Ahnalira
Posts: 16970
Joined: 7/6/2002
From: where Magic is real
Status: offline
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Hola! And welcome to Peru through my eyes I will go through each day with commentary and pictures... and sprinkle a few tips here and there like pixie dust Enjoy! Day 1 - Bienvenidos! OK, let's just face it - this is a travel day plain and simple. Flights from the US to Lima, Peru arrive late in the evening and later TIP 1 If you would like a full night to rest and get acclimated into the culture (trust me when I say it is different than the US in Peru ), arrive a day early. Arrival at our hotel was a delightful experience. Casa Andina has a very elegantly rustic aesthetic, and it felt wonderful after a long day of travel to relax into our spacious room: and, by the way, there is free wireless internet in this hotel (which also made us very happy ) We settled in for a full 5 hours of sleep before it was time to get up and head back to the airport and travel to Cusco... where the real adventure began! DAY 2 - An Incan Tapestry I heard varying reports on the elevation in Cusco... the average was approximately 11,200 ft so let's go with that. No matter where the line is drawn, Cusco is way high in the Andes mountains... and that's probably why we could get a little free oxygen in the airport Good thing, too, because we were on our way to 12,000 ft elevation to visit a weaving cooperative for lunch and a demonstration. Upwards at about 11,500 ft elevation I started feeling short of breath and fell asleep until we reached our destination... which I found to be a great solution TIP 2 Prepare for high elevations before you leave the US. Alan and took chlorophyll to strengthen our blood and increase the size of the hemoglobin to hold more oxygen. You can also contact your doctor for medication to help. And - even with preparation - bring something for headaches and tummy distress Lunch was served family style, with new Peruvian delicacies continually added to the table. This is Alpaca... did I mention I travel as vegetarian just because people around the world eat weird meat like this After lunch, the demonstration began. These women maintain the highest standards of their ancestry to create works of original and natural art. They start with the wool, dyeing it with plants They spin the wool into thread and create magical designs from their dreams and visions And, of course, after all that inspiring creativity we had to get a little shopping time in I found a gorgeous Goddess Shawl (foreshadowing here ) that you will see me wearing throughout the remainder of the adventure... and would be wearing still if I didn't live in sunny, central Florida . I do, however have a picture of Ser Alan sporting a traditional Peruvian hat with some of the weavings behind him.. It was an delicious, inspiring, and happily 'acquiring' way to start our adventure into the Sacred Valley. We descended to about 9000 ft elevation. Can you say:  ? Our destination Sol y Luna... What a SWEET retreat! Our room was very serene and I telly you what - I made really good use of the tubbie ...more on that later.
< Message edited by Ahnalira -- 10/3/2008 10:39:51 AM >
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Beauty and wonder everywhere I look. I am my dreams come true
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Sacred Valleys and Incan Cities Part 1 - 
