Hard to believe...nearly 17 months, and today, I´m leaving South America!!
My flight leaves Lima, Peru in 5 hours, going backwards though, back to Santiago, Chile for 4 hours, than, on to Mexico City...Funny, I arrived in Santiago, so, it only seems right that I fly back there before leaving this beautiful continent.
The last 3 weeks I was joined by "mom". We went to the north, Trujillo, Peru. Saw the ruins of Chan-Chan...returned to Lima, then went to Cuzco, and got to experience the Inti Raymi Festival, and of course, Macchu Picchu.
Inti Raymi is the celebration of the coming of summer...how it´s winter here in Lima, and summer there in Cuzco is still completely beyond me. It has something to do with the Andes I think. "Inti" means "Sun" in the Quechua language, "Raymi" is "Party"...and, Party we did!!
As for Macchu Picchu..."Old Mountain" in Quechua, there is so much to say that I can´t say enough. Awaking at the early hour of 4 AM, so we could be in the first 400 to climb up to Wayna Picchu, (Young Mountain), we were ready to GO!!!...the mountains were shrouded in fog and clouds, giving the ruins a mystic look and feel. Eventually the sun came out and shone down on this great "citadel"...I could go on and on and on...but, you´d have to see it to know. It´s hard to digest, and even harder to try to understand "how!¿!"...the rocks are soooo massive, how did they move them?...and, even harder, how did they cut them so precise!?
Well, so many questions, so many thoughts and memories.
WOW! 17 months here!!
Highlights?, yes, there´s many...
Favorites?, of course...
Homesick? and "Are you ready to go home?"...NO!
Of course, I miss my family and friends, but, it feels as if I just arrived...
I feel as if I´m missing out on so much! I wanted to visit Columbia, I wanted to see the Amazon, I wanted to travel through Central America, and on and on, etc. etc. I find myself dwelling on all the things that I´m missing, instead of cherishing all the things that I HAVE seen. I know, this will all change once I get home of course...look back and reflect... Yeah, I´ve seen alot...met so many people from all over the world...learned a new language and a half (some portugese)...and learned alot about myself and the world. I´m fortunate and forever grateful to everyone who helped and supported me.
Thank You, Gracias, Obrigado, Mahalo!
