LIMA, PERU OCTOBER 2010

THE CITY SIGHTS OF LIMA.
Here are the three trekkers from Montana in Lima. We did a city tour the first day, and had a great guide to show us to primary attractions of the city. Goverment buildings are in the background.



Following the bus/city tour, we decided to explore a bit of the city on foot, and went down to the ocean. There aren't many access points for pedestrians. Nearby was a place where you could engage in parasailing, which many were doing on this fine, slightly breezy day.




This is a sign that was in one of the hotels we stayed in. As is the case in Mexico, they do have flush toilets, but their sewer systems are not built to adequately handle toilet paper, so there is a little waste bin by the toilet in which you are to place (all) used toilet paper. Doesn't seem very sanitary, but overflowing toilets are even worse, yes?




We also went on a tour of one of the shanty towns. Our guide was a very pleasant young woman, who very apparently had a nice rapport with the women who lived there. On the way, we stopped at an open market which reminded me a great deal of the souks in Morocco. One addition, though, was the sale of prepared sauces.


















Some children who were in the market.
I think their parents worked there.








The last night in Lima we went to the water fountain park. It was amazing...many different fountains, including this one where children had a great time trying to outguess when the water would spurt up. There was a special showing once an hour that had images of dancers within the water spray. Very nice.

INCA TRAIL HIKE

Here is our group of ten hikers at the trail head of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru. There were a couple from Ireland, three from Australia, two from Germany and the three of us from Billings, Montana. I was the oldest of our group, and am quite sure, the oldest on the trail the four days we hiked.

This is our camp the first night. It was the most private as far as other hikers is concerned, but awful toilet accomodations! Did get a good night's rest, which was good since the next day was a killer...went from about 10,000 to 14,000'.


This is the view of where we've been from
Dead Woman's Pass, and yes!
I felt like that at the end of day
two! The name actually is from the
view looking up, like the Sleeping
Giant outside Helena, Montana. You can see the porters resting in the foreground. These hard-working primarily young men carry loads of about 70 pound and usually wear rubber type of sandals, often running up/down the path.


And this is what the way down on the other side resembled. We encountered lots of actual rock stone steps. Very seldom was there a level dirt path to walk on. The Trail is now restricted to 500 persons per day, including support persons (porters, etc.) and there were people on the trail picking up litter. This governmental interference has only taken place in about the last five years or so and became necessary as there were thousands of people on the trail, and the situation became totally out of control.

UPDATE

Have been so busy since last post! And Facebook has been my primary journaling effort, but better keep this one up, as well, I'm told by certain readers.

Had numerous trips in my great little RV, camping with grandkids and friends around the area. I'm looking forward to another trip "down south" this winter for a couple of weeks. Not sure when or where that will be at this point, but sometime in January or February, most likely, and not too far away.

Was honored to have the opportunity to participate in the birth of my sixth grandchild last month, another grandson, Kellen by name! He is healthy and his big brothers do such a nice job of helping his mom. I am lucky to have at least one of my daughters and three grandkids here in Billings and continue to make trips to CA and IL to see the others as time/money permits.

Speaking of which, have been very busy with my Montana Council on Economic Education executive director's job. Acually, it's the admin part of the position that really keeps my hopping. I've also spent a lot of time this summer trying to develop my own business, Presentations Plus, and hope to break into the conference speaker world in 2011. My hope is that eventually I can just do my own training/presenting gigs to earn adequate extra income.

So I do all of that to support my travel addiction. Next up is a trip to Peru, leaving Oct. 6. Will be doing the Amazon Rainforest, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and then going to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in world. Two weeks of much needed get away from computers/cell phones/activities! I'll post photos of that trip later.