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    Jason and Chelsea's Travel Adventures

    Photos from Peru

    There are [61] photos from Peru

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    Sacred rock where the Incan creation legend began on Isla Del Sol in Lake Titicaca Views[378] Local Bolivan girl who cooked us a huevo, queso & tomate (egg, cheese and tomato) sandwhich for breakfast on Isla Del Sol in Lake Titicaca. Views[360] This was our ´local bus´ on board an unstable old wooden barge while crossing a short passage of water on Lake Titicaca on route to La Paz in Bolvia. We feared we would never see our bags again which were perched precariously on top wrapped in the blue tarp but they had obviously done it 100´s of times before because everything went ok. Views[372] The main street in Copacabana, Bolivia. This is where you get a boat to Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun). Views[331] This is a lady carrying the famous water reeds found in Lago Titicaca. The entire island is made out of these reeds. There are several of these man-made islands. The Uros Floating Islands have been inhabited since their construction centuries ago by Uros Indians who were retreating from more powerful neighbors like the Incas. Views[350]
     
    Machu Picchu Views[240] Incan ruins of Machu Picchu. Views[270] Sunrise on Day 4 at the ´Sungate´ with Machu Picchu in the distance. We are clearly not looking too good after four days without a shower and a 4am start in the pouring rain. Views[298] The Incan ruins of Winay Wayna believed to be one of the world´s first agricultural research stations for experimentation with different plant types and species as the temperature can vary by up to 1 degree C per terrace. Impressive irrigation and aquaduct system as well. Views[326] Jason on the Inca Trail on Day 3 Views[206]
     
    Blisters on Chelsea´s foot at the end of day three, the last 5km of which consisted of 3000 downhill stairs locally known as the ´Gringo Killer´. Views[236] Chelsea hiking up some slippery stone stairs. Views[249] This guy ran past me while going downhill and had the camp all set up and dinner cooking by the time we finally arrived there. Views[293] There were 100´s of local Peruvian porters hired to carry all the food & camping gear such as tents, chairs, gas bottles etc. They are literally superhuman freaks who put everyone else hiking the trail to shame by running up the mountain past us carrying twice the weight we were. Views[257] At the top of the first mountain pass on day 2 of the Inca Trail. Altitude - 4215m. Views[213]
     
    The ´infamous´ Day 2 of the Inca Trail consisted of a 1000m vertical climb over 7km which took 4 hours. This picture was taken about 500m from the top of the mountain pass and we began the day at the very bottom of the valley seen in the distance. Views[262] This is on day two of the Inca trail. We saw lots of llamas. Views[304] This is the check point for all trekkers. The government checks passports and your permit to be on the Inca Trail. Then you can begin the hiking. Views[231] This is a picture of our group for the four-day Inca Trail Trek . This is day one. Views[286] This is Jason eating at a local food stall outside of our hotel in Cusco. Views[313]
     
    This is Chelsea getting her sneakers polished in the Plaza De Armas in Cusco. As soon as one street seller scored a sale it wasn´t long before she was surrounded by people trying to sell her everything from paintings to postcards to shoelaces. SUCKER!! Views[334] This is the Plaza De Armas in Cusco. Cusco was the heart of the Incan Empire. It was from here the Incan dynasty spread and continued to gain strength and support from neighboring regions. In this picture the cathedral sits on the site of Inca Viracocha´s Palace and was erected with blocks from Saqsaywaman (a ruin outside of Cusco meaning satisfied falcon). In 1536 the Manco Incans used Saqsaywaman to fight the conquistadors. The Incans were defeated and thousands lay dead at this site. Soon after the war carrion-eating Andean condors came to the sight and feasted on the bodies. This tragedy was memorialized by the inclusion of eight condors in the Cuzco´s coat of arms. The Spainards used sacred Incan sites to erect their own houses and cathedrals in a deliberate attempt to destroy the Incan religion and culture. Views[256] In Cusco we stayed at this hotel, Colonial Palace. The staff were helpful and the rooms clean. Views[264] Chelsea standing next to a home made dog kennel on the Andean highlands between Arequipa and Colca Canyon. Views[307] This is Jason eating coca leaves on the way to Colca Canyon. He was trying to combat altitude sickness but it didn´t work. Lucky for me I didn´t get sick, perhaps it´s because I grew up in Colorado. Views[293]
     
    Posing next to a fountain in the rear courtyard of the Monastery of Santa Catalina in Arequipa. Views[306] An old bake oven used for cooking, heating etc in the Monastery of Santa Catalina, Arequipa. Views[300] One of the many streets inside Monastery of Santa Catalina. Views[304] This is inside Monasterio Santa Catalina. This Monastery takes up an entire block and was built in 1580 by a wealthy widow who chose her nuns from the richest Spanish families. She also had local nuns that lived there but she did not approve of their lifestyles. After three centuries of sisters living with very lenient rules a nun from the Dominican Rupublic arrived to enforce strict new guidelines. It was a very mysterious place that the public was forbidden to enter until it was forced to open in 1970. It is a beautiful place filled with narrow twisting streets, tiny fruit filled plazas and hidden staricases. It´s a place distinctly based on Spanish culture and arcitecture. Views[299] Military parade through the Plaza de Armas on Sunday morning in Arequipa. Nearly every division of the army was represented and marched through in full dress uniform with weaponary while singing the Peruvian national anthem. Views[409]
     
    This is Plaza De Armas in Arequipa. It´s one of the prettiest square´s we have seen in Peru. Everyone comes to hang out and have an ice-cream, relax and read the newspaper. Views[262] Cristal Beer - not a bad drop. ´Cerveza´ is spanish for beer and just so happened to be one of the first words I learnt! Views[312] More skulls in San Jose. Views[243] This is Jason standing next to the catacombs in San Jose. Views[315] The Catholic Convent in the village of San Jose. When the local towns people discovered in 1941 what dirty deeds had been going on among the clergy for 100´s of years, they ransacked and burnt the churhes and then killed all of the clergy. Views[339]
     
    Chelsea and our guide, Carlos inspecting the catacombs of the Monastery of San Javier. We could still clearly see human remains and skeletons in these open tombs. Views[379] Remains of a Catholic Monastery in the village of San Javier built by the spanish in the 16th C. Hidden in the catacombs in the rear was ´secret tunnel´ which stretched 25km to a Catholic Convent in a near by town. The priests and nuns would meet clandestinely for sexual relationships. Unwanted pregancies were aborted in the middle of the tunnel. Views[363] Us at the centre of the ´Sun´. Over 91 ´Nazcan lines´ emanate out from this one central point. Some are over 10km long and a perfectly straight line even over crests and undulating ground. Views[330] A local Peruvian farmer who was in the process harvesting his cotton crop by hand. He was also irrigating out of the aquaducts which are still in operation after 1500 years! Views[575] This is a picture of us at the Cantello aqueducts. The aqueducts were built by the Nazca people for continual water supply for drinking and irrigating crops. We are descending into a ventana (window)which was used to inspect the water and an access point when they needed to be cleaned. Views[923]
     
    The Cemetery of Chauchilla was found in the 1970´s when someone discovered that grave robbers had destroyed the burial site. It was then the government tried to reconstruct the remains and preserve the mummies and goods that were left behind. Views[347] This is one of the many mummies located at the Cemetery of Chauchilla. They were burried by the Nazca culture between 200-500AD. Some of the skulls had a small hole cut out of the side. The ¨trepanned¨ skull helped reduce intense headaches and pains. This was a medical technique used by ancient cultures whereby a slice of the skull is removed, relieving pressure on the brain resulting from injuries. Views[308] This is the one of the Nazca lines ¨The Bird¨ Views[275] This is the astronaut or some think it´s a priest with an owl´s head. It is one of the many figures made by the Nazca culture. Nazca lines spread across 500 sq km of desert and form a network of over 800 lines, 300 geometric figures and researchers of the area believe there are over 70 animal and plant drawings. Views[301] This is the airport in Nazca. We are getting ready to board a small plane to circle the mysterious Nazca lines. These lines have made Nazca very poular and has helped with promoting tourism in this region. Views[290]
     
    This is Jason standing next to an old fishing boat in the Rerserva Nacional De Paracas. Views[265] This is an area within the Rerserva Nacional De Paracas where animals go to die. They have been using this beach as a final resting place for thousands of years. We found bones of sea lions, dolphins and pelicans. During our visit we saw a pelican dying. Next to this beach there is also several shipwrecks that lay untouched. Views[326] Coastline in the Paracas National Reserve. Rolling sand dunes meet Pacific ocean with a ´blood red´ coloured beach in between. Views[346] These are sea lions resting at the Islas Ballestas. The Islas Ballestas is nicknamed ´the poor man´s Galapagos´. It was on this island we also saw Humboldt penguins and thousand-strong colonies of cormorants, boobies and pelicans. Views[308] This is a giant figure ethched into the sandy hills made by the ancient Paracas culture. It is called the three-pronged Candelabra. The meaning of this figure as well as the Nazca lines are still unknown. Views[304]
     
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