Good Bye Peru

  Despues de 11 meses en el Peru no pudimos estirar el presupueso para llegar a los doce meses 

pero estuvimos bien cerca.

Vivimos nuestros sueños, desde norte a sur y este a oeste, cruzamos los Andes mas de una docena de veces, sobrevivimos las discuciones y peleas familiares donde nisiquiera la democracia funciono, 

logramos hacer el colegio a larga distancia, probamos comidas exquisitas con dudosas apariencias,

vimos condores salvajes rapando nuestras cabezas, sobrevivimos una invasion Australiana de dos semanas, sobrevivimos ataques de perros callejeros y del trafico caotico, cruzamos fronteras sospechosas , nos caimos y salimos de pegajosas situaciones y sin embargo vivimos la vida playera del norte, la vida del mistico Inca de la sierra y la vida de la indomable amazonia. Pero tambien encontramos gente muy acogedora, generosa y cincera. 

Ahora los tres tenemos muchos amigos. Amigos inolvidables que nos ayudaron por todo el camino.

A ustedes amigos les debemos mucho por su ayuda y su amistad. Ustedes son tambien los protagonistas de nuestro viaje, un viaje que solo se vive una vez en la vida.

So, After 11 months in Peru we couldn't stretch the budget to make the 12 months original plan

possible, but we got pretty close.

We lived the dream, travel Peru from north to south and east to west,  crossed the high Andes more than a dozen times, survived the family infighting even when democracy failed, managed to do long distance school, tasted amazing dodgy looking food, saw wild condors flying right above our heads, 

we survived a two weeks Australian invasion Just, survived street dog attacks and the chaotic traffic, crossed dangerous borders, got stuck and out of very tricky situations and still we manage to lived the beach life, the mystic Inca andean life and the unspoiled amazonian life but we also met some true friendly people and unforgettable friends that helped us generously along the way. To these people we owe you so much for your help and friendship, you made our journey a once in a life time experience.

Parting Aussie style with the Aussie crew.
It was an honor and pleasure to show you my country but 2 weeks was enough.
From left to right; Dennis, Me, David and Adam.

These are my mates David and Adam, together trying to adopt a peruvian child.
Modern Family!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha...........

More paryting.

Peru against  Australia.

At the Lima Central Markets.

The markets of Baratillo in Cuzco every Saturday morning.
This market originated many years ago by local thieves that were trying to off load their spoils.
 I had all kinds of warnings  about this market by many different people. They were :
Be very careful of pick pocketer .
Don't take anything you can not afford to loose.
Only take the money you can afford to loose.
All those warnings just made it all more exiting.

At the Inca ruins of Pisac.
We were almost all alone.

Getting tired Boys?

Of course we made to Machu Pichu.

Machu Pichu.

In the town of Ollantaytambo on the way to the hotel

The Salt pans in the Sacred Valley.

Cusco by night.

The boys devoured this guinea pig.

And also ate alpaca meat.
Real local  cuisine .

My farewell party.

Lots of drinking.
We call it the Pisco's  route and we were meant to go to 4 or 5 popular bars but we only made to 3
before we came down, crashed and burnt.

Girls in the kitchen.
Mili, Tania and Louise.

Last get together. A bit nostalgic.

Hollywood Boulevard  L.A.

that would be correct!  so very correct!

Who is E T?  Madeline asks.

You are a naughty boy, like Jose !

They couldn't be any happier. Louise and Madeline have been talking about this for months. 

Madeline posed for the photo and then later asks. Who was that?

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This is from the movie Jaws

Cusco by day.

The last leg before returning to Lima

Almost like sisters.

In the island of Taquile. Lake Titicaca.

Taquile

In the Island of Taquile.
If you are single you wear a red and white beanie and when you are married  you wear a red only beanie
most important it has to be made by you.

Lunch time.
Tuna,  tomato, avocado, lime, bread  and mayo, lots of mayo.

Taquile, Lake Titicaca. Beautiful scenery. Very similar to the greek islands.

This guys sat for 3hrs chewing on coca leaves.

The town of  Cutimbo. Meaning "coming back to yourself"
This ancient Pre-Inca civilization like many others believe firmly in the afterlife, immortality and
the passing to a better life.

Madeline inside the tomb.
We were a bit scare to start with but we were petrified when some kind of bird stated to go crazy inside.

Viscacha. It's a wild hare here in the Andes of Peru.

They told us that we would easily get a bus back into town.  Well, we waited for almost 10 minutes to see a couple of trucks going pass. This is the transoceanic road  from the Pacific coast of Peru to the Atlantic coast of Brasil.
We did eventually get a bus back into town. But we were concerned.

Older than 7000 years old rock painting.
And Mr Devil was already there.

Whilst walking through the remains of the city of Cutimbo you could see these mortars and other tools from the past
just laying around, probably 2000 years old

Looking down you can see a natural basin which it used to be an ancient lake, now dry.

Mr Oswald, Not only he is the guardian of the site and a bit of the tour guide, but he also showed us a bit
of his repertoire and mind you he was playing an instrument made by him.

"Trompo" ,   Spinning top and catch in the air.

Some people here call it art.

These are the so called virility poles.
Story goes that these poles were found buried underground and still being found all over the town.
No one knows their origins so the locals decided to place them inside this Inca building and now
they call it the virility temple.

In the town of Chucuito.

A very important town during colonial times. It was here where  gold was minted with fresh gold

from the mines of Bolivia.  This is a solar clock that is out of tune thanks to some stupid mayor that decided 

to relocate it but was never able to set it properly .

After 3 months in the Andes the girls were happy to go back to the city.

Louise's birthday with the rent a crowd.

Maddy's new LOOK

In Chorrillos. These guys dress as monks and jump of the cliff then ask for money.  They deserve it.
Story goes that there was a monk that jumped to his death because he couldn't love a beautiful girl.

Antonela, Maddy and Maria Fe.

We thought the bill was a bit too much and after a thorough check we found there was 3 meals and
a bottle of wine too many.   Bastards! Nice feed though.

A day out with friends.  Many good times with these guys.  After a while Madeline and Louise thought of these guys as their Peruvian family.