From A New Perspective

I want to share with you some of the beauty I saw in Peru (I lived there from January to May 2010).  When visiting various ruins I would fall in love the flora and fauna that beautified each place (not that these ruins needed anything else).   Here are some ruins from a different perspective.  These photos are from Pisac, Qorikancha, and Machu Pichu all near or in the city of Cusco, Peru.

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.  ~Henry Miller

On Top of the World

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.  ~Edmund Hillary  

Yes I am in Argentina now, but I still have so many pictures to share of Peru!  There were so many picture perfect moments and I do believe you cannot take a bad picture there.  Peru is too beautiful.  

Pictures 2, 3, 4, and 5 are from Wayna Pichu, the trail above Machu Pichu.  You can see the mountain we climbed n the background of photo 1 and 6.  They only let 400 people a day climb that hike and I am so glad we were able to be a part of it!  It was painful but worth it.

So before I move on to Argentina Adventures (I will be sharing my shopping experience soon enough have no fear!) I wanted to end with one of the highlights of our Peru stay, Machu Pichu.  I can't explain how peaceful, humbling, gratifying, awe-striking, and dumb-founding is it.  You must go before you die.  You could be like the German gentleman in his seventies we met up there, he has gone 18 times in his life.  At least go once.

Me and my love high on a mountain top.

Cuzco!

And yes I did sing that like in  Emperor's New Grove as I wrote it.  I even did a little dance.  

Me just hanging out with the traditional mountain woman. They are wearing traditional clothing.  Very colorful.  Notice the baby (that's how they carry small children) and the little lambs.  

The Plaza De Armas in Cuzco.  It's breath taking.

So the hotel we are staying at is immaculate!  (Especially compared to last night's stay in Lima at a hostal that cost four U.S. Dollars!  Seriously.  Can you believe that?). It's in a gorgeous part of Cuzco, very quiet, very quaint and near the Plaza De Armas (every town in Peru has a Plaza De Armas.  It's like the town square).  The bed is comfortable, the pillows feel like memory foam (oh heaven), there is plenty of natural sunlight, the staff is fantastic, there is hot water, and the bathroom has a toilet seat AND it's nice! Most public places do not have toilet paper or toilet seats.  I feel like a princess!  We mainly just shopped at artisan markets and set up tours after getting off the plane.  I fell in LOVE with Cuzco right away though.  Oh it's a dream.  You must come here if you have not already. 

So best news about the hotel we are at is it has high-speed internet (not like in Iquitos where we just left)!  I need to catch up on a few posts... Oh there is so much to talk about the Amazon Jungle!  I can't do it justice, but hopefully the pictures I post will give you tiny taste of this rich land.  You'll be hearing a lot about Iquitos the next couple days.  It was a life changing experience to visit the Amazon.