the bigger one. We turned down into the little river way and it became very dark and scenic. This stream is an area that was not affect by the forestry industry and is not protected.  Trees all over hang above you and block out the sun. The motor slowed down and you could start to hear the forest come alive. You could hear leaves falling down from atop the canopy and hitting every branch as it fell. You always looked hoping that you would get a look at a animal swinging from the trees. The birds were singing and the husband start to mimic the sounds of the birds and the birds would answer back. As the boat passed down the river you would have to look out for many roots of ferns hanging down from the trees. It was like entering a whole new world and I was very glad that I get to experience it.

Tingana is a small little reserve that is aimed at getting tourist in for boat rides and also to learn about the forest. It also has 15 families living within the reserve and they produce coffee, chocolate seeds, oranges, lemons, limas and many other fruits. The area for tourist is very small and has a small sitting area that has many facts about the animals and plants of the area on the wall. There are two little storage houses that hold the paddles for the boats and seats. The person that lives in the area is the cousin of the husband I was going to stay with. After the short visit we head to the house of the family I was going to stay at.

The walk to the house was very muddy and was a good thing that I brought the rubber boats for the trip. The area experiences much flooding and on the buildings you can see previous water levels. From what I saw I could see that the water was 2 to 3 feet along the side of the house. These houses are not water proof and what I found out later was that everything needs to be moved out including animals.

The pathway to the house was surrounded by many plants but one that persist the most was the coffee tree. Here the man production is coffee and a lot of the farmers were growing them in the area. When we arrived to the house I got to meet one of the workers and friend of the family that lives with them as well. He was in the process of getting the coffee seeds to become de-husked. The house was a very simple rectangular structure. There were no windows and only two doors. One door lead into the larger area of the house that had two rooms, one of the rooms consisting only of a bed form the friend and the other room and two beds  and tables with a small TV. The other door leads to the room that stored the motor to power the house, kitchen and the pump. Separate from the house was the kitchen; in the kitchen there was a medium size oven that had three burners on it. The oven was made of cement and the heat was conducted from the burning of wood. There was a medium sized table and four shelves holding the produce. Running around the floor of the place was many Guinea Pigs. Once we entered the kitchen the noise of the pigs started and the room was filled with the noises especially when food was brought in for them. The bathroom was an outhouse in a field of coffee and fruit trees. I got the tour and realized this was going to push the comfort zone. Like I said it is all about the experience and seeing this setup brought a calming energy over me and I felt comfortable where I was going to stay.

After the tour I decide to help the husband and the friend de-husk the coffee seeds which is a very simple process.  First you let the coffee sit in water so that it could become soft and easy to peel. After a day or two in the water you then out the seeds through a machine that separates the husk from the seed and places the seeds in one area and the husk in another. After the de-husking we headed into the kitchen for dinner under candle light.

After dinner I took everything in that I was experiencing and realized that is was nice to be in such a simple environment. My cell phone had no reception; there were no computers and little electricity. This relieves out of so much stress are you are calm. You do not have to worry about emails, text messages and social status on a website. Your only care in the world is in the now and what is going on with your life. You think a lot more, observe more of your surroundings and feel happy with the simplest of things. I was enjoying watching the social structure of the animals that were on the property. There were many chickens, dogs, cows and even one little pig all running around the places getting into trouble and playing with one another. The one thing that really caught my eye was the sky at night which I was waiting for the longest time. I got to be in the jungle when in this area was going through a new moon. The stars were bright and you could see so much it was stunning and was glad to see the sky like this since I have not seen it with so many stars in many years. The next few days I was going to be put to work and would experience life on the farm of coffee.       

A Healthy Boost of Confidence

Well after and exciting and exhausting trip from Arequipa, Puno and then to Cusco I was able to let loose a bit in Lima. I only had a few days in Lima because I would be heading to Moyobamba in a few days to finally volunteer. Firstly had to party a bit in Lima before going to Moyobamba and also started to push my comfort zone. I am a very out spoken person and can crack some good jokes but when it comes to women a lot of the confidence goes away. There is a big fear that comes over me when I get into situations with the opposite sex. I find that there is a major tension that I get in my stomach and start to get very nervous.

You need to be confident in yourself and not worry about others opinions about you. This is advice that I have given to many friends and believe in what I say. Sometimes I do not practice my own teachings and fall short of some of my ambitions. Being on this trip I have been learning a lot about myself, have been pushing my comfort zones and have been liking it very much. I have gained more confidence in myself, my views about life and not worrying too much about what others think of me.

So in Lima I went out for a night of fun seeing art and then going out to a Disco to go dance. The art show was along the street surrounding the park in Miraflores and it was less then what I was expecting. Some of the artist where very good and some paints were close to surrealism which I have had a recent liking too after the show in Vancouver. There was a lot of art that was very touristy which really did not stir my pot. Though in the park there was an elevated walkway that went up close to the canopies of the trees. It was called breathing trees and lights and noises were added as effects of trees breathing. I was a cool effect and reminded me of work a bit.

I met up with my amiga (friend that is a girl) that I have been hanging out with a lot in Lima. She was also there with another friend of hers that I have not met before. It is good thing that most of her friends can speak English and we all get along. Most of her friends are lawyers and this one is one as well but wants to change into human resources career. She has traveled to Washington D.C. for an internship and wants to travel more in the future. Since our other friend was taking her time we headed to a restaurant that served a famous Peruvian.

At the restaurant my amigas would not tell me what I was going to eat. They said they had a previous experience with a friend that when they told him the contents of what he was eating that he never wanted anymore. The restaurant looked well kept and there was a lot of people in place eating so I had no worries. I have eaten in a lot worse places then this one. It was a meat dish on skewers with potatoes and it was delicious. The meat was cooked right, juicy and just the right amount of seasoning on it. Now remember that I have eaten Guinea Pig already so I was wondering could it be worse than that. Finally when I finished the dish they told me it was the heart of the cow. Which my response was I want more but was already full from the last dish so I passed but would defiantly have it again.

After the meal we headed to the disco to let loose. When we got there the club was not really bumping and our one friend decide to leave an head to another bar. Just a few minutes after she left the place started to turn into a party. No this time my pants stayed on and danced a lot this time around. Before we started to dance my friend Monica had a little talk to me about my confidence. She said that I was funny and handsome but need to be more straight and confident. She realized this when I told he a story about my time in Huancayo. I smiled at some girls walking down the road but never went up to talk to them. This is where my confidence falls of the bike and have never really got back on and started to ride again.

Most discos play a mixture of music of salsa music and American top 40 hits. The dance of Perú is very different from the dance in North America. Here the guys have to dance pretty good and there is less grinding (guys always facing the back of the girl while the girls behind grinds the man) then in North America. You are more face to face with your partner and I find that there is a closer connection. Salsa music is a type of music that brings out your sexual side when you dance. The dance is like a game of cat and mouse with your partner where you get close and then separate. I was dancing with the girl I recently met and felt that there was a tension with us while dancing. So I decided to take my friends advice and lock lips with her. The feeling that came over me when she kissed back cannot be describe. I felt excited and relief because I finally broke a fear that I have always had. That night a barrier was broken and have found that a new energy has taken over inside of me. Pushing that zone of comfort really brings on the magic and so much energy pushes through you system.

We danced till four in the morning and then we all headed to our homes. The next day though another type of fear arose about worrying how she felt after the night because I have never been in this situation before. Luckily I have really good friends and got some really good advice on the situation. So after a day of rest of I decide that should be another night of with her. She is a really lovely girl and learned more about her on the date and she showed me some really good places around town. I enjoyed my time with her and glad that I made the call to see her again. I usually let fear take over me in situations like this an never take the next step. I have learned never to let fear take over and push your comfort zone. Be honest with yourself and always walk the talk. From now on I will always take my own advice and push myself through tough situations.   

The Struggles of Disposable Friendship - Part 3

Cuzco is the Capital City of the Department of Cuzco and was the capital of the Inca Empire. The city breaths with ancient ruins but exhales tourism. The city is blend of colonialism from Spanish invasion and Ancient ruins of the Inka Empire. There is a building that is just a walk away from the square that has the "famous rock." It is a rock that is inserted in an old Inka building that has 12 corners. But right near the rock stands a man that is dressed in the Inka "dress code." The city design seems to be all over the place and not many straight roads. There are so many different walk ways that have shops selling alpaca clothes, bags, hats, clay works and wood working. Though I did most of my shopping in Huancayo where there is less tourism and the prices are a lot lower then are offered here in Cuzco.

Some of the stores are simple with shelves and products hanging in many places. Then there are shops that open into tourism stores to restaurants to other different stores all in the same building. You can get lost very easily in the city of Cuzco. There are some annoyances in the city where you are consistently asked for money, massages, paints and drugs. Durning the the day there and many young men that come up and ask if you want to purchase a same painting on a gift card. Then at night they ask for the same thing but then offer cocaine and cannabis. Luckily this is only in the centre of Cuzco and once you exit from that are the less it happens.

So this time around I made sure that I did my homework before getting another guided tour. I used the club of South American Explorers for advice and got some good leads on doing the Inka Jungle Trail. I found a place that had a good price and they would even pick me up from the hostel I was staying at. I felt better this time around about this tour then the last. Also through the club I was able to attend a amazing talk about Machu Picchu and the controversy surrounding the city in the sky.

Machu Pichu has many routes that can be taken to reach the city and the prices very greatly. The Inka Trail is $400 min (S/.800 - 1000) but you are accompanied by a guide, chief, and about 2 - 3 porters. The other trek is Salcantay trail which takes you through the mountains and then to Machu Pichu. Then there is the Inka Jungle Trail which includes mountain biking, optional hot springs, zip lining, and rafting. I decide to travel with the Inka Jungle trail because it was cheaper and you are not being catered by porters and horsemen.

So day one began later in the morning then the Colca Canyon Trek and head to Ollantaytambo to the highest point of 4200 meters. From there you get on your mountain bikes and head down to the bottom. The road structure is very different compared the highway systems in B.C. There is usually very little sections of the road system where there is a slope greater then 10%. The average speed that I probably got to was 50 km/h but there is a lot of blind corners that you turn around. You have to make sure that you are screaming around the corner you slow down and watch for cars and trucks and to listen for the horns of vehicles. There were some parts where I had to stop because big 18 wheelers had to use the whole corner to make the turn. Luckily in those areas there is no blind corners and you can see the trucks coming.

The views on the way down are amazing and you are riding in the high jungle of the Andes. After the mountain biking you are picked up by the bus and then transported to the next city where you have dinner and sleep. There is no walking on the first day but the mountain biking is a workout if you want to go as fast as you can. After dinner I decided; with a group of others, that I was going to go rafting. At first I was very nervous because in Perú they have different safety standards then in Canada. In Ottawa when you go rafting you have a person in a kayak behind the group and will help people that fall over. In Perú they do not have this but they have ways of making sure that you are okay. Once we were on the river the story was different. The river is not as wild as the Ottawa river and it is a pretty calm ride down the river. When it was over our group was wet but they had beer waiting for us at the end.

After a good night rest we headed out to the roughest part of the trip. We were going to walk more then 8 hours and there were sections where we had to climb up 500 meters. This time around I made sure to purchase some waling sticks and they helped a lot with going up and down the hills we had to travel. Though the trail was not too hard and I had this very exciting feeling come over me because you are walking on a trail that has been walked on for years. There are some areas where you are welcomed with amazing views of the valley but got to be careful that you do not go close to the edge of the cliff. A lot of the areas are straight drops down with very little vegetation to stop your fall. Though I felt safe the whole time and did not have many worries about the trek. At the end of the trek you arrive at a hot spring that is very cheap and very hot. There is also an area where you can bath in cold water and then go back into the hot springs which is really good for your heart and your muscles. Also at the hot springs wait buses to bring you to the town that you are going to stay in. It is a great marketing move because you have the choice to either walk 40 mins to the town in the dark or take a 15 min bus ride there. I do not think anyone walked after being in the hot springs.

Now on this part of the trip you start to make a lot of friendships with people on the trek and a good part of our group became very close. I meet two guys from Australia name Joel and Kieren that have been traveling for about a month and were going to head to Bolivia after Cuzco. I meet two Americans name Ellen and Miguel who meet up in Ecuador and have been bumping into one another on their travels. Then there was two Dutch people named Debby and Bart who have been traveling for 9 months and have 3 more to go. There was also another Canadian in the group that was from Toronto named Hashim and was only here to do the Inka Jungle Trail. All of us become close through the trip and especially that night after the hike.

That night was the disco night and a lot of the other groups were at the club ready to party. When you party with Australians be prepared to party and drink a lot. They go non-stop and there is some weird stuff that goes on. At the hot springs we also meet some Canadians from Vancouver and Toronto and some British and Americans. They were at the Disco and they decided to have a pole dancing competition which include a lot of males trying to hang upside down on the pole. What got most outrageous was one of the Australians decide that he didn't need his pants nor his underwear on that night. It is an Australian custom to either have the pants down or even go naked. The joke behind the pants being dropped is that the bartender does not know that the your pants are down. Even the people standing and dancing around really did not notice right way that our pants were down. Some of them would come up excited and stop in their tracks and realize the situation at hand. But the other Australian and I couldn´t just let the other one go on his own so we joined him and even got the Canadians and British men to join in as well. We even got our guide to drop his pants at one point of the night. Yes there will probably be pictures online at one point but not from my camera so I have no control. It was a fun night and lasted long into the night but you never worried about the hike in the morning that started at 7 am. 

The next morning we headed in for breakfast and everyone was feeling the effects from the night before. We were all tired and knew we were going to have a long day ahead of us. Though we had the option to go Zip lining in the morning and skip three hours of the trek. There was the other option of taking a bus from the town to the check point which you would also skip the three hours of hiking. I did neither and traveled the route with the Dutch and the other American. It was not bad because most of the trip is flat and the only factor that makes it hard is the sun was very hot. When you get to the check point you enter more of the jungle and are shaded by the vegetation. I did not take many pictures of this part of the trip even though you get to have a small glimpse of the city on the mountain. I just wanted to get to the next town to get rest which when you finally got there you get to stay in a hostel that has hot water which is rare.

We all took it easy that night because we had to get up at four in the morning the next day to hike to Machu Picchu. The hike up to Machu Picchu is very much like the Grouse Grind. There is a lot of stairs and are climbing the same amount of elevation. It took my around an hour to get up to the entrance and some were even running up the steps. You then enter the "Archaeological Site" and your guide then travels with you around the site telling you all the different secrets of the Inka City. Now the name of the city is lost because the name Machu Picchu is not for the city but for the mountain that is behind it. It means Old Mountain and Huayna Picchu means young mountain which is the smalled mountain that is in all the pictures of Machu Picchu. Now the guides tell you a lot of the information but I attended a talk by a man who says that a lot of the information that is said about the city is not correct. When you go to Machu Picchu you have to take it with a grain of salt and if you really wanted to know the truth about the city, go and really study the history behind it. Though the views and the sites were amazing but is a tourist trap. Yes the place is impressive but what they have done to the site is turn it into Disney Picchu. It is not a Archaeological Site anymore it has turned into a major profit revenue for the region. It is unfortunate but it is sometimes how it goes and you have to just sit back enjoy and try not to think about it.

In the site I got to meet up with the British couple that I meet on the Colca Trek. It was cool to see them and we decide that we would meet up for drinks the next day. I then headed down to the city we stayed in with the British guy I met at the hot springs. We had a good talk about where he has traveled and the people he has traveled with. When we got to the town we had lunch at small restaurant aways from the tourist centre. After I met up with the Australians and we gathered the other people from our group and head to another pub. We convinced the waiters at the restaurant to give us happy hour at the price S/.25 for 7 drinks and we were at the restaurant till we had to go catch the train. On the train I did not feel good and when we got back to Cuzco I headed back to the Hostel but the others headed out to the clubs of Cuzco.

The next day I relaxed and did some research and shopped around for a bit. Our group decided that we would go out that night with the guide for dinner and also had to meet up with the British couple. It was good dinner where we got to be with each other for one last night. I have really learned that you can make some very good friendships when you are on the road. It is hard to make friends with the people that live in the region (the locals) because you do not have much in common. Though with travelers what bonds you with others is that you are going through the same stresses and emotional turmoil as everyone else. When you travel from place to place it can become very lonely and it is good that these tours are there to help you mingle with others. I have made very good relationships with people on this trip and I am glad that I have met everyone of them. Though they are off to their own adventures and probably will not see them again you still have the memories of those great times you had on the road. They will stick with you because you were experiencing the same things and you struggle through those hard times together. You motivate, inspire and show your true colours. I find that when you travel you start to drop your barriers and start becoming the real you. You start to become comfortable with yourself and you respect others that do the same. You got to remember that we are in this world together and that we all have to live with each other. You may not get along with others but you have to put those differences aside and realize that your views are not always the right ones. I am glad that I have had the experience to meet all the people that I have meet on this journey on the Gringo trail and I have learned so much from everyone of them.

Now I am off back to Lima this Saturday and then will head into the rain forest for some volunteer work and to be greeted by different cultures and people.           

The Struggles of Disposable Friendship - Part 2

The floating islands of Uros were very intresting and fascinating how people could live on these islands all year round. There are rumours that the people only come on the the island durning the day when the tourist arrive but i do not believe that because of the solar panels that are placed on the island. After the floating island we departed for the island called Isla Amantaní. Here is where we were going to sleep for the night and get to stay with a family.

Upon arrive we were told that the tourist agency makes sure that they split us up so that all the family have equal chance to host tourist to make a profit. The islands in the Lake Titikaka rely heavily on the source of tourism and each island makes sure that the people of the island have and equal share. So on arrival we were giving to a family that had three little girls and a mother. We did not know where the father of the family was but the conclusion was that he was out in the field working. We were made lunch by the family and then the girls showed us their weaving that they make. Most of all the material used is made of alpaca and I bought a nice bracket from them. I have been trying to collect little trinkets from each place that I visit.

At the house I was staying with youth like myself from London England and a lady from Germany. The guy from London has taken history in university for History and decide that learned about World War II was boring and started to study other societies. He has been traveling and going to archaeological sites and learning about the history of each site. The Germany girl that was also staying with us left her job as a pharmacist and decide that traveling is what she wanted to do. It is nice on the tours because you meet people that are doing the same thing as you and you create a good bond with them.

After lunch we headed in to the main square on the island to meet with our guide. The square is called Plaza de Arms and it is were the armies would meet to prepare for battle. In the centre of the square ther is a square complex with triangular gardens surrounding the statue of the soldier in the centre of the square. There are four path ways leading to the centre where the statue is. Now it is used as a point of commerce for the people of the island. The buildings are a blend of the colonial times and ancient buildings. Most of the time in these squares you have the town hall, the church, a school and stores selling all the needs of the town. On this island there seems to be no cars and the houses are scattered all about. To get to the house that I stayed in for the night you walked down small pathways passing other residents farms and animals. The main mode of transportation in the city is by either donkey, mule or horse. Though the community is a blend of the old world and the new world. There are satellite dishes on some of the houses and they mostly use solar panels to supply electricity to the town. The German girl even had to take a candle into her room so she could get light. It is inspiration to see how these people live on this island with out the basic amenities that are supplied to us in North America.

Our guide gathered us all together and was going to lead us up the hill to visit two of the temples that the people in the town go to celebrate there gods. I have really lucked out with the guides because they have been so informative about the region. Our guide himself is a decent from the Quechua people and is fluent in English, Spanish, french and Quechua. He told us that the habitants of the island go to these temples to celebrate Pachamama and Pachatata and they just do not walk up there. All 4000 of them dance their way up the mountain and then the females dance to the temple for Pachamama and the males dance their way to Pachatata. Then they will open each of the temples but they first must dance around the temples three times and in the centre of the temple they have to coca leave and a flower. I wish I was there at the time when they celebrate.

The British guy and I decided that we are going to both of the temple and stared with Pachatata. When I got up there I decide it would be good to dance at least once around the temple and doing so also took great pictures of the surrounding area. Then after the dance around the temple we headed to Pachamama which we wanted to take good pictures of the ensuing sun set. So at the top of each of the temples you are 4200 meters above sea level. So running up the hill was not a good idea but we did it anyways. That day I really felt the affects of altitude and my head was pounding. But for the pictures it was worth it and was breath taking. The moon was shining really bright through the clouds and the effect that it gave seemd that it was in front of the clouds and not behind them. The effects of the sky out here is amazing and when the sun goes down there is barely any lights so star gazing is premium.

We headed back down the hill to the centre again to go to the only bar that they had in town. They served very good chocolate (we were told) but the British guy and I decide that a beer was the better choice but I wished that I got to try the hot chocolate. Then we headed back down for dinner which was rice and a bean and vegetable mix. After dinner we were going to go dancing and not any kind of regular dancing. We got dressed up in the traditional clothes and head to the hall for some traditional music. When we got to the hall the place was bumping with all the locals and Gringos dressed up. The energy was high and the band was very good, everyone was dancing in circles and spinning and grooving with the music. There is so much energy that is brought out in these traditional dances and after a bit I decided that it was time for a break and head outside to get some fresh air. When I got outside I decided to star gaze which was alright but not too many stars because of intense light coming from the Moon. Though there was an awesome lightning show that was performing on the other side of the lake in Bolivia. When the lighting struck you got to see the detail of the clouds that were passing through the mountains. It was a good night with a lot of energy and beautiful sites.

After a good nights rest from the all the energy from the previous night we head back down to the port to get on the boat to head to another island in the Lake which is called Taquile. Here the culture is very different from the previous island we stayed at. After a short walk from the port to the main square we meet up with our guide who had all the traditional clothing on a table and was going to explain the significance of the clothing. First he explained that the island has about 25 families that run the island. There is no police, government and you get out all your troubles dealt with once a week with the leaders of the island. Each of the leaders on the island only serve a year then it is passed to a new family. You can tell who the leaders of the island are by the clothes they wear. The leaders wear all black and they where a chullo and a Feodor over it. When they are not leader then can still wear the hats to show that they use to be leader.

Next he showed use the different ways to wears the hats to show different stages of man hood. The hats look similar the cone hats that are worn in North America with a pom pom on the tip. If the boy is between 5 to 16 years old he will wear the hat having the top of it flipped back. Then when they become a man they wear the hat like if it was a beret and means he is independent. On the island they will have big parties on the island and will invite others from other islands that share the same tradition to come. Here the independent man will wear the hat two ways. He will either where the hat to his right meaning that he is looking for a wife or wear it the independent way meaning he is not looking for a wife. Also the colors of the hats show weather they are single or married. The hats are even woven by the men themselves so you cannot get these hats in the store. This is just the hats that the men have to wear not to mention when they get married what the have to wear which I will talk about later.

Lets talk about the dress code of the women for a bit which is another complex system. The women wear these very colourful skirts and the colours have significance. If the colors are dark then the women and married and if they are bright then she is single. They also where a black cloak which on the corners have four pom poms. The a two different colours and them mean the mood of the women. If she is showing one colour that means she is in nit a good mood her friends will go to her and comfort her and the other means she is in a good mood. So they do not have to go to people for help, the people go to her to make sure that she is feeling alright. They are also used to pick up the opposite sex. When they go to these big parties they will show one of the pom poms to say "Hey come over here and dance." The other tells the guy to get lost and she doesn´t want to dance with them. It is an amazing system and if you were to move to the island you have to live within their traditions.

So there is one more aspect of their culture and that is the marriage of the man and the woman. You can be with a women but you are not married unless you have your own house, land, animals and even boat. When you become married the men receive two traditional objects. First is a pouch that has coca leaves in the pouch and it is a way to introduce yourself to someone. When you meet someone you hand them a handful of coca leaves and to accept it you have to hold out both your hands not one. The second object they receiver is a belt that is giving to them from their wife. The wife weaves it herself and it is not just alpaca wool but also with her own hair that she has collect since she was little. It is another object that is not for sell unless you get married within their tradition.

So being on these islands you have to follow some very strict rules but the rules really benefit the island. One rule is that the leaders will decide where the tourist eat so that the wealth is spread to all the families. There are thirty five restaurants on the island and they make sure we all get divided up and served the same meal. The profit from market where you can buy some of the clothes is divided up to the families selling in the market that day. The market gets switched each day and the whole island benefits from the sale of the products. This shows great community support which I wish I would see more in Canada but I will not rant about that subject yet.

After Isla Taquile we headed back into Puno and we meet some Australians and an American on the trip as well. We decided that we would go into the main strip and get some food and have a few drinks. When we got to the main strip we were bombarded by some people marketing their restaurants. We had three of them fighting over who would host us for the night. We decide to go with a restaurant that had a meal for 15 soles and free pisco sours. Though the one Australian was called and ass in Spanish by the one host of the competing restaurant. It was very entertaining to see this happen but the meal that was 15 soles came with terrible serves which we were told from the host that called one of us an ass.

From the restaurant we all split up to go our separate ways. The Australians, the American and the German were headed to Copocabana and I was head for Cusco. The British guy did not have dinner with us because he was headed by bus to Arequipa and left the night of the dinner. After I headed back to the hotel to have a nice hot shower and relax because I had to get up early the next day to catch the bus.

The ride to Cusco was fine with just only one tiring popping on the way there. Arriving into Cusco was fine but you start to realize how expensive it is though it is a very beautiful city with a lot of history. For my birthday I relaxed and got my laundry done and got my boots fixed. The one thing I like Perú is that fact you can pretty much get anything fixed here. I had a clip break off the boot and got it fixed for 2 soles which is very cheep. I know in Canada the answer would be trough them out and get a new pair. I am glad that i am on the last leg of the trip of the Gringo Trail and tomorrow I will head on my journey to Machu Pichu and will have a good adventure to tell when I get back. With trek on the Gringo trial I have really valued my friendship with friends that I have at home and that I have made here.                 

The Struggles of Disposable Friendship - Part 1

Well today I turn 24 years old and once again I am not with friends and family for a second year. Though it is just a date and I will be seeing family and friends next month when I return. I have found it hard this leg of the trip traveling the gringo trial. Here you do not get to practice your Spanish as much but you meet so many people traveling. It is a struggle though to go from once city to another and only have that short window of friendship until you leave to the next place.

In Huancayo I met a lot of people and made some really good friends, but that was because we were together for a good week. On my travels on the gringo trail I have meet even more people but you do not have the chance to make strong friendships with them.

After everyone left Huancayo to head out to there adventures withdrawal from travelers started to sink in. The next week I was the only one in the Hostel and the only saving grace was the Spanish courses I was taking and Nilda (the woman who was taking care of the Hostel). At that point I could not wait to go back to Lima even though I knew there was not much for me to do in Lima. I made good friends in Lima and I would be able to hangout with Marcela before she goes.

When I returned to Lima Marcela and I got to hangout out at the beach and I got to hangout with her family. At the beach it was good to relax and hear the waves crashing into the shore and spoil myself with cerveza (beer but in Spanish sounds better) and good food. I also got to go out to a disco club with my new Peruvian friends and to a jazz concert. The jazz concert was awesome because the band fused jazz with traditional Peruvian music. The energy of the place was strong and everyone was in a good mood. Then we headed to a disco club where I was complimented on my dance moves which I beg to differ.

After an eventful week in Lima I wanted to get back on the road again and start to see new sites. I finally got word on my volunteer work in Moyobamba. I will be heading there in May but might head in that direction earlier to explore more of the jungle there. So with a lot of good energy I headed to Arequipa or also known as the White City. All the good energy seem to leave with the ensuing bus trip there. I was in a bus for 15 hours and did not reach Arequipa till 12 at night. The first night I did not get rest because of the condition of the room. It was not a friendly atmosphere and was not inviting but I pushed through it and managed to get some sleep.

The next morning I headed down to the Main square to get some breakfast and then to look for a new Hostel to stay in. I was also looking for a tourist agency that was called Colca Trek and found it (so I thought). The guy at that offered the tour to the Cocla Canyon seemed very nice but all over the place. He also offed me a good deal on climbing up El Misti which is a dormant Volcano near Arequipa. Since I was going to use his services he gave me a good deal on the Hostel that his brother runs in the place his agency is located.

I told him that I needed to look for a camping store to find supplies and he offered to show me around. To my surprise I found the real Colca Trek that I was looking for. I had already paid my money to the other agency and was not expecting to get it back. So I said nothing and went with his services anyways. The next day I headed to the Colca Canyon and had to get up at 2:45 am. The guy said I it would be fine to sleep in the bus but it was so ridged I don´t know how anyone could sleep.

The first stop on the road to the Canyon was breakfast and there you get to talk to the others that are with on the tour. I meet a couple that was from England and were on a few week holiday going on the gringo trail. I also meet another couple that was from Denmark and have been traveling around the world for the past 8 months. Then we all headed to the Condor lookout to hopefully see Condors flying. Luckily for us there was Condors flying and they are huge. They do not fly like other birds do, they do not flap their wings. They use the thermals of the earth to glide around and only flap very little. The are very majestic when they fly and the swoop very low to the ground and get very close to you. The males have long white feathers that streak down to the wings. It is a very exciting site to see them flying and circling to get height.

Then it was off to the Canyon where we were going to meet our guides. This is where I found out that it was a good thing that I went with the services I had paid for then going with the other agency. The agencies like to make it look like they have their own guides but in reality they use freelance guides and divide you up to the varies guides. The other company chargers a lot more because it is more "Personal" but you get the same treatment. Luckily for our group we got a guide named Miguel and he knew how to guide very well. He explained to us all the animals that we would see in the canyon and explained the culture of the area. He also warned us that the first day is the hardest and he was not lying.

The first part of the trek is down hill and it really does a number on your knees. You are walking 16 kms and going down 1000m altitude. Though our guide knew how to keep the energy of the group going and made sure that everyone was in a good mood. When we finally got to the bottom of the hill we then had to go up hill which was a task because you are so exhausted from going down hill. But it was nice to work different muscles then your knees. Our guide took us through small towns and explained much of the culture and took us to a museum that gave us Checha. Checha is a beer that is just made with corn, flour and water and everyday the drink gets stronger.

After the drinks we head back on the trail again and I made good friends with the Danish couple, the British couple and an guy from Amsterdam. We all got along well and when we finally made it to the hostel we all sat near the pool together and shared stories of our travels and what our lives are like outside of traveling. We had a good pasta dinner and our guide made sure that we sat together and we all laughed and joked around before bed. The next morning our group got up at 5 in the morning so that we could beat the sun going up the hill to exit the canyon. The guy from Amsterdam and I decide to trek ahead of the group and never stop walking. Here is where I started to really feel the affects of altitude but what was suppose to that three hours to trek the other guy and I made it in two hours.

The others where only a half an hour behind us and we all had a good rest and then walked to breakfast in a small town near the canyon. After breakfast our group then headed to too other small varies towns to have lunch and do varies tourist activities like taking pictures with hawks and llamas and alpaca. Then back in Arequipa the British couple and I decided to ask the guide out for drinks in which he accepted. He knew a good bar in town and we headed there and had some good beers. The bartender was very friendly and even gave a us a little trinket and some free food. I was a good surprise and when every I am in Arequipa again I will defiantly return. Especially for the pisco mojito.

In all the trip was very exciting, had amazing views of the canyon and our guide made it very informative. The sad part about the trip is the realization that the towns in the canyon will be ghost towns in the future due to global warming (no glaciers no water) and the children of the town not returning. But we got to see the technology that helped the Inkas dominant the area, the people of the Colca canyon were the ones that developed the aqueduct system that the Inkas used to water their crops. It was a very impressive and sophisticated system and unbelievable how they harnessed the water of the glaciers.

The next day after the Colca trek I was suppose to hike up El Misti but there was a change of plans. When I got back to the Hostel I talked with the agency guy and found out that the other guys that were going to head up El Misti got sick and that they were not going to be able to go up tomorrow. I said it was fine but told him that he had till three the next day to either confirm with the other guys or find someone new. The problem with El Misti is that barely anyone goes up it because it is very high and you cannot do it on your own. Guides will only go up if their are two people. So the next day I walked around Arequipa and did some site seeing. When I returned to the Hostel I asked if I was going to climb or not and the guy did not give me a straight answer. His story seemed to change that he was waiting for other to confirm and the guys that got sick still wanted to go. At that point I had enough and asked for the money back considering the contract was void. He did not like that and started to play nice guy and said other agencies would not do what he is doing. Then started to suggest other hikes and told him that I did not have the time to do it and that I wanted my money back. I got most of it back and he only took a little bit of it and at that point I didn't care I just wanted to get going with my trip.

I did learn a lesson that I need to shop around a little bit more to find tours in the area and to always to confirm with the agencies if I am going or not. So I took this lesson with me to Puno and made sure to look around. Though I looked around for hostels more then I did agencies but I was told that the agency that I was offered to me to go to the floating islands was good so I took it. The hotel I stayed at on the other hand was very nice and I took this as a point to spoil myself. I have been watching my money very well and decided that I would get some luxury while I was here. So I took a nice warm bath which is very hard to come by in Perú. Most showers in Perú are stand up and you have to turn on a separate piece of equipment to get heated water. At the hotel it was like home and I enjoyed every bit of it.

The next day I had a very excellent breakfast and then got picked up to head down to the port and to get on a boat and sail off to the floating islands in the highest lake in the world. On the floating islands we learned how and why the people of the islands came to live in the lake. The people there left the mainland because there was war with the Inkas and they fled first on boats that where made of reefs and were the houses of the people. Then they started to construct the islands using the reefs roots and tying them together. They then placed many layers on layers of reefs on top of the roots and constructed houses on top. It was awesome how they constructed the houses but the islands were very touristy and it was good I did not stay on the islands.

After the islands we headed to two other islands that were located in the lake and were going to stay on one of them. But that adventure I will leave for the next most post as I will head to search for prices to travel to Machu Pichu and enjoy my day of birth.