My Last Day in South America

On my last day in South America, I wake up to the calm sound of rain falling atop the metal roof.  Two days before I was tanning on a cushioned lounge chair along the water of Mancora Beach, Peru my mind dizzied, almost drunk, on sun and relaxation. But now I am in Quito, Ecuador on a rainy morning and my mind is dizzying from the prospect of leaving this great continent.

As the rain taps, I work to fall back asleep,... [Read more]

Trujillo, A Welcome Change of Plans

The plan was to leave Lima early and spend the better part of the week soaking up sun on the sandy beaches of Mancora. The rumor is Mancora is a warm surfer´s paradise, and after spending most of the past five weeks in freezing temperatures I felt that I deserved a little sun.

But as it goes with the best plans, when I got to the bus station I found that I had missed the 3PM bus to Mancora (18 hours) by fifteen... [Read more]

Week 5: The Best Week Ever pt.4

Thursday- I find myself in an honest to goodness desert oasis. Huacachina is a tiny village that surrounds an even tinier lagoon in the middle of grand desert dunes. I sit at the edge of the lagoon under a palm tree and watch Peruvian children sled down the sands and bounce around in the mud colored water. The travel books call this destination one of the gringo stops, but it seems Peruvians and foreigners alike come to... [Read more]

Week 5: The Best Week Ever pt.3

Wednesday- After a long day of waiting in a dust bowl city and being fed nothing but crap from Nazca´s best salesmen, on an empty stomach, I finally fasten my seat belt in a four man plane. The pilot starts the propellers and informs myself and the other two passengers that we will see the mysterious figures at the tip of his wing. As we roll down the runway I begin to wonder what possessed me to do such a thing, but... [Read more]

Week 5: The Best Week Ever pt.2

Tuesday - I eat my last Cuzco meal in the markets of San Pedro. The nourishing lentils and rice warms my belly and remind me of home, Peruvian comfort food. I stroll along cobble stone streets one last time to take it all in, stopping in the Plaza de Armas to watch a street mine take a break to sit close and chat with his girl. I make a lazy sketch of the Cathedral that is surrounded by blue sky and the brown hills. On... [Read more]

Week 5: The Best Week Ever pt.1

Monday - Sitting on top of a pile of carefully placed stones creating the edge of a terrace for ancient crops, my feet dangling over the edge of a gorge, my eyes keen on the sky that is continually brightening in a misty dawn. It´s about 6AM Monday morning in the ruins of Machu Picchu and the clouds are wrapping around the peaks of the Andes and creeping over Incan structures. I think I must be close to heaven because... [Read more]

A Ride at Cuzcoland

Upon arriving in Cuzco, Peru I was immediately astounded by the beautiful Colonial architecture (built on top of Incan structures), grand churches, quaint cobble stoned roads, and quiet plazas decorated with trees and fountains. I was quickly put at ease by the countless restaurants serving anything from Italian to Thai (and of course quintessential Peruvian cuisine) to the rows of the travel agents that can surely help... [Read more]

A Poem for the Sacred Lake

Lake Titicaca was known to the Incas as a sacred lake. Over the last few days, I have been able to visit islands on both the Bolivian and Peruvian sides, and walking the stoney paths, looking out to the ruins, marveling over the breathtaking views, it is easy to find the sanctity of the place. This lake inspires a holiness with the land, and even now at a computer in Puno, I continue to feel the affects of the ancient... [Read more]

Quick Learners

Anywhere I went in Cuzco, Peru, I got hustled by little children who sell everything from finger puppets to clothing. It’s common, really, they and their families need the money, but here is the crazy thing - all these children speak better English then most grown-ups in travel agencies around town. I would think an office job would be much better for a ten year old than selling trinkets on the street, but maybe they... [Read more]

Frommer’s Top 10 Budget Destinations

May 1, 2008 (HOBOKEN, NJ) – At a time when fuel, food, and even the price of postage are more expensive than ever, an affordable summer vacation may seem to be slipping out of reach. But there are still plenty of places, both in the U.S. and abroad, where travelers can enjoy beautiful beaches, outdoor adventures, wine tastings and spas, and unique cultural experiences—without breaking the bank. Pauline Frommer, series... [Read more]

New Moons: Peru and Argentina

Moon Peru
Authors: Ross Wehner, Renée del Gaudio, and Kazia Jankowski
ISBN: 1-56691-983-5 • Price: $21.95 • Pub date: October 2007 • Second edition

Once, this Southern American region dripped with gold, but now, Peru drips with different kinds of gold: culture, tradition, history, and breathtaking backdrops. Experienced travel... [Read more]

Much More than Machu Picchu

To most, Peru is the country where Machu Picchu is located. Yes, this is true, and what an incredible landmark to boast: the incredible Inca ruins made up of huge rock structures built without mortar—so perfect that not even a piece of paper fits in between the slabs—miraculously and majestically sit up on a cliff in the middle of the lush Cuzco vegetation.

But... [Read more]