So, where was I? That's right, I was in Peru making friends with the clouds in Machu Picchu. So let me continue...
After we visited the real life postcard and sat in the unreal setting, we made our way down to the city of Cuzco to spend a few days exploring that area. We took the train through beautiful mountain landscapes in a railway car filled with a huge group on vacation from Japan. They spoke no English or Spanish, and we certainly didn't speak any Japanese, but somehow we all became friends within the first thirty minutes.
We arrived in Cuzco late (meaning 9:30 to me...) and settled in the hotel. I got up early to explore on foot via a morning run, and I couldn't believe how beautiful the small city was. The architecture was screaming with history and even the color of the sky at sunrise seemed just right for this place. The next few days were spent roaming more Inka sites around Cuzco. There were so many places in which I thought to myself "How can the earth be this beautiful? How can something like this exist?" By this point in the trip, I was really learning to enjoy the meditation that we did each day, and I really used my surroundings to get into it. At each Inka site I noticed that the use of water was very important to the ancient culture, and there would always be sources of water incorporated into each space. Amazing fountains that seemed to come from no where would offer a peaceful background noise as trees seemed to make their offering to the land by swaying back and forth whenever the wind desired. I walked barefoot around many of the sites trying to allow my body to soak up what it could from the earth. Each day in Cuzco consisted of roaming an Inka site, being amazed at the beauty of nature and coming back to the city to roam the historical streets and have coffee somewhere.
From Cuzco, we took a 9 hour bus ride to an even smaller city named Puno. The bus ride was beautiful, and we stopped on the way to see ruins from Pre-Inka cultures and beautiful churches. We slept, meditated, talked and conversed with each other and with strangers. It was a much needed rest day after many days of such mental, emotional and physical changes and adventures. As we pulled into Puno the one site we were all set on was the grandeur of Lake Titicaca. Even from afar we could see that it was such an immense body of water and it seemed to appear from no where. Everyone had their faces up to the windows on the left side of the bus and digital cameras were clicking away.
After settling into our hotel in Puno, we rested for the night and prepared for the next days adventures. I got up early and ran down to the water to jog alongside the sunrise, but I had to stop many times to stare. In addition to the beauty taking my breath away, I realized that the higher up you are in altitude the harder it is to breathe. I was up at 5:00am due to the inability to sleep (again with the breathing thing) and I watched the sunrise over the lake as I stared without being able to form a thought it my head. It was just so real.
Our Shaman Amaru took us to a local market that morning to pick up the necessities for a picnic by the water. We spoke with the vendors and they provided us with delicious foods and snacks for our journey. We drove for an hour out to a random rock formation in the middle of nowhere and climbed over pathways and rocks stopping to talk to the locals on the way. We were in the middle of a field of huge, tall, thin, flat rocks that seemed to spurt from the ground. I was amazed that rocks could be formed like this in any element of weather. They were incredible. We were apparently in some pre-Inka gateway to the Pachamama god. We chanted and hummed our way into a meditation of sorts before roaming the area in some silence. I realized that I was silent during a lot of our days due to my desire to take in each molecule of beauty, and also due to my lack of words to express how beautiful it really was. After breathing deeply and getting drunk off the landscape, we got in the van and made our way to the waters edge to have a picnic, do some tai chi and breathe some more.
We drove through a little town that was so remote and almost desolate (but also very alive), and I couldn't believe that they were places like this that existed. Women sat against their mud houses to take a break from herding sheep or washing clothes in a water basin while kids ran around letting the earth be their playground. It was so refreshing to see.
We sat on the waters edge cutting mangos, pears, peaches, bananas and homemade bread for our picnic. We fed the dogs that roamed the area and watched women carry a wheelbarrow down to the water to wash clothes. We watched ox (I think) wash in the water and follow their owners back to their land. We filled our bellies with such ripe fruits before we walked along the shore. I stuck my hand in the water and was surprised at how warm it was considering the breeze that was keeping us so chilly. We each laid out on a rock like stuffed seals and took some sun into our bones to warm us up. It was simply an ideal afternoon. On our way out, we left fruits with the locals and waved goodbye to the sheep...The rest of the afternoon was so relaxing as we just headed back into town to bum around. Perfection.
Speaking of bumming around, I think it's about time for me to do some of that before I update anymore about Peru. There is little left (yet so much left out), however it IS a Sunday morning and the parks are calling my name. I will write soon about the rest of my trip to Peru and whats been going on in Santiago.
Keep the hugs flowing.
I'll send them back.
xoxo
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
I can still smell the eucalyptus trees
It's been almost two months since I've last posted, and for that I apologize.
Let me quickly catch you up on the last two months before I delve into other things:
For most of July, I simply worked and tried to stay warm in the Santiago winter. I got into the routine of making dinners most nights with friends, relaxing whenever I had the chance, and tried to get myself more comfortable in my work environment. The beginning of August had me mentally preparing for a trip to Peru during the last two weeks of August. At work, I did whatever I could to organize things and make sure there wouldn't be any loose ends when I left. More so, however, I was trying not to let the excitement take over every minute of every day. It had been 7 months since Id seen anyone from home and the anticipation was killing me. I spent two weeks in Peru (which I will explain a little bit below) and I came back to Santiago with a completely different perspective of things. Things have shifted into a completely different frame and that was something I was not exactly expecting.
Peru was ineffable, though I will try to explain a few feelings I had along the way and a few things my eyes gazed upon on our journey.
I got on a plane on August 15th to head up to Lima, where I would meet up with my two aunts (Patti and 'Stretch'), to spend two weeks with a Peruvian shaman who would introduce us to power points in the ruins of the Inkas and many other incredible things. I got to the hotel where my aunts were already waiting and fell into hugs hugs hugs. That was enough to fulfill me and it was simply the beginning.
We spent a day in Lima catching up, eating well, roaming the streets and hugging some more. Then, we were on our way. We flew to Cuzco to meet with a man named Mallku (who Stretch often called 'Malcolm') who would explain our trip to us. Immediately upon landing in Cuzco I felt like I was in more of a cultural experience than I had been in Lima. The city was old and beautiful yet modern enough to offer complete comfort. Buildings were built on old Inka ruins and the energy throughout the city was incredible. We went to our Shaman's office and drank some coca tea for altitude sickness as he described what we'd be doing.
After the office visit, we drove to the Sacred Valley which is a small city outside of Cuzco and located at the base of beautiful mountains. We were driven to our hotel which was a beautiful lodge on the edge of a small river and placed in a small town. Everything was so fresh, so beautiful, so natural. I couldn't believe my eyes at the sight of how incredible nature could be. I had almost forgotten how special it was since Ive been living in the heart of a smoggy, dirty city for the last seven (now 8) months. There, we spent a few days learning the area around us. We went to salt basins, Inka ruins and more. We meditated beneath the scorching sun in the middle of Inka ruins. I am new to meditation and I found it a little bit confusing and difficult at first, but I was traveling with some experts and very supportive people who simply told me to do what felt right to me.
After a few days in the Sacred Valley, we made our way to Aguas Calientes for a night to go see the infamous Machu Picchu. We arrived and wandered around the extremely touristy town before taking our first trip up to what should be (and maybe is) one of the wonders of the world. We sat in a bus that rode around the edge of the mountains for about twenty minutes until we arrived. We waited until later in the afternoon so that we'd miss the mass of people, and luckily it worked. We arrived there while many others were leaving so we had some peace and quiet on the mountain top. Without even seeing the ruins yet, I could barely believe my eyes. The mountains were completely covered in trees except for this big mass of open land that housed the ruins of the the Inkas. There was so much beauty in each branch and stick and rock that we passed, and the energy was incredible. On our way up the path, a small butterfly circled around me and landed on my foot as if to greet me and welcome me to the area. I waited until it flew away to continue.
Laying eyes upon Machu Picchu was like sitting in a real life post card. looking down from high above, it was so perfect that it was almost unreal. Llamas fed on the grass to keep it short, and the verdant ambiance still remained fertile. It was so incredible that words would only diminish it.
We meditated and allowed ourselves to take in whatever the place wanted us to take in. We breathed deeply and rubbed our hands through the grass as we sat overlooking the peaceful ruins below. Although there were tourists galore (even at a 'slow' period) there was still a strong energy that surrounded the area. We remained fairly silent as we simply enjoyed our time overlooking such an immense history.
The next morning, we made our way up to Machu Picchu again only this time to see the daybreak. We arrived at about 5:30 or 6:00 and sat waiting for the sun to come over the peaks and warm up the land. It slowly rose as everyone around us awoke as well, and the shadows crept over the ruins as if they were stretching into another day of looking amazing. The air was clean and fresh, and everyone seemed so content and happy to simply be there. People were taking pictures and laying in the grass for hours as the sun crept up behind us. The light falling on the ruins made things look almost surreal, but we believed and joined in to the picture taking and relaxation that was going on in the patches of grass. We laid around for a few hours before making our way down to explore the ruins themselves. There, we saw the llamas walk right by us to feast on different patches of grass. We touched beautifully carved stones and looked through perfectly placed windows as we learned that NOTHING was done without intention. We spent hours in the big historical playground before we meditated and made our way down the mountain to call it a day.
Unfortunately, I can't describe every moment or feeling, otherwise we'd both be sitting here for days. I will leave this post for now so that you may read the little bit that I could even describe before I explain the second part of my trip. I will post again really soon with other details of my trip to Peru, since there is still so much left to be said.
Hope you enjoyed this brief update. Look for more really soon about Peru and more.
Keep the hugs flowing.
Send some to me.
Let me quickly catch you up on the last two months before I delve into other things:
For most of July, I simply worked and tried to stay warm in the Santiago winter. I got into the routine of making dinners most nights with friends, relaxing whenever I had the chance, and tried to get myself more comfortable in my work environment. The beginning of August had me mentally preparing for a trip to Peru during the last two weeks of August. At work, I did whatever I could to organize things and make sure there wouldn't be any loose ends when I left. More so, however, I was trying not to let the excitement take over every minute of every day. It had been 7 months since Id seen anyone from home and the anticipation was killing me. I spent two weeks in Peru (which I will explain a little bit below) and I came back to Santiago with a completely different perspective of things. Things have shifted into a completely different frame and that was something I was not exactly expecting.
Peru was ineffable, though I will try to explain a few feelings I had along the way and a few things my eyes gazed upon on our journey.
I got on a plane on August 15th to head up to Lima, where I would meet up with my two aunts (Patti and 'Stretch'), to spend two weeks with a Peruvian shaman who would introduce us to power points in the ruins of the Inkas and many other incredible things. I got to the hotel where my aunts were already waiting and fell into hugs hugs hugs. That was enough to fulfill me and it was simply the beginning.
We spent a day in Lima catching up, eating well, roaming the streets and hugging some more. Then, we were on our way. We flew to Cuzco to meet with a man named Mallku (who Stretch often called 'Malcolm') who would explain our trip to us. Immediately upon landing in Cuzco I felt like I was in more of a cultural experience than I had been in Lima. The city was old and beautiful yet modern enough to offer complete comfort. Buildings were built on old Inka ruins and the energy throughout the city was incredible. We went to our Shaman's office and drank some coca tea for altitude sickness as he described what we'd be doing.
After the office visit, we drove to the Sacred Valley which is a small city outside of Cuzco and located at the base of beautiful mountains. We were driven to our hotel which was a beautiful lodge on the edge of a small river and placed in a small town. Everything was so fresh, so beautiful, so natural. I couldn't believe my eyes at the sight of how incredible nature could be. I had almost forgotten how special it was since Ive been living in the heart of a smoggy, dirty city for the last seven (now 8) months. There, we spent a few days learning the area around us. We went to salt basins, Inka ruins and more. We meditated beneath the scorching sun in the middle of Inka ruins. I am new to meditation and I found it a little bit confusing and difficult at first, but I was traveling with some experts and very supportive people who simply told me to do what felt right to me.
After a few days in the Sacred Valley, we made our way to Aguas Calientes for a night to go see the infamous Machu Picchu. We arrived and wandered around the extremely touristy town before taking our first trip up to what should be (and maybe is) one of the wonders of the world. We sat in a bus that rode around the edge of the mountains for about twenty minutes until we arrived. We waited until later in the afternoon so that we'd miss the mass of people, and luckily it worked. We arrived there while many others were leaving so we had some peace and quiet on the mountain top. Without even seeing the ruins yet, I could barely believe my eyes. The mountains were completely covered in trees except for this big mass of open land that housed the ruins of the the Inkas. There was so much beauty in each branch and stick and rock that we passed, and the energy was incredible. On our way up the path, a small butterfly circled around me and landed on my foot as if to greet me and welcome me to the area. I waited until it flew away to continue.
Laying eyes upon Machu Picchu was like sitting in a real life post card. looking down from high above, it was so perfect that it was almost unreal. Llamas fed on the grass to keep it short, and the verdant ambiance still remained fertile. It was so incredible that words would only diminish it.
We meditated and allowed ourselves to take in whatever the place wanted us to take in. We breathed deeply and rubbed our hands through the grass as we sat overlooking the peaceful ruins below. Although there were tourists galore (even at a 'slow' period) there was still a strong energy that surrounded the area. We remained fairly silent as we simply enjoyed our time overlooking such an immense history.
The next morning, we made our way up to Machu Picchu again only this time to see the daybreak. We arrived at about 5:30 or 6:00 and sat waiting for the sun to come over the peaks and warm up the land. It slowly rose as everyone around us awoke as well, and the shadows crept over the ruins as if they were stretching into another day of looking amazing. The air was clean and fresh, and everyone seemed so content and happy to simply be there. People were taking pictures and laying in the grass for hours as the sun crept up behind us. The light falling on the ruins made things look almost surreal, but we believed and joined in to the picture taking and relaxation that was going on in the patches of grass. We laid around for a few hours before making our way down to explore the ruins themselves. There, we saw the llamas walk right by us to feast on different patches of grass. We touched beautifully carved stones and looked through perfectly placed windows as we learned that NOTHING was done without intention. We spent hours in the big historical playground before we meditated and made our way down the mountain to call it a day.
Unfortunately, I can't describe every moment or feeling, otherwise we'd both be sitting here for days. I will leave this post for now so that you may read the little bit that I could even describe before I explain the second part of my trip. I will post again really soon with other details of my trip to Peru, since there is still so much left to be said.
Hope you enjoyed this brief update. Look for more really soon about Peru and more.
Keep the hugs flowing.
Send some to me.
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