Cusco

January 29, 2010

Finally... CUSCO, PERU! This is a tiny little city that has exploded due to the tourism. Much bigger than I expected.

This is the Plaza del Armas. The upscale hotels are here, shops and restaurants. This is also a common pick-up location for the bus tours. Since we were there the first week of January it was still lit up at night with christmas decor - so pretty and festive!

Another view from the plaza.

Hmmm, this looks like the same photo but it's not :o)

Beautiful architecture.

My gal posing by a reindeer begging me to take her photo!

I had to take a picture of Mag's by the Chez Maggy restuarant. The guide book said this had great brick oven pizza... we didn't try it. But we did try the Chez Maggy in Aguascalientes. It was ok.

They INSISTED we buy these cute little incan hats and gloves. Not sure when they'll wear them again because it's just not that cold in Bogota but they sure looked cute on the trip!

My little climbers.

This archway led up to a large market filled with everything from toys and clothes to whole sides of cow!

I wish I could've gotten a shot with no cars or people!

In front of the archway this girl was selling hardboiled quail eggs. Obviously they were fresh since the quail were right there!

Sad old woman sitting on the sidewalk. They really do dress like this!

Maggie and Papa

The church

Off to the left of this church is the big market. I'll post pics of that in the next installment of "my Peru adventure". Trust me, this isn't even a quarter of the photos I took! These photos are what we took the afternoon we got to Cusco. Tomorrow the Sacred Valley Ruins which lead up to the show stopper Machu Picchu. And believe me IT IS A SHOWSTOPPER!

Lima!

January 21, 2010

It seems I took over 250 pictures on our Peru trip. Decisions, decisions on what to post! So, I decided to make it easy on myself and do a day by day replay with a few pics for each day. Much easier to wrap my head around. So the first stop was Lima.

You cannot fly directly from Bogota to Cusco (the largest "city" outside of Machu Picchu). Orginally I was less than happy about this thinking I really didn't have an interest in Lima but flight schedules forced an overnight which turned out to be great! Now for those of you not up on your South American geography Lima is sea level and on the coast. Max noticed this ASAP from the airplane stating, "we're going to the beach!" The ride from the airport to our hotel was along the coast for a good portion. The first thing Mike and I noticed, and felt, was the level of security - as in the nonpresence of the military. In Bogota the military and police, armed, are seen throughout the city. At times they are posted every half block and surrounding parks etc. That's always a bad sign to me and we find another path to walk or park to play in. Heavy armed police and military presence just screams danger in this country! Anyway, as I was saying, this presence was just not noted in Lima. Also there weren't the number of "displacados" or street people begging in Lima either. Due to the war here in Colombia there are so many people without homes that you can't take 2 steps without some poor, defeated person asking for a handout. Sad really. Then there was the climate. Since Lima is at sea level and Bogota is around 9000 ft it is markedly warmer in Lima. The people in Lima were more open to speaking with foreigners too. I think this because they actually get tourism in their country. Don't get me wrong... Bogotonians are SUPER nice people. Very warm and patient with my crappy spanish but not as open to engaging in conversation with foreigners. My opinion anyway.

Pictures you say... well here are a few. The hotel was nice with a rooftop bar, pool, restaurant. The rooms were good too except a bit musty which resulted in my first asthma attack in years! Ah well.

It was nice to be outside and take a dip.

More photos of the rooftop where we spent most of our time so I could breath.

Silly munchkins.

We were only in Lima for a day so we visited Kennedy Park, very nice btw. Supposedly artisans show their work here on Sundays but we were there really early so we didn't see any art work.

We did however come across some cows.

And, of course, a playground. In which Maggie found a friend in less than 5 secs. She truely is gifted that one!

So true

January 15, 2010

I copied this from "Another Ordinary Miracle" blog. Hit home because it is just so true. And, truthfully, makes me feel better about the chaos that is my home at times!

Excuse This House

Some houses try to hide the fact

That children shelter there,

Ours boasts it quite openly,

The signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows,

Little smudges are on the doors.

I should apologize, I guess,

For toys strewn on the floor.

But I sat down with my children

And we played and laughed and read.

And if the doorbell doesn't shine,

Their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose

The one job or the other,

I'd like to cook and clean and scrub,

But first I'll be a mother.

Author Unknown