it`s been a while

As you have noticed i haven`t written an update in a while. It has been a combination of being in places without internet access as well as not being able to put into words all of the things that i`ve expertienced in the last month. Since I last wrote I`ve spent time in La Paz, Sorata (a magnifisant town in the middle of the mountains, 4 hours noth of La Paz), back in La Paz, Copacabana and Isla del Sol and then Peru. That`s the quick description of our route of last four weeks. We had a blast in Bolivia and we could have stayed there a lot longer if we had the time. The highlight of the second half of our time in Bolivia was Sorata. It is this town tucked in the middle of gourgeous mountains with a spectacular view of the snow-capped mountain of Illampu. We made friends with a group of Argentine artisans and spent our days drinking mate and making crafts by the river. The place was truly magical, i felt so at peace with myself and the natural surroundings. We went to Sorata planning on staying 3 days and stayed 10 and if we had the time we would have stayed longer.
The next highlight was Copacabana, a beautiful town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. We met up with two Grinnellians, Justin Riley and Nick Fogg and travled together up to Cusco. In Copacabana we made friends with a group of Peruvian and Colombian artisans, who taught us how to make a lot of different kinds of bracelets and necklesas. Marie and I decided that we keep wanting to buy so many crafts, that we should learn how to make them and this would also help our financial situation if we could sell some of the things we made. So we bought materials in La Paz and as we meet artisans we learn new techniques. We have sold one necklace and a pair of earings, and hope these numbers increase as we go north. Who knows, if you`re traveling you might run into Marie and me with our display of artesanias in some plaza in a little town in South America? Some might say that we are turning into artisan, traveling, hippies.

We sadly left Bolivia, but with great antisipation for what was ahead of us in Peru. We arrived in Cusco and booked the alternative hike to Machupicchu called the Salkantay trek. To do the traditional Inca Trail you have to book months in advance and it is really expensive and so this wasn´t an option for us. The Salkantay Trail is five days and four nights and ends up in Machupicchu the last day. We had a great group of people that were brought together by various different agencies. There were 16 of us: 3 Spanish, 2 Danish, 2 Dutch, 2 Canadians, 2 US, and Mariela and me, 2 guides and a cook. We luckily didn`t have to carry all of our belongings, we only carried water and snacks and then we had mules carry the rest of our things. It was a tough hike, up mountains and through valleys, across rivers and through humid jungles, through rain and shine. The highest point we climed was 4540 meters high at the pass of the snow capped Salkantay Mountain. Everyone in the group got a long and we all helped each other through moments where we didn`t know if we could keep going. I had never done anything like this, but it made me really excited about future camping and hiking adventures. The last day at Machupicchu was cold and rainy and when we got there we couldn`t see anything! We had hiked four days to get to the highlight of the trek, and fog and rain covered everything. Our guide pointed to a cloudy area and said, “This is where you would take the traditional Machupicchu postcard picture, but you can`t see anything.” We were all so disapointed, but there was this eternal optimist voice from my mother calling out to me saying “It`s going to clear up, i`m sure it is.” And so we began the tour with out guide and sure enough the fog began to lift, it was still rainy and cold, but we could at least see Machupicchu. And still i had this feeling that the sun was going to come out, and guess what? It did! Just as I was about to lose hope and resign myself to the fact that it would stay cloudy, the sun peaked out through a patch of blue sky. The morning was cold and rainy and by the afternoon the clouds and fog had cleared and it was warm and sunny and we spent the afternoon in the sun admiring the ruins of the mysterious Inka Empire. It was spectacular! A great ending to a tough hike.
After returning to Cusco we headed to Cabanaconde, a town at the edge of the Colca Canyon, the second deepest canyon in the world (3000 meters deep). We spent two days at a hostal called El Paraiso in the heart of the canyon. It was a great place to relax after several days of intense hiking: it really was like a paradise, with a swimming pool, tropical flowers and palm trees all nestled next to a beatiful flowing river surrounded by red and orange endges of the canyon. And before we left the region we got to see several condors flying over us (with the help of my dad`s binoculars, thanks papí:) from a look off point called El Cruz del Condor.
From there we headed to Lima, which is where I am writing from now and are headed to Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca, the highest mountain range in Peru, before heading north to Ecuador. We are excited to hit the warm beaches, a nice change from the cold mountains of Bolivia and Peru. Although the sceneries have been spectacular, it has been the people I have met along the way that have really touched me and will stay with me long after this trip is over: Artisan travelers, local residents, travelers from abroad; people from all walks of life who see and experience the beauty of South America in a million different ways. The artisan who sits with me for hours teaching me a new point. A simple act of kindness from an old woman who offers me a tissue to wipe my forehead when i`m feeling sick on a crowded bus. A child who smiles at me as a hike past his home. A kind stranger who offers directions to a pair of lost travelers. These are the faces and images that will accompany my memories of this traveling adventure.
I`ve uploaded some pictures from the last month under "More Photos" if you want to check them out and Marie also has some great pictures.
I hope you`re all doing well.
love, Jenny

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Y les pido disculpas a tod@s los que leen mis mensajes en español, pero es muy tarde y no tengo tiempo para escribir sobre mis aventuras en este ultimo mes. Pero espero que disfruten las fotos y subi del link "More Fotos." Los quiero mucho y les contare de mis proximas aventuras muy pronto.
con mucho cariño, Juanita