Land of the Llamas

I can't belive it's taken me so long to blog about Peru. All the moving and life changing stuff kind of got in the way. But! Have no fear, dear readers! I'm here to share some of my adventures in my first South American country. I went on a super cool adventure with my sweet sister Lorin on April 27-May 1 to the exciting and exotic country of Peru. Lorin's husband Phillip was doing a medical internship in Lima, Peru (the capital city) for the month of April, so we went at the end of the month to meet up with him and go sightseeing. We arrived on a Wednesday, after flying through El Salvador and Costa Rica, into Lima. It turns out we weren't that impressed with Lima. While it is on the coast, which is pretty, the city itself is very modernized and there wasn't much for a foreigner to really do. We did have a traditional Peruvian meal and tried our first of many Inca Kola's (think Big Red but bright yellow!). We hung out that night and then left on Thursday morning for Cusco.

Cusco was my favorite! It is a city that's about 11,000 feet above sea level, so we actually took elevation medicine so we wouldn't get sick. Basically, Cusco's claim to fame is that it's the city you go to to prepare yourself for Machu Picchu. We spent two days wondering around this ancient city, and I loved it so much! It was like rolling back in time, to a slower paced, easier life. There are still streets and walls that were built by the Incas over 500 years ago. Women carried their babies around on their backs. You go to different parts of the city to buy different goods. Markets are everywhere. It was so much fun. I must mention that this is also where Lorin and I feel in love with llamas. We were joking about how we were going to buy all of this llama stuff when we were in Cusco, and then we ended up really doing it. It was addicting! I left that city with a llama sweater, llama socks, llama shoes, a llama blanket, a llama purse and a turquoise llama figurine. See? I was obsessed! Possibly the highlight of the trip was when these native women walked right up to us with two llamas and asked if we wanted to take pictures with them. Naturally we had to oblige. It would've been rude otherwise! :)

Then on Saturday we made the long and arduous trek up to Machu Picchu, one of the 7 new wonders of the world. Machu Picchu is an ancient Incan city that was built up on this mountain. It was basically hidden from civilization and wasn't discovered by the moden world until 1911. Crazy, right? The Incans built a self-sufficient city up on this mountain that was just so beautiful. We wandered around the ruins for several hours imagining what life must have been like for these people. The best part, though, was just sitting on the rocks and taking in the beauty of God's creation all around me. I've never been to a place like it. We were literally up in the clouds. Gorgeous mountains (and steep cliffs) were all around us. The land was lush and picturesque. Llamas roamed free. There was a hush all around us as people just took it all in. It was one of the neatest experiences I've ever had.

Lorin, Phil and I had so much fun together! They are great travel buddies and I'm so glad I got to go on this trip with them. Here are just a few of the hundreds of pictures I took. I will say pictures don't do it justice. This was a trip like no other and I will never forget it!

The main square in Cusco

 Sporting our llama sweaters. Aren't we cute?

 Phil examining one of the ancient Incan walls

 The Perurail train we took to Machu Picchu

 Me, Lorin, the Peruvian women and LLAMAS!

 At Machu Picchu! Gorgeous doesn't even begin to describe it!

 Phil with the aqueduct that still had running water! Such an explorer!

 Where the llamas roam free

 Just sitting and taking it all in

 Phil and Lor in Cusco at the Temple of the Sun

Our traditional Peruvian meal in Lima