Part 2 - The Hike Begins!

When I would talk to people prior to making this trip I would say I am doing a 7 day hike to Machu Picchu - and the emphasis seemed to always be on getting to Machu Picchu. There are certainly easier ways to get to Machu Picchu then hiking for 7 days - in fact you can just take a train and buy a ticket and walk in! But for Julie and I the trip was always much more about the journey to get to Machu Picchu. It was important for us to do the hike - and we knew it would be challenging. We both live in the midwest - which you probably know is pretty flat. So the goal was to take this journey through the 7 days of challenging terrain, distance and altitude and along the way get to know much more about the culture and beauty of the Peruvian country, history and people. Was the hike challenging? I would say it was even more challenging then I had anticipated - but I loved it! At the end of every day when I was getting my high five from Aly and Berto I felt really proud of myself - and at no point in the hike did I ever feel I wouldn't make it. Did I sometimes wish for a bit of a break of level ground - oh yeah!!! But when you're hiking in the Andes Mountains there is not a lot of level ground - and the scenery is breathtaking every single minute. I reminded myself 50 times a day to look up from my feet and capture a mental picture to bring back with me. The destination is only as beautiful as the journey- and what a spectacular journey it was!

Mountain Lodges offers lodge to lodge hiking - so we were basically hiking to Machu Picchu lodge to lodge. You can do a shorter (usually 4 days and 3 nights) hike where you stay in tents - but as much as Julie and I wanted the hiking experience we didn't want any part of sleeping on the ground in tents for 3 nights. And every day when we arrived at our lodge covered in sweat, sunscreen and bug spray we would all say to each other as we headed to the showers - Thank God we're not sleeping in tents!!! 

The lodges were amazing! They are owned by Mountain Lodges and used exclusively for their groups. They built them and except for the first lodge we stayed in which has 12 rooms (usually 2 hiking groups are there at a time) the other lodges have only 6 sleeping rooms so your group has the lodge to themselves. It really feels like a big home that you are staying in and your hiking group becomes like a family. A family that gets along as our group was fantastic! Every single person was so nice, interesting, funny and drama free. And ready every morning on time at 7 AM to head out for the days adventures. 

We were there as they were heading into winter - so it gets pretty cold at night. Another reason we were so happy to not be sleeping in tents! Each room has a propane heater to take the chill out, but they turn the heaters off at night because they consume too much oxygen - at the altitudes we were at it's a precious commodity. So at night they would put a hot water bottle in each bed - they called them guinea pigs - and I was happy to cuddle with my guinea pig all night! They also turned the electricity off at 11 PM and turned it back on at 6 AM - but after a day of hiking no one was up past 10 so that wasn't a problem either.   

I am going to post pics of most of the food we ate - and it was all fantastic - really gourmet quality. We ate as a group and they had asked us in advance about any food allergies or preferences. The same 2 cooks cooked all our meals for us and moved from lodge to lodge with us. They were truly amazing - even serving us hot meals for lunch on the trail sometimes. I didn't take pictures of breakfast but it was wonderful as well. Eggs cooked to order, fresh fruit, yogurt, meats, cheeses, delicious breads, great coffee and tea. After breakfast they had a table set up with nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, cookies, chocolates, etc to pack yourself a snack for the hike. We definitely never were hungry.

Depending on the weather when we arrived at each lodge we were greeted by the staff with either a warm wet towel if it was cold, or a cool wet towel if it was warm. Also either a steaming mug of tea or a delicious glass of fresh juice. We left our muddy hiking boots at the door and they collected our hiking poles. Like magic in the morning your boots appeared clean and poles wiped off. We were spoiled for sure!!!

Our head guide Aly was incredible! So knowledgeable, organized, professional, enthusiastic, motivating and fun. Every night before dinner we would gather as a group and recap the day and then he would prepare us for the upcoming hike. We left the lodge at 7 AM every day except one and the expectation was that you would be outside with your boots on and poles in hand ready to go - and everyone was. He would give us advice on what to wear, what to bring in your pack, recommend sunscreen and/or bug spray depending on the hike. He always nailed it and we were always totally prepared. And always your rain poncho in your pack just in case!

Berto, the assistant guide always pulled up the rear. You hiked at your own pace - the "goats" as we called them - always in the front with Aly. Their ability to hike quickly and be undaunted by any terrain was amazing and inprising to me. Then some of us (me) in the middle of the pack, and then those in the "rear guard" as they called it coming up with Berto. But we were never separated by more then 10 minutes, and shout out to Berto for always being there with a word of encouragement or a lesson in how to breath at high altitude when I needed it most.  

So that's most of the background - now on to the photos's and commentary on each day!! 

Day 1 - Cusco to Soraypampa

We were picked up at our hotel in Cusco and drove in a van to visit the Inca ruins of Tarawasi. Along the way we passed a local market that I got a quick picture of from the van.

A farmers market with all kinds of livestock mixed right in! 

We climbed higher and higher and got our first glimpse of Salkantay Mountain. 

Spectacular! The peak is over 20,000 feet. 

We stopped to see the Tarawasi Inca ruins where the construction is very similar to Machu Picchu. The stone blocks are carved to fit perfectly together. No mortar holds them in place. This was a connection point between Lima and Cusco and thought to be for religious purposes. The alcoves in the top right picture are thought to be for mummies since they believed that was the way to keep the spirits with their families.

Bottom left picture is of our guides Aly and Berto. Bottom right is a poinsettia bush - huge flowers! 

Next we drove to Mollepata where we stopped for tea and to see some of the Mountain Lodges projects they started to help the local community earn a living. A big part of the Peruvian culture is to help each other and give back to the community - and Mountain Lodges being a Peruvian company really takes it a step further. They are supporting a guinea pig coop along with a weaving, knitting, and crochet project for the locals to have a way to sell their wares. Guinea pigs are a delicacy in Peru and here they are specifically raised for consumption. We also got to see the locals demonstrating the beautiful art of weaving - looked pretty intricate to me.

We were served a delicious assortment of local avocados, fruit, corn nuts, fresh cheese and homemade breads. Best avocados I've had in my life were in Peru! 

We drove a bit longer and then the hike began.  

Our hiking family ready to begin! 

We started at an elevation of about 11,000 feet and stopped at 12,300 for lunch. it was mostly climbing up a rocky trail. Not going to lie - I had to stop every now and then and catch my breath but I tried to focus on how beautiful it was around me. We would round a corner and see a couple of horses or cows hanging out eating grass - they seemed totally uninterested in us and just kept eating. This was the only day we ate a box lunch carried by our trusty mule. Tons of food! A turkey panini, fresh sweet potato chips, 3 pieces of fruit, trail mix and a granola bar. Also hard candy to suck on for extra sugar but most of us couldn't come close to finishing it. 

Top right - Mark and Char from Canada, Bottom left - Patrick and Debra from DC. The goats!!! All amazing and inspirational hikers and people! 

Aly told us after lunch the trail would level out. What he actually meant come to find out was that it went up and down so if you average the elevation it was pretty flat - fooled us!!! We hiked the rest of the way right next to an Inca aquifer and the trail was pretty narrow in some places - about 18 inches. So aquifer on our left - steep drop off to the right!! So I leaned left while walking deciding if I stumbled better to get wet then fall off the mountain.   

We crossed this waterfall via these 2 logs covered in grass. Pretty but a little scary. Little did I know by the end of the hike this wouldn't faze me at all! And always had a view of Salkantay Mountain!

We made it to our first lodge - Salkantay Lodge after hiking for about 5 hours and were greeted warmly by the staff. We made it! 

Victorious at 12,700 feet!

Such a beautiful place tucked in to the mountain.  

Horses roaming all around the lodge - I don't see that in Missouri! 

We got our room keys and had a snack of finger sandwiches, veggies and dip, and chocolate dipped fruit - also delicious Mountain Mint tea. Alcohol was available to purchase but we were advised by Aly to not indulge until after we crossed the Salkantay Pass at 15,200 feet on day 3. Alcohol affects you at high altitudes to a greater extent and I figured why take the chance? Showers, meeting at 7 PM to plan for day 2 and then dinner. 

First course was a vegetable soup, 2nd course mashed sweet potato with orange and chicken breast with spinach stuffing. Dessert was chocolate tiramisu- all wonderful.  

Day 2 - Soraypampa  

This day was different then all the rest because we were doing an out and back hike. It was the only night we would return to the same lodge and was meant to be an acclimation hike to prepare us for day 3 when we would be at 15,200 feet - our highest point in the trip. We were hiking to Humantay Glacier Lake which is at 14,000 feet. Humantay Mountain is a sister mountain to Salkantay and greatly revered by the Peruvian people. An added bonus was that Sebastian - a Shaman would be making the trip with us. Just FYI - a Shaman is typically regarded as a person who acts as an intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness and control spiritual forces. The training is very long - basically never ending. Peruvians have a high regard for Mother Earth and the mountains, and since we were hiking through the mountains it would be considered taking from the mountains and a gift needed to be given in return - that's where the Shaman comes in. Sebastian would help us give a gift back to Mother Earth. Fitting in my mind since it was the day before Mother's Day! Did I mention we saw a condor??!!! Closest I will ever see to a Teradactyl! HUGE!!! The wing span looked like 12 feet across - incredible!

Top left - some of those random horses we happened upon, Top right - Berto, Sebastian and Aly, Middle left - taking a break and enjoying the spectacular views, Bottom left - the yellow flowers that were all over the trail, Bottom right - crossing one of the many rushing streams coming from the mountains.  

Proceed at your own risk??? You have been warned!! Along the trail to Humantay Lake. 

Humantay Glacier Lake - spectacular!! Fed by the Humantay glacier - crystal clear and so peaceful. 

One of my favorite pictures from the trip as this was one of my best memories. When I look at it I feel transported back to that beautiful place where I felt such joy, peace and like the luckiest person in the world. 

We had a little time to enjoy the lake and then the ceremony with Sebastian began. Aly said that participation was not mandatory, and that we could take pictures up to a certain point. But if you started in the circle you had to stay for the entire ritual. Everyone participated in this very sacred Inca religious ceremony. First we had to wear the Inca hats that Sebastian brought and then we were each given 3 coca leaves which allowed us 3 intentions that Sebastian would pray for. The ceremony was not in English but Aly narrated as it proceeded. The gist is that the Shaman builds the gift from the various materials he brought all in separate packets. Each item symbolizes something he is praying for such as prosperity, love, joy, happiness, etc. We each came forward with our 3 leaves to add to the gift. When the gift was complete Sebastian wrapped it carefully and then came to each of us individually and cleared our aura's and chakras. And then he gave us each a big bear hug. Then we went around the circle and gave each person a big hug. It was amazing!!! Then the Shaman has a couple of ways he can make the gift to Mother Earth. He was going to burn our gift which is one of the ways. 

The packets he brought are all alongside the cloth and each was placed individually in the center. Julie definitely scored the best Peruvian hat to wear - I had Pom Pom envy! 

One of the suggestions Mountain Lodges made to us at the start of the trip was to take a token, a pebble or a leaf to commemorate a special moment and tell someone back home how you came upon it. I picked up a few pebbles to remember this moment and I'm sharing it with you right now!! 

I forgot to take pictures of our lunch but the first course was a quinoa mediterranean salad, beef in a soy sauce with rice and french fries, and for dessert chopped fruit in a layered cookie crust. I did get pictures of dinner though!!

Pumpkin soup, trout with mashed potatoes and green beans, and lumpa mousse. Lumpa is some kind of fruit grown in Peru that I've never heard of but it was great!! 

Early to bed because tomorrow is the BIG DAY! Mother's Day and hiking over the Salkantay Pass. 

Day 3 - Soraypampa to Wayraccmachay 

Things are getting serious now. We left at 7 AM and while everyone felt prepared it just had a different vibe. For one we all had more clothing on and more with us in our packs. We were heading not only to the highest elevation but also the coldest and windiest part of the hike. Right from the start it wasn't as clear and we got to see the famous cloud formations around the mountains. 

A bit of a challenging water crossing across the tree bridge and you can see how happy Giselle is that she's through it! 

Our last break before we hit the pass. Those are some serious faces!  Last chance to add clothing.

Aly and Berto with last minute instructions. As I recall they said it's going to be really windy and cold up there so let's take pictures fast and keep moving!! 

They were so right!! Visibility wasn't great but we made it! 

Salkantay Pass. 15,200 feet! Highest point I've ever been to! 

The good news is that now we're heading down - for a special lunch. We hiked about an hour and a half and came upon a welcome site - our cooks were making us a hot lunch on the trail! Deluxe accomodations compared to what we were used to while hiking. For one - we had actually bathrooms to use! His and Her tents set up on the mountain with real toilets! More like porta-pottys with toilets but better then our usual bushes!

Tent bathrooms! 

And a lunch tent to dine in with delicious hot food they made in the cooks tent they set up. Amazing!

First course a delicious soup with cheese and beans, pasta in a fresh marinara and a poached pear for dessert! 

Looking back on where we just came from. 

Continuing to head down toward Wayra Lodge everyone is looking relaxed and starting to pull clothing off. It's warming up!

Late in the afternoon we arrive at our next lodge - Wayra. A welcome site!  And back down to 12,800 feet.

Just our group in this lodge. It was lovely! So homey and many of the group liked this lodge best! 

A celebration dinner for Mother's Day and our accomplishment in getting over the pass! 

A special dessert for the ladies of chocolate dipped strawberries.  Let the drinking begin!! Actually just one glass of wine for me but it tasted great! 

Day 4 - Wayraccmachay to Colpapampa 

Today we had a leisurely start not leaving until 8:30, and it was the easiest hiking day of the week. That was good news for me since I wasn't feeling as good as usual. It was definitely not food related, but Aly said I was a victim of over-exercise. Very possible! We were still heading mostly downhill ending at an elevation of 9,400 feet at the next lodge. 

Boots are ready for another hike! 

The terrain was starting to change as we headed to warmer weather and the rain forest. We hiked above the Salkantay River and there was an abundance of flowers and birds.

I love this picture of Julie because it reminds me of an old western. It looks like she is going to walk back and jump on her horse and gallop away! 

This was scarier then the picture shows. We had to cross a pretty wide rushing stream on the rocks and if you made a mistake it was over the waterfall you would go. Julie and I both have a fear of heights which made us feel empowered when we did this with no hitch - yeah us!! 

We made it to Colpa Lodge about 1:45 for a Pachamanca lunch - a special Peruvian barbecue feast that  we got to watch them prepare. They dig a hole in the ground and put in coals which are heated thoroughly. Then they start to layer the foods which all cook over the coals. White and sweet potatoes, fava beans, chicken, pork and beef all wrapped in foil and plantains. Then it is covered in heavy cardboard or sometimes plantain leaves and then dirt shoveled over to cover it all. It cooks for about an hour and then it is uncovered and served. Along with the special guest - the guinea pig!!! 

We got to see them put it together and then uncover it an hour later.  

The Pachmanca Feast!!! 

Special guest star!!!

The guinea pig!!! They paraded it in front of us with great pride before taking it into the kitchen to slice it up. 

So the question on your mind right now is did she eat it??? I thought about lying but I can't do it. I fully intended to at least try a bite, but with my stomach doing some flips and flops I thought it best to pass. Aly had the cooks make me a special comforting delicious chicken soup with rice, celery and carrots and I passed on the feast. I was disappointed but my goal was to feel better asap. Aly also gave me a packet to add to water to replace electrolytes that helped quite a bit. Maybe one day I'll get another chance to try it. The group that tried it said it was a bit gamely and quite crispy - so there you go! 

Colpa Lodge - each lodge unique but all wonderful.  

Day 5 - Colpapampa to Lucmabamba 

The night before in our pre-dinner meeting Aly informs us that the plan for day 5 has changed a little. We are supposed to hike along the Santa Teresa river valley but Mountain Lodges has not allowed any group to hike on that trail since the end of 2016 because in the January-February rainy season part of the trail has washed away - and a woman died hiking it in February. So instead we will walk on the road on the other side of the river and see basically the same views but not risk our lives. No one has a problem with this!!!! While we are hiking we can see the trail across the river and I was so happy we weren't attempting to hike it. In places the trail is now only inches in width and the drop off to the river would most likely kill you. If you did survive not sure how they would pull you up - no thanks. We are still hiking down and are now really in the rainforest. It's pretty steamy and humid but many of us opt to still wear pants and long sleeves because the mosquitoes are as Aly says "professional." Berto wears light weight gloves the entire time to prevent bites. I slather on the sunscreen and bug repellent and hope for the best. I now know what Deet tastes like - and it does burn if you get it in your eyes. But the terrain is super lush and we see lots of waterfalls so the hike moves along smoothly. 

We're starting to see a few more humans along the way. You'll see a small home with some planted crops across the river or a small wooden home with some ducks or banana trees. Aly knows everyone and stops to chat every now and then. 

This woman is showing Aly how great her corn is this year. 

We start to see a few stands along the way selling bottled water, Coca-Cola, beer and the biggest avocados I've ever seen! 

Amazing and delicious!! 

We make it to Lucma Lodge in time for a late lunch and are greeted by this adorable little girl. 

Lucma Lodge was my favorite. 

Had a really spacious feel because all the sleeping rooms were located on the second floor overlooking the main area for relaxing and eating. 

Our view over the rain forest from the front of the lodge. And yes that's a very sweet hot tub! 

The inside of Lucma Lodge. 

Got to watch a gentleman re-thatch a roof while we ate a great late lunch. 

One of my favorite meals of the entire trip. A mediterranean salad, lemon chili chicken with potato and rice and fruit for dessert.  

After lunch we had an optional visit to an organic coffee plantation and everyone attended. It was a tiny family run operation and we met the woman who was the owner and roasted all the coffee. She didn't speak english so Aly helped her out to communicate. They also make honey, bee pollen, coffee liqueur and "holy water" which is basically grain alcohol. We got to sample it all but my favorite was the coffee. She roasted it right in front of us, hand ground it and made us expresso. Fantastic! if you wanted to buy any you ordered it and she roasted it for you that night and brought it to the lodge before we left the next morning. You can't get any fresher then that!! 

I of course ordered coffee to take home and she was waiting outside the lodge before 7 AM. 

Another great dinner awaited us. 

Carrot soup, Beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and fresh avocado. Coffee mousse for dessert with coffee liqueur.  

Well that gets us through Day 5. Day 6 and 7 are all about Machu Picchu so I'm going to do that in a seperate post. If you have made it all the way to this point I send you a big thank you! It's a lot of pics I know but it has been so fun for me to recap it all and live it again. The adventure of my life - so far!

Peru!! Part 1

I have returned from the most challenging and possibly most interesting trip of my life. I have read that no one returns from a trip exactly the same person that they were - and I believe this to be true. Peru was spectacularly beautiful, the people were absolutely lovely, and the food was amazing! The huge supply of granola bars I brought that I thought would be what sustained me were pretty much left totally intact - I think I ate one and half! And that was on the plane getting there! I want to give a BIG shout out to Mountain Lodges of Peru. That was the company we utilized not just for the 7 day hike - but to help us coordinate almost every aspect of our trip. I was referred to them by a number of people I know that gave them high praise - but they exceeded my expectations in every way. If there could be such a thing as a perfect trip - then this was it. Every detail went according to plan and most of it thanks to Mountain Lodges. They have a number of different options you can chose that ultimately will get you to Machu Picchu - and the 7 day hike we took was the longest and most challenging by far. By day 7 when we arrived at Machu Picchu I definitely felt like I had earned the right to visit - and it didn't disappoint. 

Julie and I at O'Hare leaving for Lima. Might be the last time I was clean for a week! Julie got us these awesome "Choose Adventure" shirts which was one of our hashtags for the trip. Love them!!! 

We flew to Lima and arrived late at night. We literally just walked across the street from the airport where we had a reservation at the Ramada for the night - so convenient. We got up the next morning - walked back over to the airport and boarded our flight to Cusco. Cusco is where everyone goes that is heading to Machu Picchu and/or the Sacred Valley to acclimate to the elevation and get entrenched into the Inca and Peruvian culture. Cusco dates back to the Inca's so pre-1500's. It sits at an elevation of 11,000 feet so quite a shock to the system in terms of oxygen. We were spending 2 days there prior to starting our hike, so arrived around noon and made our way over to our hotel. Mountain Lodges has a hotel in Cusco so we had booked a reservation there for the two nights, and it couldn't have worked out better. The location was excellent - very convenient to the main square and the historical district so we were able to do quite a bit of walking.

We got very accustomed to the throws laid over each bench around the fire pit. All made of 100% baby alpaca and so soft and warm. They are everywhere!

The hotel was wonderful - we even had a fireplace in our room that they came and lit for us at night. It's starting to be winter in Peru so the days are short and the nights are cold. The first day we took it pretty easy as we were acclimating to the elevation. We were a little short of breath and had a diminished appetite - but otherwise we felt good. No nausea or headaches which are common complaints. In no special order here are some of the things we saw and ate over the two days we spent there. 

Fountain in the main square of Pachacutec - the most famous Inca leader who built Machu Picchu and most of the Inca ruins that are still here today.  

Catedral de Cusco - baroque cathedral built atop a former Inca palace. We went inside and it is huge!!! All the statues were wearing real clothing which I had never seen before. I inquired why and was told there is a competition between various church groups to decorate the statues every 6 to 12 months and win bragging rights.  

Decorated crosses like this were everywhere - even at our hotel. I inquired and the month of May is dedicated to the cross. Each one was really unique and had different items around them or hanging on them. 

There were lots of places to shop to buy 100% baby alpaca items. Beautiful scarfs, coats, throws, sweaters - you name it. We did quite a bit of browsing and just a little shopping. We only brought carry on's so I kept reminding myself that I had no room to bring anything home! Good thing as it was all tempting and pretty reasonable for such great quality. 

Alpaca hats to keep us warm!! And lots of artists on the street selling their paintings. There is a famous art school in Cusco that many of the artists attend. 

Peru is also well known for it's textiles and weaving. We visited the Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco which not only sells Cusco's finest textiles but has a museum that demonstrates the techniques and heritage of the Peruvian dress. I admit I couldn't resist and bought a purse which I love. Just beautiful and has 3 traditional Peruvian pom poms on it - how could I not!!!! 

Top right is traditional Peruvian wedding attire, bottom left Fiesta Costumes.  

There are a huge amount of churches in Cusco - literally hundreds so we walked by many. This is one of my favorites - Coricancha - the sun temple. Built like so many on Inca ruins. 

Another reminder of the Inca's are the narrow cobblestone streets. The traffic was really crazy - you had to be very careful when crossing the street. It seemed there were almost no traffic signals so it was every man for himself. This street was so narrow no traffic was even allowed - but it was pretty much all uphill. 

We found the food to be wonderful - that was a big surprise to me. We were careful not to eat anything that wasn't cooked - steered clear of lettuce and things that weren't peeled and we did fine.

We shared the pasta with roasted vegetables in a pomodoro sauce, and tried the apple pie with ice cream and the quinoa cream brûlée- yumm! 

For dinner one night we went to Limo - a traditional Peruvian restaurant. Loved it! 

Instead of bread they brought us potatoes with 3 dipping sauces. Peru grows more then 3000 kinds of potatoes - so we ate a lot of them. We both had the beef tenderloin with sweet potatoes and asparagus for dinner. Delicious!

We saw a lot of children in Cusco, and they were so cute. We really got a kick out of seeing them all dancing. Both nights we were there we saw lots of different ages all practicing - many of them in costume. Turns out there is a big festival and competition in June that takes place over a number of days, and they are all getting ready to perform.  

They were practicing the whole time we were eating dinner at Limo - what a gorgeous sunset on the mountains around Cusco! 

We also had out first coca tea in Cusco - made from the coca leaf. And yes it is the leaf that they use for cocaine! But the tea does not get you high - it does help with the altitude adjustment. It is somewhat of a stimulant though so I quickly switched over to the Mountain Mist tea everyone offers you which is an herb tea and really delicious.  

There is lots more to see in and around Cusco, and many people base themselves in Cusco and take day trips out to some of the Inca archeological sites. Since we were leaving on our hike we focused our attention on the historical core and felt really comfortable walking the area. Many people don't speak English but they try really hard to communicate, or go get someone who has a better grasp. Just about everyplace will take US currency but they are extremely picky about the quality of the bill. The bills need to be in almost perfect condition - not even a slight tear or fold or they refuse it. We were in one shop trying to buy a scarf and they had no less then 6 employees examining each bill. Some they rejected and we had to keep pulling out other bills that were in better shape. It was actually kind of funny. Especially when I think about the quality of some of the bills we freely use here in the US. 

The night before we left on the hike we had a meeting with our head guide and the other hikers we would be with for the next 7 days. There were 12 hikers in total - a couple from Australia, a couple from England, a couple from Canada and 6 of us from the US. Our head guide Aly and our assistant Berto would complete the group.  

Next post - the Hike!!  

Preparing for Peru!

I am in serious countdown mode for the most challenging trip of my life!!! Soon this will be me!!! 

Except not standing so close to the edge. Probably clutching the rock behind that person!! 

Heading to Peru as in South America - not the Peru, IL I was born in many years ago. This is a bucket list trip so I'm super excited....and just a tiny bit nervous . As with all my trips research, information and planning are half the fun for me - so I have done lots of all three. The main focus of the trip is to get to Machu Picchu - so let me start with a little bit of history about it. 

Machu Picchu was built by the Inca's in about 1450, and is believed to have been a royal estate or sacred religious site for Inca leaders, whose civilization was virtually wiped out by Spanish invaders in the 16th century. For hundreds of years it was a secret known only to peasants living in the area.  

In 1911 Hiram Bingham - an American archaeologist from Yale University stumbled upon it as he was looking for the "Lost City of the Inca's".  You might be wondering - how could it have just disappeared? Well, Machu Picchu sits in the midst of a tropical mountain forest on the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes and blends into the natural setting perfectly. When the Inca's were wiped out the forest just overtook Machu Picchu and grew over it! 

Machu Picchu covers over a 5 mile distance and features more than 3,000 steps that link it's different levels. It is a prime example of the Inca civilization's architectural, agricultural and engineering mastery. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World! 

Breathtaking!!! Can't believe I'm really going to be there! 

As far as my research, I have been doing it online, talking to people who have been there, and reading books. I have read the typical travel books but my favorite has really been "Turn Right At Machu Picchu" by Mark Adams. He is a New Yorker that decided to recreate the journey that Hiram Bingham made in 1911 when he discovered Machu Picchu - so he goes through a lot of the history but then also his personal journey which has been interesting and humorous. He had never done any camping and almost no hiking so I've picked up some good tips. For long distance hiking you wear 2 pair of socks so that the socks rub against each other and not your skin and give you blisters - Nice!!! 

Speaking of socks - that's been the smallest item I had to purchase. I have zero hiking equipment so over the past few months I have made numerous trips to REI to get my gear. Hiking pants, boots, hiking poles, day pack, hat, gloves etc. The people that work at REI have been great! Very knowledgeable and helpful. The challenge for me is that I need to be prepared for weather from 30 degrees to 80 degrees, but we are only allowed to bring 20 pounds in our bag - Challenging!!! Either I will be carrying it, another person (porter) or a mule. So here's a heads up - I will be wearing pretty much the same thing in all upcoming pictures. I will put layers on and take them off as the temperature goes up and down, and I will be wearing my hiking boots from the minute I leave KC to the minute I return home. They are too big to pack!!!

The boots look new but I have walked all over KC to break them in - very important! 

Next up in getting prepared is activity. Yes I am a runner so I was not so concerned about my legs being able to do the walking. But I felt like I needed to work on my endurance as the hike will be 7 days long - and to an elevation of 15,000 feet - higher then I have ever been! So in addition to trying to get in a cardiovascular workout almost every day to build up my endurance, I have added in planks and yoga to strengthen my core. I'll know soon if I did the right things and enough of it - fingers crossed! 

You might be wondering about vaccines and medications - and that was an area of concern for me as well. Based on my research the areas I will be in do not require Yellow Fever, Malaria or Typhoid- but I did make a trip to my doctor to get a Hepatitis vaccine and a Shingles vaccine. The Shingles one is something that I have been meaning to do just because you should. If you've had the chicken pox in your life and your immunity gets low it can trigger shingles - and I do not want that if at all possible! I also found out about a medication called Diamox (Acetazolamide) which is indicated for altitude sickness prevention and treatment - so I got a prescription for that as well. It is well tolerated and I figure why take a chance and ruin some of my trip. Kansas City sits at about 900 feet above sea level - and I will be at 15,000 feet in the middle of the hike - so I have no idea how my body will handle the thin air. I also got a prescription for a course of antibiotics just in case through no fault of my own (or possibly pure stupidity) I ingest something in the way of water or food that doesn't agree with my system. Recommendations are to eat ONLY cooked food. Nothing that could have been washed in unfiltered water such as fruits and veggies and isn't thoroughly cooked, and drink and even brush your teeth with filtered or bottled water, No ice cubes!!! Cuy (guinea pig) is a delicacy in Peru and I won't be consuming any of that - so cooked veggies it will be!!

No need to worry that I'm taking this trip alone as I have been known to do. I'm going with my dear friend and soul sister Julie - and we'll be with a group of about 12 on the hike plus a head guide and an assistant. One at the front and one pulling up the year for stragglers! I wouldn't dream of doing the hike alone - and in fact it isn't allowed. The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu are hundreds of years old and with so many people trying to get there and see it it's taking a beating. In order to preserve it for future generations the amount of people that can be there is highly controlled. There are only so many passes issued for any given day, and the tour companies snatch them all up the minute they are available - so you must be part of a group to make the trip. You can see Machu Picchu without taking the 7 day hike as we are - but the journey through the mountains, 9 bio-zones, meeting the local people, and learning about the Peruvian culture is going to make this an even more memorable experience for us I'm sure. And we'll get to spend a few days and see some sites in Cusco - which is where the trek begins. Cusco is an hour flight from Lima and it is highly recommended that you arrive at least 2 days in advance of the hike to acclimate to the altitude. Cusco is over 10,000 feet and from my reading also has some beautiful historical buildings and markets. Then on the back end of the hike we will spend another day and night in Cusco recuperating! 

I'll be blogging about the trip for sure - probably multiple posts, but will wait till I return as I really don't want to haul a computer through the Andes mountains. I will be taking lots of pictures so will have plenty to share when I return - but frankly taking a break and getting away from email and the internet will be a pleasure. I like them both but a break will be nice. So check back the latter part of May if you're interested in hearing the details and seeing my pictures. Wish me luck and safe travel!

Arkansas Road Trip

When many people think of Arkansas it seems Walmart comes to mind. And of course that would be true. Walmart was started in the northwest corner of Arkansas in a town called Bentonville. In fact here is a picture of the original store - which is now a museum.  One of these times when I am there I will make time to go through it - but not on this trip.

Right on the Bentonville town square. 

This overnight trip with friends was all about seeing Crystal Bridges Museum - also in Bentonville, AR. I have been to the museum twice before, but it's such a beautiful place I was happy to go back with friends that wanted to visit. Crystal Bridges permanent collection spans five centuries of American masterworks ranging from the colonial era to the current day. And did I mention that the architecture of the building itself is worth a trip? And that the museum is FREE!!!

Crystal Bridges gets it's name from Crystal Spring - a natural spring on the museum's wooded site that feeds into the museum ponds - and from the unique bridge construction incorporated into the bulding design.  The building was designed by architect Moshe Safdie - who also designed the beautiful Kauffman Center here in Kansas City. 

There are 7 or 8 seperate galleries that you flow through as you work your way through the museum. 

The grounds of the museum are as much a part of the experience of Crystal Bridges as the art inside. Plus there are more than three miles of trails to explore with different plant life and outdoor sculptures. We picked a perfect weekend to go - the weather was beautiful and everything was starting to bloom!  

My friends found a few new people to chat with! 

A new addition to the museum since my last trip two years ago is the installation of an original Frank Lloyd Wright home that you can tour. It is one of his "Usonian" homes (an abbreviation of United States of North America)  which was originally built in 1954 in New Jersey. Crystal Bridges acquired the home in 2013 and the entire structure was documented, taken apart, and shipped to Arkansas where it was meticulously reconstructed. It's free to tour the home but you do need to reserve a spot as they only let a certain number of people in the home at one time. I reserved our spots online a few weeks in advance but you might not even need that much lead time. You can pay to be part of a guided tour but they give you a free headset if you do it on your own and that worked out great!

Pictures of the front and back of the home. They don't allow photos inside but you can view them online. 

I loved the home! FLW uses a lot of wood, concrete and glass with tons of built-ins. It was super functional and also aesthetically pleasing. Having lived in Oak Park, IL for quite a few years I am a fan of Frank. His home and studio and 37 homes are in and around the Oak Park area and for a time I actually volunteered there. 

We grabbed lunch inside the museum at the restaurant there called Eleven.  The food is excellent and the setting beautiful.

In addition to the large permanent collection they have special exhibits also. We got to see "Border Cantos - Sight & Sound Explorations from the Mexican-American Border" by Richard Misrach and Guillermo Galindo and it was excellent. Their next special exhibit is from Dale Chihuly the glass sculpture starting June 3rd. I might have to make another trip this summer as I love his work. 

Then we jumped on the collection tour with a guide by the name of Alan and he took us to some of the most interesting pieces on display in the permanent galleries. 

Yes that's "Rosie the Riveter" by Norman Rockwell and "Airborne" by Andrew Wyeth. Man on a Bench is so realistic you would swear it's a real person! 

"Plexus No. 27" by Gabriel Dawe is made with thread, wood and hooks. Huge and beautiful! 

We finished our afternoon with a glass of wine sitting outside the museum and then headed over to check into the hotel and get ready for dinner. A great afternoon! 

In additions to Walmart world headquarters, northwest Arkansas is also home to Hunt and Tyson - two additional large companies with lots of executives that live in the area. This along with the addition of Crystal Bridges has brought so many cool new restaurants, coffee shops and unique hotels and shops to the area. When I was researching where to eat dinner in advance (Trip Advisor is usually my go-to) there were lots of new options. I picked Tavola Trattoria because we all like Italian and the reviews were very positive. We were not disappointed - in fact the opposite. We all loved it! Located just off the square - very friendly, casual, good wine selection and lots of food choices. 

We shared 2 salads and 3 entrees. Oh and a bottle of wine! A white sauce, a red sauce and a risotto with shrimp. All delicious! 

Sunday morning Cheryl and I made a coffee run back to the Bentonville Square to try Onyx Coffee Lab. Our waitress from Tavola had recommended it and we were impressed. They had equipment there neither of us had ever seen in a coffee shop! 

We just got coffee for everyone but they also had pastries and cookies that looked good too!

Our plan was to head back to the museum and walk on the trails over to downtown Bentonville and visit the 21C Museum Hotel. The hotel is also located right off the square and it's worth stopping to see. They have some really interesting art all over the main floor and they are happy to have you browse through it all. The first thing you will notice as you walk up are all the bright green penguins! They are even on top the bulding! They have several of these types of hotels in various cities and we are getting one soon in KC! The historic Savoy Hotel is being renovated into a Museum Hotel and will open in 2018 - can't wait! 

The basketball sculpture is art and not to shoot on - too bad!! 

"A Sudden Gust of Wind" by Serena Ozkaya. Or is it Cheryl throwing paper?? 

The restaurant at the hotel is called The Hive and we almost ate brunch there - but we had another place in mind so headed there for brunch/lunch. Crepes Paulette was the number one restaurant recommended on Trip Advisor so we had to check it out. Located about 6 blocks from the square but easy to find. Super cute inside and the food was wonderful!

We all had Crepes and they had so many that sounded great - sweet and savory. Also salads and soup.  

As we headed out of town I wanted to show the girls one more really cool thing. It's called the Mildred Cooper Memorial Chapel and it was designed by E. Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings. The chapel is made of glass and steel and when you're inside it you feel like you are outside because you don't even see the steel. It's very peaceful and serene and was one of my mom's favorite places so holds a special place in my heart. Unfortunately it was closed for a wedding so we couldn't go inside - but at least they got to see it from the outside. 

Located in Bella Vista, AR which is almost right on the border of Missouri and Arkansas.  

We had a great time and saw a lot in just over 24 hours. If you live in a radius of about 3 to 4 hours of northwest Arkansas it would be a great weekend get-away with lots to do and see. If you have children there is the Scott Family Amazeum that I hear is fantastic! Life is short - Enjoy it!

Food!!

Warning......don't read this post if you are hungry! There will be lots of pictures of food - and assorted other miscellaneous tidbits - Enjoy! 

We ate some great food in Kauai - and I was warned that everything was really expensive, but it really wasn't as bad as I expected. We were staying in a Marriott Villa so had a fully equipped kitchen. We made a run to Costco and the local Safeway and stocked up on breakfast, snacks and some lunch items and that saved us a lot. So going out for dinner never felt extravagant. And who wants to cook on vacation??!! Although Keeley and Matt made us a fabulous dinner one night and that was a nice treat!

There are two breweries on Kauai so we figured we should see them both. We went to the Kauai Beer Company the first night so headed over to the town of Port Allen to check out the Kauai Island Brewery. It bills itself as the world's western-most brewery, and the beer drinkers in the group (everyone except me!) gave the beer a thumbs up. 

Ahi Tuna top right, Pulled Pork Wrap with yummy fries and interesting coleslaw in the middle, Shrimp and fries bottom. Lots of pork served on the island. I know there are wild pigs so maybe that's why?? 

Port Allen is really close to a beautiful beach called Salt Pond so we stopped there to see the sunset on our way to the brewery. It is the only place in Hawaii still used to make salt.  

Sunset on Salt Pond

You can't go to Hawaii and not try the fish tacos so I had some delicious ones at the pool in Po'ipu the day we went south. I was actually sitting with the pool behind me and the beach in front of me - doesn't get much better then that! 

Mahi Mahi with fresh pineapple! 

Everyone I talked to that had ever been to Kauai said we had to eat at The Beach House in Po'ipu - and that was a wonderful evening. I read that it was the perfect place to watch the sunset so I made a reservation (very necessary) for 7 PM and we planned to get there at 6 PM to have a cocktail and watch the sunset. That worked out perfectly! 

Appetizers - Thai Coconut Crab Cakes, Lobster Mac & Cheese, Crab Stuffed Ahi Roll and Anna's cool cocktail!  

Main dishes - we had some duplicates but it was all delicious! 

Macadamia Nut Butter Sautéed Fresh Catch, Crab-Crusted Island Catch with Purple Sweet Potatoes, Fresh Fish and Coconut Stew and Furikake Dusted Ahi. 

Here's that beautiful sunset and my favorite people all with me!  The Beach House is not to be missed - really a special spot.

Two desserts we shared - fabulous Carrot Cake and Coconut Cream Pie. I must confess I grabbed a bite of the pie before I took the picture!  

We were looking for a quick place to have lunch and Keeley spotted this food truck. We decided to give it a try and it was wonderful! They made the food to order so it wasn't super fast but totally worth the wait. 

Steamed buns - one with Ginger Fried Chicken and the other with Pulled Pork. Also fresh Ahi Rolls. That tray is just what Tom and Anna ordered!!! And of course a friendly?? Rooster hanging around! 

The last night it was just Tom, Anna and I, as the others flew back on Friday afternoon. We headed to Duke's Canoe Club - kind of a legend on the island. Duke Paola Kahanamolu was born in 1890 in Honolulu and was a gold medal swimmer in the Olympics for 20 years. And there is a huge canoe hanging from the ceiling - too big to even get in a picture. The decor is very Hawaiian and they have a fabulous salad bar. We had really good fish entrees  - very nicely presented but I didn't get around to taking pictures. I did get a picture of their very famous dessert - Hula Pie!

The traditional Hula Pie is made with macadamia nut ice cream, but in honor of St. Patrick's Day they were doing a mint chip so we went with that. Huge so definitely intended to share. And we got drinks with those cute little umbrellas!! 

Our last day we went for brunch before heading to the airport. We went to the Olympic Cafe in a town called Kapa's, and it was a very local place with great food and large portions. My friend Nancy has gotten me started eating eggs with rice and soy sauce and it's delicious! This one had lots of veggies in it too.  

Very open air dining room with window seats overlooking the street. Really delicious food! 

Other things worth mentioning. They have Shave Ice stores all over the place - and that's Shave Ice - not Shaved Ice. Kind of like a snow cone but the ice is very fine and melts fast. Then topped with flavored syrup of your choosing. Matt was the only one that jumped in to try it. It is actually on top of an ice cream base. Quite a site!! 

Only comes in one size - that one!!! He tried it in a few places but Skinny Mike's was the best! And we even met Skinny Mike! 

We ate tons of fresh pineapple. We started with one and then went back for more. Love it!!! 

Angela teaching us how to cut it. Then Anna and I tried our hand. I have one sitting on my counter here in KC right now!  

No post about Kauai would be complete without a special tribute to the huge rooster population they have!! They are everywhere - and they crow all day - not just early in the morning! The hurricane of 1992 freed them all from their coops and no one bothered to round them up. So they roam freely everywhere and have multiplied like rabbits! I found it pretty funny until one attacked me for my peanut butter sandwich! Patti - 0 Rooster - 0. It scared the heck out of me and the sandwich hit the dirt. They don't fly but they can jump high!!!

Upper right corner is my nemesis!! 

If you've been reading my blog then you know half the fun for me is researching and planning my trips - and Kauai was no exception. I got a great recommendation for this book and it was spot on. The writers do all their research anonymously and write their reviews based on their experiences - not who is paying them to say good things. There is plenty left in the book for me to make a few return trips and still not see, do and eat everything. 

It was a wonderful trip to a spectacularly beautiful island. Made all the more special by having the people I love best there to share it with me. Memories that I will treasure always.  

Until next time Kauai!!!