SuzeBlogz

I told the Witch Doctor....

Ooo eee, ooo ah ah,  ting tang 
  Walla walla bing bang

This is the (Witch Doctor/Medicine Man) Shaman.

Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to encounter and interact with the spirit world

we met him at the Botanical Garden in the Amazon

 

we're under a huge banana leaf tent

first he showed us all the herbs, roots and plants he uses to make medicinal products.

A shaman is a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of benevolent and malevolent spirits, who typically enters into a trance state during a ritual, and practices divination and healing

Now he's gonna work his magic on several of the group

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He smokes 'something' (heaven only knows what!!), blows the smoke into the leaves around Alex' head while he loudly chants and shakes the leaves all around his head.

Shamans are said to treat ailments/illness by mending the soul.

I was kinda hoping for a touch up with all that hair touching going on ..(after all, it'd been 4 weeks since my last touch up and I had lotsa grey showing)...but alas.....I got smoke & leaves instead !!

Alleviating traumas affecting the soul/spirit restores the physical body of the individual to balance and wholeness.  

Frankly I'd have rather had a massage !! But, we were  good sports about it. Reiko (L) was so 'into it' she assumed the "Ohm" position...as did Mike and Joan.

Shamans are normally "called" by dreams or signs which require lengthy training. However, shamanic powers may be "inherited". He explained to us that he is the last in his family of Shamans who has remained interested & continues to practice. His children are leaning to more 21st century routes and have not shown any interest in practicing his art.

when he completes the chant he places some lovely smelling essencial oils on your hand and asks you to apply them your face too.

The shaman must become sick in order to understand sickness. When the shaman overcomes her or his own sickness s/he will hold the cure to heal all that suffer. He told us about the time when he was learning about the plants and he had to take an hallucenogenic. 

He went into lots of detail about what he saw 'while under' and how it went from good to bad followed by vomiting and diarrhea. Too much information if you ask me !!! LOL

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so...after we did the Ooo eee, ooo ah ah,  ting tang 
  Walla walla bing bang thing we moved on to visit a friend of our guide.

His friend made his own moonshine and served all types of strange alcoholic drinks.....this is when I reminded myself that I'm so glad I dont drink!! Altho nothing was of the hallucinogenic nature.

And he had art to buy...that he'd carved himself

we were a captive audience.

as you can see...all of these people live with a lot of mud, debris, chickens and other animals.

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but soon it was time to say bye bye and move on to another village 

 

this next village was fascinating, the children were precious and adorable and they treated us to a show.

Just an FYI...the villagers don't normally dress like this....this was 'for us'.

Now, check this out...see the TV to the left....this home (mud and all) had a satellite dish.

 

 

The Slouth was adorable and extremely friendly

they did a special ceremonial dance for us.

Nursing mother

all the children look after the other children.

they hand carve their own boats...what an art

but, frankly, I'd never seen so much mud before...and remember, they ALL walk barefoot...babies, infants, everyone...everywhere.

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now we're about to get a blow gun demo

and we say bye bye....

we see giant lily pads

 

and the porcupine tree

and trees that make sounds like drums when you beat them

 

.....and the journey continues

Deeper into the Jungle

 

Day 2 in the jungle takes us even further down the Amazon...about 90 minutes from our first locale, to a lodge that is really rural....like NO ELECTRICITY RURAL !! ExplorNapo Lodge

Like I said....this was when I kind of realized that I wouldn't be needing those little life luxuries...the blow dryer, flat iron, a comb, a brush, makeup....you now...those things ! By the end of day 2  I even forgo the earrings....Now you know how serious THAT was !!

the first thing I see as we walk toward our bare basics room is (cue scary music).....

I say to self....

Self...."Stay brave....it's just one night...and beside...it's DEAD"!! OK...so there might be more of them....no matter...you can do this !!

we keep walking

we are told that the sun comes up at 6 every day and that sunset is at 6 pm every day.....all year long.... and the kerosene lamps will be turned on by the staff when it gets dark.

We will be sleeping under mosquito netting!

WHAT !!!!!

Damn....I'm getting braver ! Im sleeping in a crib !! LOL

I don LOTTSA mosquito repellant, wear long pants and long sleeves

and, doubtless, the locale is beautiful...I mean, after all...I'm IN THE JUNGLE ON THE AMAZON RIVER !!!!

 

typical house, typical way of life. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding but also serve to keep out vermin.

Vermin....even the word makes me cringe!!!!

 The shady space under the house can be used for work or storage.

and, I must say again.....the locals DRINK THE AMAZON WATER RIGHT FROM THE SOURCE. They don't boil it. Sediment and all.

This is the very same water they wash in, that animals go in and piranha live in. This is the 21st century and it was impossible to even imagine people still live this way. They do. Think parasites.

(look carefully and you'll see the snake) Red Tail Boa constrictor.

 

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This was also the day we ventured to The Great Canopy Walkway

The Canopy Walkway is an experience unequaled in the rainforest! At a height of over 115 feet and extending for one-third of a mile, it provides a view of the rainforest from the treetops.

I have a paralyzing fear of heights BUT...I was told this experience could not be missed ...so..

I put on my big girl panties and went.

This was my most difficult part of the entire trip. I admit it....I was crying...I was petrified, but I went slowly and took deep breaths and when it was over (an hour or so later) I felt a great accomplishment.

Then I had a REAL MELT DOWN !!!

Here is Ann making the trek across the first stage.

They don't allow more than 3 people crossing at a time. I stayed behind Curtis, and Lenny stayed behind me...forming a Suze sandwich and that gave me more confidence. Below is Fadel and Laura who were a lot braver than I was !!

There were landings at each of the 14 stations. The first 7 stations ascend...then it begins to descend. You are up higher than the trees sometimes....that scared the shit out of me !!

Okay....when that was over and I stopped crying from anxiety...

we continued on

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In some places we had to wait until the boat in front of us could cut their way through the jungle

dont even ask about the biting ants that invaded us after we passed under their habitat!!! Holy Crap!!

then we went to visit a village school. As the boat pulls to shore the young kids greet us

we came with school supplies for the kids. This is sponsored by CONAPAC.    Adopt-A-School Program

they were studying social studies on the day we arrived

Their teacher

They sang their national anthem for us and we, in turn, sang ours for them. A little "Star Spangled Banner" in the jungle. You'll notice that they go to school outdoors. They go for 15 days then they have 15 days off and the cycle repeats throughout the year. This group was 13-15 years old.

remember, of course that from an early age many children learn how to fish, hunt, and collect materials and food from the forest. Instead of going to a playground or a shopping mall for fun, children in places like the Amazon spend most of their time outdoors playing in the forest and in rivers and streams.

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The lovely drawings from the school kids hang in the dining area

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the 'Shaman' (medicine man) and show you more of what we experienced. You won't want to miss it.

I hope you'll continue to visit Peru with me

 

Adios Cusco, Hola Iquitos y Amazon

It's time to say goodbye to Cusco...we spent 2 days there. They have FAAAAABULOUS shopping and are famous for their silver !!

I could have/would have spent a week there just looking in their shops !

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Just quickly....must share that we wandered into this AMAZING shop...

GALLERIA LATINA

Textiles, Jewelry and Pottery in the Andrean manner

and I was blown away by their handcrafts...very high end....very Peruvian. These Retablos by Claudio Jimenez Quispe  include themes of everyday life – harvests, markets, and fiestas.

I was transfixed by these pieces. Retablos such as these have achieved status as important heirlooms passed on within families that symbolize protection, fertility and healing.

They are also sold as art. 

so...of course I had to buy one...

The term retablo traditionally applies to a broad variety of religious images which are painted and sculpted over much of Latin America.

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So..we say Goodbye to the Plaza de Armas

This plaza has always been the center of Cusco, but it was originally much bigger than it is today and was it was surrounded by beautiful Inca palaces and temples.

Lots of  important ceremonies were held here and many historic events took place here during the Spanish Empire. I'm sure we all learned about Pizarro in our school history classes and how he conquered Cusco. Did you also know that several famous people  were executed on the Plaza de Armas? Hmmmm!

Now we're back to the airport and off to the jungle.

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IQUITOS

We arrive in the bustling town of Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian rainforest. The city can be reached only by airplane or boat.

Check out the mode of transportation.

The Lenster was feeling right at home with all the motorcycles!

and then...WE BOARD THIS 'BUS'...OMG!

no windows...just wind blowing in your hair and face the entire ride.

passing a school

now you're really beginning to know you're in a different world then what you're used to..

this is kind of when I began realizing that for the next few days make up, blow dryer and flat iron were words I wasn't going to be using !!!!

although most of South America is Catholic here is an interesting fact about Iquitos that I learned from checking it out on Wikipedia. (see below)

Among the unique communities formed by the 19th-century rubber boom immigration was that of Sephardic Jews from Morocco. Many of the men married Peruvian women and made families in Iquitos. They established a synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery. By the end of the 20th century, four or five generations later, most descendants were no longer practicing Jews. In the 1990s, a descendant of a Jewish settler undertook serious study of the religion and began to revive Judaism among his family, friends, and other Sephardim descendants. After years of study, with the help of a sympathetic Conservative rabbi in Lima and another from Brooklyn, New York, eventually a few hundred people learned and practiced and converted. (Conversion was necessary as their mothers were not Jewish.) Many of the converts emigrated to Israel under its "right of return" policy.

(below) taking a little 'siesta' during the workday

Iquitos was known for its rubber industry throughout the rubber boom decade beginning in 1900. 

Iquitos attracted thousands of immigrants from around the world, mostly young, single men who hoped to make their fortunes in rubber.

so...we board our boat to head to 

THE AMAZON

The Jungle

The Rain Forest

our first night is at a lodge that has electricity and even WiFi (wifi only in the main dining area).

Trying the local fruit picked right off the tree.

 2,700,000 sq miles of JUNGLE

Wasps and other insects ate this tree out

poison tree frog...yes...poison!

iguana high up in a tree

Large banana leaves are used to make the roofs for their houses

washing their clothes in the river

Now, here comes the SCARY PART....they DRINK the water straight from the river...no boiling...

 

The rainforest likely formed during the Eocene era

and I kid you not...when they call it the RAIN forest they mean it....at ANY given second the skies can open up and pour for 2-3 hours at a time. It really cools everything off.

it's a damn good idea to carry those silly plastic rain slickers with you.

and then...just like that..rains over !

so...next we went fishing for Piranha

the boat pulls up to a semi secluded area on the river and the guide shows you how to bait the hook and make the little puddle to fish in and how to swish it around to attract the fish.

first sign of a nibble you quickly pull up the line

SUCCESS !!

the guide strings them up to take back to the lodge

and, right after they are caught and still breathing they are very aggressive toward other piranha...as he demonstrated here

the fish are brought back to the lodge, fried and served for dinner

OK....why lie...I wouldn't eat it !

OK...so..if you thought all this was exciting wait till you see the rest of the Amazon....

see you tomorrow...

Cusco...here we come !

Well....let me first say...it's gonna be fun to be back blogging again.

I ended the last blog with our trip to MachuPichhu...

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We had such a full daily schedule that I exhausted myself trying to keep the blog going. But...now I'm back and let me catch up with our return to Cusco, Peru after we left MachuPichhu.

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Cusco, being over 11,000 feet above sea level, means the air is very thin & dry making it a bit hard to breathe. Most of us started taking Diamox, (the recommended meds), days before we got there to help us acclimate...and, it helped tremendously.

Cusco has terrific history, cathedrals and shopping. The train ride there even had entertainment....like this fun costumed person

and a fashion show featuring their beautiful alpaca wool products

we are in a lovely hotel in Cusco and a lady selling her wares is setting up inside

we meet up in the courtyard to get the schedule for the day

we are laughing because there was a 'papparazzi' type photographer when we arrived who took random pictures of all of us and then tried to get us to buy them....of course they were the worst pictures of us ever !!

another good laugh was the 'Hilton' across the street....seriously NOT a hotel!!

as soon as you step foot outside of the hotel the peddlars start...'please buy my stuff lady'...mine is the best wool ever..!! 

on our first excursion our guide takes us to

It is pronounced SEXY WOMAN...Yes..I swear, that's how its pronounced !

It is a walled complex on the northern outskirts of Cusco

 

The complex is, as many other Inca constructions, made of large polished dry stone walls each boulder carefully cut to fit together tightly without mortar.

Cant help but think of the way they built the Pyramids of Egypt, right?

The stones were rough-cut to the approximate shape in the quarries using river cobbles. Below is a shot of the drainage system.

a view from up high looking down on the whole city

There is a 20 foot high statue of Christ on a hill by the Saksaywaman Incan ruins above the city 

then, of course, for a small tip, there is always the ideal photo op!

some of what you see as you drive through Cusco

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Cusco climate is generally dry and temperate, with two defined seasons. The dry season lasts from April to October, with abundant sunshine, and occasional nighttime freezes: July is the coolest month with an average of  49 °F.

Below we see the Plaza de Armas

the Square of the Warriors

and the Cathedral

The church (Church of the Society of Jesus) construction was initiated by the Jesuits in 1576 on the foundations of the Amarucancha or the palace of the Inca ruler Wayna Qhapaq, and is considered one of the best examples of colonial baroque style in the Americas.

Its façade is carved in stone and its main altar is made of carved wood covered with gold leaf. It was built over an underground chapel and has a valuable collection of colonial paintings of the Cusco School.

 

 

the day was completed with dinner at a fine restaurant that had the most exciting sculpture and art

I thought I would end with this unusual photo....the Maître d'

 at the restaurant was wearing the most usual crucifix...thought I'd share

more tomorrow !!!

a brief respite

not to disappoint.....I'm going to take a few days respite from blogging....It's been completely non stop day after day and I am getting wiped out !

Plus...I think I am 'llama-ed out"

this is when age, stamina and being a bit outta shape (did I say a bit..ha ha) starts to rear its UGLY head !! LOL

So..

I have a lot of pictures from our 2 days here in Cusco and this will give me a few extra days to resize and organize them and then post them in a couple of days. Then, I'll do the same for the Amazon trip

we have to be outta our Cusco hotel at 5 AM and I am not a good morning person...in fact Im a very BAD morning person...bad..bad...bad...like, dont talk to me in the morning bad....

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we take a flight to Lima, switch planes to Iquitos...go to the Amazon to our first hotel which will be 'roughing it'...NO ELECTRICITY...and that means no blow drier, no flat iron (c'mon, you see my hair!) , no internet (NO INTERNET....OMG)

no nothing ! nada...nothing..bad, bad, bad....crap, crap, crap

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BUT..after day 1 in the jungle (think bug spray, hat, sunscreen, long pants, cheescloth to sleep under...yeah...all that and more) we move on to full accomodations (whew!) and I'll have more time to start posting again.

 

so..come back and visit again....PROMISE.

Meanwhile you know I'm on facebook....friend me is we aren't already or follow me.... and I'm on Twitter

(FB) Suze Miller Weinberg

MachuPichhu

This amazing magical place is a 15th-century Inca site located 7,970 ft above sea level. And let me tell you guys.....it's a LOTTA LOTTA LOTTA LOTTA climbing.... OH YEAH !!

Did I mention it's a LOTTA LOTTA LOTTA LOTTA climbing !!

it's a total test of how fit you are.....OR NOT....!! LOL

don't be a smart alleck.....buy yourself a walking stick

and come prepared.....good sneakers or hiking shoes are a must.

it could rain OR be so awfully hot you need an umbrella to keep the sun off your head. I'm eating a banana for the potassium !! DRINK LOTSA WATER...even tho the one and only toilet is down at the bottom!! Poor planning !

YES...I realize I'm smiling but let me tell you...I was dying !!! I was so outta shape for this...you need good knees and a strong back and very good lung power.

but...I digress......let's go back a step or two...

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to get to MachuPichhu we had to take a bus from Cusco (90 min) and then a train (60 min) .

Our friends board the train. I know their friends and family are reading the blog so of course I want to include them !

the train offers amazing sites from the window...like the snow covered mountaintops

the incredible canyons

Most archeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as the "City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of Inca civilization.

we meet our guide, Julia and she begins us on our trek UPWARD !

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steps...zig zag steps...rocky terrain...HIGH steps..more steps....Oy vey steps  !!!

I am SO FREAKIN OUT OF SHAPE....huffin' and puffin' the whole way up BUT determined.

I dont know what I'm smiling about....at this point I think I had about died !!!

This is Fadel, our tour director..he put the entire tour together

The Incas built the estate around 1450, but abandoned it as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest

Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. 

Most of the outlying buildings have been reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of what the structures originally looked like. By 1976, thirty percent of Machu Picchu had been restored. The restoration work continues to this day.

Since the site was not known to the Spanish during their conquest, it is highly significant as a relatively intact cultural site. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

In 2007, Machu Picchu was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a worldwide Internet poll.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its three primary structures are the Intihuatana (Hitching post of the Sun), the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu.

While natural phenomena like earthquakes and weather systems can play havoc with access, the site also suffers from the pressures of too many tourists.

if you want to climb to the extreme top you have to apply months in advance for tickets. They only allow just so many per month.

Machu Picchu lies in the southern hemisphere, 13.164 degrees south of the equator.

As part of their road system, the Incas built a road to the Machu Picchu region. Today, tens of thousands of tourists walk the Inca Trail to visit Machu Picchu each year. They congregate at Cusco before starting on the two-, four- or five-day journey on foot from Kilometer 82 or Kilometer 104 (two-day trip) near the town of Ollantaytambo in the Urubamba valley, walking up through the Andes mountain range to the isolated city.

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It was quite an amazing day...and we were all as sore and achy as can be when it was over...and I DO MEAN SORE AND ACHY !!

so, back to town we went to stay overnight ...A charming litle tourist town

so, need I reiterate...it was a most remarkable day and one I can cross off The Bucket List now !!!

Now we're back in Cusco...elevation over 11,000 miles above sea level. We've retraced the train and the bus trip to arrive here late today...so...if time...maybe more blogging manana.

It doesn't get any better

After a glorious day at the Pisac market (hope you read yesterdays blog)....it was time to see our new area lodgings.

Our tour, so far, has had us at some lovely hotels but NOTHING could compare to the Sol y Luna Lodge and Spa in Urubamba. A total piece of heaven....especially if you are an artist who lives for color, shapes and textures and FLOWERS !

and....the hotel had some of the MOST amazing and unusual folk art everywhere...OH MY..I so wanted to just take it all home....!

by the end of this blog you should be incredibly inspired !

the hotel has this mission for their vibrant natural paradise

"After 14 years of work respecting nature, we feel the Earth has honored us with the gift of the gardens."

not only that but more than 35 registered species of birds have made Sol & Luna their habitat and share every day spent in this enchanting haven of peace and harmony within the Sacred Valley with YOU.

the restaurant below was just for breakfast. Dinner(s) were in different buildings. We were so exhausted after everything we've done for days we had room service !!

the ceiling in the main building

walking to the rooms

 

Our own free standing casita 'room'

and the inside

the art on all the walls (even the folk statues) was indescribable....The clay murals of the artist Federico Bauer ....he has translated very traditional Peruvian themes in a contemporary way. 

I was blown away.

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BUT......tomorrow is the real BLOW away...we board the train for MACHU PICHHU...lions and tiger and bears... OH MY !

 

Take the pill.....drink lotsa water

so...it was back on another plane today

heading for the capitol of the Inca empire...Cusco. And, the next thing you know...we have arrived ! !

 

Now, Most importantly...the elevation here is HIGH...HIGH...HIGH...like over 11,000 feet...whoa ! Considering I live at sea level this is quite some change !!!

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So...it was recommended we take Diamox for a few days before coming here and continuing it thru the few days stay so we don't suffer any altitude sickness.....good call.....we have, so far,  been fine and are drinking MEGA gallons of water cause Diamox makes you PEE...PEE...PEE all day long !!! and I mean PEE....PEE....PEE. Ok...I know..Too much information ! sorry !!!

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Now...to spare you lotsa wordiness let me just say...we immediately took a bus from tr airport to the Pisac Market near The Sacred Valley, also known as the Urubamba Valley. It is in the Andes of Peru, close to the Inca capital of Cusco and below the ancient city of Machu Picchu (where we'll be going tomorrow !) I took 301 pictures throughout the day today ....I wont bore you with commentary...

here's some pix of the Pisac market, the beautiful people and their wares 

I'll save the Inca temple visit ( also from today ) and put it with MachuPicchu if I have wifi tomorrow !!

for right now I think you'll just love the color & flavor of the market

we are sampling the coca leaves that are highly recommended for altitude....it's the local thing so of course we HAD to give it a try !

After I bought some beads from this lovely gal I gave her one of my Art Abandonment pins...and again..another thrilled person..in turn she gave me a handmade bracelet. It's all so rewarding! Probably NoBODY has ever done something like that for these nice people.

YES...this mom was breastfeeding and I asked permission to take the photo...absolutely...and she was fine with it and I tipped her.

Alex bought his grandma this hat !!! Lucky grandma !

of course these were SO fantastically weird I had to buy one !!

so....I'll conclude with this......

I've been bloggin my little brains out and you can well imagine between that and the 5-6 miles a day we've been putting in walking and trekking and flying and breathing I'm getting W-O-R-N- -O-U-T !!!

Honest to God...I'm first gonna need a vacation when we get home!!

Catch ya tomorrow with any luck.

Stay tuned.

The City of the Kings

 

after a lovely 4 hour flight from Santiago...we have arrived in

TA DAH !!!!!

 the capitol city of Peru....LIMA ! What a group we are !!!

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Lima is also the industrial and financial center of Peru and home to one of the oldest higher learning institutions in the New World. The National University of San Marcos, founded on May 12, 1551 during Spanish colonial regime, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the Americas.

Peru has 30 million people; 700,000 live in Callao and 8 million live in Lima. 

we are in a REALLY beautiful upscale hotel...The Melia Lima

Lima also has a very special flavor....extremely colorful buildings

 

exciting & artful  grafitti

interesting architecture

and, without a doubt some of the most incredible churches and cathedrals. The Basilica Cathedral of Lima is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in the Plaza Mayor of downtown Lima, Peru. Construction began in 1535, and the building has undergone many reconstructions and transformation since, however it still retains its colonial structure and facade. It is dedicated to St John, Apostle and Evangelist.

inside is completely mind boggling. I took well over 100 pictures inside so this is a very small sampling just so you can feel you are there with me.

January 18, 1535:

The conqueror Francisco Pizarro laid the first stone, carrying on his shoulders the first log used in the construction of the Cathedral. The chosen location was between the Main Plaza and the "Street of the Jews," ("Calle de Judíos", in Spanish).

I'm sure you recognize the significance here...the head of John the Baptist.

1538: The construction of the first church was completed. It was mainly built of adobe, primitive, small and rustic.

March 11, 1540: The church was officially inaugurated by Francisco Pizarro. Remember studying about him in your history class? I do!

a lot happened to the church over a period of hundreds of years. In January 17, 1893: The Cathedral was closed because it was in disrepair and in dire need of restoration.

next we went over to the Monastery of San Francisco

The church and convent are part of the Historic Center of Lima, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. Aside from a church and monastery it also contains a library and catacombs. In this church, Jude the Apostle is venerated. At the feast of Saint Jude Tadeus a one and a half ton weighing silver stand is carried round in procession by 40 people, starting from the convent.

The church and monastery were consecrated in 1673 and completed in 1774. Though it survived several earthquakes intact in 1687 and 1746, it suffered extensive damage in an earthquake in 1970

The church is noted for its architecture, a high example of Spanish Baroque.

NOW...in all honesty...especially since I'm posting pictures of a holy place....I must not tell a lie....

You are NOT allowed to take photos in this particular church...I am very bad...the consumate photograher...on vacation and no photos...NEVER HAPPEN !!

I sneaked them...

how could I pass up the frescos...they have carefully peeled back over 12 layers of paint and found this underneath. Much is being restored.

Its granite carved portal would later influence those on other churche. The vaults of the central and two side naves are painted in mudejar style: a mix of Moorish and Spanish designs. The head altar is fully carved out of wood. The corridors of the main cloister are inlaid with Sevillian glazed tiles dating from the 1620s. The complex is made of the temple, the convent and two other churches, 'La Soledad' and 'El Milagro'.

and, check this out...We got to go into the catacombs....OH MY ! REAL bones...REAL skulls...really..... and it is an OH MY experience. See the bones on the left?? R-E-A-L !!!!

Lima's first cemetery were the catacombs below the monastery which contain an ossuary and some secrete passageways and connect to connect to the cathedral and the Tribunal of the Inquisition.

Now...we're getting to the really spooky part...

 The catacombs remained in use until 1808 when a city cemetery outside of Lima was founded. The catacombs were discovered in 1943. It is estimated to contain 70,000 burials. Bones line up along narrow hallways underneath the church, and one area contains several large and deep holes, filled with bones and skulls arranged above each other in circular patterns.

and here they are...THE SKULLS !!! R-E-A-L !!!

the library was incredible as well..illuminated manuscripts and all.

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and now...some other pictures of the day

Alex is buying souveniers

school children on a tour of the churches

a side trip to a huge beachfront mall...Yay!!

where...once again..I "abandoned" a piece of jewelry for someone to find...you remember....today the universe picks YOU !

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dinner was also wonderful....at the famous La Rosa Nordica

Lenny and Reiko ham it up ! !

the food was SUPERB !!!

And the evening ended with some nightime shopping

trying on fun hats (no no no..I didn't buy any...beautiful and well made as they were !)

and stayed to see the remarkable sunset

now...tomorrow we are on a plane AGAIN !! Off to thr Sacred Valley...

you'll hear from me IF we have wifi...cross yr fingers !!!

 

Easter Island - Part Tres

On our 3rd day on the island we were on our own to explore so, we followed the dirt paths to find the museum, some petraglyphs

more beautiful scenery and, as always.....the friendly strays...

waking along the beach path we found some very interesting statuary

what you notice almost immediately is how you can see the curvature of the earth when you look at the horizon.

see the little lone doggie ??!!

walking...walking...walking

eventually we'll get where we're going...of course we have no idea where that is...we're just exploring !!

if ONLY we could be allowed to bring this cow manible skeleton back to the states...but customs would NEVER allow it....and there it was...just lying on the road.!

we also found the one and only cemetary on the entire island

a childs grave

 

we saw some very exciting statuary in the backyards of peoples homes...OK...we were a little ballsy just walking on their property !! Such tourists !!

and then we finally find the museum...

 

and while the musum is small it is packed with wonderful informatiom

the whole history of the Rapa Nui is revealed there and it was SO interesting.

and, after another 5 mile walk we wind up back in town for a delicious lunch ...for me...raw fish of course !

************

and then...in the evening we went to an honestly wonderful ritual dinner and theater performance that was great fun and very uplifting

it started with traditional face painting. I remember having that done when I was in South Africa...I loved it

then they show you how the ceremonial food was prepared back in time...with dancing and all

the fish in the pit

the potatoes in the pit

dancing with the locals...our adorable 20+ Alex, youngest in the group!

hilarious !!

and getting pictures taken with the show folk

and now...I'm hopping on another plane...

Bye bye Easter Island...we loved you...

catch you manana from (hope for wifi), Lima Peru !!