Next two days are supposed to be worse with the winds. These fires are already terrible - hope no other ones get started. Yes, stay safe.
I was in Peru this past week for a retreat. The retreat itself was in Taray and I enjoyed it and grew mentally and spiritually. I had time to visit around Cusco and Machu Picchu. MP was too touristy for me because of the crowds but I don't regret going because it's one of the seven wonders of the world. I loved Cusco and Peru's countryside. Well, here's pic of me representing LAG at MP.
Wow, outstanding Rok. Thanks for sharing. I just got back from vacation and it was....um...interesting. Maybe later I will write a novel about it here on BS. Not quite as bad as Galaxy Steve's vacation from way back when.... but, to quote Mrs. Galaxy Steve - "some vacations are better than others".....
Thanks so much for sharing your trip and that great picture @rokstedy . I just got back from a week away - it was a visit with family, and a mixed bag. Best part was seeing my daughter and her boyfriend. Empathizing with you, @TrickHog !
Nice Rok! I used to be able to speak Quechua way back when. I miss the eating chuno with the squeaky cheese and ch'arki. I also made it to Cusco twice, but never quite made it out to MP..ha Did you go check out the the Qorikancha in the City and Sacsayhuaman?
That's rad that you spoke Quechua. How difficult was it to learn? I think the Andean priests recited in Quechua for my ceremonies. I did not see either of those sites you mentioned but if I return I may check them out.
It was pretty difficult with the gutteral stops and whatnot. Learned it in school and got to use it when I stayed in Peru for a few months. This was all about almost 20 years ago! Can only remember a few words here and there now unfortunately.
So here was my vacation: My older daughter graduated from high school in June, so with the help of grand-parents chipping in, we planned a big vacation this summer to celebrate - our first time going to Europe -- specifically a 10 day bus tour of Ireland that included a stop in the village where my great-great-grandfather was raised, a chance for the kids to see some of their ancestry, etc. Plus just a lot of fun. It also included stops in Florida before and after the trip to visit with family, and my younger daughter was going to stay a week longer afterwards to intern at my brother's law firm. She also, having her mother's DNA in her because she sure didn't get her strong work ethic from me, signed up to take PE over the summer via an on-line course, so she could take an extra AP class this year in high school. So to make a long story short, the day before we were suppose to fly to Ireland, we had a kickball game in the park with family in Florida, and while trying to run from 2nd to 3rd base, my younger daughter broke her leg. An avulsion fracture of the tibia, with the patella tendon pulling away and breaking off a piece of the tibia, to be exact. So---- we had to cancel the Ireland trip (thank goodness for trip insurance) and my daughter had to have surgery -- two screws into her tibia or else she would never be able to straighten her knee again. And we did some small road trips in Florida to do some fun things that could be done in a wheelchair, and my daughter was a trooper and dealt with the pain and the disappointment and made the best of it. And I guess we'll do the Ireland trip and the law firm internship next summer..... I hope everyone else avoids ERs and hospital stays on their vacations!
You're right Trickhog, that was...um...interesting. No, that actually sucks, man. Sounds like you still made the best of it.
Wow Trickhog - sorry to hear that. My gut tells me you and your family will somehow come out stronger for having survived this ordeal together. Also I'm mentally withdrawing my complaints about my recent family vacation.
Trick, your daughter's and your family's ability to handle disappointments and make the best of things speaks volumes about her maturity and the fact that she was raised by loving and supportive parents. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Thanks. Yes, the area was something else, especially once you traverse up and over the col to the top of the glacier.